Your fastest path to a history degree is usually the school that gives the most useful credit for work you’ve already completed—not simply the one with the shortest admissions form. Online history bachelor’s admissions can affect your schedule, tuition, and time to graduation, so compare degree options with GetEducated’s online history bachelor’s program list before paying an application fee or ordering transcripts.
Key Takeaways
- General undergraduate admission rules may matter more than prior history courses, so a history background alone may not determine admission.
- Request a written transfer evaluation showing whether each accepted course applies to the major, general education requirements, electives, or unused work.
- Compare the exact degree title because history, military history, and teacher preparation tracks may have different course plans and may use your previous coursework differently.
A large transfer allowance does not guarantee a short path to graduation. Credits can enter as major requirements, general education courses, electives, or unused work. The strongest offer is the one that places your prior courses where they reduce the requirements you still must complete.
That distinction matters because an accepted credit can still leave the history courses required for the major untouched. A course counted only as an elective may reduce the total credits you need without moving you closer to the major requirements. Compare the written evaluation with the degree plan so you can see whether the transfer policy actually shortens your path, rather than relying on a broad promise that the school accepts transfer credit.
How Online History Bachelor’s Admissions Usually Work
Begin with the school’s general undergraduate standards. According to one program’s official Bachelor of Arts in History page, applicants do not need history-specific prerequisite courses or prior work experience. They must instead meet the university’s general undergraduate admission standards. That distinction matters if your earlier studies were in business, health care, technology, or another field: a different academic background may not prevent admission, but it can affect how much of your previous coursework applies to the degree.
General admission and admission to the history major are not always the same decision. A school may admit you to the university before it finishes reviewing transferred courses, leaving the degree plan unsettled until that review is complete. Read the application instructions closely, and compare them with the degree requirements shown in GetEducated’s online history degree directory. The useful question is not only whether a course transfers, but where it lands. A credit applied to general education can remove a required course, while one accepted only as an elective may do little to shorten the major.
Your application file may need several separate checks:
- Whether you meet the school’s undergraduate admission rules
- Whether official transcripts have arrived from every prior college
- Whether accepted credits apply to general education, the history major, or electives
- Whether the program has a separate application, field placement, or teacher preparation requirement
Those categories affect both your course sequence and the point at which you can begin upper-level history work. A transcript can show substantial college experience and still leave key major requirements untouched if the credits fall into the wrong category. That is why an informal transfer estimate is useful only for planning, not for registration.
Do not register from an unofficial estimate alone. Ask when the formal transfer review occurs and whether you will receive a course-by-course report. That report should show both the credits accepted and the requirements they satisfy. If a course is listed as an elective when you expected it to meet a general education or history requirement, request an explanation before building the rest of your schedule around it.
Match Prior Coursework to the History Degree You Want
The degree title is an early clue about what your transfer work must cover. American Public University System offers a Bachelor of Arts in History and a Bachelor of Arts in Military History. Grand Canyon University lists both a Bachelor of Arts in History and a Bachelor of Arts in History for Secondary Education (ITL). These are distinct programs, not interchangeable labels.
A course can be relevant to history without satisfying a history-major requirement. Depending on the program, transferred work may apply to general education, the major, a concentration, or only the total credits needed for graduation. That distinction affects how much of the degree you still have to complete, so compare your transcript with the actual curriculum rather than relying on the program title.
Before applying, sort your completed courses into four groups:
- General education, such as writing, math, science, and social science
- History courses that may fit the major
- Courses related to a concentration or teacher preparation track
- Electives that may count toward the total degree but not the major
Look closely at the history courses that appear most likely to transfer. A lower-level survey course may cover useful subject matter but leave an upper-level requirement untouched, while a course tied to a concentration may fit only if you pursue that option. Request a formal prerequisite evaluation and have the school identify where each course will apply before you commit to the program.
This review also helps you select a degree that fits your longer plan. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that in 2023, 1,292,450 people with history degrees were employed; 60% worked in occupations requiring at least a bachelor’s degree, while 50% held an advanced degree. If graduate study may follow, ask how transferred courses appear on the transcript and whether the program leaves room for upper-level history work. A degree that accepts more credits is not necessarily the better choice if those credits leave you short on the research and writing preparation you will need later.
Career plans can affect which program title makes sense. The Bureau of Labor Statistics identifies historians, archivists, curators, and museum technicians among occupations connected with history, with employers including museums, historical sites, governments, colleges and universities, corporations, and other schools. A teacher preparation track may add requirements that a general history degree does not advertise in its title alone. If classroom teaching is your goal, confirm whether the track includes the preparation sequence you need; if it is not, those courses may take up space without serving your intended path.
Graduate study is especially relevant for a student aiming to become a historian. The Bureau of Labor Statistics says historians typically need a master’s degree; the occupation had a 2025 median annual wage of $74,050 and about 300 openings projected annually from 2025–2035. That does not make one bachelor’s track automatically better, but it gives you a reason to protect space for advanced research and writing courses. Review the degree map for those courses before accepting a transfer evaluation, particularly if your completed credits are concentrated in general education or electives.
GetEducated's Picks
- King University Bachelor of Science in History
- Eastern Oregon University Bachelor of Arts / Bachelor of Science in History
- Southwest Minnesota State University Bachelor of Arts in History
How Transfer Credits Apply to the Degree
Transfer quantity and transfer usefulness are different. According to one university’s official online Bachelor of Arts in History page, students may transfer up to 90 credits. The word up to matters: the school still decides which courses are accepted and where they fit in the degree plan. A large transfer allowance may shorten the degree, but only if the credits apply to requirements you still need rather than filling space that would have remained open anyway.
A course can transfer without replacing a requirement. For example, a history class may enter as a general elective rather than satisfy a required part of the major. The result is accepted credit on your record but little change to the number of required courses ahead. That distinction can affect both your completion timeline and the usefulness of prior coursework, particularly if you have taken several related classes that the new school groups differently. GetEducated’s transfer credit questions for liberal arts students can help you prepare for this review.
Ask the transfer office for answers in writing, and request a course-by-course evaluation rather than relying on the maximum transfer figure:
- Which courses satisfy the history major?
- Which courses meet general education requirements?
- How many accepted credits remain electives?
- Must any upper-level history requirements be completed at the new school?
- Will a change from a BA to a BS alter the evaluation?
Course descriptions and syllabi can help when a title does not show what you studied. Keep copies from your former school, especially for specialized history, research, or writing courses. A syllabus may give the evaluator enough detail to match the course with a major requirement instead of placing it among general electives. If the first evaluation places a course only as an elective, ask whether the school has a review or appeal process and what documents it accepts. Compare the revised result with the degree plan so you can see whether the appeal changes the courses still ahead.
Compare Transfer Policies Before You Commit
A useful comparison looks beyond the headline transfer allowance. Ask each school for a written evaluation showing which courses transfer, how those credits apply, and what requirements remain. Then place that result beside the program title and total program cost. Eastern Oregon University offers the Bachelor of Arts / Bachelor of Science in History, while Southwest Minnesota State University offers the Bachelor of Arts in History. Similar degree titles can produce very different evaluations, especially when prior coursework transfers as general credit instead of satisfying a major requirement.
| School And Program | Total Program Cost Including All Mandatory Fees | Transfer Question To Resolve |
|---|---|---|
| Eastern Oregon University — Bachelor of Arts / Bachelor of Science in History | $30,590 | Does the BA or BS place your earlier courses more effectively? |
| American Public University System — Bachelor of Arts in History | $34,500 (In-State/Out-of-State) / $30,100 (Military) | Which accepted courses satisfy the history major rather than electives? |
The written evaluation should drive the final comparison. A school that accepts many credits as electives may leave more required work than one that accepts fewer credits but applies them directly to the major. That difference affects more than the transcript: it can change how many courses you still need, which prerequisites must come first, and whether the advertised completion path matches your situation. You can also compare broader online liberal arts bachelor’s programs if history requirements do not make good use of your prior study.
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Before committing, place each written evaluation beside the school’s degree map. Mark every remaining general education course, major requirement, elective, and special requirement. Pay attention to credits that appear to count toward the degree but do not reduce the major coursework you still have to complete. This review shows which admission offer gives your prior coursework the most useful place in the degree and whether the remaining schedule fits your work and caregiving responsibilities.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need college history courses before applying?
Not always. Some programs use general undergraduate admission standards without history-specific prerequisites. Check both the university requirements and the history department’s degree plan, since admission eligibility and degree requirements are separate questions.
Can I transfer into a history bachelor’s without an associate degree?
A completed associate degree is not the only form of prior college work. Submit official transcripts and ask the school to evaluate each course you completed. Individual courses may still affect your remaining requirements even without a completed credential.
How do I know whether a history course will transfer?
Request a written, course-by-course evaluation. A school may also ask for a catalog description or syllabus before deciding how a course applies. That review can show whether a course satisfies a specific requirement or lands in elective space.
Will old college credits still transfer?
Age rules can differ by school and subject. Ask whether the school limits older credits or reviews them individually. The answer may change how much of your earlier coursework actually reduces the remaining degree requirements.
Does work experience count toward admission?
Work experience may not be an admission requirement for a general history degree. Credit for prior learning is a separate policy, so ask about it directly. Experience alone does not explain how the school will treat your application or coursework.
Can military training count as transfer credit?
Policies differ. Ask whether the school evaluates an official military transcript and whether accepted work fills requirements or only elective space. The same military coursework can therefore affect the degree plan differently from one program to another.
Does choosing a BA or BS affect transfer credits?
It can affect where prior courses fit because the two degree plans may have different requirements. Request an evaluation for the exact program you intend to enter. An evaluation for a related degree may not show the courses you would still need.
Should I apply before requesting a transfer evaluation?
Some schools complete an official review only after receiving an application and transcripts. Ask about the sequence before paying fees or enrolling. Knowing when the evaluation occurs helps you avoid making a commitment without seeing the remaining degree plan.
Do accepted transfer credits always shorten the degree?
No. Credits may enter as electives without replacing required courses. Judge the offer by the remaining degree plan, not only by the accepted total. A larger accepted total is not necessarily the better result if required history courses remain untouched.