2018-2019 Undergraduate Bulletin

Global History, Bachelor of Arts

The Global History major is derived from the field of global history, which emphasizes interactions and collisions between and among cultures. The major offers undergraduates the chance to become specialists in their chosen period of the history of the world, either prehistory–500 CE, 500–1650, or 1650–the present. After completing the required three–part survey in global history, students choose the period that most interests them and pursue electives and research topics from it. Electives cover a wide range of topics, but all of them embrace the principles of global history rather than producing students with a narrow and specialized geographic focus. The required skills courses introduce students to the major schools of historical thought, varied techniques and approaches to doing historical research, and provide them with the opportunity to do original research in their capstone seminars.

Learning Outcomes. Students will:

  • Identify and explain the historical significance of critical events, trends, and themes in ancient, medieval, or modern world history.
  • Identify, locate, contextualize, and evaluate the usefulness of different forms of historical evidence (primary sources).
  • Effectively read historical scholarship (secondary sources) by accurately identifying the thesis, source base, organizational structure, and conclusions of academic texts.
  • Identify different theories and methods used in the historical profession.
  • Construct a historical argument grounded in evidence from primary and secondary sources and be able to provide a coherent defense of this thesis orally and in writing.

Credits Required.
Global History Major 39
General Education 42
Electives 39
Total Credits Required for B.A. Degree 120

Coordinator and Advisor. Professor James DeLorenzi, Department of History (646.557.4653, jdelorenzi@jjay.cuny.edu)

Advisor. Professor Anissa Helie (646.557.4646, ahelie@jjay.cuny.edu), Department of History

Advising information. Global History Major Advising Resources.  Sample Four-year Plan of Study. Major Checklist.  Handbook for Global History Majors

Honors option. To receive Honors in Global History, a student must complete an extended senior thesis over the course of their senior year (two semesters) while achieving a 3.5 grade point average in their major courses. Eligible students may enroll in the honors track as upper juniors (having accumulated at least 75 to 90 credits) by meeting with the major coordinator.

Experiential learning opportunities. Students in the Global History major can participate in a variety of experiential learning opportunities over the course of their studies. During the freshman and sophomore years, students in HIS 150 engage with archival resources as well as public documents.  In the junior year, students in HIS 300 visit historical archives and may engage in an internship that entails use of archival research. During the senior year, students participate in an extensive research experience associated with the capstone seminar, HIS 425, culminating in a presentation of their senior thesis to the History Department. In addition, Global History students may participate in our internship for credit program where students can receive one major elective credit for an internship that is paired with an independent study.

Additional information. Students who enrolled for the first time at the College in September 2014 or thereafter must complete the major in the form presented here. Students who enrolled prior to that date may choose the form shown here or the earlier version of the major. A copy of the earlier version can be obtained in the Undergraduate Bulletin 2013-14

Part One. Introductory

Required

HIS 150Doing History

3

Subtotal: 3

Part Two. Survey of Global History

Required

HIS 203The Ancient World (was Global History: Prehistory to 500 C.E.)

3

HIS 204The Medieval World (was Global History: 500 to 1650)

3

HIS 205The Modern World (was Global History: 1650 to Present)

3

Subtotal: 9

Part Three. Research and Methodology

Required

HIS 240Historiography

3

HIS 300Research Methods in History

3

Subtotal: 6

Part Four. Chronological Tracks

Students will complete six elective courses (18 credits). History majors who are in the Honors track will complete five elective courses (15 credits). Two of the elective courses for all students must be at the 300–level or above. Students will choose one of three chronological tracks: Prehistory to 500 CE; 500–1650; or 1650 to the Present. At least four elective courses (12 credits) must be taken from the declared chronological track. A maximum of one course from Category D (General Electives) may be applied to the elective requirement.

Category A. Prehistory to 500 CE

ART 222Body Politics

3

HIS 252Warfare in the Ancient Near East and Egypt

3

HIS 254History of Ancient Greece and Rome

3

HIS 264China to 1650

3

HIS 269History of World Slavery (to 1650 CE)

3

HIS 270Marriage in Medieval Europe

3

HIS 282Selected Topics in History

3

HIS 323History of Lynching and Collective Violence

3

HIS 354Law and Society in Ancient Athens and Rome

3

HIS 362History of Science and Medicine: Prehistory to 1650

3

HIS 364/GEN 364History of Gender and Sexuality: Prehistory to 1650

3

HIS 366Religions of the Ancient World

3

HIS 368Law and Society in the Ancient Near East

3

HIS 370Ancient Egypt

3

HIS 374Premodern Punishment

3

HIS 375Female Felons in the Premodern World (was Female Felons in Premodern Europe & Americas)

3

HIS 282: When topic is appropriate.

Category B. 500–1650

ART 222Body Politics

3

HIS 201American Civilization- From Colonialism through the Civil War

3

HIS 208Exploring Global History

3

HIS 217History of NYC (was Three Hundred Years of NYC)

3

HIS 224A History of Crime in New York City

3

HIS 256History of Muslim Societies and Communities

3

HIS 264China to 1650

3

HIS 269History of World Slavery (to 1650 CE)

3

HIS 270Marriage in Medieval Europe

3

HIS 282Selected Topics in History

3

HIS 323History of Lynching and Collective Violence

3

HIS 356/GEN 356Sexuality, Gender, and Culture in Muslim Societies

3

HIS 359History of Islamic Law

3

HIS 362History of Science and Medicine: Prehistory to 1650

3

HIS 364/GEN 364History of Gender and Sexuality: Prehistory to 1650

3

HIS 374Premodern Punishment

3

HIS 375Female Felons in the Premodern World (was Female Felons in Premodern Europe & Americas)

3

HIS 381Social History of Catholicism in the Modern World

3

HIS 383History of Terrorism

3

HIS 3XXAfrican Diaspora History II: Since 1808

3

MUS 310Comparative History of African American Musics

3

HIS 208: If topic meets appropriate time period.

HIS 282: When topic is appropriate.

Category C. 1650 to the Present

ART 222Body Politics

3

HIS 201American Civilization- From Colonialism through the Civil War

3

HIS 202American Civilization - From 1865 to the Present

3

HIS 206/MUS 206Orchestral Music and the World Wars

3

HIS 208Exploring Global History

3

HIS 217History of NYC (was Three Hundred Years of NYC)

3

HIS 219Violence and Social Change in America

3

HIS 224A History of Crime in New York City

3

HIS 225American Problems of Peace, War, and Imperialism, 1840 to the Present

3

HIS 242/POL 242/LLS 242U.S. Foreign Policy in Latin America

3

HIS 256History of Muslim Societies and Communities

3

HIS 260/LLS 260History of Contemporary Cuba

3

HIS 265/LLS 265Class, Race and Family in Latin American History

3

HIS 274China: 1650-Present

3

HIS 277American Legal History

3

HIS 281Imperialism in Africa, South Asia, and the Middle East

3

HIS 282Selected Topics in History

3

HIS 320Topics in the History of Crime & Punishment in U.S (was History of Crime & Punishment in U.S.)

3

HIS 323History of Lynching and Collective Violence

3

HIS 325Criminal Justice in European Society, 1750 to the Present

3

HIS 340Modern Military History from the Eighteenth Century to the Present

3

HIS 356/GEN 356Sexuality, Gender, and Culture in Muslim Societies

3

HIS 359History of Islamic Law

3

HIS 381Social History of Catholicism in the Modern World

3

HIS 383History of Terrorism

3

HIS 3XXAfrican Diaspora History I: To 1808

3

HIS 3XXAfrican Diaspora History II: Since 1808

3

MUS 310Comparative History of African American Musics

3

HIS 208: If topic meets appropriate time period.

HIS 282: When topic is appropriate.

Category D. General Electives

One course from Category D may be applied to Part Four. Electives

HIS 100Criminal Justice and Popular Culture

3

HIS 106Historical Perspectives on Justice & Inequality

3

HIS 127Microhistories: A Lens into the Past

3

HIS 131Topics in History of Science, Technology & Medicine

3

HIS 144Reacting to the Past

3

HIS 208Exploring Global History

3

HIS 352History & Justice in Wider World

3

Subtotal: 15-18

Part Five. Capstone Seminar

All Global History majors will complete a capstone seminar in their fourth year, which unites students from all three chronological tracks in the study of a particular theme, complete a research paper, and present their work at a departmental colloquium.

Required

HIS 425Senior Seminar in History

3

HIS 489Independent Study 400-level

3

HIS 489: For Honors Track students only - required

Note: Students in the Honors track will enroll in an Independent Study (HIS 489) with a faculty mentor in the first semester of their senior year, and then in HIS 425 the following semester.

Subtotal: 3-6

Total Credit Hours: 39