The History Major

I. General Education Requirements

The student must fulfill the requirements of the General Education program as outlined in the Undergraduate Bulletin.

II. History Department Requirements

Each major shall choose a major concentration in one area of history: 1) Ancient/Medieval; 2) African, Asian, and Middle Eastern; 3) Gender and Women; 4) Global; 5) Latin American; 6) Modern European; 7) Russian, Eurasian, and East European; and 8) United States. Students will also be able to devise a thematic concentration and have it approved by the Chair of the Undergraduate Studies Committee.

1. Ten courses in history are required (30 hours).
2. A minimum of four and a maximum of six courses of these ten courses will fall into the student’s field of concentration.
3. A minimum of four and a maximum of six courses will be outside of the student’s field of concentration.
4. All majors will take at least one History Department course in the area of African, Asian, and Middle Eastern History or in Latin American History.
5. A minimum of six of the courses that a student takes for the major must be numbered 200 or above.
6. Each major must take an Undergraduate Seminar in History, numbered as a section of 398.
7. At least seven of the ten courses must be completed with a grade of C or higher.
8. No history courses may be taken for Pass-Fail credit (even if the course serves as a free elective).
9. A maximum of 15 history courses (45 hours) may be applied towards the A.B. degree.
10. No more than 2 courses (six hours) of AP and IB credit can count toward the major. No more than 5 courses (15 hours) of total AP, IB, and transfer credit can count toward the major.

Please note: These requirements include some changes in the definitions of some areas of concentration effective in the fall, 2013. Students who entered UNC before the fall, 2013, have the option of fulfilling the previous requirements. Click here for a description of the previous requirements.

Please also note: All history majors should see an Arts and Sciences Adviser each semester of their junior and senior years for evaluation of progress towards degree.

All history majors planning to study abroad should see the History Department’s Undergraduate Adviser both before their departure, to receive assistance in selecting appropriate history courses, and after their return, to obtain certification of their course work.