History

The B.A. in History is designed to provide students with the skills necessary to research and interpret the past. Emphasis is placed upon active participation in the creative process of historical inquiry.

Students planning to go to graduate school are strongly advised to attain proficiency in foreign languages.

Students interested in teaching this subject area in secondary education should contact a departmental advisor to carefully plan their coursework to meet degree requirements and prepare for careers in education.

Program Requirements

In addition to general University requirements, students seeking the B.A. in History must meet the requirements listed below.

A minimum grade of "C" is required in all major courses, including HIS 3002 Historical Methods I and HIS 4935 Historical Methods II.

Students in History are assessed in the Senior Seminar. In the Senior Seminar, students will work closely with the instructor to create a substantial and original research paper based on primary sources. This course requires the student to utilize a broad range of skills required of a historian and is assessed according to the program's student learning outcomes.

History Specialization

In addition to the General Education requirements, students must satisfy all additional State of Florida requirements, including the College-Level Communication and Computation, Civic Literacy, and Foreign Language requirements. With appropriate planning and coordination with an academic advisor, students may satisfy some of the general University requirements through the General Education curriculum. For a complete listing of general degree requirements, refer to the State University Requirements and Degree Requirements sections of this catalog.

Students should consult with their academic advisor for courses that may satisfy both the General Education requirements and common prerequisites.

Mathematics Pathway

Students are advised to complete the following courses to fulfill the mathematics pathway that aligns with the mathematics skills needed for success in their program and their career goals. Students should refer to their academic advisor for questions about the math pathway for their program. For information about this requirement, refer to the Mathematics Pathways catalog page. These courses may also fulfill requirements for General Education and Common Prerequisites.

Common Prerequisites

State-mandated common prerequisites must be completed prior to graduation, but are not required for admission to the program. See the Common Prerequisites Manual for course substitutions from Florida colleges and universities.

Two lower-division courses in history with AMH, EUH, LAH, ASH, HIS, or WOH prefixes. Choosing two from the following list is highly recommended:

Lower Division Electives

Major

+

Courses included in the major GPA.

#

Students take 4 of the 5 foundational courses. Incoming freshmen must take HIS 2050 Explore History as 1 foundational course.

Upper Division Electives

Accelerated Bachelor of Art in History (B.A.)/Master of Art in History (M.A.)

Minimum Requirements for Admission

• Students must have completed 75 undergraduate credit hours, including credits earned from advanced placement, prior to applying to the Accelerated BA/MA program.
• Transfer students must have completed a minimum of 24 credit hours and at least two semesters at UWF.
• Overall institutional undergraduate GPA of 3.3 (B+) or higher.
• Completion of 15 credit hours of upper-level History courses with a GPA of 3.3 (B+) or higher.
• Completion of all History major core courses with a GPA of 3.5 or higher.
• Completion of all Bachelor of Arts History major core requirements.
• One letter of recommendation from a History or Philosophy faculty member.
• Detailed letter of intent from the prospective student.

Process

Prospective students interested in applying for the Accelerated BA/MA program will schedule a meeting with the coordinator of graduate studies to discuss qualifications and suitability for the program and to create a degree plan for the student's Accelerated program. Qualified students will apply by the final semester of their junior year to begin the program in the first semester of their senior year. Upon admission to the Accelerated BA/MA program, the Graduate Coordinator will notify the department’s undergraduate and graduate advisors.

During the first semester of their senior year, students in the Accelerated program will enroll in one graduate course: HIS 5059 Graduate Methods I: The Historian's Craft. Additionally, the student will enroll in HIS 4935 Historical Methods II if they did not complete it in their junior year. During the second semester, they will enroll in HIS 5063 Graduate Methods II: The Professional Historian, and a graduate-level history course approved by the coordinator of graduate studies. All three graduate courses will count as undergraduate electives. (Note: Students have the option of taking a fourth graduate-level course.)

Additional Eligibility Requirements and Restrictions

Admission to the History MA program (MAHIS) is not automatic. Students in the Accelerated program must still submit an Express Admission application. Completion of the Accelerated BA/MA History program does not guarantee admission into the History MA program. Students in the Accelerated program must maintain a GPA of 3.3 in their undergraduate history courses and earn at least a 3.5 in graduate courses taken during their senior year. Graduate courses completed as an undergraduate with a grade of "B" or below cannot be applied to the MA degree, but grades of "C" or "C+" will count toward the History BA. A student who becomes ineligible to continue participating in or withdraws from the Accelerated BA/MA program cannot apply any graduate credit hours toward both degrees (i.e., the student can only apply the credit hours towards completion of the BA degree or toward a future master’s degree). Students must earn an "A" in HIS 4935 to be fully accepted into the MA program.

Upon admission into the MAHIS, the 9 or 12 graduate credit hours completed as an undergraduate student will count for 9 or 12 of the 30 hours in History coursework for the MAHIS. Students in the Accelerated BA/MA program must earn a grade of "B+" (3.3/4.0) or better in each of the graduate-level courses that are being applied to both degrees. Students accepted into the MAHIS program must complete all MAHIS requirements within 18 months of completing the BA degree. If the MAHIS program requirements are not completed within 18 months, the student is no longer eligible to apply the graduate credit hours toward both degrees (i.e., the student can only apply the graduate credit hours either toward completion of the BA degree or toward a future master’s degree) and is automatically terminated from the Accelerated BA/MA History program.

Financial Aid/Assistantships

Students enrolled in the program who complete their BA and have earned a "B+" or better in their graduate courses are automatically eligible and will receive preferred consideration for new financial aid and assistantship positions for their first graduate semester (pending available funding). Students awarded assistantships who make good academic progress and perform satisfactorily can expect two semesters of support during the Fall and Spring semesters (depending on the availability of department funding). Limited Summer positions and financial aid may be available.

In addition to the General Education requirements, students must satisfy all additional State of Florida requirements, including the College-Level Communication and Computation, Civic Literacy, and Foreign Language requirements. With appropriate planning and coordination with an academic advisor, students may satisfy some of the general University requirements through the General Education curriculum. For a complete listing of general degree requirements, refer to the State University Requirements and Degree Requirements sections of this catalog.

Mathematics Pathway

Students are advised to complete the following courses to fulfill the mathematics pathway that aligns with the mathematics skills needed for success in their program and their career goals. Students should refer to their academic advisor for questions about the math pathway for their program. For information about this requirement, refer to the Mathematics Pathways catalog page. These courses may also fulfill requirements for General Education and Common Prerequisites.

Common Prerequisites

State-mandated common prerequisites must be completed prior to graduation, but are not required for admission to the program. See the Common Prerequisites Manual for course substitutions from Florida colleges and universities.

Two lower-division courses in history with AMH, EUH, LAH, ASH, HIS, or WOH prefixes. Choosing two from the following list is highly recommended:

Lower Division Electives

Major

#

Students take 4 of the 5 foundational courses. Incoming freshmen must take HIS 2050 Explore History as 1 foundational course.

+

Courses included in the major GPA.

Upper Division Electives

Graduate Courses

Students in the Accelerated B.A./M.A. will complete the following graduate requirements, which will count toward undergraduate upper division electives.

History Teaching/Education Specialization

The History Teaching Specialization is designed to provide History Majors with the course work that---in conjunction with successful completion of Florida Teacher Certification Examinations, one year of successful teaching experience, and successful completion of a district-approved competence demonstration program for first year teachers---allows for converting a five year non-renewable temporary certificate to a five-year renewable professional certification for secondary teachers. Coursework offered by the UWF School of Education meets the requirements of the Professional Training Option and is consistent with the program requirements of Florida Department of Education Administrative Rule 6A-5.066 (Approval of Educator Preparation Programs) for secondary teachers and includes the state-required Professional Preparation outlined in Florida Department of Education Administrative Rule 6A-4.006. 

Program Requirements

A minimum cumulative GPA of 2.50 is required to enroll in the specialization. It is not required but highly recommended that students pass the Florida Teacher Certification Examinations in General Knowledge, Professional Education, and their Subject Area, which are required for certification.

Prospective teachers are expected to adhere to the Principles of Professional Conduct for the Education Profession in Florida and national standards of conduct associated with professional, accreditation, and state agencies. 

Requirements for teacher education programs may change due to legislative mandates. Therefore, the actual program requirements may differ from those listed in the catalog. Candidates must inquire with the Chair or an advisor in the School of Education to obtain the most current program requirements.

The Student Affidavit and Fingerprinting Application are required before any student can be placed in a school for Clinical Field Experiences or Student Teaching. Forms are available from the local school districts.

In addition to the General Education requirements, students must satisfy all additional State of Florida requirements, including the College-Level Communication and Computation, Civic Literacy, and Foreign Language requirements. With appropriate planning and coordination with an academic advisor, students may satisfy some of the general University requirements through the General Education curriculum. For a complete listing of general degree requirements, refer to the State University Requirements and Degree Requirements sections of this catalog.

Mathematics Pathway

Students are advised to complete the following courses to fulfill the mathematics pathway that aligns with the mathematics skills needed for success in their program and their career goals. Students should refer to their academic advisor for questions about the math pathway for their program. For information about this requirement, refer to the Mathematics Pathways catalog page. These courses may also fulfill requirements for General Education and Common Prerequisites.

Common Prerequisites

State-mandated common prerequisites must be completed prior to graduation, but are not required for admission to the program. See the Common Prerequisites Manual for course substitutions from Florida colleges and universities.

Two lower-division courses in history with AMH, EUH, LAH, ASH, HIS, or WOH prefixes. Choosing two from the following list is highly recommended:

Lower Division Electives

Major

History Courses

+

Courses included in the major GPA.

#

Students take 4 of the 5 foundational courses. Incoming freshmen must take HIS 2050 Explore History as 1 foundational course

Education Courses

Upper Division Electives

History Minor

History majors may not earn this minor. A minimum grade of “C” is required in all minor courses. A Minor in History consists of 15 semester hours of upper-level coursework in a planned program which includes: