History

The Department of History offers a Standard Major, a Modified Major, an Honors Major, and a Minor. Most courses fall into one of four areas: (1) United States and Canada, (2) Europe, (3) Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean, or (4) Interregional and Comparative. A Major or Minor in History focuses on a field of concentration. Students take the initiative to craft their own concentrations in consultation with their respective faculty advisers within the department. A concentration may be geographical (e.g. European History), chronological (e.g. the 20th Century), or thematic (e.g. Social History). Participants in the Department’s Honors Program then crown their field of concentration with a thesis written in the senior year.

Because planning is essential, it is critical that a student establish a relationship with a faculty member who can act as an adviser. Any member of the Department can serve as a major adviser, and it is best to pursue this relationship as early as possible. If you do not know whom to approach, the Department Chair or Vice Chair will be happy to suggest a possible adviser to suit your interests.

The Standard Major in History comprises the successful completion of at least ten History courses that meet the following requirements

1. Field of Concentration

• At least four History courses must relate to a field of concentration selected in consultation with a faculty adviser. Concentrations may be geographic, chronological or thematic.
• In addition, a culminating experience in the form of HIST 96 taken in the general area of the proposed geographic, chronological or thematic concentration.

      2. Geographic Distribution Your ten History courses must contain at least:

• one course in the history of the United States and Canada;
• one course in the history of Europe;
• two courses in the histories of Africa, Asia, Latin America & Caribbean;
• one Interregional or Comparative history course.

     3. Chronological Distribution

The Minor in History consists of the successful completion of seven History courses:

1. Field of Concentration

• At least two History courses must relate to a field of concentration selected in consultation with a faculty adviser. Concentrations may be geographic, chronological or thematic.
• A culminating experience in the form of an upperclass seminar or colloquium (HIST 96) taken in the general area of the proposed geographic, chronological or thematic concentration.

     2. Total of Seven History Courses Besides the courses in A, select four additional History courses to bring your total up to seven. These do not need to address your field of concentration, but can be used to fulfill the distributive requirements for the major mentioned below.

     3. Geographic Distribution Your seven History courses from A and B must contain at least one course from each of the following areas:

• United States and Canada;
• Europe;
• Africa, Asia, Latin America & Caribbean;
• Interregional.

     4. Chronological Distribution 

1.    SAT Reasoning or ACT (with Writing);
2.    2 SAT Subject Test Scores;
3.    The common application essay;
4.    Within the Common Application, Dartmouth’s writing supplement requires that applicants write a brief response to one of the following supplemental essay prompts. Candidates choose one topic and respond;
5.    A counselor recommendation and two teacher recommendations. In addition, a peer recommendation is strongly encouraged;
6.    Resume;
7.    Brief abstract of an independent research project;
8.    IELTS or TOEFL (no minimum scores).

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