The undergraduate program in history is designed to introduce students to major conceptual tools and research methods of historical study, while providing a historical depth of field for the understanding of the contemporary world. The history of the Eastern Mediterranean basin in its social, economic, political, and cultural dimensions constitutes the geographic emphasis. Ottoman and Turkish history is a main focus along with other topics. Comparative perspectives and interdisciplinary approaches to the history of the region as well as to Asian and European history enrich the program.
The department offers a flexible and liberal curriculum. Students follow a core program, while taking a large number of elective courses in their own areas of interest. Introduction to history and the social sciences, methods and theories of historical study, world history, the social, economic, political and cultural aspects of the history of Anatolia and the Balkans from the medieval to the modern era constitute the subject matter of courses in the core program. The core program also includes courses in mathematics and statistics, in order to familiarize students with quantitative research methods. Students graduate with a thesis based on primary and secondary source material.
A rich and diversified pool of elective courses complement the core program. Elective courses offered by faculty members cover a broad range of topics in Asian, Islamic, Mediterranean, Byzantine, Ottoman, Modern Turkish, European, and American history. Courses in archaeology, and the history of art and architecture aim at introducing students to aspects of visual and material culture within these historical and geographical contexts. Students may choose from this pool of departmental electives, or take elective courses in social and political sciences and humanities included in the university’s undergraduate curriculum.
Research languages constitute another component of the core program. While students who choose to concentrate on Ottoman history follow courses in Ottoman language and paleography, those who wish to focus on European or Byzantine history study Ancient Greek or Latin, in addition to an introduction to Ottoman. The students who choose this second option must start taking Greek or Latin in their second year. To be able to expand their areas of research and develop comparative perspectives, students are also required to learn a modern language apart from English.
The department has double-major programs with the Departments of Philosophy, Political Science and International Relations, Psychology, Sociology, and Turkish Language and Literature.
UNDERGRADUATE CURRICULUM
(Credits)
First Semester
HIST 101 Hist. Method And Thought I (3)
HIST 105 Making of the Modern World I (4)
PSY 101 Introduction to Psychology (3)
SOC 101 Introduction to Sociology (3)
MATH 105 Linear Algebra and Calculus I (4)
ENGL-111 Expository Writing I (3)
Second Semester
HIST 102 Hist. Method and Thought II (3)
HIST 106 Making of the Modern World II (4)
EC 102 Introduction to Economics (3)
ScE Science Elective* (3)
HIST 108 Introduction to Statistics I (4)
ENGL-112 Expository Writing II (3)
Third Semester
HIST 221 Pre-Ottoman Turkish History (3)
HIST 241 Intro. to W. European, Medit. (3)
Isl. Civil
TKL 101 Ottoman Turkish I (4)
HIST 209 Introduction to Statistics II (4)
MLE Modern Language Elective (3)
TK 221 Turkish (2)
Fourth Semester
HIST 222 Ottoman Classical History (3)
HIST 242 Western Societies, Politics, (3)
and Cultures
TKL 102 Ottoman Turkish II (4)
HIST 210 Research Methods in History (4)
MLE Modern Language Elective (3)
TK 222 Turkish (2)
Fifth Semester
HIST 321 Late Ottoman History (3)
TKL 215 Ottoman Paleography I (3)
HIST Departmental Elective (3)
HIST/C Departmental or Complementary Elective** (3)
MLE Modern Language Elective (3)
HTR 311 Ata. Pr. & Hist. Of Turk. Rev. (2)
Sixth Semester
HIST 322 History of Modern Turkey (3)
TKL 216 Ottoman Paleography II (3)
HIST Departmental Elective (3)
HIST/C Depart. or Compl. Elective (3)
MLE Modern Language Elective (3)
HTR 312 Ata. Pr. & Hist. Of Turk. Rev. (2)
Seventh Semester
HIST 401 Historiography I (3)
HIST/ C. Depart. or Compl. Elective (3)
HIST/C. Depart. or Compl. Elective (3)
Unrestricted Elective (3)
HIST 495 Thesis (3)
Eighth Semester
HIST 402 Historiography II (3)
HIST/C. Depart. or Compl. Elective (3)
HIST/ C. Depart. or Compl.Elective (3)
Unrestricted Elective*** (3)
HIST 496 Thesis (3)
________________________________________________________________________________
TOTAL: 142 credits.
* Science Elective: One course should be selected from the pool of introductory science courses :
Physics: STS 205, PHYS 111, PHYS 112, PHYS 205, PHYS 206
Chemistry: CHEM 111, CHEM 112
Molecular Biology and Genetics: BIO 121
** Complementary Elective: Courses offered by Departments of Economics, Political Science and International Relations, Philosophy, Psychology, Sociology, Turkish Language and Literature, Western Languages and Literatures, pending on the approval of the advisor and the instructor.
*** Unrestricted Elective: Any course from any department or faculty offered with credit. Students can take a maximum of two Pass/Fail courses to count within this category
