The Department of History has three paramount aims for its undergraduates, whether they are majors, minors, or students in the required core courses.
First, we foster an appreciation for studying the past for its own sake, in all its variety, ambiguity, and strangeness. To this end, each course emphasizes the exploration and interpretation of primary sources, the raw materials with which historians construct the narrative of the past.
Second, the faculty aims to help students understand that the past has shaped the present. We ask them to participate in the never-ending dialogue between the past and the present by encouraging them to explore difficult questions: What happened? Why did it happen? What were the consequences? What were the dominant values and the dissident voices? How did different cultures and societies interact? How did contemporaries and later generations differ in interpreting events? What are the context and meaning of the changes that have occurred in business, medicine, economics, politics, religion, culture, urban affairs, and gender and race relations? After exposure to these questions, students enter the world personally enriched and better equipped for whatever profession they choose.
Third, the department understands its role in educating students for effective membership and leadership in a global political, social, and economic community by providing an historical understanding of the major world cultures. In courses that range from ancient to modern times, from Asia to New York City, and from the history of women to African-American history, we try to contextualize the world for students.
History majors are required to take at least eight history courses (24 credits) numbered 3000 and above. They must take one course in at least three different areas of the globe; these areas include American, Latin American, European, African, and Asian history. Majors are encouraged, but not required, to take the Capstone Course (History 4900). Majors must also write a substantial research paper (minimum of twenty pages) under the supervision of a professor in one of their courses. Students may take six credits toward their majors in other departments, if the courses are related to their program of study; prior consultation with a history department advisor is required.
The minor in history (completing three courses at the 3000-level or above) is designed to provide an in-depth understanding of the discipline for students who are majoring in other academic areas. Students can choose courses from different regions, such as the United States, Latin America, Europe, Africa, and West, South, and East Asia. These courses may focus on urban, intellectual, economic, or political issues. History combines perfectly with studies in international business, economics, business ethics, or finance, as well as many other fields.
To complete the history minor, students take three upper-level courses (9 credits). Two of these courses must be at the 3000-level, followed by HIS 4900, the history capstone course. Interested students should consult with the history department.
American History
| Social Welfare Policy ( | 3 credits | |
| Religion and Politics in the United States ( | 3 credits | |
| Colonial America: From Settlement to Independence | 3 credits | |
| The Civil War and Reconstruction: 1850 – 1880 | 3 credits | |
| The Sixties in America ( | 3 credits | |
| African American History ( | 3 credits | |
| American Conservatism: Origins, Development, and Contemporary Controversies ( | 3 credits | |
| City and Suburb in Twentieth-Century America | 3 credits | |
| History of American Business Enterprise | 3 credits | |
| U.S. Economic History | 3 credits | |
| American Foreign Relations in the Twentieth Century | 3 credits | |
| History of the Cold War | 3 credits | |
| History of American Medicine | 3 credits | |
| Science and Technology in American Life | 3 credits | |
| American Intellectual History | 3 credits | |
| Topics in American History | 3 credits | |
| American Urban History | 3 credits | |
| The Immigrant in American History | 3 credits | |
| History of the People of the City of New York | 3 credits | |
| The Great Depression, 1929 – 1940 | 3 credits | |
| History of the Jewish People in America | 3 credits | |
| Women in America | 3 credits |
Latin American History
| Afro-Brazilian History ( | 3 credits | |
| History of Civilizations in Latin America | 3 credits | |
| History of Caribbean Civilizations | 3 credits |
European History
| Ancient Greece | 3 credits | |
| The Ancient World: Rome | 3 credits | |
| Europe in the Age of the Renaissance | 3 credits | |
| Jesus – A Historical and Critical Approach ( | 3 credits | |
| European Thought in the Seventeenth and Eighteenth Centuries | 3 credits | |
| European Intellectual History in the Nineteenth and Twentieth Centuries | 3 credits | |
| Modern Imperialism | 3 credits | |
| The Third Republic in France | 3 credits | |
| Women in Europe: Ancient to Modern | 3 credits | |
| Russia Under the Tsars | 3 credits | |
| The Russian Revolution and the Soviet Regime | 3 credits | |
| Topics in European History | 3 credits | |
| Comparative Revolutions | 3 credits |
African History
| Survey of African History ( | 3 credits | |
| Women in African History ( | 3 credits | |
| History of the African Diaspora ( | 3 credits | |
| History of African Religions ( | 3 credits |
Asian History
| A Survey of Asian History ( | 3 credits | |
| The Historical Search for the Prophet Mohammad ( | 3 credits | |
| The Islamic Middle East and North Africa: 622 – 1789 | 3 credits | |
| The Modern Middle East and North Africa (
| 3 credits | |
| Asian American History ( | 3 credits | |
| The Rise of Asia in World Affairs ( | 3 credits | |
| Contemporary Islamic World | 3 credits | |
| History of Modern Iraq | 3 credits | |
| History of Chinese Religion ( | 3 credits | |
| Ancient India | 3 credits | |
| The Making of Modern India ( | 3 credits | |
| The Heritage of Chinese Civilization ( | 3 credits | |
| Modernization and Westernization in Asia | 3 credits | |
| The Emergence of Modern Japan ( | 3 credits | |
| China in Revolution ( | 3 credits | |
| Topics in African, Asian, or Latin American History | 3 credits |
General Department Courses
| Colloquium in History | 3 credits | |
| Special Topics in Global History | 3 credits | ||
| Capstone Course: In Search of History | 3 credits | |
| Independent Research and Reading in History | variable | |
| History Internship | 3 credits | |
History Honors I, II, and III | variable |
Honors Program in History
History majors and other interested students will be admitted to the program in their junior or senior year. All students will be required to have had at least 12 hours of history courses with B+ average in history and a general average of B. Students falling short of these requirements may be admitted to the program upon the recommendation of two history faculty members.
The honors program may consist of two tutorials taken consecutively and devoted to reading and researching an area of the students choice. For College requirements for honors, see the Honors Programs section of this bulletin.
| Themes in American History | 3 hours; 3 credits | |
| Themes in Global History to 1500 C.E. | 3 hours; 3 credits | |
| Themes in Global History Since 1500 C.E. | 3 hours; 3 credits | |
| Modern American History | 3 hours; 3 credits | |
| Introduction to the Religions of Asia | 3 hours; 3 credits | |
| Medieval Civilization | 3 hours; 3 credits | |
| Europe in the Eighteenth Century | 3 hours; 3 credits | |
| Europe in an Era of Revolution | 3 hours; 3 credits | |
| Nineteenth Century Europe | 3 hours; 3 credits | |
| Europe in the Early Twentieth Century | 3 hours; 3 credits | |
| Europe and the World Since 1945 | 3 hours; 3 credits | |
| Modern America, 1880-1945 | 3 hours; 3 credits | |
| Recent America, 1945 to the Present | 3 hours; 3 credits | |
| The Third World in the Modern Era | 3 hours; 3 credits | |
| Classical Buddhism | 3 hours; 3 credits | |
| Classical Chinese Philosophy | 3 hours; 3 credits | |
| The Holocaust: The Destruction of European Jewry | 3 hours; 3 credits | |
| Social Welfare Policy ( | 3 hours; 3 credits | |
| Religion and Politics in the United States ( | 3 hours; 3 credits | |
| Topics in the History of Globalization | 3 hours; 3 credits | |
| Central America: A Regional Study | 3 hours; 3 credits | |
| Ancient Greece | 3 hours; 3 credits | |
| The Ancient World: Rome | 3 hours; 3 credits | |
| Europe in the Age of the Renaissance | 3 hours; 3 credits | |
| Afro-Brazilian History ( | 3 hours; 3 credits | |
| Colonial America: From Settlement to Independence | 3 hours; 3 credits | |
| The Civil War and Reconstruction | 3 hours; 3 credits | |
| The Sixties in America ( | 3 hours; 3 credits | |
| African American History ( | 3 hours; 3 credits | |
| Survey of African History ( | 3 hours; 3 credits | |
| Women in African History ( | 3 hours; 3 credits | |
| History of the African Diaspora ( | 3 hours; 3 credits | |
| History of Civilizations in Latin America | 3 hours; 3 credits | |
| History of Caribbean Civilizations | 3 hours; 3 credits | |
| A Survey of Asian History ( | 3 hours; 3 credits | |
| The Historical Search for the Prophet Mohammad ( | 3 hours; 3 credits | |
| The Islamic Middle East and North Africa: 622-1789 | 3 hours; 3 credits | |
| The Modern Middle East and North Africa ( | 3 hours; 3 credits | |
| Jesus - A Historical and Critical Approach ( | 3 hours; 3 credits | |
| American Conservatism: Origins, Development, and Contemporary Controversies ( | 3 hours; 3 credits | |
| European Thought in the Seventeenth and Eighteenth Centuries | 3 hours; 3 credits | |
| European Thought in the Nineteenth and Twentieth Centuries | 3 hours; 3 credits | |
| Modern Imperialism | 3 hours; 3 credits | |
| The Third Republic in France | 3 hours; 3 credits | |
| Women in Europe: Ancient to Modern | 3 hours; 3 credits | |
| Asian American History ( | 3 hours; 3 credits | |
| The Rise of Asia in World Affairs ( | 3 hours; 3 credits | |
| Russia Under the Tsars | 3 hours; 3 credits | |
| The Russian Revolution and the Soviet Regime | 3 hours; 3 credits | |
| Topics in European History | 3 hours; 3 credits | |
| Comparative Revolutions | 3 hours; 3 credits | |
| Topics in European History | 3 hours; 3 credits | |
| Contemporary Islamic World | 3 hours; 3 credits | |
| City and Suburb in 20th Century America | 3 hours; 3 credits | |
| History of American Business Enterprise | 3 hours; 3 credits | |
| U.S. Economic History | 3 hours; 3 credits | |
| American Foreign Relations in the Twentieth Century | 3 hours; 3 credits | |
| History of the Cold War | 3 hours; 3 credits | |
| History of Modern Iraq | 3 hours; 3 credits | |
| Health Care in America: 1800 - Present | 3 hours; 3 credits | |
| Science and Technology in American Life | 3 hours; 3 credits | |
| American Intellectual History | 3 hours; 3 credits | |
| Topics in American History | 3 hours; 3 credits | |
| American Urban History | 3 hours; 3 credits | |
| Colloquium in History | 3 hours; 3 credits | |
| The Immigrant in American History | 3 hours; 3 credits | |
| History of the People of the City of New York | 3 hours; 3 credits | |
| The Great Depression, 1929-1940 | 3 hours; 3 credits | |
| History of the Jewish People in America | 3 hours; 3 credits | |
| Women in America | 3 hours; 3 credits | |
| History of African Religions ( | 3 hours; 3 credits | |
| History of Chinese Religion ( | 3 hours; 3 credits | |
| Ancient India | 3 hours; 3 credits | |
| The Making of Modern India ( | 3 hours; 3 credits | |
| The Heritage of Chinese Civilization ( | 3 hours; 3 credits | |
| Modernization and Westernization in Asia | 3 hours; 3 credits | |
| The Emergence of Modern Japan ( | 3 hours; 3 credits | |
| China in Revolution ( | 3 hours; 3 credits | |
| Topics in African, Asian, or Latin American History | 3 hours; 3 credits | |
| Special Topics in Global History | 3 hours; 3 credits | ||
| Capstone Course: In Search of History | 3 hours; 3 credits | |
| Independent Study History I | Variable hours and credits | |
| Independent Study History II | Variable hours and credits | |
| Independent Study History III | Variable hours and credits | |
| Independent Study History IV | Variable hours and credits | |
| History Internship | 6 - 8 hours; 3 credits | |
| Honors History I | 3 hours; 3 credits per semester | |
| Honors History II | 3 hours; 3 credits per semester | |
| Honors History III | 3 hours; 3 credits per semester |