Understanding history is key to preparing for the future. As a history major at Fresno Pacific University, you’ll gain a deeper understanding of the ancient, medieval and modern world through primary sources and in-depth seminars. Visit the Holocaust Museum as part of your Nazi Germany studies and dive in to your family history in your American Ethnicity class. This flexible major allows you to emphasize in the historical areas that interest you most. You’ll learn beyond the classroom by participating in field studies at local and regional museums and events, and you’ll have the opportunity to study abroad in places like Italy, Turkey, Vietnam and Israel.

Highlights

Career opportunities

Graduates are prepared to pursue advanced study in the disciplines of history, theology, classics, philosophy and education, as well as professional fields such as law, library science, journalism, archival management and public history. Fresno Pacific has an excellent reputation among local high schools in single-subject credential acquisition. The breadth of training that you receive in our history program is a significant part of the social science subject-area preparation for a teaching career.

Course listing

In order to obtain a bachelor’s degree from Fresno Pacific University, students must complete at least 120 units. Along with completing all required courses in their selected area of study, general education requirements must be met by all graduates. See the general education summary in the undergraduate academic catalog for more information.

Select programs may not provide enough units for a student to graduate and therefore an emphasis and/or elective courses must be completed alongside the major. Please see below for emphases related to this area of study.

General Education Prerequisites

Required Courses (32 Units Minimum)

At least one upper-division course in five of the following areas

• Ancient history
• Medieval, Renaissance or Reformation history
• Modern European history
• World history
• American history
• Religious or topical history
• Sufficient additional courses to complete the number of units required for the major.

A Capstone Series:

*Must complete 4 units total; usually 2 units completed in two consecutive semesters

Notes

Both parts focus attention on the various ways of interpreting historical subjects, the role of Christian faith and religious experience in history and historical interpretation, the philosophical and theological implications of historical work and the development of a historical habit and practice in the student.

Students interested in teaching high school history should consult the requirements of the social science secondary teaching major.

One course from another discipline may be substituted for one course in the major upon approval of the major program director or one’s advisor.

Program director

W. Marshall Johnston, Ph.D.

Associate Professor, Program Director, History