In the broadest sense, history entails the study of chronologically and culturally diverse societies, considered singly and comparatively. The aim of a History concentration is to provide students with appreciation of different approaches to the study of the past and to encourage them to develop an understanding of the ways in which societies and cultures change over time. At the time of declaring a History concentration, all students must decide, in consultation with their concentration advisor and other members of the department, what particular combinations of courses will best fulfill these objectives in accordance with the following requirements:
1. Basic Requirement: A concentration in History consists of a minimum of ten semester-long courses; of these, at least eight (seven in the case of students who spend more than one semester at another institution; see "Transferring Courses" below) must be offered by the Brown University History Department.
2. Field of Focus: Upon declaring a concentration in History, students must define the area of history that will be the primary focus of their program. The field may be defined by place (such as South Asian history), by time and place (such as modern European history), or by topic (such as environmental history). Students are expected to complete a minimum of four courses in the primary area of focus.
3. Geographical Distribution: Concentrators must distribute their ten-course minimum across at least three of the eight geographic areas listed below, with a minimum of four courses in one area, three courses in a second area, and two courses in one or more other areas.
4. Chronological Distribution: All concentrators must distribute their courses between the pre-modern and modern periods, with at least three units in each period. Courses listed in the Banner Catalog are designated "P" for pre-modern, "M" for modern, and "E" for either. Students may elect to count courses designated as "E" as either pre-modern or modern.
5. Introductory Courses: Courses 1-199 include the History Department's "gateway" surveys and first-year seminars as well as other courses designed for students who desire an introduction to a particular topic. A maximum of two such courses may be counted toward the ten-course minimum for the History concentration. However, since the department encourages students to take a freshman seminar, those doing so may apply that seminar to the ten-course minimum as well, to make a total of three courses numbered 199 or below. Additionally, students are advised to take a survey sequence HIST 0010-0020, 0410-0420, or 0510-0520. Students planning to make East Asian history their primary area of focus must normally complete HIST 0410 and 0420. It is advisable for students planning to make European history their primary area of focus to take both HIST 0010 and 0020. As noted in Item 7 ("Honors"), HIST 1992, 1993, and 1994 comprise the honors sequence and may not be used to fulfill concentration requirements.
6. Advanced Undergraduate Seminar: All concentrators must complete at least one advanced undergraduate seminar HIST 1970's. These seminars are designed to provide students with an opportunity to delve deeply into a historical problem and, in most cases, write a major research and/or analytical paper which serves as a capstone experience. Students considering writing a senior honors thesis are advised to take an advanced seminar in their junior year.
7. Honors: Students who contemplate enrolling in the honors program in History should obtain the departmental brochure describing the requirements and meet with the honors advisor. Prospective honors students must take HIST 1992 during the second semester of their junior year. Students who are abroad that semester are excused from this requirement, but, as a result, it is more difficult for them to prepare to write their theses. They should find an advisor and settle upon a topic before they leave for their term of foreign study. Students in the honors program must complete HIST 1993 and 1994 during their senior year. HIST 1992, 1993 and 1994 are in addition to the ten courses required for concentration. For additional information, please consult the History Department website: www.brown.edu/Departments/History/
8. Transferring Courses: The History Department encourages students to take history courses at other institutions, either in the United States or abroad, as well as history-oriented courses in other departments and programs at Brown. Students may apply two courses taken in other departments/programs at Brown to the ten-course minimum for the History concentration. Students who spend one semester at another institution may apply to their concentration a maximum of two courses, and those who spend more than one semester at another institution may apply to their concentration a maximum of three courses.
Students wishing to apply such courses must present to their concentration advisor written justification that those courses complement some aspect of their concentration. Transferred courses from other Brown departments may not be applied toward the chronological distribution requirement; courses transferred from other institutions may be applied toward the chronological distribution requirement so long as they clearly are history courses.
For foreign study, it is normally expected that students will have declared their intention to concentrate in History and have their concentration programs approved before undertaking study abroad. Students taking courses in Brown-run programs abroad automatically receive University transfer credit, but must discuss history courses with a concentration advisor in order to receive concentration credit. Students taking courses in other foreign-study programs or at other universities in the United States must apply to the Department Advisor for transfer credit.
Final transfer and concentration credit will not be granted until the student successfully completes the course(s) and returns to Brown. Approval by the department advisor for transfer credit will be contingent on satisfactory course content and performance (to be demonstrated by documents such as a transcript showing the grade, syllabi, notes, papers, exams, etc.).
9. Regular Consultation: Students are strongly urged to consult regularly with their concentration advisor or a department advisor about their program. During the seventh semester, all students must meet with their concentration advisor for review and approval of their program.
Page last updated in February, 2008.