The History Department at HSU has tried to combine information competency--the acquisition and appropriate use of information--with the history major--the acquisition and appropriate use of the skills of a historian--to create a seamless path for history majors that builds and reinforces these skills through the course of their studies.
GOALS
After analysis of student exit interviews (conducted in History 493: Portfolio Review), discussions with students and discussions among the department faculty, it was clear that while students were often exposed to a variety of historical skills, they indicated that they were often not sure how things connected or built on each other. To overcome these informational shortcomings, the department has sought to reconfigure and reconceive the major in order to
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Establish basic skills
Reinforce these skills
Produce a major project using these skills
Analyze the results of this process
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Each of these steps is associated with a particular course or set of courses offered by the History Department.
THE MAJOR
While the structure of the History Major has not changed, the department has sought to reconceive the purpose of various courses and to create a clearer path and correlation among the courses.
History Major Requirements
introducing the concepts
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History 104: Western Civilization to 1650
History 105: Western Civilization Since 1650
History 106: History of the Middle East and Africa
History 107: East Asian Civilization to 1644
History 108: East Asian Civilization 1644 to Present
History 109A: Colonial Latin America
History 109b: Modern Latin America
History Majors are required to take two courses from the above list (which also meet AREA D Lower Division General Education Requirements). It is strongly recommended that students take one of the Western Civilization courses and one of the non-European courses in order to broaden their exposure to various geographic areas and histories. The courses provide students with a basic overview of history in Europe, Asia, Africa and the Middle East, and Latin America, while introducing them to a variety of historical skills and approaches (which vary depending on the instructor). The classes also provide a narrative baseline for later, more in-depth courses in the European or World History Pathway.
History 110: U.S. History to 1877
History 111: U.S. History Since 1877
History Majors are required to take both halves of American history (which meet one of the Institutions Requirements). The courses provide students with a basic overview of American history while introducing them to a variety of historical skills and approaches (which vary depending on the instructor). The classes also provide a narrative baseline for later, more indepth courses in the American History Pathway. They are especially useful for students planning to pursue a career teaching at the high school level.
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History Major Requirements
Establishing the Basics
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History 210: Introduction to History
History 226: Computer Research in History
These two courses form the core of the History Major and serve to establish basic history skills. Students MUST take History 210 as soon as possible. They will not be allowed to take upper division history courses until they have enrolled in History 210. One to two sections are offrered every semester.
History 226 is also best taken early in the student's career since it provides basics on technology use and technologically based research. It may be delayed a semester due to scheduling conflicts but should not be left for long. The course is offered every semester. It presently meets once a week for two hours; due to the switch to the Macromedia design suite and after discussion, starting in Fall 2003, the course will meet twice a week for 2 hours for 8 weeks.
Together, the courses will provide students with a clear introduction to history skills as skills. It is here that students establish the base upon which they will build for the remainder of their career at HSU. For further information, go to the pages on History 210 or History 226.
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History Major Requirements
Reinforcing the Skills
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Upper Division History Courses (numbered 300 and above)
note: courses numbered 300-309 are 3 unit courses that count for upper level GE in Area D. 311 and 312 are 3 unit courses designed to meet the requiremnts of LSEE and SSSE students, respectively. History Majors must either take these courses for 4 units, take a weekend workshop for 1 unit, or take an additional course in the pathway to have the units required by the major.
Upper Division History Courses are divided into three pathways--American, European, and World. Students must take 4 units (usually the equivalent of 1 course) in each pathway, and then a minimum of 8 more units (usually 2 courses) in any pathway (usually the one in wish they want to concentrate). In addition to providing in-depth historical content, the purpose of the upper division history courses is to use the 4th unit of value to reinforce the skills learned in History 210 and History 226. Professors may do this through any variety of methods--research paper, class discussions, historiographical assignment, oral presentations, source analysis, etc. Which skills a professor chooses to work on and the methods they choose to use are up to them. To find out which courses will develop what skills, go to the page on Upper Division History Courses.
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History Major Requirements
The Major Project
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History 490: Senior Seminar
Senior Seminar is designed to be taken senior year (preferebly the last semster). At least one Senior Seminar is offered every semester. If you do not have senior standing, the department will usually remove you from the course. The seminar is geared towards the production of a minimum 25 page original research paper. It is the culmination of the skills the student has been developing. Students must design a research topic, do extensive research in primary and secondary sources, create an argument, and write a paper correctly using critcal thinking skills, historical support and argumentation and providing all necessary citation in the correct format.
The professors teaching senior seminar vary by semsester. While some professors are willing to let a student choose any area of history, generally they prefer that students be working in the same pathway as they teach in. This makes it easier for the professor to provide guidance, suggest sources, etc. It is the student's responsibility to see who is teaching each semester and be sure that if they want to write on an American topic for example, they take the seminar during the semester when an American history professor is teaching it or when a professor who is willing to work with an American topic is teaching. Students can write outside their main field of study but it is not recommended. For more information, see the page on History 490.
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History Major Requirements
Analyzing the Results
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History 493: Portfolio Assessment
This is a one unit course taken in conjunction with History 490: Senior Seminar. The purpose of this course is twofold. On the one hand, students should assess the progress they have made as a History Major--how their skills have improved, what they have learned, what are the concrete signs of progress, etc. On the other hand, it is an opportunity for the students to express their opinions about the major and the work of the History Department. For more information, see the page on History 493.
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