The College Catalogue

• K. Page Herrlinger, Department Chair
• Josephine C. Johnson, Department Coordinator

• Professors: Thomas Conlan (Asian Studies), Olufemi Vaughan (Africana Studies), Allen Wells†
• Associate Professors: Connie Y. Chiang† (Environmental Studies), Dallas G. Denery II†, David Gordon, K. Page Herrlinger, Matthew Klingle** (Environmental Studies), Sarah F. McMahon, Patrick J. Rael, Rachel L. Sturman (Asian Studies), Susan L. Tananbaum
• Assistant Professors: David Hecht†, Meghan Roberts, Ya (Leah) Zuo (Asian Studies)
• Visiting Faculty: W. Thomas Okie
• Fellows: Durba Mitra (Gender and Women’s Studies), Elizabeth Shesko (Latin American Studies)

Requirements for the Major in History

History offers the following regional fields of study: Africa, East Asia, Europe, Latin America, South Asia, and the United States. Some courses in history are designated as “transregional” because they cover more than one of these regional fields. The department also offers fields in Atlantic and Colonial Worlds, which may include these transregional courses, as well as courses that are not transregional but fit into these transregional concentrations. All history courses fall under one or more of these regional or transregional fields.

Before electing to major in history, a student should have completed or have in progress at least two college-level courses in history. In consultation with a faculty advisor in the department, a student should plan a program that begins at either the introductory or the intermediate level and progresses to the advanced level.

The major consists of ten courses, with the following stipulations:

1. No more than two courses below the 200 level may count toward the major, and these must be taken prior to the junior year.
2. Students may not count toward the major more than six courses in a single field of study. (Students may count transregional courses toward any one of the fields they cover.)
3. Non-Euro/U.S. courses: Majors take at least four courses in fields outside of Europe and the United States. These courses may include courses taken in the transregional fields (Atlantic Worlds and Colonials Worlds), which count toward at least one non-Euro/U.S. field. Transregional courses may count toward any one of their designated field areas, but a single course may not count toward more than one field area.
4. Pre-modern course: One pre-modern course (courses designated by professors).
5. Advanced seminars: Three courses above the level of 200-lecture courses (i.e., 200-level intermediate seminars, 300-level research seminars, 400-level advanced independent studies, or honors). These courses must be taken in at least two fields (a single course may not count toward more than one field).
6. Capstone: One of the three advanced seminars must be a 300-level capstone seminar. In consultation with a faculty advisor, a major may fulfill this requirement with an honors project. Students are expected to have concentrated their studies in the field in which the capstone is taken by having taken at least two prior courses in the field.

Grades: Students must obtain a minimum course grade of C- to receive credit toward the major. Courses that will count toward the major must be taken on a graded basis (not Credit/D/Fail).

Study away: In the sophomore year, students anticipating study away from Bowdoin should discuss with the departmental advisor a plan for the history major that includes work at Bowdoin and elsewhere. Students participating in approved off-campus study may count no more than one history course per semester toward the history major. In exceptional cases, students may petition to receive credit for more than one course per semester toward the history major. In all cases, a maximum of three history courses taken away from Bowdoin can count toward the history major.

Honors: All history majors seeking departmental honors will enroll in at least one semester of the Honors Program (History 451, 452). Its primary requirement is the research and writing of the honors thesis. To be eligible to register for Honors, a student must have the equivalent of a B+ average in courses taken in the department and the approval of a thesis advisor.

Languages: History majors are encouraged to develop competence in one or more foreign languages and to use this competence in their historical reading and research. Knowledge of a foreign language is particularly important for students planning graduate work.

Requirements for the Minor in History

The minor consists of five courses with the following stipulations:

• A maximum of one course taken under the 200 level (must be taken prior to junior year)
• A maximum of one course taken at another institution (may not count as an intermediate seminar or higher)
• One course must be taken at the level of intermediate seminar or higher (course must be taken at Bowdoin)
• One course must be non-Euro/U.S. (a transregional course that covers fields outside of Europe and the United States may count)
• Courses that will count toward the minor must be taken on a graded basis (not Credit/D/Fail)
• Students participating in off-campus study may count no more than two history courses toward the history minor. This must be approved by a departmental advisor.

Curriculum

Although first-year seminars and 100-level courses are designed as introductory courses for students who have not taken college-level courses in history, first-year students and all non-majors may also enroll in any lecture course numbered 200–289.

Intermediate seminars are not open to first-year students. Most of these seminars have a prerequisite of one history course.

Advanced seminars or Problems Courses are open to history majors and minors and to other juniors and seniors with sufficient background in the discipline.