California State University

What you'll study

The programme combines a broad foundation in historical methods with concentrated study of medieval and early modern Europe. Core modules typically cover the transformation from late antiquity to medieval polities, the rise of medieval Christian and Islamic societies, the intellectual and artistic developments of the High Middle Ages, the Renaissance in Italy and northern Europe, the Protestant and Catholic Reformations, and state formation and cultural exchange in the early modern era.

• Historical methods and historiography: introduction to working with primary sources, palaeography basics, and debates in historical interpretation.
• Medieval Europe: political structures, monasticism, crusades, legal and social institutions.
• Early modern Europe: the Renaissance, Reformation, scientific and cultural change, imperial expansion and early modern urban life.
• Culture and material life: art, manuscript culture, book history, ritual and everyday practices.
• Language and sources: reading knowledge of Latin is encouraged and often supported; courses in palaeography and translation of primary texts are common.
• Research and capstone: senior seminar or honours thesis, with options for archival research, digital history projects, or a public history practicum.
• Electives and interdisciplinary options: modules in art history, religious studies, archaeology, literature and early modern science to broaden contextual understanding.

The degree structure generally follows university-wide general education requirements alongside a sequence of lower- and upper-division history courses, culminating in a research-focused senior project or internship in a museum, archive or related organisation.

Entry requirements

Admission follows California State University system criteria for undergraduate entry. Typical expectations include completion of CSU A–G high school coursework or an equivalent secondary qualification, and a competitive high school GPA. Transfer students from community colleges are admitted based on completion of general education and lower-division major prerequisites with a satisfactory GPA. International applicants must demonstrate English proficiency through an accepted test or equivalent evidence of prior study in English.

Departments may also look for evidence of academic preparation in history or related subjects, a personal statement outlining interest in medieval and early modern studies, and sometimes letters of recommendation. Specific campuses may have additional requirements or recommended preparatory courses such as introductory history, writing, or elementary Latin.

Career prospects

Graduates develop analytical writing, research and source-interpretation skills that are valued across many sectors. Common career paths include:

• Museum, archive and heritage work — curatorship, collections management, educational programming and conservation support.
• Public history and cultural resource management — interpretation, exhibit design, and community engagement.
• Education — secondary teaching (usually combined with a teaching credential) and tutoring.
• Publishing, journalism and communications — editorial roles, content development and research support.
• Law, public policy and nonprofit sectors — roles that draw on strong critical thinking and evidence-based argumentation.
• Further study — MA and PhD programmes in history, medieval studies, art history or related disciplines, as well as professional degrees.

Students can boost employability through internships with local museums and archives, work-study placements, digital-history projects and study-abroad or research stays in Europe when available.

Why study at California State University

The California State University system offers accessible, transfer-friendly undergraduate programmes with a strong emphasis on teaching and applied learning. History departments within the system provide close faculty mentoring, small upper-division seminars and opportunities for hands-on archival work supported by campus libraries and regional collections.

Students benefit from interdisciplinary collaboration across departments such as art history, religious studies and anthropology, and from internship pipelines into California’s extensive museum, cultural and archival institutions. The system’s commitment to undergraduate research and community engagement makes it well suited to students who want both rigorous academic training in medieval and early modern cultural history and practical experience that prepares them for careers or further study.