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Grand Canyon University?s Bachelor of Arts in History degree program includes the study of diverse world cultures. Earning a history degree affords graduates essential skills including critical thinking and writing. These proficiencies may prepare a graduate for a career in teaching, public service, government, policy making, communications or business management.
A history degree allows students to develop the skills and knowledge associated with a liberal arts degree, while providing them with the analytical skills necessary to compete in a global economy. Graduates may possess the foundational structures that prepare them for graduate degrees in business or law school.
A survey of the world spanning the regions of Southern Europe, Ancient Greece, England, Russia, through the modern Middle East and the United States will be covered. Discussions will review important battles, religious history, as well as the study of social, political and cultural impacts in each region.
General Education coursework prepares Grand Canyon University graduates to think critically, communicate clearly, live responsibly in a diverse world, and thoughtfully integrate their faith and ethical convictions into all dimensions of life. These competencies, essential to an effective and satisfying life, are outlined in the General Education Learner Outcomes. General Education courses embody the breadth of human understanding and creativity contained in the liberal arts and sciences tradition. Students take an array of foundational knowledge courses that promote expanded knowledge, insight, and the outcomes identified in the University‛s General Education Competencies. The knowledge and skills students acquire through these courses serve as a foundation for successful careers and lifelong journeys of growing understanding and wisdom.
| Competency | Requirements | GCU Course Options | Total Credits |
| University Foundations | Upon completion of the Grand Canyon University's University Foundation experience, students will be able to demonstrate competency in the areas of academic skills and self-leadership. They will be able to articulate the range of resources available to assist them, explore career options related to their area of study, and have knowledge of Grand Canyon's community. Students will be able to demonstrate foundational academic success skills, explore GCU resources (CLA, Library, Career Center, ADA office, etc), articulate strategies of self-leadership and management and recognize opportunities to engage in the GCU community. Students with fewer than 24 credits will fulfill the University Foundations requirement with a specified lower-division course. An upper-division selection will be made available to students that enter the university with more than 24 credits. | UNV-103/303, University Success: 4 credits UNV-108, University Success in the College of Education: 4 credits |
4 credits |
| Effective Communication | Graduates of Grand Canyon University will be able to construct rhetorically effective communications appropriate to diverse audiences, purposes, and occasions (English composition, communication, critical reading, foreign language, sign language, etc.). Students are required to take 3 credits of English grammar or composition. | UNV-104, 21st Century Skills: Communication and Information Literacy: 4 credits ENG-105, English Composition I: 4 credits ENG-106, English Composition II: 4 credits |
9-12 credits |
| Christian Worldview | Graduates of Grand Canyon University will be able to express aspects of Christian heritage and worldview. Students are required to take CWV 101. | CWV-101, Christian Worldview: 4 credits | 4 credits |
| Critical Thinking | Graduates of Grand Canyon University will be able to use various analytic and problem-solving skills to examine, evaluate, and/or challenge ideas and arguments (mathematics, biology, chemistry, physics, geology, astronomy, physical geography, ecology, economics, theology, logic, philosophy, technology, statistics, accounting, etc.). Students are required to take 3 credits of intermediate algebra or higher. | PHI-105, 21st Century Skills: Critical Thinking and Problem Solving: 4 credits MAT-134, Applications of Algebra: 4 credits BIO-220, Environmental Science: 4 credits |
11-12 credits |
| Global Awareness, Perspective and Ethics | Graduates of Grand Canyon University will be able to demonstrate awareness and appreciation of and empathy for differences in arts and culture, values, experiences, historical perspectives, and other aspects of life (psychology, sociology, government, Christian studies, Bible, geography, anthropology, economics, political science, child and family studies, law, ethics, crosscultural studies, history, art, music, dance, theater, applied arts, literature, health, etc.). | HIS-221, Themes in U. S. History: 4 credits PSY-100, Psychology in Everyday Life: 4 credits SOC-100, Everyday Sociology: 4 credits If the predefined course is a part of the major, students need to take an additional course. |
6-8 credits |
| Course # | Course Title | Course Description | Credits |
| HIS-221 | Themes in United States History | This course is a survey of U.S. history from the Colonial era to the present. Topics include the American Revolution, the early national period, Jeffersonian and Jacksonian America, the Civil War and the Reconstruction, industrialization, the World Wars, the Great Depression, and the Cold War and the post-Cold War eras. | 4 |
| HIS-109 | World Civilization | This course is a survey of the major events, trends, personalities, movements, and ideas that have shaped world history from the beginnings of civilization to the present. | 4 |
| HIS-247 | History and Historians | This course is an examination of the meaning and interpretation of history and its methodology. This course is required for history majors. | 4 |
| PHI-305 | Ethical Thinking in the Liberal Arts | This course considers the role that ethical thinking plays in the liberal arts. Topics are set in historic, literary, artistic, political, philosophical, religious, social, and scientific perspectives. The impact and contributions of leaders in these fields are also considered. | 4 |
| HIS-310 | Civil War and Reconstruction | This course examines the causes, conduct, and consequences of the Civil War and the Reconstruction. | 4 |
| HIS-318 | Near-Eastern History | The course presents students with a survey of the history of Ancient Greece and Rome, covering more than 2,500 years of civilization in Southern Europe and the Near East. The initial part of the course discusses the Ancient Greeks, beginning with the early Greek civilizations of the Minoans and Mycenaeans during the Bronze Age and concluding with the Age of Alexander and the Hellenistic Empires of Greece and the Near East. The remainder of the course then examines Ancient Rome, beginning with the Etruscans and concluding with the collapse of the Western Roman Empire and the continuation of the Eastern Empire/Byzantine Empire. | 4 |
| HIS-320 | Modern Middle East | This course provides a political, cultural, and economic history of the Middle East since 1914. | 4 |
| HIS-331 | 20th Century World | This course is a study of the 20th century world, focusing on major trends, events, and personalities of the era. | 4 |
| HIS-344 | Colonial and Revolutionary America | This course is a study of the social, political, intellectual, and cultural life of the American republic from 1607 to 1783. | 4 |
| HIS-354 | England to 1688 | This course is a study of the political, social, cultural, economic, and religious history of England from prehistoric times to the Glorious Revolution of 1688. Prerequisite: HIS 247 for History majors. | 4 |
| HIS-460 | Russian History | This course is a study of the Russian nation and people, emphasizing the Soviet era of Russian history. Prerequisite: HIS 247 for History majors. | 4 |
| HIS-465 | History of Modern East Asia | This course focuses on the major themes that have influenced the history of East Asia from 1644 to the present, with an emphasis on the history of modern China and Japan. Topics will include imperialism, colonialism, nationalism, revolution, the world wars, and the Cold War in Asia. Prerequisite: HIS 247 for History majors. | 4 |
| Required Course Total Credit: | 48 | ||
| General Education Requirements: | 34 - 40 credits |
| Courses: | 48 credits |
| Open Elective Credits: | 32 - 38 credits |
| Total Degree Requirements: | 120 credits |
This program is offered in the following formats or locations:
Enjoy Grand Canyon University's traditional campus experience. Nestled on over 90 acres in the heart of Phoenix, over 6,500 students live and attend class on the GCU campus. New modern classrooms, suite style dorms and a focus on creating a rich student life make GCU a top choice for high school graduates.
An online education allows you the flexibility to fulfill your educational goals without distracting you from your career. Full-time faculty members support our online students while our dynamic tools allow for engaging and challenging discussions with classmates. Classes start every month.
Program Disclosure
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* Please refer to the Academic Catalog for more information. Program subject to change.