Q:
Why should I major in this subject?
A:
As a marvelous intellectual pursuit in itself, the study of history should be an integral part of any liberal arts education. Furthermore, a major in history helps students develop analytical skills--skills that are now at an increasing premium. In a culture where the present is often taken to be the norm, the ability to think historically and critically is a decisive advantage. Our principal goals in the undergraduate classroom are, accordingly, to develop the intellectual breadth and to deepen the analytical skills of our students. History majors also gain valuable expertise in research and writing that will serve them well in their future endeavors. The History Department has moved vigorously to expand and reinforce its undergraduate program, and our curriculum is rich and deep, covering all areas of the world and most periods of written history. Our courses explore various methodologies, a wide range of ways of writing history, and different approaches to the past. We emphasize no particular ‘brand’ of history, no single interpretative model. Students thus have a great deal of flexibility in selecting courses that attract their interest and meet their particular intellectual needs.
Q:
What are some useful first courses that I should take in order to get to know this field of study? When should I take them?
A:
Most history courses have no prerequisites. Thus you may start with almost any course that interests you. We advise, however, that you move from the general to the particular: from broad survey courses to more specialized lectures to seminars. The department offers a series of 1000-level lecture courses that are particularly appropriate for students with little or no background, and for first- and second-year students contemplating a major in history. These courses cover ancient history (W1004, W1010, W1020), the European Middle Ages (W1061, BC1062), Early Modern and Modern Europe (BC1101, BC1302), and American History (BC1401, BC1402). The History faculty also regularly teaches similar introductory surveys offered officially through other departments or programs, such as African Civilizations, EALAC, and MEALAC. If you have a background in history, you may take any 3000-level lecture course in the field or general area of your previous experience.
Q:
What are the major requirements?
A:
Majors are required to complete 29
credits in history. Students must complete a specialization by taking a number
of courses in a single field of history of their own choosing. The field should
be defined, in consultation with a member of UNDED, according to geographical,
chronological, and/or thematic criteria. A student might choose, for example,
to specialize in "20th Century US History," "European Diplomatic
History," "Ancient Roman History," or "Korean and Japanese History." A
specialization does not appear on the student's transcript but provides an
organizing principle for the program. You will need at least 13 credits (including
seminar) within this specialization. In addition, students must fulfill a
breadth requirement by taking courses outside of their own specialization.
Majors must take 3 breadth courses. The breadth requirement has two parts: time
and space. Students must take at least one course far removed in time; students
specializing in the Modern Period must take one course specifically covering
the Pre-Modern period (before 1750) and students specializing in a Pre-Modern
field must take at least one course in the Modern Period. Majors must also take
2 additional courses in a regional field or fields not their own. At least one
of these courses must cover an area on the opposite hemisphere. A
student specializing, therefore, in Europe, the US, or Latin
American/Caribbean, therefore, must take one of their breadth courses in either
Asia, the Middle East, or Africa, and vice versa. The last requirement of the major is the seminar
requirement. Majors must take 2 seminars, one of which must be in their area of
specialization. Majors may (but are not required to) write a senior thesis. Please see the "Thesis"
section for more information.
Concentrators must take 21 history
credits. Concentrators must also complete a specialization with at least 9
credits. The breadth requirement for concentrators is two courses: one removed
in time and one focusing on an area on the opposite hemisphere from the region
covered by the specialization. There is no seminar requirement for concentrators.
Thematic and cross-regional
specializations are permitted for both majors and concentrators. The breadth
requirements for students interested in these topics will be set in consultation
with a member of UNDED, with the aim of ensuring coverage of other themes and
methods.
|
Requirements
|
MAJORS
|
CONCENTRATORS
|
|
Total
Credits in History
|
29 credits
|
21 credits
|
|
Specialization
|
13 credits
|
9 credits
|
|
Breadth Requirement
|
3
courses outside specialization, including 1 removed in time & 2 removed in
space (of which 1 is in a hemisphere distinct from that of the specialization)
|
2 courses outside specialization,
including 1 removed in time & 1 removed in space
|
|
Seminar
Requirement (majors ONLY)
|
2 seminars, at least 1 in
specialization
|
None
|
For more information about the
requirements and for examples of acceptable programs of study, please see the
Undergraduate Handbook.
Q:
Why do the requirements take this form?
A:
The requirements of the
undergraduate program are intended to encourage students to: (1) develop the deeper knowledge of the history of a particular
time and/or place that allows for more advanced study; and (2) take a
wide range of courses to gain a sense of the full scope of
history as a discipline (breadth). The design is simple and gives room
for flexibility.
Q:
To whom do I speak about this major? How does the department structure its faculty for advising purposes?
A:
Advising in the History
Department is the responsibility of the Undergraduate Education
Committee (UNDED), a group of faculty members drawn from a range of
specialties and chaired by the Director of Undergraduate Studies.
Members of UNDED are available throughout the year for consultation on
all aspects of the undergraduate program and experience. They approve
the Plan of Study form that each major and concentrator must complete
at the beginning of the year, and they hold additional office hours
during the registration period so that students have ample time to consult with faculty about academic program planning. In
addition, members of the UNDED direct students who need more specialized
advising toward other faculty members in the department. For questions
about requirements and procedures, students may also consult the
Undergraduate Administrator, whose office hours are listed on the Advising page of the department website.
Q:
When can I see UNDED Advisor?
A:
During their regular
office hours, available here, or listed in on the bulletin board outside the department office in 413 Fayerweather Hall.
Q:
To whom should I direct initial questions by email and telephone?
A:
Please direct all
initial questions to the Undergraduate Administrator, Shari Wejsa, in 413 Fayerweather Hall, at 212-854-2573 or sw2661@columbia.edu.
Q:
What is a Departmental Representative?
A:
The Departmental
Representative (DR; there is one each for Columbia College and the
School of General Studies) makes final decisions on all matters
concerning the major or concentration. The DR for Columbia College is generally the Director of Undergraduate Studies (DUS).
Q:
When should I declare my major?
A:
Students typically declare
a major in History in the spring semester of their sophomore year.
Although there is no prerequisite for declaring the major, we encourage
students to take courses during the first and second years as a way of
exploring the major and preparing for more advanced courses in the
department.
Q:
What research opportunities exist in or through the department?
A:
Professors may, from time
to time, have independent funding for research assistants and may also
in some cases use work-study students in such a capacity. The most
compelling research opportunity available to History students, however, is the one
they design for themselves by writing a senior thesis. Even if
students do not choose to write a thesis, they will most likely have the
opportunity to write independent research papers in the context of your
regular coursework, particularly the seminars.
We strongly encourage our majors to write a senior thesis, a research
paper of between 13,000 and 17,000 words, with a lower limit of 10,000 words
and an upper limit of 20,000 words, for exceptional cases. Usually, this takes place in the context of
one of the year-long thesis seminars, but the thesis can also be done
on an individual basis. The latter option requires that students identify a
faculty member willing to sponsor their thesis and provide them with
guidance throughout the researching and writing processes.
Q:
Will study abroad enhance this major?
A:
While study abroad is
itself an extraordinary educational experience, it enhances the major
because of the insights it provides into different national and
international perspectives, which is very much encouraged by the History Department. (Please visit the Study Abroad page for additional information.)
Opportunities for language study also provide students with the skills
to undertake research projects (such as a senior thesis) based on a wider
variety of primary source materials. To ensure that their program of
study abroad both complements their major and integrates well with major
requirements, students should consult with a member of the UNDED AND the Director of Undergraduate Studies (DUS) to review their plans.
Q:
I am going abroad for a semester...what do I need to do?
A:
Students who are planning to study abroad, especially in their first semester as a history major, should consult a member of the UNDED AND the Director of Undergraduate Studies (DUS) before their departure. Students
should keep in mind that seminar requirements must be fulfilled at
Columbia.
Q:
I need to receive credit towards my History Major for a class I took at another college...what steps do I need to take?
A:
History
students seeking credit toward the major must meet
with the Director of Undergraduate Studies AFTER completing the
course(s) in question. Students will need to bring copies of the course
syllabi, reading lists, and completed course work to the meeting as well as a completed Transfer Credit Addendum.
Students other than majors and concentrators should consult their
respective class deans for transfer credits.
Q:
How might a sample track or course of study look?
A:
Ideally, students in their first and second year will have the opportunity to take 1000- and 3000-level lecture courses and begin to identify an area of specialization. They will then enroll in seminars and additional specialized lectures in their junior year with an eye toward writing a senior thesis and completing distributional requirements in their final year. We realize, however, that various factors--the need to fulfill College core requirements, study abroad, or second major requirements--may make this track difficult. Thus there are no fixed "tracks" in the history major.
In general, however, students should keep in mind the following guidelines in planning their program:
- Students will get more out of a seminar if they have had previous coursework (such as a lecture course) in the relevant field.
- Students' work on a senior thesis will be more productive if they have already had some experience in writing a research paper, as in a seminar.
- Students should make every effort to take at least one of the two seminars required for the major in the junior year to allow yourself more flexibility in course selection in the senior year.
Q:
What counts as a history course?
A:
Courses in the History
Departments of Columbia or Barnard will count for the purposes of
meeting requirements for a major or concentration. Courses taught by
our faculty outside the History Department will also count as history
courses, provided the faculty member has approved the course for History credit. Courses taken through study abroad programs will be evaluated
according to syllabi and written work for those classes.
Q:
Are History Majors still required to take 12 points in related course credits?
A:
No. Related courses are
no longer required.
Q:
How does one receive departmental honors?
A:
Honors are awarded on the
basis of a high average in History courses (minimum GPA of 3.6) and an
excellent senior thesis. Please note that the writing of a senior thesis is
necessary, but not sufficient, for an award or departmental honors. No more than 10 percent of the graduating majors receive
departmental honors.
Q:
What awards and prizes are sponsored by the department?
A:
-
Charles A. Beard Prize: Given by the Department for a senior thesis of superior distinction in any historical field or period.
-
Chanler Historical Prize:Given by the College for the best essay submitted by a senior on a topic dealing with the history of American civil government.
-
Albert Marion Elsberg Prize: Given by the College for a sophomore, junior, or senior who has demonstrated excellence in modern history.
-
Herbert H. Lehman Prize for Excellence in History: Given to a
General Studies student with an outstanding record of accomplishment in
history courses at Columbia. Preference is given to those with
substantial coursework in U.S. history.
-
Garrett Mattingly Prize: Given by the Department for a senior thesis of superior distinction in any historical field or period.
-
Lily Prize: Given by the Department for the best senior thesis in
history on a non-U.S. topic, established by James P. Shenton in memory
of his mother.
-
Alan J. Willen Memorial Prize: Given by the College and awarded by the Departments of History and Political Science for the best seminar paper on a contemporary American political problem.
-
Edwin Robbins Summer Research Fellowship: A stipend awarded by the College to two junior history majors for summer research on a senior thesis project.
History students should also be aware of the following prizes:
-
Carl B. Boyer Prize in the History of Science: For the best
essay on any topic in the history of science or mathematics
-
Taraknath das Foundation Award: For a student in the College for excellence in Asian studies.
Nomination and submission guidelines, as well as information
about additional prizes of interest to history students, will be found
in the Undergraduate Handbook.
Q:
Are there any student clubs, committees, and/or activities offered within or through the department?
A:
The Undergraduate History Council (UHC) is a group of ten undergraduates elected as representatives by history majors and
concentrators. In addition to serving as student advisors to the
Undergraduate Education Committee (UNDED), they organize a number of
independent activities intended to improve undergraduates’ educational
experiences in the department. Council members act as peer advisors for
fellow students, schedule events (such as informal discussions with
faculty and writing workshops), and award prizes to teaching assistants
for superior teaching. While council members can always be contacted
individually via e-mail, the council as a group can be reached at theuhc@gmail.com. The UNDED regularly sponsors
additional events for prospective and current majors and concentrators,
such as faculty talks and roundtables.
Q:
What career opportunities follow upon study in this field?
A:
Employers from a
remarkably broad range of areas know the quality of the Columbia
History Department and that students with such a background
possess the analytical skills and critical sensibilities to work almost
anywhere. Consequently, Columbia History majors can be found pursuing
careers in the most extraordinary and varied places: in finance,
medicine, law, teaching, scientific research, international relations,
journalism, etc.
Q:
Who should I contact about graduate study in this field?
A:
Generally, it is best to
consult a faculty member who specializes in the specific area of
history students intend to study at the graduate level, although members of
UNDED can also provide advice. If students are interested in graduate study
at Columbia, please contact the Graduate Administrator, who is available
during the regular business hours of the department office.
Q:
Where is the History Department Office located and what are its hours?
A:
413 Fayerweather Hall (on
the 2nd floor above entrance level). Office hours are Monday through
Friday from 9:00AM-5:00PM.
Q:
Where can I find a list of faculty office hours, telephone numbers, an other information about the history department faculty?
A:
A list of office hours is
posted outside the History Department (413 Fayerweather Hall) and online.
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