Department: History

(Division of Humanities and the Arts)

Professor Anne M. Kornhauser Chair • Department Office: NA 5/144A • Tel: 212-650-7137

The City College offers the following undergraduate and combined degrees in History:

B.A. in History

B.A./M.A. (Combined Degree) in History

General Information

The City College offers the following undergraduate and combined degrees in History:

Programs and Objectives

History is basic to a college education: it provides the knowledge of where we have been that is essential to any individual’s understanding of his or her role in contemporary society; it advances analytical skills and promotes the expression of one’s ideas in writing and speech; and it encourages students to think critically, which includes the ability to evaluate material and draw appropriate conclusions. The offerings at City College are designed to meet the needs of our diverse student body.

Many occupations are open to history majors beyond those in the teaching area, including positions in business and industry, law, communications, and numerous agencies of government at all levels. A strong background in history also complements majors in social sciences because it provides the perspective that deepens one’s understanding of contemporary developments and problems. In addition, historical study traditionally has been an asset to those interested in literature and other humanities and arts areas.

Advisement

Please inquire about History advising in the Department Office: NA 5/144, or check the Department’s homepage for current advisors and their office hours. The Department Chair also serves as an advisor.

Majors in the Department of History are expected to maintain a minimum GPA of 2.0. Those who fall below that number will be called in for a conference with a departmental advisor to discuss ways of improving academic performance. The advisor may recommend taking a particular course for better preparation, meeting with a tutor in the Writing Center, taking a course load lower than 15 credits, or other strategies for achieving academic success. All students should try to maintain the highest possible GPA in order to enhance their prospects for acceptance to graduate pro-grams and career opportunities.

Department Activities

The History Society meets during club hours and provides a student voice in departmental affairs. Participants in the History Society, discuss problems in the field of history, invite and hear speakers to campus, and host career-oriented events. Open to all interested students.

Awards

The History Department awards a number of prizes and scholarships to outstanding undergraduates. For detailed information see the Chair of the History Department.

Paul Aron Award

For the best undergraduate research paper.

Leslie Steigman Bayor Scholarship

Charles T. Cromwell Award

For a senior History major who has done with the highest average in History.

Baily W. Diffie Award

For outstanding work in the field of American History. 

Fergus Bordewich Scholarship

For a History student in good standing who shows academic promise and originality. GPA of at least 3.0 preferred.

Barbara Brooks Award

For an outstanding paper in East Asian history. 

Colucci-Stoler History Scholarship

For a B.A. or  B.A./M.A. student who plans to pursue a career in teaching at any level. 

Sandi E. Cooper Prize in History

For a graduating student going to a history graduate program. 

The Carl Dunat Endowed Fund Award

For support of outstanding students pursuing degrees in the History Department.  

The Allen F. Isaacman Prize in African Studies

For a junior or senior who wishes to pursue a Ph.D. in African Studies, with a strong preference for History.

 To help support future studies.

Joan Kelly Prize

For the best paper in women’s/feminist history..

Oscar Lloyd Meyerson Prize

For the best Honors essay.

 Louis Neugeborn Scholarship

For a junior History major with a 3.0 or more GPA and financial need.

Sidney I. Pomerantz Prize

For the best essay on the history of New York City written in an elective course.

J. Salwyn Shapiro Award

For a senior who has done outstanding work in European History.

Judith S. Stein Prize

For an outstanding paper in the history of pollical economy

Judith S. Stein Scholarship

For outstanding B.A./M.A. students with financial need.

Tremain Prize

For a student who writes the best essay on the Civil War era.

 Oscar Zeichner Prize

For an outstanding paper in Early American History related to the Civil War.

Joseph E. Wisan Prize

For the best essay on 20th century American History written in an elective course. 

Teaching Social Studies in Secondary Schools

Students wishing to teach history in secondary schools must be certified in the area of Social Studies. Major requirements are listed below. Students should also consult Professor Shira Epstein (School of Education).

Required Courses

Subtotal: 36

Total Credit Hours Required for obtaining a B.A. degree: 120, at least 90 of which must be in the Liberal Arts and Sciences (RLA).

General Education Requirements ("Pathways")

In general, students are required to complete 42 credits of General Education coursework, with some adjustments for transfer students. See the General Education Requirements (“Pathways”) section of the Bulletin for more information.

History and Philosophy of Science and Technology Program

(Division of Humanities and the Arts)

Program Office:  NA 5/144

General Information

The program offers and coordinates courses for the following purposes:

•     History and/or philosophy specialization in the history and philosophy of science and technology, as a preparation for graduate study in these fields;

•     Electives for pre-professional programs in medicine, law, teacher education;

•     Electives or sub-specialization for students of liberal arts and science who want to enhance their general education through a better understanding of the role of science and technology in the world.

Requirements for Specialization

In addition to their major requirements, History and Philosophy majors seeking specialization in History and Philosophy of Science and Technology complete a series of courses chosen in consultation with their advisor. Students completing majors other than history or philosophy and seeking elective coursework in History and Philosophy of Science and Technology should consult an advisor in either the History or Philosophy department.

Faculty

Beth Baron, Distinguished Professor
B.A., Dartmouth College; M.A., Univ. of London; Ph.D., Univ. of California (Los Angeles)

John Blanton, Assistant Professor
B.A., SUNY (Albany); M.Phil.,  CUNY Graduate Center, Ph.D.

Lale Can,  Associate Professor
B.A., M.A., New York Univ., Ph.D.

Craig Daigle, Associate Professor
B.A., Univ. of Maryland; M.A., James Madison Univ.; Ph.D., George Washington Univ.

Yaari Felber-Seligman, Assistant Professor
B.A. Univ. of Pennsylvania; M.A. Northwestern Univ., Ph.D.

John Gillooly , Lecturer
B.A., Univ. of California (Los Angeles).; M.A., Columbia Univ., Ph.D.

Danian Hu,  Professor
B.E., Beujung Jiaotong Univ.; M.A., Case Western Reserve Univ.; Ph.D., Yale Univ.

Ravi Kalia, Professor
B.A., Univ. of Delhi, M.A.; M.B.A, Univ. of California (Los Angeles), Ph.D.

Andreas Killen, Professor 
B.A., Reed College (English); M.A., New York Univ., Ph.D.

Anne M. Kornhauser, Associate  Professor and Chair
B.A., Barnard College; M.A., Columbia Univ., Ph.D.

James Lewis, Lecturer
B.A., American Univ.; M.A., Washington Univ. in St. Louis, Ph.D.

Barbara Naddeo, Associate Professor
B.A., Princeton Univ.; Ph.D., Univ. of Chicago

Clifford Rosenberg, Associate Professor
B.A., Carleton College; M.A., Princeton Univ., Ph.D.

Seiji Shirane, Assistant Professor
B.A. Yale Univ;  M.A., Princeton Univ., Ph.D.

Darren Staloff, Professor
B.A., Columbia College; M.A., Columbia Univ., Ph.D.

Barbara Syrrakos, Lecturer
B.A. Univ. of Wisconsin, M.A.;, M.A., New School for Social Research, Ph.D.

Matthew Vaz,  Assistant Professor
B.S., Cornell Univ.; M.S. Brooklyn College; M.A., Columbia Univ., Ph.D.

Eric Weitz, Distinguished Professor
B.A., SUNY Binghamton; M.A., Boston Univ., Ph.D.

Laurie Woodard, Assistant Professor
B.A. Columbia Univ.; M.A, Yale University, Ph.D.

Professors Emeriti

Harriet Alonso

Bernard Bellush

Susan K. Besse

Venus Green

David Johnson

Lawrence Kaplan

Thomas H.C. Lee

Radmila Milentijevic

Dante A. Puzzo

Gerardo Renique

George Schwab

Conrad M. Schirokauer

Richard Skolnik

Herbert A. Strauss

Arthur Tiedemann

Robert Twombly

Martin Waldman

Joel Weiner

Irwin Yellowitz