No U.S. History?
How College History Departments Leave the
United States out of the Major
SECOND EDITION
© American Council of Trustees and Alumni 2021. All rights reserved.
AMERICAN COUNCIL OF TRUSTEES AND ALUMNI
November 2021
No U.S. History?
How College History Departments Leave the
United States out of the Major
Second Edition
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
No U.S. History? was made possible by the generosity of David Bruce
Smith, founder of the Grateful American® Foundation, who has steadily
encouraged and supported ACTA’s work to deepen civic knowledge and
advance the study of American history. e report was prepared by the
sta of the American Council of Trustees and Alumni (ACTA), primarily
Dr. Jonathan Pidluzny, ACTA’s vice president of academic aairs, and
Alexandra Quillen, program manager for curricular improvement.
ACTA
is an independent, nonprot organization committed to academic
freedom, academic excellence, and accountability at America’s colleges and
universities. Founded in 1995, ACTA is the only national organization
dedicated to working with alumni, donors, trustees, and education leaders
across the United States to support liberal arts education, uphold high
academic standards, safeguard the free exchange of ideas on campus, and
ensure that the next generation receives an intellectually rich, high-quality
education at an affordable price. Our network consists of alumni and
trustees from nearly 1,300 colleges and universities, including over
23,000 current board members. Our quarterly newsletter, Inside Academe,
reaches more than 13,000 readers.
For further information about ACTA and its programs, please contact:
American Council of Trustees and Alumni
1730 M Street NW, Suite 600
Washington, DC 20036
Phone: 202.467.6787; 888.258.6648
Fax: 202.467.6784
GoACTA.org • info@GoACTA.org
CONTENTS
Introduction 1
Instead of U.S. History . . . 6
Working Toward Renewal 9
U.S. History Requirements for History Majors
Table 1: Top 25 Liberal Arts Colleges 16
Table 2: Top 25 National Universities 17
Table 3: Top 25 Public Universities 18
School Pages: U.S. History Courses Required
in the Major or the Core Curriculum 19
NO U.S. HISTORY? How College History Departments Leave the United States out of the Major
6
I
n 1949, the French intellectual André Malroux pronounced, “Western
civilization has begun to doubt its own credentials.” What would he say
today, witnessing the self-negation, fed by ignorance, at large in American
society and at epidemic proportions in our colleges and universities?
e freedoms, comforts, and stability we too often take for granted
are the result of labors, physical and intellectual, of millions who came
before, and no one could fairly question the fact that Americans played an
outsize role building the world we live in today. e ideals that informed
the American Revolution and the genius that forged a new political system
in 1787 have helped freedom and prosperity to spread. It is exhilarating to
learn that story, an opportunity every student should enjoy.
It is also an essential story because it will be up to the current
generation, and those who follow, to perpetuate our institutions and way
of life. If the idea of America vanishes, other ideas will rush in to replace
it, ushering in a diminished way of life. e urgent task before us is to
rebuild civic understanding and historical perspective by reclaiming the
study of the American story in our colleges and universities, in our high
schools, around the dining table, and in our media landscape.
It is in this spirit that the American Council of Trustees and Alumni
(ACTA) presents this report. e ndings are disturbing. At many of
America’s most eminent institutions of higher learning, even students
completing a history major are under no requirement to take a single
course on the history of our country. It is as if the credentials of our
nation are no longer of relevance to us or to the world. ACTA has long
called on higher education for a recommitment to preparing college
students for informed and engaged citizenship. As historian David Bruce
Smith makes clear in the preface that follows, the stakes could not be
higher.
Michael Poliako
President
FOREWORD
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American Council of Trustees and Alumni
J
ohn and Abigail Adams envisioned an America with a school in
every neighborhood and a well-informed citizenry that was adept in
languages, literature, and music; science, history, and religion. eir vision
was practical until the ages recast it, little by little.
en, sometime between Joseph McCarthy and Joan Baez, the status
quo of the educational system came undone.
Students who had been accustomed to a traditional 50-50 humanities/
sciences course of study were capsized—academically—by the surprise
Sputnik launch in 1957. e country’s Race to Space sent higher
education into a tizzy and xed it on science education. In the succeeding
seven decades, resources have risen—consistently—for STEM (Science,
Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics), a course that has been to our
benet, but it came at an unnecessary cost: e rise of the sciences has left
the humanities downplayed, devalued, and dodged.
at uneven ratio has bestowed an unfortunate historic illiteracy
on three generations. Most people, for example, do not know the
philosophical roots of the Declaration of Independence; their rights that
come from the Constitution; or the civic virtues that should have come to
them from their teachers. For these three reasons, too many Americans do
not vote—in local, state, or national elections.
Even in this crisis of civic illiteracy, only about 18% of colleges and
universities nationwide require the study of history and government
in their general education programs.
1
e same is increasingly true in
the history major. In years past, when the architecture of academe was
dierent, a plethora of institutions, such as Harvard, UCLA, Rice, Notre
Dame, Johns Hopkins, and William & Mary, proered requirements for
focused classes in American history, but their phase-out—begun in the
1960s—was practically completed by 2000.
Nowadays, at Columbia University, “Students must take at least nine
courses to graduate with a B.A. in history. Of these courses, four must be
in a chosen eld of geographical, chronological, or thematic specialization,
and three must be outside of the specialization, including one course
PREFACE
NO U.S. HISTORY? How College History Departments Leave the United States out of the Major
8
removed in time and two courses removed in space.” In other words, the
major requires exposure to a variety of histories—none of which need
touch on this country.
at gap in its history major requirements is deeply troubling,
though Columbia at least has a Contemporary Civilization requirement
in its signature Core Curriculum for undergraduates that addresses
Founding documents and key concepts of United States government. But
meanwhile, at Colgate University, which has no such option in its general
education requirements:
“Students choose one of two pathways to graduate with a B.A. in
history. Both require nine courses. e Field of Focus (FoF) Pathway
requires one history workshop, seven electives . . .e FoF Pathway allows
students to devise individualized, intellectually coherent specializations.
Possible elds of focus include environmental history, gender and
sexuality, and race and racism.”
Similarly, at Brown University: “Students must take 10 courses
to graduate with an A.B. in history. Of these, concentrators take two
courses covering the premodern era; at least four courses in a chosen
chronological, geographical or thematic eld of focus . . . Concentrators
must also fulll a geographical distribution requirement by taking at least
two courses in three dierent geographical regions: Africa, East Asia,
Europe, global history, Latin America and the Caribbean, the Middle East
and South Asia, and North America.”
is reorientation away from the study of American history—even
as a point of reference for those focusing their studies on other parts of
the world—is now the norm in the American academy. In the 2020–21
academic year, 18 of the top 25 public universities did not have a wide-
ranging American history requirement for students seeking a B.A. in
history in the major or core curriculum, nor did 24 of the 25 best national
schools.
Even the legendary linchpins of the liberal arts—Amherst,
Swarthmore, Vassar, Smith, Williams, and Pomona—fared poorly:
Twenty-one out of 25 colleges examined did not have an American history
requirement.
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American Council of Trustees and Alumni
e consequences have a powerful penetration on the population.
Much of what is not learned—or stays uncorrected—turns into the
misinformation that is so damaging in a free and democratic society.
Ten percent of college graduates believe Judy Sheindlin—TV’s “Judge
Judy”—is a member of the Supreme Court.
2
When eighth graders were asked to choose a “‘belief shared by
most people of the United States,’ a majority (51 percent) picked ‘e
government should guarantee everybody a job,’ and only a third chose the
correct answer: ‘e government should be a democracy.’”
3
Eighteen percent of American adults think New York Congresswoman
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is the architect of the New Deal, a package of
programs introduced by President Franklin Delano Roosevelt in 1933.
Twenty-six percent believe Brett Kavanaugh is the current chief justice
of the Supreme Court, along with another 14% who identied Antonin
Scalia, although he had been dead for two years at the time of the survey.
Only 12%know that it was the 13
th
Amendment that freed the slaves
in the United States. And 30%think the Equal Rights Amendment
guaranteed women the right to vote. (ese results, moreover, were all
based on a multiple-choice survey: All the respondents had to do was
select the correct option out of four possibilities.)
4
e late Bruce Cole, chairman of the National Endowment for the
Humanities from 2001 to 2009, admonished: “Unlike a monarchy, a
democracy is not automatically self-perpetuating. History and values have
to be renewed from generation to generation.”
5
Our failure to educate
future citizens for informed civic participation compromises the country.
Institutions need to take this new ACTA report to heart and, starting
with their requirements for the history major, embrace their obligation to
address the crisis, robustly in civic education.
David Bruce Smith
Founder, Grateful American® Foundation
Co-Founder, Grateful American® Book Prize
NO U.S. HISTORY? How College History Departments Leave the United States out of the Major
10
To conform the principles, morals, and manners of our citizens to
our republican forms of government, it is absolutely necessary
that knowledge of every kind, should be disseminated through
every part of the united states. For this purpose, let congress
. . . [found] a federal university. In this university, let every thing
connected with government, such as history—the law of nature
and nations—the civil law—the municipal laws of our country—
and the principles of commerce—be taught by competent
professors.
““
—Benjamin Rush
6
, signer of the Declaration of Independence; founder of
Dickinson College; and professor at the University of Pennsylvania
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American Council of Trustees and Alumni
T
he Massachusetts Constitution, the world’s oldest and an inspiration
for the U.S. Constitution, asserts that “Wisdom, and knowledge . . .
diused generally among the body of the people [is] necessary for the
preservation of [the people’s] rights and liberties.” For John Adams, who
drafted the document, there was an essential connection between liberal
learning and “the principles of humanity and general benevolence.”
7
His premise was simple and irrefutable: No free society can waver in
perpetuating knowledge, including civic knowledge, because shared
understanding binds a people together and constitutes the animating spirit
of its laws and institutions.
America’s greatest leaders have reminded us time and time again
of this truth.
8
Abraham Lincoln’s Lyceum Address argues that a proper
understanding of the country’s principles is essential for the perpetuation
of its republican institutions. eodore Roosevelt specically looked
to higher education: “e man with a university education is in honor
bound to take an active part in our political life, and to do his full duty
as a citizen by helping his fellow-citizens to the extent of his power in
the exercise of the rights of self-government.”
9
John F. Kennedy gave a
warning yet more urgent today: “ere is little that is more important
for an American citizen to know than the history and traditions of his
country. Without such knowledge, he stands uncertain and defenseless
before the world, knowing neither where he has come from nor where he
is going.”
10
With the 250
th
anniversary of the Declaration of Independence close
at hand, Americans have all but lost touch with the country’s Founding
ideas, its core documents, and the major events that have shaped the lives
INTRODUCTION
NO U.S. HISTORY? How College History Departments Leave the United States out of the Major
2
of their countrymen and ancestors for more than two centuries. A 2019
survey conducted for ACTA by the National Opinion Research Center
revealed that only 18% of college graduates could identify James Madison
as the “Father of the Constitution”—on a multiple-choice question.
Fifty-one percent did not know the term lengths of U.S. Senators and
Representatives.
11
It is hardly any wonder that a recent survey of more
than 41,000 Americans found that majorities in 49 states would not pass
the U.S. citizenship test.
12
e stakes could not be higher. As historian
Wilfred McClay has written, “What memory is for individuals, history is
for civilizations; and without the reference points provided by historical
consciousness, we soon forget who we are, and we perish.”
13
e study you are about to read reveals how even the training of those
who major in history is so often devoid of that memory.
History can be taught in many places, but most roads lead back to
the academy. For most of American history, university leaders understood
this, as well as the profound responsibility to foster the civic-mindedness
that can ennoble democracy.
14
John Witherspoon, a leading educator of
the Revolutionary Era who mentored James Madison and transformed
Princeton University as its president, expected his students to “apply their
talents to the service of the Public and the good of mankind. Education is
. . . [for] the benet of society in oces of power or trust.”
15
is understanding persisted well into the twentieth century. A
landmark 1945 Harvard study, General Education in a Free Society,
presciently argued that “education for an informed responsible life in our
society, has chiey to do with . . . the question of common standards and
common purposes.”
16
Recognizing the importance of a “place for criticism
of [the society’s] own aims,” the study nonetheless recommends courses
that will help students to appreciate their common inheritance, specically
a course on the American democracy and another in Western Civilization.
In a passage that should resonate especially today, the report warns that
“Democracy, however much by ensuring the right to dier it may foster
dierence[,] particularly in a technological age which further encourages
division of function and hence dierence of outlook[,] yet depends equally
on the binding ties of common standards. It probably depends more
heavily on these ties than does any other kind of society precisely because
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American Council of Trustees and Alumni
the divisive forces within it are so strong.”
17
It is hard to imagine a faculty
committee at any but a tiny handful of universities issuing a similar report
today. Indeed, in sad irony, we nd Harvard University’s 25
th
president,
Derek Bok, observing: “It is widely agreed that an informed and engaged
citizenry is important, many would say essential, in order for democracy
to ourish or even survive. ere is also abundant evidence from national
assessments of civic knowledge and from studies of the attitudes and
behavior of college-age adults that large numbers of students are neither
very knowledgeable nor convinced that government and politics are worth
much of their time and attention.”
18
In this report, ACTA traces the disappearance of an American
history requirement—from the history major—between 1952 and
today. We reviewed the graduation requirements for students seeking a
baccalaureate degree in history, as well as general education requirements,
at 73 of the nation’s leading colleges and universities. ACTA relied on
the 2020–21 U.S. News & World Report’s rankings to identify the top
25 liberal arts colleges, the top 25 national universities, and the top 25
public universities. We assessed university catalogs at four points in time
covering almost 70 years: 1952, 1976, 2000, and 2020–21. And we asked
whether the major required all students to complete at least one course in
U.S. history. Where courses are narrow or niche in nature, for example,
“History of Sexuality in America” at Dartmouth College, we made note
on the school’s information page.
19
(As this research was conducted during
the COVID-19 pandemic, while campus operations were disrupted,
not all institutions were willing or able to provide the documents we
requested. And several institutions did not oer a history major until
midway through the period we covered.)
e years we chose as markers are associated with dierent political
moods. Catalogs from 1952, the year President Eisenhower was elected,
capture the state of the history major in the aftermath of World War II
(a time when colleges and universities were expanding rapidly as a result
of massive, new government investment). Catalogs from 1976 reect
changes made in response to the curricular battles fought in the 1960s
and early 1970s. ose from 2000, meanwhile, predate the political era
that began on September 11, 2001. And the most recent set of documents
NO U.S. HISTORY? How College History Departments Leave the United States out of the Major
4
we examined, from 2020–21, reect changes made in decades that
saw political and ideological divisions deepen and our public discourse
coarsen.
e report’s main ndings, detailed in the pages that follow, include:
• Only one of the top 25 national universities, the University of
California–Berkeley, requires all history majors to complete a
wide-ranging course in U.S. history. (ree additional schools
require students to choose a course from a list that includes
narrow and niche options.)
• Only four of the top 25 public universities require history
majors to complete a wide-ranging course in U.S. history. (Eight
additional schools require students to choose a course from a list
that includes narrow and niche options, and three schools have a
U.S. history course in the core curriculum but not in the major.)
• Only three of the top 25 liberal arts colleges require history
majors to complete a wide-ranging course in U.S. history. (ree
additional schools require students to choose a course from a list
that includes narrow and niche options, and one school has a
U.S. history course in the core curriculum but not in the major.)
• Of the 45 universities for which complete information is available
(and which oered history majors going back to 1952), 32
required history majors to complete a wide-ranging course in
U.S. history in 1952 (major or core curriculum), compared to
only nine today.
• e trend is starkest at leading public universities. Fourteen of
16 required history majors to complete a wide-ranging course in
U.S. history in 1952; only ve do today.
• A majority of liberal arts colleges, 12 out of 18, required history
majors to complete a course in U.S. history in 1952 (major or
core curriculum); only four do today (two of which are service
academies).
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American Council of Trustees and Alumni
• Universities frequently require students to complete non-
American and non-European history courses. For example,
Bowdoin College requires history majors to complete three
“non-Euro/U.S.” courses even though it does not require
students to complete a course focusing on the United States.
Many institutions require that students gain exposure to three
or four regions outside of the United States and Europe without
requiring coursework in American history.
• In earlier years, colleges and universities frequently espoused
purposes similar to those articulated in General Education in a
Free Society. For example, in 1952, Johns Hopkins University
described the purpose of the history major as to ensure students
“have a fair knowledge of some major segment of the history
of Western Civilization.” Similarly, Florida State University
asserted that a school “should provide the rich liberal education
that marks the graduate as an educated citizen of a democracy
in mid-century America.” e University of Notre Dame, in
its 1976 catalog, described the purpose of the history major as
providing students with “a knowledge of the past, considered as
the historical background of Western and especially American
culture.” Such statements are rare today.
NO U.S. HISTORY? How College History Departments Leave the United States out of the Major
6
I
t is not that Americans are uninterested in their history. Every
year, serious works of American history (some written by academic
historians, some not) top the New York Times bestseller list. e smash
Broadway hit Hamilton—one of the most talked-about in a generation—
is based on an 832-page biography. In a recent survey, fully 77% of
respondents expressed “a great deal” or “some” interest in learning about
U.S. history.
20
And in legislatures and school board meetings around
the country, parents and civic leaders are pushing back against eorts
to politicize the social studies curriculum. e evidence all suggests that
Americans care deeply about the country’s past—and want to see it
conveyed honestly to the next generation.
At the same time, however, enrollments in history departments are
falling—faster than in any other discipline, according to the American
Historical Association.
21
e problem is that colleges are not teaching
what students yearn to learn and need to know. While there are several
reasons for this, a change in the perspective of historians may be the most
important. As David Kaiser has argued, the decline in history majors
corresponds to academic historians’ abandonment of political history in
favor of social history. When he reviewed the program for the most recent
annual meeting of the American Historical Association in 2020, he found
that only 15 of 300 dierent panels held at the meeting, or 2.5%, focused
on political history. Of those, “only three panels touched on major
national issues in the US.” (Five of those same 15 panels were related
to gender or feminism.)
22
So it is hardly any wonder that those with an
INSTEAD OF U.S. HISTORY . . .
7
American Council of Trustees and Alumni
interest in their country’s political history—the people and events that
have shaped the world we live in today—are turning increasingly to books
written by journalists and non-academic historians.
23
e neglect of U.S. history at elite institutions is quantiable
in other ways, too. Of 36 full-time faculty listed in the American
Historical Association’s directory of Harvard University’s history faculty
(not including joint, cross, or emeritus listings), only four indicate a
specialization in some aspect of U.S. history that is not expressly social in
orientation.
24
ere is very little reason to expect the tide to turn anytime
soon. Of the 154 dissertations completed in Harvard’s Department of
History since 2010, 33 focus on U.S. history. Of those, at most a dozen
can be classied as political (three), economic (four), military (one), or
legal (four) history.
25
In comparison, 21 of the 33 Americanist historians
that Harvard graduated in the last decade, almost two-thirds, specialize
in social history. ey are tomorrow’s professors, tomorrow’s department
chairs.
is shift is reected in the design of the history major at the
institutions surveyed in this report. While required American history
courses have largely disappeared, a requirement that students complete
coursework treating non-U.S. and non-Western countries and societies
is almost universal. Several schools now oer “thematic” tracks as
alternatives to focused regional study. At Amherst University, the options
include a focus on “social justice, rights, and inequality.” Students at
Claremont McKenna College can choose from “Environment, Culture,
and Economies; Society, Diversity, and Inequality; or Law, Politics, and
Society.” In the history department at Colgate University, possible elds
of focus include environmental history, gender and sexuality, and race and
racism. And that only takes us midway through colleges starting with the
letter “C.”
e other major problem is specialization and incentives that prioritize
research accomplishments instead of teaching excellence. Today, faculty
at leading institutions generally teach (at most) two courses per term.
Because of institutional pressure to publish (combined with the preference
of academic journals and academic presses to publish something new,
NO U.S. HISTORY? How College History Departments Leave the United States out of the Major
8
however trivial), the courses that faculty do teach are often designed to
align with their narrow research specialties. is is one of the main reasons
that so few history departments today require all students to complete
specic courses in American history, but instead ask students to choose
some number of courses from several sprawling lists. Where students are
not required to master specic content, faculty are free to teach whatever
suits their research agenda.
is, too, is reected in the design and structure of today’s history
majors. In 1914, 88% of universities attributed special curricular status
to history and required all students to complete a specic history course
or courses.
26
Today, most history majors do not require all students to
complete even one specic course (aside, perhaps, from a history methods
course). e Major Field Test—a “comprehensive undergraduate . . .
outcomes assessmen[t] designed to measure the critical knowledge
and understanding obtained by students in a major eld of study”—is
widely used in a range of disciplines, including English literature, music,
political science, economics, psychology, sociology, criminal justice, and
throughout the natural sciences.
27
One of the main reasons departments
employ the Major Field Test is to assess what graduates are not learning in
the major, with a view to improving the curriculum. A funny coincidence:
the Educational Testing Service (ETS) discontinued the history test over
a decade ago.
28
It is not hard to guess why demand for it was low among
academic historians: In 2003, 30–35% of the assessment’s 160 questions
pertained to U.S. history, spanning social, political, intellectual, economic,
diplomatic/military, and cultural “types of history.”
29
As this report makes
clear, students graduating with history majors from top U.S. colleges and
universities would have performed abysmally given the design of history
programs today.
9
American Council of Trustees and Alumni
R
enewing civic education begins in history departments. What
colleges need most is to review and reform their curricula, and
curricular self-examination and reform can be done at little or no nancial
cost.
What Trustees and Administrators Can Do
Trustees set the mission of the college or university, and it is their
responsibility to ensure that the curriculum aligns with the guiding
purposes of the institution. at means educating for citizenship, especially
at public colleges and universities. Special attention should be paid to the
history department because K-12 social studies educators receive much
of their content knowledge from history courses and because colleges
and universities have, until very recently, played a vitally important role
in building civic literacy. Trustees and administrators should insist that
departments articulate with far greater clarity what students should know.
Until a college comes together as an academic institution and addresses
the question of what it means to be a college-educated individual, the
curriculum will continue its expensive, chaotic expansion, to the detriment
of students’ intellectual development.
But there are some bright signs of hope.
In 2021, the Arizona Board of Regents, which oversees three state
universities that together enroll over 124,000 undergraduate students,
demonstrated leadership in civic education. Its revision to the system-
level general education policy is a model for the nation. When it is
fully implemented, all students will be required to study “American
WORKING TOWARD RENEWAL
NO U.S. HISTORY? How College History Departments Leave the United States out of the Major
10
Institutions,” including “the basic principles of American constitutional
democracy . . . the United States Constitution and major American
constitutional debates and developments . . . the essential founding
documents and how they have shaped the nature and functions of
American Institutions of self-governance” and “landmark Supreme Court
cases that have shaped law and society.”
30
When reviewing the history program, trustees and administrators
should not hesitate to ask the provost and the chairman of the history
department to explain the department’s rationale for what it does and does
not require of history majors. While respecting academic freedom, good
academic governance prioritizes the need of students to have a meaningful
and coherent curriculum. And that means ensuring that United States
history is part of the history major’s program.
What Policymakers Can Do
Legislators can make a dierence. In some states, policymakers have
created strong requirements for the study of U.S. government and history.
For example, South Carolina lawmakers passed the Reinforcing College
Education on America’s Constitutional Heritage (REACH) Act in 2021
to revise the state’s civic requirement. From this year onward, all students
will be required to complete a course designed to provide “a comprehensive
overview of the major events and turning points of American history
and government” that includes core documents central to the country’s
political development—even history majors.
31
Similarly, state laws in Texas,
Oklahoma, Florida, and Georgia all require public universities to make
completion of a course on American government and history a condition
of graduation.
What Alumni and Donors Can Do
If ever there were an educational imperative that should claim the interest
of alumni and donors, it is ensuring that college graduates understand our
nation. Alumni outcry over deciencies in the curricula of their institutions
can be a powerful force for change. Donors, as individuals or as a
11
American Council of Trustees and Alumni
consortium, can create initiatives with incentives to add core requirements.
In other words, their funding can be used to build the capacity to add
sections of essential courses in American history and government, with the
institution’s agreement that the result would be a rm requirement
for history majors to study the history of the United States, enhanced with
new faculty resources. at requirement should quickly extend to every
student pursuing a liberal arts degree.
Donors can also help strengthen the teaching of American history
by funding (or founding) centers for the study of U.S. history and gov-
ernment. Dozens of such programs are thriving around the country, each
with a distinctive mission and focus. For example, the Ashbrook Center at
Ashland University is dedicated“to strengthen[ing]constitutional self-gov-
ernment by educating our fellow Americans—students, teachers, and
citizens—in the history and Founding principles of our country and the
habits of reection and choice necessary to perpetuate our republic.”
32
Similar programs include the Tocqueville Program at Furman University,
the James Madison Program in American Ideals and Institutions at
Princeton University, and the Kinder Institute on Constitutional Democ-
racy at the University of Missouri.
NO U.S. HISTORY? How College History Departments Leave the United States out of the Major
12
1. American Council of Trustees and Alumni (ACTA), What Will ey Learn?
2021–2022: A Survey of Core Requirements at Our Nation’s Colleges and
Universities (Washington, DC: ACTA, 2021), https://www.goacta.org/
resource/what-will-they-learn-2021-2022/.
2. ACTA, A Crisis in Civic Education (Washington, DC: ACTA, 2016), 19,
https://www.goacta.org/resource/a_crisis_in_civic_education/.
3. Peter Levine, “Explainer: What is wrong with America’s civic education,” May
8, 2016, e Conversation, https://theconversation.com/explainer-what-is-
wrong-with-americas-civic-education-56854.
4. ACTA,America’s Knowledge Crisis: A Survey of CivicLiteracy (Washington,
DC: ACTA, 2019), https://www.goacta.org/resource/americas-knowledge-
crisis/.
5. Rachel DiCarlo, “Oh, the Humanities!,” Washington Examiner, May 19,
2003, https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/weekly-standard/oh-the-
humanities-3913.
6. Benjamin Rush, “Address to the People of the United States,” January 1787,
Teaching American History, https://teachingamericanhistory.org/document/
address-to-the-people-of-the-united-states/.6.
7. Massachusetts Constitution, 1780, the 192
nd
General Court of the
Commonwealth of Massachusetts, https://malegislature.gov/laws/
constitution.
8. In his rst annual address to Congress, George Washington asked Congress
to establish a national university: “there is nothing, which can better
deserve your patronage, than the promotion of Science and Literature,” he
urged, explaining that republican government requires fostering a citizenry
(and civic leaders) who can “discriminate the spirit of liberty from that of
licentiousness” and who are animated by an “inviolable respect to the laws.”
George Washington, “State of the Union Address (1790),” January 8, 1790,
Mount Vernon, https://www.mountvernon.org/education/primary-sources/
state-of-the-union-address.
9. eodore Roosevelt, “e College Graduate and Public Life,” e Atlantic,
August 1894, https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/1894/08/the-
college-graduate-and-public-life/304483/.
10. “JFK Writes about Our Nation’s Memory,” American Heritage 59, no. 4
(2009), https://www.americanheritage.com/jfk-writes-about-our-nations-
memory.
NOTES
13
American Council of Trustees and Alumni
11. ACTA,America’s Knowledge Crisis: A Survey of CivicLiteracy.
12. e Woodrow Wilson National Fellowship Foundation, “Woodrow Wilson
Foundation Finds Only One State Can Pass U.S. Citizenship Exam,”
February 15, 2019, https://woodrow.org/news/one-state-pass-us-citizenship-
exam/.
13. Wilfred McClay, “Foreword,” in Allen Guelzo, Ten ings Everyone Should
Know About American History (Washington, DC: ACTA, 2020), https://
www.goacta.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/10-ings-Everyone-Should-
Know-About-American-History.pdf.
14. See Charles Dorn, For the Common Good: A New History of Higher Education
in America (Ithaca, NY: Cornell University Press, 2017).
15. John Witherspoon, e Works of John Witherspoon, Volume 8 (Edinburgh: J.
Ogle, 1815), 309.
16. e Committee on the Objectives of A General Education in a Free Society,
Paul Buck, chairman, General Education in a Free Society (Cambridge:
Harvard University Press, 1945), 4.
17. Ibid., 4, 12.
18. Scott Jaschik, “Higher Expectations: Can colleges teach students what they
need to know in the 21st century? Derek Bok oers an answer,” Inside Higher
Ed, August 19, 2020, https://www.insidehighered.com/digital-learning/
article/2020/08/19/derek-bok-discusses-his-new-book-teaching-college-
students.
19. e document research for this project was completed in Fall 2020 and
Spring 2021. ACTA researchers relied on course catalogs supplied by
university librarians. Where assessments are listed as not available for 1952
and 1976, librarians were unable to provide ACTA with the documents
we requested (generally for reasons associated with COVID-19). In each
case, we reviewed the history major looking for a required wide-ranging or
foundational U.S. history course. If such a course (or courses) are required
in the major or the core, we note it in summary tables and school detail
pages. In some cases, history departments require completion of a course
in American history but allow students to choose from a list that includes
several that are overspecialized or narrow in scope. In these cases, we make
note of the requirement on the school detail page.
20. Peter Burkholder and Dana Schaer, History, the Past, and Public Culture:
Results from a National Survey (Washington, DC: American Historical
Association, 2021), 59.
NO U.S. HISTORY? How College History Departments Leave the United States out of the Major
14
21. Benjamin M. Schmidt, “e History BA Since the Great Recession: e
2018 AHA Majors Report,” Perspectives on History, November 26, 2018,
https://www.historians.org/publications-and-directories/perspectives-on-
history/december-2018/the-history-ba-since-the-great-recession-the-2018-
aha-majors-report.
22. David Kaiser, “Why Students Have Turned Away from History,” e
James G. Martin Center for Academic Renewal, June 10, 2020, https://
www.jamesgmartin.center/2020/06/why-students-have-turned-away-from-
history/.
23. Jonathan Pidluzny, “While Americans Gobble Up History Books, Colleges
Shut Down History Departments,” e Federalist, June 19, 2019, https://
thefederalist.com/2019/06/19/americans-gobble-history-books-colleges-shut-
history-departments/.
24. American Historical Association (AHA), AHA Directory of History
Departments and Organizations Institution Details, “Harvard University,”
last accessed October 14, 2021, https://secure.historians.org/members/
services/cgi-bin/organizationdll.dll/info?orgcd=5087.
25. AHA, Directory of History Dissertations, Harvard University directory
search, last accessed October 14, 2021, https://secure.historians.org/
members/services/cgi-bin/memberdll.dll/info?wrp=dissertations.htm.
26. National Association of Scholars (NAS), e Dissolution of General Education:
1914–1993 (Princeton, NJ: NAS, 1996), 26, https://www.nas.org/
storage/app/media/images/documents/report_the_dissolution_of_general_
education_1914_1993.pdf.
27. Educational Testing Service (ETS), “About the ETS
®
Major Field Tests,”
https://www.ets.org/mft/about.
28. ETS, “About the ETS
®
Major Field Tests.”
29. ETS, Major Field Tests, https://www.ets.org/Media/Tests/MFT/pdf/mft_
testdesc_history_3zmf.pdf.
30. Arizona Board of Regents, Policy Number: 2-210, “General Education,”
revised February 2021, https://public.azregents.edu/Policy%20
Manual/2-210%20General%20Education.pdf.
31. South Carolina General Assembly, 124
th
Session, 2021–2022, Reinforcing
College Education on America’s Constitutional Heritage (REACH) Act,
https://www.scstatehouse.gov/sess124_2021-2022/bills/38.htm.
32. e Ashbrook Center, “About,” https://ashbrook.org/about/.
U.S. History Requirements
for History Majors
1952 | 1976 | 2000 | 2020
NO U.S. HISTORY? How College History Departments Leave the United States out of the Major
16
School 1952 1976 2000 2020
2 Amherst College
0 0 0 0
3 Swarthmore College
1 0 0 0
4 Pomona College
1 0 0 0
4 Wellesley College No Major
0 0 0
6 Bowdoin College
0 0 0 0
6 Claremont McKenna College
No Major
c
1 0 0
6 United States Naval Academy
0
*
c
0
0
c
0
c
9 Carleton College
2 0 0 0
9 Hamilton College
2 0 0 1
9 Middlebury College
2 0 1 0
13 Grinnell College
0 0 0 0
15 Colby College
0 0 0 0
15 Davidson College
2 0 0 0
15 Haverford College
0 0 0 0
15 Smith College
0
0
*
0 0
15 United States Military Academy
1
*
c
0 4
5
c
20 Colgate University
2 1 1 0
22 Barnard College
2 0 0 0
22 Bates College
0
c
2 0 0
22 University of Richmond
2 2 2 1
25 Harvey Mudd College
No Major* No Major No Major No Major
Schools with Unavailable Catalogs
1 Williams College
n/a n/a 0 0
9 Washington and Lee University
n/a n/a n/a 0
13 Vassar College
n/a n/a 1 0
20 Wesleyan University
n/a n/a n/a 0
25 Colorado College
n/a n/a n/a 0
TABLE 1
U.S. HISTORY REQUIREMENTS FOR HISTORY MAJORS
†
Top 25 Liberal Arts Colleges (as ranked by U.S. News & World Report, 2020)
†
A zero indicates that no wide-ranging or foundational course is required in the major. See school detail pages
for information about schools that allow students to satisfy a U.S. history requirement with courses that are
narrow or overspecialized.
* If a catalog from a particular year was unavailable, we assessed a catalog from the nearest year possible.
c
Indicates that a wide-ranging or foundational history course is required in the core curriculum.
17
American Council of Trustees and Alumni
TABLE 2
U.S. HISTORY REQUIREMENTS FOR HISTORY MAJORS
†
Top 25 National Universities (as ranked by U.S. News & World Report, 2020)
School 1952 1976 2000 2020
2 Harvard University
2
0
*
0 0
3 Columbia University No Major
0 0 0
4 Massachusetts Institute of
Technology
No Major
0 0 0
6 Stanford University
0 2 0 0
9 California Institute of Technology
No Major
c
0
No Major
0
9 Johns Hopkins University
1 0 0 0
9 Northwestern University
1 0 0 0
12 Duke University
0 0 0 0
16 Rice University
2 2 2 0
18 Cornell University
0
*
0 0 0
19 University of Notre Dame
2
c
2 0 0
20 University of California–Los Angeles
2 1 0 0
22 University of California–Berkeley
2 0 1 1
24 University of Southern California
0 0 0 0
Schools with Unavailable Catalogs
1 Princeton University
n/a n/a n/a 0
4 Yale University
n/a n/a n/a 0
6 University of Chicago
n/a n/a 0 0
8 University of Pennsylvania
n/a n/a n/a 0
13 Dartmouth College
n/a n/a n/a 0
14 Brown University
n/a n/a n/a 0
14 Vanderbilt University
0 1 n/a 0
16 Washington University in St. Louis
n/a n/a n/a 0
21 Emory University
n/a 2 1 0
23 Georgetown University
n/a n/a 0 0
24 University of Michigan–Ann Arbor
n/a n/a n/a 0
†
A zero indicates that no wide-ranging or foundational course is required in the major. See school detail pages
for information about schools that allow students to satisfy a U.S. history requirement with courses that are
narrow or overspecialized.
* If a catalog from a particular year was unavailable, we assessed a catalog from the nearest year possible.
c
Indicates that a wide-ranging or foundational history course is required in the core curriculum.
NO U.S. HISTORY? How College History Departments Leave the United States out of the Major
18
TABLE 3
U.S. HISTORY REQUIREMENTS FOR HISTORY MAJORS
†
Top 25 Public Universities (as ranked by U.S. News & World Report, 2020)
†
A zero indicates that no wide-ranging or foundational course is required in the major. See school detail pages
for information about schools that allow students to satisfy a U.S. history requirement with courses that are
narrow or overspecialized.
* If a catalog from a particular year was unavailable, we assessed a catalog from the nearest year possible.
c
Indicates that a wide-ranging or foundational history course is required in the core curriculum.
School 1952 1976 2000 2020
1 University of California–Los Angeles
2
1
0 0
2 University of California–Berkeley
2 0 1 1
4 University of Virginia
0
c
0 0 0
5 University of North Carolina–Chapel Hill
2 0 0 0
6 University of California–Santa Barbara
2
c
0 3 0
6 University of Florida
0
2 2
0
c
8 Georgia Institute of Technology
No Major
No Major
c
0
c
0
c
8 University of California–Irvine
5* 0 0 0
11 University of California–Davis
2 0 0 0
11 College of William & Mary
2
2 2 0
15 University of Georgia
0
c
2
*
c
0
c
0
c
17 Ohio State University
2 0 0 0
19 University of Maryland–College Park
0
c
0 0 0
19 University of Pittsburgh
2 0 1 1
19 University of Washington
1 1 1 0
23 Pennsylvania State University
2 1 2 0
23 University of Connecticut
0 0 1 0
Schools with Unavailable Catalogs
3 University of Michigan–Ann Arbor
n/a n/a n/a 0
8 University of California–San Diego
n/a 0 0 0
12 University of Texas–Austin
n/a n/a
2
c
2
c
13 University of Wisconsin–Madison
No Major
c
n/a 0 0
15 University of Illinois–Urbana-Champaign
n/a 0 0 0
17 Purdue University–West Lafayette
0 n/a n/a 0
19 Florida State University
No Major n/a 2
2
c
23 Rutgers University–New Brunswick
n/a n/a n/a 0
School Pages:
U.S. History Courses Required
in the Major or the Core Curriculum
1952 | 1976 | 2000 | 2020
NO U.S. HISTORY? How College History Departments Leave the United States out of the Major
20
AMHERST COLLEGE
Students must take nine courses to graduate with a B.A. in history: four courses
in an individually chosen area of concentration (geographic or thematic), one
course each in at least three dierent geographical distributions, and either two
courses that cover pre-1800 history or one pre-1800 history course and one
comparative history course. To fulll the geographical distribution requirement,
students may choose courses in three of the following areas: the United States,
Europe, Asia, Africa and the Diaspora, Latin America and the Caribbean, and the
Middle East. As an alternative to the geographical distribution, students may elect
one of the following thematic concentrations: Cultures, Ideas, and Emotions;
Empires, Nations, and Encounters; and Social Justice, Rights, and Inequality.
Majors are also required to take a research seminar as well as a history writing
seminar. A course focused on the study of U.S. history is not required.
U.S. History Course(s) Required in the Major or Core
5 5 5 5
5
3
2, 3, 4
No course required in major or
core.
Course required in the major.
Course required in the core.
Exponents represent the number
of courses required.
1952 1976* 2000 2020
*In 1976, no information on the core curriculum was available for review.
Notes on Major Requirements
1952: No requirement. In 1952, a course focused on the study of U.S. history
was not required in the major.
1976: No requirement. In 1976, the history department required students to
complete a U.S. history course that was narrow in scope (e World
Crisis: 1945–50) but did not require a qualifying survey of U.S. history.
2000: No requirement. In 2000, a course focused on the study of U.S. history
was not required in the major.
2020: No requirement. In 2020, a course focused on the study of U.S. history
was not required in the major.
Interesting Fact: In 1952, Amherst College’s general education curriculum
required students to complete a course in American Studies described as “a study
of selected problems in American civilization . . . treated from various viewpoints,
including the political, economic, and cultural.” e course description itself
notes that “this course does not provide a survey of American history.”
21
American Council of Trustees and Alumni
BARNARD COLLEGE
Students must complete at least 11 courses to graduate with a B.A. in history:
six in an area of concentration and an additional ve that may be within or
outside that area. e 11 required courses should include: three introductory
lecture courses (at least one 1000-level course and the two others may be 1000-
or 2000-level courses); two seminars (3000- or 4000-level courses); at least
one course (lecture or seminar) demonstrating temporal breadth; at least one
course (lecture or seminar) demonstrating geographic range (unless the area of
concentration already does so, in which case a course covering a geographical area
or region outside the chosen eld of study is required); and a two-semester senior
research seminar (HIST BC3391 Senior Research Seminar and HIST BC3392
Senior Research Seminar). Majors may, with the approval of their advisors,
include two non-history courses in their list of 11 if the subjects are closely
related to their concentrations. A course focused on the study of U.S. history is
not required.
U.S. History Course(s) Required in the Major or Core
5 5 5
5
3
2, 3, 4
No course required in major or
core.
Course required in the major.
Course required in the core.
Exponents represent the number
of courses required.
1952 1976 2000 2020
Notes on Major Requirements
1952: Required: 2. In 1952, two courses focused on the study of U.S. history
were required in the major.
1976: No requirement. In 1976, a course focused on the study of U.S. history
was not required in the major.
2000: No requirement. In 2000, a course focused on the study of U.S. history
was not required in the major.
2020: No requirement. In 2020, a course focused on the study of U.S. history
was not required in the major.
Interesting Fact: In 1976, the history major at Barnard College required two
Western Civilization courses that covered the “political, economic, social, and
intellectual achievements from the fteenth century to the eighteenth.”
2
NO U.S. HISTORY? How College History Departments Leave the United States out of the Major
22
BATES COLLEGE
Students must complete at least 10 courses to graduate with a B.A. in history.
ree courses must be in an individually chosen eld of concentration. In
addition, students must complete one course from three chronological elds
(premodern history, early modern, and modern history) and one course in four
of ve geographic areas (Asia, Latin America, Europe, Africa, or the United
States). ese courses may overlap to count toward both the chronological and
the geographical requirement. A history seminar, historical methods course, and
senior thesis are also required. A course focused on the study of U.S. history is
not required.
U.S. History Course(s) Required in the Major or Core
3 5 5
5
3
2, 3, 4
No course required in major or
core.
Course required in the major.
Course required in the core.
Exponents represent the number
of courses required.
1952 1976 2000 2020
Notes on Major Requirements
1952: No requirement. In 1952, a course focused on the study of U.S. history
was “advised” but not required in the major.
1976: Required: 2. In 1976, two courses focused on the study of U.S. history
were required in the major.
2000: No requirement. In 2000, a course focused on the study of U.S. history
was not required in the major.
2020: No requirement. In 2020, a course focused on the study of U.S. history
was not required in the major.
Interesting Fact: In 1976, the purpose of the core curriculum at Bates College
was to “develop a very real sense of social and civic responsibility.”
2
23
American Council of Trustees and Alumni
BOWDOIN COLLEGE
Students must take 10 courses to graduate with a B.A. in history. Majors may
choose courses from the following elds of study: Africa, East Asia, Europe, Latin
America, South Asia, the United States, Atlantic Worlds, and Colonial Worlds.
However, no more than six courses in a single eld of study can count toward
the major nor can students count more than two courses below the intermediate
level. In addition, students must take three upper-level seminars, three non-Euro/
U.S. courses, and one premodern course. A course focused on the study of U.S.
history is not required.
U.S. History Course(s) Required in the Major or Core
5 5 5 5
5
3
2, 3, 4
No course required in major or
core.
Course required in the major.
Course required in the core.
Exponents represent the number
of courses required.
1952 1976 2000 2020
Notes on Major Requirements
1952: No requirement. In 1952, a course focused on the study of U.S. history
was not required in the major.
1976: No requirement. In 1976, a course focused on the study of U.S. history
was not required in the major.
2000: No requirement. In 2000, a course focused on the study of U.S. history
was not required in the major.
2020: No requirement. In 2020, a course focused on the study of U.S. history
was not required in the major.
Interesting Fact: In 2020, Bowdoin College required history majors to complete
three “non-Euro/U.S.” courses, but did not require completion of a course in
Western Civilization or U.S. history.
NO U.S. HISTORY? How College History Departments Leave the United States out of the Major
24
BROWN UNIVERSITY
Students must take 10 courses to graduate with an A.B. in history. Of these,
concentrators take two courses covering the premodern era; at least four courses
in a chosen chronological, geographical, or thematic eld of focus; four courses
below the 1000 level; and a capstone seminar. Concentrators must also fulll
a geographical distribution requirement by taking at least two courses in three
dierent geographical regions: Africa, East Asia, Europe, global history, Latin
America and the Caribbean, the Middle East and South Asia, and North
America. A course focused on the study of U.S. history is not required.
U.S. History Course(s) Required in the Major or Core
5
5
3
2, 3, 4
No course required in major or
core.
Course required in the major.
Course required in the core.
Exponents represent the number
of courses required.
1952* 1976* 2000* 2020
*Relevant course catalogs were unavailable for review.
Notes on Major Requirements
1952: No curricular information available.
1976: No curricular information available.
2000: No curricular information available.
2020: No requirement. In 2020, a course focused on the study of U.S. history
was not required in the major.
25
American Council of Trustees and Alumni
CALIFORNIA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY
Students must take at least 99 units of history courses (including freshman
humanities) to graduate with a B.S. in history. Of these, each history major will
complete a minimum of 63 units of courses in a chosen area of concentration and
27 units in the senior tutorial (H 99 abc). Areas of concentration might include,
but are not restricted to, elds such as ancient history, medieval Europe, early
modern Europe, modern Europe, Russian history, American history pre-1865,
American history post-1865, early modern history of science, modern history of
science, or economic history. An additional 36 units must be completed outside
of the student’s area of concentration. A course focused on the study of U.S.
history is not required.
U.S. History Course(s) Required in the Major or Core
3 5 5
5
3
2, 3, 4
No course required in major or
core.
Course required in the major.
Course required in the core.
Exponents represent the number
of courses required.
1952 1976 2000 2020
Notes on Major Requirements
1952: No history major. In 1952, the California Institute of Technology did
not oer a history major.
1976: No requirement. In 1976, a course focused on the study of U.S. history
was “well advised” but not required in the major.
2000: No history major. In 2000, a history major was not oered. Students
could major in the humanities, which included history courses in the
curriculum, but no course focused on the study of U.S. history was
required in the major.
2020: No requirement. In 2020, a course focused on the study of U.S. history
was not required in the major.
2
NO U.S. HISTORY? How College History Departments Leave the United States out of the Major
26
CARLETON COLLEGE
Students must take 12 courses to graduate with a B.A. in history. Majors must
choose three elds of concentration from the following list: United States,
Ancient &/or Medieval, Early Modern &/or Modern Europe, Asia, Africa &
its Diaspora, Latin America, the Atlantic World, and Environment and Health.
Students also have the option of designing a primary thematic eld in lieu of
the eight oerings. Students take four courses in their primary interest eld
and at least two courses each in two minor elds of study. In addition, majors
are required to take two research seminars, two writing courses, and a junior
colloquium. A course focused on the study of U.S. history is not required.
U.S. History Course(s) Required in the Major or Core
5 5 5
5
3
2, 3, 4
No course required in major or
core.
Course required in the major.
Course required in the core.
Exponents represent the number
of courses required.
1952 1976 2000 2020
Notes on Major Requirements
1952: Required: 2. In 1952, two courses focused on the study of U.S. history
were required in the major.
1976: No requirement. In 1976, a course focused on the study of U.S. history
was not required in the major.
2000: No requirement. In 2000, a course focused on the study of U.S. history
was not required in the major.
2020: No requirement. In 2020, a course focused on the study of U.S. history
was not required in the major.
2
27
American Council of Trustees and Alumni
CLAREMONT MCKENNA COLLEGE
Students must take nine courses to graduate with a B.A. in history. Claremont
McKenna College oers two distinct tracks. Majors completing the multi-regional
track must take one course focusing on the United States, one course focusing
on Europe, one course focusing on non-Western or developing areas (Asia, Latin
America, Africa, the Middle East), one junior seminar, and ve electives. One of
those courses must cover premodern (before 1800) material. Students completing
the thematic track must complete ve courses treating Environment, Culture, and
Economies; Society, Diversity, and Inequality; or Law, Politics, and Society. In the
course of their studies, students must complete a course in each of the following
regions: the United States, Europe, Asia, Latin America, Africa, and the Middle
East. Although Claremont McKenna College lists a requirement in U.S.
history, some of the courses that fulll that requirement do not have sucient
breadth to stand as adequate fulllment of a U.S. history requirement.
U.S. History Course(s) Required in the Major or Core
3 5 5
5
3
2, 3, 4
No course required in major or
core.
Course required in the major.
Course required in the core.
Exponents represent the number
of courses required.
1952 1976 2000 2020
Notes on Major Requirements
1952: No history major. In 1952, Claremont McKenna College did not oer a
history major. Students could major in the humanities, which included
history courses in the curriculum, but no course focused on the study of
U.S. history was required in the major.
1976: Required: 1. In 1976, one course focused on the study of U.S. history
was required in the major.
2000: No requirement. In 2000, a course focused on the study of U.S. history
was required, but some of the courses satisfying the requirement had
insucient breadth to stand as adequate fulllment of a U.S. history
requirement.
2020: No requirement. In 2020, a course focused on the study of U.S. history
was required, but some of the courses satisfying the requirement had
insucient breadth to stand as adequate fulllment of a U.S. history
requirement.
Interesting Fact: In the 1952 catalog, Claremont McKenna College
described itself as a “liberal arts college for education in business and public
administration.”
2
NO U.S. HISTORY? How College History Departments Leave the United States out of the Major
28
COLBY COLLEGE
Students must take 11 courses to graduate with a B.A. in history. ese 11
courses (of at least three credits each) must include History 276 (Patterns and
Processes in World History); two 300-level courses; a senior research seminar at
the 400 level; and at least one course in each of three areas: Category I (Africa,
Asia, and world history), Category II (Europe, Russia, and the USSR), and
Category III (Colonial and Native America/United States). At least two courses
must be in premodern history, as designated by the department. Although Colby
College lists a requirement in “Colonial and Native America/United States,”
some of the courses that fulll that requirement do not have sucient
breadth to stand as adequate fulllment of a U.S. history requirement.
U.S. History Course(s) Required in the Major or Core
5 5 5 5
5
3
2, 3, 4
No course required in major or
core.
Course required in the major.
Course required in the core.
Exponents represent the number
of courses required.
1952 1976 2000 2020
Notes on Major Requirements
1952: No requirement. In 1952, a course focused on the study of U.S. history
was not required in the major.
1976: No requirement. In 1976, a course focused on the study of U.S. history
was not required in the major.
2000: No requirement. In 2000, a course focused on the study of U.S. history
was not required in the major.
2020: No requirement. In 2020, a course focused on the study of U.S. history
was required, but some of the courses satisfying the requirement had
insucient breadth to stand as adequate fulllment of a U.S. history
requirement.
Interesting Fact: In 1952, two Western Civilization courses that covered the
“main historical trends from the Greeks to the Romans to the present day” were
required in the history major.
29
American Council of Trustees and Alumni
COLGATE UNIVERSITY
Students choose one of two pathways to graduate with a B.A. in history. Both
require nine courses. e Field of Focus (FoF) Pathway requires one history
workshop, seven electives (four of which should relate directly to the eld of
focus), and one seminar at the 400 level. e FoF Pathway allows students to
devise individualized, intellectually coherent specializations. Possible elds of
focus include environmental history, gender and sexuality, and race and racism.
At least two of the nine courses must be designated other than “EU” or “US.” e
Global Pathway emphasizes broad geographic exposure and ensures that students’
coursework, at all levels, covers dierent parts of the world such as Africa, Asia,
Europe, the Middle East, and the United States. e Global Pathway requires one
history workshop, three courses at the 100 or 200 level (each must carry a dierent
geographic designation), three courses at the 300 level (at least one of these courses
must be designated other than “EU” or “US”), one additional history course at the
200 level or above (or any 300 level foreign language course), and one seminar at
the 400 level. A course focused on the study of U.S. history is not required.
U.S. History Course(s) Required in the Major or Core
5
5
3
2, 3, 4
No course required in major or
core.
Course required in the major.
Course required in the core.
Exponents represent the number
of courses required.
1952 1976 2000 2020
Notes on Major Requirements
1952: Required: 2. In 1952, two courses focused on the study of U.S. history
were required in the major.
1976: Required: 1. In 1976, one course focused on the study of U.S. history
was required in the major.
2000: Required: 1. In 2000, one course focused on the study of U.S. history
was required in the major.
2020: No requirement. In 2020, a course focused on the study of U.S. history
was not required in the major.
Interesting Fact: In 1952, the university’s history courses were “designed to
explain the development of European and American civilizations and analyze
their impact upon the modern world.”
2
NO U.S. HISTORY? How College History Departments Leave the United States out of the Major
30
COLLEGE OF WILLIAM & MARY
Students must complete 11 courses to graduate with a B.A. in history. Majors
are required to complete two courses in European history, two courses in history
of the United States or early North America, two courses outside European or
U.S. history, a global history survey, a research seminar, and a capstone course.
In addition, students must fulll a chronological requirement where at least one
course will focus on pre-1800 history and at least one course will focus on post-
1800 history. e chronological requirement may be satised with courses from
the distribution requirements. Although the College of William & Mary (now
William & Mary) lists a requirement in U.S. history/early North America,
some of the courses that fulll that requirement do not have sucient
breadth to stand as adequate fulllment of a U.S. history requirement.
U.S. History Course(s) Required in the Major or Core
5
5
3
2, 3, 4
No course required in major or
core.
Course required in the major.
Course required in the core.
Exponents represent the number
of courses required.
1952 1976 2000 2020
Notes on Major Requirements
1952: Required: 2. In 1952, two courses focused on the study of U.S. history
were required in the major.
1976: Required: 2. In 1976, two courses focused on the study of U.S. history
were required in the major.
2000: Required: 2. In 2000, two courses focused on the study of U.S. history
were required in the major.
2020: No requirement. In 2020, two courses focused on the study of U.S.
history were required in the major, but some of the courses satisfying the
requirement had insucient breadth to stand as adequate fulllment of a
U.S. history requirement.
2 2
2
31
American Council of Trustees and Alumni
COLORADO COLLEGE
Students must take 10–11 courses to graduate with a B.A. in history. Of these 11
courses, one must be an intro-level course, six must be courses at the 200–300
level, one must be a junior seminar on “Studying History,” and two must be part
of a senior sequence. Of the six intermediate courses, students must take at least
one pre-1800 course, one post-1800 course, one U.S. history course, and at least
one course in three of the following geographical areas: Africa, East Asia, Europe,
Latin America, Middle East, and South Asia. Although Colorado College lists a
requirement in U.S. history, some of the courses that fulll that requirement
do not have sucient breadth to stand as adequate fulllment of a U.S.
history requirement.
U.S. History Course(s) Required in the Major or Core
5
5
3
2, 3, 4
No course required in major or
core.
Course required in the major.
Course required in the core.
Exponents represent the number
of courses required.
1952* 1976* 2000* 2020
*Relevant course catalogs were unavailable for review.
Notes on Major Requirements
1952: No curricular information available.
1976: No curricular information available.
2000: No curricular information available.
2020: No requirement. In 2020, a course focused on the study of U.S. history
was required, but some of the courses satisfying the requirement had
insucient breadth to stand as adequate fulllment of a U.S. history
requirement.
NO U.S. HISTORY? How College History Departments Leave the United States out of the Major
32
COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY
Students must take at least nine courses to graduate with a B.A. in history. Of
these courses, four must be in a chosen eld of geographical, chronological, or
thematic specialization, and three must be outside of the specialization, including
one course removed in time and two courses removed in space. Finally, majors
must complete two seminars, with at least one of those seminars being within the
specialization. A course focused on the study of U.S. history is not required.
U.S. History Course(s) Required in the Major or Core*
5 5 5
5
3
2, 3, 4
No course required in major or
core.
Course required in the major.
Course required in the core.
Exponents represent the number
of courses required.
1952 1976 2000 2020
*ACTA grants Columbia credit for U.S. Government/History in our annual study of core
curricular requirements, What Will ey Learn?®, because the “Contemporary Civilization”
course requires study of Great Books treating American government.
Notes on Major Requirements
1952: No history major. In 1952, Columbia University did not oer a history
major.
1976: No requirement. In 1976, a course focused on the study of U.S. history
was not required in the major.
2000: No requirement. In 2000, a course focused on the study of U.S. history
was not required in the major.
2020: No requirement. In 2020, a course focused on the study of U.S. history
was not required in the major.
Interesting Fact: Since 1919, Columbia University’s “Contemporary
Civilization” course has required students to read Plato, Aristotle, Augustine,
Machiavelli, Luther, Hobbes, Locke, Rousseau, Smith, Mill, Marx, Nietzsche,
Freud, and others.
33
American Council of Trustees and Alumni
CORNELL UNIVERSITY
Students are required to take nine courses to graduate with a B.A. in history.
ese courses must include three courses focused on history before 1800, four
courses focused on history outside of the United States, and two seminar courses
with one being a 4000-level seminar. No course may fulll more than one of the
requirements. A course focused on the study of U.S. history is not required.
U.S. History Course(s) Required in the Major or Core
5
5 5 5
5
3
2, 3, 4
No course required in major or
core.
Course required in the major.
Course required in the core.
Exponents represent the number
of courses required.
1953* 1976 2000 2020
*e 1952–53 catalog was unavailable for review. For this reason, we reviewed the 1953–54
catalog.
Notes on Major Requirements
1953: No requirement. In 1953, a course focused on the study of U.S. history
was not required in the major.
1976: No requirement. In 1976, a course focused on the study of U.S. history
was not required in the major.
2000: No requirement. In 2000, a course focused on the study of U.S. history
was not required in the major.
2020: No requirement. In 2020, a course focused on the study of U.S. history
was not required in the major.
NO U.S. HISTORY? How College History Departments Leave the United States out of the Major
34
DARTMOUTH COLLEGE
Students must take 10 courses to graduate with an A.B. in history. Majors must
take at least one course in U.S. history; at least one course in European history; at
least two courses in African, Asian, and Latin American and Caribbean history;
at least one course that focuses on interregional or comparative history; at least
two pre-1700 courses or three pre-1800 courses; and two courses involving
advanced historical practice. Although Dartmouth College lists a requirement
in U.S. history, some of the courses that fulll that requirement do not
have sucient breadth to stand as adequate fulllment of a U.S. history
requirement.
U.S. History Course(s) Required in the Major or Core
5
5
3
2, 3, 4
No course required in major or
core.
Course required in the major.
Course required in the core.
Exponents represent the number
of courses required.
1952* 1976* 2000* 2020
*Relevant course catalogs were unavailable for review.
Notes on Major Requirements
1952: No curricular information available.
1976: No curricular information available.
2000: No curricular information available.
2020: No requirement. In 2020, a course focused on the study of U.S. history
was required, but some of the courses satisfying the requirement had
insucient breadth to stand as adequate fulllment of a U.S. history
requirement.
35
American Council of Trustees and Alumni
DAVIDSON COLLEGE
Students must take 10 courses to graduate with a B.A. in history. Of the 10
required courses, students must take at least one from each of the following
categories: Western history (Europe and the U.S.), non-western history (Latin
America, Africa, the Middle East, South Asia, and East Asia), and premodern
history. In addition, at least one, and not more than three, of those courses must
be at the 100 level; at least one, and not more than two, must be at the 200 level;
and at least one must be a 400-level topical seminar. In their senior years, majors
must complete a capstone course, either HIS 480 or HIS 488-9. A course focused
on the study of U.S. history is not required.
U.S. History Course(s) Required in the Major or Core
5 5 5
5
3
2, 3, 4
No course required in major or
core.
Course required in the major.
Course required in the core.
Exponents represent the number
of courses required.
1952 1976 2000 2020
Notes on Major Requirements
1952: Required: 2. In 1952, two courses focused on the study of U.S. history
were required in the major.
1976: No requirement. In 1976, a course focused on the study of U.S. history
was not required in the major.
2000: No requirement. In 2000, a course focused on the study of U.S. history
was not required in the major.
2020: No requirement. In 2020, a course focused on the study of U.S. history
was not required in the major.
2
NO U.S. HISTORY? How College History Departments Leave the United States out of the Major
36
DUKE UNIVERSITY
Students must take 10 courses to graduate with a B.A. in history. Of these
courses, eight must be at the 200 level or above. Majors are required to take
at least two courses in premodern history (pre-1800); at least four courses in a
chosen thematic or geographical concentration; and one course each from three
of ve geographical regions: Asia, Europe and Russia, Africa and the Middle
East, Latin America and the Caribbean, and the United States and Canada.
Finally, at least two research seminars are required: one gateway seminar and one
senior capstone seminar. A course focused on the study of U.S. history is not
required.
U.S. History Course(s) Required in the Major or Core
5 5 5 5
5
3
2, 3, 4
No course required in major or
core.
Course required in the major.
Course required in the core.
Exponents represent the number
of courses required.
1952 1976 2000 2020
Notes on Major Requirements
1952: No requirement. In 1952, a course focused on the study of U.S. history
was not required in the major.
1976: No requirement. In 1976, a course focused on the study of U.S. history
was not required in the major.
2000: No requirement. In 2000, a course focused on the study of U.S. history
was not required in the major.
2020: No requirement. In 2020, a course focused on the study of U.S. history
was not required in the major.
Interesting Fact: In 2020, Duke University’s course catalog explained that the
study of history “oers students broad exposure to the histories of our own and
other societies.” e curriculum requires the study of history outside the U.S. and
Europe but does not require a course in Western Civilization or U.S. history.
37
American Council of Trustees and Alumni
EMORY UNIVERSITY
Students must take 11 courses to graduate with a B.A. in history. Of these
courses, at least seven must be above the 200 level, and two must be colloquia.
Majors choose between a general studies concentration and a more specialized
concentration. Majors who choose a general studies requirement take at least
two survey courses in U.S. history. ose who elect the specialized concentration
choose from among the following: United States; Europe; Latin America and
the Non-Western World; Women, Gender, and Sexuality; Empires, Nations, and
Citizenship; and Law, Economics, and Human Rights. Specialized concentrators
who choose a geographical concentration are required to take at least one course in
U.S. history. However, those who choose a thematic concentration must explore
only two of the three geographical regions. A course focused on the study of U.S.
history is not required.
U.S. History Course(s) Required in the Major or Core
5
5
3
2, 3, 4
No course required in major or
core.
Course required in the major.
Course required in the core.
Exponents represent the number
of courses required.
1952* 1976 2000 2020
*Relevant course catalog was unavailable for review.
Notes on Major Requirements
1952: No curricular information available.
1976: Required: 2. In 1976, two courses focused on the study of U.S. history
were required in the major.
2000: Required: 1. In 2000, one course focused on the study of U.S. history
was required in the major.
2020: No requirement. In 2020, a course focused on the study of U.S. history
was not required in the major.
Interesting Fact: In 1976, the history major required “one course in American
history prior to the Civil War, one course in American history since the Civil
War, one course in European history before 1600, and one course in European
history since 1600.”
2
NO U.S. HISTORY? How College History Departments Leave the United States out of the Major
38
FLORIDA STATE UNIVERSITY
Students must take at least 11 courses to graduate with a B.A. in history, four of
which are required, introductory-level coursework (WOH 1023, 1030; AMH
2010, 2020). Majors are required to take at least two courses in American
history and European history as well as two courses in either Latin American,
Asian, African, or Russian history at the 2999 level or above. Students must also
complete two upper-level elective courses in history and a senior seminar. Two
courses focused on the study of U.S. history are required.
U.S. History Course(s) Required in the Major or Core
5
3
2, 3, 4
No course required in major or
core.
Course required in the major.
Course required in the core.
Exponents represent the number
of courses required.
1952 1976* 2000 2020
*Relevant course catalog was unavailable for review.
Notes on Major Requirements
1952: No history major. In 1952, Florida State University did not oer a
history major. Students could major in social sciences, which included
history courses in the curriculum, but no course focused on the study of
U.S. history was required in the major.
1976: No curricular information available.
2000: Required: 2. In 2000, two courses focused on the study of U.S. history
were required in the major.
2020: Required: 2. In 2000, two courses focused on the study of U.S. history
were required in the major.
Interesting Fact: In 1952, Florida State University asserted that a university
“should provide the rich liberal education that marks the graduate as an educated
citizen of a democracy in mid-century America.”
3
2
2
39
American Council of Trustees and Alumni
GEORGETOWN UNIVERSITY
Students must take 11 courses to graduate with an A.B. in history. Majors take
two courses from a list of core history courses: one course that exposes students to
the discipline of history and one course that focuses on historical developments in
various world regions. ey must also complete nine additional elective courses,
four either in “Group A”—Africa, Latin America, the Middle East, and Asia—or
in “Group B”—Russia and Eastern Europe, Europe, and the United States/North
America—and at least three courses in the other group. Finally, majors must take
two additional elective courses in any region. A course focused on the study of
U.S. history is not required.
U.S. History Course(s) Required in the Major or Core
5 5
5
3
2, 3, 4
No course required in major or
core.
Course required in the major.
Course required in the core.
Exponents represent the number
of courses required.
1952* 1976* 2000 2020
*Relevant course catalogs were unavailable for review.
Notes on Major Requirements
1952: No curricular information available.
1976: No curricular information available.
2000: No requirement. In 2000, a course focused on the study of U.S. history
was not required in the major.
2020: No requirement. In 2020, a course focused on the study of U.S. history
was not required in the major.
NO U.S. HISTORY? How College History Departments Leave the United States out of the Major
40
GEORGIA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY
e Georgia Institute of Technology oers an interdisciplinary B.S. in History,
Technology, and Society. Students must complete 24 credit hours in history and
sociology, including at least one course in history, one course in sociology, and
three courses from one of seven areas of specialization. A course focused on the
study of U.S. history is not required, but all students are required to complete
a course in U.S. history/Constitution in the core curriculum.
U.S. History Course(s) Required in the Major or Core
3 3 3
5
3
2, 3, 4
No course required in major or
core.
Course required in the major.
Course required in the core.
Exponents represent the number
of courses required.
1952 1976 2000 2020
Notes on Major Requirements
1952: No history major. In 1952, the Georgia Institute of Technology did not
oer a history major. Students could major in social sciences, which
included history courses in the curriculum, but no course focused on the
study of U.S. history was required in the major.
1976: No history major. In 1976, the Georgia Institute of Technology did not
oer a history major. Students could major in social sciences, which
included history courses in the curriculum, but no course focused on the
study of U.S. history was required in the major.
2000: No requirement. In 2000, a course focused on the study of U.S. history
was not required in the major.
2020: No requirement. In 2020, a course focused on the study of U.S. history
was not required in the major.
Interesting Fact: In 1952, the course catalog described the department of social
sciences as an “integral part of the college’s general education program. To be a
fully educated citizen, the engineer must have a broad background of general
training in elds not specically technical.”
41
American Council of Trustees and Alumni
GRINNELL COLLEGE
Students must take eight courses to graduate with a B.A. in history. e major
requires one introductory course on historical inquiry, three 200-level courses in
three dierent geographical locations, two 300-level seminars, and two additional
history courses. Students have the option of taking U.S. history to fulll one of
the three intermediate-level courses, but it is not required. Students choose from
the following geographical regions: U.S. history, Asian history, Russian history,
European history, Latin American history, history of Africa and the Middle East,
and transregional and comparative history. A course focused on the study of U.S.
history is not required.
U.S. History Course(s) Required in the Major or Core
5 5 5 5
5
3
2, 3, 4
No course required in major or
core.
Course required in the major.
Course required in the core.
Exponents represent the number
of courses required.
1952 1976 2000 2020
Notes on Major Requirements
1952: No requirement. In 1952, a course focused on the study of U.S. history
was not required in the major.
1976: No requirement. In 1976, a course focused on the study of U.S. history
was “strongly recommended” but not required in the major.
2000: No requirement. In 2000, a course focused on the study of U.S. history
was “strongly recommended” but not required in the major.
2020: No requirement. In 2020, a course focused on the study of U.S. history
was not required in the major.
Interesting Fact: In 1952, Grinnell College’s core curriculum required a course
in Western Civilization in order to “attempt to give the American student an
understanding of the origins of his own society in Europe.”
NO U.S. HISTORY? How College History Departments Leave the United States out of the Major
42
HAMILTON COLLEGE
Students must take nine courses to graduate with a B.A. in history. Majors must
take a writing-intensive, 100-level history course and at least two courses at the
300 level or higher. Of these two 300-level courses, one must be a historiography
course and one must be a research course. In addition, majors must take at least
one course focused on the United States, one course that covers the premodern
era (pre-1800), and at least one course in three of the following categories:
Europe and the Mediterranean; Eurasia and Russia; the Middle East; Latin
America and the Cari Africa and African diaspora; Asia; and transnational.
Students must also complete at least four courses that fall within one of seven
thematic areas. Finally, majors must complete a senior thesis. A course focused
on the study of U.S. history is required.
U.S. History Course(s) Required in the Major or Core
5 5
5
3
2, 3, 4
No course required in major or
core.
Course required in the major.
Course required in the core.
Exponents represent the number
of courses required.
1952 1976 2000 2020
Notes on Major Requirements
1952: Required: 2. In 1952, two courses focused on the study of U.S. history
were required in the major.
1976: No requirement. In 1976, a course focused on the study of U.S. history
was not required in the major.
2000: No requirement. In 2000, a course focused on the study of U.S. history
was not required in the major.
2020: Required: 1. In 2020, one course focused on the study of U.S. history
was required in the major.
2
43
American Council of Trustees and Alumni
HARVARD UNIVERSITY
Students must take 10 courses to graduate with a B.A. in history. Majors are
required to take one course on forming historical arguments, one course in U.S.
or European history (western), one course beyond U.S. and European history
(non-western), one course focused on a period before 1750 (premodern), four
additional electives, and two seminars. Students who wish to write a senior thesis
must also enroll in History 99a & 99b, which brings their total requirements to 12
courses. A course focused on the study of U.S. history is not required.
U.S. History Course(s) Required in the Major or Core
5 5 5
5
3
2, 3, 4
No course required in major or
core.
Course required in the major.
Course required in the core.
Exponents represent the number
of courses required.
1952 1975* 2000 2020
*e 1976–77 catalog was unavailable for review. For this reason, we reviewed the 1975–76
catalog.
Notes on Major Requirements
1952: Required: 2. In 1952, two courses focused on the study of U.S. history
were required in the major.
1975: No requirement. In 1975, students were “urged” to take a course focused
on the study of U.S. history, but it was not required.
2000: No requirement. In 2000, a course focused on the study of U.S. history
was not required in the major.
2020: No requirement. In 2020, a course focused on the study of U.S. history
was not required in the major.
2
NO U.S. HISTORY? How College History Departments Leave the United States out of the Major
44
HARVEY MUDD COLLEGE
Harvey Mudd College does not have a history department, but the history
concentration in the Humanities, Social Sciences, and the Arts program requires
at least four courses in history. A course focused on the study of U.S. history is
not required.
U.S. History Course(s) Required in the Major or Core
5
3
2, 3, 4
No course required in major or
core.
Course required in the major.
Course required in the core.
Exponents represent the number
of courses required.
1957* 1976 2000 2020
*e 1952–53 catalog was unavailable for review. For this reason, we reviewed the
1957–58 catalog.
Notes on Major Requirements
1957: No history major. In 1957, Harvey Mudd College did not oer a history
major.
1976: No history major. In 1976, Harvey Mudd College did not oer a history
major.
2000: No history major. In 2000, Harvey Mudd College did not oer a history
major.
2020: No history major. In 2020, Harvey Mudd College did not oer a history
major.
45
American Council of Trustees and Alumni
HAVERFORD COLLEGE
Students must take 11 courses to graduate with a B.A. in history. Majors must take
one introductory level course and eight mid- and upper-level courses, of which at
least three must be upper-level seminars. Students select courses from the following
elds of concentration: European history, U.S. history, East Asian history, Latin
American history, and History of Science and Medicine. In addition, majors must
complete three geographic, temporal, or thematic elds by taking two courses
(above the 100 level) within a eld. During their senior year, students write a year-
long thesis. A course focused on the study of U.S. history is not required.
U.S. History Course(s) Required in the Major or Core
5 5 5 5
5
3
2, 3, 4
No course required in major or
core.
Course required in the major.
Course required in the core.
Exponents represent the number
of courses required.
1952 1976 2000 2020
Notes on Major Requirements
1952: No requirement. In 1952, a course focused on the study of U.S. history
was not required in the major.
1976: No requirement. In 1976, a course focused on the study of U.S. history
was not required in the major.
2000: No requirement. In 2000, a course focused on the study of U.S. history
was not required in the major.
2020: No requirement. In 2020, a course focused on the study of U.S. history
was not required in the major.
Interesting Fact: In 1952, Haverford College’s course catalog described the
history major as “designed to give some conception of the development of the
civilizations which exist in Europe and the United States today.”
NO U.S. HISTORY? How College History Departments Leave the United States out of the Major
46
JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY
Students must take 12 courses to graduate with a B.A. in history. e require-
ments include two introductory courses; a two-semester history seminar; six
additional electives, at least four of which must be at the 300 level or above; and
either a year-long thesis or two advanced history courses. Finally, majors must
meet a foreign language requirement through the intermediate level. A course
focused on the study of U.S. history is not required.
U.S. History Course(s) Required in the Major or Core
5 5 5
5
3
2, 3, 4
No course required in major or
core.
Course required in the major.
Course required in the core.
Exponents represent the number
of courses required.
1952 1976 2000 2020
Notes on Major Requirements
1952: Required, but number of courses undened. In 1952, Johns Hopkins
University specied learning objectives including “fair knowledge” of
“some segment” of “European and American history,” but the curriculum
did not stipulate any specic course requirements. Instead, students were
assessed by an individualized combination of oral examinations, written
examinations, and completed coursework.
1976: No requirement. In 1976, a course focused on the study of U.S. history
was not required in the major.
2000: No requirement. In 2000, a course focused on the study of U.S. history
was not required in the major.
2020: No requirement. In 2020, a course focused on the study of U.S. history
was not required in the major.
Interesting Fact: In 1952, Johns Hopkins University described the purpose of
the history major as ensuring that students “have a fair knowledge of some major
segment of the history of Western Civilization (European and American history).”
47
American Council of Trustees and Alumni
MASSACHUSETTS INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY
Students must take 14 courses to graduate with a B.S. in history. Of these courses,
students must take one seminar, one methods course, one thesis-tutorial course,
and one thesis course. Students must also take seven restricted elective courses
that are selected in consultation with a major advisor and must include subjects
drawn from two geographical areas, as well as one focused on pre-1700 history
and one on modern history. ree courses must come from a second discipline
in Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences. A course focused on the study of U.S.
history is not required.
U.S. History Course(s) Required in the Major or Core
5 5 5
5
3
2, 3, 4
No course required in major or
core.
Course required in the major.
Course required in the core.
Exponents represent the number
of courses required.
1952 1976 2000 2020
Notes on Major Requirements
1952: No history major. In 1952, MIT did not oer a history major. Students
could major in Humanities and Social Sciences, which included history
courses in the curriculum, but no course focused on the study of U.S.
history was required in the major.
1976: No requirement. In 1976, a course focused on the study of U.S. history
was not required in the major.
2000: No requirement. In 2000, a course focused on the study of U.S. history
was required, but some of the courses satisfying the requirement had
insucient breadth to stand as adequate fulllment of a U.S. history
requirement.
2020: No requirement. In 2020, a course focused on the study of U.S. history
was not required in the major.
Interesting Fact: Although the 1976 catalog species that “the curriculum is
centered in . . . modern American and European history,” it does not include
formal requirements to complete specic courses in American and European
history.
NO U.S. HISTORY? How College History Departments Leave the United States out of the Major
48
MIDDLEBURY COLLEGE
Students must take 11 courses to graduate with a B.A. in history. Of these,
students must complete at least one but no more than three 0100-level courses
and three courses, 0200 level or above, in three of the following seven areas:
North America; Europe; Latin America and the Caribbean; the Middle East
and North Africa; Sub-Saharan Africa; South and Southeast Asia, including the
Pacic; and North Asia, including China, Korea, Japan, and the Asian Steppes.
In addition, majors must take two 0400-level reading seminars in two dierent
geographical regions and HIST 0600. Of the 11 courses required, one must be
comparative and two must deal primarily with the period before 1800. A course
focused on the study of U.S. history is not required.
U.S. History Course(s) Required in the Major or Core
5 5
5
3
2, 3, 4
No course required in major or
core.
Course required in the major.
Course required in the core.
Exponents represent the number
of courses required.
1952 1976 2000 2020
Notes on Major Requirements
1952: Required: 2. In 1952, two courses focused on the study of U.S. history
were required in the major.
1976: No requirement. In 1976, a course focused on the study of U.S. history
was not required in the major.
2000: Required: 1. In 2000, one course focused on the study of U.S. history
was required in the major.
2020: No requirement. In 2020, a course focused on the study of U.S. history
was not required in the major.
2
49
American Council of Trustees and Alumni
NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY
Students must complete 12 courses to graduate with a B.A. in history, including
History 393-Approaches to History and a History 395-Research Seminar. e
remaining 10 courses must satisfy the requirements of a non-global history
concentration or a global history concentration. e non-global concentration
consists of six courses in a geographic concentration and four courses outside of
it. e global history concentration consists of two introductory global history
courses (History 250-1 and History 250-2), two additional global history courses,
and two courses in three distinct geographic areas or three courses in two distinct
geographic areas. A course focused on the study of U.S. history is not required.
U.S. History Course(s) Required in the Major or Core
5 5 5
5
3
2, 3, 4
No course required in major or
core.
Course required in the major.
Course required in the core.
Exponents represent the number
of courses required.
1952 1976 2000 2020
Notes on Major Requirements
1952: Required: 1. In 1952, one course focused on the study of U.S. history
was required in the major.
1976: No requirement. In 1976, a course focused on the study of U.S. history
was not required in the major.
2000: No requirement. In 2000, a course focused on the study of U.S. history
was not required in the major.
2020: No requirement. In 2020, a course focused on the study of U.S. history
was not required in the major.
Interesting Fact: In 1952, the history major required three Western Civilization
courses that covered the “classical and medieval periods, early modern history,
Renaissance through the age of Napoleon, and nineteenth and twentieth
centuries.”
NO U.S. HISTORY? How College History Departments Leave the United States out of the Major
50
OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY
Students must take at least 11 courses to graduate with a B.A. in history. ese
courses need to be at the 2000 level or above. All students must complete an
introduction to history course (Hist 2800) and a research seminar (4000 level).
Majors must take at least four courses in one of the following geographical areas:
North America; Latin America; Europe (including Russia); Near East; Middle
East, Central Asia, and/or South Asia; East Asia; and Africa. Students may also
choose from one of eight thematic concentrations. In addition, students must
take at least four courses in other areas for breadth. At least two courses of the
major must cover history prior to 1750, and at least two courses of the major
must cover history after 1750. A course focused on the study of U.S. history is
not required.
U.S. History Course(s) Required in the Major or Core
5 5 5
5
3
2, 3, 4
No course required in major or
core.
Course required in the major.
Course required in the core.
Exponents represent the number
of courses required.
1952 1976 2000 2020
Notes on Major Requirements
1952: Required: 2. In 1952, two courses focused on the study of U.S. history
were required in the major.
1976: No requirement. In 1976, a course focused on the study of U.S. history
was not required in the major.
2000: No requirement. In 2000, a course focused on the study of U.S. history
was not required in the major.
2020: No requirement. In 2020, a course focused on the study of U.S. history
was not required in the major.
Interesting Fact: In 1976, the social sciences requirement emphasized “the
values of a free society and the responsibility of the individual for participating
actively in the issues and decisions of the day.”
2
51
American Council of Trustees and Alumni
PENNSYLVANIA STATE UNIVERSITY
Students must take 12 courses to graduate with a B.A. in history. Majors are
required to take one seminar on historical methods and one breadth sequence
(two courses in sequence on the same topic) on Western heritage, world history, or
American civilization to the present. In addition, students must take four 400-level
courses (at least one of which must address global history), one elective course,
and one course at the 100 or 200 level from each of the following four categories:
Europe, the United States, global history, and premodern history. Although
Pennsylvania State University lists a requirement in U.S. history, some of the
courses that fulll that requirement do not have sucient breadth to stand as
adequate fulllment of a U.S. history requirement.
U.S. History Course(s) Required in the Major or Core
5
5
3
2, 3, 4
No course required in major or
core.
Course required in the major.
Course required in the core.
Exponents represent the number
of courses required.
1952 1976 2000 2020
Notes on Major Requirements
1952: Required: 2. In 1952, two courses focused on the study of U.S. history
were required in the major.
1976: Required: 1. In 1976, one course focused on the study of U.S. history
was required in the major.
2000: Required: 2. In 2000, two courses focused on the study of U.S. history
were required in the major.
2020: No requirement. In 2020, a course focused on the study of U.S. history
was required, but some of the courses satisfying the requirement had
insucient breadth to stand as adequate fulllment of a U.S. history
requirement.
Interesting Fact: In 2000, Pennsylvania State University’s catalog described
the purpose of the core curriculum as the “cultivat[ion] [of ] a knowledgeable,
informed, literate human being.”
2
2
NO U.S. HISTORY? How College History Departments Leave the United States out of the Major
52
POMONA COLLEGE
Students must take 11 courses to graduate with a B.A. in history. Five of
these courses must cover one of the following areas: ancient and medieval
Mediterranean; Europe since the Renaissance; the United States; Asia; Latin
America and the Caribbean; a self-designed comparative, transregional, and/or
thematic history; Africa/African Diaspora, South Asia, and the Middle East; and
environmental history. In addition, students must take three courses from at least
two other geographical areas, one elective, and a two-course senior exercise. Of
the required courses, at least one must concentrate on any period before 1800. A
course focused on the study of U.S. history is not required.
U.S. History Course(s) Required in the Major or Core
5 5 5
5
3
2, 3, 4
No course required in major or
core.
Course required in the major.
Course required in the core.
Exponents represent the number
of courses required.
1952 1976 2000 2020
Notes on Major Requirements
1952: Required: 1. In 1952, one course focused on the study of U.S. history
was required in the major.
1976: No requirement. In 1976, a course focused on the study of U.S. history
was not required in the major.
2000: No requirement. In 2000, a course focused on the study of U.S. history
was required, but some of the courses satisfying the requirement had
insucient breadth to stand as adequate fulllment of a U.S. history
requirement.
2020: No requirement. In 2020, a course focused on the study of U.S. history
was not required in the major.
Interesting Fact: In 1952, Pomona College understood the objective of general
education as cultivating an “understanding [of ] the historical development of
our civilization” and “the nature and operation of the American economic and
political institutions.”
53
American Council of Trustees and Alumni
PRINCETON UNIVERSITY
Students must take 10 to 12 courses to graduate with an A.B. in history.
Concentrators must pass at least two departmental courses as prerequisites,
followed by at least one course in each of the following four areas: European
history, U.S. history, non-Western history, and premodern history. Although
Princeton University lists a requirement in U.S. history, some of the courses
that fulll that requirement do not have sucient breadth to stand as
adequate fulllment of a U.S. history requirement.
U.S. History Course(s) Required in the Major or Core
5
5
3
2, 3, 4
No course required in major or
core.
Course required in the major.
Course required in the core.
Exponents represent the number
of courses required.
1952* 1976* 2000* 2020
*Relevant course catalogs were unavailable for review.
Notes on Major Requirements
1952: No curricular information available.
1976: No curricular information available.
2000: No curricular information available.
2020: No requirement. In 2020, a course focused on the study of U.S. history
was required, but some of the courses satisfying the requirement had
insucient breadth to stand as adequate fulllment of a U.S. history
requirement.
NO U.S. HISTORY? How College History Departments Leave the United States out of the Major
54
PURDUE UNIVERSITY–WEST LAFAYETTE
Students must take 11 courses to graduate with a B.A. in history. Majors are
required to take at least two courses in U.S. history; at least two courses in
European history; at least two courses in Latin American, Asian, Middle Eastern,
or African history; and at least two courses in pre-1500 history. In addition,
students are required to take one historical inquiry course, one research seminar,
and at least three additional advanced history courses. Although Purdue
University lists a requirement in U.S. history, some of the courses that
fulll that requirement do not have sucient breadth to stand as adequate
fulllment of a U.S. history requirement.
U.S. History Course(s) Required in the Major or Core
3 5
5
3
2, 3, 4
No course required in major or
core.
Course required in the major.
Course required in the core.
Exponents represent the number
of courses required.
1952 1976* 2000* 2020
*Relevant course catalogs were unavailable for review.
Notes on Major Requirements
1952: No requirement. In 1952, a course focused on the study of U.S. history
was not required in the major.
1976: No curricular information available.
2000: No curricular information available.
2020: No requirement. In 2020, a course focused on the study of U.S. history
was required, but some of the courses satisfying the requirement had
insucient breadth to stand as adequate fulllment of a U.S. history
requirement.
Interesting Fact: In 2021, the Purdue University Board of Trustees announced
plans to reintroduce a civic literacy course as a graduation requirement, to take
eect in the Fall 2021 semester.
55
American Council of Trustees and Alumni
RICE UNIVERSITY
Students must take 10 courses to graduate with a B.A. in history. Of these courses,
six must be electives at the 300–400 level, with a minimum of two 400-level
seminars. In addition, students must take at least one course in four of the
following ve elds: premodern history; Europe; the United States; Asia, Latin
America, Africa, Middle East; or transnational/comparative/world history. A
course focused on the study of U.S. history is not required.
U.S. History Course(s) Required in the Major or Core
5
5
3
2, 3, 4
No course required in major or
core.
Course required in the major.
Course required in the core.
Exponents represent the number
of courses required.
1952 1976 2000 2020
Notes on Major Requirements
1952: Required: 2. In 1952, two courses focused on the study of U.S. history
were required in the major.
1976: Required: 2. In 1976, two courses focused on the study of U.S. history
were required in the major.
2000: Required: 2. In 2000, two courses focused on the study of U.S. history
were required in the major.
2020: No requirement. In 2020, a course focused on the study of U.S. history
was not required in the major.
Interesting Fact: In 2020, Rice University described the purpose of its core
curriculum as “provid[ing] students with essential knowledge and tools for
thinking critically about history and culture, and for . . . informed participation
in social, political, and professional life,” but the core curriculum did not require
a course in Western Civilization or U.S. history.
2
2
2
NO U.S. HISTORY? How College History Departments Leave the United States out of the Major
56
RUTGERS UNIVERSITY–NEW BRUNSWICK
Students must take 12 courses to graduate with a B.A. in history. Majors must
take at least ve courses at the 300–400 level; at least eight courses at the
200–400 level; a history workshop; and a history seminar. Of the 12 required
courses, at least two must be in each of the following three geographic areas:
Global, African, Asian, Latin American, or Native American history; European
history; and United States history. Additionally, at least one course must focus on
the period before 1500. Although Rutgers University–New Brunswick lists a
requirement in U.S. history, some of the courses that fulll that requirement
do not have sucient breadth to stand as adequate fulllment of a U.S.
history requirement.
U.S. History Course(s) Required in the Major or Core
5
5
3
2, 3, 4
No course required in major or
core.
Course required in the major.
Course required in the core.
Exponents represent the number
of courses required.
1952* 1976* 2000* 2020
*Relevant course catalogs were unavailable for review.
Notes on Major Requirements
1952: No curricular information available.
1976: No curricular information available.
2000: No curricular information available.
2020: No requirement. In 2020, a course focused on the study of U.S. history
was required, but some of the courses satisfying the requirement had
insucient breadth to stand as adequate fulllment of a U.S. history
requirement.
57
American Council of Trustees and Alumni
SMITH COLLEGE
Students must take 11 courses to graduate with a B.A. in history. e major
requires students to take ve courses in their chosen eld of concentration:
Antiquity; Islamic Middle East; East Asia; Europe, 300–1650; Europe since
1650 to the present; Africa; Latin America; United States; Women’s History;
Comparative Colonialism; and World History. Of the remaining six courses to
complete the major, one must be an introductory history course (HST 150),
and four must be in two elds distinct from the eld of concentration. Students
must also take at least one course in three of the following geographical regions:
Africa; East Asia and Central Asia; Europe; Latin America; Middle East and South
Asia; and North America. A course focused on the study of U.S. history is not
required.
U.S. History Course(s) Required in the Major or Core
5 5 5 5
5
3
2, 3, 4
No course required in major or
core.
Course required in the major.
Course required in the core.
Exponents represent the number
of courses required.
1952 1977* 2000 2020
*e 1976–77 catalog was unavailable for review. For this reason, we reviewed the 1977–78
catalog.
Notes on Major Requirements
1952: No requirement. In 1952, a course focused on the study of U.S. history
was not required in the major.
1977: No requirement. In 1977, a course focused on the study of U.S. history
was not required in the major.
2000: No requirement. In 2000, a course focused on the study of U.S. history
was not required in the major.
2020: No requirement. In 2020, a course focused on the study of U.S. history
was not required in the major.
NO U.S. HISTORY? How College History Departments Leave the United States out of the Major
58
STANFORD UNIVERSITY
Students must take at least 13 courses to graduate with a B.A. in history. Majors
must take one methods seminar; two 200-level colloquia; one small group course;
one writing-intensive course; one lecture course treating U.S. or European history
and a second treating African, Asian, Middle Eastern, or Latin American history;
and six additional electives. A course focused on the study of U.S. history is
not required.
U.S. History Course(s) Required in the Major or Core
5
5 5
5
3
2, 3, 4
No course required in major or
core.
Course required in the major.
Course required in the core.
Exponents represent the number
of courses required.
1952 1976 2000 2020
Notes on Major Requirements
1952: No requirement. In 1952, a course focused on the study of U.S. history
was not required in the major.
1976: Required: 2. In 1976, two courses focused on the study of U.S. history
were required in the major.
2000: No requirement. In 2000, a course focused on the study of U.S. history
was not required in the major.
2020: No requirement. In 2020, a course focused on the study of U.S. history
was not required in the major.
Interesting Fact: In 1952, Stanford University’s course catalog explained that
“e Department of History . . . seeks not only to provide knowledge in special
elds, but also to equip the student for his duties as a citizen.”
2
59
American Council of Trustees and Alumni
SWARTHMORE COLLEGE
Students must take nine courses to graduate with a B.A. in history. Majors must
take at least one course or seminar that covers history prior to 1800 and at least
one course or seminar with a focus outside Europe and the United States. In
addition, students must complete a senior research seminar. A course focused on
the study of U.S. history is not required.
U.S. History Course(s) Required in the Major or Core
5 5 5
5
3
2, 3, 4
No course required in major or
core.
Course required in the major.
Course required in the core.
Exponents represent the number
of courses required.
1952 1976 2000 2020
Notes on Major Requirements
1952: Required: 1. In 1952, one course focused on the study of U.S. history
was required in the major.
1976: No requirement. In 1976, a course focused on the study of U.S. history
was not required in the major.
2000: No requirement. In 2000, a course focused on the study of U.S. history
was not required in the major.
2020: No requirement. In 2020, a course focused on the study of U.S. history
was not required in the major.
NO U.S. HISTORY? How College History Departments Leave the United States out of the Major
60
UNITED STATES MILITARY ACADEMY
Cadets must take 13 courses to graduate with a B.A. in history. History
majors must choose from one of three concentration elds: American history,
international history, or military history. Cadets that select the American history
track are expected to complete a course on the history of military art (HI301);
a colloquium in history; two out-of-stem history electives; a foreign language
course; and two additional electives. In addition, cadets are expected to complete
ve U.S. history courses from a list of 12 electives. e international history and
military history concentrations do not require a course focused on the study of
U.S. history. A course focused on the study of U.S. history is required.
U.S. History Course(s) Required in the Major or Core
5
5
3
2, 3, 4
No course required in major or
core.
Course required in the major.
Course required in the core.
Exponents represent the number
of courses required.
1951* 1976 2000 2020
*e 1952–53 catalog was unavailable for review. For this reason, we reviewed the 1951–52
catalog.
Notes on Major Requirements
1951: Requirement: 1. In 1951, one course focused on the study of U.S.
history was required in the major.
1976: No requirement. In 1976, a course focused on the study of U.S. history
was not required in the major.
2000: Required: 4. In 2000, four courses focused on the study of U.S. history
were required in the major.
2020: Required: 5. In 2020, ve courses focused on the study of U.S. history
were required in the major.
Interesting Fact: In 2020, the United States Military Academy described the
purpose of the history major as “explor[ing] in depth the past of this great nation
to gain an historical understanding of the United States’ role in a global context.”
3
4
5
61
American Council of Trustees and Alumni
UNITED STATES NAVAL ACADEMY
In addition to the required core curriculum coursework (American Naval History;
the West in a Global Context, Asia in a Global Context, or the Middle East in
a Global Context; and the West in the Modern World), students must take 10
courses to graduate with a B.A. in history. Two courses must be an introductory
methodology seminar and a rst-class capstone historiography seminar. Students
must select eight courses in four of the following ve elds: American history,
European history, regional history, naval and military history, and thematic history.
A course focused on the study of U.S. history is not required.
U.S. History Course(s) Required in the Major or Core
3
5 3 3
5
3
2, 3, 4
No course required in major or
core.
Course required in the major.
Course required in the core.
Exponents represent the number
of courses required.
1951* 1976 2000 2020
*e 1952–53 catalog was unavailable for review. For this reason, we reviewed the 1951–52
catalog.
Notes on Major Requirements
1951: No requirement. In 1951, a course focused on the study of U.S. history
was not required in the major.
1976: No requirement. In 1976, a course focused on the study of U.S. history
was not required in the major.
2000: No requirement. In 2000, a course focused on the study of U.S. history
was not required in the major.
2020: No requirement. In 2020, a course focused on the study of U.S. history
was not required in the major.
Interesting Fact: In 2000, the United States Naval Academy expressed its
mission as “develop[ing] midshipmen . . . to assume the highest responsibilities of
command, citizenship and government.”
2 2
NO U.S. HISTORY? How College History Departments Leave the United States out of the Major
62
UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA–BERKELEY
Students must take 12 courses to graduate with a B.A. in history. Majors have
four lower-division requirements, which include one survey course on U.S.
history, one survey course on European history, one survey course on the history
of another world area, and one elective course. e remaining eight courses,
which comprise the upper-division requirements, must include one proseminar,
one research seminar, and four courses in a chosen eld of concentration (a
specic period, a specic geographical area, or a thematic approach). Additionally,
at least one of the 12 courses must be devoted entirely to premodern history
in one or more of the following areas: antiquity, the classical period, and the
medieval period. A course focused on the study of U.S. history is required.
U.S. History Course(s) Required in the Major or Core
5
5
3
2, 3, 4
No course required in major or
core.
Course required in the major.
Course required in the core.
Exponents represent the number
of courses required.
1952 1976 2000* 2020
*e 2000 core curriculum was unavailable for review.
Notes on Major Requirements
1952: Required: 2. In 1952, two courses focused on the study of U.S. history
were required in the major.
1976: No requirement. In 1976, a course focused on the study of U.S. history
was not required in the major.
2000: Required: 1. In 2000, one course focused on the study of U.S. history
was required in the major.
2020: Required: 1. In 2020, one course focused on the study of U.S. history
was required in the major.
Interesting Fact: In 2020, the University of California–Berkeley’s course
catalog explained that “American History and Institutions (AH&I) requirements
are based on the principle that a U.S. resident graduated from an American
university should have an understanding of the history and governmental
institutions of the United States.” However, the core curricular requirement may
be satised by courses that are narrow in scope.
2
63
American Council of Trustees and Alumni
UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA–DAVIS
Students must take 12 courses to graduate with a B.A. in history. Majors must
take ve courses from one of the following elds of concentration: Europe,
United States history, Asian history, African history, and Latin American history.
In addition, students must take ve courses in two other elds of concentration,
one additional course from any of the elds, and one history seminar. At least one
course must focus on the period before 1800. A course focused on the study of
U.S. history is not required.
U.S. History Course(s) Required in the Major or Core
5 5 5
5
3
2, 3, 4
No course required in major or
core.
Course required in the major.
Course required in the core.
Exponents represent the number
of courses required.
1952 1976 2000 2020
Notes on Major Requirements
1952: Required: 2. In 1952, two courses focused on the study of U.S. history
were required in the major.
1976: No requirement. In 1976, a course focused on the study of U.S. history
was not required in the major.
2000: No requirement. In 2000, a course focused on the study of U.S. history
was not required in the major.
2020: No requirement. In 2020, a course focused on the study of U.S. history
was not required in the major.
Interesting Fact: In 2020, the University of California–Davis explained in
its catalog that the “American History and Institutions requirement ensures
that every graduating student will have at least a minimum knowledge of the
background of this country’s development and an understanding of the political,
economic and social interrelationships of its way of life.” However, the core
curricular requirement may be satised by courses that are narrow in scope.
2
NO U.S. HISTORY? How College History Departments Leave the United States out of the Major
64
UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA–IRVINE
Students must take 12 courses to graduate with a B.A. in history. Majors
must take two “Problems in History” courses, choosing from the following
geographical options: Asia, Europe, the United States, Latin America, the Middle
East and Africa, and transregional history. In addition, students must take two
lower-division history courses, four upper-division history courses, a history
writing seminar, a colloquium, and two elective courses. Of those, one course
must cover history prior to 1800. A course focused on the study of U.S. history
is not required.
U.S. History Course(s) Required in the Major or Core
5 5 5
5
3
2, 3, 4
No course required in major or
core.
Course required in the major.
Course required in the core.
Exponents represent the number
of courses required.
1965* 1976 2000 2020
*e 1952–53 catalog was unavailable for review. For this reason, we reviewed the 1965–66
catalog.
Notes on Major Requirements
1965: Required: 5. In 1965, ve courses focused on the study of U.S. history
were required in the major.
1976: No requirement. In 1976, a course focused on the study of U.S. history
was not required in the major.
2000: No requirement. In 2000, a course focused on the study of U.S. history
was not required in the major.
2020: No requirement. In 2020, a course focused on the study of U.S. history
was not required in the major.
5
65
American Council of Trustees and Alumni
UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA–LOS ANGELES
Students must take 16 courses to graduate with a B.A. in history. In order to apply
for the major, students must rst take six courses to prepare for the major. e
six courses must include two survey courses of the student’s choice, one course
that focuses on some sort of introduction to historical study, and three additional
lower-level courses. Students then take 10 courses within the major. Majors must
take two courses in U.S. history, two courses in non-western history, two courses
in European history or in the history of science, and History 191. Although the
University of California–Los Angeles lists a requirement in U.S. history, some
of the courses that fulll that requirement do not have sucient breadth to
stand as adequate fulllment of a U.S. history requirement.
U.S. History Course(s) Required in the Major or Core
5 5
5
3
2, 3, 4
No course required in major or
core.
Course required in the major.
Course required in the core.
Exponents represent the number
of courses required.
1952 1976 2000 2020
Notes on Major Requirements
1952: Required: 2. In 1952, two courses focused on the study of U.S. history
were required in the major.
1976: Required: 1. In 1976, one course focused on the study of U.S. history
was required in the major.
2000: No requirement. In 2000, a course focused on the study of U.S. history
was required, but some of the courses satisfying the requirement had
insucient breadth to stand as adequate fulllment of a U.S. history
requirement.
2020: No requirement. In 2020, a course focused on the study of U.S. history
was required, but some of the courses satisfying the requirement had
insucient breadth to stand as adequate fulllment of a U.S. history
requirement.
Interesting Fact: In 2020, the University of California–Los Angeles explained
that the “American History and Institutions requirement is based on the
principle that a U.S. citizen attending an American university should understand
the history and public institutions of the U.S. under the federal and state
constitutions.” However, the core curricular requirement may be satised by
courses that are narrow in scope.
2
NO U.S. HISTORY? How College History Departments Leave the United States out of the Major
66
UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA–SAN DIEGO
Students must take 12 courses to graduate with a B.A. in history. Majors must
declare a eld of emphasis in a geographical, thematic, or preprofessional focus.
Students must complete three lower-division courses and at least seven upper-
division courses. Of the upper-division requirement, students take at least three
courses in the eld of emphasis, at least three courses outside of that eld, and six
other history electives either in the eld or outside of it. In addition, at least three
of the 12 courses must focus on the period before 1800. A course focused on the
study of U.S. history is not required.
U.S. History Course(s) Required in the Major or Core
5 5 5
5
3
2, 3, 4
No course required in major or
core.
Course required in the major.
Course required in the core.
Exponents represent the number
of courses required.
1952* 1976 2000 2020
*e 1952 catalog was unavailable for review.
Notes on Major Requirements
1952: No curricular information available.
1976: No requirement. In 1976, a course focused on the study of U.S. history
was not required in the major.
2000: No requirement. In 2000, a course focused on the study of U.S. history
was not required in the major.
2020: No requirement. In 2020, a course focused on the study of U.S. history
was not required in the major.
Interesting Fact: In 2020, the University of California–San Diego explained
that “A knowledge of American history and of the principles of American
institutions under federal and state constitutions is required of all candidates for
the bachelor’s degree.” However, the core curricular requirement may be satised
by courses that are narrow in scope.
67
American Council of Trustees and Alumni
UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA–SANTA BARBARA
Students must take 10 courses to graduate with a B.A. in history. Requirements
include at least one undergraduate research seminar and nine elective courses.
Majors must take at least three courses in pre-1800 history and at least one
course in a minimum of four of the following six categories: Africa and the
Middle East, Asia, Europe, Latin America, the United States, and world history
and comparative history. A course focused on the study of U.S. history is not
required.
U.S. History Course(s) Required in the Major or Core
5 5
5
3
2, 3, 4
No course required in major or
core.
Course required in the major.
Course required in the core.
Exponents represent the number
of courses required.
1952 1976 2000 2020
Notes on Major Requirements
1952: Required: 2. In 1952, two courses focused on the study of U.S. history
were required in the major.
1976: No requirement. In 1976, a course focused on the study of U.S. history
was not required in the major.
2000: Required: 3. In 2000, three courses focused on the study of U.S. history
were required in the major.
2020: No requirement. In 2020, a course focused on the study of U.S. history
was not required in the major.
Interesting Fact: In 2020, the University of California–Santa Barbara explained
in its catalog that its “American History and Institutions requirement is based on
the principle that American students enrolled at an American university should
have some knowledge of the history and government of their country.” However,
the core curricular requirement may be satised by courses that are narrow in
scope.
3
2
3
2
NO U.S. HISTORY? How College History Departments Leave the United States out of the Major
68
UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO
Students must take 12 courses to graduate with a B.A. in history. Concentrators
are required to complete six courses from their major eld, which is chosen
according to a geographical, chronological, thematic, or methodological focus,
and four additional electives that complement the major eld. One of the 10
courses must be a research colloquium. Finally, concentrators must also take two
senior seminars. A course focused on the study of U.S. history is not required.
U.S. History Course(s) Required in the Major or Core
5 5
5
3
2, 3, 4
No course required in major or
core.
Course required in the major.
Course required in the core.
Exponents represent the number
of courses required.
1952* 1976* 2000 2020
*Relevant course catalogs were unavailable for review.
Notes on Major Requirements
1952: No curricular information available.
1976: No curricular information available.
2000: No requirement. In 2000, a course focused on the study of U.S. history
was not required in the major.
2020: No requirement. In 2020, a course focused on the study of U.S. history
was not required in the major.
69
American Council of Trustees and Alumni
UNIVERSITY OF CONNECTICUT
Students must take at least nine courses to graduate with a B.A. in history. Majors
must take at least one course from each of the following distribution areas: United
States; modern Europe; and ancient, medieval, and early-modern history. ey
must also take at least two courses focused on Africa, Asia, Latin America, and
the Middle East. In addition, students are required to take a methods course and
a senior seminar. Although the University of Connecticut lists a requirement
in U.S. history, some of the courses that fulll that requirement do not
have sucient breadth to stand as adequate fulllment of a U.S. history
requirement.
U.S. History Course(s) Required in the Major or Core
5 5 5
5
3
2, 3, 4
No course required in major or
core.
Course required in the major.
Course required in the core.
Exponents represent the number
of courses required.
1952 1976 2000* 2020
*e 2000 core curriculum was unavailable for review.
Notes on Major Requirements
1952: No requirement. In 1952, a course focused on the study of U.S. history
was not required in the major.
1976: No requirement. In 1976, a course focused on the study of U.S. history
was not required in the major.
2000: Required: 1. In 2000, one course focused on the study of U.S. history
was required in the major.
2020: No requirement. In 2020, a course focused on the study of U.S. history
was required, but some of the courses satisfying the requirement had
insucient breadth to stand as adequate fulllment of a U.S. history
requirement.
Interesting Fact: In 1976, the University of Connecticut’s course catalog
described the history major as a “combination of work in philosophy, literature,
and the social sciences that provides a broad foundation for informed
citizenship.”
NO U.S. HISTORY? How College History Departments Leave the United States out of the Major
70
UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA
Students must take 12 courses to graduate with a B.A. in history. Majors are
required to take one history practicum, one history research seminar, and 10
additional courses. Of these 10 courses, at least seven must be at the 3000–4000
level, at least three must cover U.S. and European history (with at least one from
each area), and at least three must cover two of the following geographical areas:
African history, Asian history, Latin American history, or world history. Although
the University of Florida lists a requirement in U.S. history, some of the
courses that fulll that requirement do not have sucient breadth to stand
as adequate fulllment of a U.S. history requirement. However, all students
must complete a civic literacy requirement in the core curriculum.
U.S. History Course(s) Required in the Major or Core
5 3
5
3
2, 3, 4
No course required in major or
core.
Course required in the major.
Course required in the core.
Exponents represent the number
of courses required.
1952 1976 2000 2020
Notes on Major Requirements
1952: No requirement. In 1952, a course focused on the study of U.S. history
was not required in the major.
1976: Required: 2. In 1976, two courses focused on the study of U.S. history
were required in the major.
2000: Required: 2. In 2000, two courses focused on the study of U.S. history
were required in the major.
2020: No requirement. In 2020, a course focused on the study of U.S. history
was required, but some of the courses satisfying the requirement had
insucient breadth to stand as adequate fulllment of a U.S. history
requirement.
Interesting Fact: In 1952, “A Professorship in the Department of History of the
College of Arts and Sciences known as the ‘Chair of Americanism’ was established
to present courses and lectures on American ideals, American government,
American institutions, and American citizenship.”
2 2
71
American Council of Trustees and Alumni
UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA
Majors must take at least eight courses to graduate with a B.A. in history. Majors
are required to take one senior seminar, at least four electives from a predetermined
list, and courses from three of the following geographic areas: North America,
Latin America, European, Africa, Middle East, Asia, and World/Comparative.
One course must be from the period before 1600, and one course must be from
the period after 1600. A course focused on the study of U.S. history is not
required of majors but is mandated by the state as a required element of the
core curriculum.
U.S. History Course(s) Required in the Major or Core
3 3 3
5
3
2, 3, 4
No course required in major or
core.
Course required in the major.
Course required in the core.
Exponents represent the number
of courses required.
1952 1974* 2000 2020
*e 1976–77 catalog was unavailable for review. For this reason, we reviewed the 1974–75
catalog.
Notes on Major Requirements
1952: No requirement. In 1952, a course focused on the study of U.S. history
was not required in the major.
1974: Required: 2. In 1974, two courses focused on the study of U.S. history
were required in the major.
2000: No requirement. In 2000, a course focused on the study of U.S. history
was not required in the major.
2020: No requirement. In 2020, a course focused on the study of U.S. history
was not required in the major.
Interesting Fact: In 2020, the University of Georgia’s course catalog specied
that “Examinations on the constitutions and histories of the United States and
Georgia are required of all persons receiving a degree from the University.”
3
2
2
NO U.S. HISTORY? How College History Departments Leave the United States out of the Major
72
UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS–URBANA-CHAMPAIGN
Students must take 12 courses to graduate with a B.A. in history. Majors must
take two preliminary history courses; two courses in African, Asian, Global, Latin
American, or Middle Eastern History; two European history courses; two U.S.
history courses; and four history electives. Of the 12 courses, students must take
two courses in a premodern period, one dened as before 1600 and one dened
as before 1800. Although the University of Illinois–Urbana-Champaign lists
requirements in U.S. history, some of the courses that fulll that requirement
do not have sucient breadth to stand as adequate fulllment of a U.S.
history requirement.
U.S. History Course(s) Required in the Major or Core
5 5 5
5
3
2, 3, 4
No course required in major or
core.
Course required in the major.
Course required in the core.
Exponents represent the number
of courses required.
1952* 1976 2000 2020
*e 1952–53 catalog was unavailable for review.
Notes on Major Requirements
1952: No curricular information available.
1976: No requirement. In 1976, a course focused on the study of U.S. history
was not required in the major.
2000: No requirement. In 2000, a course focused on the study of U.S. history
was not required in the major.
2020: No requirement. In 2020, a course focused on the study of U.S. history
was required, but some of the courses satisfying the requirement had
insucient breadth to stand as adequate fulllment of a U.S. history
requirement.
73
American Council of Trustees and Alumni
UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND–COLLEGE PARK
Students must take 13 courses to graduate with a B.A. in history. Majors
must complete six courses at the introductory level where one course must be
Historical Research and Methods and the remaining must be selected from at
least two general geographical elds. In addition, majors are required to choose a
geographical or thematic area of concentration and complete at least ve courses
in the chosen eld. Students must also complete at least two courses in two major
areas outside the area of concentration; two supporting courses outside of history
at the junior and senior level; and a seminar course. A course focused on the
study of U.S. history is not required.
U.S. History Course(s) Required in the Major or Core
3 5 5 5
5
3
2, 3, 4
No course required in major or
core.
Course required in the major.
Course required in the core.
Exponents represent the number
of courses required.
1952 1976 2000 2020
Notes on Major Requirements
1952: No requirement. In 1952, a course focused on the study of U.S. history
was not required in the major.
1976: No requirement. In 1976, a course focused on the study of U.S. history
was not required in the major.
2000: No requirement. In 2000, a course focused on the study of U.S. history
was not required in the major.
2020: No requirement. In 2020, a course focused on the study of U.S. history
was not required in the major.
Interesting Fact: In 2020, one of the goals of the University of Maryland–
College Park’s core curriculum was to “broaden knowledge of civilizations past
and present,” but the core curriculum does not require a course in Western
Civilization or U.S. history.
2
NO U.S. HISTORY? How College History Departments Leave the United States out of the Major
74
UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN–ANN ARBOR
Students must take 10 courses to graduate with a B.A. in history. Majors are
required to take one foundations course, two courses that complete a survey
sequence, one course covering history prior to 1800, and a capstone colloquium.
In addition, the 10 courses must cover four of the following world regions/
categories: North America, Latin America, Europe, the Middle East/Central Asia,
Africa, Asia, and Transregional/Global. A course focused on the study of U.S.
history is not required.
U.S. History Course(s) Required in the Major or Core
5
5
3
2, 3, 4
No course required in major or
core.
Course required in the major.
Course required in the core.
Exponents represent the number
of courses required.
1952* 1976* 2000* 2020
*Relevant course catalogs were unavailable for review.
Notes on Major Requirements
1952: No curricular information available.
1976: No curricular information available.
2000: No curricular information available.
2020: No requirement. In 2020, a course focused on the study of U.S. history
was not required in the major.
75
American Council of Trustees and Alumni
UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA–CHAPEL HILL
Students must take 10 courses to graduate with a B.A. in history. Majors are
required to choose a concentration from the following elds and to take four to
six courses within it: African, Asian, and Middle Eastern history; ancient/medieval
history; gender and women’s history; global history; Latin American history;
modern European history; Russian, Eurasian, and Eastern European history; U.S.
history; and thematic history. Students must also complete four to six courses in
elds outside of the concentration. In addition, at least one course must be in the
area of African, Asian, and Middle Eastern history or in Latin American history.
Each major must also take an undergraduate seminar. A course focused on the
study of U.S. history is not required.
U.S. History Course(s) Required in the Major or Core
5 5 5
5
3
2, 3, 4
No course required in major or
core.
Course required in the major.
Course required in the core.
Exponents represent the number
of courses required.
1952 1976 2000 2020
Notes on Major Requirements
1952: Required: 2. In 1952, two courses focused on the study of U.S. history
were required in the major.
1976: No requirement. In 1976, a course focused on the study of U.S. history
was not required in the major.
2000: No requirement. In 2000, a course focused on the study of U.S. history
was not required in the major.
2020: No requirement. In 2020, a course focused on the study of U.S. history
was not required in the major.
Interesting Fact: In 1952, the University of North Carolina–Chapel Hill
described the purpose of the core curriculum as providing students with
“experience in a sucient variety of basic and liberal subjects to constitute the
foundations of that general education which is regarded as essential to balanced
development and intelligent citizenship.”
2
NO U.S. HISTORY? How College History Departments Leave the United States out of the Major
76
3
2
UNIVERSITY OF NOTRE DAME
Students must take 10 courses to graduate with a B.A. in history. Majors are
required to take one introductory seminar and one course from four of six
elds: Africa/Asia/Middle East; Pre-Modern Europe (to 1500); Modern Europe
(from 1500); United States; Latin America; and Special/ematic. Majors must
also declare a concentration consisting of three courses and take one additional
elective in any eld they choose, a departmental seminar, and one course in
premodern (pre-1500) history. A course focused on the study of U.S. history is
not required.
U.S. History Course(s) Required in the Major or Core
5 5
5
3
2, 3, 4
No course required in major or
core.
Course required in the major.
Course required in the core.
Exponents represent the number
of courses required.
1952 1976 2000 2020
Notes on Major Requirements
1952: Required: 2. In 1952, two courses focused on the study of U.S. history
were required in the major.
1976: Required: 2. In 1976, two courses focused on the study of U.S. history
were required in the major.
2000: No requirement. In 2000, a course focused on the study of U.S. history
was not required in the major.
2020: No requirement. In 2020, a course focused on the study of U.S. history
was not required in the major.
Interesting Fact: In 1976, the University of Notre Dame described the purpose
of the history major as providing students with “a knowledge of the past,
considered as the historical background of Western and especially American
culture.”
2
2
77
American Council of Trustees and Alumni
UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA
Students must take 12 courses to graduate with a B.A. in history. Majors must
take two pre-1800 courses and two upper-level history seminars. Moreover, they
must take at least one course from four of the following ve geographical areas:
the United States and Canada, Europe and Australia, Africa and the Middle
East, Latin America and the Caribbean, and East Asia and South Asia. A course
focused on the study of U.S. history is not required.
U.S. History Course(s) Required in the Major or Core
5
5
3
2, 3, 4
No course required in major or
core.
Course required in the major.
Course required in the core.
Exponents represent the number
of courses required.
1952* 1976* 2000* 2020
*Relevant course catalogs were unavailable for review.
Notes on Major Requirements
1952: No curricular information available.
1976: No curricular information available.
2000: No curricular information available.
2020: No requirement. In 2020, a course focused on the study of U.S. history
was not required in the major.
NO U.S. HISTORY? How College History Departments Leave the United States out of the Major
78
UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH
Students must take 12 courses to graduate with a B.A. in history. Majors must
complete at least one course covering a period prior to 1800, at least one survey
course in U.S. history, and at least one course in four of the following six
categories: Africa, Asia, Europe, Latin America, the Middle East, and world/
comparative history. Students must also take at least three additional courses
in a chosen area of chronological, geographical, or thematic concentration; an
introductory seminar; a capstone seminar; and a nal elective course. A course
focused on the study of U.S. history is required.
U.S. History Course(s) Required in the Major or Core
5
5
3
2, 3, 4
No course required in major or
core.
Course required in the major.
Course required in the core.
Exponents represent the number
of courses required.
1952 1976* 2000* 2020
*e 1976 and 2000 core curricula were unavailable for review.
Notes on Major Requirements
1952: Required: 2. In 1952, two courses focused on the study of U.S. history
were required in the major.
1976: No requirement. In 1976, a course focused on the study of U.S. history
was not required in the major.
2000: Required: 1. In 2000, one course focused on the study of U.S. history
was required in the major.
2020: Required: 1. In 2020, one course focused on the study of U.S. history
was required in the major.
Interesting Fact: In 1952, the University of Pittsburgh described the purpose of
the core curriculum as providing “every student [with] a general education that
will prepare him . . . to perform his duties as a citizen with intelligence, tolerance,
and conviction.”
2
79
American Council of Trustees and Alumni
UNIVERSITY OF RICHMOND
Students must take 10 courses to graduate with a B.A. in history. Of these 10
courses, one must be in United States history; one in European history; and one
in the histories of Asia, Latin America, the Middle East, or Africa. In addition,
students must take two courses at the 300 level, three additional history electives,
and one seminar course. A course focused on the study of U.S. history is
required.
U.S. History Course(s) Required in the Major or Core
5
3
2, 3, 4
No course required in major or
core.
Course required in the major.
Course required in the core.
Exponents represent the number
of courses required.
1952 1976 2000 2020
Notes on Major Requirements
1952: Required: 2. In 1952, two courses focused on the study of U.S. history
were required in the major.
1976: Required: 2. In 1976, two courses focused on the study of U.S. history
were required in the major.
2000: Required: 2. In 2000, two courses focused on the study of U.S. history
were required in the major.
2020: Required: 1. In 2020, one course focused on the study of U.S. history
was required in the major.
Interesting Fact: In 2020, the University of Richmond described the
objective of the university’s faculty as educating “independent, responsible, and
contributing members of society.”
2
2
2
NO U.S. HISTORY? How College History Departments Leave the United States out of the Major
80
UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
Students must take 10 courses to graduate with a B.A. in history. ese courses
must include three lower-division survey courses, one methods seminar, and six
upper-division courses. Majors complete at least one course covering each of
the following time periods: pre-1300, 1300–1800, and post-1800. Of the three
lower-division courses, majors take at least one course in each of the following
three geographical areas: Asia and Eurasia, Europe, and Latin and North America.
At least one survey course must have a temporal span and at least one must have
a thematic perspective. Of the six upper-division courses, at least three must
be in a chosen area of concentration—which develops a thematic, temporal,
or geographical focus—and at least two must be 400-level seminars. A course
focused on the study of U.S. history is not required.
U.S. History Course(s) Required in the Major or Core
5
5 5 5
5
3
2, 3, 4
No course required in major or
core.
Course required in the major.
Course required in the core.
Exponents represent the number
of courses required.
1952 1976 2000 2020
Notes on Major Requirements
1952: No requirement. In 1952, a course focused on the study of U.S. history
was not required in the major.
1976: No requirement. In 1976, a course focused on the study of U.S. history
was required, but some of the courses satisfying the requirement had
insucient breadth to stand as adequate fulllment of a U.S. history
requirement.
2000: No requirement. In 2000, a course focused on the study of U.S. history
was required, but some of the courses satisfying the requirement had
insucient breadth to stand as adequate fulllment of a U.S. history
requirement.
2020: No requirement. In 2020, a course focused on the study of U.S. history
was not required in the major.
81
American Council of Trustees and Alumni
UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS–AUSTIN
Students must take 10 courses to graduate with a B.A. in history. Majors are
required to take two courses in U.S. history as a part of the Texas legislative
core requirement; two courses in European history; and two courses in African,
Asian, Latin American, or Middle Eastern history. Students must also take three
additional electives and one seminar course. As a general education requirement
outside of the major, each student must take a survey course on American
government and institutions. A course focused on the study of U.S. history
is required in the history major, but courses fullling general education
requirements may be double counted to satisfy history major requirements.
U.S. History Course(s) Required in the Major or Core
5
3
2, 3, 4
No course required in major or
core.
Course required in the major.
Course required in the core.
Exponents represent the number
of courses required.
1952* 1976* 2000 2020
*Relevant course catalogs were unavailable for review.
Notes on Major Requirements
1952: No curricular information available.
1976: No curricular information available.
2000: Required: 2. In 2000, six credit hours of coursework focused on the
study of U.S. history were required in the major, but students were
allowed to double count general education requirements.
2020: Required: 2. In 2020, six credit hours of coursework focused on the
study of U.S. history were required in the major, but students were
allowed to double count general education requirements.
3
2
3
2 2
2
NO U.S. HISTORY? How College History Departments Leave the United States out of the Major
82
UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA
Students must take 11 courses to graduate with a B.A. in history. Majors are
required to take one course in pre-1700 European history, one course in post-
1700 European history, one course in U.S. history, one major seminar or
colloquium, and two courses from the following elds: Africa, East Asia, Latin
America, the Middle East, and South Asia. Five additional elective courses within
the department complete the major. Although the University of Virginia lists a
requirement in U.S. history, some of the courses that fulll that requirement
do not have sucient breadth to stand as adequate fulllment of a U.S.
history requirement.
U.S. History Course(s) Required in the Major or Core
3
5 5 5
5
3
2, 3, 4
No course required in major or
core.
Course required in the major.
Course required in the core.
Exponents represent the number
of courses required.
1952 1976 2000 2020
Notes on Major Requirements
1952: No requirement. In 1952, a course focused on the study of U.S. history
was not required in the major.
1976: No requirement. In 1976, a course focused on the study of U.S. history
was not required in the major.
2000: No requirement. In 2000, a course focused on the study of U.S. history
was required, but some of the courses satisfying the requirement had
insucient breadth to stand as adequate fulllment of a U.S. history
requirement.
2020: No requirement. In 2020, a course focused on the study of U.S. history
was required, but some of the courses satisfying the requirement had
insucient breadth to stand as adequate fulllment of a U.S. history
requirement.
Interesting Fact: In 2000, the University of Virginia’s course catalog described
the purpose of the history major as providing “an outstanding preparation for
informed citizenship in an increasingly complex and interdependent world and a
rm foundation for many career objectives.”
2
83
American Council of Trustees and Alumni
UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON
Students must take 12 courses to graduate with a B.A. in history. Majors are
required to take one course each in four of the following six areas of study: Asian
history, European history, Latin American and Caribbean history, Middle Eastern
and African history, U.S. and Canadian history, and comparative and transregional
global history. Of the 12 courses, students must take at least two courses covering
the premodern period, at least two courses covering the modern period, one junior
seminar, and one senior seminar. A course focused on the study of U.S. history
is not required.
U.S. History Course(s) Required in the Major or Core
5
5
3
2, 3, 4
No course required in major or
core.
Course required in the major.
Course required in the core.
Exponents represent the number
of courses required.
1952* 1976 2000 2020
*e 1952 core curriculum was unavailable for review.
Notes on Major Requirements
1952: Required: 1. In 1952, one course focused on the study of U.S. history
was required in the major.
1976: Required: 1. In 1976, one course focused on the study of U.S. history
was required in the major.
2000: Required: 1. In 2000, one course focused on the study of U.S. history
was required in the major.
2020: No requirement. In 2020, a course focused on the study of U.S. history
was not required in the major.
NO U.S. HISTORY? How College History Departments Leave the United States out of the Major
84
UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN–MADISON
Students must take eight to 10 courses to graduate with a B.A. in history.
(Courses range from three to four credits for a total requirement of 30
credits.) Students must take one course either in ancient or medieval Europe/
Mediterranean or in pre-European-contact Africa/Asia and one course in at least
four of the following breadth areas: the United States, Europe, Africa, Central
and East Asia, Latin America, the Middle East, South and Southeast Asia, and
transnational history. In addition, students must complete a methods course
and an advanced seminar. A course focused on the study of U.S. history is not
required.
U.S. History Course(s) Required in the Major or Core
3
5 5
5
3
2, 3, 4
No course required in major or
core.
Course required in the major.
Course required in the core.
Exponents represent the number
of courses required.
1952 1976* 2000 2020
*e 1976 major information was unavailable for review.
Notes on Major Requirements
1952: No history major. In 1952, the University of Wisconsin–Madison did
not oer a history major.
1976: No curricular information available.
2000: No requirement. In 2000, a course focused on the study of U.S. history
was required, but some of the courses satisfying the requirement had
insucient breadth to stand as adequate fulllment of a U.S. history
requirement.
2020: No requirement. In 2020, a course focused on the study of U.S. history
was not required in the major.
Interesting Fact: In 1952, the University of Wisconsin–Madison described
courses in the humanities as “the study of a great regional culture, classical or
European, in various interrelated aspects: language, literature, geography, history,
social institutions, art, and philosophy.”
2
85
American Council of Trustees and Alumni
VANDERBILT UNIVERSITY
Students must take at least 10 courses to graduate with a B.A. in history. Majors
must take a history workshop, a capstone course, at least two elective courses, and
ve courses in one of the following concentrations: Asia; Latin America; Europe;
Early America and the United States; the Middle East and Africa; global and
transnational history; science, medicine, and technology; or comparative history/
special topics. A course focused on the study of U.S. history is not required.
U.S. History Course(s) Required in the Major or Core
5 5
5
3
2, 3, 4
No course required in major or
core.
Course required in the major.
Course required in the core.
Exponents represent the number
of courses required.
1952 1976 2000* 2020
*e 2000 course catalog was unavailable for review.
Notes on Major Requirements
1952: No requirement. In 1952, a course focused on the study of U.S. history
was not required in the major.
1976: Required: 1. In 1976, one course focused on the study of U.S. history
was required within the 12-credit-hour subeld requirement.
2000: No curricular information available.
2020: No requirement. In 2020, a course focused on the study of U.S. history
was not required in the major.
NO U.S. HISTORY? How College History Departments Leave the United States out of the Major
86
VASSAR COLLEGE
Students must take 11 courses to graduate with a B.A. in history. Majors must
take, at the mid or upper levels, at least one class in pre-1800 history and at
least one class in four of six distinct geographical areas: Africa, the Middle East,
Asia, Europe, Latin America, and the United States. In addition, students must
complete two upper-level seminars and a year-long senior thesis. A course
focused on the study of U.S. history is not required.
U.S. History Course(s) Required in the Major or Core
5
5
3
2, 3, 4
No course required in major or
core.
Course required in the major.
Course required in the core.
Exponents represent the number
of courses required.
1952* 1976* 2000 2020
*Relevant course catalogs were unavailable for review.
Notes on Major Requirements
1952: No curricular information available.
1976: No curricular information available.
2000: Required: 1. In 2000, one course focused on the study of U.S. history
was required in the major.
2020: No requirement. In 2020, a course focused on the study of U.S. history
was not required in the major.
87
American Council of Trustees and Alumni
WASHINGTON AND LEE UNIVERSITY
Students must take 12 courses to graduate with a B.A. in history. Students must
take at least two intro-level courses, of which U.S. history is an option but not a
requirement. At least ve courses must be in one of the following three areas of
emphasis: European and Russian history, American history (with approval, this
includes Latin American history), and global history. At least three additional
courses must fall outside the area of emphasis. Finally, students must take at least
two additional electives to complete the major. A course focused on the study of
U.S. history is not required.
U.S. History Course(s) Required in the Major or Core
5
5
3
2, 3, 4
No course required in major or
core.
Course required in the major.
Course required in the core.
Exponents represent the number
of courses required.
1952* 1976* 2000* 2020
*Relevant course catalogs were unavailable for review.
Notes on Major Requirements
1952: No curricular information available.
1976: No curricular information available.
2000: No curricular information available.
2020: No requirement. In 2020, a course focused on the study of U.S. history
was not required in the major.
NO U.S. HISTORY? How College History Departments Leave the United States out of the Major
88
WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY IN ST. LOUIS
Students must take nine courses to graduate with a B.A. in history. Majors take
two introductory courses and at least six courses listed at the 300–400 level. Of
the upper-level courses, majors must take at least one course covering premodern
history; at least one course covering modern history; at least one course from
three of the following geographical regions: Africa, East Asia, South Asia, Europe,
Latin America, the Middle East, the United States, or transregional history; a
methods course; and a capstone experience. e capstone experience consists of a
senior honors thesis, an advanced seminar, or an independent research project. A
course focused on the study of U.S. history is not required.
U.S. History Course(s) Required in the Major or Core
5
5
3
2, 3, 4
No course required in major or
core.
Course required in the major.
Course required in the core.
Exponents represent the number
of courses required.
1952* 1976* 2000* 2020
*Relevant course catalogs were unavailable for review.
Notes on Major Requirements
1952: No curricular information available.
1976: No curricular information available.
2000: No curricular information available.
2020: No requirement. In 2020, a course focused on the study of U.S. history
was not required in the major.
89
American Council of Trustees and Alumni
WELLESLEY COLLEGE
Students must take nine courses to graduate with a B.A. in history. Majors are
required to take at least one course in the history of Africa, China, Japan, Latin
America, the Middle East, or South Asia; at least one course in the history of
Europe, the United States, or Russia; and at least one course in pre-modern
history. In addition, students must complete at least one seminar of at least two
300-level units. A course focused on the study of U.S. history is not required.
U.S. History Course(s) Required in the Major or Core
5 5 5
5
3
2, 3, 4
No course required in major or
core.
Course required in the major.
Course required in the core.
Exponents represent the number
of courses required.
1952 1976 2000 2020
Notes on Major Requirements
1952: No history major. In 1952, Wellesley College did not oer a history
major.
1976: No requirement. In 1976, a course focused on the study of U.S. history
was not required in the major.
2000: No requirement. In 2000, a course focused on the study of U.S. history
was not required in the major.
2020: No requirement. In 2020, a course focused on the study of U.S. history
was not required in the major.
NO U.S. HISTORY? How College History Departments Leave the United States out of the Major
90
WESLEYAN UNIVERSITY
Students must take nine courses to graduate with a B.A. in history. Majors
are required to take an introductory history elective and a course focused on
historiography. Additionally, at least eight courses must be in two modules, each
composed of four courses with a thematic, geographic, or chronological unity. Of
these eight courses, two must be seminars, two must be at the 300 level or higher,
and one must focus on a time period prior to 1800. A course focused on the
study of U.S. history is not required.
U.S. History Course(s) Required in the Major or Core
5
5
3
2, 3, 4
No course required in major or
core.
Course required in the major.
Course required in the core.
Exponents represent the number
of courses required.
1952* 1976* 2000* 2020
*Relevant course catalogs were unavailable for review.
Notes on Major Requirements
1952: No curricular information available.
1976: No curricular information available.
2000: No curricular information available.
2020: No requirement. In 2020, a course focused on the study of U.S. history
was not required in the major.
91
American Council of Trustees and Alumni
WILLIAMS COLLEGE
Students must take nine courses to graduate with a B.A. in history. Majors must
take one major seminar, at least one advanced seminar, and seven additional
electives. Among the electives, students must take a course or courses in at least
three of the following areas: history of Africa, history of Asia, history of Europe
and Russia, history of Latin America and the Caribbean, history of the Middle
East, history of the United States and Canada, and global history. A course
focused on the study of U.S. history is not required.
U.S. History Course(s) Required in the Major or Core
5 5
5
3
2, 3, 4
No course required in major or
core.
Course required in the major.
Course required in the core.
Exponents represent the number
of courses required.
1952* 1976* 2000 2020
*Relevant course catalogs were unavailable for review.
Notes on Major Requirements
1952: No curricular information available.
1976: No curricular information available.
2000: No requirement. In 2000, a course focused on the study of U.S. history
was not required in the major.
2020: No requirement. In 2020, a course focused on the study of U.S. history
was not required in the major.
NO U.S. HISTORY? How College History Departments Leave the United States out of the Major
92
YALE UNIVERSITY
Students must take 11 to 12 courses to graduate with a B.A. in history. Majors
must complete at least two courses covering pre-industrial history (before 1800),
and at least two courses must be departmental seminars. Majors choose between
a global track and a specialist track. Students electing the former take ve courses,
one each from six distinct areas: the United States, Europe, Latin America,
Asia, Africa, and the Middle East. ose electing the specialist track take at
least ve (and up to eight) courses that focus on one of the ve geographical
regions or on one of the 12 thematic pathways. Regardless of the chosen region
or pathway, at least three geographical regions must be covered. In addition,
specialist track history majors must complete two courses outside of their chosen
eld of specialization. Finally, all history majors must complete a senior essay
requirement, choosing between a year-long thesis and a one-semester seminar. A
course focused on the study of U.S. history is not required.
U.S. History Course(s) Required in the Major or Core
5
5
3
2, 3, 4
No course required in major or
core.
Course required in the major.
Course required in the core.
Exponents represent the number
of courses required.
1952* 1976* 2000* 2020
*Relevant course catalogs were unavailable for review.
Notes on Major Requirements
1952: No curricular information available.
1976: No curricular information available.
2000: No curricular information available.
2020: No requirement. In 2020, a course focused on the study of U.S. history
was not required in the major.
American Council of Trustees and Alumni
1730 M Street NW, Suite 600
Washington, DC 20036
P: 202.467.6787 • F: 202.467.6784
info@GoACTA.org • GoACTA.org
