Major + Minor Requirements

History Major

History majors must complete a minimum of 30 credit hours of History classes (10 3-credit courses).

18 of these credit hours must be completed on the IU Bloomington campus.
18 credit hours must be at the 300–400 level.

Introductory course:

HIST-H270 What is History

HIST-H 270, the gateway course for our majors, introduces you to the practice of history and gives you a compass to approach the “foreign country” that is the past. It also builds community with your fellow majors, with whom you will work in more classes in the future.

Distribution courses:

The history courses you take as a major range from large lecture courses to small seminars. In all of them, you build knowledge and develop a sense of what’s at stake in studying and researching the past. You can choose freely from a truly global selection of topics and time periods. The only restriction is the following:

At least one course in pre-1750 History
At least one course in post-1750 U.S. or European History
At least one course in post-1750 non-U.S./European or World History

Research seminar:

HIST-J400 Seminar in History

Capstone seminar:

HIST-J425 History Capstone Seminar

The most distinctive, challenging, and often the most rewarding elements of the major are the two required research seminars. In HIST-J 400 and HIST-J 425 you gain sustained practice in historical research as you explore topics of your choice.

Students are also encouraged to take a HIST-J 300 seminar, which fulfills the College of Arts & Sciences’ Intensive Writing requirement.

Interested in studying history? Students applying to IU for Fall 2026 should contact the College's recruiting team. Current IU students can speak with their academic advisor.

History Minor Requirements

Students pursuing a minor in History can choose from the same wide variety of courses. No specific courses are required. Adding a minor in History will add a whole new dimension to your current major and your future career, whether in education, law, business, the media, public policy, or the arts.

Requirements

15 Credit hours of History (HIST) courses, at least 9 credits of which must be taken on the IUB campus.
Of the 15 credits, 9 credits must be completed at the 300 and/or 400 level.

Courses meeting current distribution requirements

At least one course in pre-1750 History, for example:

HIST-A 207 Introduction to Native American History
HIST-B 204 Medieval Heroes
HIST-B 215 Religion, Magic and Witchcraft, 1000—2000
HIST-B 313 The Crusades
HIST-B 377 Germany, Reformation to 1871
HIST-C 215 Sparta at War
HIST-C 325 The Roman Empire
HIST-G 382 China: The Age of Glory
HIST-H 213 The Black Death
HIST-H 227 African Civilizations
HIST-H 251 Introduction to Jewish History: From the Bible to Spanish Expulsion

At least one course in post-1750 U.S. or European History, for example:

HIST-A 112 American Diversity
HIST-A 205 Asian American History
HIST-A 240 Get Me Out! The History of Birth
HIST-A 302 Revolutionary America
HIST-A 363 Hoosier Nation: Indiana in American History
HIST-A 380 The Vietnam War
HIST-A 383 Rock, Hip Hop, and Revolution: Popular Music in the Making of Modern America, 1940 to the Present
HIST-A 394 Wenches, Witches, and Welfare Queens: Images of Black Women in U.S. History
HIST-B 226 The Mafia and Other Italian Mysteries
HIST-B 270 Inside Nazi Germany
HIST-B 323 History of the Holocaust
HIST-D 103 The Making of Modern Russia
HIST-H 239 Blood and Guts! An Introduction to the History of Western Medicine from Antiquity to the Present

At least one course in post-1750 non-U.S./European or World History, for example:

HIST-C 210 The Making of the Modern Middle East
HIST-E 332 African History from Colonial Rule to Independence
HIST-F 346 Modern Mexico
HIST-G 325 History and Environment in China
HIST-H 101 The World in the Twentieth Century I
HIST-H 102 The World in the Twentieth Century II
HIST-W 125 Cities and History
HIST-W 210 Global Soccer
HIST-W 220 The Social History of War
HIST-W 330 Money and History
HIST-W 335 The History of Genocide

For a complete list of History department courses, please explore the current College of Arts and Sciences Bulletin.

For students who entered the History program prior to Summer 2016

Students who began their study before summer 2016 can choose to follow the current requirements, but they should discuss the implications of this with the Undergraduate History Advisor.

Apply now!

To pursue an IU undergraduate degree, please apply through the Bloomington IU Office of Admissions. International students should apply through IU Bloomington International Admissions.

Students can also benefit from The College of Arts and Sciences Direct Admit program. This program allows qualified first-year students to enter directly into the College where they will immediately be linked to their major department. This early connection to the major department allows students to meet with their major advisor from the start and to develop relationships with the faculty who teach their major courses and the students who share their interests. Contact the College of Arts and Sciences Direct Admit for entrance qualifications.

For more information, take a look at "History" in the College of Arts and Sciences Bulletin. You may also contact the Undergraduate History Advisor (Ballantine Hall 806; e-mail histadv@iu.edu) or Director of Undergraduate Studies, Prof. Leah Shopkow (Ballantine Hall 867; e-mail: histdus@indiana.edu).

Department of History

Major + Minor Requirements

History Major

History Minor Requirements

The College of Arts & Sciences

Major + Minor Requirements

History Major

History Minor Requirements

Department of History social media channels

The College of Arts & Sciences