Prospective Undergraduate Students
History Major
Historians study the past in its variety and complexity. With such an analysis, students of history gain multiple perspectives on the present and an aptitude to plan intelligently for the future. Although the lessons to be learned from the past are rarely simple, solutions to present-day problems rest on comprehension of historical forces and events.
History deepens our understanding of other peoples and cultures. All courses offered in the History Department seek to examine the issues of race, gender, class, and cultural diversity. A degree in history is excellent preparation for students interested in a teaching career, the legal profession, or advanced work in the discipline. Students wishing to become business executives, administrators, and public servants profit immensely by gaining the methodological skills of the historian. Historians learn to gather, synthesize, analyze, and interpret evidence; they become skilled in presenting their conclusions to a general audience in a lucid and logical manner.
The study of history and its method prepares students for a wide range of careers while also sensitizing them to the complexity and diversity of the past and present. History is an excellent foundation for a broadly based education in the liberal arts.
To view History Major requirements from the 2009-11 catalog click here.
History Minor
The History Minor offers an outstanding opportunity for Cal Poly students majoring in a variety of subjects. While obtaining a sound foundation in understanding our past, students in the History Minor will frequently improve career options as well as gain academic experience in learning to think critically. Completion of the 30-unit History Minor will provide the student with a coherent program stressing both reading and writing skills.
The History Minor is open to all Cal Poly undergraduates. Students can "double-count" courses that are already part of major requirements or electives they have taken at Cal Poly or at other universities. It is worthwhile for a prospective student to look over the requirements for the History Minor to see if some of the coursework has already been completed or will be completed as a part of fulfilling the requirements for his or her major.
The benefit of a History Minor will vary according to the student's major. For the Cal Poly graduate in a technical field, the minor will enhance his or her ability to read critically, write coherently, evaluate and weigh conflicting evidence, and understand divergent points of view. The History courses chosen for the minor emphasize the teaching of various methodologies and ways of thinking about the past that are intended to sharpen students' analytical skills.
To view History Major requirements from the 2009-11 catalog click here.
For more information about applying to the History Department click here.
