A copy of this information in pamphlet form is available in the History Department office, or you can download it here as a .PDF file.

Departmental Requirements
[NOTE: These rules apply to students declaring the major in Fall 2006 or later.
Existing majors can elect to follow them if they wish. Revised 1/09]

The History Department requires all its majors to choose a concentration within the major. Since History as a discipline is diverse and our students come to it with varied expectations, the student’s concentration may be focused on a broad exposure to history—General Studies in History—or on a deeper immersion in one of three (at present) geographically based approaches:
 
       United States          Europe          Latin America & Non-Western World

The history major should work closely with his or her advisor to choose a concentration and to ensure that its requirements are met.

Advanced Placement (AP) and International Baccalaureate (IB) Credits

History majors may use a maximum of eight (8) hours of Advanced Placement (AP) and International Baccalaureate (IB) history credit towards a history major. AP and IB credit cannot be used to satisfy a major distribution area requirement; these credits can be used to satisfy major credit hours only.

• A student must complete not less than 36 hours (9 courses) of history, at least 24 hours (6 courses) of which must be above the 200-level. Two of the nine courses required for the history major must be colloquia (Hist. 487, 488, or 489). Normally, one colloquium will be taken in the junior year, the other in the senior year. Graduate seminar courses (500-level) may be used to fulfill the major colloquia requirement but do not meet College post-freshmen writing requirements, as colloquia normally do.
• Two research papers are required of all history majors. These papers are written in the junior and senior colloquia courses and are normally sixteen to twenty-four pages in length. History majors who have a compelling reason for writing their junior or senior research paper in another course should petition the Director of Undergraduate Studies for permission to do so prior to taking the course.
• The completion of the major requires a minimum of a C average in history courses counted towards the major.
• The S/U option may not be exercised in any course counted for the major.
• Special programs have been developed for students who would like to take joint majors in history and art history, history and classics, history and English, history and economics, and history and religion. Joint major information may be obtained from the Department office.

• Each student must choose a concentration within the major. A concentration consists of at least four (or in the case of General Studies, five) courses grouped in a particular thematic, geographical or chronological configuration (see “concentrations” below). A concentration must be declared by October of the Junior year (or upon enrolling as a major if that is done at a later date) following a mandatory advising session with an advisor within the chosen concentration. Of the four classes within the concentration, all must be above the 300-level and one must be a colloquium (487, 488, or 489).
• One of the major’s two research papers must be done within the concentration. Exceptions to this rule can only be obtained through petitioning the Director of Undergraduate Studies.

Distribution Requirements

Except for students in General Studies, history majors are required to take at least two history courses outside their concentration and in separate concentrations. So, for instance, a student concentrating in United States history would be required to take at least one class in European history and at least one class in World history. The two courses outside the concentration may be at any level but students should keep in mind that they may only take a total of three classes below the 300 level for major credit (and this includes transfer credits based on AP courses).

General Studies in History

• One course each (for a total of five) in:
  • U.S. History before 1860: 330, 332, 334, 336, 338, 340, 341, 342, 343, 344, 346, 347, 348, 354, 355, 356.
  • U.S. History after 1860: 329, 331, 333, 335, 336, 337, 339, 343, 344, 345, 348, 349, 350, 354, 355, 356, 358, 359.
  • European History before 1750: 301, 302, 303, 304, 305, 306, 307, 312, 313, 314, 315, 321, 323, 324, 326, 351, 353.
  • European History after 1750: 308, 309, 310, 311, 316, 318, 319, 320, 328, 351, 352, 359, 376, 377, 378, 379, 380.
  • Latin America & Non-Western World History: 328, 351, 360, 361, 362, 364, 366, 367, 368, 369, 370, 371, 372, 373, 375, 383
• Courses offered as History 385: Special Topics, as well as history colloquia (487, 488, 489) may also be used to fulfill the five distribution areas above when and where appropriate. (Determinations may be obtained from the History Dept.)
• At least four of the five specified courses must be above the 200-level.

United States History

• two courses in American history before 1860: 330, 332, 334, 336, 338, 340, 341, 342, 343, 344, 346, 347, 348, 354, 355, 356, or the appropriate 488 and/or 385.
• two courses in American history after 1860: 329, 331, 333, 335, 336, 337, 339, 343, 344, 345, 348, 349, 350, 354, 355, 356, 358, 359, or the appropriate 488 and/or 385.
• All four concentration courses must be above the 200-level.

European History

• two courses in European history before 1750: 301, 302, 303, 304, 305, 306, 307, 312, 313, 314, 315, 321, 322, 323, 324, 326, 351, 353, or the appropriate 487 and/or 385.
• two courses in European history after 1750: 308, 309, 310, 311, 316, 318, 319, 320, 325, 327, 328, 352, 353, 359, 376, 377, 378, 379, 380, or the appropriate 487 and/or 385.
• All four concentration courses must be above the 200-level.

Latin America & Non-Western World History

• four courses in Latin America and Non-Western World history: 328, 351, 360, 361, 362, 364, 366, 367, 368, 369, 370, 371, 372, 373, 375, 383, or the appropriate 489 and/or 385.
• All four concentration courses must be above the 200-level.
   

A copy of this information in pamphlet form is available in the History Department office,
or you can download it here as a .PDF file.