History Major

Requirements for the Major in History
History majors are required to take 32 credits of historical offerings beyond the core requirements. The following must be included in the course selections:

In addition to the above major requirements, at least 4 credits each are to be selected from four of the five following categories, one of which must be History of Asia, Africa, the Middle East and Latin America:

Majors anticipating graduate school are encouraged to elect additional history courses beyond 32 credits as well as develop the language and research skills related to their prospective graduate studies. All majors are encouraged to select a distribution of courses across historical periods and geographical areas.

Honors in History
Seniors who complete an independent research project culminating in a written honors thesis will be eligible to graduate with honors in history. Under the direction of a faculty advisor, candidates will develop a thesis proposal and enroll in HIS471, 472 Research I, II in the junior or senior year. For honors the thesis developed in the research courses must be of high quality and defended orally to department faculty and fellow students towards the end of the senior year. The minimum GPA for honors candidates is 3.5 in the major and 3.0 overall. See department faculty for details.

International Seminar: History of Ancient and Modern Greek Culture and Christianity in the Aegean
This intensive four-week course includes living and traveling in mainland Greece, the Aegean islands and Turkey. Focuses on ancient Greek historical cultures (Bronze Age, Archaic, Classical, Hellenistic, Roman and later), New Testament historical backgrounds, and modern European/Mediterranean history and culture in a variety of Greek cities and smaller towns (longest stays are in Thessaloniki and Athens). Students study and integrate all three fields but choose a concentration in one. Combines classroom study, site visits, research, interviews and travel. (Offered alternate years, late summer; next offering summer 2009.) Contact Professor Wick, History Department, and the Global Education Office to apply.

International Seminar: Economic Development in Modern China
The Economics and Business Department and the East-West Institute offer an intensive combination of study and travel to China, focusing on one of the world's largest economies. Students prepare through meetings and assigned reading during the spring semester, then travel to key sites of historical interest and economic development. Offered spring/summer 2008. Earns two semester hours of credit through either the Economics and Business Department or History Department. Contact Global Education Office to apply.

Requirements for the Double Major with Education
Students seeking licensure as a teacher of history or social studies at the middle school or secondary education level should consult the department chairs for specific teacher education and major requirements. The following history courses are required for Massachusetts licensure: HIS232, 234, 237, 375, 492, an advanced seminar and GEG210.

Requirements for the Minor in History
Minors are required to complete 20 credits of historical offerings beyond the core requirements, including 4 credits from the following: HIS291, 490, 491, 493, 494, 495, 496.

Classics Minor
Majors in history are urged to consider the interdisciplinary minor in classical studies. Requires two full years of Latin language plus two additional courses from selection of ancient history, classical literature and philosophy courses. In Latin IV students study original texts relating to their fields of specialty. For more information and requirements see Interdisciplinary and Off-Campus Curriculum.

Minor in East Asian Studies
An interdepartmental minor is available which combines study of language, literature, culture, history, politics, economy, society and foreign relations of East Asian countries. For more information and requirements, see the minor listing in the Interdisciplinary and Off-Campus Curriculum section at the back of the catalog. Contact Dr. Dong Wang, East-West Institute.

Minor in Public History and Museum Studies
Professional training for careers in museum education, museum administration, collections management, artifact conservation, archival and curatorial positions, as well as the growing field of history-related mass media and technology. Entry level positions in above fields may be attained by students with a bachelor's degree. Major in history not required. For specific requirements see Interdisciplinary and Off-Campus Curriculum.