IV. American History

Objectives

The objective of the history component of a core curriculum is to increase students’ knowledge of how historians discover, describe, and explain the behaviors and interactions among individuals, groups, institutions, events, and ideas. Such knowledge will better equip students to understand themselves and the roles they play in addressing the issues facing humanity.

The following courses satisfy the core requirements in American History. See the current Course Listings for prerequisites and other restrictions, additions, and deletions.

American History: Approved Core Courses

• HIST 1376 - The United States to 1877 Cr. 3.
• HIST 1377 - The United States to 1877 Cr. 3.
• HIST 1378 - The United States Since 1877 Cr. 3.
• HIST 1379 - The United States Since 1877 Cr. 3.

State History and Constitutions Requirements

Senate Bill 254, passed by the 54th Legislature and amended by House Bill 935 of the 60th Legislature, provides that no individuals may receive an undergraduate degree unless they have credit for six semester hours or its equivalent in American history and six semester hours credit in the constitutions of the United States and Texas.

History Requirements

Three semester hours of the constitutions requirement and up to six hours of the American History requirement may be satisfied by advanced placement or advanced standing examination. For additional information on advanced placement and standing, consult the University Testing Services, 204 Student Service Center.

Students may satisfy the state requirements in American history in any one of the following ways:

American History

1. American History: HIST 1377  and HIST 1378  or equivalent.
2. Up to six semester hours of courses in United States history at the 2000- and 3000-levels, as long as one course falls into the general chronological time period before 1877 and the other course falls into the general time period after 1877. Students may also choose to take one 2000- or 3000-level course in United States history in combination with either HIST 1377  or HIST 1378 , as long as the time period of this 2000- or 3000-level course is not the same as the time period covered in HIST 1377  or HIST 1378 . Only three semester hours of Texas history may count toward fulfilling the United States history requirements.
3. Up to six semester hours of courses in United States history at the 4000-level, according to the guidelines in 2, above, as long as students have received the permission of the appropriate instructor or have successfully passed the advanced placement or advanced standing exam in United States history.

For information about meeting the State’s Constitutions Requirements, please see the Government category  of the UH Core Curriculum.