An Associate in Arts Degree may be earned by completing a minimum of 60 units of degree credit coursework, including the major requirements and breadth requirements, with a minimum grade point average of 2.0. Students must complete all courses for the major with a grade of C or better. The History Program is part of the Social Sciences Department and is committed to the highest possible standards in teaching and facilitating learning in a student-centered environment. History is the systematic study and interpretation of the past. Historians research, analyze, and interpret the past. They use many primary sources of information in their research, including government and institutional records, newspapers and other periodicals, photographs, interviews, films, and unpublished materials such as manuscripts, personal diaries, and letters. Historians usually specialize in a country or region, a particular time period, or a particular field, such as social, intellectual, cultural, political, military, or diplomatic history. They communicate their research and findings through books, articles, essays, lectures, and seminars.