UNDERGRADUATE HANDBOOKfor Students in History

History at University of Iowa @UI_Historyclas.uiowa.edu/history

Department of History | 280 Schaeffer Hall | Iowa City, Iowa 52242 | 319-335-2299

THE UNIVERSITY OF IOWA

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History Department Contacts:

Departmental Executive Officer (Chair)Landon Storrs (319-335-2303)email: landon-storrs@uiowa.edu

Director of Graduate StudiesH. Glenn Penny (319-335-2222)email: h-penny@uiowa.edu

Director of Undergraduate StudiesR. Tyler Priest (319-335-2096)email: tyler-priest@uiowa.edu

Senior Academic AdvisorColleen Kelley (319-335-2065)email: colleen-kelley@uiowa.edu

Director of Honors ProgramAlyssa Park (319-335-2329)email: alyssa-park@uiowa.edu

For a listing of current History Department faculty and staff, including advising, please see: http://clas.uiowa.edu/history/people

Department of History280 Schaeffer HallUniversity of IowaIowa City, IA 52242-1409Phone: 319-335-2299Email: historydept@uiowa.edu8:00a.m.-5:00p.m. Monday-Friday

Commitment to DiversityThe History Department recognizes the benefits of a diverse environment and a workplace and classroom experience free of discrimination, harassment, and inadvertent exclusionary practices. The Department is committed to the maintenance of an atmosphere that is welcoming and accepting of faculty, staff, and graduate as well as undergraduate students of all backgrounds, including but not limited to race, national origin, color, creed, religion, sex, age, disability, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, or associational preference. By recognizing that confronting harassment, discrimination, and inadvertent exclusionary practices cannot be left to the members of underrepresented groups alone, it commits itself to taking proactive measures to discover and alleviate these practices. It provides a positive environment for members to report their experiences and to seek positive actions.

Revised May 2020

History at University of Iowa @UI_Historyclas.uiowa.edu/history

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Table of Contents

Message from the Chair of the History Department 4

Requirements for the Undergraduate History Major (BA) 5 Coursework 5

Distribution Requirement for BA in History 6

Introductory Course 6

History Courses 6

Pre-1700 History Courses 7

The Portfolio (HIST:3193) 8

BA with Teacher License 8

Honors in History 8 Requirements for the Minor in History 9 Capstone Course Opportunities 9 Apply to Graduate 9 Keep Us Informed 9 Advising at the University of Iowa and in History 10 Resources for Undergraduate Students in History 11 Why Study History 12

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Message from the Chair of the History Department Welcome to the History Department! We hope that you share our enthusiasm for the study of past societies and cultures. What are the origins of the world in which we live: its economy, its social and political organization, and its many diverse cultures? The challenges we face today – where did they come from? What lessons can we learn from past societies’ efforts to resolve their own challenges? History unlocks important insights into the world we inhabit. But we also find intellectual satisfaction, and wisdom, in understanding the past on its own terms. Students of history develop an understanding of change – how it happens and why it happens the way it does – that enables them to engage the world they inhabit. Because of the geographical breadth of our courses, history students develop a global consciousness that helps them to navigate the streets (and the news) from Iowa City to Berlin to Nairobi. Employers value history students’ ability to analyze human and social behavior, to research pressing problems, and to express themselves clearly. Graduates of the UI History department occupy prominent positions in government, private industry, journalism, law, entertainment, education, the non-profit sector, and more. In fact, a recent study showed that History BA’s earn more than graduates in any other humanities field. In addition to teaching, faculty members do cutting-edge research in their fields of specialization. That research finds its way into teaching materials, professional journals, books for scholarly and popular audiences, digital collections, news reporting, legal briefs, policy-making, museum exhibits, film and TV documentaries, and more. We’re often called upon to advise journalists or policy makers who want to make sure they’re getting their facts right – and who also want to make sure they’re analyzing and contextualizing those facts correctly. We see our mission as serving students, the State of Iowa, and the public sphere more broadly. We look forward to helping to plan your course of study, to advising on specific courses or sequences of courses, or to consulting on career objectives. Our office hours are posted on our office doors; you can also find them by visiting the History Department office at SH 280 (335-2299), and on faculty webpages (https://clas.uiowa.edu/history/people). Get acquainted with the office staff, including Pat Goodwin, Kathleen O’Neill, and Kasey Befeler. When you visit the office, you can also browse through recent faculty and alumni publications and read announcements of upcoming events. I have an open-door policy, so if I’m in my office (SH 280), please feel free to drop in. And don’t forget to “friend” us on Facebook (History at University of Iowa, Hawkeye History Corps), for announcements of upcoming events and opportunities. Whatever your interest in history, we are happy to get to know you. We’re sure that you’ll find your association with the department both challenging and rewarding. Landon Storrs, Professor and Chair, Department of History

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Requirements for the Undergraduate History Major (BA)

The Bachelor of Arts with a major in history requires a minimum of 120 s.h., including 36 s.h. of work for the major. Students must complete 24 s.h. numbered 2000 or above. Students must maintain a GPA of at least 2.00 in all courses for the major and in all UI courses for the major. They also must complete the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences General Education Program.

College Level Equivalency Program (CLEP) and Advanced Placement Program (APP) credit does not count toward the history major. Transfer work that is equivalent to University of Iowa course work may be accepted toward the major, but at least 18 s.h. of work for the major, including the introductory course, HIST:2151 Introduction to the History Major, must be taken at the University of Iowa. Courses that count toward the major may not be taken on a pass/nonpass basis.

Coursework

Major requirements include an introductory course and a history portfolio in addition to a range of course work in history.

Undergraduate courses in history are divided into four areas: American history, European history, non-Western history, and courses that have no specific area designation.

Students may count a maximum of 18 s.h. earned in American history courses (numbered 1200-1299, 2200-2299, 3200-3299, and 4200-4299) toward the major.

Courses on this list that are approved for General Education may be counted toward fulfillment of General Education Program requirements as well as toward requirements for the history major.

Code Title Hours

HIST:1101 The Modern World 3

HIST:1115 Big Ideas: The History and Science of Oil 3

HIST:1119 Big Ideas: Equality, Opportunity, and Public Policy in America 3

HIST:1261 American History to 1877 3

HIST:1262 American History 1877-Present 3

HIST:1401 The West and the World: Ancient (formerly Western Civilization I) 3-4

HIST:1402 The West and the World: Medieval (formerly Western Civilization II) 3-4

HIST:1403 The West and the World: Modern (formerly Western Civilization III) 3-4

HIST:1601 Civilizations of Asia: China I 3

HIST:1602 Civilizations of Asia: China II 3

HIST:1604 Civilizations of Asia: Japan 3

HIST:1606 Civilizations of Asia: South Asia 3

HIST:1607 Civilizations of Asia: Korea 3

HIST:1609 India Now! A Survey from Bollywood Films to Global Terror 3

HIST:1708 Civilizations of Africa 3

History majors are encouraged to take courses in other fields that illuminate and expand the meaning of history courses and that introduce information and a variety of approaches to understanding how societies and cultures work.

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Students majoring in history are encouraged to complete the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences General Education Program World Languages requirement by choosing a language that fits their interests in history. The department also encourages study abroad programs that complement students' foreign area interests.

Distribution Requirement for BA in History

Course Codes/Titles Hours

Introductory Course 3

HIST:2151 - Introduction to the History Major

American History Courses

6 Two American history courses (numbered 1200-1299, 2200-2299, 3200-3299, or 4200-4299) including at least one numbered 3000 or above

European History Courses

6 Two European history courses (numbered 1400-1499, 2400-2499, 3400-3499, or 4400-4499) including at least one numbered 3000 or above

Non-Western History Courses

6 Two non-Western history courses (numbered 1500-1999, 2500-2899, 3500-3899, 4500-4999) including at least one numbered 3000 or above

Pre-1700 History Course 3

One pre-1700 history course (select from the list below)

History Electives 12

Additional history courses selected by student

Portfolio Course 0

HIST:3193 - Undergraduate History Portfolio

Total Hours 36

Introductory Course

Students enroll in HIST:2151 Introduction to the History Major as soon as possible after declaring the major in history. Topics vary, but all sections of HIST:2151 instruct students in the skills they need to succeed in upper-level history courses. Students explore the diverse kinds of sources historians use, including both primary (original) sources and secondary (scholarly) sources. They learn how to frame a historical question, find and interpret relevant sources (online, in libraries, and archives), and then integrate them into a historical argument, expressed clearly and in accordance with appropriate scholarly conventions. By the end of the semester, students have produced a substantial research paper or project and have a clearer understanding of the historian's craft. Students must include at least one graded paper from the course HIST:2151 in their history portfolio (see "Portfolio" below).

History Courses

In addition to completing HIST:2151 Introduction to the History Major, students must earn a minimum of 33 s.h. in history courses, including geographical area and era courses (American, European, non-Western, and pre-1700 History). Students may count a maximum of 18 s.h. earned in American history courses toward the major.

Courses that count toward the major but not toward a regional requirement (i.e. American, Duropean, non-Western) have a “1” as the digit of the course number.

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Pre-1700 History Courses

A course taken to fulfill the pre-1700 history course requirement also may be counted toward the requirement in American, European, or non-Western history. These courses fulfill the pre-1700 history requirement.

Code Title Hours

HIST:1401 The West and the World: Ancient (formerly Western Civilization I) 3-4

HIST:1402 The West and the World: Medieval (formerly Western Civilization II) 3-4

HIST:1602 Civilizations of Asia: China 3

HIST:1604 Civilizations of Asia: Japan 3

HIST:1606 Civilizations of Asia: South Asia 3

HIST:2461 Middle East and Mediterranean: Alexander to Suleiman 3

HIST:2483 History of Britain: Fall of Rome to the Norman Conquest 3

HIST:3211 Native North America I: Precontact-1789 3

HIST:3270 Colonial North America, ca. 1600-1775 3

HIST:3289 The Atlantic World c. 1450-1850 3

HIST:3409 Medieval Civilization I 3

HIST:3410 Medieval Civilization II 3

HIST:3413 Early Modern Britain: The Tudor and Stuart Era 3

HIST:3758 The Ancient African Past 3

HIST:4400 The Roman Empire 3

HIST:4401 Ancient Egypt and the Ancient Near East 3

HIST:4404 The World of Ancient Greece 3

HIST:4406 Warfare in Ancient Mediterranean Society 3

HIST:4407 The Hellenistic World and Rome 3

HIST:4411 Economic and Social History of Medieval Europe 3

HIST:4412 History of the Medieval Church 3

HIST:4417 Medieval Intellectual History 300-1150 3

HIST:4418 Medieval Intellectual History 1150-1500 3

HIST:4419 Ancient and Medieval Science 3

HIST:4423 Ireland in the Early Middle Ages 3

HIST:4427 Society and Gender in Europe 1200-1789 3

HIST:4510 Colonial Latin America 3

HIST:4610 Japan - Age of the Samurai 3

HIST:4910 The Book in the Middle Ages 3

HIST:4920 The Transition from Manuscript to Print 3

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Portfolio

All history majors must complete a portfolio, enrolling in HIST:3193 Undergraduate History Portfolio during the semester in which they plan to graduate. The portfolio, submitted electronically, must include at least three graded papers written for history courses; one of the papers should be from HIST:2151 Introduction to the History Major. The portfolio does not affect the student's GPA; timely submission fulfills the requirement on a non-graded basis with an assignment of S (satisfactory).

Students should submit their portfolios on the University of Iowa ICON website for HIST:3193 early during the semester in which they plan to graduate.

Things to remember about the portfolio:

• Graded originals with comments are required. If your paper was returned with handwritten comments, scan it and save as a pdf file you can upload to HIST:3193 in the semester you graduate.

• One of your three papers should be from HIST:2151 Intro to the History Major. • For students doing an honors thesis in history, the honors thesis along with the paper from

“Intro to the History Major” is enough for the portfolio; you do not need a third paper. • Each paper should have the course, instructor, and semester identified on the first page. • Please upload your papers no later than the last week of classes in order for your portfolio to

be reviewed in time for your graduation.

Once you have uploaded your papers to the HIST:3193 dropbox in ICON, complete the short exit survey, and then notify the Director of Undergraduate Studies (DUS) that the portfolio has been submitted.

Again, HIST:3193 is a Pass/Fail course; it will not affect your grade point average. The DUS does not regrade your papers; rather, the DUS reads through your graded essays and makes a brief assessment for the benefit of the Department’s self-reflection. Once the DUS has completed this assessment, your portfolio requirement is met.

BA with Teacher Licensure

History majors interested in earning licensure to teach in elementary and/or secondary schools must complete the College of Education's Teacher Education Program (TEP) in addition to the requirements for the major and all requirements for graduation. The TEP requires several College of Education courses and student teaching.

Students must satisfy all degree requirements and complete Teacher Education Program licensure before degree conferral. Students should contact the College of Education, Office of Student Services for details, in addition to the list of required courses.

Honors in History

Students majoring in history have the opportunity to graduate with honors in the major. Departmental honors students must maintain a cumulative University of Iowa GPA of at least 3.33. Students write an honors thesis, which is an extended research paper (35 pages). Research for the thesis is done under the supervision of a faculty member who specializes in the field a student chooses for the research. Students register for 3 s.h. in HIST:3995 History Honors Research Seminar during the spring of their junior year, and HIST:3996 Honors Thesis during the fall of their senior year. The 6 s.h. of credit counts toward the semester hours required for the history major.

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When the Honors thesis is complete, it is presented to an examining committee of three faculty members. The committee asks the student questions about the thesis. The thesis is then graded and that grade becomes the course grade. Each year the Department awards a monetary prize for the most distinguished Honors thesis. Apart from the pleasure and challenge of researching and writing a substantial independent paper, the Honors thesis can be used as a writing sample to strengthen applications to graduate and professional programs. Honors theses are archived in an online repository in the History department (280 SH).

For students with scheduling conflicts, particularly those enrolled in Study Abroad, alternative arrangements are made on a case by case basis.

Please see the Undergraduate Program section of the departmental website for complete information and requirements for completing Honors in History. Lists of travel grants, recent theses, and History majors recently elected to Phi Beta Kappa are also available.

In addition to honors in their majors, undergraduate students have a variety of opportunities for honors

study and activities through membership in the University of Iowa Honors Program, a separate

program administered through the Honors Program (visit Honors at Iowa). Students who are admitted

to University Honors can satisfy their Experiential Learning Requirement by completing Honors in

History (the thesis).

Requirements for the Minor in History

The minor in history requires a minimum of 15 s.h. in history courses, including 12 s.h. earned in courses considered advanced for the minor taken at the University of Iowa. All Department of History courses numbered 2000 or above are considered advanced for the minor. Students must maintain a GPA of at least 2.00 in all courses for the minor and in all UI courses for the minor. Course work in the minor may not be taken pass/nonpass.

Capstone Course Opportunities

Juniors and seniors who are nearing completion of their history major requirements may register for an additional credit hour in conjunction with one of the department’s designated 3000-4999 level courses. For this additional credit, history majors meet on a weekly basis in a separate discussion section of the course. The section meetings provide an opportunity for students to explore in greater depth some of the issues raised in the readings and lectures for the course. History majors who earn the 4th (capstone) credit may also work on more substantial papers and have the opportunity to present their work to others in the section. The section may be facilitated by an experienced teaching assistant under the guidance of the course instructor.

Apply to Graduate

Finally, although this is not a History requirement per se, students must apply for their degree on MyUI, before the appropriate date within the semester they plan to graduate.

Keep Us Informed

If you’re applying for graduate school or professional school, or applying for jobs after graduation, it is useful for us to know that. And you never know what knowledge of opportunities we may be able to pass on to you.

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Advising at the University of Iowa and in History

Advising for first-year students: First-year students and those with less than 24 s.h. earned are advised at the Academic Advising Center. The Center’s team of advisors specializes in transitioning students to academic and student life at Iowa. Working with an assigned caseload, the advisors help each student plan for a successful academic start at Iowa.

Advising during sophomore through senior years: Kyle McEvilly serves as the academic advisor for history students who have earned at least 24 s.h.

How to contact your advisor:

For quick questions, email Kyle at: kyle-mcevilly@uiowa.edu.

For adding and dropping courses and other immediate issues, stop by Kyle’s office in 168 Schaeffer Hall. Kyle’s Office Hours are Monday through Friday by appointment (scheduled on-line through My-UI, or via email request), or Kyle’s Drop-in Hours: 11:00a-12:00p, Tuesday-Thursday

We recommend scheduling an individual appointment if you would like to review your degree audit, map out a plan to graduation, or have other questions for which you would like to have an extended conversation. To schedule an appointment with Kyle, please use the online scheduler (links available through MyUI or Kyle McEvilly's Page).

The departmental advisor is available to assist students with the following:

• Advisor signatures on add/drop and other university forms

• Questions about course registration

• Questions or problems with your degree audit

• Academic probation

• Review of study abroad courses for major credit

• Discussions regarding adding second majors, minors, and certificate programs

• Information regarding campus resources for students

• Questions about navigating campus resources

When you achieve junior standing, you are encouraged to work with a faculty mentor. While you will continue to see Kyle McEvilly for routine advising functions, your faculty mentor is available to:

• Provide disciplinary guidance for research projects

• Serve as a mentor for honors theses and projects

• Discuss your graduate and professional school aspirations

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Resources for Undergraduate Students in History at UI

Please see https://clas.uiowa.edu/history/undergraduate/resources for links to the following resources:

• History BA with Teaching Licensure

• Interdisciplinary Programs: Certificate, Minors, Second Majors

• Nearby Archives

• Study Abroad

• Hawkeye History Corps (undergraduate history club)

• Iowa Historical Review (undergraduate history journal)

• History Teaching and Writing Center

• Internships

• Careers for History Majors

Historians are Educators

Primary/Secondary/Post-Secondary

Historic Sites and Museums

Historians are Researchers

Museums and Historical Organizations

Cultural Resources Management

Historic Preservation

Public Policy Institutes

Historians are Communicators

Writers and Editors

Journalists

Artists

Producers of Multimedia Material

Historians are Information Managers

Archivists

Records Managers

Librarians

Information Managers

Historians are Advocates

Lawyers and Paralegals

Litigation Support

Legislative Staff

Foundations

Social Work

Historians are Public Servants

Diplomatic Corps

Non-Governmental Organizations

Human Rights Workers

Elected Officials

Health Professions

Policy Makers

“Students of history develop an understanding of change – how it happens and why it happens the way it does – that enables them to engage the world they inhabit. Employers value history students’ ability to analyze human and social behavior, to research pressing problems, and to express themselves clearly.” Lisa Heineman, Professor and Chair, UI Department of History

As History returns to being Yale’s most popular major, the department believes “the present historical moment is enticing young people to join the discipline...economic and political models failed to predict several defining events of the post-9/11 era, most notably the 2008 financial crisis and the 2016 presidential election. Some are beginning to recognize that historians, due to the nature of their understanding of the past, could be better equipped to analyze and address global crises and trends.” American Historical Association blog

On the dangers of not understanding history: “From Turkey to China, strongmen rewrite the past to suit their ends. But democracies are not immune to this revisionism...Learning about history, and being able to question some of the narratives advanced in the name of politics is as important as knowing where to get reliable news.” The Guardian

In times of political crisis, citizens need “not just access to new narratives about the past, but also a broader ability to weigh evidence, balance competing arguments, and consider emotionally charged topics...Effective teaching can prepare and empower students for their role as citizens in ways that weaken the power of demagogic appeals.” American Historical Association

WHY STUDY HISTORY?

Thinking about majoring in History? Did you know that... ■ History is now the #1 declared major at Yale

■ History majors’ mid-career salaries are on par with those of business majors

■ Employers in tech, business, law, communications, health care, and public policy want people with humanities backgrounds

■ Double majoring makes you even more versatile (History BA requires 36 hours; many combine with PoliSci, JMC, IS, ANTH...)

■ Political experts consider historical education to be key to a successful democracy

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More Reasons to Study History

WHAT CAN I DO WITH A HISTORY DEGREE?

Just about anything! Here is a list of skills, or “competencies,” that history undergraduates learn in the course of their studies. American Historical Association

Fighting myths with data: history majors are NOT underprepared for gainful employment or doomed to a life of low earnings. American Historical Association

“History majors’ mid-career salaries are on par with those holding business bachelor’s degrees. Notably these salary findings exclude those who went on to attain a law or other graduate degree.” James Grossman Op-Ed, Los Angeles Times

Also with regard to earnings, “History majors do the best in the humanities, and better than students in a majority of the other fields.” AHA blog

On liberal arts majors in the data age: “From Silicon Valley to the Pentagon, people are beginning to realize that to effectively tackle today’s biggest social and technological challenges, we need to think critically about their human context—something humanities graduates happen to be well trained to do. Call it the revenge of the film, history, and philosophy nerds.” Harvard Business Review

“Tech leaders: Send Us Your Liberal Arts Grads” Association of American Colleges & Universities

“That ‘Useless’ Liberal Arts Degree Has Become Tech’s Hottest Ticket” Forbes

“To Understand Science, Study History” Chronicle of Higher Education

Why history matters for business executives: “If the quality of executives’ judgment is to improve and if executives are to be able to draw with confidence and intelligence on the experience of others, they must first know how to read the lessons embedded in that experience. Here...lies the value of history in management...The heart of [Harvard Business School’s] curriculum has always been the case study, and the case study is precisely what a historian is trained to do.” Harvard Business Review

Profiles of Historians in the Classroom, Publishing, Museums, Archives, Historic Preservation, Consulting and More American Historical Association

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History at University of Iowa @UI_Historyclas.uiowa.edu/history