University Catalog 2006-2007

University Catalog > LAHS > History and Art History

History and Art History

Phone: 703-993-1250
Web: history.gmu.edu, arthistory.gmu.edu

Faculty

Fried Professor: Rosenzweig (History)

Mathy Professor: Mattusch (Art History)

Robinson Professors: Bakhash, Wilkins (History)

Professors:J.R. Censer (dean), J.T. Censer, Holt, Horton, Levine, Petrik, Stearns (provost), Stewart, Wade, Zagarri (History); ffolliott (Art History)

Associate professors: Carton, Copelman, Deshmukh (chair), Hamdani, Karush, Lytton, O’Malley, Platt, Smith (History); Butler, DeCaroli (director), Todd (Art History)

Assistant professors: Barnes, Bristol, Chang, D. Cohen, M. Cohen, Collins, Hamner, Hawkes, Kelly, Lair, Landsberg, Manuel-Scott, Schrag, Scully (History); Greet (Art History)

Term professors:Greenberg, Leon, McCord, Orens, Scheinfeldt, Schrum (History)

Postdoctoral teaching fellows: Euler, Harris, Lipp, Romaniello, Specter (History)

This department offers all course work designated HIST and ARTH in the Course Descriptions chapter of this catalog.

Undergraduate Programs

History, BA

In addition to satisfying university general education requirements and requirements for the BA degree in LAHS, candidates for a degree in history must complete 36 credits of history, with at least 18 credits at the 300 and 400 levels. Additional credits of history in excess of 36 may be presented as elective credits to be counted toward graduation. The 36 credits must have a minimum GPA of 2.00 and are distributed as follows:

HIST 300 and 499 may not be used to satisfy requirements in the first three bullets. Students should see an advisor before registering to help plan their history program to meet university general education and college-level requirements. The advisor also can help students choose electives or a minor.

Writing-Intensive Requirement

The university requires all students to complete at least one course designated as writing intensive in their majors at the 300 level or above. Students majoring in history may fulfill this requirement by successfully completing HIST 300 and 499.

Honors Program in History

History majors who have completed 75 credits (a minimum of 15 in history, 6 of which must have been taken at Mason) with a 3.50 overall GPA and a 3.50 GPA in history are eligible to apply to the history honors program. Candidates must have completed or be enrolled in HIST 300 at the time of application. The statement of application should include two Mason history faculty members as references. If a major part of the student’s work includes transfer credit, transcripts may be required. Not all applicants who meet the minimum requirements are guaranteed acceptance into the program.

To graduate with honors in history, students must complete HIST 490 and 491, which are linked, individualized courses usually given by the same instructor. Students must have completed at least one course in the field (or with the professor) chosen for these honors courses. HIST 490 should be taken before 491, although they may be taken concurrently. Either course may be taken concurrently with HIST 499 Senior Seminar in History. These 6 credits must be passed with a minimum 3.50 GPA, and the overall history GPA presented for graduation must be a minimum of 3.50. These 6 credits may be counted toward the 36-credit major requirement in history, but they do not replace HIST 499.

Minor in History

To receive the minor, students must complete 18 credits in history, including 12 credits at the 300 and 400 levels, and 9 credits concentrated in a region or topic related, if possible, to the student’s major, with a minimum GPA of 2.00. The program must be approved by the undergraduate coordinator before graduation. A GPA in history courses of at least 2.00 is required.

For policies governing all minors, see the Academic Policies chapter of this catalog.

Interdisciplinary Minor

The department collaborates with various interdisciplinary minors including African American studies, ancient Mediterranean art and archaeology, Asia Pacific studies, Islamic studies, and Latin American studies. Students can earn credits toward these minors by taking selected history courses. See the interdisciplinary minors section of this chapter for a description.

Advising

The undergraduate coordinator advises majors and minors. History majors are urged to discuss their programs periodically with the coordinator.

Teacher Licensure

Students who wish to become teachers should consult the CEHD chapter and attend an information session early in their undergraduate career. For more information, call 703-993-2892, e-mail gseadmit@gmu.edu, or go to gse.gmu.edu.

Art History, BA

As a liberal arts discipline, art history emphasizes the analysis of visual data in a historical context. The major program prepares students for graduate study in art history as well as for professional work.

In addition to satisfying university-wide general education requirements and requirements for a BA degree in LAHS, students must complete 33 to 34 credits with a minimum GPA of 2.00. These include 30 credits of ARTH, and 3 to 4 credits of studio art (AVT), distributed as follows:

All art history majors are encouraged to pursue internships in art history (ARTH 393 or, with permission, ARTH 593) in their junior or senior year. Up to 6 credits in art history internships may be applied toward ARTH requirements for the major, with permission of the art history undergraduate coordinator.

Students are strongly recommended to participate in a study abroad program. Students contemplating graduate study in art history should acquire a reading knowledge of French or German, or other appropriate research languages in consultation with an advisor.

Writing-Intensive Requirement

The university requires all students to complete at least one course designated as writing intensive in their majors at the 300 level or above. Students majoring in art history fulfill the university’s writing-intensive requirement by successfully completing any 400-level ARTH course.

Honors Program in Art History

Majors who have completed 75 credits (a minimum of 15 credits in art history, with 6 credits taken at Mason) with a 3.50 overall GPA and a 3.80 GPA in art history are eligible to apply to the art history honors program. Eligible students should apply to the undergraduate coordinator by November 15 or April 15 with a statement of application, which includes the names of two Mason art history faculty members to serve as references; transfer students may also submit transcripts. Not all applicants who meet the minimum requirements may be accepted into the program.

To graduate with honors in art history, students must complete ARTH 492 and 493, which are linked, individualized courses that culminate in a research paper. Students must have completed at least one course in the field (or with the professor) chosen for these honors courses. ARTH 492 should be taken before 493, but they may be taken concurrently. These 6 credits must be passed with a minimum 3.50 GPA, and the overall art history GPA presented for graduation must be a minimum of 3.50. These 6 credits may be counted toward the 33- to 34-credit major requirement in art history, but they do not replace the 6 required credits in ARTH 400, 420, 430, 440, 460, 471, or 482.

Minor in Art History

The minor requires 18 credits with a minimum GPA of 2.00, and covers a broad spectrum of periods, cultures, and themes, with an emphasis on historical context. Requirements for the minor are as follows:

ARTH 394 is not required for the minor, but is strongly encouraged.

For policies governing all minors, see the Academic Policies chapter of this catalog.

Interdisciplinary Minor

The art history program coordinates the interdisciplinary minor in ancient Mediterranean art and archaeology. See the Interdisciplinary Minors section of this chapter for a description of the minor.

Graduate Programs

History, MA

The Department of History and Art History provides graduate training in historical methods and analysis for students with widely varying goals. The four MA concentrations that follow are designed to meet those goals.

Admission Requirements

Applicants must fulfill admission requirements for graduate study and for the Department of History and Art History. These include satisfactory scores on the GRE, and two letters of recommendation from history professors with whom the applicant has studied or from others directly familiar with the applicant’s professional competence and interests.

The GRE requirement is waived for students who received their undergraduate degrees 10 or more years ago, or who hold another graduate degree.

Degree Requirements

Within the first three concentrations listed below, students must specialize in American history, modern European history, or world history. Requirements for all concentrations include the following:

To remedy deficiencies in their undergraduate preparation, students may be required to take up to 12 additional credits of foundation courses, which cover broad thematic areas (HIST 601, 602 Themes in U.S. History I, II; and 605, 606 Themes in European History I, II). If required as foundational, these credits cannot be applied toward the 30 credits required for the degree (36 credits in the concentration in teaching).

If foundation courses are not required at admission, students in the concentrations in enrichment (Track III) and teaching (Track IV) may apply one of the themes courses toward their degree. Students in the other concentrations may not apply these courses toward their degree.

Concentration in Predoctoral History, or Predoctoral History with a Cultural History Emphasis

This concentration is for students planning to continue into doctoral studies. In addition to HIST 610, it requires the following:

Concentration in Applied History

This concentration is for students seeking expertise in applied history fields such as archival management, museum studies, historic preservation, and historical editing. It is also suitable for professionally employed historians who desire to further their careers. In addition to HIST 610, this concentration requires the following:

Concentration in Applied History with New Media and Information Technology Emphasis

In addition to HIST 610, this concentration requires the following:

Concentration in Enrichment

This concentration is for students who want to study history for intellectual self-fulfillment or for vocational reasons. It allows more flexibility in the selection of courses, and does not require a foreign language. In addition to HIST 610, this concentration requires the following:

Six credits of thesis work are optional. If a thesis is elected, 3 credits in the major and 3 credits in electives are assigned to it.

Concentration in Teaching

This concentration is intended for students already licensed for teaching or seeking licensure. Unlike the other three concentrations, it requires a minimum of 36 credits and does not include the comprehensive readings course. Although it includes course work in history and education, completion of this concentration alone is not sufficient to qualify for licensure. That program is offered by the College of Education and Human Development (CEHD), and admission is limited. Students are advised to consult with CEHD for specific requirements regarding licensure. In addition to the general MA in history requirements, this concentration requires the -following:

Art History, MA

This program offers a unique master’s degree based on departmental strengths in traditional research, the application of new media, and the vast cultural resources of the Washington, D.C., area. Students study a broad range of art-historical periods, theory, and research methods. In addition, the program emphasizes new media skills, museum studies, and preprofessional internship training. Graduates are well-prepared for art museum and gallery professional work, where an MA degree is now routinely required, or for further study in PhD programs.

Admission

In addition to meeting requirements for graduate study at Mason, applicants should hold a BA in art history or a minor in art history that includes two courses at the 400 level, or have an equivalent background. Candidates without the requisite background may be admitted provisionally. In addition to the application materials required for graduate study, applicants should submit the following:

Degree requirements

History, PhD

The PhD in history prepares students for careers in college teaching, digital media, publishing, educational administration, public history, and historical research. Students gain expertise in both conventional historical methods and web-based technologies. Major fields include U.S. history, European history, and world history; minor fields are chosen by the student and may include areas like public history, constitutional studies, and new media and information technology. Depending on career goals and interests, students can also focus their degrees in one of four areas:

College/university teaching: This emphasis is for students who are seeking a career in teaching or research at the community college, college, or university level.

New media and information technology: Although all students in the program take some courses in new media, students in this emphasis seek careers specifically in new media (publishing, education, or a college or university history department where they would serve as the department’s lead person in new media and information technology). This emphasis requires more advanced work in new media than any other.

Public and applied history: This emphasis prepares students for work in applied areas of history, such as museums, archives, federal government work, preservation, and editing; or helps students already working in those areas to advance. In some cases, students will do advanced course work in their field of work; in other cases, they will acquire knowledge or skills that will foster their professional work (such as nonprofit management).

Professional development: This emphasis responds to the needs of students who have already launched a career and want a doctoral degree to further career goals or fulfill personal intellectual goals. Candidates who need flexible scheduling will be advised on a case-by-case basis.

Admission Requirements

In addition to meeting all admission requirements for graduate study, applicants should submit the following:

Admission decisions are usually sent in early March.

Financial Assistance

The department offers several research and teaching assistantships to highly qualified applicants. Other aid is available in the form of work study and federal student loans.

Reduction of Credit

For students entering the doctoral program with a master’s degree, the number of required credits may be reduced by a maximum of 30 credits, subject to approval of the program faculty. Requests for reduction of credit are reviewed only after acceptance to the doctoral program.

Degree Requirements

Students must complete a min-imum of 72 graduate credits. In addition to core courses, students must complete course work in a major field of study and two minor fields; pass a comprehensive exam; and complete a dissertation. The dissertation demonstrates mastery of the subject matter, methodologies, and conceptual foundations in the chosen field of study. This requirement is generally achieved through consideration of a problem on the boundaries of knowledge in the discipline.

Students will be terminated from the program if they receive more than one unsatisfactory grade (C or F).