Majors & Minors

History

History, a discipline that belongs to both the humanities and the social sciences, is the study of change over time. By exploring the complexities of peoples and societies in the past, the present becomes more comprehensible. As a core discipline of the liberal arts, history encourages students to think critically, to argue logically and to examine the values of their society and those of other societies. By developing research, analytical, writing, oral communication and problem solving skills, the undergraduate major in History is valuable preparation for a broad range of occupations, for graduate and professional schools and for the responsibilities of informed citizenship. Recent history majors have pursued careers in education, law, government service, journalism, public history, social agencies, business and finance. The History department brings historians and history makers to campus, encourages off-campus study and travel, shows films and documentaries, sponsors field trips to historical sites and assists students in finding history-related internships. The History department offers introductory and advanced work in the following geographic fields: Africa, East Asia, Europe, Latin America and the United States. Students wishing to count courses taken off-campus toward a major or minor in history should note that approval is not automatic and that they must obtain prior approval from their academic advisors and the department chair.

Requirements for a major

History

Total courses required	Nine
Core courses	HIST 295 Either HIST 490 or HIST 495 and HIST 496. The core courses in the major, as well as the required 300-level courses, must be taken on campus,
Other required courses	Of the remaining seven courses, five must be at the 200-level or above, at least three of which must be at the 300-level. At least one course must be taken in three of the following six geographic fields: Africa, East Asia, Europe, Latin America, Middle East and the United States. At least one course must be on a period of history before 1800. In consultation with their advisors, students define a field of concentration consisting of at least four courses. Fields can be chronological, thematic and/or geographic.
Number 300 and 400 level courses	Four
Senior requirement and capstone experience	The History Department offers two routes to the senior capstone experience: a) Senior Seminar (History 490); b) Senior Thesis (History 495-496). Both experiences require students to employ and refine the research, writing and communication skills they have developed over the previous three years at DePauw by producing a piece of original historical research. These writing-intensive projects require sophisticated approaches to sources, analysis, and presentation, as well as imagination and discipline in the selection and refinement of research topics. Senior Seminar (History 490) is a one-semester class devoted to the design and implementation of historical research in a subfield and historical methodology of each seminar member's choosing. The seminar instructor assumes primary responsibility for guiding the seminar participants, though students are encouraged over the course of the semester to consult other department faculty whose regional, thematic, and chronological specializations correspond to the selected topic. The end result is an original piece of historical research typically totaling between 30 and 40 pages of writing. (For a list of some recent Senior Seminar papers, click here; for a sample History 490 syllabus, click here). In addition to producing a paper, students must contribute actively to the development of their peers' projects through brain-storming, editing, and commentary; each student will make a research presentation to the seminar and invited guests toward the end of the semester. Senior Thesis (History 495-496) requires two-semesters of intensive research and writing on a topic approved by a member of the department who serves as the student's principal thesis supervisor. During the first semester, the student will undertake reading, research, and drafting. Thesis students may participate in either a section of HIST 490 or a seminar group limited to students enrolled in HIST 495; during the second semester the student will complete the written thesis; give a public presentation based on the research; and defend the thesis before a committee of history department faculty. Students seeking a rigorous challenge of developing a historical project of greater scope and requiring greater independence than Senior Seminar may wish to consider this option. To be eligible for the Senior Thesis a history major must have a GPA in the major of at least 3.3 and permission of the department. Theses typically total between 60 and 80 pages, organized in chapters. (For a selection of Senior Thesis titles in recent years, click here). Students contemplating graduate study in history are encouraged to consider this option.

Requirements for a minor

History

Total courses required	Five
Core courses	One course at the 100-level, one at the 200-level and one at the 300-level
Other required courses	The department encourages students completing the minor to have a geographic concentration in one of five areas and encourages students with a U.S. or a European emphasis to take one course in African, Asian or Latin American history.
Number 300 and 400 level courses	One