Requirements for the History Major

The history major consists of ten history courses that must include the following:

• History of the Modern World (HIS 105)
• An Introduction to History seminar (HIS 110-149)
• The Politics and Practice of History (HIS 206)
• Two research seminars (course numbers 350-399; 495,* 496*)
• An additional course at the 300 level
• At least one course focused on the history of the United States
• At least one course focused on the history of Europe
  
  (This includes all courses focusing on Western Europe, Eastern Europe, or Russia)
• At least one course focused on the history of Africa, Asia, Latin America, or the Middle East

*Either HIS 495 or 496 may be counted towards the research-seminar credit, but not both.

For a list of our other History courses, please click here. You can also see a full list of Lafayette College Courses on the website for the Office of the Registrar.

Requirements for the Global History Concentration

Students who major in history and fulfill all the other requirements of the major, but who also meet the following requirements, will be recognized as having completed a Concentration in Global History: the Concentration in Global History consists of five History courses, including HIST 105, a research seminar or colloquium that focuses on global history, plus three other courses that focus on global history. Students must satisfy all of the regular requirements for the history major. Courses can count toward both the general requirements for the History major and the requirements for the Concentration in Global History.

Global History Courses

These “global” history courses focus on historical processes that transcend or connect different geographical regions of the world. Courses are classified by the department as “global” 1) if the course materials engage students with perspectives generated from different regions of the globe and 2) if the historical analysis expected in student work includes consideration of either connections between these regions, comparisons between them, or both.

HIS 105: History of the Modern World – Staff
HIS 114: Introduction to History Seminar: Food Histories – Pite
HIS 115: Introduction to History Seminar: Crusades – Goshgarian
HIS 118: Introduction to History Seminar: Cold War – Sanborn
HIS 120: Introduction to History Seminar: History in Pictures – Barclay
HIS 212: Middle East in Mind of America, America in Mind of Middle East – Goshgarian
HIS 215: History of Technology – Jackson
HIS 238: Global Stimulants – Pite
HIS 261: Making African America – Zallen
HIS 265: Modern Jewish History – Weiner
HIS 275: Crossing the Americas – Pite
HIS 276: Conquest: A History – Rosen
HIS 310: Coll: Human Rights and Modern War – Sanborn