History is the study of the past, not merely names and dates, but trends, changing ideas, shifting social and cultural conventions. As such, the study of history helps us better understand who we are today and helps explain interactions between peoples and countries. Simply put, history seeks to explain change. It is not that events today are repetitions of the past—they aren’t—but the underlying factors, stresses, beliefs, etc., are products of the past and a failure to understand history thus has distressing implications.

To help students better understand these patterns, the Department of History offers a wide array of courses in various topics, including U.S., European, Asian, and Latin American history.

The History/SSSE major track prepares students to enter the fifth credential year for Single Subject Secondary Education (SSSE) programs. This major track offers students a single-subject major in History while simultaneously preparing them with essential course work in Economics, Geography, Politics, and Sociology that they need for teaching Social Science in California. This course work will prepare them for the California Subject Examination for Teachers (CSET).

Critical thinking, analysis and how to write well are all skills that are highly sought after, not only in the academic world, but also in the corporate world. These skills are the basis of the History Department. Students will graduate with the knowledge needed for almost any occupation. A history degree does not limit one to a career as a historian or teacher, but opens the door to a wide array of careers from editing and publishing to historical preservation and consulting.