Option A: General Track in History

Minimum of ten courses required, of which no more than four may be below the 300 level.

Method and Historiography

All majors are required to take CAS HI 200, ideally in their sophomore year, but in no event later than one semester after declaring a history major.

Geographical/Chronological Distribution (four courses)

At least one course is required in each of the following areas: American history, European history, world/regional history. One of the four courses must focus on premodern history; a list of courses satisfying this requirement is available in the department office and in the “Course Areas” section of the departmental website.

Colloquium Requirement

Majors must take at least two colloquia, which in the general history track may be in any area.

Option B: Specialty Tracks in History

Minimum of eleven courses required, of which no more than four may be below the 300 level.

Method and Historiography

All majors are required to take CAS HI 200, ideally in their sophomore year, but in no event later than one semester after declaring a history major.

Geographical/Chronological Distribution (four courses)

At least one course is required in each of the following areas: American history, European history, world/regional history. One of the four courses must focus on premodern history; a list of courses satisfying this requirement is available in the department office and in the “Course Areas” section of the departmental website.

Colloquium Requirement

Majors must take at least two colloquia. Ordinarily students specializing in one area of history should take colloquia in their designated field (e.g., those pursuing the American history track should take American history colloquia). If, however, suitable colloquia are not available, students may request their advisor’s permission to take other colloquia instead.

Additional requirements for the specialty tracks are given below. A list of courses approved for each track is available in the department office and in the “Course Areas” section of the departmental website.

Track 1: History of the United States and the North American Colonies

Minimum of six courses required in American history: CAS HI 151, 152, and four additional courses, two of which must be colloquia.

Track 2: European History

Minimum of six courses required in European history, two of which must be colloquia.

Track 3: World/Regional History

Minimum of six courses required: CAS HI 175, 176, and four additional courses, two of which must be colloquia. Students develop a coherent program with their advisor. In addition to the history courses in this track, students may include designated courses from the Departments of Anthropology, Archaeology, Economics, Geography & Environment, Political Science, Religion, and Sociology.

Track 4: Intellectual and Cultural History

Minimum of six courses, two of which must be colloquia, required from the following:

• CAS HI 306 Magic, Science, and Religion
• CAS HI 314 The European Enlightenment
• CAS HI 315 Intellectual History of Europe in the Nineteenth Century
• CAS HI 316 Intellectual History of Europe in the Twentieth Century
• CAS HI 339 Cities and Cultures
• CAS HI 343 Darwin, Freud, and Einstein
• CAS HI 354 Religious Thought in America
• CAS HI 368 Science and American Culture
• CAS HI 369 Science and Christianity in Europe and North America Since 1500
• CAS HI 373 American Thought and Culture, 1776–1900
• CAS HI 374 American Thought and Culture, 1900 to the Present
• CAS HI 379 Modern American Cultural History
• CAS HI 381 The Samurai in Myth and History
• CAS HI 424 European Socialism, 1914–1945
• CAS HI 426 Music and Ideas from Mozart to the Jazz Age
• CAS HI 428 Postwar European Culture
• CAS HI 435 Histories of Human Rights
• CAS HI 440 Refugee Intellectuals (1933–1950)
• CAS HI 445 Introduction to Nineteenth- and Twentieth-Century Russian Intellectual History
• CAS HI 448 Science and Modern Culture: Darwin, Freud, and Einstein
• CAS HI 456 Religion and American Culture
• CAS HI 481 Blacks in Modern Europe
• CAS HI 493 History of Science
• CAS HI 550 Jews in Modern Culture
• CAS HI 568 The Modern Metropolis: Approaches to Urban History
• CAS HI 579 Race and the South: Questions of Interpretation in History and Literature
• CAS HI 580 The History of Racial Thought
• CAS HI 583 Black Radical Thought

Option C: Interdisciplinary Tracks

(Note: Non-history courses that students intend to count toward the interdisciplinary tracks must be taken from the approved lists below; no substitutes will be approved.)

Track 1: History and Religion

Minimum of twelve courses required as follows:

• One of the following: CAS HI 101, 102
• One of the following: CAS HI 151, 152
• CAS HI 200
• One additional course in history (not limited to area or chronological period)

Three of the following:

• CAS HI 204 Europe Between Renaissance and Revolution
• CAS HI 223 Jews in the Modern World
• CAS HI 306 Magic, Science, and Religion
• CAS HI 308 History of the Crusades
• CAS HI 309 Millenarian Expectations in Western History
• CAS HI 310 Heresy and Persecution in the Eleventh and Twelfth Centuries
• CAS HI 312 The Reformation Era: Sixteenth-Century Europe
• CAS HI 354 Religious Thought in America
• CAS HI 369 Science and Christianity in Europe and North America Since 1500
• CAS HI 407 Topics in Medieval Religious Culture (also offered as CAS RN 470)

Three additional courses as follows:

One of the following:

• CAS RN 103 Religions of the World: Eastern
• CAS RN 104 Religions of the World: Western
• CAS RN 210 Buddhism
• CAS RN 211 Chinese Religion
• CAS RN 212 Christianity
• CAS RN 213 Hinduism
• CAS RN 214 Islam
• CAS RN 215 Japanese Religion
• CAS RN 216 Judaism

Two of the following:

• CAS RN 201 The Hebrew Bible
• CAS RN 202 From Jesus to Christ: The Origins of Christianity
• CAS RN 219 Mysticism and Philosophy: Medieval Jewish Perspectives
• CAS RN 220 The Holy City: Jerusalem in Time, Space, and Imagination
• CAS RN 242 Magic, Science, and Religion from Plato to Voltaire
• CAS RN 301 Varieties of Early Christianity
• CAS RN 307 Medieval Christian Spirituality
• CAS RN 313 Hinduism in America
• CAS RN 328 Judaism in the Modern Period
• CAS RN 334 Dead Sea Scrolls
• CAS RN 335 Judaism in the First Century
• CAS RN 384 The Holocaust
• CAS RN 413 Gender in Medieval Christian Mysticism
• CAS RN 427 Topics in American Religion
• CAS RN 498 Topics in Ancient Christianity

Two colloquia in history, one of which must be from the following list:

• CAS HI 406 Monks, Friars, and Saints
• CAS HI 407 Topics in Medieval Religious Culture
• CAS HI 443 Jews in Modern German History
• CAS HI 456 Religion and American Culture
• CAS HI 552 Topics in Jewish History

Track 2: History and Art History

Minimum of twelve courses required as follows:

History (eight courses):

• At least one course in each of the following areas: American history, European history, world/regional history
• CAS HI 200
• Three electives at the 300 or 400 level, preferably in intellectual/cultural history
• One colloquium

Art History (four courses):

• One of the following:
  CAS AH 111 Introduction to Art History I: Antiquity to the Middle Ages
  CAS AH 112 Introduction to Art History II: Renaissance to Today
  CAS AH 215 Arts of Africa
  CAS AH 225 The Arts of Asia
• Two courses in any two fields, at least one at the 300 level
• One 400- or 500-level seminar

Track 3: History and International Relations

Minimum of twelve courses required as follows:

History (eight courses):

At least one course in each of the following areas: American history, European history, world/regional history

• CAS HI 200
• Three courses numbered 300 or above
• One colloquium

International Relations (four courses):

• CAS IR 230 or IR 271

Three of the following:

• CAS IR 303 Universal History
• CAS IR 320 The American Military Experience
• CAS IR 325 Great Powers and the Eastern Mediterranean
• CAS IR 330 Diplomatic Practice
• CAS IR 341 Central Europe
• CAS IR 349 History of International Relations, 1900–45
• CAS IR 350 History of International Relations Since 1945
• CAS IR 363 Soviet Politics, 1917–1991
• CAS IR 367 Introduction to Latin American Politics and International Relations
• CAS IR 369 Southeast Asia in World Politics
• CAS IR 370 China: From Revolution to Reform
• CAS IR 382 Understanding the Middle East
• CAS IR 465 The United States and the Cold War
• CAS IR 509 Islam in Middle East Politics
• CAS IR 524 War and Statecraft
• CAS IR 545 Central/East European Diplomatic History, 1814–1918
• CAS IR 552 Nordic Europe
• CAS IR 567 Latin American Politics
• CAS IR 579 Japan in International Politics
• CAS IR 581 The Evolution of Strategic Intelligence
• CAS IR 589 North Atlantic/European Security Issues

Grade Requirement

A grade of C or higher is required for all courses counted toward the major.

Language Study

The department strongly recommends that all history majors, but especially those planning graduate study in history or any related discipline, be proficient in reading at least one foreign language, and if possible two, by the time of their graduation. Majors should consult with their advisors early in their history program to determine their language needs.

Previously Earned Credits

Students who complete CGS SS 102 and SS 201 with a grade of C or higher will receive credit for CAS HI 102 and HI 176 respectively. The History Department does not give credit for CGS SS 202 toward the major. Students who complete the four-semester humanities sequence of the College of Arts & Sciences Core Curriculum with a grade of C or higher will receive credit for CAS HI 101 and HI 102.

Transfer Students

Of the courses required for the major, at least five must be taken at Boston University: CAS HI 200, two colloquia, and two additional courses at the 300 level or above.

A minor in the Department of History consists of six courses, four of which must be at the 300 level or above and one of which must be a colloquium. Students must earn a minimum grade of C in courses taken toward the minor. The purpose of this program is to offer students a chance to develop their own particular interests in history. A planned program must be approved by the Director of Undergraduate Studies.