University Catalogues

Minor in History

The Minor in History offers students the opportunity to deepen their understanding of the past and to broaden and sharpen their focus on the present. Students can apply these to any occupation that calls for independent judgment, clear reasoning, and an appreciation for the way the world works.

Students are encouraged but not required to explore a particular theme in History.  Possible examples of themes are below.  See the department chair for more details.

Course Title Credits
Choose four courses in History
Total credits12

Approved History Themes 

Concentration/themes within history must be approved by the History Chair.  Possible options include, but are not limited to:

Course Title Credits
History of the Americas
Latin America (1800-present)
The Caribbean: Past, Present, Future
Colonial America (1400-1750)
The Revolutionary Generation in the United States (1750-1815)
Modern United States History (1920-present)
Constitutional History of the United States
Economic History of the United States
Work and the American Worker
History of American Technology
Serfs, Slaves and Sojourners: The Minority Experience in the United States
The American Religious Experience
History of Capitalism in Modern America
American Environmental History
The United States: From Nation to Empire (1865-1920)
America and Its Arts
U.S. Women's History
Immigration in U.S. History
History of American Sports
Baseball as American History
History of Boston
The Civil War
European History
History of Ireland: From St. Patrick to "The Troubles"
Arts and Society
The Medieval West
The Romantic Age
Modern British History
The Soviet Union and After
World War I
World War II
Europe Reborn: From Cold War to the War in Ukraine
War and Society
Genocide in Modern History
Historic Approach to Modern Terrorism
Revolutions and the Modern World
The Revolutionary Generation in the United States (1750-1815)
The Civil War
World War I
World War II
The Vietnam War
Economic History
History of the World Economy
Economic History of the United States
Work and the American Worker
History of Capitalism in Modern America
Asian History
History of China: Before Confucius, After Mao (formerly HI 270)
History of Japan: Samurai and Salarymen (formerly HI 272)
Middle East: Islamic and Contemporary (formerly HI 284)
Modern South Asia
Fashion Film and Food in South Asia
Women and Gender in South Asia
South Asian Religions

 Additional thematic areas are available upon approval. Examples include “The Formation of the Atlantic World,” “Early Civilizations,” and “The Medieval and Early Modern World.”

Policies Related to Minors

  • Some major/minor/major combinations are prohibited. See the major/minor/major exclusions list for more information.
  • Courses taken to fulfill a minor can be applied as arts and sciences electives, unrestricted electives or Context and Perspectives courses. Courses fulfilling Business Dynamics or Business Environment requirements can only apply to the Business Administration minor.  
  • Courses fulfilling Foundations for Success requirements may not be applied to a minor.
  • The electives guide defines all classes designated as Arts and Sciences and Business. A business course can apply to an unrestricted elective requirement but cannot serve as an arts and science elective.  Students are strongly encouraged to maintain an awareness of where courses taken for a minor apply to their degree requirements.
  • Courses used to fulfill the modern language requirement for BA students cannot be applied to a minor.
  • A course taken under the Pass/Fail/D policy may be applied to the minor.
  • Major courses (including courses applied to the Business Administration major) may not be applied to a minor.
  • Students may apply only one course not taken at Bentley (from sources such as transfer, IB, AP, course away, non-Bentley study abroad program, etc.) to the minor.
  • Students may only complete a maximum of three minors including the required Business Administration minor
  • A single course may only apply to one minor.
  • To be awarded a minor, students must achieve a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.0 in the minor. See the exception for the Business Administration Minor below.
  • A minor may not be declared after a student has been awarded their bachelor's degree.
  • Please note: some courses have prerequisites that must be completed before beginning the minor and some minor requirements/electives have prerequisites that must be completed.

Policy on Business Administration Minor

All students will automatically be enrolled in a Business Administration minor. In order to graduate with a designated minor, a student must earn a 2.00 GPA for the courses comprising the minor. All Bentley students are required to successfully complete the courses for the Business Administration minor (grade of D- or above), no matter what major(s) they select, as part of their requirements. Students who pass the required courses for the Business Administration minor, but do not meet the minimum required 2.00 GPA, will have the minor removed as a program of study prior to being awarded an undergraduate degree.