The Major in History and Honours in History

The Major in History

• To do senior units you need to have done 12 junior credit points (i.e. two 1000 level units) of History, Ancient History or Asian Studies.
• To a major in History you must complete at least 32 senior credit points of History (i.e. four 8 credit point units of study or a combination of 4 credit point and 8 credit point units of study). Up to 16 credit points may be cross-listed units.
• You can do the pre-Honours unit of study – HSTY2691 – as part of a major in History, if you meet the entry requirements for that unit. You need a credit average in 12 junior credit points (i.e. two 1000 level units) of History, Ancient History or Asian Studies to enrol in HSTY2691.
• In 2006, as part of a university-wide change, all units of study taught in the Department of History became 6 credit point units. This may mean that you will not be able to obtain exactly 32 senior credit points in History.
• If you are in that situation, you will need to do more than 32 senior credit points to obtain a major.
  For example, if you have completed three 8 credit point senior units prior to 2006, you need a further 8 credit points to complete your major. Since all senior units of study will be worth 6 credit points from 2006, you will need not be able to get exactly 8 credit points. Instead, you will need to do two units, worth a total of 12 credit points, in order to complete your major. In this example, you will end up with 36 credit points of history in your degree.

In 2006, as part of a university-wide change, all units of study taught in the Department of History became 6 credit points units. In conjunction with that standardization, there are new requirements for a major in history.

• To do senior units you need to have done 12 junior credit points (i.e. two 1000 level units) of History, Ancient History or Asian Studies.
• To major in History you must complete at least 36 senior credit points of History (i.e. 6 units of study). Up to 18 credit points (i.e. 3 units of study) may be cross-listed units.
• You can do the pre-Honours unit of study – HSTY2691 – as part of a major in History, if you meet the entry requirements for that unit. You need a credit average in 12 junior credit points (i.e. two 1000 level units) of History, Ancient History or Asian Studies to enrol in HSTY2691.

The Senior Curriculum

A senior history curriculum should offer students the opportunity to:

• study the past and change over time
• study particular societies in detail;
• study the global movements of people, ideas and institutions;
• develop critical, situated awareness of the varieties of historical interpretation;
• develop the ability to accumulate, assimilate and evaluate primary research data and historiographical debates;
• understand the relationship between research and argument in history;
• develop skills of communication appropriate to the variety of forums in which history is debated in the academic and wider community

To this end, the senior curriculum offered at the University of Sydney includes the following components:

• A variety of contextualised local/national studies – students may select from the following areas - American, Australian, Medieval and Early Modern Europe and Modern Europe
• A variety of thematic and/or transnational studies – students may select from the following themes - Cultural History; Gender, Identity and Social Life; Politics; Race; Transnational History; Urban and Social History; and War and Society.
• A variety of skills emphases. The skills of history will be developed in all units of study, but the particular emphasis of the unit is reflected in the major assessment component, as follows: acquisition of content/knowledge – assessed by examination; development of research skills – assessed by research project; development of communication skills –alternative assessment forms (including reflective essay, experimental writing, mixed-media presentations, major oral presentation etc)

In selecting their units of study for a major, students are encouraged to build concentrations (ie three or more units of study) in areas and/or themes. They should aim to include all three skills emphases in their selection.

2008 Offerings by Concentration

Honours in History

To be eligible to undertake Honours in your 4th year, you must have completed 48 senior credit points of History, including HSTY2691, and have an average grade of credit or above in those units of study. Up to 16 credit points (i.e. 2 units) may be cross-listed units.

• In 2006, as part of a university-wide change, all units of study taught in the Department of History became 6 credit point units. This may mean that you will not be able to obtain exactly 48 senior credit points in History.
• If you are in that situation, you will need to do more than 48 senior credit points to obtain a major.
  For example, if you have completed four 8 credit point senior units prior to 2006, you need a further 16 credit points to complete your honours entry requirements. Since all senior units of study will be worth 6 credit points from 2006, you will need not be able to get exactly 16 credit points. Instead, you will need to do three units, worth a total of 18 credit points, in order to complete your honours entry requirements. In this example, you will end up with 50 credit points of history in your degree.

• To be eligible to undertake Honours in your 4th year, you must have completed 48 senior credit points of History (i.e. 8 senior units of study), including HSTY2691, and have an average grade of credit or above in those 8 units of study. Up to 18 credit points (i.e. 3 units) may be cross-listed units.
• HSTY2691 is a unit of study focused on historiography and historical theory and method. It provides a foundation for the research and analysis you undertake in senior units of study. HSTY2691 is offered in 2nd semester every year. We strongly recommend that you take this course in your second year, but it is possible to complete it in your third year of study.
• Fourth Year Honours consists of two seminars and a thesis. The seminars are both taken in first semester, one chosen from a group of approximately three offered only to 4th year students, the other from a group of approximately four offered to 4th year students and postgraduate students. The second semester is devoted to completing your thesis, which is due in early October. More information.