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History (B.A.)

Program Overview

The History program delivers its majors and minors through a wide range of course offerings in American, European, and World History. Faculty place a strong emphasis on the cultivation of specific experiences, skills, and career-related abilities such as critical thinking, high quality written and oral communication, methods of research, and digital and public projects. The public history major, in particular, prepares students for careers in public-facing institutions such as archives, museums, and libraries.

The program presents the academic study of history within the framework of a liberal arts tradition that also engages the rich traditions of the Christian faith. In this way, it promotes life-long learning that recognizes the powerful role history and faith play in shaping contemporary society and culture.

Outside its normal course offerings, the program offers many enrichment opportunities for majors—including working with professors on research and public history projects; internships with museums, historical archives, and governmental agencies; archaeological fieldwork; study semesters around the world; and teaching in local schools. Students enjoy the benefit of studying in immersive learning environments, creatively connecting the past to the present, in diverse and inclusive ways.

Graduates from the History program are prepared to enter a variety of professions and occupations from collegiate and secondary level teaching, museums, archives, historic preservation, public history, and journalism to government service, law, business administration and management, and data analytics. The discipline of history develops analytical, communication, and organizational skills that prepare students for a broad range of careers. The history program encourages cross-fertilization with other programs in the form of double majors, minors, and strategic use of a wide range of elective courses. Faculty also act as mentors and advisors providing valuable guidance that goes a long way in ensuring student success in their vocational pursuits at the university and beyond.

Program Learning Outcomes

Graduates from Messiah’s History program can:

  1. Explain past political, social, cultural, economic, and religious practices and structures of United States, Western, and World History.
  2. Explain principal theories, concepts, practices and ethical issues of the discipline of history.
  3. Conduct analysis of primary and secondary sources and effectively communicate analysis.
  4. Identify, select, and interpret texts and other cultural resources to produce synthetic interpretations of the past.
  5. Articulate how historical study creates opportunities for employment, graduate studies, service, and public outreach.
  6. Develop skills that prepare for work, service, and citizenship beyond graduation.
  7. Articulate the ways that Christian faith intersects with historical thinking from a variety of traditions.

Major Requirements

Complete the following for your major:

HIST 201Introduction to History

1
HIST 202Historical Methods

3
HIST 203Effective Historical Writing

1
HIST 401Historiography: History & Theory of Historical Writing

3

HIST 401: Writing in the major requirement.

Twelve credits from the following:

ARCG 208Archaeology of Greece

3
HIST 205Ancient Greece

3
HIST 206Ancient Rome

3
HIST 207The Early Church

3
HIST 210Knights, Peasants, and Bandits

3
HIST 212Medieval Europe

3
HIST 240Age of Hamilton

3
HIST 244Civil War America

3
HIST 248War, Peace, Memory in America

3
HIST 256America & World War II

3
HIST 271World History to 1500

3
HIST 272World History since 1500

3
HIST 273Hist of Premodern Asia to 1500

3
HIST 274Hist of Modern Asia since 1500

3
HIST 294Digital History

3
 

Six credits from the following 300-level European:

HIST 303Late Antiquity

3
HIST 304Tudor-Stuart England:1400-1700

3
HIST 312The Trial of Joan of Arc

3
HIST 319Topics in European History

3
ARCG 396Historical Archaeology

3

Six credits from the following 300-level World:

HIST 373History of Premodern S Asia

3
HIST 374History of South Asia After 1500

3
HIST 389Topics in World History

3

Six credits from the following 300-level American:

HIST 341Colonial America

3
HIST 342America in the Age of Revolution

3
HIST 347Modern America: U.S. History, 1945-Present

3
HIST 359Topics in American History

3
HIST 390Teaching History and Social Studies

3
HIST 393Public History

3
HIST 395Museums, Memorials, & Monuments

3
HIST 397Special Topics in Public History

3

One of the following Experiential Learning Components

INTE 391Internship

1-3
INTE 394Internship

4-12
Study Abroad option

0

INTE 391/INTE 394 must have historical component and be taken for a letter grade to fulfill major requirement. Work closely with your advisor to confirm.

Students studying abroad must take a 300-level history course approved by the department to transfer towards the major.

QuEST Requirements

Experiential Learning requirement 0
QuEST requirements Credits
First Year Seminar 3
Oral Communication 3
Created and Called for Community (W) 3
Mathematical Sciences 3 or 4
Laboratory Science 3 or 4
Science, Technology & the World 3
European History (HIST 205, 206, 207, 210, 212) 0-31
United States History (HIST 240, 244, 256) 0-31
Literature 3
Philosophy and Religion 3
Arts 3
First Semester of Language 3
Second Semester of Language 3
Third Semester of Language or Cross Cultural (ARCG 208)* 0-32
Non-Western Studies (HIST 271, 272, 273, 274 0-32
Bible 3
Christian Beliefs 3
Wellness course 1
Ethics, World Views or Pluralism  0-32
QuEST requirements 46-48
Major Requirements 40-49
Free electives 37-26
Total credits 123

1Three credits of disciplinary overlap granted regardless of course.

2 May be met by major, dependent on course selection.