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Plan of Study Form. In the fall of both the junior and senior years, majors and concentrators alike (with the exception of those studying abroad in the fall term) must fill out a Plan of Study Form, available in the Department office (413 Fayerweather) and here. Through the Plan of Study Form, students declare or confirm their specialization, plan their courses for the year (though these may change), and ensure that they have met the requirements of their program. Students must meet with a member of the UNDED to review these forms. After receiving UNDED approval, the student must bring the Plan of Study Form to the Undergraduate Administrator. The deadline for completion of these forms is typically at the beginning of October.
Independent Study. Students may arrange independent reading courses with individual members of the faculty. In the semester before enrolling in a course, the student must find a faculty sponsor and submit a two-page proposal to the Director of Undergraduate Studies (DUS) along with evidence of the sponsor's consent. The proposal is due by August 1 for the Fall term or December 1 for the Spring term. After receiving the DUS's approval, the student must contact the Undergraduate Administrator regarding registration. Such an independent study is distinct from an independent senior thesis course.
Seminar Applications.Seminars
are the key to the undergraduate major in history. In these courses, students
develop research and writing skills under close supervision of a faculty
member. To maintain the small size of the courses, normally capped at 15
students, the Department conducts an application process. The History
Department, in conjunction with the Barnard History Department and other
departments at the University (particularly East Asian Languages and Cultures),
offers approximately twenty-five seminars each term that majors may use to meet
their seminar requirements. There are more than enough slots available in these
seminars to meet the needs of our majors seeking to fulfill the two-seminar
requirement, but students may not always be able to enroll in any particular
seminar.
Students
should discuss with UNDED their various options for completing the seminar
requirement. The History Department has developed a web-based application
system. Applications are due in March for Fall semester seminars and in November
for Spring semester seminars. Note that applications for the Senior Thesis
Seminar follow a distinct procedure with a different due date. Declared History
Majors and Concentrators are regularly notified through email of any changes
that occur within the application processes.. Students majoring in other
fields, or students who have not yet declared a major, must inform themselves
of current procedures by checking the seminar section of the Department website
or contacting the office.
Credits from Other Universities (Transfer Credits/Study-Abroad Credits).
Transfer
credits are credits students have earned at an accredited college in the United
States. Study abroad credits are credits earned at approved programs outside
the United States. The Department has a single set of procedures and requirements
for both types of credit. Credit toward the major or concentration is given
only for transfer or study-abroad courses taken for a letter grade. Majors may
apply a maximum of 12 credits toward the major, no more than 6 of which may be
applied toward the specialization. One exception exists to this rule: students
may receive up to 15 credits for a full year of study abroad studying History
at Oxford or Cambridge University. Concentrators may apply a maximum of 9
transfer or study-abroad credits toward the concentration, no more than 3 of
which may be applied toward the specialization. Transfer or study-abroad
courses worth at least 2 points may be used to fulfill the breadth
requirements. Majors should keep in mind, however, that seminar requirements
must be fulfilled in the History Departments of Columbia or Barnard.
Students
wishing to have transfer or study-abroad credits applied to the major or
concentration must first receive approval from the College. Credits that do not
have College approval will not be reviewed by the Department. The number of
credits granted by the College for an outside course is not necessarily the
number of credits toward the major or concentration that will be granted by the
History Department. Generally, one course that is equivalent in workload to a
Columbia course will receive 3 points; 4 points are rarely given. Decisions
about credit are made by the DUS based on the amount of reading, written
assignments, and other requirements. Once
College approval has been obtained, students should bring the material listed
below to the Undergraduate Administrator. The DUS will review the material
and make a determination about credit. Please be sure to provide the following:
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A copy of your
Columbia transcript showing that you have received College credit
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A copy of your
transcript from the other institution
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A copy of the
syllabus for any course you wish to have considered for History credit.
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A completed
Addendum for Transfer Credits and Study Abroad Credits (Please see the
“Study Abroad” section of the Department website or the Undergraduate
Administrator for this document.)
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An updated Plan
of Study Form
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