Social Studies Composite, Bachelor of Arts
Program Overview
As an integral part of a liberal arts education, history courses introduce students to different historical eras, diverse cultures, famous and ordinary women and men, and a variety of geographical settings. Our courses challenge students to think critically, express themselves clearly, and become informed and responsible citizens in an increasingly interconnected world. Students majoring or minoring in history may become teachers or seek employment in business or government. History is an excellent background for those who wish later to go to law school or enter journalism.
Specific graduation requirements for this program beyond university bachelor’s degree requirements.
A student graduating with a Bachelor of Arts in Social Studies Composite is required to demonstrate proficiency (beginning, intermediate or advanced) in a foreign language. Proficiency can be demonstrated by:
- Earning 6 credits of foreign language through successful completion of coursework
- Earning 6 credits through a foreign language college credit exam (e.g., AP, CLEP, International Baccalaureate)
- Demonstrating proficiency by meeting the WebCAPE scores approved by the Department of Writing and Language Studies
- Demonstrating proficiency by an exam approved by the Department of Writing and Language Studies
Core Curriculum - 42 hours
The Core Curriculum serves as a broad foundation for the undergraduate degree. All candidates for a bachelor’s degree must achieve core student learning outcomes, including communication, critical thinking, empirical and quantitative skills, teamwork, personal responsibility and social responsibility, by completing courses within each category or component area of the Core Curriculum as outlined below.
The University has approved specific courses that satisfy Core Curriculum Requirements. Approved courses can be found on the Core Curriculum Page. Students seeking the most efficient way to complete the core curriculum and major or minor requirements are advised to take approved courses that can fulfill both requirements. Although core curriculum courses can also be used to fulfill major or minor requirements, earned credits hours are only applied once.
The courses listed below fulfill core curriculum and major requirements. Students who have completed a core curriculum category with courses other than those listed below will still be required to take the listed course(s) to meet major requirements.
040 Language, Philosophy & Culture - 3 hours
080 Social and Behavioral Sciences - 3 hours
090 Integrative and Experiential Learning - 6 hours
Major Requirements - 60 hours
Required Courses - 12 hours
Social Studies Composite Core
| ECON 2302 | Principles of Microeconomics | 3 |
| HIST 3308 | History Foundation for Social Studies Educators | 3 |
| HIST 3302 | World Environmental History | 3 |
| HIST 4398 | History Capstone for Social Studies Educators | 3 |
Prescribed Electives - 48 hours
Certain courses below appear in more than one section of the degree plan. The courses and related semester credit hours can only be applied only once to the degree.
United States History - 12 hours
Choose from:
| HIST 3320 | Colonial America to 1763 | 3 |
| HIST 3321 | The United States, Revolution, and the New Nation, 1763-1815 | 3 |
| HIST 3322 | Rise of the American Nation, 1815-1848 | 3 |
| HIST 3323 | Era of Sectional Conflict, 1848-1877 | 3 |
| HIST 3324 | The Emergence of Modern America, 1877-1929 | 3 |
| HIST 3325 | Twentieth Century America | 3 |
| HIST 3326 | Indians of North America | 3 |
| HIST 3327 | The American Military Experience | 3 |
| HIST 3328 | History of the American Presidency | 3 |
| HIST 3329 | American Legal History | 3 |
| HIST 3330 | The United States as a World Power | 3 |
| HIST 3331 | Women, Gender, and Sexuality in American History | 3 |
| HIST 3332 | Mexican-American History | 3 |
| HIST 3333 | Texas History | 3 |
| HIST 3334 | History of the American West | 3 |
| HIST 3335 | American Environmental History | 3 |
| HIST 3336 | Spanish Borderlands to 1821 | 3 |
| HIST 3338 | United States-Mexico Borderlands after 1821 | 3 |
| HIST 3339 | Slavery in the Americas, 1492-1888 | 3 |
| HIST 3382 | Asian American History, 1849 to 2001 | 3 |
| HIST 4315 | Discovering the Rio Grande Valley | 3 |
| HIST 4323 | History of the Old South | 3 |
| HIST 4324 | History of the New South since 1877 | 3 |
| HIST 4325 | The United States: War, Prosperity, and Depression, 1917-1945 | 3 |
| HIST 4326 | The United States since 1945 | 3 |
| HIST 4327 | History of the American Family and Childhood | 3 |
| HIST 4329 | Black History and Thought | 3 |
| HIST 4330 | Race and Ethnicity in America | 3 |
| HIST 4331 | Mexican-American Civil Rights | 3 |
| HIST 4332 | Chicano Movement | 3 |
| HIST 4333 | Food and Agricultural History | 3 |
| HIST 4392 | Special Topics in United States History | 3 |
European History - 6 hours
Choose from:
Latin American History - 3 hours
Choose from:
World/Asian/Middle Eastern History - 3 hours
Choose from:
Additional History Electives - 6 hours
Choose from additional advanced History (HIST) courses except HIST 3301.
Geography Component - 6 hours
Political Science Component - 6 hours
Choose from:
Economics - 6 hours
Choose from:
Free Electives - hours will vary
Free electives credit hours required may vary to achieve the institutional minimum of 120 hours for a degree.
Total Credit Hours: 42
Total Credit Hours: 120
View this program’s recommended roadmap to graduation.
UTRGV Roadmaps are a suggested sequence of courses designed to assist students in completing their undergraduate degree requirements. This is a term-by-term sample roadmap of courses required to complete the degree. Students must satisfy all requirements in their catalog including, but not limited to course prerequisites, grade point average and course grade benchmarks, progression requirements, and graduation requirements.
Students should meet with their academic advisor every semester to discuss their individualized path toward completion. Degree progress within this roadmap depends upon such factors as course availability, individual student academic preparation and readiness, student time management, work and personal responsibilities, and financial considerations. Students may choose to take courses during summer terms to reduce course loads during long semesters.