Take a look at our entire History & Philosophy Program and all of its offerings.
BA in History Program Overview
By embracing the study of history, you can cultivate interpretive and communication skills and a profound humanistic insight. History majors at The University of Texas at Dallas delve into the annals of past civilizations, honing their abilities to reconstruct and interpret historical narratives with precision. Coursework includes the required Historical Inquiry class and a senior capstone project.
Career Paths with a Degree in History
Aside from the mainstream career paths of teaching or working in archival and museum settings, a history degree can lead to employment in government, nonprofit or business organizations. Many history majors successfully complete law school, thanks to the solid writing and critical thinking foundation they receive in their undergraduate studies.
History Careers
Archivist, business analyst, business executive, congressional aide, corporate historian, curator or museum professional, education, documentary editing, historic preservationist, lawyer, professor, records manager, research analyst
Undergraduate History Program Options
BA in History
Students who complete the major in History may design distinctive degree programs by selecting among courses in a range of geographical areas, time periods, approaches to the study of history, and topical subject matters. Students are encouraged to focus their work in History on a particular time or place, significant theme, topic, or problem, and to balance breadth and range of historical study with depth in a particular subject. Students may also be certified to teach history and/or social studies.
At least one-half of the semester credit hours for a major must be taken at UT Dallas.
View Degree Requirements (120 semester credit hours)
Teacher Certification
Students interested in teaching in secondary schools can achieve Texas Teacher Certification in English and/or history and/or composite social studies as part of their majors in either Literature or History. Immediately after being admitted to the University, interested students should meet with an advisor in the Teacher Development Center to receive a certification plan and with an Arts, Humanities, and Technology advisor in Literature or History to receive a degree plan. Further details may be found in the Teacher Certification section of the Undergraduate Catalog.
Fast Track
The Fast Track program is designed to permit exceptional undergraduate students in Arts, Humanities, and Technology majors to begin work on the master’s degree before graduation.
Qualified seniors may take up to 12 semester credit hours of approved graduate courses in the Bass School during their senior year and apply these semester credit hours to their undergraduate degree plans as either major and related courses or electives. The Fast Track courses also will be used to satisfy up to 12 graduate semester credit hours towards the master’s degree.
For further information on the Fast Track program, contact an undergraduate academic advisor.
Minors
To minor in the Arts, Humanities, and Technology, students must take a minimum of 18 semester credit hours for the minor, 9 of which must be upper-division semester credit hours. Students who take a minor will be expected to meet the normal prerequisites in courses making up the minor, and should maintain a minimum GPA of 2.000 on a 4.00 scale (C average). Core courses offered by the school may count as lower-division semester credit hours toward the minor. Students may choose to minor in any of the following fields of study:
- African American and African Diaspora Studies
- Art History
- Asian Studies
- Communication Studies
- Creative Writing
- Dance
- Ethnic Studies
- Film Studies
- History
- Holocaust, Genocide and Human Rights
- Latin American Studies
- Literature
- Medicine, Arts, Science, and Humanities (MASH)
- Music
- Performing Arts
- Philosophy
- Religious Studies
- Spanish
- Theatre
- Visual Arts
Undergraduate History Courses
As a history major, you can focus on a particular time or place, a significant theme, topic or problem or an approach to learning such as literature, the arts, ideas, science and technology or the social sciences. You also can choose from courses designed around historical themes, issues and ideas in American, European, Latin American, African, and Asian studies.
Student Organizations
Get real-world experience and leadership opportunities by joining our History Honor Society (Phi Alpha Theta).
Explore Arts, Humanities, and Technology Student Organizations →
History News
Three Bass School professors recognized at 2024 Investiture
The University of Texas at Dallas honored its newest group of endowed chairs and professors – including three outstanding faculty…
Poland and Germany Tour Immerses Chamber Singers in Music, History and Culture
Group picture of the UT Dallas Chamber Singers during their tour of Germany and Poland. Twenty-seven members of the UT…
Scholarship Celebration Highlights Importance of Financial Aid Beyond Funds
Students at The University of Texas at Dallas, Dr. Nils Roemer, dean of The Harry W. Bass Jr. School of…