Lower-Division Requirements
Four courses at UC Berkeley (or their equivalents elsewhere), to include:
- 3 lower division courses from 3 different regions
- Africa: 10
- Asia: 6A, 6B, 11, 11A, 13, 14
- Europe: 4A, 4B, 5
- Latin America & The Caribbean: 8A, 8B
- Near & Middle East: 3, 12
- North America: 7A, 7B
- Elective or Topic Course
- Any of the above region courses, or one elective such as History 1, 2, 30 or 39. Note that History R1B, 24, 84 and 98 do not fulfill this requirement.)
Students may substitute one upper division course for any one of the lower division requirements, pending course review and approval by the Undergraduate Advisor. Please note that an upper division course in this case can only count for one lower division requirement or one upper division requirement; it cannot overlap.
For Non-Berkeley Courses
To find equivalent courses at California Community Colleges, see assist.org. Please be aware that not every possible course is articulated on assist.org. You are welcome to ask the Undergraduate Advisor about any non-articulated history courses. To have any non-Berkeley course approved, please supply a syllabus, or at least a course description, along with a copy of the transcript on which the course appears (unofficial is fine) when you declare the major, either online or in person.
Upper Division Requirements
Eight courses, to include:
Sources and Methods (History 104) *Required only for students who entered Berkeley in Fall 2023 and afterwards
At least one proseminar (History 103)
One research seminar (History 102 OR History 101A/B)
Field of Concentration
Effective Fall 2023, a Field of Concentration is no longer required for all history majors.
Independent Study in History
Students may create an independent study project in consultation with a supervising professor in the History Department under the number History 199. (Lecturers and GSIs may not supervise History 199.) With the professor's approval, History 199 may be taken for one to four units. A four-unit History 199 may count once as an upper division course requirement and can be a great addition to your Field of Concentration. History 199 may only be taken P/NP and will not be counted in the major GPA.
Please complete the History 199 Form with a faculty member, and turn the completed form in to the Undergraduate Advisor before the add deadline.
Sample Program Plans
Students interested in 2 and 4 year program plans can view sample programs here.