History

The History program provides students with the academic foundation History, in the broad sense, and studies all human experience. It examines the people, institutions, ideas, and events from the past to the present. The study of history contributes to cultural literacy and develops critical thinking and other useful skills while helping students understand the present and plan for the future.

Historical study provides a solid, fundamental preparation for careers in business, industry, government, and education. It also serves as excellent preparation for law school, Foreign Service, international work, urban affairs, historical consulting, and library science. This curriculum provides a solid foundation upon which to build a history major at a four-year school.

The degree guarantees transfer to a CSU as a junior.

1. Completion of 60 semester units or 90 quarter units that are eligible for transfer to the California State University, including both of the following:
   1. The Intersegmental General Education Transfer Curriculum (IGETC) or the California State University
      General Education-Breadth Requirements.
   2. A minimum of 18 semester units or 27 quarter units in a major or area of emphasis, as determined by
      the community college district.
2. Obtainment of a minimum grade point average of 2.0.

CAREER PATHWAYS

Overall employment of anthropologists and archaeologists, geographers, and historians is expected to grow by 22 percent from 2008 to 2018, which is much faster than the average for all occupations. Anthropologists and archaeologists, the largest specialty, is expected to grow by 28 percent, driven by growth in the management, scientific, and technical consulting services industry. Anthropologists who work as consultants will be needed to apply their analytical skills and knowledge to problems ranging from economic development to forensics. A growing number of anthropologists also will be needed in specific segments of the Federal Government, such as the U.S. Department of Defense, to assess the regional customs and values – or “cultural terrain”- of a particular society in specific parts of the world. Employment growth of archaeologists will be driven by higher levels of overall construction, including large-scale transportation projects and upgrades to the Nation’s infrastructure. As construction projects increase, more archaeologists will be needed to ensure that Federal laws related to the preservation of archaeological and historical sites and artifacts are met.

Employment of geographers is expected to increase by 26 percent because the Federal Government-the largest employer-is projected to grow faster than in the past. Outside of the Federal Government, geographers will be needed to advise businesses, local municipalities, real estate developers, utilities, and telecommunications firms regarding where to build new roads, buildings, power plants, and cable lines. Geographers will also be needed to advise students about environmental matters, such as where to build a landfill and where to preserve wetland habitats.

Employment of historians is expected to grow by 11 percent, about as fast as the average for all occupations, reflecting the relatively few jobs outside of Federal, State, and local Government. Nonetheless, historians possess broad training and education in writing, analytical research, and coherent thinking, so their skills can be applied to many different occupations. As a result, many workers with a history background will find work in niche areas with specialized titles, such as researcher, writer, or policy analyst. In addition to opportunities arising from employment growth, some job openings for social scientists will come from the need to replace those who retire or who leave the occupation for other reasons. Some social scientists leave the occupation to become professors, but competition for tenured teaching positions will be keen. Overall, people seeking social science positions are likely to face competition for jobs. Candidates who have a master’s or Ph.D. degree in a social science, who are skilled in quantitative research methods, and who also have good written and communications skills are likely to have the best job opportunities. In addition, many jobs in policy, research, or marketing, for which social scientists qualify, are not advertised exclusively as social scientist positions.

Anthropologists and archaeologists will experience the best job prospects at management, scientific, and technical consulting firms. Those with bachelor’s degree in archaeology usually qualify to be a field technician.

Geographers with a background in GIS will find numerous job opportunities applying GIS technology in nontraditional areas, such as emergency assistance, where GISs can track the locations of ambulances, police, and fire rescue units and their proximity to the emergency. Workers in these jobs may not be called “geographers,” but instead may be referred to by a different title, such as “GIS analyst” or “GIS specialist.”

Historians will find jobs mainly in policy or research. Historians may find opportunities with historic preservation societies or by working as a consultant as public interest in preserving and restoring historical sites increases. Many workers with a history background also choose to teach in elementary, middle, and secondary schools.

Source: Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2010-2011, U.S. Department of Labor www.bls.gov

TRANSFER

This degree does not prepare a student to transfer to a four-year college or university. However, certain courses may be transferrable to other colleges and universities. If you are interested in transferring to a four-year college or university to pursue a bachelor’s degree in this major, it is critical that you meet with a TC counselor to select and plan the courses for your major. Schools vary widely in terms of the required preparation. The courses that TC requires for an associate degree in this major may be different from the requirements needed for the bachelor’s degree.

PROGRAM LEARNING OUTCOMES

Upon successful completion of the requirements for the major in History, a student will be able to:

1. Demonstrate knowledge of the changing traditions and values that have operated in western culture.
2. Demonstrate basis knowledge of the changing traditions and values that have operated in non-western or premodern societies.
3. Demonstrate understanding of the historical development of events, institutions, and social values.
4. Demonstrate critical thought about the historical questions about the problems that run through human history and about historical continuities and discontinuities.
5. Demonstrate connections between the past and the present by applying a critical perspective to their own place in history.

Instructors

• Altenhofel, Jennifer Dr.
• Pease, Harold Dr.
• Swenson, Sonja
• Duncan, Brandon
• Jamieson, Thomas
• Kopp, John
• Rodenhauser, Debora

Useful Links

• http://www.history.org