Undergraduate
Undergraduate Information
Whether you are enrolling in a single History course or considering becoming a major, you will find the History Department a uniquely hospitable home within UCLA. Our internationally renowned faculty is composed of superb teachers and prize-winning scholars. We offer first-rate advising at all stages of undergraduate education, from the pre-major to the post-graduation stage.
History Department courses cover a vast range array of periods and geographic contexts, from the ancient Mediterranean to twenty-first century Los Angeles, early modern China to the modern Caribbean, colonial America to the Middle East. They delve into a wide variety of themes and issues, including global and regional history; the study of gender and sexuality; science and medicine; music and visual culture; diaspora and ethnicity; class and culture; war, violence, and peace.
Students of history at UCLA gain a broad and deep education about our world, helping them to be engaged citizens and informed individuals. They learn to read, write, and speak critically, effectively marshaling historical evidence and weighing conflicting interpretations. A History major is excellent preparation for a wide variety of careers, including public service, journalism, education, business, law, medicine, and the arts. Join us and create your own History program of with its own unique scope, depth, and fulfillment.
Bachelor of Arts Degree
The History Department’s Undergraduate Program consists of 16 courses in history (six lower-division – the “Preparation for the Major,” including the pre-major requirements; and ten upper-division – the “Major”). Students must complete the history pre-major before applying for admission to the major.
Premajor
While students are completing the lower-division preparation for the major courses, they may be classified as History premajors.
Students are eligible to declare the major after completing the prep for the major, the first three lower-division courses, with a minimum grade-point average of 2.0. To declare the major, please email the Undergraduate office at Undergrad@history.ucla.edu.
The Major
Required: At least 10 upper-division history courses, including (1) two courses in U.S. history, (2) two courses in non-Western history from the same area (i.e., Latin America, Asia, Near East, Africa, Science and Technology), (3) two courses in European history, (4) one course from 187A through C187R, and (5) one capstone seminar from the History 191 series.
The requirements for U.S., non-Western, and European history may be fulfilled with either upper or lower-division courses, but majors are required to take a minimum of 10 upper-division history courses.
One of the 16 courses for the preparation for the major and major must predominantly cover history before 1700 CE, selected from History 1A, 1B, 2C, 3A, 8A, 9A, 9C, 9D, M10A, 11A, 11B, 14, 20, 21, 102A, M103A through 105B, M106, 107A, 107B, 108A, 108B, M110A through 111B, 112A through 119D, 121A, 121B, 122A, 122B, 122C, 124A, 125D, M127A, 128A, 128B, 129A, 130, M133A, 135A, 136A, 157A, 157B, 162B, 164B, 166A, 167A, 167B, 168A, 169A, 170A, M170C, 172A, 172B, M173C, 174A, M174D, 176A, 176E, M182A, M182B, M185D, M185F, M185G, M185I, or M186A.
There is no language requirement for the major; however, students wishing to enter the honors program or planning to do graduate work in history are strongly encouraged to pursue language study early in their undergraduate careers.
