History
Associate in Arts Degree for Transfer History · Golden West College · 2026-2027 Catalog
History is the study of past human events and ideas that continue to inform the present. The study of primary sources (i.e. original documents and objects) fosters essential critical thinking, analytical, and interpretative skills for students. Multiple voices and conflicting interpretations of sources encourages a healthy skepticism of preconceived information and challenges students to ask essential questions, to explain historical causality, to pose new interpretations, and to conduct their own research using historical evidence. An understanding of the past, moreover, enables students to better understand their identity and to contribute to their society as more informed citizens.
Program Learning Outcomes
- Describe the structure, pace, and causal agents of changing historical contexts.
- Employ interpretative skills to reach reasoned conclusions from historical evidence.
- Evaluate cultural, socio-political, and economic contexts through historical time.
Potential careers students may enter upon completion are as follows:
- Lawyer
- Advertising Executive
- Analyst
- Archivist
- Broadcaster
- Campaign Worker
- Consultant
- Congressional Aide
- Editor
- Foreign Service Officer
- Foundation Staffer
- Information Specialist
- Intelligence Agent
- Journalist
- Legal Assistant
- Lobbyist
- Personnel Manager
- Public Relations Staffer
- Researcher
- Teacher
Requirements
Associate Degree for Transfer Graduation Requirements
Associate Degrees for Transfer require students to meet the following requirements:
- Completion of 60 semester units or 90 quarter units of degree-applicable courses,
- Minimum overall grade point average of 2.0,
- Minimum grade of “C” (or “P”) for each course in the major, and
- Completion of Cal-GETC.
Students should consult a GWC counselor to select the best pathway to meet their educational goals. For students who intend to transfer, the choice of general education will be specific to both their major and transfer institution.
| Course | Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| Required Courses – Core | ||
| HIST C1001 | United States History to 1877 | 3 |
| HIST C1002 | United States History since 1865 | 3 |
| List A | ||
| Select one course from each of the following groups: | 6 | |
| Group 1 | ||
| HIST G161 | World History 1 | 3 |
| HIST G180 | Western Civilization 1 | 3 |
| Group 2 | ||
| HIST G162 | World History 2 | 3 |
| HIST G185 | Western Civilization 2 | 3 |
| List B | ||
| Select one course from each of the following groups: | 6 | |
| Any course from List A not already used | ||
| Group 1 | ||
| HIST G161 | World History 1 1 | 3 |
| HIST G162 | World History 2 1 | 3 |
| HIST G120 | Asian Civilizations | 3 |
| HIST G121 | History of American Women | 3 |
| HIST G145 | History of Africa | 3 |
| HIST G150 | History of Latin America | 3 |
| HIST G155 | Ethnic Groups of the United States: Their Histories | 3 |
| Group 2 | ||
| HIST G161 | World History 1 1 | 3 |
| HIST G162 | World History 2 1 | 3 |
| HIST G180 | Western Civilization 1 1 | 3 |
| HIST G185 | Western Civilization 2 1 | 3 |
| HIST G110 | Economic History of The United States | 3 |
| HIST G140 | California History | 3 |
| ARTH C1100 | Survey of Art from Prehistory to the Medieval Era | 3 |
| ARTH C1200 | Survey of Art from the Renaissance to Contemporary | 3 |
| Major Total | 18 | |
| GE Pattern (Cal-GETC) | 34 | |
| Transferable Electives (as needed to reach 60 transferable units) | ||
| Total Units | 60 | |
- If not used in List A.