History [Arts]

Honors in History

Students planning to apply for admission to the Honors program should consult BA Honors for admission requirements.

See Bachelor of Arts (Honors) for Faculty regulations concerning the Honors program.

Honors in History requires a minimum of ★48 to a maximum of ★60 in History (including junior courses). In certain circumstances, selected Classics courses are accepted as the equivalent of History courses, subject to the approval of the Honors Advisor in such cases, and, when used in this manner, these courses will be included in the minimum and maximum permitted. Over the course of the Honors program, students should select courses that will provide them with a broad background of historical knowledge ranging widely in place, time, and perspective.

Required Courses

A minimum of ★9 at the 400-level in History;
At least ★42 at the senior level in History, including at least ★12 in the area of the Honors essay;
An historiography seminar, HIST 500 , is required during the third year;
HIST 501 , Honors essay required during the fourth year. Students prepare the Honors essay under the supervision of a member of the Department. The Department may require any student, in addition to submitting the essay, to pass an oral or written examination on the essay subject;
Students must satisfy the Department of their ability to read a Language Other than English. Examinations for that purpose are conducted by the Department. These exams normally are written during the second or third year and must be passed for completion of degree. Honors History students who already have ★6 in one senior-level Language Other than English will be exempt from the language exam.

The Department of History and Classics strongly recommends that students avoid undue concentration in any one field of History. Students are urged to take courses in different chronological eras, in different geographical areas, and among different themes; these include:

Chronological Eras: Ancient History, Medieval History (to 1500), Early Modern History (1450-1800) and Modern History (1750 to the present);
Geographical Areas: Africa and the Middle East, Asia, Canada, Europe (including Britain), Latin America, and the United States;
Thematic Fields: the History of Science, Medicine and Technology; the History of Religion; Women and Gender; and Perspectives on Empire.

Promotion Requirements

Promotion from year to year requires a GPA of at least 3.3 with an average of at least 3.3 in all History courses in the Fall/Winter.

Graduation Requirements

Graduation with Honors in History requires a graduation average of at least 3.3 with an average of at least 3.3 in all History courses. Graduation with First Class Honors requires an average of at least 3.7 on all History courses taken in the last two years and an average of at least 3.5 or better on all courses in the two final years (last ★60).

Combined Honors in History and Classics

Effective September 2019, there will be no further admission to this specific Combined Honors major. Students who entered the program prior to September 2019 must complete all program requirements by April 30, 2024. The last degree with this specific combined Honors major will be granted at Spring Convocation 2024.

Continuing students must refer to the Calendar under which they were admitted for program, promotion and graduation requirements.

Combined Honors in History

Students may pursue a Combined Honors program in History and another discipline.

However, students should be aware that a Combined Honors program may not directly qualify for admission to a graduate program in History. Please consult the Graduate Chair for advice. A Combined Honors program may also take longer than the usual four years to complete.

The common requirements in a Combined Honors program are the same as for other Honors programs (refer to Bachelor of Arts (Honors) ).

A Combined Honors degree in History and another discipline requires a minimum of ★42 (at the junior and senior levels) in History and a minimum of ★36 in the other discipline.

Requirements in History

HIST 500 (★6) Historiography seminar is required in the third year.
HIST 501 (★6) Honors Essay is normally required in the fourth year. However, with the Advisor’s approval, this may be replaced with ★6 in History if the student will be completing an Honors Essay in the other discipline. With special permission, a Combined Honors Essay may also be permitted in lieu of HIST 501 [see Honors Essay ]. Consult the Honors Advisor for further information.
Additional units of course weight in History as needed to achieve the minimum of ★42 required; at least ★36 must be at the senior level, and at least ★6 must be at the 400-level. HIST 500 and HIST 501 are counted toward the minimum units of course weight required. Advisor approval of course selection is required.

Students must satisfy the second language requirements of the BA Honors History program, see Honors in History.

Promotion and Graduation Requirements

In a combined Honors program, students must meet the promotion and graduation standards of each discipline. See Honors in History.

Major and Minor in History

Degree of BA

See Bachelor of Arts, BA .

A major in History requires a minimum of ★30 to a maximum of ★48 at the senior level in HIST including HIST 290 (★3) and ★6 at the 400-level.

Chronological Eras: Ancient History, Medieval History (to 1500), Early Modern History (1450-1800)and Modern History (1750 to the present);
Geographical Areas: Africa and the Middle East, Asia, Canada, Europe (including Britain), Latin America and the United States;
Thematic Fields: the History of Science, Medicine and Technology; the History of Religion; Women and Gender; and Perspectives on Empire.

In addition to courses offered in History (HIST)

Students may count up to ★6 of the following courses in Ancient History toward a major in History, except when their minor is in Classics:

Note:

*Eligible when the topic is on ancient history or archaeology, but not literature.

Minor in History

★12 in History, at the senior level, including ★6 at the 300-level or above, of which at least ★3 must be at the 400-level. Students may count up to ★6 from among the courses in Ancient History listed in the preceding paragraph toward a minor in History, except when their major is in Classics.

Major and Minor in Ancient and Medieval History

See Bachelor of Arts (BA) .

The Department of History and Classics offers a major in the area of Ancient and Medieval History. Students are required to complete a minimum of ★30 to a maximum of ★48.

Required courses are:

HIST 290 - Introduction to Historiography (★3)

★12 Ancient History selected from the following of which at least ★3 must be taken at the 400-level:

Note:

*Eligible when the topic is on ancient history or archaeology, but not literature.

★12 Medieval History selected from the following of which at least ★3 must be taken at the 400-level:

Note:

*Eligible when the topic is on medieval history.

★3 further senior level approved CLASS or HIST

Selected from ★12 Ancient History or ★12 Medieval History above.

In addition to the requirements listed above

Students majoring in Ancient and Medieval History are strongly encouraged to take:

A minimum of ★6 in Latin or Greek, which may also fulfil the LOE requirement in the BA program.

Two of

A minor in Ancient and Medieval History requires

A minimum of ★18 selected from the senior-level courses listed above including:

★9 in Ancient History courses
★9 Medieval History courses
★3 at the 400-level