• Learn from history professors who enhance their professional development through extensive travel, research, and teaching abroad.
• Faculty members are distinguished for considering teaching as their primary mission.
• Several history professors have won major teaching awards.
• Many opportunities for studying abroad.
• The Pre-Law Resource Center helps students prepare a path to law school.
• Numerous internships are available.

Certification requirements:

• 24 completed semester credits
• 2.5 minimum grade point average

Suggested classes for freshmen

General History:
Work on UCORE requirements. If interested in a second major, try a UCORE class from that area.

History Pre-Law:
UCORE classes such as Phil 201, EconS 101/102, PolS 101.

History/Social Studies Education:
UCORE classes such as Hist 120, PolS 101, EconS 102. Begin working on History sequence: Hist 101/102, Hist 110/111.

Suggested classes for transfer students

Complete WSU UCORE requirements if possible. If your AA degree is complete, work on upper division history courses.

For teaching certification: T&L 301, Pol S 101, English 201, Econ S 102.

Math requirement

Any UCORE, most commonly:

• Math 105: Exploring Mathematics
• Phil 201: Elementary Logic

Core courses

• Hist 300: Writing about History
• Hist 469: Seminar in History
• 6 hours of U.S. History
• 6 hours of European History
• 9 hours of non-Western/Global History
• 12-hour non-history field concentration

Graduation requirements

See the WSU Catalog for degree requirements and talk with your academic advisor about planning and scheduling your courses. All students must meet requirements as outlined in the catalog in order to graduate.

For students in history

The history department has a number of scholarships available to the program's students, who averaged awards of $1,300 during 2008-09. All history majors also may apply for University-level scholarships and more than $50,000 in scholarships awarded by the College of Liberal Arts.

For all students

A variety of state, federal, and university-sponsored programs are available to help students with educational costs. Washington State University awards millions of dollars in financial aid and scholarships to students every year based on financial need, academic merit, or a combination of the two.

Students should complete the Washington State University general scholarship application and the FAFSA to ensure their eligibility for the widest range of scholarships and needed-based financial aid.

For information or to apply for financial aid and scholarships from WSU, see the Scholarships and Finances section of the WSU website.

• Enjoy studying past societies and events
• Critical thinking
• Ability to draw connections and recognize patterns
• A strong and broad high school background in humanities, social science, and languages

What you can do with a degree in history

• Public history, cultural resource management, park management, interpretation of historical sites

• Primary and secondary education

• Information sciences, library sciences

• Curating, archiving

• Research and analysis for intelligence operations, government services

• Nonprofit management

• Business management, personnel management, and marketing

• Law

• Journalism, technical writing, and editing

Skills you can market with a degree in history

• Ability to view events in context

• Clear and persuasive writing

• Ability to plan and conduct independent research

• Strong analytical skills

• Ability to assess conflicting interpretations

• Insight into human nature and civilization

• Knowledge of past peoples, societies, and cultures around the globe

• Ability to recognize and assess changes over time

• Capacity to make clear and fair arguments based on appropriate evidence

History Club
Phi Alpha Theta (national honor society)
Pre-Law Society