Overview
Douglas Ambrose
Mackenzie Cooley
John Eldevik
Kevin Grant
Rebecca Gruskin
Maurice Isserman
Shoshana Keller, chair
Celeste Day Moore
Chao Ren
Ty Seidule
Lisa Trivedi
Thomas Wilson
Special Appointment
Christian Goodwillie
The goal of the History Department is to introduce students to the histories of a broad range of cultures, peoples, places, and times while honing their skills in writing, speaking, and research.
Students Will Learn to:
- Summarize historiographical debates within and across disciplinary subfields
- Select and analyze historical evidence
- Create a clear, specific, coherent historical argument
A concentration in history consists of 9 courses. Each concentrator must take a writing-intensive, 100-level history course. No more than two 100-level courses may be counted toward the concentration. Course selection must include one course in US history and one course that covers the pre-modern era (pre-1800). It must also include at least one course in three of the following regional categories: Europe and the Mediterranean; Eurasia and Russia; the Middle East; Latin America and the Caribbean; Africa and African diaspora; Asia; transnational. A concentrator must complete two 300-level courses. Beginning with the Class of 2027. a concentrator must complete the two-semester senior thesis project (HIST 450-451). The department strongly recommends that each concentrator complete both of the required 300-level courses before undertaking the senior thesis. No course taken Credit/No Credit may count toward the concentration.
Concentrators shall fulfill the Social, Structural, and Institutional Hierarchies requirement by taking two History courses that consider structural and institutional hierarchies, and by completing the senior thesis, which interrogates the discipline of history itself within these same terms.. These courses are designated in the catalog’s list of History courses with the label “(Social, Structural, and Institutional Hierarchies).” These and all other courses fulfilling concentration requirements are listed on the department’s Blackboard site.
Students shall meet with their advisers in the semester that they declare the concentration to discuss and assemble a set of at least four courses which they have taken, or plan to take, including one at the 300 level, that fall within one of the thematic areas designated below. After consulting with the adviser, students shall submit a brief explanation of their thematic selection of courses for approval by both the adviser and the chair. Students may petition to include one course from outside the history department toward their thematic focus. That course will not count toward the nine courses required for the concentration. Students may petition to define their own thematic areas. Students shall normally a senior thesis that draws upon coursework and research done in the chosen thematic area.
Environment, Nature, Place
Ideas, Science, Knowledge
Property, Labor, Exchange
Race, Gender, Identity
Rebellion, Revolution, War
Religion, Ritual, Belief
Sovereignty, Empires, Nations
The Department strongly encourages concentrators to develop competence in one or more foreign languages and to use that competence in their historical reading and research.
Senior Thesis
All seniors in History will complete a Senior Thesis in the two semesters of their final academic year. Concentrators shall enroll in HIST 450 and 451, which is a sequenced, two-semester course that culminates in the submission of a final written thesis of article length.
Departmental Honors
Students can complete the BA in history with all required courses and the completion of 450 and 451 with a passing grade of at least C-. Students can receive a BA with Honors in history if they complete all required classes, begin their senior thesis with a GPA of at least 3.7, and have undertaken at least one year of college-level study in one foreign language. The department may also award honors for theses that are especially excellent. Such a thesis might be distinguished, for example, by multilingual research, novel archival encounters, or innovative methodology.
A minor in history consists of five courses. One of these five courses must be a writing-intensive 100-level course. Only one 100-level course will count toward a minor. At least one course must be at the 300 level or higher. No course taken Credit/No Credit may count toward the minor.
A student wishing to be certified to teach social studies in grades 7-12 should contact the Education Studies Program as early as possible.