History

History is one of the most important and fundamental fields of academic inquiry. By knowing our past, we better understand our current civilizations and we better prepare for a more just and progressive shared future. The Pasadena City College History Department has a wide selection of over 20 courses focusing on women, California, Middle East, Chicano/Latinos, and more. 

"Those who do not know the past are condemned to repeat it."

Many students at PCC take one or more history courses. Our history courses offer you a foundation critical to understanding international relations, business, the arts, the sciences, and more.

Students take our history courses for a variety of resources. Core to our breadth of history courses is the United States history series: History 7AB, and the world history series: History 2AB. Most of our history courses will fulfill your Diversity Requirement for pursuing an AA/AS degree. Or, if you are planning to transfer, you can take our courses to fulfill a GE requirement. Finally, you can earn the Associate in Arts for Transfer (AA-T) degree in history, which ensures you meet all the requirements to transfer to a CSU as a history major. 

Each semester we offer a variety of History courses that can be taken individually or as part of a planned program leading to a transfer degree. Use the links below to see full course descriptions and our current offerings. 

History | Associate in Arts for Transfer Degree (AA-T)

Earn a degree AND prepare to transfer. By completing the AA-T in history, you will finish the general education requirements as well as the lower division major requirements for a Bachelor degree in history prior to transferring to a CSU.

To complete the AA-T in History, you must complete 18 units of history in a prescribed pattern, complete 60 units of General Education courses, and maintain a minimum 2.0 GPA.

View Degree Requirements

Satisfy GE Requirements with History Courses

History courses also fulfill IGETC requirements in Area 3 and Area 4. The courses receive lower division CSU/UC credits. Economics 1A and 1B will satisfy CSU GEs, IGETC Requirements as well as GEs for some private and independent institutions. Visit the Transfer Center for resources to make sure these courses satisfy GEs for your degree or transfer plan.

Review Transfer & GE Requirements

With a degree in history, you can move in many different career directions. With the skills you learn from your history courses such as reading, analyzing data, synthesizing arguments, and thinking, you will be a marketable individual who is capable of analyzing and critical thinking. History degrees are adaptable to you if you are planning on pursuing a career in global studies, urban planning, teaching and education work, social work, library science, art and music, creative writing, journalism, business, politics, ethnic studies, and public policy. Your history education can also be used to enhance your volunteer activism and community involvement.
Our department encourages you to get actively involved in opportunities and events on campus. With student groups on campus such as Puente, MEChA, Black Student Alliance, Queer Alliance, Feminist Club, TROPA (Filipino Club), and the Global Club, you can put your classroom knowledge into practice! You can also enroll in History 20, a class that will give you the opportunity to conduct an independent study history project with any of the full-time history faculty members.