History

College of Liberal & Creative Arts

Interim Dean: Daniel Bernardi

Department of History

SCI 276
415-338-1604
E-mail: history@sfsu.edu

Chair: Philip Dreyfus
Graduate Coordinators: Sarah Curtis and Jessica Elkind

Faculty

Professors: Curtis, D'Agostino, Getz, Hsu, Kudlick, Oñate, Peard, Rodriguez, Wolf
Associate Professors: Behrooz, Chekuri, Dreyfus, Lisy-Wagner, Mabalon, Postel, Williams
Assistant Professors: Campbell, Crabtree, Elkind
Lecturers: Arrieta, Corea, Germany, Katz, Leikin, Sigmon, Stevens

Programs

B.A. in History

B.A. in History: Honors Concentration

Minor in History

M.A. in History

Program Scope

History is the study of change in human societies over time. Undergraduates majoring in history may select advanced courses focusing upon the entire range of life within a nation or region during a given time period, or courses dealing with some specialized aspect of life (social history, economic history, etc.), or courses which explore the concepts and methodology of historical research and analysis.

The Master of Arts in History is offered with specialties in the United States, World History, Europe and the Mediterranean before C.E. 1500, Europe after C.E. 1500, Early Modern Europe, Latin America, and Gender in History. The M.A. is designed to accommodate students' interests and needs as they pursue a course of study under the direction of a committee of faculty members. Together with their committee, students plan a program to give both depth and breadth to their understanding of the past. The faculty are familiar with and sensitive to the needs of students who must work, part-time or full-time, while pursuing their graduate program. San Francisco and the Bay Area contain many libraries, archival repositories, and historical agencies where students can do research or obtain on-site experience through an internship.

Career Outlook

The history program provides training for those interested in a teaching credential, for those preparing to do graduate work in several fields, and for those who might go on to law school or seek employment in areas such as government service, archival work, and the business sector.

Complementary Studies

All candidates for the Bachelor of Arts in History are required to complete 12 units of complementary studies. The History department will accept complementary studies in any of four distinct paths outlined below from courses with a prefix other than HIST, and not cross-listed with HIST. These units can be earned in residence at San Francisco State, in a Study Abroad Program, or transferred.

Within an established minor students will satisfy complementary studies by completing 12 units from a single minor. Of these 12 units, a maximum of 6 units may be lower division.
Foreign Language Students must complete 12 units in a single foreign language.
Study Abroad Students must successfully pass 12 units with any prefix on a CSU or SF State supported study abroad program.
Flexibility Option Students, in consultation with an advisor, may choose 12 upper division units in courses with a prefix other than HIST, and not cross-listed with HIST.

Transfer students who have earned AA-T or AS-T degrees and are pursuing a similar B.A. degree at SF State are required to fulfill Complementary Studies requirements for their major only if these courses are included in the minimum units required for the major. Students should consult with a major advisor.

Bachelor of Arts in History

A list of faculty advisors is available at the department office, SCI 276.

History (B.A.) — 39 units

Courses are 3 units unless otherwise indicated.

Required Courses (15 units)

HIST 110/ History of Western Civilization I
HIST 111 History of Western Civilization II
or
HIST 114/ World History to 1500
HIST 115 World History Since 1500

HIST 110/HIST 115 or HIST 111/HIST 114 may be substituted on advisement

HIST 120 History of the U.S. through Reconstruction
HIST 121 History of the U.S. since Reconstruction
HIST 300 GW Seminar in Historical Analysis - GWAR

Fields of Emphasis (24 units)

Students should complete 12 units in one field of emphasis and 6 units in each of the other two fields of emphasis.

American History
Choose two fields from among the following: Africa, Asia, Europe (either Europe before 1500 or Europe since 1500), Latin America, or the Middle East.

Note: A minimum of 40 upper division units must be completed for the degree (including upper division units required for the major, general education, electives, etc.). A student can complete this major yet not attain the necessary number of upper division units required for graduation. In this case additional upper division courses will be needed to reach the required total.

All history majors must include at least one proseminar (HIST 640, 642, or 644). This seminar should be taken after HIST 300 GW and should preferably be in the primary field, although it may be in any field of emphasis. Twenty seven of the 39 units required for the major must be upper division. History majors cannot choose CR/NC grading in more than two history courses for their major, nor elect CR/NC grading in HIST 300 GW or their proseminar. With the consent of their advisor, students may offer up to six units from other departments to count toward their history major.

Bachelor of Arts in History: Honors Concentration

Prerequisites

In order for a student to be eligible for admission to the Honors Program, the following requirements must be met.

An overall GPA of 3.25 in courses at the college level. An overall GPA of 3.25 in history courses taken.
Students must successfully complete the following courses with a grade of B or better prior to being admitted. The courses listed below are SF State courses. Equivalent courses at other institutions are also acceptable.

History (B.A.): Honors Concentration — 45 units

Courses are 3 units unless otherwise indicated.

Prerequisites (12 units)

HIST 110/ History of Western Civilization I
HIST 111 History of Western Civilization II
or
HIST 114/ World History to 1500
HIST 115 World History Since 1500

HIST 110/HIST 115 or HIST 111/HIST 114 may be substituted on advisement

HIST 120 History of the U.S. through Reconstruction
HIST 121 History of the U.S. since Reconstruction

Required Course (3 units)

HIST 300 GW Seminar in Historical Analysis - GWAR

Fields of Emphasis (24 units)

Students should complete 12 units in one field of emphasis and 6 units in each of the other two fields of emphasis.

American History
Choose two fields from among the following: Africa, Asia, Europe (either Europe before 1500 or Europe since 1500), Latin America, or the Middle East.

Proseminar and Honor's Thesis (6 units)

HIST 640 Proseminar: European History
or
HIST 642 Proseminar: American History
or
HIST 644 Proseminar in World History
HIST 697 Honors Thesis

The proseminar will be taken after HIST 300 GW, normally in the major field. The honors thesis will be taken after the proseminar and will normally represent an extension of the work in that proseminar, to be supervised by the proseminar instructor. For exceptions, consult the honors advisor.

Of the 45 required units, 33 must be upper division. History majors cannot choose CR/NC grading in more than two history courses for their major, and cannot elect CR/NC grading in HIST 300 GW or their proseminar. With the consent of the honors advisor, students may offer up to 6 units from other departments to count toward honors concentration requirements.

Language Proficiency

To graduate from the history honors program, a student must demonstrate proficiency in a foreign language at a level comparable to that of students who have successfully completed one year of college courses. This level of proficiency is to be demonstrated as follows:

Six units of college-level language with a grade of B or better, or
Equivalent proficiency in a foreign language based on successful completion of an examination to be administered by the Foreign Languages Department.

Grade Performance Requirement

Students are expected to maintain a minimum grade of B in each course to meet the honors major requirements, and a grade point average of 3.25 in all courses taken to complete the honors program. Students failing to do so will be dropped from the program. Additionally, students will be required to have an overall grade point average of 3.25 in all university-level courses taken to fulfill the university requirements for the honors degree.

Single Subject Teaching Credential: History/Social Science

Students who are considering teaching in the secondary schools should see a departmental credential program advisor before planning their program. Specific courses and an assessment of competencies are required for admission to the Secondary Education credential program. Students should also contact the Student Services Office in BH 244, (415) 405-3594, regarding teaching credential information.

Minor in History

History minors cannot choose CR/NC grading in more than one course in their minor, nor elect CR/NC grading in HIST 300 GW.

History, Minor — 24 units

Courses are 3 units unless otherwise indicated.

Required Courses (15 units)

HIST 110/ History of Western Civilization I
HIST 111 History of Western Civilization II
or
HIST 114/ World History to 1500
HIST 115 World History Since 1500

HIST 110/HIST 115 or HIST 111/HIST 114 may be substituted on advisement

HIST 120 History of the U.S. through Reconstruction
HIST 121 History of the U.S. since Reconstruction
HIST 300 GW Seminar in Historical Analysis - GWAR

Electives (9 units)

Upper division electives in history on advisement.

Master of Arts in History

Graduate Advisors: Curtis, Elkind

Admission to Program

A prospective student must fulfill the general University requirements as stated in the section on Graduate and Post-Baccalaureate Admissions of this Bulletin. To be considered for classified admission to the Master of Arts in History program, a student must have completed an undergraduate major in history with a minimum grade point average of 3.5. Applicants whose GPA in history falls between 3.35 and 3.5 can be considered for admission on a conditional basis. Students whose undergraduate major was not history should consult the graduate coordinator about making up course deficiencies in history. The usual pattern is for the student to complete the equivalent of a B.A. in history before being accepted as a classified student in the graduate program of the department.

If the student's undergraduate record, writing sample, letters of recommendation, and GRE scores meet the basic requirements and give promise of a successful pursuit of graduate work, the department will recommend that the student be admitted either to classified graduate standing (which means that the student may immediately proceed to take graduate courses and seminars) or conditional standing, specifying the conditions and time limit within which they must be met.

Written English Proficiency Requirement

Level One (preadmission): Assessment of the writing sample based on graduate-level rubrics; completion of writing component of GRE with a score of 4.0 or better.
Level Two: Satisfactorily completing the writing requirements in HIST 700.

Advancement to Candidacy

Besides meeting all general requirements for advancement to candidacy, applicants must maintain a 3.0 grade-point average in all history courses taken for the master of arts, and may not list on the Advancement to Candidacy any course in which the grade received is below B-.

History (M.A.) — Minimum 30 units

Courses are 3 units unless otherwise indicated.

HIST 700 History as a field of Knowledge

Primary Fields of Emphasis (15 units)

One of the following areas of emphasis must be selected and courses completed upon advisement for a total of 15 units. The 6 units of graduate course work specified are required; an additional 3 units of graduate coursework should be taken in either the major or the secondary field. A minimum of 6 of the 9 units of electives must be chosen from the appropriate upper division and graduate courses in the History Department; 3 units from outside the department may be presented on advisement.