Major Mondays: History
Happy Major Monday! If you have been following along on the blog, you already know that Mondays mean we are going to be talking about one of the awesome majors USC has to offer. I’m extra excited to talk about the History major at USC because this was my major during my time as a Trojan.
Major: The Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in History is housed in the Dornsife College of Letters, Arts, and Sciences. This major is available both to first-year and transfer applicants. History majors can go into many different career fields, but popular ones are law, education, or politics.
Overview: Through high school, everyone has a general idea of what studying history looks like. The question is: What does it mean to be a history major at USC? It means being able to dive deeper into your historical interests more than ever before! You will have your choice of a myriad of classes focused on specific geographical regions and time periods or general historical genres. You will also be taught how to write, think, and argue critically.
Student Perspective: I really enjoyed being a History major for several reasons. For one, it only takes 10 classes to get the major (if you want to get an Honors in History it’s 14). There is also a lot of crossover with USC’s General Education curriculum and with our Exam Credit for AP courses that it made the History major really flexible for me. Due to the flexibility, I was able to double-major in Human Biology (B.S.) and minor in Spanish during my 4 years at USC.
I also liked how diverse the classes were. I was able to take coursework in modern Japanese History, colonial Spain, medieval Europe, and much more! Lastly, I had so many small class sizes in the History department, it really enriched the overall learning experience.
Student Opportunities: There are plenty of opportunities at USC to take your love for History beyond the classroom. During the spring semester, HIST 395 Sex and the City: Constructing Gender in London has students travel to London for a week at the end of the term to dive deeper into the topic of gender in London from 1700-1900.
Then there are our Clio and Phi Alpha Theta student organizations that organize events and excursions into the LA area to help students connect with history in the real world. Some past events of theirs have included fun activities as movie nights and trivia events!
Want to Learn More? Now I’m sure after hearing all this you’re clamoring to learn more. Please go visit our History Department’s amazing website here. If you want to hear how USC History alumni Tracy Walder used her degree towards a career in the CIA and FBI check this out!
Written by: Alexander Castro, Assistant Director - USC Office of Admission
Edited by: Lilly Wright, Assistant Director - USC Office of Admission