The undergraduate program at the University of Texas at El Paso offers history majors the opportunity both to explore a range of historical fields and to develop expertise in a particular area of study such as U.S. history, Latin American history, European history, and the Borderlands. Courses are generally divided into three categories: broad surveys, specialized lecture courses, and junior-senior seminars. Writing is emphasized in virtually all history courses, and research is integrated into many of them. Critical thinking is the basis for historical study and UTEP's department of history uses this foundation to prepare students for careers in a variety of fields: law, journalism, teaching, business, public service, library sciences, international work, historical research, and more.
 
Specific Course Requirements for a BA Degree in History

History 1301 - History of the United States to 1865
History 1302 - History of the United States Since 1865

History 2301 - World History to 1500
History 2302 - World History Since 1500

History 4325 - Junior-Senior Seminar (Special Topics)

In addition, 21 hours of advanced (3300-4300 Level: See link to Undergraduate Catalog) history courses, which must include courses from at least three of four fields; no more than 12 hours may be taken in any one field.

Field I: The United States
Field II: Africa, Asia, and Russia
Field III: Latin America
Field IV: Europe

Minor in History

Students who wish to minor in history are required to complete HIST 2301 and 2302, plus 12 hours of advanced (3300-4300 Level: See link to Undergraduate Catalog) courses in History.  The 12 hours of advanced courses must include courses from at least two of the history fields.

Departmental Honors

A candidate for departmental honors in history must have demonstrated ability in history, must normally have a grade point average (GPA) of 3.5 in history and a 3.0 overall by the end of the junior year, and must retain these averages until graduation.  To graduate with Departmental Honors, a student must satisfactorily complete an honors thesis, which will be judged by a thesis committee.  A candidate for departmental honors must request approval of candidacy during the second semester of the junior year.  The department reserves the right to accept or reject any student, taking into consideration the number of applicants, availability of faculty, and competence of individual students.  Once accepted, the honors candidate will enroll in HIST 4390 (Directed Study) during both semesters of the senior year, accumulating a total of 6 hours of 4390 credit on completion of the honors program.  Students can contact the chairperson or the undergraduate advisor for further information.

Teacher Certification

Students seeking secondary certification in history must complete the BA requirements as described above.  Certification requires 36 hours of courses in the major described in the Liberal Arts section of the Undergraduate Catalog.  HIST 3317 (History of Texas Since 1821) is required and HIST 3309 (Mexican American History) is strongly recommended for prospective teachers.  Students must also complete HIST 4330 (Teaching History). For further information on the program and requirements for certification visit a special advising website for future teachers.