Bachelor of Arts (BA) Degree with a Major in History and a Major Concentration in History: International Concentration

BA Degree with a Major in History and an International Major Concentration

Upon completing the BA degree with a major in History, students will be able to:

1. Identify and connect the ways that people, ideas, and technologies have circulated across the range of geographic regions and historical periods.
2. Apply historical questions to concrete cases and demonstrate analytical skills through the use of historical evidence, rigorous logic, and persuasive argument.
3. Exhibit a solid understanding of historical methodologies and research skills, including the careful and creative use of primary and secondary sources that are read critically and weighed carefully as historical evidence.
4. Demonstrate an awareness of the scholarly literature on a given research topic and identify the position of their research within that literature.
5. Exhibit mastery in writing persuasive and analytical prose following the conventions of the discipline.

Additionally, upon completing the BA degree with a major in History and a major concentration in History: International Concentration, students will be able to:

1. Experience a different language and culture in situ.
2. Demonstrate the ability to use a second language for research. 

BA Degree with a Major in History

For general university requirements, see Graduation Requirements. Students pursuing BA degree with a major in History must complete:

• A minimum of 50 courses (30 credit hours) to satisfy major requirements.
• A minimum of 520 credit hours to satisfy degree requirements.
• A minimum of 6 courses (58 credit hours) taken at 300-level or above.
• A maximum of 4 courses (52 credit hours) from study abroad or transfer credit. For additional departmental guidelines regarding transfer credit, see Policies tab.
• A minimum of 2 courses (6 credit hours) from departmental course offerings of 400-level seminars. 

In addition to degree requirements, students following major concentration in History: International Concentration will be required to: 

• Complete a significant study abroad experience (such as those recommended by Rice's Office of International Programs).
• Demonstrate research competence in a language other than English.

Students may demonstrate language competency in two ways. Students who pass a departmental language exam will be certified as having met language requirement. Students who complete a history honors thesis or a 400-level seminar paper that draws on a significant number of non-English secondary or primary sources will also be certified as having met stipulation. 

courses listed below satisfy this major. In certain instances, courses not on this official list may be substituted upon approval of major’s academic advisor, or where applicable, department's Director of Undergraduate Studies. (Course substitutions must be formally applied and entered into Degree Works by major's Official Certifier.) Students and their academic advisors should identify and clearly document courses to be taken.

Applicants whose first language is not English are required to demonstrate English proficiency in one of two ways:

1. Completing at least two years of full-time study in an English language curriculum prior to submitting an application.

2. Submitting one of the following official test scores.

• The Coalition Application or the Common Application and Rice writing supplement
• $75 nonrefundable application fee (must be paid online)
• Official high school transcript in English (or a certified English translation)
• Recommendation Letters
  • School Counselor
  • Teacher 5
  • Teacher 2
• Demonstration of English proficiency
• International Student Financial Statement
• Architecture portfolio (Architecture applicants only)