BA in the Teaching of History

Degree Requirements

To earn a Bachelor of Arts degree in the Teaching of History from UIC, students must complete university, college, and department degree requirements. The Department of History degree requirements are outlined below. Students should consult the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences section for additional degree requirements and college academic policies.

Summary of Requirements
Major Requirements36
Prerequisite and Collateral Courses12
Additional Requirements for Teacher Licensure28
General Education and Electives to reach minimum Total Hours44
Total Hours120

General Education

See General Education and Writing-in-the-Discipline in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences section for information on meeting these requirements.

Major Requirements

Required Courses
Select one of the following courses:3
HIST 106
The World Since 1400: Converging Worlds, New Circulations a
HIST 114
Topics in World History a
Select one of the following courses:3
HIST 100
Western Civilization to 1648 b
HIST 101
Western Civilization Since 1648 b
Select one of the following courses:3
HIST 103
Early America: From Colonization to Civil War and Reconstruction c
HIST 104
Modern America: From Industrialization to Globalization c
HIST 255History of Chicago c3
Two additional 200-level history courses6
HIST 300History Methods Colloquium d3
HIST 320Teaching History and the Related Disciplines3
HIST 420Teaching the Social Sciences3
Three additional 400-level history courses, including HIST 440 e9
The above course work must be distributed across the following fields:
African, Asian, Middle Eastern, or Latin American:
Minimum of 6 hours
European:
Minimum of 6 hours in Ancient, Medieval, or Modern European history
United States:
Minimum of 12 hours in U.S. history
Total Hours36
a

HIST 106 and HIST 114  count toward the field of African, Asian, Middle Eastern, and Latin American history. HIST 106 is approved for the following General Education categories: Understanding the Past; Exploring World Cultures.

b

HIST 100 and HIST 101 count toward the field of European history. HIST 100  and HIST 101 are approved for the following General Education categories: Understanding the Past and Exploring World Cultures.

c

HIST 103, HIST 104, and HIST 255 count toward the field of U.S. history. HIST 103, HIST 104, and HIST 255 are approved for the following General Education categories: Understanding U.S. Society; Understanding the Past. 

d

HIST 300 fulfills the Writing-in-the-Discipline requirement. 

e

HIST 419 cannot be used to fulfill this requirement. No more than 3 hours of HIST 499 may count toward this requirement.

Majors are required to seek guidance from the program advisor before registering for courses each semester; call (312) 413-9163 for an appointment.

Prerequisite and Collateral Courses

Required Courses
One course in political science, civics, or government3
Two courses in a single social science area a,b6
One additional course in any social science3
Total Hours12
a

One course should satisfy the General Education category Understanding the Individual and Society and one course should satisfy the Understanding U.S. Society category.

b

Social science courses may be taken from the following academic units: Anthropology, Geography, Economics, Political Science, Psychology, and Sociology.

Recommended Courses
Students are encouraged to take additional social science course work in addition to the required 12 hours which may include HIST 419 and course work in anthropology, economics, geography, political science, psychology, and sociology.

Additional Requirements for Teacher Licensure

Required Courses
ED 200Education Policy Foundations3
ED 210Principles of Learning and Instruction Across the Lifespan3
SPED 410Exceptional Learners3
CI 414Middle and High School Literacy3
ED 425Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment in the Urban Secondary Classroom4
HIST 475Educational Practice with Seminar I6
HIST 476Educational Practice with Seminar II6
Total Hours28

In addition to specified course work in the major field, the teacher education student must fulfill certain other requirements as well as maintain a minimum GPA of 3.00/4.00 in the major, a 3.00/4.00 in required education courses, and a cumulative GPA of 2.50/4.00. Students must receive a C or higher in their required history, social studies, and education courses for them to count toward the major and their license. For detailed information, see the Program Guide for Teacher Education in History, available from the secondary education coordinator in the Department of History.

Successful completion of licensure and degree requirements does not automatically confer licensure. To become licensed students must pass the following requirements:

  1. the Content Area Test (before being allowed to student teach)

Only after these requirements have been met may students apply for licensure to the Council on Teacher Education. For more information on application procedures, contact the Council on Teacher Education located at 412 S. Peoria Street, Suite 634. See the Council on Teacher Education section.

Recommended Plan of Study

Plan of Study Grid
First Year
Fall SemesterHours
ENGL 160 Academic Writing I: Writing in Academic and Public Contexts 3
HIST 106
or HIST 114
 The World Since 1400: Converging Worlds, New Circulations
or Topics in World History
 3
Quantitative Reasoning course 4-5
Foreign Language 4
Declare Secondary Education Curriculum  
 Hours14-15
Spring Semester
ENGL 161 Academic Writing II: Writing for Inquiry and Research 3
HIST 100
or HIST 101
 Western Civilization to 1648
or Western Civilization Since 1648
 3
Foreign Language 4
General Education course 3
General Education course 3-5
Meet with Program Advisor a  
 Hours16-18
Second Year
Fall Semester
HIST 103
or HIST 104
 Early America: From Colonization to Civil War and Reconstruction
or Modern America: From Industrialization to Globalization
 3
HIST 255 History of Chicago 3
Foreign Language 4
Social science course/Elective 3
General Education course 3-5
 Hours16-18
Spring Semester
ED 200 Education Policy Foundations 3
ED 210 Principles of Learning and Instruction Across the Lifespan 3
Foreign Language 4
History area course 3
200-level history course 3
Complete Application to Candidacy b  
 Hours16
Third Year
Fall Semester
SPED 410 Exceptional Learners 3
CI 414 Middle and High School Literacy (after admission to candidacy) b 3
200-level history course 3
HIST 300 History Methods Colloquium 3
HIST 320
or HIST 420
 Teaching History and the Related Disciplines
or Teaching the Social Sciences
 3-4
Complete Application to Candidacy b  
 Hours15-16
Spring Semester
HIST 300 History Methods Colloquium 3
HIST 320
or HIST 420
 Teaching History and the Related Disciplines
or Teaching the Social Sciences
 3-4
400-level history course 3
History area courses or Electives 3
HIST 419 Teaching Civics Literacy 3 or 4
Request Enrollment Approval for ED 425 (March 15) b  
Complete Application to Student Teach b  
Take Content Area Test by Deadline b  
 Hours15-17
Fourth Year
Fall Semester
ED 425 Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment in the Urban Secondary Classroom 4
HIST 440 History Research Seminar 3
400-level history course 3
Social science course or Electives 3
 Hours13
Spring Semester
HIST 475 Educational Practice with Seminar I 6
HIST 476 Educational Practice with Seminar II 6
File Intent to Graduate Form (no later than the 3rd week of the semester the student plans to graduate)  
Complete Entitlement Application  
 Hours12
 Total Hours120
a

http://www.las.uic.edu/departmentaladvising

b

Consult program advisor or CTE website for deadline.