Complementary Majors and Minors
The history major comprises some 36 credits, and leaves plenty of room for students to complete another course of study.
Creative and thoughtful combinations of coursework in history with other areas of study can be an excellent boost to a student’s skill set and career options.
Double Majors/Dual Degree
It is possible for history majors to complete two full courses of study, although not all majors have requirements that are easily compatible with our own and allow for a path to graduation in only 120 credits. There are two ways students may double their education this way at VCU:
- A double major means that a student concurrently fulfills requirements for two different major courses of study, earning one undergraduate degree with two majors (with a primary major which appears on the diploma and transcript).
- A dual degree means the student concurrently fulfills requirements for two full degrees – both majors, the university core (once only), and an extra 30 credits above the usual graduation requirement of 120 credits.
Basic information on double majors and dual degrees, as well as information on any VCU major you wish to explore may be found in the VCU Bulletin.
Programmatic Minors
In most cases, a minor in an area of study is comprised of 18 credit hours. History majors frequently undertake minors offered by other academic departments at VCU. Some programmatic-specific minors you may wish to consider include:
- African American Studies: An African American studies minor can be fulfilled in part through the following history courses:
- HIST 105-106 (Survey of African History)
- HIST 361-362 (Americans from Africa)
- HIST 387 (History of West Africa)
- HIST 388 (Africa: Social, Cultural, and Economic History)
- HIST 389 (History of Southern Africa)
- HIST 390 (Africa and the Americas: Slavery, Gender, and Race)
- HIST 392 (The Caribbean to 1838)
- HIST 393 (Akhenaten to Cleopatra)
- Anthropology
- Criminal Justice
- Gender, Sexuality and Women’s Studies: The following history courses are cross-listed with GSWS:
- HIST 339-340 (History of Women in Europe)
- HIST 341 (American Women's History)
- HIST 390 (Africa and the Americas: Slavery, Gender, and Race)
- Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness
- International Studies: This minor offers options for studies in several regions, international social justice studies and film studies
- Languages: Language minor options include French, German, Italian, Russian and Spanish
- Media Studies
- Political Science
- Philosophy
- Philosophy of Law
- Psychology
- Religious Studies: History courses cross-listed with religious studies include:
- HIST 301-302 (The Ancient Near East)
- HIST 307 (The High Middle Ages)
- HIST 309 (The Reformation)
- HIST 325-326 (History of the Jewish People)
- HIST 327 (History of Christianity)
- Sociology
- Urban and Regional Studies
Thematic Minors
Some minors are interdisciplinary, rather than strictly disciplinary, drawing from multiple departments to create a themed program of course work. Some thematic minors you may wish to consider include:
For information, you may also wish to visit the British Studies at VCU homepage.
The Unnamed Minor: Broad Endorsements
(in preparation for the M.A.Ed.)
Many history majors are interested in a fifth-year Master of Education (M.A.Ed.) in secondary education with the goal of teaching history or social studies. A helpful overview of what is required for this program is available in the VCU Bulletin.