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02-03  LS&A Bulletin

History

effective date of concentration: September 5, 2001 | previous requirements

May be elected as a departmental concentration program

Prerequisites to Concentration. One of the six introductory survey sequences: HISTORY 110-111, 121-122, 151-152, 160-161, 200-201, 246-247. AP credit may not be used to satisfy the prerequisite to concentration.

Concentration Program. Concentration in History requires eight 3- or 4-credit courses, at least four of which must be taken in residence at the UM—Ann Arbor. At least five of the eight courses in HISTORY must be elected at the 300-level or above. Credits earned from survey sequence courses not used to satisfy the prerequisite requirement may be counted for concentration if elected at the 200-level and above.

The concentration program must include:

  1. at least one junior-senior colloquium (HISTORY 396 or 397).

In addition, concentrators must elect:

  1. at least one course in American history
  2. at least one course in European history from ancient to modern times
  3. at least two courses in African, Asian, Latin American, or Middle Eastern history. One of these two courses may be in transregional or comparative history. Students should consult a concentration advisor on whether a course satisfies this area requirement. Courses taken to satisfy the prerequisite requirement or the colloquium requirement may also be used to satisfy this area requirement.
  4. chronological distribution: at least one course that covers the period before 1800. Courses taken to satisfy the prerequisites requirement may not be used to satisfy this chronological requirement.
  5. Finally, concentrators must elect six credits of cognate courses. The cognate credits (usually two courses) must be earned in a single department and must be from upper-level courses. A course is cognate to history only if it deepens the student's understanding of history. Students should consult with a concentration advisor to be certain whether or not a given course is acceptable to the History Department.

Aside from the necessity to satisfy the requirements listed above, the Department specifies no single pattern of courses for concentration. Students develop a concentration plan in consultation with their advisor. For the purposes of history concentration credit, no more than six credits may be elected from HISTORY 394 and 395.

Honors Concentration. The Junior-Senior Honors Program in the Department of History is open to juniors interested in concentrating in history who have maintained at least a 3.25 grade point average overall and a 3.5 average in history courses. Applications for the program, which are available in the History Department office in 1029 Tisch Hall, are accepted annually at the end of October, and the usual applicant is a first-term junior. Admission decisions will be based on a student's academic performance, background in history, demonstrated ability to write, and recommendations by history faculty. High grade point average alone does not guarantee admission. Accepted students will be notified in November and will begin their participation in the program the following January in HISTORY 398, the Junior Honors Colloquium.

Members of the Honors Program must fulfill all the usual requirements for concentration in History and the two Honors courses they are required to take, HISTORY 398 (4 credits) and HISTORY 399 (6 credits), count toward the fulfillment of these requirements. HISTORY 398, the Junior Honors Colloquium, provides a rigorous introduction to historical research in general and Honors thesis topics and research in particular. During this course students must arrive at a topic and obtain an advisor for their senior Honors thesis. This course also provides intensive training in writing. Completion of the HISTORY 398-399 Honors Sequence also satisfies the "colloquium" requirement for history concentration, described above.

HISTORY 398 is offered only in the winter term and because it is the foundation for work on the senior thesis, it is normally an inflexible prerequisite for all Honors students. Admitted juniors studying abroad during the winter term will have HISTORY 398 waived. Students must still apply for admission to the Honors Program in the fall term of their junior year. Participation in Junior Year Study Abroad will not injure a student's chance for acceptance. Students failing to achieve a B+ or better in HISTORY 398 will not be encouraged to continue in the program.

HISTORY 399, the Senior Honors Colloquium, is a year-long writing workshop led by a faculty member which includes all seniors writing Honors theses. Although the thesis is written primarily under the guidance of the faculty advisor, students help one another with projects in the workshop by sharing experiences, advice, interests, and, ultimately, portions of their theses. Completed theses, which must be submitted by April 1, usually range anywhere from 60 to 100 pages. They are evaluated by their advisor and one or more other faculty, on the basis of the quality of the research, analysis, and writing. The letter grade for HISTORY 399 and the level of Honors with which the student will be graduated (i.e., "Honors," "High Honors," "Highest Honors") are based on the evaluations of the thesis. Theses handed in more than two weeks past the due date are not eligible for an Honors rank.

Students with questions about the program are welcome to pursue them by meeting with the History Department's Honors concentration advisor.

Advising. Appointments with concentration and history Honors advisors are scheduled at the History department, 1029 Tisch Hall, (734) 764-6305. Students should see an advisor as soon as they decide on their concentration or minor.

Teaching Certificate. A teaching certificate with a teaching major in History requires at least 30 credits of HISTORY and must include 8 credits of U.S. history (colonial or national period) and 8 credits in non-United States history. The remaining courses for the teaching major must be distributed in such a way that students acquire a broad understanding of as many subfields as possible. Courses are selected with the approval of their School of Education advisor. A teaching minor requires a minimum 20 credits of history including 8 of U.S. history (colonial or national period) and 8 credits in non-United States history. This is not the same as the history academic minor.

The general requirements for a teaching certificate are described elsewhere in this Bulletin. Students should also consult the School of Education Office of Student Services, 1033 School of Education.

Student Association. History concentrators with an average of 3.5 or better in their history courses are encouraged to join the history honor society, Phi Alpha Theta, a group which fosters an exchange of ideas between students and faculty, and among students, about common historical interests. Two members of the society are elected to sit on the Department's curriculum committee.


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