COURSE CURRICULUM

The History major at Cal Lutheran requires a minimum of 40 credits, including at least 24 upper-division credits, designed to provide students with a comprehensive understanding of both U.S. and global history. The lower-division core consists of four foundational courses totaling 16 credits: World Civilization to 1500 (HIST 101), World Civilizations Since 1500 (HIST 102), United States History to 1877 (HIST 121), and United States History Since 1877 (HIST 122). These courses offer broad chronological and geographical coverage, ensuring students build a strong historical foundation.In the upper-division portion of the program, students are required to take at least five History courses, totaling a minimum of 20 credits. These courses allow students to explore specialized historical topics in greater depth, such as the Civil War, Medieval Europe, women in history, or the Cold War, based on their interests. The major culminates in the capstone course, History and Historians (HIST 390), where students engage in advanced research and historical analysis, demonstrating the skills they’ve developed throughout the program.Additionally, students must complete one supporting course in mathematics—MATH 115: Finite Math or a higher-level math course—which helps strengthen critical thinking and analytical reasoning skills. Altogether, the History major at Cal Lutheran not only provides a thorough grounding in historical knowledge but also emphasizes research, writing, and analytical skills that are applicable to a wide range of careers and graduate study opportunities.