Bachelor of Arts in History

Navigate our complex world with your Bachelor of Arts in History from Ashford University. This degree demonstrates your comprehension of the evolving forces that continually shape modern life.

Degree Focus
Your Bachelor of Arts in History provides a broad curriculum, balanced between both American and World history. Your courses include social studies, explore multiple regions and cultures, and conclude with a research-focused capstone course.

Career Opportunities
No matter what career you choose, the study of history enhances your understanding of the world. Many professionals find that history makes an excellent subject for their undergraduate studies, in preparation for earning an advanced degree. Just a few of the many professional careers that often begin with a Bachelor of Arts in History include:

• Educator
• International consultant
• Historical researcher
• Archaeologist
• Anthropologist
• Public servant and lawmaker

Bachelor of Arts in History

Program Outcomes
Students who successfully complete the Bachelor of Arts in History degree program will be able to:

• Identify appropriate historical sources and utilize them in the creation of written and/or oral narratives and analyses;
• Interpret events, institutions, and human communities in their historical contexts;
• Explain historical phenomena in terms of causation, agency, significance, and consequence;
• Distinguish between history and other ways of thinking about the past;
• Practice historical scholarship in an ethical manner;
• Utilize chronology appropriately; and
• Relate historical phenomenon to their geographical contexts.

Program Requirements

• Total number of credits required: 120 credits 
• General Education Requirements: 52 credits*
• Major Course Requirements: 42 credits*
• Electives: 35 credits

You must complete 30 upper-division credits, of which 18 credits must be from the major program. A total of 30 credits must be completed at Ashford University^® to meet the residency requirement.

* In this program, 9 credits from the major may also satisfy General Education requirements.

Program Disclosures
Federal regulations published in October, 2010 require institutions to report certain information about students who enrolled in Title IV eligible educational programs that lead to gainful employment in a recognized occupation (GE programs). These required disclosures include a program’s 1) program costs; 2) on-time completion rates; 3) median loan debt; 4) links to O*NET SOC descriptions; and 5) placement rates. Please find all of the required information at this link: Program Disclosures.

Admission Requirements

• Have a regular high-school diploma earned through college preparatory or regular high school courses or GED equivalency recognized by the Department of Education of the state in which it was earned, completed secondary school through home schooling as defined by state law, or earned an equivalent to a US high school diploma at an international high school. An earned IEP or Special Education Diploma or Certificate of Completion based upon IEP goals does not meet the regular high school diploma requirement for admission to Ashford University. If no high school degree was earned, applicants may be admitted with a minimum of 60 transferable credits from an appropriately accredited postsecondary institution as defined by Ashford University transfer credit policies.
• Be 22 years of age or older, or a graduate of Ashford University's Associate of Arts in Business degree program, or receive documented approval from the Registrar's Office via the "Under 22 Appeal" process.
• English Language Requirement.
• Successful completion of Student Success Orientation for students who indicate that they have fewer than twenty-four (24) traditional college-level transferable credits at the time of application.

Technology Requirements


Competencies

Students must possess the following online competencies:

• Ability to access course and program material on the Internet; 
• Ability to correspond with University staff, students, and faculty using email and the Internet; and 
• Ability to use appropriate antivirus utilities so that files transmitted and received are virus free.

System requirements
The following minimum system configuration and software are required:

• Platforms: Mac OS X 10.2 or higher or Windows XP or higher;
• Hardware: 256 Mb RAM, CD-ROM, and 1 Gb free disk space;
• Productivity Software: Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, and Excel 2003 or higher; Adobe Reader 8.0 or higher; Adobe Flash 10 or higher (Constellation users);
• Web Browser: Firefox 3.0 or higher, Internet Explorer 8.0 or higher, Safari 4.0 or higher, or Chrome;
• Networking: 56k dialup modem, DSL, or Cable modem; 
• Email: Outlook, Outlook Express, Mac Mail, Eudora, Entourage, or Yahoo/Hotmail/Gmail.

Recommended for optimal performance

• Productivity Software: Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, and Excel 2007 or higher;
• Networking: Broadband Internet connection (DSL, cable, or other);
• Constellation users: Windows Media Player 7 or higher, sound card and speakers.

Transferability
Put your college credits to work at Ashford! You can transfer up to 90 semester credits (135 quarter credits) to help fulfill your degree requirements.* That means all your past hard work will not be wasted.

If you enter the program with fewer than twenty-four (24) transferable traditional semester credits, you will be required to successfully complete an online orientation prior to enrolling in credit-bearing coursework. Following successful completion of orientation, you will be required to successfully complete EXP 105 Personal Dimensions of Education as your first course. EXP 105 is required if you have little or no previous college experience and is not recommended if you have high transfer credit. EXP 105 applies toward elective credit requirements so enrollment in EXP 105 may result in the reduction of three (3) potential transfer credits in the Elective category. If you take EXP 105, you are required to take PSY 202 as your second course.

If you enter the program with twenty-four (24) or more transferable traditional semester credits, you will be required to successfully complete PSY 202 Adult Development and Life Assessment as your first course. PSY 202 is designed to help you acclimate to the online college environment, though you already have some college experience. If you have been out of school for a long time or feel that you need additional support to enter the online environment, you may appeal to enroll in EXP 105 as your first course, followed by PSY 202 as your second course. Unsuccessful completion of either EXP 105 or PSY 202 will result in the rescheduling of the course and revision of the future course sequence. See the Courses tab for descriptions of each course.

* The transferability of credits is subject to Ashford University’s transfer credit policies, and requires the submission of official transcripts. The official transcripts will be evaluated to determine the credits that will officially apply toward an Ashford University degree program.

Online Format
You will take your courses one at a time for 5 weeks each, accelerating your path to graduation. Your course content is delivered in a high-tech format, and you can complete your weekly assignments when and where it's convenient for you thanks to the asynchronous online environment.

Cost*
Your tuition rates are among the lowest available online at $402 per credit. You will also be responsible for fees to enroll. View complete cost of attendance. Call today to learn more at 866.711.1700.

* Tuition costs subject to change without notice.

Payment Options

• Cash Plan – 100% of tuition and fees paid on or before each course start date.
• Tuition Reimbursement – If your employer offers a tuition reimbursement plan, we'll work with you to apply this great benefit toward your education.
• Financial Aid – You may be eligible for financial aid. Talk to an Admissions Counselor to find out if you meet the requirements to qualify.
• Direct (Employer) Billing – If you work for a company approved for direct billing, you may qualify for this payment option.
• Military Tuition Assistance – Includes active-duty service and Veterans Affairs Benefits, such as GI Bill and Vocational Rehab, if you qualify. Learn more about military benefits.

If this program fits your personal and professional goals, contact Ashford University at 866.711.1700 to learn more, or request additional information.

Bachelor of Arts in History

Dive in to the past, and prepare for your future. Your courses explore multiple regions and cultures, and conclude with a research-focused capstone course.

Below you will find the courses for this program beginning with the introductory courses. You have a choice in this program to take a standard program following the major course requirements or you may choose to add a specialization to your program. Please note that you must complete the major course requirements' capstone course before you can begin any specialization. Each specialization consists of four (4) courses, each worth three (3) credits each.

• Political Science & Government

Introductory Courses

Depending on the number of credits transferred in, you may be required to take one or both of Ashford University's introductory courses: EXP 105 Personal Dimensions of Education and PSY 202 Adult Development and Life Assessment. If you enter the program with fewer than twenty-four (24) transferable traditional semester credits, you will be required to successfully complete EXP 105 as your first course, followed by PSY 202 as your second course. If you enter the program with twenty-four (24) or more transferable traditional semester credits, you will be required to successfully complete PSY 202 as your first course.

EXP 105 Personal Dimensions of Education
This course is designed to help adult learners beginning their university studies to achieve academic success. Students will explore learning theories, communication strategies, and personal management skills. Adult learners will develop strategies for achieving success in school and work. Students will also be introduced to the University's institutional outcomes and learning resources.

PSY 202 Adult Development & Life Assessment
This course presents adult development theory and links theoretical concepts of life and learning through a process of psychometric assessment and reflection. Both classical and contemporary adult development theories are examined. These theories then provide the paradigm for self-analysis and life learning, including a plan for personal, professional and academic learning.

Major Course Requirements

(42 credits, all courses are 3 credits unless otherwise noted. Courses are listed in the recommended sequence.)

HIS 303 The American Constitution
This course is a study of the Constitution of the United States and its role in American history and government. The course covers the drafting and ratification of the Constitution, its subsequent amendment and interpretation, and its contemporary role in American politics and government.

HIS 306 Twentieth-Century Europe
The history of Europe since 1900. Emphasis is placed on the changing nature of European society, the confrontation between totalitarianism and democracy, the origins and consequences of the two world wars, and Europe's evolving role in world affairs.

HIS 310 American Women's History
By examining a wide range of sources, from first person accounts to interpretive essays, this course explores changes and continuities in women's lives since the earliest days of the Republic. Students will work to understand the forces motivating change, including the various women's movements that have arisen over the years. Underlying the course will be the question of how traditional interpretations of American history are altered by the incorporation of women's history.

HIS 103 World Civilizations I
This course is a study of the origins and development of the world's major civilizations from their beginnings through the seventeenth century. Emphasis is placed on the salient socio-economic, political and religious characters of the civilizations and the patterns of interaction among them.

HIS 104 World Civilizations II
This course is a study of the development of and interactions among the world's major civilizations from the seventeenth century to the present. Emphasis is placed on the rise and decline of European global dominance.

HIS 203 American History to 1865
American history from the beginnings of European settlement through the Civil War. Emphasis is placed on the colonial sources of American nationality, the development of American political institutions, the evolution of American society, and the sectional crisis of the mid-nineteenth century.

HIS 204 American History Since 1865
This course surveys American history from Reconstruction to the present. Emphasis is placed on the growing pluralism of American society, the effects of industrialization, the evolution of American political institutions and the increasing importance of the United States in world affairs.

HIS 378 Historiography & Historical Methodologies
This course provides students with an introduction to the practice of the discipline of history. It provides them with an overview of the ways historians have approached the study of the past since classical antiquity, acquaints them with the major approaches that characterize the discipline today, and equips them to use appropriate practices in historical research and writing.

HIS 331 World War II
A study of the causes, course, and consequences of World War II. Topics include the war's major campaigns, its impact on the societies of the nation's involved, the Holocaust, and the war's influence in shaping the contemporary world. Through readings in various primary and secondary sources, students will also develop an understanding of how historians reconstruct and interpret the past.

HIS 340 Recent American History
This course chronicles and analyzes the profound changes in American life in the period since the Second World War, including changes in the country's political structure, economy, and culture as well as the development of the U.S. role in the international arena. Among the important events and topics covered are the Korean and Vietnam wars, the Cuban Missile Crisis, space exploration, Watergate, the civil rights movement, and the feminist movement.

HIS 342 The Middle East
This course is intended to introduce students to the complex history of the Middle East, focusing on the development of the core region in the 19th and 20th centuries. Among the most important topics covered are the origins and nature of Islam, the expansion of the Islamic world, the nature and impact of the region's relationship with Western countries, the impact of the discovery of oil in the region, the causes and course of the Israeli-Arab struggle, the rise of Arab nationalism, and the rise of Islamic fundamentalism.

HIS 351 Asia in the Age of Decolonization & Globalization
Covering major developments in Asia since the early twentieth century, this course focuses on China, Japan, and the Indian subcontinent. The course traces the rise of Asian nationalism, the decline of western imperialism, and the region's rise to economic prominence.

HIS 379 The Atlantic World
The history of the Atlantic basin from the late fifteenth century through the early nineteenth, including the interactions of Africans, Europeans, and the indigenous peoples of the Americas and the societies their interactions produced. Themes covered include the Columbian exchange, migrations (forced and voluntary), empire-building, strategies of resistance, identity formation, and the transatlantic dimensions of the American and French Revolutions.

HIS 497 History Capstone: Advanced Research Project
Students will demonstrate their mastery of the learning outcomes of the history major by demonstrating the ability to conduct historical research using primary and secondary sources and by producing an original research paper on an approved topic.

Specialization

You may also choose to delve deeper into other areas of history when you add a specialization to your degree program. A specialization consists of four (4) courses, each worth three (3) credits. These courses are taught online as part of your degree program. This program offers the following specialization:

Political Science & Government

POL 319 State & Local Government
This course examines the structure and processes of state and local governments and their related current problems and issues. There is a focus on the effect of Federalism and its effect on States.

POL 310 Environmental Policies
Environmental Policies examines the political, social, and economic implications of environmental policy in the United States and the global environment. It, also, explores ways in which policy decisions can serve to protect the environment.

POL 355 International Relations
The course in international relations is the study of relations between different nations of the world with an emphasis on understanding the political implications of international security matters and the international political economy. The topical emphasis on nationalism, diplomacy, conflict, international organizations and actors, human rights, political economy, and key global issues offers insights into the principles of identity, cooperation, and the use of power in an international context.

POL 411 Political Behavior
Students will study political behavior as it relates to campaigns and elections in the United States. Selected course themes include political communication, participation, voting, and elections.

If this program fits your personal and professional goals, contact Ashford University at 866.711.1700 to learn more, or request additional information.

Chat With a Counselor

With your full schedule, you may not have a lot of time to spare. Whether you are a busy parent, a working adult, or just short on time, you can still get the information you need to explore your options for higher education. Now you can take advantage of Ashford University's LiveChat function to speak with an Admissions Counselor in real time from the comfort of your desktop. In just a few minutes, you can: discover Ashford's affordable tuition rates; find out how to earn your Associate's, Bachelor's or Master's degree in less time than you think; see how conveniently online courses can fit with your schedule; choose the degree program that's right for you; and have all your questions answered quickly Make an informed decision regarding your education. Click the link above to speak live with an Admissions Counselor right away, or have an Admissions Counselor call you at the time that works best for you. * Admissions Counselors are available Monday-Friday 7:00 am to 6:00 pm, PST and Saturday, 7:00 am to 4:00 pm, PST.