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Historical and Political Studies (B.A.) – Online

The personal is political.

That saying isn’t just a bumper sticker slogan. It’s a recognition that politics is present — sometimes overtly and sometimes not so much — in the social structures that govern just about every aspect of our lives. The major in Historical and Political Studies aims to help students shine a light on those structures, asking: How do we know what we know — and why?

Our program is aligned with the key tenets of multicultural education and prepares students for graduate studies or careers in law, government and teaching. Every day, we’re challenging students to consider different perspectives and to reflect on their daily practices and understandings of the world as a way to promote intellectual and social growth.


B.A. Historical and Political Studies (Online)

Learning Outcomes

Upon completion the program in Historical and Political Studies, a graduating student will demonstrate the following competencies:

1. Historical change, continuity and causality; Students will employ chronology to understand change and continuity, as well as cause and effect, in history. The skills and competencies in this area are developed in all regularly offered history courses.

2. The workings of politics and governance; Students will learn how and why people create forms of governance. This knowledge can be used to evaluate the effectiveness of laws and political institutions. The skills and competencies in this area are developed in all regularly offered political science courses.

3. Historical and political perspectives and interpretations; Students will explain historical events and political developments with multiple views and interpretations thereby avoiding explanations that point to historical linearity or political inevitability.

4. How to conduct and present historical and political research; Students will use the tools and methods of historians or political scientists to transform learning from memorization to actually “doing” history or political science.

5. Preparation for an intended career. The Program offers preparation for the following career areas: 
 • Law
 • Education
 • Government

B.A. Historical and Political Studies (Online) Degree Requirements

Required Coursework

• Completion of a minimum of 120 credit hours of coursework
• Completion of general education courses required for all bachelor’s degrees
• Minimum cumulative GPA of 2.0 for all work completed at Chaminade
• Minimum of 45 credit hours must be upper division coursework
• At least half of the required upper division courses must be completed at Chaminade

 

Pre-major Requirements
Choose two of the following:

• HI 151 World Civilizations I
• HI 152 World Civilizations II
• HI 201 America through Civil War 
• HI 202 America since Civil War
• POL 111 Comparative Government and Politics
• POL 211 American Government & Politics

Note: The specific selections may vary according to the intended career and personal interests. Students intending to teach social studies in the middle and secondary schools have further prerequisites as listed below.

 

Major Requirements

The student must complete 24 upper division credits in History or Political Science, or some combination of courses from the two disciplines. This includes HI/POL 494 Research Seminar that is required for all majors.

The other 21 credits in the program will be decided with the faculty advisor based on intended career and personal interests. Three advising paths are recommended (see below).

Path towards a career in Law

Lower-Division Requirements (choose two):

• HI 201 America through Civil War
• HI 202 America since Civil War
• POL 111 Comparative Government and Politics
• POL 211 American Government & Politics

Upper-Division Requirements (choose at least seven):

• HI 304 America Between the Wars
• HI/POL 305 Contemporary America
• HI 321 Ancient Europe
• HI/POL 324 Modern Europe
• HI/POL 341 Vietnam War
• HI/POL 344 Modern Southeast Asia
• HI/POL 401 U.S. Constitution I
• HI/POL 402 U.S. Constitution II
• HI 405 African Americans
• HI 406 Women in America
• HI 407 History of Rock-n-Roll
• HI 422 Pre-Modern Russia
• HI 443 Pre-Modern Japan
• HI/POL 444 Modern Japan
• HI/POL 446 Modern Middle East
• HI 450 Pre-Modern Hawaii
• HI/POL 451 Modern Hawaii
• HI/POL 475 History and Politics of Film
• POL 374 International Law
• POL 376 Public Administration
• HI/POL 494 Research Seminar*

*Student must complete at least 12 hours of upper-division History/Political Science coursework before enrolling in this course

Path towards a career in Education

Lower-division requirements:

• EC 201 Principals of Macroeconomics
• GE 102 World Regional Geography
• HI 151 World Civilizations I
• HI 152 World Civilizations II
• HI 201 America through Civil War
• HI 202 America Since the Civil War
• POL 211 American Government and Politics

Upper-Division Requirements (choose at least seven):

• HI 301 Early America
• HI 302 American Civil War Era
• HI 304 America Between the Wars
• HI/POL 305 Contemporary America
• HI 321 Ancient Europe
• HI/RE 322 Medieval Life and Thought
• HI 323 Pre-Modern Europe
• HI/POL 324 Modern Europe
• HI/POL 341 Vietnam War
• HI/POL 344 Modern Southeast Asia
• HI 371
• POL 375 International Relations
• HI/POL 401 U.S. Constitution I
• HI/POL 402 U.S. Constitution II
• HI/POL 403 American Diplomacy
• HI 405 African Americans
• HI 406 Women in America
• HI 407 History of Rock-n-Roll
• HI/POL 418 International History of the Cold War
• HI/POL 419 Contemporary World Order
• HI/POL 420  
• HI 422 Pre-Modern Russia
• HI 424 Modern Russia
• HI/POL 442 Modern China
• HI 443 Pre-Modern Japan
• HI/POL 444 Modern Japan
• HI/POL 446 Modern Middle East
• HI 450 Pre-Modern Hawaii*
• HI/POL 451 Modern Hawaii*
• HI 452 Pre-Modern Pacific Islands
• HI/POL 453 Modern Pacific Islands
• HI/POL 475 History and Politics of Film
• HI/POL 494 Research Seminar**

*Students preparing to teach in Hawaii must take these courses

**Student must complete at least 12 hours of upper-division history/political science coursework before enrolling in this course

Path towards a career in Government

Lower-Division Requirements (choose two):

• HI 152 World Civilizations II
• HI 202 America since Civil War
• POL 111 Comparative Government and Politics
• POL 211 American Government & Politics

Upper-Division Requirements (choose at least seven):

• HI 301 Early America
• HI/POL 305 Contemporary America
• HI 323 Pre-Modern Europe
• HI/POL 324 Modern Europe
• HI/POL 401 U.S. Constitution I
• HI/POL 402 U.S. Constitution II
• HI/POL 403 American Diplomacy
• HI 406 Women in America
• HI/POL 418 International History of the Cold War
• HI/POL 419 Contemporary World Order
• HI/POL 420
• HI/POL 442 Modern China
• HI/POL 446 Modern Middle East
• HI 452 Pre-Modern Pacific Islands
• HI/POL 453 Modern Pacific Islands
• POL 345 Comparative Asian Politics
•POL/RE 347 Justice, Development and Human Rights
• POL 374 International Law
• POL 375 International Relations
• POL 376
• POL 411
• POL 486 Legislative Internship
• HI/POL 494 Research Seminar*

*Student must complete at least 12 hours of upper-division History/Political Science coursework before enrolling in this course

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