Loyola University Chicago

Department of History

Major Requirements

New as of Fall 2018

The major in history consists of a total of twelve (12) courses (36 hours) and a portfolio, detailed below.

Click here for the Major Requirements Worksheet.

Introductory (Core) Courses (2) Two courses, one from each of the following categories:

6 hrs

Tier 1 Foundational Historical Knowledge HIST 101, 102, 103, 104 or HONR 101, 102
Tier 2 Historical Knowledge

HIST 208, 208V, 208X, 208Z, 209, 210, 211, 212, 213, HONR 203, 208, 209, 210, 212

Methods Courses * (1)

3 hrs

1 Course History 299 (formerly HIST 291), Historical Methods or INDS 380, Newberry Seminar

*Note: To register for HIST 299, email David Hays, Department Administrator, at dhays1@luc.edu.

For information on the Newberry Seminar, contact Prof. Elizabeth Tandy Shermer at eshermer@luc.edu.

Required Areas (4)

12 hrs

1 Course

Upper-Level Course: Pre-1700 History

(HIST 250-259, 300B, 301-319, 342A, 345A, 345B, CLST 362, THEO 317)

1 Course

Upper-Level Course: Post-1700 European History

(HIST 260-269, 300C, 320-339, THEO 318)

1 Course

Upper-Level Course: U.S. History

(HIST 280-298, 300D, 360-389, ECON 327)

1 Course

Upper-Level Course: World History

(HIST 270-279, 300E, 340-359)

Elective Courses (5)

15 hrs

5 Courses

Any history courses at any level, one of which can be the history internship (398)

(HIST 101-399, CLST 362, ECON 327, THEO 317-318, or HONR 101, 102, 203, 208, 209, 210, 212)

Residency Requirements

  • At least 6 courses for this major must be successfully completed in residence at Loyola University Chicago.
  • At least 4 300-level courses for this major must be successfully completed in residence at Loyola University Chicago.

Optional Concentrations

History Majors have the option to declare a concentration, an area of interest. A concentration consists of at least three courses focused on a particular theme. Concentrations are below; students may also build their own concentration in consultation with their departmental adviser.

Click here for more information on the History Major and Concentrations.

 

 

Portfolio

Every history major must build a portfolio over the course of his/her undergraduate studies. The student must upload the TWO required documents listed below by Friday of the last week of classes prior to graduation. 

For students graduating in December 2023, portfolios are due by Friday, December 8, 2023. For those graduating in May 2024, portfolios are due by Friday, April 26, 2024.

The portfolio can be submitted using the form at this link.

If you have questions, please contact Undergraduate Program Director Kelly O'Connor at kocon6@luc.edu.

Required Documents

1. A historiographical essay (typically a paper from HIST 299). This paper must both summarize and evaluate historians’ principal arguments about a particular topic.

2.  A 300-level Research Paper with a bibliography. This paper --- a minimum of 15 pages, usually from a 300-level course --- makes use of both primary and secondary sources to prove a historical thesis. All good historical writing has a thesis that the author seeks to establish through interpretation of the primary source evidence.

Answers to Frequently Asked Questions:

  • YES: All graduating History majors are required to submit a portfolio.
  • NO: The papers do NOT need to be the original copies with your instructor's comments on them. In fact, we prefer that you submit a clean copy. Be sure to indicate the course for which you wrote the paper and the semester in which you wrote it.
  • NO: The portfolio is NOT graded. As long as you make your best effort to turn in the required items, you will meet the portfolio requirement.

The portfolio you submit both showcases your best work and helps those of us who teach in the History Department. We use it to assess how well we are achieving the goals that we have set for the History major.

Do your best to submit items that meet the requirements of the portfolio. Start on this process early in your History career. Ask your professors if a given paper, in which you take pride, fulfills one of the requirements. We do realize that you might not have a certain type of paper. Again, by keeping your eye on the requirements throughout your undergraduate years of study, you can think about ways to fill a given gap.

If you have questions, please contact David Hays, Administrative Assistant, at dhays1@luc.edu or 773-508-2221.