University General Course Catalog 2024-2025 
    
    Dec 11, 2024  
University General Course Catalog 2024-2025

History (Public History Specialization), B.A.


There are many career options for historians and the Public History specialization of the History BA prepares students for many of these: work in parks; museums; archives; education; in documentary film and television; in local, state, and federal government; and in non-profit and corporate settings. Students in Public History will learn how to take the professional practice of history from traditional academic settings into the public sphere for diverse audiences. Students in the program combine the study of history with coursework in allied skill sets, such as in digital history, exhibit curation, museum-based education, and documentary film production. In addition to coursework, students will have opportunities for hands-on professional training through internships and other forms of community engagement. The degree will prepare students to employ historical skills and analytical thinking to write for professional or institutional audiences, to interpret history for public audiences, to develop histories for specific clients, to research and testify in court trials, even to aid in the production of historical film and theater.

Contact Information


Department of History 
Lincoln Hall 104
(775) 784-6855

College of Liberal Arts Student Center
Thompson Building 101
(775) 682-8745
http://www.unr.edu/liberal-arts/student-resources/academic-advising

Transfer to the University of Nevada, Reno


Use the transfer agreement   and the degree planner (available by clicking Icon  at the top right of this page) to build your plan for graduation with your advisor. Course substitutions not identified on the transfer agreement require UNR advisor approval. If a major-to-major transfer agreement is not available for your transfer institution, please check the General Core agreement  if available. If neither is available, access established transfer course equivalencies via Transferology to assist in your planning.

Graduation Requirements


  • Total Units | 120
  • Cumulative GPA | 2.0
  • University GPA | 2.0
  • Major GPA | 2.0
  • Residency Requirement |  30 Upper-Division Units at UNR
  • Major Residency Requirement | 15 Upper-Division Units in the major at UNR
  • Upper-Division Requirement | 42 Upper-Division Units

I. Core General Education Requirements (24-27 units)


NOTE: Refer to the Core Curriculum  chapter of this catalog for information regarding the “Core English and Math Completion Policy  .”

Students must meet all Core Objectives (CO1 through CO14). Courses satisfying Core Objectives are designated (e.g., CO9) in General Catalog curricula and course description.

A. Composition & Communication; Critical Analysis & Use of Information (3-6 units) - CO1, CO3


B. Quantitative Reasoning (3 units minimum) - CO2


Refer to the Core Curriculum chapter for a list of approved CO2 courses .

C. Physical & Natural Phenomena (6 units minimum) - CO4, CO4L


Refer to the Core Curriculum chapter for a list of approved CO4/CO4L courses .

D. Cultures, Societies, & Individuals (3 units) - CO6


Refer to the Core Curriculum chapter for a list of approved CO6 courses .

E. Artistic Composition, Interpretation, & Expression (3 units) - CO7


Refer to the Core Curriculum chapter for a list of approved CO7 courses .

F. History & Culture; Constitution (6 units) - CO5, CO8


Refer to the Core Curriculum   chapter in this catalog.

II. Additional Core Requirements (15 units maximum)


Students must take courses that satisfy the following Core Objectives. Some or all of these Core Objectives may be satisfied in the Major Requirements (Section IV).  Refer to the Core Curriculum  chapter.

A. Science, Technology & Society - CO9


The following recommended CO9  courses can also be used in the Major Requirements:

B. Diversity & Equity - CO10


The following recommended CO10  courses can also be used in the Major Requirements:

C. Global Context - CO11


The following recommended CO11  courses can also be used in the Major Requirements:

D. Ethics - CO12


The following recommended CO12  courses can also be used in the Major Requirements:

E. Capstone Integration & Synthesis - CO13


The following recommended CO13  courses can be used in the Major Requirements:

F. Application - CO14


Choose one course (units counted in the Major Requirement):

III. Additional College Requirements (6-20 units)


Units may vary depending on initial course placement in foreign language coursework.

A. World Language Requirement (0-14 units)


Students seeking this bachelor’s degree must demonstrate proficiency in a world language other than English equal to a fourth semester course level through one of the following options:

  1. complete a fourth semester college course in a world language other than English;
  2. demonstrate proficiency through a means determined by the Department of World Languages and Literatures including but not limited to minimum standardized test scores (CBAPE, SAT II, or IB), attaining a minimum aptitude on an accredited world language assessment test, or providing transcript evidence of a high school or equivalent diploma in which English was not the language of instruction; or,
  3. participate in a study abroad language program pre-approved by the Department of World Languages and Literatures to meet the world language requirement. 

Note: Four years of high school world language instruction does not automatically satisfy this requirement.

B. College Breadth Requirement (6 units)


Students seeking a Bachelor of Arts degree in the college shall be required to take, within the College of Liberal Arts, 6 units that are outside the departments in which they major or minor, and that exclude courses taken to fulfill the Core General Education requirements (Core Objectives 1 through 8).

IV. Major Requirements (36 units)


  • Twenty-one units in history coursework (which include courses taken to satisfy the Research Methods, Public History Required Courses, and Public History Senior Experience requirements) must be taken at the 300-400 level. 
  • Majors must earn a grade of “C” or better in HIST 100A  and HIST 300A .

A. Introduction to the major/field (3 units)


Recommended for the first-year, Spring semester. Majors must earn a grade of “C” or better.

C. Research Methods (3 units)


Majors must earn a grade of “C” or better in the following:

D. Public History Required Courses (12 units)


Majors pursuing a specialization in Public History must take all of the following courses, including 3 units of HIST 399 .

F. Public History Senior Experience (3 units)


Majors specializing in Public History must complete a senior project.

G. History Elective (3 units)


Any HIST course numbered 100-499 not already used to satisfy the major requirements above may be counted toward the elective requirement. Refer to the Course Descriptions chapter of this catalog for a full list of HIST courses.

V. Minor Requirements (18-21 units)


Students pursuing this major must complete at least a minor field of study. The department accepts any minor approved by the College of Liberal Arts.

Majors specializing in Public History are encouraged to select a minor program that will help them acquire knowledge and applied skills in areas that will aid in future creation of public history content, such as writing, documentary film production, audio production (e.g. podcasting), exhibition, digital production, etc. Students are encouraged to discuss their minor interests with a History advisor early in their academic career.

VI. Electives (1-21 units)


Consult a history advisor for appropriate courses.

VII. Recommended Schedule


Students are encouraged to take HIST courses to satisfy the Additional Core Curriculum requirements not prescribed by the major (i.e. CO9-CO13) whenever possible.

Note: When choosing coursework to satisfy certain non-specific course requirements (e.g. CO9-CO12, the College Breadth requirement, electives within the History major, and/or general electives), students may need to complete some of this coursework in upper-division to ensure the minimum graduation requirements for residence and upper-division units are met.

A. First Year


Fall Semester (16 units)


  • (3 units) *
  • Quantitative Reasoning (3 units) CO2 *
  • Artistic Composition, Interpretation, and Expression (3 units) CO7. Students interested in taking Public History skills-related courses connected to the production of documentary film (videography courses in the School of the Arts) should consider taking ART 151 , a prerequisite for those courses.
  • Language 111 (4 units)
  • History Survey course (3 units)
  • * English and Math course placement is based on test scores. Please consult the Core Curriculum chapter in this catalog.

Spring Semester (16-17 units)


B. Second Year


Fall Semester (15-16 units)


Spring Semester (15 units)


C. Third Year


Fall Semester (15 units)


Spring Semester (15 units)


D. Fourth Year


Fall Semester (15 units)


  • Global Contexts (3 units) CO11. (See recommended HIST CO11 courses above)
  • Capstone Integration and Synthesis (3 units) CO13. (Recommend HIST 430B  or see recommended HIST CO13 courses above)
  • Public History Elective (3 units)
  • History Elective (3 units)
  • 300-400 Level Minor (3 units)

Spring Semester (12-13 units)


  • (3 units) CO14
  • Diversity & Equity (3 units) CO10. (See recommended HIST CO10 courses above)
  • 300-400 Level Minor (3 units)
  • General Electives (3-4 units)