Major and Minor

How do I sign up?

The procedure is the same whether you are a sophomore declaring for the first time or an upperclassman changing to History or adding it as a second major.

First, you need to get two copies of the Declaration of Major card, available from the Arts and Science Registrar (311 Kirkland Hall, 2-7414), the History Department (227 Old Central, 2-2575), or on the forms locator online. If you are declaring a double major, you will need three cards.

Bring the cards to Heidi Welch, administrative assistant, Benson Hall, Room #227.  Ms. Welch will assign you an adviser in your area of concentration. You will need to have your new adviser sign your cards. Take one of the signed cards back to Ms. Welch.   She will add you to our electronic mailing list for History majors.  The second card goes to the Registrar's office in 311 Kirkland Hall.  If you are a double major or a joint interdisciplinary major, take the third card to the other department.

You will meet with your adviser before each registration period going over your current audit form to make sure you are meeting all of your requirements. If you have any questions about the declaration procedure or the History major in general, feel free to contact Professor Schwartz, Director of Undergraduate Studies.

Link to the online Undergraduate Catalog 2008-2009 here.

History Major - this information reflects the re-numbering beginning 2008-2009.
MORE than one hundred courses in the Department of History are available to Vanderbilt undergraduates. Some focus on a particular historical period, others on a particular region of the world, and still others on topics that may cross traditional chronological and geographical boundaries. The department is committed to the principle that in a changing world, the way we learn about the past must also change. It will continue to develop new courses for the twenty-first century, with an emphasis on those that recognize the interconnections among the various civilizations and regions of the globe.
Unless indicated otherwise in the course description, history courses have no prerequisite. Except for History 295, 297, 298, and 299, courses numbered below 300 are open to all majors and non-majors. History 295 is limited to seniors and juniors who have previously taken History 200. History 297, 298, and 299 are limited to students who have been admitted to the History Honors Program. Courses numbered 300 and higher may be taken by senior history majors with the approval of the instructor, the adviser, and the Graduate School.

Students will find that the study of history offers not only a strong foundation for a liberal education but also a means of understanding the contemporary world. The skills developed in gathering, assessing, and synthesizing information have wide application in many careers, including business and the professions.

The Department of History offers a major and minor in history and, in cooperation with the Department of Economics, a joint major in economics and history, which is described in this catalog under Economics and History. It also offers a joint major in English and history, which is described in this
catalog under English and History.

Program of Concentration in History
The major program requires a minimum of 30 hours in history; no more than 6 hours of AP or IB credit may count toward this total. Note: AP and IB credit will not count toward the 15 hours for the concentration. Course work is distributed as follows:

1. 200 or 297 (3 hours)
Note: 200 should be taken as soon as possible and must be taken no later than the second semester of the junior year. 200 is a prerequisite for the 295 capstone course. 297 is limited to second-semester juniors who have been admitted to the Honors Program. Students entering the Honors Program who have already taken 200 will receive elective credit for that course.

2. Five courses in one of the following concentrations (15 hours):
A. Asia
B. Latin America
C. Europe
D. Early America and the United States
E. Middle East and Africa
F. Comparative History/Special Topics

See below for a list of courses that count for Concentrations A, B, C, D, and E. Students choosing concentration F must have the approval of their adviser and the director of undergraduate studies for a specific program of study.

Program A. Asia
101, 115F, 105, 106, 107, 108, 109, 161, 182, 202, 203, 204, 205, 206, 282, 287a, and as appropriate 294, 295, 296, 297, 298a–b, 299.

Program B. Latin America
101, 115F, 137, 138, 244, 245, 246, 247, 248, 249, 250, 251, 257, and as appropriate 294, 295, 296, 297, 298a–b, and 299.

Program C. Europe
101, 115F, 135, 136, 149, 160, 161, 170, 172, 176, 183, 184, 187, 209, 210, 222, 223, 224, 225, 226, 227, 228, 229, 230, 231, 234, 241, 243, 244, 245, 280, 283, 287a, 287c, 291, and as appropriate 294, 295, 296, 297, 298a–b, and 299; Classical Studies 207, 208, 209, 212, 213; Economics 271; Jewish Studies 156, 256; Philosophy 210.

Program D. Early America and the United States
101, 115F, 139, 140, 141, 142, 143, 144, 149, 161, 166, 169,172, 173, 174, 181, 185, 186, 187, 243, 258, 259, 260, 261, 262, 263, 264, 265, 269, 270, 271, 280, 281, 287a, 287b, 287d, 287e, 291, 292 (May Session), and as appropriate 293b, 293c, 294, 295, 296, 297, 298a–b, and 299; AMER 294 taught by Professor Gerstle; Jewish Studies 256.

Program E. Middle East and Africa
115F, 127, 128, 213, 287c, 291, and as appropriate 293b, 293c, 294, 295, 296, 297, 298a–b, and 299; Classical Studies 224; Jewish Studies 115F 09, 120, 121, 156, 252, 256.

3. Capstone course (3–6 hours)
One of the following, to be taken in the junior or senior year; all of the options will require the student to write a major paper.

Option 1: 293b, Internship Research (3 hours). Must be taken in conjunction with HIST 293a (internship training). Prerequisite: HIST 200. Note: a student may take HIST 293b as an elective before completing HIST 200, but in this case 293b will not count as a capstone course.

Option 2: 295, Undergraduate Seminar (3 hours). Prerequisite: 200.

Option 3: 298a–b, Senior Honors Seminar (6 hours). Limited to seniors in the History Honors Program; prerequisite: HIST 297.

4. Electives (6–12 hours, depending on the nature of the capstone course)

Honors Program
The Honors Program in History is a three-semester program of study. It offers superior undergraduate history majors a program of advanced reading, research, and writing. The Honors Program combines seminar work and independent study under the supervision of a thesis adviser. This structure provides participants an introduction to historical research and writing, as well as the opportunity to study defined areas of history and significant historical problems that accord with their own interests. The final objectives of the Honors Program are successful authorship of the honors thesis and graduation with honors or high honors in history.
Students meeting college and departmental requirements will enroll for a total of 12 credit hours: History 297, Junior Honors Seminar in History (3 hours); History 298a–298b, Senior Honors Research Seminar (6 hours); and 299, Senior Honors Thesis (3 hours). In addition, the Honors Program requires an oral defense of the honors thesis before a faculty committee at the end of the third semester.

Minor in History
The minor in history requires a minimum of 18 hours of course work in one area of concentration. No more than 3 hours of AP or IB credit may count toward this total. The following options are offered:

I. Asian History
Six of the courses listed under “Program A. Asia”

II. Latin American History
1. 137 or 138 and
2. Any five of the courses listed under “Program B. Latin America”

III. European History
1. 135 or 136 and
2. Five of the courses listed under “Program C. Europe”

IV. Early America and United States History
1. 139, 140, 141, or 142 and
2. Five of the courses listed under “Program D. Early America and the
United States”

V. Middle East and Africa
1. Six of the courses listed under “Program E. Middle East and Africa”

Note: The Department of History renumbered its courses effective for the 2008/2009 academic year. In most cases, the courses with new numbers serve as repeat credit for the same course with the old number taken prior to Fall 2008. Please check the course descriptions for specific details.

Economics and History Major
The joint major in economics and history makes an important contribution to liberal education at Vanderbilt by helping students understand the origins and organization of modern society. It also provides a unique preparation for careers in business, the professions, and other fields by combining all the analytical tools of the regular economics major with history’s emphasis on clear and effective writing and on developing skills in gathering, assessing, and synthesizing information. The program consists of 45 hours of course work: 9 hours in an economic history core, and an additional 18 hours in economics and 18 in history.
Note: All students must have at least one semester of calculus; two are strongly recommended for the economics component. Calculus is a prerequisite for ECON 150, 231, and 232, which are required for the major. It is also a prerequisite for all economics courses numbered above 250.

Course work for the major is distributed as follows:

Economic History Core (9 hours)
Three of the following courses, one of which must be an economics course numbered above 250:
HIST 160 European Economic History 1000–1700, HIST 161, HIST 166, ECON 226, ECON 262, ECON 266, ECON 271. Note: ECON 231 is a prerequisite for ECON 262, 266 and 271.

Economics (18 hours)
ECON 100, 101, 150 (or both MATH 218 and 219), 231, 232; one economics course numbered above 250 not included in the economic history core.

History (18 hours)
Two courses numbered 142 or below; HIST 200; HIST 295; two electives above 142 and not included in the economic history core (note that 169, 170, and 203 are NOT accepted as electives for the major).

Honors Program (9 more hours)
54 hours: students will take the four-course honors sequence, HIST 297, 298a–b, 299; they will not be required to take HIST 295, though they may enroll for 295 as an elective. They will write an interdisciplinary thesis under the direction of an adviser from each department.

English and History Major
The interdisciplinary major in English and history offers students the opportunity to integrate literary and historical studies in a sustained way. Students interested in the areas of intersection and cross-fertilization between these two fields have a wide set of options. The program consists of 36 hours of course work. Course work for the major is distributed as follows:

Core Requirements (9 hours)
1. English 116W or 118W (3 hours).
Note: English 116W or 118W is a prerequisite to upper-division courses in English.
2. History 200 (3 hours).
Note: History 200, 200W is the foundation course for the major in history.
3. English 280/History 291. Workshop in English and History (3 hours).
Note: Team-taught by a historian and a literary scholar, this course explores the intersection of disciplines through close examination of texts in historical context, building the analytical and expository skills required for sustained interdisciplinary studies. Topics vary from semester to semester. Courses have included themes such as “Fourteenth-Century Pestilence and Poetry,” “Cross-Cultural Borders,” and “Abolishing Slavery.” Since topics vary, the Workshop in English and History may be taken more than once; up to 6 hours will count for the concentration in English and history. When the program includes 6 hours of English 280/History 291, 3 of those hours will substitute for 3 hours of electives in either English or history. Preference to students majoring in the English and History Program.

Electives (27 hours)
4. Either 12 hours in history and 15 in English, or 15 hours in history and 12 in English. All English electives must be at the 200 level. History electives may be at the 100 level or 200 level.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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