College of Liberal Arts undergraduate History degree majors are bound together by a common curiosity about who we are, how our world was shaped over time and how the past informs our present lives. Being a History major is great preparation for a professional career in law, education, business, government and more. Learn history in the birthplace of the nation, where you’ll find exciting coursework at Temple University, administered by our internationally recognized faculty. Students can major or minor in History or pursue a bachelor’s degree with honors.
The Cradle of American History and Its Global Connections
Our home, Philadelphia, is a terrific place to study history — not only of the city and its remarkable past, but of the world as well. Our courses take advantage of Philly’s exciting past, and our major allows students to take advantage of Temple’s many study abroad options.
Exciting Coursework
Students majoring in History take rigorous courses in subjects such as Dissent in America, The History of Nazi Germany, the History of Philadelphia, Immigration and the American Dream, and Cold War Africa. We have faculty experts in urban history, Asian history, military history, diplomacy, imperialism, the environment and many other fields.
Internationally Recognized Faculty
Our faculty members are both world-renowned scholars and award-winning teachers.
Program Overview
The major in History is designed to allow students maximum flexibility to pursue their interests, whether in particular time periods or world regions. In addition to the introductory classes and a wide range of upper-level coursework, students will build strong research, writing, communication, and analytical skills in a research and writing sequence composed of History 2001: The Historian’s Craft, History 3096: Intermediate Writing Seminar, and History 4096: Capstone Seminar in History.
The History minor is an ideal complement to other majors and programs at Temple, from medicine to journalism, computer science to finance and film to marketing. Students with a minor in History are required to take six courses totaling 18 semester hours. The six courses include two introductory courses, History 2001 and three courses above 2000.
The University Honors Program
The University Honors Program enables History majors and minors to experience some of the most dynamic teachers, rewarding classes, and exciting research opportunities that Temple University has to offer. History students and faculty regularly participate in the University Honors Program, and the department offers honors-designated courses, including History 4934 and History 4997, which help majors and non-majors who are in the University Honors Program to meet their Honors requirements. History majors who successfully complete the requirements for the wider University Honors Program can graduate with “Honors” on their transcript.
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Honors in History
There are three ways to enhance your History degree by achieving honors within the major:
- Become a part of the departmental honors thesis track, the History Honors Scholars Program
- Become a part of the University Honors Program
- Become a member of Phi Alpha Theta, the national history honors society
The History Honors Scholars Program
The History Honors Scholar Program is a departmental honors thesis program that encourages and supports History majors in making the creative most of their undergraduate years.
Past participants in the program have gone on to graduate programs in history and other subjects, to law school and other forms of professional training and to a wide variety of other careers. History majors who successfully complete the History Honors Scholar Program and meet GPA requirements can also be awarded with “Distinction in History” when they graduate.
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