Skills, Content, and Requirements Guidelines

1000/2000 Level (Including General Education Courses)
No prerequisites.
General:

  • Broad survey courses with 60-120 students
  • No pre-knowledge assumed, majors and non-majors encouraged

Content and Skills:

  • Emphasis on presenting basic information
  • Basic historical terminology
  • Basic periodization
  • Key events and individuals
  • Key themes and issues
  • Introduce concept of history as interpretation, and present competing historical interpretations
  • Basic library skills might be introduced

Course Materials:

  • Textbooks and supplements are usually appropriate
  • Monographs, scholarly articles, autobiographies, or works of historical fiction may be appropriate in moderation
  • Should include some written, visual, or primary sources as maybe appropriate to the subject

Evaluation:

  • Exams or quizzes may be partly or even primarily “objective,” but exams should include some writing component (e.g.: identifications and/or essay questions)
  • Some short writing assignment(s) should be required in a form appropriate to the discipline of History (e.g.: summary, analytical essay, exhibition review, book review, etc.) Major research papers are not appropriate at this level

History 2900: Introduction to the Study of History

Prerequisite: minimum of one Introductory or higher level History course, or permission of History department’s Director of Undergraduate Studies

Specific course materials, assignments, etc., may vary considerably depending on the instructor, but the course must be generally consistent in the kinds of introductory knowledge and skills introduced to the students.

General:

  • Enrollment  capped at 45
  • Introduction to the discipline of History, with the general goal of helping students learn to “think like historians,” and with explicit attention to 1) basic research and methodological skills, 2) both general and discipline-specific writing skills, and 3) basic historiographic knowledge
  • Introduction to the range of professional career choices, practices, and opportunities available to History majors
  • Majors-only anticipated.
  • Should usually be taken during the student’s second or third semester of study (for transfer students or those changing from another major, the first semester possible)

Introducing students to a particular historical content is not a central goal of this course.  Some “content,” of course, will necessarily be a part of students’ reading and research.  Instructors may choose to organize the course around a particular subject area, or they may choose to draw upon a broad range of chronological and geographical areas.

Content and skills:

  • basic historical concepts and terminologies (e.g., primary/secondary sources; historiography; monograph, context; objectivity; change over time; etc.)
  • historical periodization, as a general concept and perhaps pertinent to a subject area (e.g., ancient, medieval, early modern, antebellum, etc.)
  • basic historiography, especially developments from the 18th century to the present
  • modern (especially 20th-21st century) methods/approaches to historical study (e.g., political, social, transnational, comparative, quantitative, gender, etc.)
  • concept of history as interpretation and argument; evaluating competing historical interpretations
  • library skills, especially those pertinent to locating historical sources; differentiating between “popular” and “scholarly” sources
  • note-taking, exam preparation, exam taking, and other basic classroom skills
  • maps and graphs as they pertain to historical study
  • departmental advising procedures; planning a program of study at WMU
  • introduction to the range of professional historical career choices, practices, and opportunities
  • proper use of University of Chicago/Turabian style
  • academic integrity policies and practices
  • basic forms of student historical writing (e.g., summary, analysis, review, essay exam, research paper)
  • basic research skills in History, including how to develop a research question, how to develop a thesis, how to support an argument, etc.
  • critical reading and evaluation of secondary sources, including identification and evaluation of thesis, and placing in historiographical context
  • basic evaluation of primary sources, emphasizing attention to basic concerns like: Who produced the document/artifact? When?  What is the basic information presented in the document/artifact?  For what purpose was it produced?  For what audience was it intended?
  • Comparison of perspectives gained from primary sources and secondary sources

Course materials:

  • Should include some content-based readings in secondary sources
  • Should include written, visual, and/or material primary sources
  • Should include materials introducing practical skills for students studying and writing in History (e.g., Benjamin, A Student’s Guide to History; Berkin and Anderson, The History Handbook; Kelleher, Writing History)
  • Should include materials dealing explicitly with historiography and the range of modern historical methodologies (e.g., Lambert and Schofield, Making History: An Introduction to the Practices of History; Appleby, et al., Telling the Truth about History; Arnold, History: A Very Short Introduction)
  • A writing guide introducing basic Chicago/Turabian format (e.g., Rampolla, A Pocket Guide to Writing in History; various online Chicago/Turabian guides)

Evaluation:

  • Exams or quizzes should use both “objective” and written components (e.g., identifications and/or essay), as would be encountered in most History courses
  • Some short writing assignments should be required in a form appropriate to the discipline of History (e.g., summary, analysis, book review, research proposal; annotated bibliography, etc.).  A research paper is not appropriate for this course.
  • The annotated bibliography assignment has been extremely successful for those who have taught 1900 in recent years, and we strongly recommend this assignment for 2900

3000 Level General Education Courses

General:

  • Survey courses in a subfield, usually with 60-120 students
  • No pre-knowledge assumed, majors and non-majors encouraged

Content and Skills:

  • Same content and skills as 1000/2000 level PLUS
  • Greater attention to critical reading of primary and secondary sources than in 1000/2000 level
  • Introduce historiography of subject area
  • Introduce research methods and critical reading of sources
  • Development of library research skills

Course Materials:

  • Textbook on the subject may be useful and appropriate
  • Accessible monographs, scholarly articles, autobiographies or works of historical fiction are encouraged
  • Engagement with primary sources—either written or material culture—as may be appropriate to the subject, above that at 1000/2000 level

Evaluation:

  • Exams or quizzes may be partly “objective,” but exams should be based primarily on written expression (e.g.: identifications and/or essay questions)
  • Writing assignment(s) should be required in a form appropriate to the discipline of History (e.g.: summary, analytical essay, exhibition review, book review, etc.), beyond that at 1000/2000 level
  • Some aspect of the written work could be based on interpretation of written, visual, or material primary sources, though major research papers are not recommended.

Intermediate (3000 level) writing intensive courses (3000WI)
Prerequisite: HIST 2900 or permission of instructor (“permission” option permits enrollment of History minors and selected non-majors)

General:

  • Enrollment capped at 30
  • Will NOT fulfill General Education requirements
  • Some preknowledge assumed, based on prerequisite requiring 2900.
  • Usually will have relatively broad thematic focus within a clear geographical focus and a narrower chronology than Introductory or 3000 level General Education courses (e.g., US since 1945; Europe 1815-1914)

Content and skills (particular to the subject area):

  • Minimal introductory content comparable to Introductory or non-WI Intermediate level
  • Specialized content, themes, methodologies, and applications particular to topic area
  • Development of verbal presentation skills and integrative learning approaches may be appropriate
  • specific discussion of historiography of the topic area is essential
  • Develop familiarity with research methods, sources, and library skills particular to the topic
  • A special emphasis on locating and analyzing primary sources appropriate to the topic
  • Develop analytical/interpretive skills particular to the topic, beyond those introduced in 2900
  • Develop historical writing skills beyond those introduced in 2900

Reading:

  • Textbook usually not required (though placing one on reserve may be useful)
  • Significant reading in scholarly articles, monographs, and/or presentation of other materials (e.g., visual art, material artifacts, museum exhibits, etc.) appropriate to the topic
  • Significant engagement with written, visual, or material primary sources, as appropriate to topic, beyond what is typical in 2900 or in Introductory and non-WI Intermediate courses

Evaluation:

  • Exams should be based primarily (preferably exclusively) on written expression, either as in-class “blue book” exams or as take-home exams
  • A significant amount of written work should be required, well beyond that required in 2900 or in Introductory and non-WI Intermediate level courses
  • Paper assignments should involve application and extension of research, interpretive, analytical, and historiographical skills that were introduced in 2900
  • A series of short (4-6 page) papers may be the most effective in developing these skills, with the expectation that work in the 3000WI courses will provide students with the skills and experience to prepare a longer (12-20 page) research paper in Advanced (4000 level) courses.  The longer research paper is not recommended for 3000WI courses.
  • It may be appropriate at this level to evaluate students in part on the basis of group work, verbal presentation skills, or other integrative learning activities appropriate to the topic

Advanced (4000 level) courses (all must fulfill requirements for Baccalaureate Writing courses)
Prerequisite: minimum of one 3000WI course or permission of instructor (“permission” option intended to permit minors and selected non-majors to enroll).

General:

  • Enrollment capped at 25 students
  • Usually more specialized thematic courses, perhaps with a methodological or theoretical focus
  • preknowledge of the discipline and general topic area assumed, based on prerequisite and accumulated coursework at 1000-3000 level
  • course must adhere to WMU requirements for Baccalaureate Writing courses (details available, but the primary emphasis is on multiple writing assignments and a significant amount of required revision of written work)

Content and skills (particular to the subject area):

  • No introductory content comparable to Introductory or non-WI Intermediate level
  • Specialized content, themes, methodologies, and applications particular to topic area
  • Development of verbal presentation skills and integrative learning approaches may be appropriate
  • Advanced discussion of historiography of the topic is essential, perhaps addressing more sophisticated issues than in 3000WI courses
  • Advanced work with research methods, sources, and library skills particular to the topic
  • Advanced work with analytical/interpretive skills particular to the topic, beyond those introduced in 2900 and developed in 3000WI courses
  • Advanced development of historical writing skills, usually involving longer and more comprehensive assignments requiring the integration of skills introduced in 2900 and developed in 3000WI courses

Course Materials:

  • Textbook usually not required (though placing one on reserve may be useful)
  • Significant reading in scholarly articles, monographs, and/or presentation of other materials (e.g., visual art, material artifacts, museum exhibits, etc.) appropriate to the topic
  • Significant engagement with written, visual, or material primary sources, as appropriate to topic, beyond what is typical in 2900 or in Introductory and General Education courses

Evaluation:

  • Exams (if used) should be based primarily (preferably exclusively) on written expression, either as in-class “blue book” exams or as take-home exams
  • A significant amount of written work must be required, well beyond that required in Introductory and non-WI Intermediate level courses
  • Paper assignments should involve application and extension of research, interpretive, analytical, and historiographical skills that were introduced in 2900 and developed in 3000WI
  • Usually will involve a major writing assignment (research paper, historiographical or analytical essay, etc.) that involves closely monitored development of the topic and argument, and multiple revisions consistent with Baccalaureate Writing requirements

It may be appropriate at this level to evaluate students in part on the basis of group work, verbal presentation skills, or other integrative learning activities appropriate to the topic