Student credentials are evaluated first in Admissions and then forwarded to the History Program. Your application must satisfy the enrollment criteria of both for in order for you to be considered for entry to the Online History Program. Remember, the program’s decision about your admission will be made only after all requested application
information has been received.

Enrollment in the undergraduate online major is competitive; only 20 students per academic year are admitted into the program. For best consideration, applicants must submit all required materials no later than February 15 for the upcoming Fall semester.

The History Online degree program will only consider applicants who live outside a 50 mile range of UIS. However, the department will consider applicants within this limit who have documented disabilities and meet all program qualifications.

We will write to acknowledge your application shortly after reviewing your application file. We will notify you by March 15 of your status: whether you have been accepted to, placed on a waiting list for, or denied entry to the program. Please notify us if, in the interim, you change your mind about applying.

Application Process

To apply to the Online History Program, you must first have:

• A minimum of 45 credit hours at the lower-division (freshman/sophomore) level
• A grade point average of 3.20 or higher on a 4.0 scale from an accredited college or university
• 3 semester hours of HIS 201 World History or HIS 202 European History (or transfer equivalent courses from an accredited institution)
• 3 semester hours of HIS 203 U.S. History (or transfer equivalent course from an accredited institution)
• Access to the Internet and compliance with Technology Requirements (see below)
• The study skills and dedication necessary to complete a degree online

After acquiring all of the above, the next step in the admissions process is to follow the UIS procedure for online application.

In addition to the general UIS admissions process, applicants who are applying to the Online History Program must submit a Statement of Intent (not to exceed 500 words) in which they discuss:

• Academic background
• Rationale for pursuing a History degree
• Rationale for wanting to complete the degree online at UIS
• Plan for progress toward and completion of their degree
• Other relevant experience

The statement of intent should be mailed to the following address:

History Department
University of Illinois at Springfield
One University Plaza, UHB 3050
Springfield, IL 62703-5407
 
or emailed as a MS word attachment to the program coordinator, Amanda Winters at awint01s@uis.edu

Technology Requirements

Students must have the minimum requirements in order to participate in online courses:
 
(create table with two columns: PC/Mac)
PC
Mac
333MHz Intel® Pentium® processor or equivalent
604 PowerPC (200 MHz or better)
128MB of RAM
128 MB RAM
56Kbps modem
65MB virtual memory
16-bit sound card and speakers
Mac OS 8.1 or newer
65,000-color video display card (video)
Internet connection and either Internet Explorer 5.5 or Netscape 4.7 or newer
Windows 98 operating system or newer
SOME classes might require CD-ROM
Internet connection and either Internet Explorer 5.5 or Netscape 4.7 or newer

SOME classes might require CD-ROM

Those interested in the Online History major at UIS should participate in a browser test sponsored by the Center for Online Learning Research and Service. The results of this test will ensure that program candidates’ systems have the requisite tools and that they are working properly. 

The results screen at the end of the browser test will help to download needed software.  The browser test assumes that hardware meets the requirements listed below.  If the computer does not meet these requirements, it will not be able to pass the browser test. 

Students who don’t have access to a computer and live in one of the participating Illinois community college districts can access computers and technical support through a local community college. Visit the Illinois Virtual Campus for more information about this option.