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History, B.A.

Overview of History

UC Merced BuildingHistory majors learn to do the work of historians, researching and writing about the past. All history majors complete a capstone project — a major research paper on a subject of their choosing.

About the Program

History majors have the option to do an internship that exlores the ways history can be used in cultural, social and political institutions.

Areas of Research

  • History:  Class, Gender, Race, Slavery
  • Chinese History
  • Digital Maps
  • Political Geography

Potential Careers*

  • Museum historian
  • Cultural resources manager
  • Historic preservation researcher
  • Journalist
  • Documentary editor
  • Advocate
  • Archivist
  • Librarian
  • Legislation staff worker
  • Litigation support worker
  • Political campaign organizer

* Please Note: Some of these carers might require education beyond a Bachelor's degree.

Learning Outcomes

Students graduating from the History program demonstrate the following: 

  1. Historical Knowledge
    1. Place particular events in broader historical contexts, including broad patterns of historical change, structures and representations of power, and forms of identity.
    2. Analyze change over time.
    3. Explain how events of the past have influenced the present.
  2. Critical Thinking
    1. Analyze primary sources
    2. Assess the relationship between historical contexts and events, ideas and processes.
    3. Identify and summarize an author’s argument.
    4. Identify points of agreement and disagreement among conflicting interpretations of the past.
    5. Construct a well-developed thesis and a persuasive argument.
  3. Research Skills
    1. Use the library, relevant databases and indexes, and the Internet to identify and locate sources.
    2. Develop bibliographies of primary and secondary sources.
    3. Master conventions for citations and bibliographies.
    4. Produce an original research paper (20-page minimum) that analyzes primary and secondary sources.
  4. Written and Oral Communication Skills
    1. Organize an analytical essay that sustains an argument over the entire length of the paper.
    2. Present information in lucid, grammatically correct prose.
    3. Construct paragraphs with effective topic sentences.
    4. Make a well-organized and clear oral presentation.

More Information about History

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