BA in History

California State University Long Beach

History is a discipline at the core of the liberal arts tradition. It seeks to preserve, extend, and reevaluate our study of the past, and to connect it with the present. Students who specialize in History are typically those who plan to teach, practice law, or enter government service; but History students also go into business, librarianship, foundation work, management of local history projects, and fundraising. Some history alumni have become successful writers.

Student Learning Objectives

Upon completing the Bachelor’s of Arts in History, individuals will be able to demonstrate the following:

An understanding of the discipline of history and its methods, including such concepts as causality, conceptualization, and contextualization, as well as the role of theoretical advances within the discipline.
An understanding of the major trends of historical knowledge of at least two subfields, and the relations between subfields within the larger context of global change.
The facility to conduct research in both primary and secondary resources.
Mastery of advanced analytical skills, including the ability to formulate historical questions, determine bias, express original arguments about the past, and evaluate and interpret various types of evidence.
Familiarity with basic mechanical skills of writing and analysis, including computer literacy and other skills appropriate to the discipline.
Proficiency in presentation skills, including professionalism, facility with Powerpoint or other techniques of audio and visual content delivery, and the ability to construct an organized and coherent verbal presentation directed to appropriate audience levels.

Career Possibilities

Historian • Writer • Editor • Administrators in Historic and Cultural Preservation • Teacher • Museum Curator • Multimedia Specialist • Lawyer • Political Consultant • Journalist • College Instructor • Film Maker • Human Resources Manager • Advertising Analyst • Systems Analyst • Executive