Massachusetts Community Colleges
History Programs
History coursework at community colleges in this state. U.S., world, and topical history sequences for transfer-track liberal-arts students.
5 colleges · 54 sections · 26 unique courses · Fall 2026 · Updated today
History coursework at Massachusetts community colleges serves two student groups: liberal-arts transfer students completing their gen-ed history requirements, and history majors finishing their first two years before transferring to a four-year history program. The 54 sections across 5 MassCC colleges this term cover US history surveys, world civilizations, and topical electives.
Like other transfer-oriented humanities programs, the value isn't in the associate as a terminal credential — it's in the credit transfer + smaller class sizes + lower tuition for the same content. Students serious about history careers (teaching, archival, academic) continue to bachelor's and often graduate programs; the CC associate is step one of a longer path.
Earnings & outcomes for History graduates
Federal College Scorecard data on what graduates of this program actually earn after completion. Where a school’s cohort is too small to publish, we show the national benchmark for the same field of study.
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, per-program (4-digit CIP) data. CIP 5401 — History. School cohorts are suppressed by the federal source when fewer than ~30 completers in the reporting cohort.
Colleges offering History
| College | Sections | Courses | Online | Awards/yr | 5-yr earnings |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bunker Hill Community College | 17 | 8 | 8 | 10 | — |
| Holyoke Community College | 11 | 9 | 4 | — | — |
| Springfield Technical Community College | 11 | 7 | 5 | — | — |
| Greenfield Community College | 9 | 7 | 4 | — | — |
| Berkshire Community College | 6 | 4 | 3 | — | — |
History Availability Snapshot
How history sections are being offered across 5 colleges in Massachusetts this term (54 sections total).
Delivery format
- online24 (44%)
- in person19 (35%)
- hybrid11 (20%)
When sections meet
- Morning (before noon)20
- Afternoon (noon–5 PM)8
- Evening (5 PM and after)2
- Asynchronous / TBA24
Start dates
Sections begin on 5 distinct dates. 3 late-start more than two weeks after the term's earliest start.
Instructor diversity
Taught by 18 distinct instructors across 5 colleges.
Degree requirements by college
Expand a college to see the courses required for graduation. Data sourced from each college's official catalog.
Bristol Community College1 program
MassTransfer A2B Program Courses
12 creditsSource: College catalog
Bunker Hill Community College1 program
Semester 1
Semester 2
Semester 3
- ELEC XXXornot offered
- ELEC XXXornot offered
- ELEC XXXOther specialized department-approved course *(3 cr)not offered
- ELEC XXXElective- 100-level History course(3 cr)not offered
- ELEC XXXElective - Aligned Interdisciplinary Course(3 cr)not offered
- ELEC XXXElective - Natural or Physical Science Elective(4 cr)not offered
- ELEC XXXElective - Humanities and Fine Arts Elective(3 cr)not offered
Source: College catalog
Cape Cod Community College1 program
Requirements
15 creditsSecond Semester
15 credits- ENL 102English Composition II(3 cr)not offered
Third Semester
15 credits- HIS 103U.S. History to 1865(3 cr)not offered
Fourth Semester
15 credits- HIS 104U.S. History since 1865(3 cr)not offered
Source: College catalog
Greenfield Community College1 program
Middlesex Community College1 program
Required Courses:
- ELEC XXXSemester 1not offered
- HST 130History Of World Civilization Before 15006 sections
- GGY 120World Geography4 sectionsor PHL 101
- ETH 101Ethics and Society19 sections
- ENG 101English Composition I88 sections
- MAT 120Math For Liberal Arts9 sections
- ELEC XXXInterdisciplinary Elective (may be taken in any semester) 1not offered
- ELEC XXXTotal(16 cr)not offered
- ELEC XXXSemester 2not offered
- HST 131History Of World Civilization After 15005 sections
- ECO 140Principles Of Macroeconomics11 sectionsor SOC 101
- ANT 101Cultural Anthropology7 sections
- ENV 131Environmental Science with Lab1 section
- MAT 177Statistics39 sections
- ELEC XXXTotal(16 cr)not offered
- ELEC XXXSemester 3not offered
- ELEC XXXECO/GOV/HST/SOC Elective 3not offered
- GOV 110Comparative Government1 section
- ENG 102English Composition II39 sections
- ELEC XXXHumanities Elective 3not offered
- ELEC XXXTotal(16 cr)not offered
- ELEC XXXSemester 4not offered
- ELEC XXXECO/GOV/HST/SOC Elective 3not offered
- ELEC XXXTotal(14 cr)not offered
Source: College catalog
Mount Wachusett Community College1 program
Recommended Course Sequence
62 credits- ENG 101College Writing I(3 cr)not offered
- HIS 201History of United States I(3 cr)not offered
- MAT 143Statistics(3 cr)not offered
- HIS 121History Of The Constitution(3 cr)not offered
- ENG 102College Writing II(3 cr)not offered
- SPC 113Speech(3 cr)not offered
- HIS 202History of United States II(3 cr)not offered
- HIS 105History Of World Civilization I(3 cr)not offered
- HIS 106History Of World Civilization II(3 cr)not offered
- ENG 290Advanced Writing and Research(3 cr)not offered
- POL 211Introduction to American Government and Politics(3 cr)not offered
Source: College catalog
North Shore Community College1 program
Recommended Course Selection Sequence
Source: College catalog
Quinsigamond Community College1 program
Recommended Course Sequence
62 credits- ENG 101Placement into college level Composition I(3 cr)not offered
- SOC 101Introduction to Psychology OR PSY 101 Placement into college level Introductory Sociology F/S/SU 3(0 cr)not offered
- ENG 102Composition II(3 cr)not offered
- HST 104World History I: Beginning to(3 cr)not offered
- HST 115U.S. History: Beginnings to 1865(3 cr)not offered
- HUM 105Introduction to Humanities(3 cr)not offered
- HST 105World History II: 1500 to World(3 cr)not offered
- HST 116U.S. History: 1865 to Present(3 cr)not offered
Source: College catalog
Common History courses
- HIS 121World History to 1500(7 sections)
- HIS 111History - Pre-Modern World(6 sections)
- HIS 112Modern World History(6 sections)
- HIS 110Early Us History/Govt.(4 sections)
- HIS 101Western Civilization to 1500 CE(3 sections)
- HIS 103Anc, Class & Medieval History(3 sections)
- HIS 105U.S. History to 1865(3 sections)
- HIS 102Hist-Modern Europe Global Cont(2 sections)
- HIS 106U.S. History from 1865(2 sections)
- HIS 152US: Reconstruction to Present(2 sections)
- HIS 100Early W Civ(1 section)
- HIS 104Modern World(1 section)
Frequently asked questions
- Is a history major worth pursuing if I'm starting at community college?
- It can be, if you have a clear post-bachelor's plan. History majors land in teaching, law, journalism, publishing, museum work, and government — the major teaches research and writing skills employers value, but the credential alone doesn't open doors. The CC associate is a cost-effective way to complete the first two years; the bachelor's, and often a graduate or professional degree, do the actual career-positioning.
- Do US history and world history requirements transfer between schools?
- Yes — these are general-education staples that articulate cleanly across Massachusetts public colleges. Specialized history electives (regional, topical) may transfer as upper-division-history-elective credit rather than counting toward a specific major requirement; the structured AA-in-history pathway minimizes this risk.
- What jobs are available with a history associate alone?
- Few that specifically use the history content — entry-level office work, retail management, customer service. The skills built (research, writing, analysis) transfer to many entry roles, but the credential signaling is weaker than career-track associates. Most history students continue to a bachelor's; the associate is step one.
- Can I become a history teacher with just an associate degree?
- No. K-12 social studies teaching requires a bachelor's plus a teaching certification in Massachusetts. Postsecondary history teaching at community colleges and four-year programs requires at least a master's, usually a Ph.D.
Compare History programs in other states
Same comparison view, different state systems. Useful if you’re considering an out-of-state community college or just want to see how Massachusetts’s history programs stack up.
Other programs in Massachusetts
Some programs may not be offered at every college — pages render only when the program meets a coverage threshold for the state.