Department Website
Program Description
History is the study of human experience of all kinds, considered in relation to particular times and places. It is also a method of thinking characterized by its attention to the contexts in which people have lived and worked. By mastering this method of thinking, students of history gain invaluable skills and knowledge. They learn to analyze and interpret many different kinds of evidence (cultural, social, economic, and political) as well as to organize it into a coherent whole and present it clearly and with style in written or oral form. In doing so, students also learn to justify and question their own and others’ conclusions, for history is always an argument about what actually happened. Indeed, rethinking and revising accepted historical conclusions is one of the most important—and most interesting—tasks of the historian.
Notable among the department’s areas of strength are American urban, social, labor, and ethnic history; medieval, early modern, and modern European history; Latin American history; sub-Saharan African history; early and modern Asian History; and American and European women’s history. The department also pays particular attention to the transnational and global aspects of the discipline.
At the core of the undergraduate experience are the workshop (HIST-UA 9XX) and the capstone seminar (HIST-UA 4XX). In the workshop, students learn about the methods and practice of history in a seminar setting. In the capstone seminar, usually taken in the senior year, students research and write an original paper (typically 20-25 pages).
Through independent study and the honors program, students find challenging opportunities for special concentrations and individual research. The internship program enables students to engage in supervised historical projects for credit. Many of the projects are at cultural institutions in New York and at the United Nations.
The University’s Elmer Holmes Bobst Library is rich in works of history, and students also utilize the collections of the New York Public Library, the historical societies and museums in New York City, and neighboring universities.
Honors Program
Students with strong academic records (a GPA of 3.65 in history and 3.65 overall) may apply to the director of undergraduate studies for admission to the history honors program. Students must be declared history majors or have already taken the workshop (HIST-UA 9XX) to apply for the two-course, 8-credit program.
The honors program is completed in two consecutive semesters and consists of a small HIST-UA 994 Honors Seminar followed by an individualized HIST-UA 996 Honors Thesis/Tutorial. In the Honors Seminar (which satisfies the capstone seminar requirement for the major) students define a thesis topic, develop a bibliography, read broadly, and begin their research. A substantial part of the research, usually including a rough draft of the thesis, should be completed by the semester’s end. In the Honors Tutorial, students work one-on-one with a faculty director to complete the thesis.
The honors thesis varies in length from 40 to 70 pages, depending on the nature and scope of the subject. The completed thesis, approved for defense by the director, is defended before a committee consisting of a primary faculty advisor and at least one additional faculty reader. A grade of at least A- on the thesis is required for the award of honors in history. Students who receive a lower passing grade are simply awarded 8 credits toward the major.
Admissions
New York University's Office of Undergraduate Admissions supports the application process for all undergraduate programs at NYU. For additional information about undergraduate admissions, including application requirements, see How to Apply.
Program Requirements
The major in history requires 36 credits in any combination of 2- and 4-credit courses. All courses must be completed with a grade of C or better in each course (courses graded Pass/Fail do not count toward the major).
- No student may take more than 16 credits in introductory courses (numbered below HIST-UA 1XX).
- At least 8 credits must be taken in pre-1800 courses.
- One course can count toward no more than two geographical or temporal requirements.
Course List
Course |
Title |
Credits |
| 4 |
EXPOS-UA 1 | Writing as Inquiry | 4 |
1 | 16 |
| 4 |
| 4 |
| 4 |
| 4 |
| 4 |
| 4 |
2 | 4 |
| Workshop in History | |
| Money in World History | |
| Medieval France. From Regions to Nation | |
| Light and Night in Western History | |
| Nations and Nationalisms in Europe, 1815-1947 | |
| Hillsborough, April 15, 1989 | |
| WWII in East Asia | |
| Seminar: | |
3 | 4 |
| Seminar: | |
| Histories of Neoliberalism | |
| Political Economy and Empire | |
| Writing British History | |
| Historical Consciousness in Latin America and the Caribbean | |
| Topics in Modern Middle East History: | |
4 | 20 |
5 | 8-12 |
| 44 |
Total Credits | 128 |
Study Away
The department encourages history majors and minors to study away during the fall or spring semester of their junior year. Studying away at one of New York University’s many global academic centers can help open doors to the discovery of unexpected areas of interest, as well as provide new insight about already established historical perspectives and research topics. Some courses offered by NYU for study away, as well as other approved programs outside NYU, may be eligible for inclusion into the history major. History majors should consult the director of undergraduate studies before making plans to study away.
Graduate Courses Open to Undergraduates
Certain courses in the Graduate School of Arts and Science are open to qualified undergraduates each semester, who are encouraged to enroll in those that fit the needs of their program. Permission of the instructor of the course and of the director of undergraduate studies is required.
Learning Outcomes
Upon completion of program requirements, students are expected to have developed:
- The ability to articulate original, relevant, significant, and researchable historical questions; to identify the best evidence to answer such questions; and to develop persuasive interpretations of such evidence that yield coherent and effective arguments.
- The ability to research and write well-organized, well-referenced works of history that synthesize primary-source research based on historical documents and secondary-source research based on academic scholarship.
- The ability to trace the development of human societies, to chart patterns of continuity and change over time, and to identify the historical antecedents of contemporary issues.
- Knowledge of a wide range of historical fields and methods from social and cultural history to political and economic history to the histories of science, medicine, and the environment.
- A deep understanding of a particular global region and time period, set in the context of comparative chronological and geographical knowledge.
Policies
Program Policies
Policies Applying to the Major
- No Pass/Fail courses can count toward the major.
- Majors may share (double count) two courses with a second major or a minor, with permission from the other department/program.
- Students may count four credits (the equivalent of one course) from Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate, or Advanced (A) Level examinations toward the requirements of the major. Four credits from other advanced standing examinations may be accepted after consultation with the department. These credits are not equivalent to specific courses in the major (they are HIST-UA elective credit) and count as one introductory course. If AP/IB/A-Level credit is used toward the major, then only three other non-history or non-NYU (transfer) courses (12 credits) can be petitioned toward the major (including Liberal Studies courses).
- A transfer student must take at least 20 credits in the department. A total of 16 transfer credits can be approved through the course petition process to be counted toward the major, inclusive of any AP/IB/A-Level credits. Approval of course credit is not guaranteed.
- Courses that are not cross-listed with the history department must be approved by the director of undergraduate studies. Students can petition for up to four courses (16 credits) to count towards their major by turning in a course petition form with the syllabus to the Department of History. No course is guaranteed.
NYU Policies
University-wide policies can be found on the New York University Policy pages.
College of Arts and Science Policies
A full list of relevant academic policies can be found on the CAS Academic Policies page.