History

Chair: Frank A. Warren

Graduate Advisor: Morris Rossabi

Department Office: Powdermaker Hall 352, 997-5350

Department Website: http://www.qc.cuny.edu/Academics/Degrees/DSS/History

The Master’s Program in History can meet a variety of intellectual and professional needs: as preparation for doctoral study, as the academic requirement for permanent New York State teacher certification, and as an opportunity for students to upgrade their current job credentials and enrich their intellectual life. The department’s graduate faculty have outstanding records of publication in many areas.

Faculty

Warren, Frank A., Chair, Professor, PhD 1961, Brown University: twentieth-century American history

Rossabi, Morris, Graduate Advisor, Distinguished Professor, PhD 1970, Columbia University: Chinese history, Central Asian and Mongol history

Allen, Joel, Associate Professor, PhD 1999, Yale University: ancient history

Alteras, Isaac, Professor, PhD 1971, City University of New York: Jewish history

Antonova, Kate, Assistant Professor, PhD 2007, Columbia University; Russian history

Bemporad, Elissa, Assistant Professor, PhD 2006, Stamford University: Eastern European Jewish history and the Holocaust

Bregoli, Francesca, Assistant Professor, PhD 2007, University of Pennsylvania: Sephardic Jewish history

Cellelo, Kristin, Assistant Professor, PhD 2004, University of Virginia: United States women’s history

Chazkel, Amy, Assistant Professor, PhD 2002, Yale University: Latin American history

Conolly-Smith, Peter, Assistant Professor, PhD 1996, Yale University: United States immigration history

Covington, Sarah, Assistant Professor, PhD 2000, City University of New York: British history

Davie, Grace, Assistant Professor, PhD 2005, University of Michigan at Ann Arbor: African history

Frangakis-Syrett, Elena, Professor, PhD 1985, King’s College, University of London: modern Greek history

Franklin, Arnold E., Assistant Professor, PhD 2001, Princeton University: ancient and medieval Jewish history

Freeman, Joshua B., Professor, PhD 1983, Rutgers University: American labor history

McManus, Edgar J., Professor, PhD 1959, Columbia University: American colonial and constitutional history

Nadasen, Premilla, Associate Professor, PhD 1999, Columbia University: African-American history, African history

O’Brien, John M., Professor, PhD 1964, University of Southern California: medieval history, church history, Alexander the Great

Richardson, Kristina, Assistant Professor, PhD 2008, University of Michigan; history of Islam

Scott, Donald, Professor, PhD 1968, University of Wisconsin: American cultural history

Sen, Satadru, Assistant Professor, PhD 1998, University of Washington: South Asian history

Sneeringer, Julia, Associate Professor, PhD 1995, University of Pennsylvania: German history

Vellon, Peter, Assistant Professor, PhD 2003, City University of New York: Italian-American history

Wintermute, Bob, Assistant Professor, PhD 2006, Temple University: Italian-United States military and foreign policy history

Master of Arts Program

Within the master’s program, the department follows the contemporary trend in going beyond a national and Western framework of study and employs a variety of approaches–political, economic, social, and intellectual–requiring a considerable methodological range. The department aims to acquaint students with the goals, methods, and results of historical research.

The department directs the attention of students to the possibilities of combining work in history with work in other departments and to the creation of individualized programs of study (to be arranged in consultation with the departmental graduate advisor). Attention is also directed to history courses that may be useful in related fields such as library science, museum management, historical preservation, and the like.

Requirements for Matriculation

These requirements are in addition to the general requirements for admission.

1. The applicant must be approved by the department’s committee on graduate studies. Approval is based on the satisfactory completion of sufficient work in history or related fields to pursue graduate work in history.

2. An applicant whose undergraduate preparation is considered inadequate by the department’s committee may be admitted as a qualifying nonmatriculated student. Satisfactory completion of approved courses will be required before the student can matriculate. Undergraduate courses taken to make up for inadequate preparation cannot be counted toward the MA degree. Graduate courses, provided they are approved by the graduate advisor, may be counted toward the MA degree. In some instances, students whose undergraduate preparation in history is judged inadequate may be required to take additional hours in graduate history to remove those deficiencies.

3. Applicants whose first language is not English and who were educated in a country where English is not the official language must submit proof of having achieved a score of 575 or better on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL).

Departmental Regulations for the Master of Arts Degree

These requirements are in addition to the general requirements for the MA degree.

1. Usually no more than three courses of one semester each may be taken outside the Department of History and only with the written consent of the student’s graduate advisor.

2. Each student is assigned a graduate advisor with whom he or she plans the course of study.

3. A student must complete 30 hours of graduate history courses, which must include History 791 and 796. History 791 should be taken during the student’s first year and must be taken by the end of the student’s second year. History 796 should be taken as the final course of the student’s 30 credits.

4. A thesis is required. Before formally starting a thesis, the student must submit a written proposal containing the topic, a rationale for studying the topic, and a proposed bibliography. The student must pass an oral examination on the thesis proposal given by the thesis advisor and another professor.

Courses for Master of Science in Education Degree

1. Candidates in this program should confer with a Division of Education advisor as to which history courses best meet the requirements of this program.

2. The Department of History offers two courses especially designed to strengthen the history background of MSEd students specializing in secondary social studies: HIST 795 and 797 (see course descriptions).

Courses in History

Note: Prior to selecting courses for registration, students must check the courses listed below with department announcements distributed shortly before registration and with latest course offerings posted in the department.

HIST 707. War in European History. 2 hr. plus conf.; 3 cr. Studies in history of European warfare from antiquity to the modern period.

HIST 707.1. War in American History. 2 hr. plus conf.; 3 cr. Studies in the history of American warfare from the colonial period to the present. Emphasis will be placed on the growth and functions of American military institutions.

HIST 710. Studies in Ancient History. 2 hr. plus conf.; 3 cr. Readings and discussion of selected topics in ancient history. Special emphasis is placed on historical method and interpretation.

HIST 713. The Church in the Middle Ages. 2 hr. plus conf.; 3 cr. The history of Christianity in Western Europe to the eve of the Protestant Revolution, with attention to the church’s role in intellectual, social, and political life, and to medieval religious organization, doctrine, and dissent.

HIST 714. Studies in Medieval History. 2 hr. plus conf.; 3 cr. Readings and discussion of selected topics in medieval history.

HIST 719. Studies in Modern French History. 2 hr. plus conf.; 3 cr. Readings and discussion of selected topics in recent French history.

HIST 720. Studies in Tudor History. 2 hr. plus conf.; 3 cr. A study of political, economic, social, and religious institutions, with emphasis on the Tudor constitution.

HIST 721. Studies in Stuart History. 2 hr. plus conf.; 3 cr. A study of political, economic, social, and religious institutions, with emphasis on the Puritan and Glorious Revolutions.

HIST 723. Great Britain in the Victorian Age. 2 hr. plus conf.; 3 cr. Studies in the development of British political and social institutions and in the growth of British power during the Victorian period.

HIST 724. Studies in Modern British History. 2 hr. plus conf.; 3 cr. Readings and discussion of selected topics in British history since the Victorian era.

HIST 725. The World Wars of the Twentieth Century. 2 hr. plus conf.; 3 cr. Emphasis is on processes of change affecting the political, economic, and social structure of Europe, science and technology, and Europe’s international relationships.

HIST 727. Europe and the Contemporary World: 1945 to the Present. 2 hr. plus conf.; 3 cr. Emphasis on West European recovery, the East European revolutions, the Cold War, the end of European colonial empires, and political and social problems raised by contemporary science and technology. Spring

HIST 732. Russian History to 1917. 2 hr. plus conf.; 3 cr. A study of the principal political and social developments in Russia from Peter the Great to the October Revolution.

HIST 733. The Soviet Union. 2 hr. plus conf.; 3 cr. A study of political and social developments in Russia since the October Revolution.

HIST 734. Women in Modern European History. 2 hr. plus conf.; 3 cr. Prereq.: permission of the instructor. This course is intended as an introduction to European women’s history from the Industrial Revolution into the post-World War II era. Readings concentrate on Britain, Germany, and France, and survey the general history of women in modern Europe, as well as outline recent methods of inquiry and topics of debate. The course takes a thematic approach within a roughly chronological framework.

HIST 735. Studies in German and Central European History. 2 hr. plus conf.; 3 cr. Selected topics in German, Austrian, and East Central European history. May be repeated when offered with a different topic.

HIST 736. Modern Italy. 2 hr. plus conf.; 3 cr. The development of modern Italy from the late 18th century to the founding of the postwar Italian republic. The theme is the search for national identity. An examination of the rise of Italian national consciousness, the movement for unification, and the process of state-building, followed by a study of the liberal state (1870-1915), including such issues as parliamentary development, the Southern problem, and the rise of the left. The course then looks at the rise of fascism and Mussolini’s regime, World War II and the anti-fascist resistance, and the origins of the republic.

HIST 738. Chinese History in the Nineteenth Century. 2 hr. plus conf.; 3 cr. An examination of the political, social, and economic developments from the eve of the Opium War to the Boxer Uprisings.††

HIST 739. Chinese History since 1900. 2 hr. plus conf.; 3 cr. A study of important developments from the Boxer Uprisings to the present.

742. History of Japan. 2 hr. plus conf.; 3 cr. Traces the major changes in Japanese history, with an emphasis on the more recent period.

745. Studies in Latin American History. 2 hr. plus conf.; 3 cr. Readings and discussions of selected topics in the history of Latin America. Content will vary and, with permission of the instructor and graduate advisor, the course may be repeated for credit.

747. The Political, Economic, and Social History of Latin America to 1825. 2 hr. plus conf.; 3 cr. A survey of the institutional, economic, and societal forces shaping Latin America from the discovery and conquest to the era of national emancipation.

HIST 748. The Political, Economic, and Social History of Latin America Since 1825. 2 hr. plus conf.; 3 cr. A survey of the institutional, economic, and societal forces shaping the nations of Latin America during the national period.

HIST 753. Studies in Brazilian History. 2 hr. plus conf.; 3 cr. Readings and discussions of selected topics in the history of Brazil.

HIST 756. Studies in Jewish History. 2 hr. plus conf.; 3 cr. Readings and discussion of selected topics in Jewish history. (Reading knowledge of either Hebrew or Yiddish is desirable but not required.)

HIST 761. American Colonial Society. 2 hr. plus conf.; 3 cr. Studies of the English colonies in North America from the beginnings of exploration and settlement to the eve of the American Revolution. In the perspective of related European developments, stress is placed on political, social, and economic growth and transformation.

HIST 762. The Era of the American Revolution. 2 hr. plus conf.; 3 cr. An analysis of the English and American scene from 1750 to 1789. The focus is upon the events leading to the American Revolution, the War of Independence, the framing of the United States Constitution, and the foreign and domestic affairs of the Continental Congress.

HIST 763. The United States in the Early National Period, 1789-1828. 2 hr. plus conf.; 3 cr. An examination of the federalist and Jeffersonian administrations of these years. Special attention is given to economic, ideological, sectional, and international problems that found expression in constitutional issues, the rise of parties, and early formulation of national policy.

HIST 766. Studies in Afro-American History. 2 hr. plus conf.; 3 cr. Readings and discussion of selected topics in the history of black people in America. May be repeated for credit with consent of instructor if topic changes. Spring

HIST 767. The Civil War and Reconstruction. 2 hr. plus conf.; 3 cr. An examination of conflicting interpretations of the causes of the war, the course of the war, and the problems of reconstruction.

HIST 769. Studies in the Progressive Movement. 2 hr. plus conf.; 3 cr. An investigation of the sources of the reform impulse and its influence on American development from the Spanish-American War to World War I.

HIST 771. The Depression and the New Deal. 2 hr. plus conf.; 3 cr. Political, social, and economic changes in the United States from 1929 to the outbreak of World War II.

HIST 772. Making of the American Empire. 2 hr. plus conf.; 3 cr. A study of the role of foreign policy in the expansion of the United States from the Revolution to the Spanish War. Fall

HIST 773. The United States in World Affairs. 2 hr. plus conf.; 3 cr. The history of American foreign policy since 1895. The emergence of the United States as a world power, and selected problems in American diplomacy arising from war and peace in the twentieth century. Spring

HIST 774. History of American Business. 2 hr. plus conf.; 3 cr. The history of business in American life, emphasizing the development of organization systems and management techniques as well as the interrelation of business with other social institutions.

HIST 775, 776. Constitutional History of the United States. 2 hr. plus conf.; 3 cr. each semester. The historical background of the United States Constitution and its evolution through the leading decisions of the Supreme Court. Emphasis will be given to the role of the court in the development of the American federal system, the protection of rights guaranteed by the constitution, and the jural theories under which the court has operated. HIST 775 covers the period to 1865; HIST 776 from the Civil War to the present. HIST 775–Fall; HIST 776–Spring

HIST 777. The City in American History to 1890. 2 hr. plus conf.; 3 cr. An examination of the origins, development, and significance of American cities and their role as “crucibles of culture” from the colonial era to the late nineteenth century.

HIST 777.1. The City in American History since 1890. 2 hr. plus conf.; 3 cr. Studies in the transformation of the metropolis in twentieth-century America.

HIST 778. The United States Bill of Rights, 1789 to the Present. 2 hr. plus conf.; 3 cr. This course traces the historical origins of the United States Constitution. The main focus will be on the United States Supreme Court decisions that extend the provisions of the Bill of Rights, originally applicable only to the federal government, to the states as well.

HIST 783. New York City in the Colonial and Early National Periods. 2 hr. plus conf.; 3 cr. A study of the history, role, and influence of New York City during the formative years of American development. Attention is given to the principal archival and manuscript sources.

HIST 784. Sources of New York City History. 2 hr. plus conf.; 3 cr. An intensive examination of the chief archival resources basic for the study of the early history of New York City. Research papers and reports are prepared and presented by the student.

HIST 786. The American Urban Environment, 1830-1930. 2 hr. plus conf.; 3 cr. A history of the urban physical environment and the efforts to shape it since the early nineteenth century. Emphasis will be placed upon public health, civil engineering, landscape architecture, architecture, and early city planning.

HIST 790. Studies in the History of Africa. 2 hr. plus conf.; 3 cr. Readings and discussion of selected topics in the development of Africa from the early Bantu dispersals to the era of independence. With the consent of the instructor, the course may be repeated for credit.

HIST 791. Introduction to Historical Research. 2 hr. plus conf.; 3 cr. An introduction to historiography, historical primary and secondary sources, research methods, and the writing of history. Primary sources will include letters, diaries, documents, and contemporary newspapers. This course will analyze secondary texts, correct citations, and bibliography.

HIST 795. Studies in European History. 2 hr. plus conf.; 3 cr. Studies of selected key issues and topics in European history and the historical debates about those issues. Stress is on methodology, interpretation, and the clash of opinion among historians. Topics vary each semester, and the focus may be Europe, the non-Western world, or points of contact and exchange between them. The course is required for graduate students in the MS in Education program in secondary social studies education. The course may not be repeated for credit.

HIST 796. Seminar in History. 2 hr. plus conf.; 3 cr. Studies of a group of related topics chosen in consultation with the instructor. Scholarly techniques are emphasized, including methods of investigation and the use of original sources. Required of all history MA graduate students.

HIST 797. Studies in American History: Special Problems. 2 hr. plus conf.; 3 cr. Studies of selected key issues and topics in American history and the historical debates about those issues. Stress is on methodology, interpretation, and the clash of opinion among historians. Topics vary each semester, and the focus may be the United States, Latin America, or points of contact and exchange between them. The course is required for graduate students in the MS in Education program in secondary social studies education. The course may not be repeated for credit.

HIST 798.1–798.3. Individual Readings for Graduate Credit. Hr. to be arranged; 1–3 cr. With permission of the individual instructor concerned, the student’s advisor, and the departmental graduate advisor, a student may enroll for 1 to 3 hours of credit in a program of directed readings. This course is designed to supplement existing course offerings and is not proposed as a substitute for the more formal course and seminar work in a field of graduate study. Fall, Spring

HIST 799. Problems in History. 2 hr. plus conf.; 3 cr. New courses and graduate seminars in different fields are currently being offered. Consult the department before registration or see announcements on the History Department Bulletin Board.

Courses in Reserve

HIST 708. The Ancient Near East

HIST 709. The Classical World

HIST 711. Social and Economic History of the High Middle Ages

HIST 731. Studies in Modern European Intellectual History

HIST 740. Chinese Historiography

HIST 741. Studies in Modern Chinese History

HIST 743. Modern Mexico

HIST 754. The Caribbean World in the Twentieth Century

HIST 760. Studies in the History of Modern Science

HIST 765. Jacksonian Democracy

HIST 770. Main Currents in Modern American Thought

HIST 781. Studies in American Social, Intellectual, and Cultural History to 1870

HIST 782. Studies in American Social, Intellectual, and Cultural History since 1870

HIST 791. Introduction to Latin American Research and Historiography

HIST 792. Seminar in Latin American History