The History Department is unveiling a new curriculum in Fall 2020. We have compiled a brief FAQ of questions students have raised regarding how they will be affected by the curriculum change.

Q. The numbers on courses offered in Fall 2020 do not line up with my Degree Audit. What do I do?

A. We are in the process of updating the Degree Audit to reflect numbering changes, but for the moment you can consult the attached course number conversion chart.

Q. I need to take HIST-4800 but it is not offered; what class should I take?

A. We are moving into a new model for the capstone, and HIST-4800 is no longer being offered. You can choose any three-credit 4000-level History course as your capstone PLUS we strongly recommend that you enroll a one-credit course numbered HIST-4001 (“Professional Practices in History”). We will make any necessary substitutions for the degree audit (your audit will list HIST-4800 as the capstone for the time being). This takes the capstone from 3 credits to 4 credits, but you get a lot more individualized attention. NOTE: under the existing degree plans, history majors can graduate without taking HIST-4001, but we do not recommend this option.

Q. I am trying to enroll in HIST-4001, but the system says I need a prerequisite of HIST-2001. What do I do?

A. Our department administrator Nicki Reimer (nreimer@bgsu.edu) will be happy to process this for you. Eventually the prerequisite will work to direct students in the correct order with the Professional Core, but for current students we are just overriding that prerequisite.

Q. What are the courses HIST-2001, HIST-3001, and HIST-4001 all about?

A. In the new curriculum, we are spreading out professional training over all four years instead of two classes. We call these courses the “Professional Core,” and we believe that students will benefit from a more gradual approach to skill development instead of limiting this training to the two courses under the old curriculum. The three-credit Historiography course (formerly HIST-3790, but renumbered to HIST-3797) is being replaced by three one-credit courses.

Q. Do I still have to take Historiography (HIST-3797)?

A. If you have not taken Historiography, you will have the option to do so in Fall 2020. Otherwise, you can opt to follow the Professional Core in place of Historiography. Check with the department’s undergraduate adviser for the best option. Juniors and seniors may find Historiography helps them finish more quickly, while first-year and second-year students would probably benefit more from the scaffolded learning experience in the Professional Core.

If you have questions about course scheduling or your degree plan, please email me (mebrook@bgsu.edu).

I also have virtual office hours on WED and THU 11:00-12:00 via WebEx in the following room: https://bgsu.webex.com/meet/mebrook