This program is for the student who wishes to combine history and literature in a manner that might not be feasible under the requirements of the Division of History and Social Sciences or the Division of Literature and Languages. Admission to the major is by application to the History–Literature Committee.
Requirements for the Major
- Humanities 220, or two units from Humanities 211, 212, 231, and 232.
For students using the 2018 distribution requirements, this course is considered part of the major field of study and may not be used to satisfy the Group A or Group B requirement. (Students who take a second 200-level humanities course may count that course toward Group A or Group B.)
- Four units in history.
- Four units in literature.
- A third year (i.e., two semester-long 300-level courses or above) of foreign language literature or composition.
- A junior seminar (such as English 301/302 or History 411/412) in history, English, or a foreign language. This does not count toward the required four classes in history and literature.
- A thesis (History–Literature 470) that offers a meaningful tie between the two disciplines. The student should work with a faculty member in each discipline as the thesis adviser and first reader, or coadvisers.
Recommended but not required:
- Two units in the Division of History and Social Sciences, in addition to the history courses.
- Two units in a literature other than the area of concentration.
Early consultation with a member of the committee is important for students considering this major in order to determine whether the student qualifies for the major and to plan a program.