Dear Freshmen,

We are glad that you are considering History as a concentration choice. With so many appealing undergraduate programs, it can be difficult to differentiate among those in the humanities and social sciences. History, History & Literature, and Social Studies (just to name a few) all seem like good fits to varying degrees, but how can you make an informed decision when it comes time to fill out a plan of study?

We designed this page to help you learn more about the offerings of the History Department.  As you browse course offerings, faculty interests, tutorials, and other resources, we encourage you to think broadly about your choice of concentration. With increasingly fluid borders between disciplines, this choice is about how you prioritize a set of interests rather than which interest you will pursue to the exclusion of others. As you consider what kinds of questions motivate you the most, look at how the History Department's program will help you ask bigger questions and provide more fulfilling answers.

View 2007-08 History Courses (PDF)

View Thinking About Joining History Flyer (PDF)

View History Concentration Requirements

No matter what concentration you choose, we hope you will not graduate from the College without taking a course in the History Department. History informs our understanding of literature, music, art, and the world around us. Should your curricular and extracurricular pursuits take you in a different direction, keep in mind that just a little historical perspective will give you a richer appreciation for everything you experience.

We look forward to meeting you soon at the Tutorial Office. In the meantime, keep an eye out for publicity regarding faculty events offered specifically for freshmen.

Sincerely,

The History Tutorial Office

We invite you to visit the History Tutorial Office to learn more about the concentration.

History Tutorial Office: 101 Robinson Hall
Office phone: 495-2157 (Please call to make an appointment with the DUS or Asst. DUS.)
Open Monday through Friday, 9am to 5pm

The History Tutorial Staff includes:
DUS: Prof. Sven Beckert (office hours: by appointment)
Asst. DUS: Adam Beaver (office hours: Wednesday 9-11am and 2-4pm)
Coordinator: Caron Yee
Staff Assistant: Laura Johnson

In addition to the members of the Tutorial Office, you may also consult with David Smith, our Freshman Yard Advisor. David Smith is a Freshman Proctor and a History graduate student studying early modern British and legal history. He has been a teaching fellow in History 97, History 10a, and other courses. David Smith can be reached at dasmith@fas.harvard.edu.

If you are interested in hearing more about our concentration from the perspective of a current History concentrator, please contact a Peer Concentration Counselor. We have friendly PCCs who are happy to share their experiences to help you navigate through the different concentrations.

Our faculty are also available meet with you to discuss your historical interests during office hours. For a list of History faculty and their research interests, click here.

Finally, we have organized several events for you specifically; see above. We hope that you will be able to attend some of these events.

The History program promotes flexibility in designing your plan of study within the general guidelines of the concentration requirements. First, History concentrators have the flexibility to pursue breadth or depth in the selection of their courses. Students with varied interests may take history courses in a number of areas, while students who wish to focus on a specific field to gather background for an anticipated thesis subject may do so. (There is no strict requirement to take a certain number of history courses within your field.) We believe this flexibility allows students to accommodate their developing and changing interests as they progress through their studies.

The different fields of study offered are:

• American history
• International relations
• Modern European history
• Premodern Western history to 1600 (including Ancient, Medieval and Renaissance)
• Intellectual history
• Comparative history (with focuses on Asia, Latin America, Africa, or the Middle East)

And our course offerings are listed here.

Second, concentrators can decide whether to pursue the senior thesis or not. This gives concentrators the flexibility to mold their undergraduate experience - be it immersing in a particular field of study, engaging in career-related activities, participating in student groups, studying abroad, etc. For those who choose to write a thesis, we have a robust sequence of tutorials designed to ensure success in this endeavor. The strength of our program is evidenced by the high number of seniors who have won the Hoopes Prize in recent years.

For details on our program requirements, please click on the following links:

Requirements

Secondary Field

Finally, the History Department allows concentrators to petition up to two courses of a non historical character taken outside of our Department to fulfill concentration requirements. In order to count, these courses must complement your study of a particular field of history, and must be approved by your House Advisor and by the DUS or Asst. DUS. For details, visit: http://www.fas.harvard.edu/~history/forms/ug/Related_Fields_2.pdf. We believe this allows concentrators to enhance their historical understanding of literature, music, art, and the world around us.