History

• FACULTY
• LEARNING AIMS
• MAJOR IN HISTORY
• MINOR IN HISTORY
• COURSE DESCRIPTIONS

FACULTY

Chair: Matthew B. Mulcahy, Associate Professor

Professors: John R. Breihan; Charles W. Cheape; Kelly R. DeVries; Steven C. Hughes; Thomas R. Pegram; Elizabeth Schmidt; R. Keith Schoppa; Martha C. Taylor; Joseph J. Walsh

Associate Professors: Charles Borges, S.J.; Katherine Stern Brennan; Bill M. Donovan; P. Andrew McCormick (emeritus); Francis G. McManamin, S.J. (emeritus); Matthew B. Mulcahy

Assistant Professors: Angela M. Leonard; Sara Scalenghe

Instructor: Jane Elizabeth Edwards

---

The history major, traditionally a preparation for careers in law, business, teaching and research, combines rigorous study with close personal interaction between students and faculty. In addition to classroom contacts, departmental colloquia held periodically during the academic year keep history majors, minors, and faculty members current with each other's research and other concerns.

History major and minor requirements are deliberately flexible in order to accommodate a wide variety of other subjects of study; history advisors will work with students to tailor the most appropriate individual program of work at Loyola. A departmental honors project, centered around an extensive research paper or senior thesis, is available to selected seniors. Application is made in the junior year.

LEARNING AIMS

Students who graduate with a history major will:

• have an appreciation of both change and continuity across time;
• have a broad understanding of the major developments in Europe and the world from the Renaissance through the Cold War;
• have a more specialized knowledge of particular events, time periods, and places in the United States, Europe, and the non-Western world;
• have an understanding of how historians interpret the past and use and evaluate primary and secondary sources to construct arguments;
• have an appreciation of historical methodologies and the ability to conduct research using library and web-based sources;
• have the ability to craft arguments based on evidence and present those arguments in well-written, analytical essays;
• have an appreciation of the past as a source for reflection on ethical issues and social justice, informed by the Jesuit tradition.

MAJOR IN HISTORY

History majors take a minimum of 13 history courses, including the HS101 core course and 12 upper-division (HS300- and 400-level) courses. These are normally distributed as follows:

• Europe and the World Since 1500 (HS101).
• Eight HS300-level courses are required, including one fulfilling the second half of the core requirement. After completion of the core requirement, any HS400-level course except HS400 may be substituted for any HS300-level course.
• History Methods (HS400) is normally taken in the sophomore year after the completion of the core requirement; it provides a foundation for all other HS300- and 400-level courses.

• Two special topics courses (HS410-459) are required. These are more narrowly focused and professionally oriented than the HS300-level intermediate courses. (Note: Students may substitute additional seminars in place of special topics courses.)
• One history seminar (HS460-499) is required. The seminar is a small, intensive course that is conducted largely through discussion and requires a major research paper.

Upper-division courses may be taken in any order, though students will usually take their special topics and seminar courses in the junior or senior years. Majors may elect to take extra seminars or special topics courses in place of HS300-level courses. They may also decide to exceed the minimum number of history courses.

Specialized and independent study courses, which serve a particular purpose (HS401-409) can be taken as part of the 13 courses required for the history major but cannot be used in lieu of the two special topics courses or the seminar.

Among the upper-division courses selected, six must be taken according to the following distribution requirements:

Useful courses for history majors offered by other departments include Introduction to Computers with Software Applications (CS111); Introduction to Statistical Methods and Data Analysis (ST110); introductory courses in economics (EC), political science (PS), sociology (SC); and courses in art history (AH), English (EN), and modern languages and literatures (ML).

Split majors are required to take seven history courses:

•  Europe and the World Since 1500 (HS101)
•  One HS300-Level Core Course
•  Two HS300- or 400-Level Courses
•  History Methods (HS400)
•  One Special Topics Course (HS410-459)
•  One Seminar Course (HS460-499)

Among the upper-division courses selected, three must be taken according to the following distribution requirements:

Bachelor of Arts

Requirements for a major and an example of a typical program of courses are as follows:

Freshman Year

Fall Term

Spring Term

Sophomore Year

Fall Term

Spring Term

Junior Year

Fall Term

Spring Term

Senior Year

Fall Term

Spring Term

* Required for major.

** HS300-level course in freshman year, spring term requires department chair's permission.

1. The history core requirement consists of Europe and the World Since 1500 (HS101) and one elective course at the intermediate (300) level. HS101 is normally taken in the freshman year, but the timing of the history core elective, as well as its subject, is left up to the individual student after HS101 is completed.
2. History Methods (HS400) should be taken in either the fall or spring semester of the sophomore year. Emphasizing the development of critical thinking and research skills, this course provides crucial preparation for all other HS300- and 400-level courses.
3. The completion of HS101 is required for enrollment in all HS300-level courses unless special permission is granted by the department chair. Likewise, completion of HS101 and one HS300-level course is required for enrollment in HS400-level courses unless special permission is granted by the chair. Students in the Honors Program, however, may register for a HS400-level courses after they have completed HS101.
4. Written permission of the instructor is required for Intensive Independent Study I/II (HS401/HS402), History Internship (HS405), or any history seminars (HS460-499).
5. Students must complete the diversity requirement through a designated diversity core, major, or elective course (see Diversity Requirement under Curriculum and Policies).

MINOR IN HISTORY

• Europe and the World Since 1500 (HS101)
• Four HS300- or 400-Level Courses
• One special topics course (HS410-459) or one seminar (HS460-499)

The history core requirement must be completed before the special topics or seminar course may be taken. HS400, HS401, and HS405 do not satisfy the special topics/seminar requirement. History minors are invited to attend all department functions.