Basic Structure of the Department
- The History department offers a major, a minor, and a modified major.
- Most courses fall into one of four geographical areas: 1) US and Canada, 2) Europe, 3) AALAC (Africa, Asia, Latin America, and the Caribbean) or 4) Interregional.
- The numbering system for History courses does not represent sequencing, but rather designates sub-fields (e.g., all 40s and 50s-level courses cover European History, all 60s and 70s-level courses cover Latin American, African, and Asian History). Introductory-level courses that presume no prior work in the field are numbered 1-5. HIST 6 is the department’s number for experimental courses, and is not necessarily introductory.
- A student is advised to begin studying in History with a course he or she finds interesting. The introductory surveys (HIST 1-5, as above) are encouraged as good entry points. Topics courses may demand greater amounts of reading and research, as well as more advanced writing proficiency and intellectual sophistication.
- The History Department sponsors a Foreign Study Program to London in the Fall. Prerequisites include completion of two European History courses. Students are also required to submit a proposal for an independent field project on a topic of British, European, American or world history that makes use of London's research opportunities. Participants are usually juniors.
Courses for the Student with Little or No Background Who Wants to Explore History
- HIST 1: The United States, 1763-1877
- HIST 2: History of the United States since 1877
- HIST 3: Europe in Medieval and Early Modern Times
- HIST 5.1: Pre-Colonial African History
- HIST5.2: The Eye of the Beholder: Introduction to the Islamic World
- HIST 5.3: The History of China since 1800
- HIST 5.4: Modern Southeast Asia
- HIST 5.6: Pre-Columbian and Colonial America
- HIST 5.8: Africa and the World
- HIST 31: Latinos in the United States: Origins and History
- HIST 57: Scientific Revolutions and Modern Society
- HIST 64: Modern Europe: The Enlightenment Through the First World War
Information for the First-Year Student Who Plans to Pursue Studies in History
- A History major or minor requires a student to form a geographic or thematic concentration. Students take the initiative to craft their own centers of concentration in consultation with their respective faculty advisors within the department. A concentration may be geographical (“American History”), chronological (“Medieval and Renaissance History”), or thematic (“Gender and Women’s History”). Participants in the department’s honors program then crown their field of concentration with a thesis written in the senior year.
- Because planning is essential, it is critical that a student establish a relationship with a faculty member who can act as an advisor. Any member of the department can serve as a major advisor, and it is best to pursue this relationship as early as possible. Students who are uncertain about whom to approach for advice should contact the department chair (David Lagomarsino), or vice chair (Margaret Darrow).
Other Information about Courses and Considerations
- In-coming first-year students will not receive any AP or IB credit towards the History major or minor (i.e., high achievement on those exams no longer reduces the number of courses needed to fulfill a History major or minor). However, exceptional performance on an AP or IB exam may suggest that a student could forego the corresponding introductory survey (HIST 1-5) and begin with a higher-level topics course.
- Questions should be addressed to the chair (David Lagomarsino) or the vice chair (Margaret Darrow).
Current Enrollments, Class Size, and Distributives
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