American History & Institutions Requirement

The American history and institutions requirement ensures that every graduating student will have at least a minimum knowledge of the background of this country’s development and an understanding of the political, economic and social interrelationships of its way of life.

You may meet this requirement in any of these ways:

  • Complete one high school unit in American history, or 1/2 high school unit in American history and 1/2 high school unit in civics or American government, with a grade of C or better in each course
  • Complete any one of the following courses:
    African American & African Studies (AAS)
    AAS 010African-American Culture & Society4
    AAS 100Survey of Ethnicity in the US4
    Asian American Studies (ASA)
    ASA 001Historical Experience of Asian Americans4
    ASA 002Contemporary Issues of Asian Americans4
    Chicana/Chicano Studies (CHI)
    CHI 010Introduction to Chicana/o Studies4
    Economics (ECN)
    ECN 111AEconomic History4
    ECN 111BEconomics History4
    History (HIS)
    HIS 017AHistory of the United States4
    HIS 017BHistory of the United States4
    HIS 072AWomen & Gender in America, to 18654
    HIS 072BWomen & Gender in America, 1865-Present4
    HIS 170AColonial America4
    HIS 170BThe American Revolution4
    HIS 170CThe Early National Period, 1789-18154
    HIS 171ASlavery, Society & Expansion in the Early U.S.4
    HIS 171BCivil War Era4
    HIS 174AThe Gilded Age & Progressive Era: United States, 1876-19174
    HIS 174BWar, Prosperity, & Depression: United States, 1917-19454
    HIS 174CThe United States Since World War II, 1945 to the Present4
    HIS 176ACultural & Social History of United States4
    HIS 176BCultural & Social History of United States4
    HIS 177AHistory of Black People & American Race Relations: 1450-18604
    HIS 177BHistory of Black People & American Race Relations: 1860-Present4
    HIS 179Asian American History, 1850-Present4
    HIS 180ANAmerican Political History, 1789-18964
    HIS 180BNAmerican Political History, 1896-present4
    HIS 183AThe Frontier Experience: Trans-Mississippi West4
    HIS 183BThe Frontier Experience: Trans-Mississippi West4
    Native American Studies (NAS)
    NAS 001Introduction to Native American Studies4
    NAS 010Native American Experience4
    NAS 116Native American Traditional Governments4
    NAS 130ANative American Ethno-Historical Development4
    NAS 130BNative American Ethno-Historical Development4
    NAS 130CNative American Ethno-Historical Development4
    Political Science (POL)
    POL 001American National Government4
    or POL 001Y American National Government
    POL 005Contemporary Problems of the American Political System4
    POL 100Local Government & Politics4
    POL 102Urban Public Policy4
    POL 104California State Government & Politics4
    POL 105The Legislative Process4
    POL 106The Presidency4
    POL 108Policy Making in the Public Sector4
    POL 109Public Policy & the Governmental Process4
    POL 113American Political Thought4
    POL 130Recent U.S. Foreign Policy4
    POL 131Analysis of U.S. Foreign Policy4
    POL 160American Political Parties4
    POL 163Group Politics4
    Students electing to complete one of the above courses in order to meet this requirement are subject to the rules for prerequisites and majors.
  • Present evidence that the requirement has been accepted as satisfied at another campus of the university.
  • Present evidence that the requirement has been satisfied through courses in the area of American history and institutions at another collegiate institution whose credits are acceptable for transfer to UC Davis.
  • Successful completion of the Advanced Placement (AP) Examination in United States Government and Politics taken May 2014 and prior with a score of 3 or higher. As of May 2015, AP examination, AP United States Government & Politics no longer satisfies the American history and institutions requirement.
  • Successful completion of the International Baccalaureate (IB) Examination in History of the Americas Higher Level (HL) with a score of 5, 6, or 7.
  • Successful completion of the SAT Subject Examination in U.S. History with a score of 550 or higher.

International students, regardless of the type of visa they hold, must meet the university’s American history and institutions requirement for graduation.