Self-Designed Minor in History

Students may apply for a self-designed minor in history if they have earned a GPA of at least 3.3 in two or more courses taught by the Department of History (these courses are designated as HIST-numbered courses in STAR) and have an overall GPA of 3.0 or above.

To complete a minor, a student must take six courses taught by members of the History Department. The total of six courses includes the two a student has taken before application.

Courses for the minor must include: History 190, Historian’s Craft (completed before the second semester of the junior year); at least three courses numbered 200 or higher; and a capstone course such as a seminar, tutorial, internship, or thesis.

Application Process: An applicant for a self-designed minor must consult with a faculty advisor in the History Department to choose at least three courses which form a coherent, thematic cluster, representing an integrated body of historical knowledge and ideas (for example, war and memory; comparative revolutions; work, family and daily life; Medieval/Renaissance; nationalism and national identity; colonialism and nationalism; intellectual history; religion and society; the Atlantic world).

The faculty advisor must indicate support of the application by signing the application before it is submitted to the department’s curriculum committee.

Application deadlines are September 15 and February 15 of each academic year.  A student may apply no earlier than the second semester of the sophomore year and no later than February 15 of the junior year.

Advising: The student’s advisor for the minor will ordinarily be the faculty member who helped the student prepare a thematic cluster for the minor.  If the student’s advisor for the minor is on leave, the History Department Chair will assign an interim advisor.  It is the student’s responsibility to schedule an advising appointment with the advisor before registration each semester and to bring appropriate materials to that appointment.  The student’s advisor for the minor will audit the student’s transcript during the first semester of the senior year to insure completion of requirements for the minor.

Study Abroad and Transfer Students:  Minors may count up to two courses from Study Abroad programs or up to two courses taken at other institutions toward the minor.  Courses taken outside the History Department at Holy Cross may not be credited toward the minor (even if they are allowed for credit toward the History major).