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History
Degree: Bachelor of Arts Contact: Joye Bowman Office: 611 Herter Phone: 545-6757 Chair of Department: Professor Mary Wilson. Professors Barton, Berkman, Bowman, Cantor, Drake, Glassberg, Higginson, Jones, Laurie, McFarland, Minear, Nissenbaum, Oates, Owens, Peiss, Pelz, Rausch, Rearick, Richards, Sarti, Shipley, Story, Swartz, Tager, Ware, Wickwire; Associate Professors Altstadt, Boyle, Gordon, Levy, Nightingale; Assistant Professors Bliss, Miller, Nash, Ogilvie; Adjunct Faculty Berkowitz, Bracey, Hafertepe, Lester, O'Brien, Sinha, Shannon. The Field History is the study of the past based on finding, evaluating, and interpreting recorded evidence. It is a discipline that seeks both to understand the past in its own terms and to explain the present in light of the past. Historical fields are usually defined by period, place, and themefor example, modern American cultural history. The history curriculum is intended to encourage the exploration of the past in a variety of fields and to foster the skills necessary to discover and express effectively an understanding of the past. Generally, courses of greater breadth are offered at the 100 level and courses of greater depth are offered at the upper levels. Often but not always, the higher the level the smaller the class. The department offers honors courses at all levels and encourages qualified majors to enroll in Commonwealth College. History honors courses are generally taught as seminars. The Major History majors must complete 12 courses totalling at least 36 credits with a minimum GPA of 2.0, distributed as follows: A. 100-level: not more than four courses. 1. All students must take one of the following pairs: 100-101 Western Thought & Culture 102-103 same, Honors 140-141 European History 142-143 same, Honors 2. Optional: Up to three other 100-level courses if one is a Third-World course. B. 200-499: six to nine courses C. 591-595: one proseminar involving research and paper-writing, to be completed before the second semester of the senior year (normally in the junior year) D. At least two courses (100-level or upper-level, in any combination) to be selected from the following areas: Africa, East Asia, Latin America, Near East. A fifth 100-level course may be taken to fulfill this requirement. E. A pre-1500 course from among the following: 100, 102, 114, 130, 160, 180, 300, 301, 302, 303, 304, 340, 345 (or the equivalent. The list is updated each semester by the Chief Adviser.) Restrictions 1. No upper-level history course may be taken elsewhere without prior approval of the Director of Undergraduate Studies. Majors, including transfer students, must take a minimum of four upper-level courses in the department. 2. History courses taken Pass/Fail will not be counted toward requirements for a major. 3. No history course in which a grade of D or lower has been earned will satisfy requirements for the major. 4. If appropriate in subject matter and with prior approval of the Director of Undergraduate Studies, the proseminar (591-595) may be used to satisfy requirements D and E above. 5. Majors may count no more than 20 history courses toward the B.A. degree (a total of no more than 60 credits, in lower- and upper-level work). Career Opportunities The study of history provides majors with the research, analytical, and communication skills necessary to every type of career. These skills include the ability to read quickly and pick out important points, to assimilate and synthesize information from a variety of sources, to present information effectively in oral and written form, and to make an informed judgment and to argue its merits. Students of history learn how to ask pertinent questions and to find answers through research and logical thought. In short, history is a particularly appropriate preparation for careers in law, journalism, government service, diplomacy, business, resource management, and teaching. The Minor Requirements An undergraduate minor in history requires a minimum of six courses totalling not less than 18 credits and distributed among the lower and upper level as follows: Any two introductory courses (100 level), and any four upper-level courses (200 and above). Guidelines 1. Transfer credits toward the minor will be granted only for introductory courses. 2. The four upper-level courses must be taken at this University. 3. No history course taken on a Pass/Fail basis may count toward the minor. | |
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