History
To be ignorant of what happened before you were born is to be forever a child. -Cicero

Mission

The History Program enables its majors to become broader in perspective, more literate, intellectually more astute, ethically more sensitive, and to participate wisely in society as competent professionals and knowledgeable citizens. Our students understand the complexity of the factors and forces that can cause historical change, and they are able to analyze and evaluate historical narratives that explain change. Students develop skills in reading, writing, analysis, and logic. History majors learn to do research, to assess arguments, to interpret economic, social, political, cultural and technological change in a variety of contexts.

History Programs:

The History Program at the University of Wisconsin Platteville offers several degrees in history, as well as a social science comprehensive major with a history emphasis. All degree options lead to either a bachelor of arts or a bachelor of science degree.

Factsheet (pdf)

Balanced Curriculum:

The History Program is located in the Department of Social Sciences within the College of Liberal Arts and Education. It offers a curriculum balanced between broad and in-depth courses in American, European and third world history.

Preparation for Teaching:

The history education program prepares the graduate to teach in secondary school. A 36 credit major with a 24 credit minor and a professional sequence in the College of Education will certify graduates for the teaching license.

A social science comprehensive with a history emphasis is a 60 credit program, 24 credits of which are in history and 36 in the social sciences. This program, along with the professional sequence in the College of Education, will certify graduates in the broad field of social sciences and history. This program can also be used to certify in one or more other social science fields.

Faculty:

The small but highly trained faculty represent national geographical and educational backgrounds. Their experience covers many years of teaching, research, public service and leadership .

Each student is assigned an academic adviser and is encouraged to consult with the adviser (or with any member of the department) as need arises. With small classes, each student is treated as an individual. Instructors and students usually become well acquainted with each other.

Facilities:

The History Program is located on the third floor of Warner Hall. Its facilities include a seminar room and a conference/reading room-well stocked with basic historical reference materials. Students are encouraged to use the facilities freely. Excellent facilities for the study of local history, archival and museum work are available through the archives of the Wisconsin Room. Cooperative work experience in the Mining and Jamison Museums of the city of Platteville can also be arranged.

Scholarships:

The James Alva Wilgus Scholarship is awarded annually to a junior or senior maintaining a grade point average of 3.0 or above and majoring in history or social science. The scholarship is named after James Alva Wilgus, who served as a history and social science teacher at Platteville for 40 years. Students in the history program are also eligible for other scholarships offered by the university .

Career Opportunities:

The strengths developed in the study of history (analysis, synthesis and communication) make history an excellent liberal arts base for advanced professional training in law or business.

In the last decade of the twentieth century, the number of teaching jobs in secondary schools should increase significantly, as the school age population increases and those currently in the field reach retirement age. Opportunities for teachers should be better in the next ten years than at any time since the early 1970s.

Positions for those with advanced degrees in history will also have improved greatly. Although there is and will continue to be an increasing demand for graduates in traditional historical areas, the most dramatic increases are in the fields of public history.

New career opportunities are evolving in the administration of cultural resource management programs; in agencies or organizations such as archives, museums, historic preservation offices and historical sites; the development and management of corporate archives and other "memory" areas of the corporate sector, in program development and analysis within local and state governments and in the corporate sector; and in new positions for strengthened local and public history offerings within departments of history.

History Major and Minor requirements

General Requirements, Bachelor of Arts Degree

Total for Graduation: 120 credits
General Education: 44-58 credits
Major Studies: 36 credits

Students must have a cumulative grade point average of 2.50 within the major
studies for graduation.

History Major (36 credits)

I. Required courses
HIST 1010 World Civilization I 3
HIST 1020 World Civilization II 3
HIST 1330 History of the United States, 1492 to 1877 3
HIST 1430 History of the United States since 1877 3
12 credits

Additional courses: All majors must take 24 more credits as instructed in parts II-V.

II. Take two of the following U.S. History courses (all are 3 credits):
Hist 3010 Race Gender & U.S. Labor History
Hist 3080 American Military History
Hist 3120 American Colonial History
Hist 3130 The New Nation
Hist 3140 The Civil War and Reconstruction
Hist 3150 Gilded Age and Progressive Era
Hist 3230 The West in American History
Hist 3240 African-American History, 1619 to the Present
Hist 3320 The History of Wisconsin
Hist 3400 The Vietnam War
Hist 3430 Twentieth Century America
Hist 3450 U.S. Foreign Relations
Hist 3520 American Women
Hist 4230 Issues in History (U.S. topics)

III. Take two of the following European History courses (all are 3 credits):
Hist 3610 History of England to 1714
Hist 3620 History of England since 1714
Hist 3640 Imperialism in Africa and Asia
Hist 3700 Women in European Civilization
Hist 3730 Medieval Europe
Hist 3740 Renaissance and Reformation
Hist 3830 French Revolution and Napoleon, 1789-1815
Hist 3850 Twentieth Century Europe
Hist 3860 History of Western Science
Hist 3880 Modern European Thought and Culture
Hist 4110 Russia to 1856
Hist 4120 Modern Russia
Hist 4230 Issues in History (European Topics)

IV. Take one of the following non-western courses (all are 3 credits):*
Hist 3070 Latin American History
Hist 3640 Imperialism in Africa and Asia
Hist 3920 Modern Middle East
Hist 3950 Modern Japan
Hist 3970 Modern China
Hist 4110 Russia to 1856
Hist 4120 Modern Russia
Hist 4230 Issues in History
* Hist 3640, 4110, and 4120 count as either European or non-western courses.


V. Take 3 more courses from the above lists.

Students may also enroll in:

Hist 4660 Cooperative Field Experience 1-8 credits
An internship program with cooperating agencies. The nature of the experience
must be stipulated in a learning contract between the student and the
department.

Hist 4720 Independent Research in history 1-3 credits
Requires consent of the supervising instructor.


History Minor (24 credits)

I. Students must take the following required courses:
HIST 1010 World Civilization I
HIST 1020 World Civilization II
HIST 1330 History of the United States, 1492-1877
HIST 1430 History of the United States since 1877

II. From the courses listed under "History Major" above, choose:
" one U.S. history course
" one European history course
" one non-western course, and
" any other course(s) as elective(s)