Why study history? The History major is a great option for people who are interested in studying change. History asks, “How did the world get to be this way?” and “What factors might influence where the world is heading now?” Studying history helps us understand and grapple with complex questions and dilemmas. Are you interested in technology? Religion? The environment? Human rights? By examining how the past has shaped—and continues to shape—global, national, and local relationships between societies and people, history can help you find an answer. The skills that history students develop are used in a wide range of careers and prepare students for graduate or professional study in fields such as law, business, medicine, public policy, and much more.
The History major can also be combined with any other major in the College of Letters & Science, anything from Astronomy to Zoology. Majors that students most frequently pair with History are Economics, English, Environmental Studies, Journalism, and Political Science. History students can also choose to add certificates in Letters & Science or other colleges, such as certificates in Business or Education and Educational Services. In addition to these, some of the most common certificates for History students are currently Criminal Justice, Global Health, European Studies, and Digital Studies. The History advising team is happy to discuss ways for you to make your intellectual and career goals work as part of a four-year plan.
How to Get in
| Requirements | Details |
|---|---|
| How to get in | No application required. All students who meet the requirements listed below are eligible to declare. For information on how to declare, visit Advising & Careers. |
| Courses required to get in | None |
| GPA requirements to get in | None |
| Credits required to get in | None |
| Other | None |
University Requirements
All undergraduate students must complete both the following Core General Education (Core GenEd) and University Degree and Quality of Work requirements. The requirements below apply to students whose first term at UW-Madison or whose earliest post-high school college attendance at any institution is Summer 2026 or later.
Students whose first term at UW-Madison or whose earliest post-high school college attendance at any institution occurred before Summer 2026 should refer to the archived Guide for the requirements that apply to them.
Core General Education (Core GenEd) Requirements
| Civics & Perspectives | 3 credits of Civics & Perspectives coursework. |
| Communication & Literacy | 6 credits of Communication & Literacy coursework. This requirement may be partially satisfied by a qualifying placement test score. For more information see this tiny url: https://go.wisc.edu/qualifyingenglishplacement |
| Humanities & Arts | 6 credits of Humanities & Arts coursework. |
| Mathematics & Quantitative Reasoning | 6 credits of Mathematics & Quantitative Reasoning coursework. This requirement may be partially satisfied by a qualifying placement test score. For more information see this tiny url: https://go.wisc.edu/qualifyingmathplacement |
| Natural Science & Wellness | Complete both:
|
| Social & Behavioral Science | 3 credits of Social & Behavioral Science coursework. |
| Total Credits | 30 credits. |
For more information see the policy.
University Degree and Quality of Work Requirements
All undergraduate degree recipients must complete the following minimum requirements. Requirements for some programs will exceed these requirements; see program requirements for additional information.
| Total Degree | 120 degree credits. |
| Residency | Complete 30 credits in residence. A course is considered “in residence” if it is taken when in undergraduate degree-seeking status and:
|
| Quality of Work | Achieve at least the minimum grade point average specified by the school, college, and/or academic program. |
| Math | Demonstrate minimal mathematics competence by: |
| English Language | If required to take the UW-Madison English as a Second Language Assessment Test (MSN-ESLAT), demonstrate minimal English language competence by:
|
| Language | Complete one:
|
| Major Declaration | Declare and complete the requirements for at least one major. |
College of Letters & Science Degree Requirements: Bachelor of Arts (BA)
Students pursuing a Bachelor of Arts degree in the College of Letters & Science must complete all of the requirements below. Some courses satisfy more than one L&S degree requirement (visit College of Letters & Science: Requirements for details).
This major can be paired with either the Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science degree requirements.
Bachelor of Arts Degree Requirements
| Communication | Complete both:
|
| Quantitative Reasoning | Complete both:
|
| Ethnic Studies | one 3+ credit course with the Ethnic Studies designation |
| Language | Complete either:
|
| L&S Breadth: Humanities | Complete 12 credits with the Humanities or Literature designation, which must include at least 6 credits with the Literature designation. |
| L&S Breadth: Social Sciences | Complete 12 credits with the Social Science designation. |
| L&S Breadth: Natural Sciences | Complete 12 credits with the Natural Science, Biological Science, or Physical Science designations, which must include both:
|
| Liberal Arts and Science (LAS) Coursework | at least 108 credits |
| Depth of Intermediate/Advanced work | at least 60 credits at the Intermediate or Advanced level |
| Major | Declare and complete at least one major. |
| Total Credits | at least 120 credits |
| UW-Madison Experience |
|
| Quality of Work |
|
Non–L&S students pursuing an L&S major
Non–L&S students who have permission from their School/College to pursue an additional major within L&S only need to fulfill the major requirements. They do not need to complete the L&S Degree Requirements above.
Requirements for the Major
Students may use courses from History and History of Science to meet the requirements of the History major.1 A minimum of 30 credits in the major is required, including:
Chronological Breadth:
History majors must complete at least one course that deals with the history of Europe and/or the Mediterranean before C.E. 1500 or with the history of Africa or Asia before these areas fell heavily under European influence.
Chronological Breadth Courses
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| HISTORY/CLASSICS 110 | The Ancient Mediterranean | 4 |
| HISTORY 115 | Medieval Europe 410-1500 | 4 |
| HISTORY 200 | Historical Studies (Carnage in Rome) | 3-4 |
| HISTORY 200 | Historical Studies (Sparta) | 3-4 |
| HIST SCI 201 | The Origins of Scientific Thought | 3 |
| ILS 201 | Western Culture: Science, Technology, Philosophy I | 3 |
| 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) (Medieval Law and Society) | 3-4 |
| HISTORY 223 | Explorations in European History (H) (Warfare in the Middle Ages) | 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 |
Geographic Breadth:
At minimum, history majors must complete one course from four of the eight geographic breadth categories.
Geographic Breadth: 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 |
| ILS 201 | Western Culture: Science, Technology, Philosophy I | 3 |
| HISTORY 201 | The Historian's Craft (1945) | 3-4 |
| HISTORY 201 | The Historian's Craft (Mercenaries &Pirates E.Mod Med) | 3-4 |
| HISTORY 201 | The Historian's Craft (Witches and Saints) | 3-4 |
| HISTORY 201 | The Historian's Craft (Dems& Dictators in Spain&Italy) | 3-4 |
| HISTORY 201 | The Historian's Craft (French Revolution) | 3-4 |
| HISTORY 201 | The Historian's Craft (WWII's Eastern Front) | 3-4 |
| HISTORY 201 | The Historian's Craft (Belief & Unbelief in Mod Eur) | 3-4 |
| HISTORY 201 | The Historian's Craft (18th-Century Europe) | 3-4 |
| HISTORY 201 | The Historian's Craft (History European Sexuality) | 3-4 |
| HISTORY 201 | The Historian's Craft (Weimar Rep. & Rise Of Nazism) | 3-4 |
| HISTORY 201 | The Historian's Craft (1945 in Europe) | 3-4 |
| HISTORY 201 | The Historian's Craft (Environment, Markets, Scarcity) | 3-4 |
| HISTORY 201 | The Historian's Craft (Supernatural in Early Modern Europe) | 3-4 |
| 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 |
Geographic Breadth: African History Courses
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| HISTORY/AFRICAN 106 | Introduction to African History | 3-4 |
| HISTORY 179 | Afro-Atlantic Histories and Peoples, 1791-Present | 3-4 |
| HISTORY 201 | The Historian's Craft (African Decolonization) | 3-4 |
| HISTORY 201 | The Historian's Craft (African Diaspora) | 3-4 |
| HISTORY 201 | The Historian's Craft (Islam in the African Diaspora) | 3-4 |
| HISTORY 201 | The Historian's Craft (Race & Blackness in Muslim Traditions) | 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 |
Geographic Breadth: 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 201 | The Historian's Craft (Shanghai Life and Crime) | 3-4 |
| HISTORY 201 | The Historian's Craft (The Korean War) | 3-4 |
| HISTORY 201 | The Historian's Craft (End of Empire:Occupation&P.War) | 3-4 |
| HISTORY 201 | The Historian's Craft (Japan after 1945) | 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 |
Geographic Breadth: 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 (Camera as Historian) | 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 |
Geographic Breadth: Latin American History Courses
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| HISTORY 179 | Afro-Atlantic Histories and Peoples, 1791-Present | 3-4 |
| HISTORY 201 | The Historian's Craft (Nation Breakers, Nation Makers) | 3-4 |
| HISTORY 201 | The Historian's Craft (Afterlives of the War of 1898) | 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 278 | Africans in the Americas, 1492-1808 | 3-4 |
| HISTORY/AFROAMER 347 | The Caribbean and its Diasporas | 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 |
Geographic Breadth: Middle Eastern History Courses
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| HISTORY 139 | Introduction to the Modern Middle East | 3-4 |
| HISTORY 200 | Historical Studies (Ottoman Empire to Modern Turkey) | 1-4 |
| HISTORY 201 | The Historian's Craft (Tech. & Rev. in Middle East) | 3-4 |
| HISTORY 201 | The Historian's Craft (Middle East History in the Midwest US) | 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 |
Geographic Breadth: Transnational History Courses
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| HIST SCI/ENVIR ST/HISTORY 125 | Green Screen: Environmental Perspectives through Film | 3 |
| HISTORY 130 | An Introduction to World History | 3-4 |
| HIST SCI/HISTORY/MED HIST 132 | Bees, Trees, Germs, and Genes: A History of Biology | 3 |
| HISTORY 133 | Global Military History (5000 BCE - Present) | 3-4 |
| HIST SCI 133 | Biology and Society, 1950 - Today | 3 |
| HISTORY/GEN&WS 134 | Women and Gender in World History | 3-4 |
| HISTORY 137 | The History of War in Film | 3 |
| HISTORY 145 | America and China, 1776-Today | 3-4 |
| HISTORY/INTL ST 146 | A Global History of Now | 3-4 |
| HIST SCI 150 | The Digital Age | 3 |
| HISTORY/CHICLA 151 | The North American West to 1850 | 3-4 |
| HIST SCI 160 | Engineering Inequality: Technology and Inequity Throughout History | 3-4 |
| HISTORY 170 | East Meets West: Myth, Meaning, and Modernity | 3-4 |
| HISTORY 179 | Afro-Atlantic Histories and Peoples, 1791-Present | 3-4 |
| HISTORY 201 | The Historian's Craft (The Cold War & Asia) | 3-4 |
| HISTORY 201 | The Historian's Craft (Revolutionary Undergrounds in Eurasia) | 3-4 |
| HISTORY 201 | The Historian's Craft (Global Christianities) | 3-4 |
| HISTORY 201 | The Historian's Craft (Russia and America) | 3-4 |
| HISTORY 201 | The Historian's Craft (Catholic Church and the World) | 3-4 |
| HISTORY 201 | The Historian's Craft (The History of Contraception) | 3-4 |
| HISTORY 201 | The Historian's Craft (Love in History) | 3-4 |
| HISTORY 201 | The Historian's Craft (Human Rights Global History) | 3-4 |
| HISTORY 201 | The Historian's Craft (History of Humanitarianism) | 3-4 |
| HISTORY 201 | The Historian's Craft (Cold War on Ice: 1972) | 3-4 |
| HISTORY 201 | The Historian's Craft (Postcolonialism) | 3-4 |
| HISTORY 201 | The Historian's Craft (Immigration & the US-MX Border) | 3-4 |
| HISTORY 201 | The Historian's Craft (The Cold War) | 3-4 |
| HISTORY 201 | The Historian's Craft (History Of Mass Confinement) | 3-4 |
| HISTORY 201 | The Historian's Craft (The History Of Data) | 3-4 |
| HISTORY 201 | The Historian's Craft (Oil & Mining in World History) | 3-4 |
| HISTORY 201 | The Historian's Craft (Middle East History in the Midwest US) | 3-4 |
| HIST SCI 202 | The Making of Modern Science | 3 |
| ILS 202 | Western Culture: Science, Technology, Philosophy II | 3 |
| HIST SCI/ENVIR ST 213 | Global Environmental Health: An Interdisciplinary Introduction | 3 |
| HISTORY 229 | Explorations in Transnational/Comparative History (Humanities) | 3 |
| HISTORY/LEGAL ST 235 | Prisons: From Antiquity to Supermax | 3-4 |
| HISTORY/ASIAN/ASIAN AM 246 | Southeast Asian Refugees of the "Cold" War | 4 |
| 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 274 | Study Abroad in History: Transnational/Global History | 1-4 |
| HISTORY 278 | Africans in the Americas, 1492-1808 | 3-4 |
| HISTORY/ASIAN 319 | The Vietnam Wars | 3-4 |
| HISTORY/INTL ST 332 | East Asia & The U.S. Since 1899 | 3-4 |
| HIST SCI 343 | The Darwinian Revolution | 3 |
| HISTORY/CHICLA/LACIS/POLI SCI 355 | Labor in the Americas: US & Mexico in Comparative & Historical Perspective | 3 |
| HISTORY 357 | The Second World War | 3-4 |
| HISTORY/INTL ST 375 | The Cold War - From World War II to End of Soviet Empire | 3-4 |
| HISTORY/RELIG ST 409 | Christianity in the Atlantic World, 1500-1800 | 3 |
| HISTORY 424 | The Soviet Union and the World, 1917-1991 | 3-4 |
| HISTORY 434 | American Foreign Relations, 1901 to the Present | 3-4 |
| HISTORY/ENVIR ST 465 | Global Environmental History | 3-4 |
| HISTORY/LEGAL ST 510 | Legal Pluralism | 3 |
| HIST SCI/MED HIST/POP HLTH 553 | International Health and Global Society | 3 |
| HISTORY 607 | The American Impact Abroad: The Historical Dimension | 3 |
Geographic Breadth: 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 109 | Introduction to U.S. History | 3-4 |
| HISTORY 136 | Sport, Recreation, & Society in the United States | 3-4 |
| HIST SCI 150 | The Digital Age | 3 |
| 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/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 (Women US History) | 3-4 |
| HISTORY 201 | The Historian's Craft (Recording Latinx History in WI) | 3-4 |
| HISTORY 201 | The Historian's Craft (The Hist of WI in 100 Objects) | 3-4 |
| HISTORY 201 | The Historian's Craft (Your Parents' Generation) | 3-4 |
| HISTORY 201 | The Historian's Craft (WI History & Material Culture) | 3-4 |
| HISTORY 201 | The Historian's Craft (World of Alexander Hamilton) | 3-4 |
| HISTORY 201 | The Historian's Craft (American Revolutions) | 3-4 |
| HISTORY 201 | The Historian's Craft (Relig & American Culture Wars) | 3-4 |
| HISTORY 201 | The Historian's Craft (Hist. of Transience in Amer.) | 3-4 |
| HISTORY 201 | The Historian's Craft (Heroes and Amazons in Sports) | 3-4 |
| HISTORY 201 | The Historian's Craft (History of Now) | 3-4 |
| HISTORY 201 | The Historian's Craft (Race & Belonging In Midwest) | 3-4 |
| HISTORY 201 | The Historian's Craft (History of Banned Books in the US) | 3-4 |
| HISTORY 201 | The Historian's Craft (American Indian and Indigenous History) | 3-4 |
| HISTORY 201 | The Historian's Craft (Indian Removal) | 3-4 |
| HISTORY 201 | The Historian's Craft (Homeland, Home Town: Native and Settler Places ) | 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/LEGAL ST 261 | American Legal History to 1860 | 3 |
| HISTORY/LEGAL ST 262 | American Legal History, 1860 to the Present | 3 |
| HISTORY 272 | Study Abroad in History: United States History | 1-4 |
| HIST SCI/AFROAMER 275 | Science, Medicine, and Race: A History | 3 |
| 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 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/AFROAMER 393 | Slavery, Civil War, and Reconstruction, 1848-1877 | 3-4 |
| HISTORY 401 | Public History Workshop (Wisconsin 101) | 3 |
| HISTORY 403 | Immigration and Assimilation in American History | 3-4 |
| HISTORY/ED POL 412 | History of American Education | 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/ENVIR ST/GEOG 460 | American Environmental History | 4 |
| HISTORY/ECON 466 | The American Economy Since 1865 | 3-4 |
| HISTORY 500 | Reading Seminar in History (Biography in US Sports History) | 3 |
| 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/AFROAMER 628 | History of the Civil Rights Movement in the United States | 3 |
Notes on History Breadth Requirements
- Breadth courses may be taken in any order.
- Chronological Breadth courses may also count toward a Geographic Breadth category.
- Some courses qualify for more than one Geographic Breadth area, but a course may only count for one Geographic Breadth category for the purposes of meeting the requirement.
- Topics courses (HISTORY 200, HISTORY 201, HISTORY 221, HISTORY 223, HISTORY 225, HISTORY 227, HISTORY 229, HISTORY 271, HISTORY 272, HISTORY 273, HISTORY 274, HISTORY 275, HIST SCI 280, HISTORY 283, HIST SCI 286, HIST SCI 350 & HISTORY 500) may count for Geographic and/or Chronological Breadth. For topics courses, see the course notes for current breadth information.
- The following courses may not be used for breadth in the major: HISTORY 199, HIST SCI 555HISTORY 600, HISTORY 680, HISTORY 681, HIST SCI 681, HISTORY 682, HIST SCI 682, HISTORY 690, HISTORY 691, HIST SCI 691, HISTORY 692,HIST SCI 692, HISTORY 698, HIST SCI 698, HISTORY 699 & HIST SCI 699.
History Writing and Research Sequence:
History majors must complete both of the following:
- Students are encouraged to complete one of HISTORY 201 The Historian's Craft or HIST SCI 211 The Historian's Craft: Science, Medicine, and Technology as early as possible.
- HISTORY 600 Advanced Seminar in History or HIST SCI 555 Undergraduate Seminar in History of Science, to be taken after satisfactory completion of either HISTORY 201 or HIST SCI 211. Enrolling in a HISTORY 600 or HIST SCI 555 seminar requires instructor consent. Available seminars can be found on the history department website.
Residence and Quality of Work
- 2.000 GPA in HISTORY/HISTORY of SCIENCE and all other major courses
- 2.000 GPA on 15 upper-level major credits in residence2
- 15 credits HISTORY and/or HISTORY of SCIENCE taken on campus
Honors in the Major
Students may declare Honors in the History Major in consultation with the History undergraduate advisor.
Honors in the Major Requirements
To earn Honors in the Major in History, students must satisfy both the requirements for the major (above) and the following additional requirements:
- Earn a 3.300 overall University GPA
- Earn a 3.500 GPA in all HISTORY and HISTORY of SCIENCE courses and all other major courses
- Complete at least 36 total credits in HISTORY and HISTORY of SCIENCE coursework, 21 of which must be upper-level credits in residence2
- Complete at least 15 Honors credits in HISTORY or HISTORY of SCIENCE coursework
- Complete a two-semester Senior Honors Thesis, a piece of original work of approximately forty pages, in either HISTORY 681–HISTORY 682 or HIST SCI 681–HIST SCI 682, taken in conjunction with the HISTORY 680 Honors Thesis Colloquium both semesters. The thesis must be approved by instructors in both the thesis and colloquium courses.
Footnotes
Learning Outcomes
- Find and interpret diverse evidence to explain complex changes over time
- Communicate effectively to a variety of audiences in writing and speech
- Use an understanding of many perspectives to work with people and solve complex problems
- Seek to understand differing views and ways of being in the world
- Identify the skills developed in the study of history and articulate their applicability to a variety of professional and intellectual endeavors
Four-Year Plan
This Four-Year Plan is only one way a student may complete an L&S degree with this major. Many factors can affect student degree planning, including placement scores, credit for transferred courses, credits earned by examination, and individual scholarly interests. In addition, many students have commitments (e.g., athletics, honors, research, student organizations, study abroad, work and volunteer experiences) that necessitate they adjust their plans accordingly. Informed students engage in their own unique Wisconsin Experience by consulting their academic advisors, Guide, DARS, and Course Search & Enroll for assistance making and adjusting their plan.
| First Year | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
| History Breadth1 | 4 | History course for the Ethnic Studies Requirement (complete within 1st 60 credits)2 | 4 |
| Communication Part A (Complete during your first year) | 3 | Biological Science Breadth3 | 3 |
| Quantitative Reasoning Part A (complete during your first year) | 3 | Literature Breadth | 3 |
| Language (if necessary) | 4 | Elective or Course for Second Major4 | 4 |
| 14 | 14 | ||
| Second Year | |||
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
| HISTORY 201 (counts toward Communication Part B)5 | 4 | History Breadth | 4 |
HIST SCI 211 (may be taken instead of History 201) | History Elective | 3 | |
| Quantitative Reasoning Part B (I/A Comp Sci, Math, or Stats if required for the BS) | 3 | Physical Science Breadth | 3 |
| History Elective or Course for Second Major | 3 | Elective or Course for Second Major | 3 |
| Elective or Course for Second Major | 3 | Elective or Course for Second Major | 3 |
| Elective or Course for Second Major | 3 | ||
| 16 | 16 | ||
| Third Year | |||
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
| Declare the Major (before 86 credits)* | History Breadth | 4 | |
| History Breadth | 3 | HISTORY 301 (optional) | 1 |
| HISTORY 3006 | 2 | Science Breadth | 3 |
| I/A Comp Sci, Math, or Stats (if required for the BS) | 3 | Elective or Course for Second Major | 3 |
| Literature Breadth | 3 | Elective or Course for Second Major | 3 |
| Elective or Course for Second Major | 4 | ||
| 15 | 14 | ||
| Fourth Year | |||
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
| Complete Remaining L&S Requirements** | History Elective | 4 | |
| HISTORY 6007 | 3 | Science Breadth | 3 |
HIST SCI 555 (may be taken instead of History 600) | Elective or Course for Second Major | 3 | |
| Elective or Course for Second Major | 4 | Elective or Course for Second Major | 3 |
| Elective or Course for Second Major | 4 | Elective or Course for Second Major | 3 |
| Elective or Course for Second Major | 4 | ||
| 15 | 16 | ||
| Total Credits 120 | |||
- 1
The History Breadth requirements are very flexible. History majors must complete Chronological Breadth (one course) and take at least one course from four of the eight Geographical Breadth categories. A single course may count toward both Chronological and Geographic Breadth, if appropriate. (For example, a course on Ancient Rome would count toward Chronological Breadth and European History. ) HISTORY 201 may also count toward History Breadth requirements.
- 2
Some examples of History courses that count toward the Ethnic Studies Requirement are: HISTORY/CHICLA 152 The United States West Since 1850, HISTORY/ASIAN AM 160 Asian American History: Movement and Dislocation, & HISTORY/JEWISH 213 Jews and American Pop. Culture.
- 3
Some L&S Breadth requirements will be satisfied with History coursework. History classes will complete the additional Humanities Breadth credits (the Humanities credits that are not Literature) and may also complete Social Science Breadth.
- 4
History is a flexible major and can be combined with a wide range of other majors and certificates. We encourage students to be thoughtful in how they approach their elective credits, whether that means pursuing an additional major or creating an individual plan of study that draws from multiple disciplines.
- 5
HISTORY 201 The Historian's Craft or HIST SCI 211 The Historian's Craft: Science, Medicine, and Technology may be taken as soon as you have completed the Communication A requirement. Students should try to complete the Historian's Craft by the end of the second year.
- 6
History offers two optional careers courses that expose students to, and prepare them for, the wide range of careers pursued by history majors: HISTORY 300 & HISTORY 301. History at Work: Professional Skills of the Major (HISTORY 300) connects students to History alumni in different fields and helps develop essential career skills related to the value of the major. History at Work: History Internship Seminar (HISTORY 301) allows students to receive credit toward their major requirements for work associated with an internship.
- 7
HISTORY 600 or HIST SCI 555 may be taken at any point after a student has completed either HISTORY 201 The Historian's Craft or HIST SCI 211 The Historian's Craft: Science, Medicine, and Technology. History 600s and History of Science 555 are offered on a variety of topics every semester and they provide students with the rich experience of a small, faculty-led seminar. They may be taken for credit more than once as long as the topics are different.
- *
Students must declare a major by the time they reach 86 credits.
- **
Please refer to the Requirements tab in Guide for College of Letters & Science Breadth and Degree Requirements as well as Residence and Quality of Work requirements for the major.
Advising and Careers
Declare or Cancel the History Major
Students interested in declaring (or cancelling) the History major should fill out the History Major/Certificate Declaration Form. There are no prerequisites for declaring a History major, and students are encouraged to declare as soon as they feel comfortable doing so. All students are strongly encouraged to make an advising appointment after declaring and are also welcome to meet with an advisor before declaring. More information about advising and the major is available below and on the undergraduate section of the department website.
Academic Advising
Students who are declared or interested in the History major have numerous advising resources available to them. The History advising team is comprised of professional and peer advisors who are excited to talk with students about everything from academic planning to professional development for future careers. Information on the history advising team and how to contact an advisor can be found on our website. You can set up an appointment with one of our advisors by using the History Department Starfish page.
The History major can also be combined with any other major in the College of Letters & Science, anything from Astronomy to Zoology. Majors that students most frequently pair with History are Economics, English, Environmental Studies, Journalism, and Political Science. History students can also choose to add certificates in Letters & Science or other colleges, such as certificates in Business or Education and Educational Services. In addition to these, some of the most common certificates for History students are currently Criminal Justice, Global Health, European Studies, and Digital Studies. The History advising team is happy to discuss ways for you to make your intellectual and career goals work as part of a four-year plan.
Honors in the Major
The Honors in the Major track in history is intended for students who are eager to experience the excitement of original historical research and who wish to graduate with the best possible undergraduate training in this discipline. Honors in the Major is especially appropriate for students who are considering graduate work in history or who want an especially advanced training in research, reasoning, and writing skills useful to a wide range of career choices. Students in this track write a thesis in their senior year based on their own original historical research. Visit our website for more information on the thesis process and the requirements for Honors in the History Major.
Career Advising
History is a rigorous but flexible major, and history students are known for being excellent communicators and savvy researchers. Historians are experts in synthesizing disparate pieces of evidence into coherent, persuasive arguments. The real world is filled with disparate facts and incomplete sets of data, so this is a real-world skill that history alumni utilize throughout their entire careers. The department's career advisor, Christina Matta, helps History students map out future career plans and connects students to a variety of resources on campus and beyond, including history alumni who volunteer as career mentors (see below for more information).
Alumni of the history department have enjoyed careers in medical research and practice; broadcast and print media; sports management; museums, archives, and libraries; finance and business, and community service and nonprofit organizations—as well as law, academia, and many other fields. The History major provides excellent preparation for the study of law, but our students also go on to study medicine and many other graduate fields. The centers for Pre-Law Advising and Pre-Health Advising are especially helpful resources on campus for students interested in those areas of study.
History Careers Course: “History at Work”
History at Work: Professional Skills of the Major (History 300) is a course intended to help History students understand how their degree applies to the world of work. Students explore how their history skills relate to the needs of professional employers and are guided in the process of finding and obtaining professional internships and jobs. In this course, History students can polish their written and oral communication skills in forms appropriate for professional situations and learn from the experiences of guest speakers from a variety of fields.
Internships
The Department of History recognizes the importance of internships in helping students develop professional skills and explore potential career paths. Positions can vary depending on availability and students’ interests, but recent sponsors have included the Wisconsin State Historical Museum, the University of Wisconsin Archives, offices of elected officials in the Wisconsin State Legislature and United States Congress, the Milwaukee Brewers, and Community Shares of Wisconsin, just to name a few! History majors can also get academic credit in conjunction with an internship by taking History 301: History at Work: History Internship Seminar.
Alumni Mentoring
Like internships, networking can be a valuable tool in opening professional doors and learning more about the professional value of the History major. The department often matches students with alumni mentors drawn from our Board of Visitors and other graduates who can help them get started building a professional network, answer questions about a specific field, provide guidance in applying for jobs or preparing for interviews, and provide general career advice.
Students interested in participating in an internship or talking with an alumni mentor should meet with Christina Matta, the department’s undergraduate career advisor, to discuss their interests and possible career goals.
Study Abroad
Learning in Letters & Science emphasizes discovery, growth, understanding different perspectives, and challenging yourself, which makes studying abroad an excellent fit for many L&S students: studyabroad.wisc.edu
As a university with global influence, we have more than 300 study abroad programs in over 80 countries. These vary in length, academic focus, teaching format, language requirements, cost, and level of independence. There are many programs to complement every major and any year of college (including the final semester)—and all meet UW–Madison’s high academic standards. Students admitted into Letters & Science can even choose a short program in the summer before they start college or their whole first year: studyabroad.wisc.edu/launch. Talk with your academic advisor about how studying abroad might fit with your academic plan.
SuccessWorks
SuccessWorks at the College of Letters & Science helps you turn the academic skills learned in your classes into a fulfilling life, guiding you every step of the way to securing jobs, internships, or admission to graduate school.
Through one-on-one career advising, events, and resources, you can explore career options, build valuable internship and research experience, and connect with supportive alumni and employers who open doors of opportunity.
- What you can do with your major (Major Skills & Outcomes Sheets)
- Make a career advising appointment
- Learn about internships and internship funding
- Try “Jobs, Internships, & How to Get Them,” an interactive guide in Canvas for enrolled UW–Madison students
Resources and Scholarships
The History Lab
The History Lab is a resource center for students who are thinking, researching, and writing about the past. Staffed by experienced graduate students from the Department of History, the History Lab offers 40-minute, one-on-one tutoring sessions that help students develop historical questions, conduct research, craft strong arguments and thesis statements, cite evidence properly, and build an effective writing process. Available to all students enrolled in History or History of Science courses, the History Lab is one of only a handful of history-specific writing support centers in the United States. In addition to individualized tutoring, the History Lab provides a range of writing and research resources, and is well-equipped to support students who face challenges as English-language learners.
For more information or to make an appointment, see the History Lab website.
Research Fellowships and Scholarships
The Department of History is committed to supporting undergraduate achievement and encourages applications for the various scholarships and research fellowships made possible by the generosity of its donors. Scholarships are designed to reward outstanding History students and are awarded annually. Research fellowships allow undergraduates to pursue in-depth historical research under the guidance of History faculty. These awards help defray research costs such as supplies and travel expenses or pay for living expenses to allow students time to craft their papers and conduct research in UW Libraries.
Detailed instructions on how to apply can be found on the Department of History website. Applications need to be submitted online, via the Wisconsin Scholarship Hub (WISH).
Undergraduate Writing Prizes
The History department offers over fifteen different prizes designed to reward a broad range of undergraduate writing—from senior theses to digital and public history projects to specialized essays in American Indian History and LGBTQ+ History. These prizes are made possible thanks to the tremendous generosity of our alumni and former members of our faculty.
Detailed instructions on how to apply can be found on the Department of History website. Applications need to be submitted online, via the Wisconsin Scholarship Hub (WISH).
ARCHIVE
ARCHIVE is an award-winning journal of historical work published annually by the UW–Madison chapter of Phi Alpha Theta. See ARCHIVE’s website to view past volumes and find out how you can contribute.
Phi Alpha Theta
Phi Alpha Theta is a national history honors society whose purpose is to promote the study of history and to bring students, teachers, and writers of history together in intellectual and social ways. See the UW–Madison Lambda Xi chapter’s page for more information.
Wisconsin Historical Society
Scholars and researchers from all over the world come to the Wisconsin Historical Society (WHS) to do historical research—we simply walk across the street to make use of this world-class institution. WHS collections are an amazing resource for our students and are used in a wide range of our courses. History students can also develop internships related to the WHS collections and programs. Students interested in the history of film and television often explore and major in Communication Arts and can also get involved with the Wisconsin Center for Film and Theater Research.
The Nonviolence Project
The Nonviolence Project is a comprehensive repository that educates and informs readers on the impact of nonviolent protests all over the world. From environmental issues to racial equality, the project showcases how nonviolence has been used to address many different issues by prominent world leaders and activists. The project aims to answer how and why nonviolence has been an effective sociopolitical tactic across different cultural, geographical, and political landscapes throughout history. The Nonviolence Project employs undergraduate student interns as researchers to help grow the repository of sources and present information to a broad audience.
Freedom Seekers
Freedom Seekers is a community-sourced digital humanities project featuring short histories of enslaved people who seized their liberty during the era of the American Revolution. These short essays are based on original research and analysis of the newspaper advertisements that enslavers used to seek the capture and return of escaped freedom seekers. Timed to coincide with the 250th anniversary of American independence, the project provides an opportunity to think about what freedom meant to different people in early America. Freedom Seekers employs undergraduate student interns as researchers to help grow the collection of stories featured on the website.
Center for Campus History
The University of Wisconsin–Madison’s Rebecca M. Blank Center for Campus History is an ongoing effort to uncover and give voice to those who experienced, challenged, and overcame prejudice on campus. Undergraduate students have been involved with the Center since its inception as the Public History Project in 2019, working as researchers conducting both archival research and oral history interviews with former students, faculty, and staff.
Language and Regional/International Studies
History classes and faculty are at the center of UW–Madison’s remarkable collection of resource centers for area studies. The Institute for Regional and International Studies is the umbrella organization for UW–Madison’s nine area studies programs. Students interested in these areas can combine their History major or certificate with a major in International Studies or another area studies major and certificate. UW–Madison also has one of the largest number of languages taught in the United States.
Public Humanities Exchange for Undergraduates (HEX-U)
The Public Humanities Exchange for Undergraduates (HEX-U) is a high-impact program for undergraduate students at UW–Madison who wish to make meaningful connections between their humanities scholarship and the needs of the local community through new models of social engagement. The program provides training in community partnership, mentoring during project design and implementation, and project funding to small cohorts of undergraduate scholars as they plan and implement creative community projects in partnership with Dane County organizations.