History Advising Guide

Introduction

Students majoring in History have the opportunity to develop either a thematic or a geographical concentration. Geographical regions with strong faculty support include North America, Europe, Latin America, Asia/Middle East, and Africa. A wide variety of thematic concentrations are possible, such as environment, science, gender, colonialism, war, race, and intellectual history. For more information please consult the department website. 

Introductory courses appropriate for prospective majors

First-Year students with good high school preparation in American or European history should consider enrolling in a 200-level course. However, because the First-Year program should seek to develop skills and to get a feel for what history at the college level is like, a 100-level survey course is strongly recommended for most First-Year students.

HIST 105, Medieval Europe
HIST 106, Early Modern Europe to 1799
HIST 107, Modern Europe, 1789-2000
HIST 117, American History to 1877
HIST 118, American History since 1877
HIST 120, East Asia: China and Japan
HIST 121, Middle East to 1750
HIST 122, Middle East since 1750
HIST 130, Latin American History I
HIST 131, Latin American History II
HIST 150, History of Science
HIST 205, Global Environmental History
HIST 206, American Environmental History
HIST 211, Topics in American History
HIST 213, Topics in European History
HIST 215, Topics in Comparative History
HIST 223, Renaissance Europe
HIST 253, Russia: Clans to Empire
HIST 270, African History from Earliest Times to c. 1850
HIST 271, African History since 1800
HIST 288, Civil War-Reconstruction

Students intending to major in History should take HIST 204 no later than the second year. Students planning to study abroad for the year are encouraged to take HIST 204 their third semester. This course, which has a prerequisite of one completed course in History, is intended to provide tools – library research techniques, analysis of primary materials, and writing of papers – that the History student will find helpful throughout his or her college career.

 Test scores and credits that may affect course selection 
Advanced Placement: Credit is awarded automatically for Advanced Placement examinations in European, US, or World History with scores of 4 or 5. Although AP and IB courses may result in college credit, they do not count toward the history major.

Introductory courses that fulfill distribution requirements  

Division II: Any one of the courses in history.

Comparative Civilizations:     
HIST 119, South Asia: India and Pakistan
HIST 120, East Asia: China and Japan
HIST 121, Middle East to 1750
HIST 122, Middle East since 1750
HIST 130, Latin American History I
HIST 215 (as appropriate), Topics in Comparative History
HIST 270, African History from Earliest Times to c. 1850
HIST 271, African History since 1800
HIST 272, The Atlantic Slave Trade
HIST 274, Rise and Fall of Apartheid

For course descriptions and requirements for the major, refer to the Academic Bulletin: History.

 Independent study and independent research 
Contact the faculty member teaching in the area of your topic (or other faculty) to talk about developing a topic proposal.

Internships 
Contact the Internship Coordinator in the Career Center, and/or an individual member of the history department for information. Internships are ordinarily scheduled in the junior or senior years. Examples of recent internships: House Divided Project, Pennsylvania State Archives, Military History Research Institute, Carlisle Barracks, Dickinson Archives, and Cumberland County Historical Society. The department also encourages and helps place students in rewarding summer internships.

Opportunities for off-campus study 
The department encourages participation in the many off-campus options worldwide. The Dickinson programs in Bologna and Norwich are particularly attractive options for History majors.

Preparation for graduate study 
Students contemplating graduate work in History should consult members of the department concerning foreign language requirements and supporting courses in the social sciences and humanities.
  

Additional remarks

Committee of Majors: This body plays an active and significant role in the work of the history department. Committee members help organize and promote a wide variety of departmental programs and events. They also meet with and help to evaluate job candidates, and gather information and advise the department when faculty are being considered for contract renewal, tenure, and promotion.

Careers: Many History majors continue their education, most frequently in law but also urban studies, history, museums and libraries, social services, and business. Others enter government service, management trainee programs, secondary education, and journalism.