This minor may only be completed by students admitted to the Elementary Education or the Elementary Education and Special Education programs. A minor is not required to complete either program.
Minors provide a depth of study in a particular area of interest and also inform classroom instruction. The completion of a minor is required to teach middle school in some states and may benefit students particularly interested in teaching at this level.
The Department of History is housed in the College of Letters & Science. Students may wish to consult with an undergraduate advisor in the department to discuss course selection and other issues related to this field of study.
Students have numerous advising resources available to them, including both professional and peer advisors. Information on the History advising team, how to contact an advisor, how to schedule an appointment, and drop-in advising hours can be found on the departmental website.
Upon completion, the subject area of the minor will be posted on the UW–Madison transcript. Students will not receive an additional certification or license in the subject area. The Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction does not offer content licenses in association with the Elementary Education or Special Education teaching licenses.
How to Get In
This minor may only be declared by students completing the Elementary Education or the Elementary Education and Special Education programs. To declare the minor, contact your academic advisor in the School of Education Student Services any time after program admission.
Requirements
The History minor requires a minimum of 18 credits. No more than three courses may be numbered below 300. A minimum cumulative grade point average of 2.75 is required, based on all History minor coursework taken on the UW–Madison campus.
Select courses from the following categories. Although courses may be listed multiple times, they may only count once towards the history minor.
European History (3 credits)
Select one course from the following:
European History Courses
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| HISTORY/CLASSICS 110 | The Ancient Mediterranean | 4 |
| HISTORY 115 | Medieval Europe 410-1500 | 4 |
| HISTORY 119 | Europe and the World, 1400-1815 | 4 |
| HISTORY 120 | Europe and the Modern World 1815 to the Present | 4 |
| HISTORY 124 | Britain since 1688 | 4 |
| HIST SCI 201 | The Origins of Scientific Thought | 3 |
| HISTORY 201 | The Historian's Craft (European topics) | 3-4 |
| ILS 201 | Western Culture: Science, Technology, Philosophy I | 3 |
| HISTORY/RELIG ST 208 | Western Intellectual and Religious History to 1500 | 3-4 |
| HISTORY/RELIG ST 209 | Western Intellectual and Religious History since 1500 | 3-4 |
| HISTORY/RELIG ST 212 | The History of Western Christianity to 1750 | 4 |
| HISTORY/JEWISH 220 | Introduction to Modern Jewish History | 4 |
| HISTORY 223 | Explorations in European History (H) | 3-4 |
| HISTORY/GEOG/POLI SCI/SLAVIC 253 | Russia: An Interdisciplinary Survey | 4 |
| HISTORY/GEOG/POLI SCI/SLAVIC 254 | Eastern Europe: An Interdisciplinary Survey | 4 |
| HISTORY 270 | Eastern Europe since 1900 | 3-4 |
| HISTORY 271 | Study Abroad in History: European History | 1-4 |
| HISTORY 303 | A History of Greek Civilization | 3-4 |
| HISTORY 307 | A History of Rome | 3-4 |
| HISTORY/MEDIEVAL/RELIG ST 309 | The Crusades: Christianity and Islam | 3-4 |
| HISTORY/JEWISH 310 | The Holocaust | 3-4 |
| HISTORY/HIST SCI 323 | The Scientific Revolution: From Copernicus to Newton | 3 |
| HISTORY/ENVIR ST 328 | Environmental History of Europe | 3 |
| HISTORY 348 | France from Napoleon to the Great War, 1799-1914 | 3-4 |
| HISTORY 349 | Contemporary France, 1914 to the Present | 3-4 |
| HISTORY 350 | The First World War and the Shaping of Twentieth-Century Europe | 3-4 |
| HISTORY 357 | The Second World War | 3-4 |
| HISTORY 358 | French Revolution and Napoleon | 3-4 |
| HISTORY 359 | History of Europe Since 1945 | 3-4 |
| HISTORY/ENGL/RELIG ST 360 | Early Medieval England | 3 |
| HISTORY/CLASSICS/POLI SCI 362 | Athenian Democracy | 3 |
| HISTORY/INTL ST 366 | From Fascism to Today: Social Movements and Politics in Europe | 3-4 |
| HISTORY/GEN&WS 392 | Women and Gender in Modern Europe | 3-4 |
| HISTORY 410 | History of Germany, 1871 to the Present | 3-4 |
| HISTORY/RELIG ST 411 | The Enlightenment and Its Critics | 3 |
| HISTORY 417 | History of Russia | 3-4 |
| HISTORY 418 | History of Russia | 3-4 |
| HISTORY 419 | History of Soviet Russia | 3-4 |
| HISTORY 420 | Russian Social and Intellectual History | 3-4 |
| HISTORY 424 | The Soviet Union and the World, 1917-1991 | 3-4 |
| HISTORY/LEGAL ST 426 | The History of Punishment | 3-4 |
| HISTORY/SCAND ST 431 | History of Scandinavia to 1815 | 3 |
| HISTORY/SCAND ST 432 | History of Scandinavia Since 1815 | 3 |
| HISTORY/LEGAL ST 459 | Rule of Law: Philosophical and Historical Models | 3-4 |
| HISTORY/LEGAL ST 476 | Medieval Law and Society | 3 |
| HISTORY/ED POL 478 | Comparative History of Childhood and Adolescence | 3 |
| HISTORY/HIST SCI/MED HIST 508 | Health, Disease and Healing II | 3-4 |
| HISTORY/CURRIC/ED POL/JEWISH 515 | Holocaust: History, Memory and Education | 3 |
| HISTORY/CLASSICS/RELIG ST 517 | Religions of the Ancient Mediterranean | 3 |
| HISTORY/JEWISH/SOC 518 | Antisemitism in European Culture | 3 |
| HISTORY/SCAND ST 577 | Contemporary Scandinavia: Politics and History | 3-4 |
U.S. History (3 credits)
Select one course from the following:
U.S. History Courses
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| HISTORY 101 | Amer Hist to the Civil War Era, the Origin & Growth of the U S | 4 |
| HISTORY 102 | American History, Civil War Era to the Present | 4 |
| HISTORY/ED POL 107 | The History of the University in the West | 3 |
| HISTORY 109 | Introduction to U.S. History | 3-4 |
| HISTORY 136 | Sport, Recreation, & Society in the United States | 3-4 |
| HISTORY/ED POL 143 | History of Race and Inequality in Urban America | 3 |
| HISTORY 145 | America and China, 1776-Today | 3-4 |
| HISTORY/CHICLA 151 | The North American West to 1850 | 3-4 |
| HISTORY/CHICLA 152 | The United States West Since 1850 | 3-4 |
| HISTORY/CHICLA 153 | Latina/Latino/Latinx History | 3-4 |
| HISTORY 154 | Who is an American? | 3-4 |
| HISTORY 155 | The Long Black Freedom Struggle from the Civil War to the Present | 3-4 |
| HISTORY/JEWISH 156 | The American Jewish Experience: From Shtetl to Suburb | 3-4 |
| HISTORY/ASIAN AM 160 | Asian American History: Movement and Dislocation | 3-4 |
| HISTORY/ASIAN AM 161 | Asian American History: Settlement and National Belonging | 3-4 |
| HISTORY 170 | East Meets West: Myth, Meaning, and Modernity | 3-4 |
| HISTORY/AMER IND 190 | Introduction to American Indian History | 3-4 |
| HISTORY 194 | US Labor and Working-Class History | 3-4 |
| HISTORY 201 | The Historian's Craft (U.S. topics) | 3-4 |
| HISTORY/JEWISH 213 | Jews and American Pop. Culture | 3-4 |
| HIST SCI 218 | History of Twentieth Century American Medicine | 3 |
| HISTORY 221 | Explorations in American History (H) | 3-4 |
| HISTORY 227 | Explorations in the History of Race and Ethnicity | 3 |
| HISTORY/ART HIST/ENVIR ST/GEOG/LAND ARC 239 | Making the American Landscape | 3-4 |
| HISTORY/CHICLA/GEN&WS 245 | Chicana and Latina History | 3 |
| HISTORY/ASIAN/ASIAN AM 246 | Southeast Asian Refugees of the "Cold" War | 4 |
| HISTORY/C&E SOC/POLI SCI/SOC 259 | Forward? The Wisconsin Idea, Past and Present | 1-3 |
| HISTORY/LEGAL ST 261 | American Legal History to 1860 | 3 |
| HISTORY/LEGAL ST 262 | American Legal History, 1860 to the Present | 3 |
| HISTORY/CHICLA/LACIS/POLI SCI 268 | The U.S. & Latin America from the Colonial Era to the Present: A Critical Survey | 3 |
| HISTORY 269 | War, Race, and Religion in Europe and the United States, from the Scramble for Africa to Today | 3-4 |
| HISTORY 272 | Study Abroad in History: United States History | 1-4 |
| HIST SCI/AFROAMER 275 | Science, Medicine, and Race: A History | 3 |
| HISTORY/AFRICAN/AFROAMER/POLI SCI 297 | African and African-American Linkages: An Introduction | 4 |
| HISTORY 302 | History of American Thought, 1859 to the Present | 3-4 |
| HISTORY 306 | The United States Since 1945 | 3-4 |
| HISTORY/AFROAMER 321 | African American History Since 1900 | 3-4 |
| HISTORY/AFROAMER 322 | African American History to 1900 | 3 |
| HISTORY 329 | History of American Capitalism | 4 |
| HISTORY/INTL ST 332 | East Asia & The U.S. Since 1899 | 3-4 |
| HISTORY 344 | The Age of the American Revolution, 1763-1789 | 3-4 |
| HISTORY 345 | Military History of the United States | 3-4 |
| HISTORY/GEN&WS 353 | Women and Gender in the U.S. to 1870 | 3-4 |
| HISTORY/GEN&WS 354 | Women and Gender in the U.S. Since 1870 | 3-4 |
| HISTORY/CHICLA/LACIS/POLI SCI 355 | Labor in the Americas: US & Mexico in Comparative & Historical Perspective | 3 |
| HISTORY/AMER IND 380 | Sovereignty and the Schoolhouse | 3 |
| HISTORY/AFROAMER 393 | Slavery, Civil War, and Reconstruction, 1848-1877 | 3-4 |
| HISTORY 401 | Public History Workshop | 3 |
| HISTORY 403 | Immigration and Assimilation in American History | 3-4 |
| HISTORY/ED POL 412 | History of American Education | 3 |
| HISTORY/CHICLA/POLI SCI 422 | Latino History and Politics | 3 |
| HISTORY 427 | The American Military Experience to 1902 | 3-4 |
| HISTORY 428 | The American Military Experience Since 1899 | 3-4 |
| HISTORY/ENVIR ST/LEGAL ST 430 | Law and Environment: Historical and Contemporary Perspectives | 3 |
| HISTORY 434 | American Foreign Relations, 1901 to the Present | 3-4 |
| HISTORY/CHICLA 435 | Colony, Nation, and Minority: The Puerto Ricans' World | 3 |
| HISTORY/LEGAL ST 459 | Rule of Law: Philosophical and Historical Models | 3-4 |
| HISTORY/ENVIR ST/GEOG 460 | American Environmental History | 4 |
| HISTORY/ECON 466 | The American Economy Since 1865 | 3-4 |
| HIST SCI/MED HIST 509 | The Development of Public Health in America | 3 |
| HIST SCI/AFROAMER/MED HIST 523 | Race, American Medicine and Public Health | 3 |
| HIST SCI/GEN&WS/MED HIST 531 | Women and Health in American History | 3 |
| HIST SCI/GEN&WS/MED HIST 532 | The History of the (American) Body | 3 |
| HIST SCI/GEN&WS 537 | Childbirth in the United States | 3 |
| HISTORY/JOURN 560 | History of U.S. Media | 4 |
| HISTORY 607 | The American Impact Abroad: The Historical Dimension | 3 |
| HISTORY/ED POL 612 | History of Student Activism from the Popular Front to Black Lives Matter | 3 |
| HISTORY/AFROAMER 628 | History of the Civil Rights Movement in the United States | 3 |
Non-Western History (3 credits)
Select one course from the following:
Non-Western History Courses
African History Courses
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| HISTORY/AFRICAN 106 | Introduction to African History | 3-4 |
| HISTORY/AFRICAN 129 | Africa on the Global Stage | 3-4 |
| HISTORY 179 | Afro-Atlantic Histories and Peoples, 1791-Present | 3-4 |
| HISTORY 201 | The Historian's Craft (African topics) | 3-4 |
| HISTORY/AFRICAN/AFROAMER/ANTHRO/GEOG/POLI SCI/SOC 277 | Africa: An Introductory Survey | 4 |
| HISTORY 278 | Africans in the Americas, 1492-1808 | 3-4 |
| HISTORY/AFRICAN/AFROAMER/POLI SCI 297 | African and African-American Linkages: An Introduction | 4 |
Central or East Asian History Courses
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| HISTORY/ASIAN 103 | Introduction to East Asian History: China | 3-4 |
| HISTORY/ASIAN 104 | Introduction to East Asian History: Japan | 3-4 |
| HISTORY/ASIAN 108 | Introduction to East Asian History - Korea | 3-4 |
| HISTORY 170 | East Meets West: Myth, Meaning, and Modernity | 3-4 |
| HISTORY 201 | The Historian's Craft (Central or East Asian topics) | 3-4 |
| HISTORY/ASIAN/POLI SCI 255 | Introduction to East Asian Civilizations | 3-4 |
| HISTORY/GNS 265 | An Introduction to Central Asia: From the Silk Route to Afghanistan | 3 |
| HISTORY/INTL ST 332 | East Asia & The U.S. Since 1899 | 3-4 |
| HISTORY/ASIAN 335 | The Koreas: Korean War to the 21st Century | 3-4 |
| HISTORY 336 | Chinese Economic and Business History: From Silk to iPhones | 3-4 |
| HISTORY/ASIAN 337 | Social and Intellectual History of China, 589 AD-1919 | 3-4 |
| HISTORY 340 | Cultural History of Korea | 3-4 |
| HISTORY/ASIAN 341 | History of Modern China, 1800-1949 | 3-4 |
| HISTORY/ASIAN 342 | History of the Peoples Republic of China, 1949 to the Present | 3-4 |
| HISTORY/ASIAN 363 | China and World War II in Asia | 3-4 |
| HISTORY/ASIAN 454 | Samurai: History and Image | 3-4 |
| HISTORY/ASIAN 456 | Pearl Harbor & Hiroshima: Japan, the US & The Crisis in Asia | 3-4 |
South or Southeast Asian History Courses
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| HISTORY 142 | History of South Asia to the Present | 3-4 |
| HISTORY 201 | The Historian's Craft (South or Southeast Asian topics) | 3-4 |
| HISTORY/ASIAN/GEOG/POLI SCI/SOC 244 | Introduction to Southeast Asia: Vietnam to the Philippines | 4 |
| HISTORY/ASIAN/ASIAN AM 246 | Southeast Asian Refugees of the "Cold" War | 4 |
| HISTORY/ASIAN/RELIG ST 308 | Introduction to Buddhism | 3-4 |
| HISTORY/ASIAN 319 | The Vietnam Wars | 3-4 |
| HISTORY 450 | Making of Modern South Asia | 3-4 |
| HISTORY/ASIAN 458 | History of Southeast Asia Since 1800 | 3-4 |
Latin American History Courses
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| HISTORY 179 | Afro-Atlantic Histories and Peoples, 1791-Present | 3-4 |
| HISTORY 201 | The Historian's Craft (Latin American Topics) | 3-4 |
| HISTORY/INTL ST/LACIS 242 | Modern Latin America | 4 |
| HISTORY/LACIS 243 | Colonial Latin America: Invasion to Independence | 3-4 |
| HISTORY/CHICLA/GEN&WS 245 | Chicana and Latina History | 3 |
| HISTORY/AFROAMER/ANTHRO/C&E SOC/GEOG/LACIS/POLI SCI/SOC/SPANISH 260 | Latin America: An Introduction | 3-4 |
| HISTORY/CHICLA/LACIS/POLI SCI 268 | The U.S. & Latin America from the Colonial Era to the Present: A Critical Survey | 3 |
| HISTORY 278 | Africans in the Americas, 1492-1808 | 3-4 |
| HISTORY/AFROAMER 347 | The Caribbean and its Diasporas | 3 |
| HISTORY/CHICLA/LACIS/POLI SCI 355 | Labor in the Americas: US & Mexico in Comparative & Historical Perspective | 3 |
| HISTORY/CHICLA/POLI SCI 422 | Latino History and Politics | 3 |
| HISTORY/CHICLA 435 | Colony, Nation, and Minority: The Puerto Ricans' World | 3 |
| HISTORY/HIST SCI/MED HIST 564 | Disease, Medicine and Public Health in the History of Latin America and the Caribbean | 3 |
Middle Eastern History Courses
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| HISTORY 139 | Introduction to the Modern Middle East | 3-4 |
| HISTORY 201 | The Historian's Craft (Middle Eastern topics) | 3-4 |
| HISTORY/RELIG ST 205 | The Making of the Islamic World: The Middle East, 500-1500 | 3-4 |
| HISTORY/MEDIEVAL/RELIG ST 309 | The Crusades: Christianity and Islam | 3-4 |
Ancient/Medieval History (3 credits)
Select one course from the following:
Ancient/Medieval History Courses
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| HISTORY/CLASSICS 110 | The Ancient Mediterranean | 4 |
| HISTORY 115 | Medieval Europe 410-1500 | 4 |
| HISTORY 200 | Historical Studies (Ancient/Medieval topics) | 3-4 |
| HIST SCI 201 | The Origins of Scientific Thought | 3 |
| HISTORY 201 | The Historian's Craft (Ancient/Medieval topics) | 3-4 |
| HISTORY/RELIG ST 205 | The Making of the Islamic World: The Middle East, 500-1500 | 3-4 |
| HISTORY/RELIG ST 208 | Western Intellectual and Religious History to 1500 | 3-4 |
| HISTORY 223 | Explorations in European History (H) (Ancient/Medieval topics) | 3-4 |
| HISTORY 303 | A History of Greek Civilization | 3-4 |
| HISTORY 307 | A History of Rome | 3-4 |
| HISTORY/ASIAN/RELIG ST 308 | Introduction to Buddhism | 3-4 |
| HISTORY/MEDIEVAL/RELIG ST 309 | The Crusades: Christianity and Islam | 3-4 |
| HISTORY/ASIAN 337 | Social and Intellectual History of China, 589 AD-1919 | 3-4 |
| HISTORY/ENGL/RELIG ST 360 | Early Medieval England | 3 |
| HISTORY/CLASSICS/POLI SCI 362 | Athenian Democracy | 3 |
| HISTORY/LEGAL ST 426 | The History of Punishment | 3-4 |
| HISTORY/ASIAN 454 | Samurai: History and Image | 3-4 |
| HISTORY/LEGAL ST 459 | Rule of Law: Philosophical and Historical Models | 3-4 |
| HISTORY/LEGAL ST 476 | Medieval Law and Society | 3 |
| HISTORY/CLASSICS/RELIG ST 517 | Religions of the Ancient Mediterranean | 3 |
| ILS 201 | Western Culture: Science, Technology, Philosophy I | 3 |
Historical Research (3 credits)
Select one course from the following:
Historical Research Courses
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| HISTORY 201 | The Historian's Craft | 3-4 |
| HISTORY/ASIAN 319 | The Vietnam Wars | 3-4 |
| HISTORY/GEN&WS 354 | Women and Gender in the U.S. Since 1870 | 3-4 |
| HISTORY 418 | History of Russia | 3-4 |
| HISTORY/ASIAN 458 | History of Southeast Asia Since 1800 | 3-4 |
| HISTORY/GEN&WS 519 | Sexuality, Modernity and Social Change | 3 |
| HISTORY/AFROAMER 628 | History of the Civil Rights Movement in the United States | 3 |
United States Tribal Nations History and Culture (3 credits)
Select one course from the following:
United States Tribal Nations History and Culture Courses
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| AMER IND 100 | Introduction to American Indian Studies | 3 |
| AMER IND 185 | Indigenous Athletes and Sports | 3 |
| AMER IND 230 | Indigenous Resistance and Activism | 3 |
| AMER IND 250 | Indians of Wisconsin | 3 |
| AMER IND/ANTHRO 314 | Indians of North America | 3 |
| AMER IND/CSCS 330 | American Indian Communities: Sovereignty, Struggles, and Successes | 3 |
| AMER IND/LINGUIS 371 | Survey of North American Indian Languages | 3 |
| AMER IND/GEOG 410 | Critical Indigenous Ecological Knowledges | 3 |
| AMER IND/ANTHRO/FOLKLORE/GEN&WS 437 | American Indian Women | 3 |
| AMER IND 450 | Issues in American Indian Studies | 3 |
| AMER IND/C&E SOC/SOC 578 | Poverty and Place | 3 |
| AMER IND/SOC WORK 636 | Social Work in American Indian Communities: The Indian Child Welfare Act | 3 |
| ED POL 222 | Indigenous Education Policy and Practice | 3 |
| AMER IND/HISTORY 380 | Sovereignty and the Schoolhouse | 3 |
| LAND ARC 360 | Earth Partnership Restoration Education: Indigenous Arts & Sciences | 1 |