About

Do you enjoy learning about the cultures and peoples of the past? Do you want to gain a deeper understanding of present and future challenges? Are you ready to develop first-class skills in critical thinking and writing?

East Carolina's BA in history educates students for the global economy of the 21st century by providing them with an awareness of their own society as well as that of the world beyond North Carolina. Traditionally accepted as the ideal preparation for careers in law, government, and teaching, history today is more valuable than ever due to the skills of writing and critical thinking with which our graduates are equipped.

As a student, you will benefit from close classroom interaction with our history faculty. Introductory courses are taught to medium-sized audiences, where lectures are blended with discussion and active learning exercises. Advanced courses on more focused topics are taught to smaller groups of students in seminars that place priority on writing and discussion. A foreign language requirement ensures that you are prepared to work in the interactive global workplace of the 21st century. Opportunities for internships are available for those pursuing concentrations in public history, and an Honors paper option is available to interested students aspiring to graduate work in history. History majors benefit from the resources of Joyner Library, in particular its impressive Special Collections and North Carolina Collections.

ECU Advantage

In East Carolina's Department of History, students receive a liberal arts education in a small campus atmosphere with a high level of faculty and student interaction. East Carolina's history faculty are a diverse group of scholars hailing from across the United States and beyond, and they are also an active and productive group of researchers. More than 70 percent of history faculty have published one or more books.

The Department of History also has particular strengths in maritime, Atlantic world, and public history. Many history majors are double-majors, who are preparing for careers in teaching with the added benefit of a strengthened credential. The writing and critical thinking skills taught in history classes prepare all students, whether future teachers, lawyers, doctors, or anything else, to hold more rewarding jobs, be better citizens, and lead fuller lives.

As an ECU student, you can research your future career in Steppingblocks. Explore real-world stats about your major, your interests, and your dream job title with data-powered career exploration tools designed for doers like you.

What You Will Study

Program Coordinator: Mona Russell (322-A Brewster Building; 252-328-6326; russellm@ecu.edu)

The degree requires a minimum of 120 s.h. as follows:

1. General education requirements - 40 s.h.

(For information about courses that carry general education credit view the General Education Program section.)

    2. Demonstrated foreign language proficiency through level 2004 - 12 s.h.

    (For information about the foreign language requirement view Special Requirements for the BA Degree in the Academic Advisement, Progression and Support Services section and Placement Testing, Foreign Language in the Admission and Readmission section.)

      3. Core - 6 s.h.
      • HIST 2000 - Introduction to History
      • HIST 4000 - Senior Seminar
      4. Concentrations - 30 s.h.

      (Choose one of the following concentrations.)

        a. Historical studies concentration
          Choose 9 s.h. from the following courses:
          • HIST 1030 - World Civilizations to 1500
          • HIST 1031 - World Civilizations Since 1500
          • HIST 1050 - American History to 1877
          • HIST 1051 - American History Since 1877
          Choose a minimum of 21 s.h. of HIST electives.

          Notes:

          • A maximum of 3 s.h. of HIST courses between 2001-2999 may be counted towards this requirement.  
          • The remaining hours must be above 2999 and include at least one 3 s.h. course from each list of electives by area (see section 5). 
          b. Pre-law concentration

          (Choose one of the following courses.)

          • HIST 3010 - Constitutional History of the United States to 1888 OR
          • HIST 3011 - Constitutional History of the United States Since 1888
            • Choose 9 s.h. from the following courses:
            • HIST 1030 - World Civilizations to 1500
            • HIST 1031 - World Civilizations Since 1500
            • HIST 1050 - American History to 1877
            • HIST 1051 - American History Since 1877
            Choose 9 s.h. from the following history and cognate courses:

            (Courses must be distributed among at least two disciplines.)

              History courses:
              • HIST 3010 - Constitutional History of the United States to 1888
              • HIST 3011 - Constitutional History of the United States Since 1888
              • HIST 3110 - History of African-Americans
              • HIST 3480 - Britain to 1688
              • HIST 3482 - Britain, 1688-1832
              Cognate courses:
              • PHIL 2282 - Philosophy of Law
              • POLS 3204 - The American Judiciary
              • POLS 3223 - Constitutional Powers
              • POLS 3224 - Civil Liberties
              • POLS 3295 - International Law
              • SOCI 4320 - Sociology of Law
              • SOCI 4322 - Law and Social Change
            Choose a minimum of 9 s.h. of HIST electives above 2999, at least one 3 s.h. course from each list of electives by area (see section 5).
            c. Public history concentration

            (Choose one of the following courses.)

            • HIST 3900 - Introduction to Public History OR
            • HIST 3993 - Approaches to Historical Objects
              • Choose 9 s.h. from the following courses:
              • HIST 1030 - World Civilizations to 1500
              • HIST 1031 - World Civilizations Since 1500
              • HIST 1050 - American History to 1877
              • HIST 1051 - American History Since 1877
              Choose 9 s.h. from the following courses (3 s.h. of which must be an internship):

              Note: HIST 3900 and HIST 3993 may not count for more than one requirement within the public history concentration. 

              • HIST 3900 - Introduction to Public History *
              • HIST 3980 - Shipwreck Archaeology
              • HIST 3985 - History of American Architecture
              • HIST 3993 - Approaches to Historical Objects *
              • HIST 4940 - Public History Internship
              • HIST 5910 - Introduction to the Administration of Archives and Historical Manuscripts
              • HIST 5920 - Techniques of Museum and Historic Site Development
              • HIST 5930 - Field and Laboratory Studies in Museum and Historic Site Development
              • HIST 5960 - Introduction to Oral History
              • HIST 5985 - Historic Preservation Planning
              Choose a minimum of 9 s.h. of HIST electives above 2999, at least one 3 s.h. course from each list of electives by area (see section 5).
              d. Atlantic and maritime concentration
              • HIST 1031 - World Civilizations Since 1500
                • Choose 6 s.h. from the following courses:
                • HIST 1030 - World Civilizations to 1500
                • HIST 1050 - American History to 1877
                • HIST 1051 - American History Since 1877
                Choose 9 s.h. from the following history and cognate courses:
                  History courses:
                  • HIST 2600 - Maritime Heritage of the Outer Banks
                  • HIST 2700 - History of Piracy
                  • HIST 3110 - History of African-Americans
                  • HIST 3210 - Colonial America to 1763
                  • HIST 3482 - Britain, 1688-1832
                  • HIST 3710 - Introduction to Latin-American History: Colonial Period
                  • HIST 3711 - Introduction to Latin-American History: Since 1808
                  • HIST 3810 - History of Africa
                  • HIST 3832 - African and Caribbean Maritime Archaeology and History
                  • HIST 3840 - Africa and the Atlantic World
                  • HIST 3850 - Kingdoms, Empires and States of Pre-Colonial Africa
                  • HIST 3980 - Shipwreck Archaeology
                  • HIST 3981 - History and Archaeology of Small Watercraft
                  • HIST 4170 - Native American Maritime History
                  • HIST 5130 - Comparative History of New World Slavery and Race Relations
                  • HIST 5505 - Maritime History of the Western World to 1415
                  • HIST 5520 - Maritime History of the Western World Since 1815
                  • HIST 5660 - Imperialism in Theory and Practice, 1800 to the Present
                  • HIST 5765 - Latin America, 1492 to the Present
                  • HIST 5800 - Africa and the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade
                  • HIST 5810 - Africa during the Colonial Era, 1884-1994
                  • HIST 5830 - African Independence Movements of the Twentieth Century
                  • HIST 5840 - Anti-Apartheid Movement in South Africa
                  Cognate courses:
                  • AAAS 1000 - Introduction to African and African American Studies
                Choose a minimum of 12 s.h. of HIST electives above 2999, at least one 3 s.h. course from each list of electives by area (see section 5).
              5. HIST electives by area
                American:
                • HIST 3010 - Constitutional History of the United States to 1888
                • HIST 3011 - Constitutional History of the United States Since 1888
                • HIST 3100 - North Carolina History
                • HIST 3110 - History of African-Americans
                • HIST 3121 - American Military History to 1900
                • HIST 3122 - American Military History Since 1900
                • HIST 3140 - Women in American History
                • HIST 3170 - History of Native Americans
                • HIST 3200 - Diplomatic History of the United States
                • HIST 3210 - Colonial America to 1763
                • HIST 3215 - American Revolution and the Federal Era, 1763-1800
                • HIST 3225 - The Era of Sectionalism and Civil War, 1848-1877
                • HIST 3230 - The Birth of Modern America, 1865-1892
                • HIST 3240 - The Age of Franklin Roosevelt, 1919-1945
                • HIST 3245 - The United States Since 1945
                • HIST 3260 - The United States and the Middle East, 1783 to the Present
                • HIST 3907 - Pirate Nation: An ECU History
                • HIST 4170 - Native American Maritime History
                • HIST 5122 - Social and Cultural History of the United States Since 1865
                • HIST 5140 - The Old South
                • HIST 5141 - The South Since 1877
                • HIST 5220 - Selected Topics in US Women's History
                • HIST 5230 - Themes in African American History
                • HIST 5520 - Maritime History of the Western World Since 1815
                • HIST 5960 - Introduction to Oral History
                European:
                • HIST 3405 - History of Ancient Greece to 146 BC
                • HIST 3406 - War and Society in Ancient Greece and Rome
                • HIST 3410 - History of Ancient Rome
                • HIST 3412 - A History of Christianity to 1300
                • HIST 3413 - A History of Christianity 1300-present
                • HIST 3415 - The Middle Ages
                • HIST 3420 - Early Modern Europe to 1648
                • HIST 3430 - History of Europe, 1815-1914
                • HIST 3435 - History of Europe Since 1914
                • HIST 3444 - Old Regime and Revolutionary France
                • HIST 3445 - Modern France, 1815-present
                • HIST 3460 - Germany, 1790-1914
                • HIST 3461 - Germany Since 1914
                • HIST 3462 - History of the Holocaust
                • HIST 3480 - Britain to 1688
                • HIST 3482 - Britain, 1688-1832
                • HIST 3484 - Britain from 1832
                • HIST 3551 - Medieval Russia, 862-1682
                • HIST 3552 - Imperial Russia, 1682-1917
                • HIST 3553 - Soviet Russia, 1917-1991
                • HIST 4445 - The European Enlightenments
                • HIST 5350 - The Renaissance in European History
                • HIST 5360 - The Reformation, 1450-1598
                • HIST 5440 - Twentieth-Century England
                • HIST 5470 - History of Soviet Russia Since 1917
                • HIST 5480 - Weimar and the Rise of Hitler
                • HIST 5505 - Maritime History of the Western World to 1415
                • HIST 5660 - Imperialism in Theory and Practice, 1800 to the Present
                World:
                • HIST 3340 - The Ancient Middle East from Prehistory to Muhammad
                • HIST 3610 - History of East Asia to 1600
                • HIST 3611 - History of East Asia Since 1600
                • HIST 3615 - History of Traditional Japan
                • HIST 3620 - History of Modern Japan
                • HIST 3625 - Field Study in Japanese Historical Culture
                • HIST 3626 - Field Study in Japanese Historical Texts
                • HIST 3627 - History of Japanese Buddhism
                • HIST 3629 - History of Traditional China
                • HIST 3630 - History of Modern China
                • HIST 3635 - Samurai History and Cinema
                • HIST 3669 - History of the Middle East, 600-1500
                • HIST 3670 - History of the Middle East Since 1500
                • HIST 3680 - Women and Gender in the Middle East
                • HIST 3710 - Introduction to Latin-American History: Colonial Period
                • HIST 3711 - Introduction to Latin-American History: Since 1808
                • HIST 3780 - Mexico and Central America
                • HIST 3810 - History of Africa
                • HIST 3820 - History of South Africa
                • HIST 3830 - Africa and Islam
                • HIST 3832 - African and Caribbean Maritime Archaeology and History
                • HIST 3840 - Africa and the Atlantic World
                • HIST 3850 - Kingdoms, Empires and States of Pre-Colonial Africa
                • HIST 4610 - History of Southeast Asia
                • HIST 5300 - Comparative History of Non-Western Civilizations
                • HIST 5340 - The Ancient Near East
                • HIST 5680 - Diplomatic History of Modern Asia
                • HIST 5765 - Latin America, 1492 to the Present
                • HIST 5800 - Africa and the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade
                • HIST 5810 - Africa during the Colonial Era, 1884-1994
                • HIST 5830 - African Independence Movements of the Twentieth Century
                • HIST 5840 - Anti-Apartheid Movement in South Africa
                Note:

                The following courses vary in content and will be classified according to topic.

                • HIST 3005 - Selected Topics in History
                • HIST 3350 - War and Society
                • HIST 3981 - History and Archaeology of Small Watercraft
                • HIST 4005 - Selected Topics in History
                • HIST 4531 - Directed Readings in History
                • HIST 4532 - Directed Readings in History
                • HIST 4533 - Directed Readings in History
                • HIST 5005 - Selected Topics
              6. Minor and electives to complete requirements for graduation.
                For more information about this degree visit the university's academic catalogs.
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