History

The Department of History offers both an A.B. in History as well as a minor in History.

Major in History

History majors are required to complete at least eleven, but no more than fourteen, courses in history: normally the two College core courses, and at least nine other classes numbered 1100 and above. Students exempted from the core requirement, but without advanced standing, are still required to take eleven history courses (see the section on core requirements for specifics).  A 1-credit portfolio workshop course (HIST 4900) is required for all History majors except those completing the Senior Honors Seminar; majors will take this course in their Fall semester senior year.  In this course, students will reflect upon the skills learned during the major, select and examine examples of their best writing, and practice how best to present their own accomplishments as they approach graduation.

The major includes both geographic and level distribution requirements.  To ensure that there is breadth and depth in a student’s selection of courses, History majors must take a minimum of four courses in one world region; if their world region of concentration is a non-western one (from Group A: Africa; Asia; Latin America; Middle East), then they need at least three classes drawn from any of those offered in the western regions (from Group B: Europe; Russia/Eastern Europe; U.S./North America); the reverse applies if the main region of concentration is a western one. For example, if your major field is the Middle East, you must take four classes in that specific region and then three in any of the regions listed in Group B (1 Europe, 2 US or 3 US or 1 Russia, 1 Europe, 1 US, etc.). Several comparative or global courses can be counted for one of several regions. 

In addition to geographic distribution, History majors must take at least three history seminars or colloquia, numbered 3000 or above (please note that courses numbered 5000+ are graduate courses and may only be taken with permission of instructor or the Director of Undergraduate Studies). At least one of these courses must be one of the four classes in your major region of concentration. These seminars feature intense class discussion and substantial reading and writing assignments, and as such they will allow students to deepen their understanding both of particular world regions and historical eras, and of the discipline of history as a whole.

The Department encourages study abroad and is flexible in facilitating the transfer of credit for bona fide history courses.

Students interested in majoring in History register with the Director of Undergraduate Studies in the Department, normally during their sophomore year, and receive approval to add the major. The Director of Undergraduate Studies will help each new major select an advisor.

Seminar Classes and Integrated Writing

All History seminar courses will help hone students’ writing skills: by taking three of these courses students will repeatedly encounter and practice various forms of historical writing and develop their own voice as historically-conscious analytical writers. Therefore, all History courses numbered at 3000-4999 fulfill the College’s requirement for one “Integrated Writing” course in each student’s major. Moreover, because these courses represent a signature feature of the major, they cannot be transferred, and History majors must take these three courses at Georgetown.  Tutorial arrangements are also ordinarily numbered in this range.

Requirements for the A.B. in History

11 Semesters of History, normally including:

  • 1 Survey course: Any HIST survey with linked discussion section, 1101-1999
  • 1 HIST 1099, History Focus
  • 9 History courses (1000 or above)
    •       3  of which must be 3000 level or above
    •       7 of which meet the Department’s regional distribution requirement as outlined here:
      •      4 courses from one region in GROUP A, paired with 3 courses in any of the GROUP B regions 
      •             OR
      •      4 courses from one region in GROUP B, paired with 3 courses in any of the GROUP A regions
    •      2 History electives of the student’s choosing

  • A 1-credit workshop course in senior year (HIST 4900)

For complete list of which courses fit in which region, see Distribution List maintained by the Department.

History Honors

The Department of History encourages potentially excellent students to participate in its Honors Program.  All History majors in the College and SFS are welcome to apply in the Spring of their Junior year, and, if admitted, to take the Seminar and write a thesis (though to graduate with “History Honors” students must maintain a GPA of 3.667 in the major). The year-long Seminar fulfills the requirements for two courses numbered 3000 or above and, depending on the topic, can be applied to whichever region needed.

Students may enroll in an independent study tutorial in History (HIST 4949) under the supervision of a faculty member who has some expertise in the area in which the student wants to concentrate.

The independent study tutorial can be fashioned as either a reading or a research tutorial. History or International History majors may also petition to take a History elective class (HIST 2001 or 2002) in connection with an outside internship.  The internship elective includes both the internship and a supplementary reading or research project (please see details on the Department’s web site).

All applications for independent study and internships must have the approval of the Director of Undergraduate Studies. It is advisable that students consult with the Director early when planning for one of these options.

Minor in History

Requirements for the Minor

  • Six History courses, of which at least one must be 3000 or above, are required for the History Minor.

Accelerated AB or BSFS/Master of Arts in Global, International and Comparative History (MAGIC) Degree Program in History

Students enrolled in this program take up to four graduate History seminars in their senior year, two of which can be double-counted towards their undergraduate requirements. In addition, SFS International History majors may choose between HIST 3105 and HIST 5004, rather than taking both.  Students in the accelerated program can complete the requirements of the MAGIC degree in as little as two semesters (and no more than three semesters) following their graduation from the College or SFS.

Application for the program should be made either in the second semester of the applicant’s junior year or in the first semester of the senior year. For further information, please see the MAGIC website at: http://history.georgetown.edu/programs/ma/.

For further inquiries, please contact the MAGIC Director in the History Department, James Millward, at millwarj@georgetown.edu.

(For course listings for History see the Schedule of Classes)