DEPARTMENT OF HISTORY
200 Murray Krieger
Hall; (949) 824-6521
Robert G. Moeller, Department Chair
Faculty
Marc Baer, Ph.D. University of Chicago, Assistant Professor of History (Ottoman and Islamic history, Middle East history, and history of religion)
Sharon B. Block, Ph.D. Princeton University, Associate Professor of History (early American, feminist theory and gender studies)
Carolyn P. Boyd, Ph.D. University of Washington, Dean of the Graduate Division and Professor of History (Europe, Spain)
Dickson D. Bruce, Jr., Ph.D. University of Pennsylvania, Professor of History (American culture, African American history)
Vinayak Chaturvedi, Ph.D. University of Cambridge, Associate Professor of History (South Asia, postcolonial studies)
Yong Chen, Ph.D. Cornell University, Associate Professor of History and Asian American Studies (Asian American history)
Touraj Daryaee, Ph.D. University of California, Los Angeles, Associate Director, Dr. Samuel M. Jordan Center for Persian Studies and Culture, Associate Professor of History, and Howard Baskerville Professor in the History of Iran and the Persianate World (ancient and medieval Iranian history, Iranian languages and literature, Zoroastrianism, numismatics, world history)
Mike Davis, C.Phil. University of California, Los Angeles, Professor of History (U.S., urban, cultural history)
Alice Fahs, Ph.D. New York University, Associate Professor of History (U.S. intellectual/cultural history)
Sarah Farmer, Ph.D. University of California, Berkeley, Associate Professor of History (twentieth-century European cultural)
Richard I. Frank, Ph.D. University of California, Berkeley, Professor Emeritus of History and Classics (Roman empire, Classics)
Dorothy Fujita-Rony, Ph.D. Yale University, Associate Professor of Asian American Studies and History (U.S. history, Asian American studies)
James B. Given, Ph.D. Stanford University, Professor of History (medieval Europe)
Qitao Guo, Ph.D. University of California, Berkeley, Associate Professor of History (Late Imperial China, social and cultural)
Douglas M. Haynes, Ph.D. University of California, Berkeley, Director of the ADVANCE Program for Faculty Equity and Diversity and Associate Professor of History (social and cultural history of modern Britain, social history of modern medicine)
Lamar M. Hill, Ph.D. University of London, Professor Emeritus of History (Tudor-Stuart Britain)
Robert V. Hine, Ph.D. Yale University, Professor Emeritus of History (intellectual history of the American West)
Karl G. Hufbauer, Ph.D. University of California, Berkeley, Professor Emeritus of History (social history of science)
David Igler, Ph.D. University of California, Berkeley, Associate Professor of History (U.S. environmental, American West, Pacific)
Jon S. Jacobson, Ph.D. University of California, Berkeley, Professor Emeritus of History (European international)
Winston James, Ph.D. London School of Economics and Political Science, University of London, Director of African American Studies and Professor of History (Caribbean, African American, and African diaspora)
Michael P. Johnson, Ph.D. Stanford University, Professor Emeritus of History (American social and political)
Mark A. LeVine, Ph.D. New York University, Professor of History (modern Middle Eastern history, Islamic studies, histories of empire and globalization)
Lynn Mally, Ph.D. University of California, Berkeley, Professor of History (modern Russian and Soviet)
Samuel C. McCulloch, Ph.D. University of California, Los Angeles, Professor Emeritus of History (British empire and commonwealth)
Laura Mitchell, Ph.D. University of California, Los Angeles, Assistant Professor of History (sub-saharan Africa, colonial southern Africa, environmental history, transregional networks of exchange)
Robert G. Moeller, Ph.D. University of California, Berkeley, Department Chair and Professor of History (modern Germany, European women)
J. Michelle Molina, Ph.D. University of Chicago, Assistant Professor of History (trans-regional religious history, seventeenth-century European women and Jesuits, Latin American history)
Keith L. Nelson, Ph.D. University of California, Berkeley, Professor Emeritus of History (American foreign relations)
Spencer C. Olin, Ph.D. Claremont Graduate School, Professor Emeritus of History (American social and political)
Rachel O'Toole, Ph.D. University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, Assistant Professor of History (Latin America; ancient, colonial, national, and contemporary)
Eugene Y. Park, Ph.D. Harvard University, Associate Professor of History (Korea)
Kenneth L. Pomeranz, Ph.D. Yale University, UCI Chancellor's Professor of History and of East Asian Languages and Literatures (modern Chinese)
Mark S. Poster, Ph.D. New York University, Department Chair and Professor of Film and Media Studies, and Professor of History and Comparative Literature (modern European intellectual)
Ana Rosas, Ph.D. University of Southern California, Assistant Professor of History and Chicano/Latino Studies (Chicana/Chicano history; comparative immigration and ethnic history; gender studies; oral history)
Jaime E. Rodríguez, Ph.D. University of Texas, Director of Latin American and Caribbean Studies and Professor of History (Latin America, Mexico)
Emily S. Rosenberg, Ph.D. State University of New York, Stonybrook, Professor of History (U.S. international relations, U.S. and the world, gender and international relations)
Vicki L. Ruiz, Ph.D. Stanford University, Dean of the School of Humanities and Professor of History and Chicano/Latino Studies (women, Chicano/Chicana labor)
Sharon V. Salinger, Ph.D. University of California, Los Angeles, Dean of the Division of Undergraduate Education and Professor of History
Daniel Schroeter, Ph.D. University of Manchester, Director of the Jewish Studies Minor, Professor of History, and Teller Family Chair in Jewish History (Jewish history, Middle East and North Africa)
Patricia Seed, Ph.D. University of Wisconsin, Madison, Professor of History (world history, cartography)
Ulrike Strasser, Ph.D. University of Minnesota, Associate Professor of History (early modern continental Europe)
Timothy Tackett, Ph.D. Stanford University, Professor of History (Old Regime Europe, French Revolution)
Heidi Tinsman, Ph.D. Yale University, Associate Professor of History (Latin America)
Steven C. Topik, Ph.D. University of Texas, Professor of History (Latin America)
Anne Walthall, Ph.D. University of Chicago, Co-Director of the Minor in Asian Studies and Professor of History and of East Asian Languages and Literatures (early modern and modern Japan)
Jeffrey Wasserstrom, Ph.D. University of California, Berkeley, Professor of History (modern China, student movements and comparative revolutions)
Charles J. Wheeler, Ph.D. Yale University, Assistant Professor of History (Southeast Asia, Vietnam, Chinese overseas, cross-cultural trade)
Jonathan M. Wiener, Ph.D. Harvard University, Professor of History (recent American, theory and history)
Affiliated Faculty
Edwin Amenta, Ph.D. University of Chicago, Professor of Sociology
Simon A. Cole, Ph.D. Cornell University, Associate Professor of Criminology, Law and Society
Kavita Philip, Ph.D. Cornell University, Associate Professor of Women's Studies (science and technology studies, South Asian studies, political ecology, critical studies of race, gender, colonialism, new media, and globalization)
Cristiana Sogno, Ph.D. Yale University, Assistant Professor of Classics (Roman history, Roman law, Latin epigraphy and paleography)
The undergraduate program in History is designed to develop critical intelligence and to foster an awareness of ourselves and our world through the study of the past. The Department presents a variety of approaches to history, and each emphasizes basic disciplinary skills: weighing evidence, constructing logical arguments, and exploring the role of theory in historical analysis and human action.
The Department offers a number of lower-division courses open to nonmajors as well as majors, most of which fulfill part of the UCI general education requirement. The Department requires all majors to take an introductory course in three of six regional histories—United States history, European history, Latin American history, Transregional history, Asian history, or Middle East and African history. These courses are also open to nonmajors.
Students who are interested in the study of history but are majoring in other disciplines may minor in History. The minor incorporates elements of the Department's program for majors but allows students enough flexibility to pursue programs in other departments and schools.
Upper-division courses range from the examination of individual nation-states (e.g., Chinese history), to studies of the relations among nation-states (e.g., Emergence of the Modern Middle East), to historical analyses of political, socio-economic, and cultural factors (e.g., Women in the United States). Students are also provided the opportunity for small-group learning experiences in a series of colloquia in social history, political history, international history, intellectual history, social thought, and comparative history. The colloquia are conducted as discussion groups and involve close reading and analysis of secondary texts. The research seminar is a one-quarter seminar in primary materials that culminates in the writing of a research paper.
The faculty strongly encourages History majors and minors to take advantage of the University's study abroad programs and to experience a different culture for a quarter or longer while making progress toward their UCI degree. Moreover, students who are interested in the history of a particular country or region should seriously consider participation in University of California programs within that country or area. UCI's Center for International Education, which includes both the Education Abroad Program (EAP) and the International Opportunities Program (IOP), assists students in taking advantage of the many worldwide opportunities. See the Center for International Education section of the Catalogue or an academic counselor for additional information.
CAREERS FOR THE HISTORY MAJOR
The training and discipline derived from historical studies provide a valuable experience for all educated persons seeking to understand themselves and their world. Many students who complete undergraduate degrees in the Department of History go on to graduate school in a variety of fields, including history, law, business, international relations, and teacher education. Students interested in teaching history at the intermediate and high school levels should consult with the Department of History, the School of Humanities Undergraduate Counseling Office, or the Department of Education.
The study of history is valuable preparation for many other careers as well. The strong academic and professional orientation acquired by History majors is necessary to pursue successful careers in such diverse fields as advertising, banking, journalism, management, public relations, publishing, and government service.
The UCI Career Center provides services to students and alumni including career counseling, information about job opportunities, a career library, and workshops on resume preparation, job search, and interview techniques. See the Career Center section for additional information.
REQUIREMENTS FOR THE BACHELOR'S DEGREE
University Requirements: See pages 58-63.
School Requirements: See pages 259-260.
Departmental Requirements for the Major
Fourteen courses are required:
A. Three courses from the History 70 series, Problems in History (History 70A Asia, 70B Europe, 70C United States, 70D Latin America, 70E Middle East and Africa, 70F Transregional History).
B. Three upper-division History courses with a regional or thematic focus decided upon in consultation with a faculty advisor, at least one of which is devoted to the period prior to 1800.
C. Two additional upper-division History courses outside the regional or thematic focus area.
D. Two colloquia (History 190), one of which is followed by a research seminar (History 192), taken to satisfy upper-division writing.
E. Three additional lower- or upper-division History courses.
Residence Requirement for the Major: One course from the History 70 series, a colloquium (History 190), a research seminar (History 192), and three upper-division History courses must be completed successfully at UCI. By petition, two of the six may be taken through the UC Education Abroad Program, provided that course content is approved in advance by the Chair of the History Undergraduate Program Committee.
Departmental Requirements for the Minor
Seven courses are required:
A. A year-long survey in world history (History 21A, 21B, 21C), United States history (History 40A, 40B, 40C), or three courses in problems in history (History 70A Asia, 70B Europe, 70C United States, 70D Latin America, 70E Middle East and Africa, 70F Transregional History).
B. Four upper-division History courses.
Residence Requirement for the Minor: Students who select the History 70 series must complete at least one 70 series course at UCI. At least four upper-division History courses must be completed successfully at UCI. By petition, two of the four may be taken through the UC Education Abroad Program, providing course content is approved in advance by the Chair of the Undergraduate Program Committee.
The M.A. and Ph.D. degree programs in History are designed to provide students with both advanced historical skills and a rigorous grounding in historical theory. This combination of theoretical study with training in historical method reflects the Department's conviction that scholars should be encouraged to deal with significant questions about the past and to approach these questions in a methodologically sophisticated way. This approach requires that the student develop the critical abilities necessary to deal with primary sources, secondary syntheses, and the interrelationship of history and theory. Candidates for a Ph.D. in History are expected to gain teaching experience as an integral part of their graduate training. Ordinarily this is accomplished through service as a teaching assistant.
Basic to the curriculum is the Department's course in History and Theory which deals with both theoretical texts and historical studies that have utilized theoretical concepts and models. The course directs attention to the diverse implications of modernity, to the groups who dominated and were dominated by it, and to the costs and benefits of the process. These matters can be studied most satisfactorily by the historian whose theoretical self-consciousness and methodological facility have been systematically and carefully developed.
The colloquium, a reading course that examines a field's chief historical works, enriches the student's knowledge of the main areas of historical research and develops critical reading skills. A colloquium series is offered annually in American history; biannually (depending on demand) in modern European history, early modern European history, Latin American history, South and Southeast Asian history, East Asian history, world history, Middle Eastern and North African history, and ancient history; and occasionally in medieval history. A student may prepare a dissertation in any of these fields.
In addition to the History and Theory sequence and the major field colloquia, students also take a proseminar/research seminar sequence during their first year. The proseminar provides an orientation to the literature on a broad historical subject, and the associated seminar offers guidance in research and writing on problems within this broad area. Students awarded M.A. degrees at other institutions before entering the graduate program at UCI may be exempted from this requirement, subject to evaluation of their M.A. theses.
During the second year of study, Ph.D. students normally take a colloquium series in their second field. They also take a two-quarter research seminar where they have an opportunity to work on problems of their own choosing; students who entered the program with an M.A. degree must also take this seminar. In addition, independent reading and research courses are provided for advanced, specialized study in tutorial form.
The immediate objective for the doctoral student is to develop two fields of competence in addition to History and Theory. Competence in the two fields is demonstrated by the satisfactory completion of three courses in each of these areas. A comprehensive oral examination on the student's major field follows fulfillment of all degree requirements. However, those students who elect a second field administered by another program or department (e.g., Critical Theory, Asian American Studies, Feminist Studies) must complete requirements, which sometimes include a written examination, for that field. Competence in History and Theory is demonstrated by satisfactory completion of History 200A and 200B. History 200C may be taken as an elective.
The subsequent objective, to write a distinctive dissertation, is of crucial importance. To assist in accomplishing both objectives, the Department offers intensive consultation with the faculty as well as a lively intellectual atmosphere. Students have long shared in the decision-making processes of the Department, which engages the entire historical community at UCI in the collective pursuit of excellence. Students profit also from a vigorous visiting speakers program that brings scholars from other campuses and other nations to meet and interact with UCI students and faculty.
Requirements for Admission. Although it is desirable that an applicant have the equivalent of an undergraduate major in History, the Department also considers students who have previously specialized in other subject areas and who show promise of sustained and self-disciplined work in history. Typically, a minimum undergraduate grade point average of 3.3 (B+) is required for admission, with evidence of better work in history. In addition, all applicants are asked to submit three letters of recommendation and scores from the Graduate Record Examination. An example of written work in history from undergraduate courses is also required. A departmental interview may also be required. Students are accepted for admission for fall quarter only, and the deadline for application for fall admission is January 2.
MASTER OF ARTS IN HISTORY
Program of Study. Each candidate for the M.A. will choose a graduate advisor who will supervise the student's program. Nine courses are required for the degree: three in a colloquium series, a proseminar and related first-year research seminar, a secondary emphasis of two related courses (History and Theory 200A and 200B, or other), a thesis course or preparation class for the written examination in the major field (taken as 291), and another elective course. Students who decide to pursue the Ph.D. after completion of the M.A. program need to consider Ph.D. course requirements when selecting courses.
Language Requirement. Students in the M.A. program whose major field requires use of foreign language sources demonstrate competence in a foreign language in the process of writing the first-year research paper and thesis. Other M.A. students do not have to meet a foreign language or alternative skills requirement.
Plan I: Thesis. The master's thesis represents a revision of the first-year research paper, equivalent to a scholarly article of 40-50 typescript pages, under the supervision of a professor in the student's major field and reviewed and approved by a three-member thesis committee, at least two of which must be History faculty members.
Plan II: Comprehensive Examination. At the end of the final quarter the M.A. candidate must pass a comprehensive written examination administered by three faculty members covering the student's major field (e.g., America, Early Modern Europe) and focused upon material assigned in the three-quarter colloquium series.
Time Limits. The M.A. requires a minimum of one year in academic residence and can be completed during that term if full-time study is undertaken. However, it is expected that many M.A. students are employed and need to enroll on a part-time basis. Therefore, students are allowed up to three years of graduate study to complete the degree.
DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY IN HISTORY
Ph.D. students are advised to begin their graduate work at UCI, since those who have taken the M.A. elsewhere will be expected to enroll in the same courses that are required of all incoming students, with the exception of the First-Year Research Seminar. Subject to evaluation of their M.A. theses, these students will be exempted from this requirement. In the second and third years, the greater experience of those who enter with an M.A. may work to their advantage in speeding them to the qualifying examination.
First-Year Review. To be admitted formally into the doctoral program, students must satisfactorily pass a departmental evaluation at the end of their first year of study; this includes students who entered with an M.A. from another institution.
Emphasis in Creative Nonfiction. In addition to meeting admission requirements, applicants must submit an additional writing sample that demonstrates aptitude for the program. During their program of study, students take three of the writing workshops or their equivalents that are offered through the International Center for Writing and Translation. They also write a dissertation that meets traditional intellectual standards for academic rigor and is accessible to an audience beyond the academy.
Emphasis in the History of Gender and Sexuality. To complete this emphasis, students take three courses emphasizing feminist studies and/or queer theory in three different fields. At least two of these courses must be taken in the History Department; the third course may be either a History Department course or one of the three core graduate seminars offered through the Department of Women's Studies.
Program of Study. The Department requires doctoral students to prepare themselves in three different areas:
1. History and Theory.
2. The first field (such as Modern Europe), which is designed as a teaching field as well as the focus of the student's dissertation.
3. The second field (such as American History or Critical Theory), which is designed as a second teaching field.
The courses required in this preparation include the History and Theory sequence, colloquium series in both fields, First-Year Proseminar/Research Seminar sequence, and the Second-Year Research Seminar. The normal academic load is three courses per quarter. However, students may be eligible for approved part-time status, which allows them to take a lighter course load at reduced fees for a maximum of two academic years.
Every doctoral student will be assisted by a departmental advisor in the student's general area of study who will be responsible for approving defined fields, guiding the student to consultant faculty, and supervising the examination.
Ph.D. students can be awarded an M.A. after fulfilling requirements for residence and one language and successfully completing 36 units, including 28 in required courses. They also take a two-hour oral examination with an advisor.
Language Requirements. All students, except as specified below, must demonstrate a reading knowledge of two foreign languages prior to taking the Ph.D. candidacy qualifying examination. Competency in a language may be established either by passing a departmental examination (proctored in the department office) or through extensive language use in one of the research seminars. The specific languages that may be used to satisfy this requirement depend on the students' first fields, subject to their advisors' approval.
Students may substitute for one of their language requirements one or a sequence of two graduate courses in an allied discipline or relevant methodology (e.g., critical theory, political theory, cultural anthropology, Asian American studies, feminist theory, art history, linguistics, statistics, quantitative methods), at the discretion of their major field advisors. Students choosing this option are normally expected to write a substantial paper and must demonstrate that the allied discipline or methodology used to fulfill the requirement is of value to historical inquiry. The course(s) taken to satisfy a language requirement may not count toward fulfilling the requirement for the second field.
Qualifying Examination and Dissertation. In preparation for the oral Qualifying Examination, the student will present to the Ph.D. Candidacy Committee a portfolio of three papers totaling at least 45 pages on subjects related to the major field (but not from required colloquia courses). Successful completion of this examination results in the student's advancement to Ph.D. candidacy. The normative time for advancement to candidacy is four years for students who need two foreign languages and three years for those who opt for courses in an allied discipline to fulfill their second language requirement. Within one academic quarter of the oral examination, new candidates must meet in a colloquy with their Doctoral Committee to present their dissertation proposal. Once the Doctoral Committee approves the proposal, the student begins intensive work on the dissertation. The research and writing involved in this effort may require from one to four years. At the end of this period an oral defense of the dissertation, focusing on the adequacy of the student's research and thesis, is normally held.
For students who enter with normal academic preparation and pursue a full-time program of study, the normative time to degree for the Ph.D. is seven years. The maximum time permitted is nine years. For students who substitute courses in an allied discipline for their second language requirement, the normative time to the degree is six years, and the maximum permitted is eight years.