HIST 495
Senior Seminar

1. Catalog Entry

HIST 495. Senior Seminar
Three hours seminar (3).

Prerequisite: History major, senior standing, completion of HIST 295, or permission of instructor.

A seminar focusing on a topic, or related group of topics in European, United States, and/or non-Western history. This seminar will serve as a senior capstone experience for History majors bringing together critical thinking, research, writing, and communication skills. Specific topics of seminars change each semester in accordance with the interests of instructors and needs of the department. This course will encourage engagement in primary and secondary sources, historical analysis and argument, and an understanding of historical interpretation. Completion of a senior writing project is required. HIST 495 is required for all History majors. It may not be used to fulfill coursework in the three fields of required history courses.

2. Detailed Description of Content of Course

This seminar will introduce students to the ways in which historians work and interpret historical events. Students will read critically; analyze information; and process, organize, and report their findings. Through the study of such issues as historical causation and the role of the individual in history, students will learn how to make use of the past and achieve practical research, writing, and speaking skills. Students will put into practice the tools and techniques of professional history. The actual focus and content of History 495 will vary depending on the instructor. The nature of the course necessitates that a narrow field of study be the focus of these seminars so that students may delve into both the primary and secondary material available to understand fully the historical issue at hand.

Individual professors have the discretion to determine the weight of each of the graded components for their class.

3. Detailed Description of Conduct of the Course

The nature of the senior seminar dictates a seminar-style course. Seminars are discussion-based classes with a high level of student involvement. Students will read, reflect upon, and write papers about selected topics and discuss and defend their views in group discussions. The senior seminar will provide a collaborative environment in which students can assist other students in reading, analysis, and writing. Directed readings, research, and writing will lead to the production of an original piece of historical scholarship.

4. Goals and Objectives of the Course

Students will be able to:

• Understand and discuss historiography;
• Hone writing and analytical skills;
• Analyze primary and secondary source material;
• Effectively conduct research;
• Enhance the oral presentation of reading and research results to an audience of peers;
• Provide evidence of oral competence;
• Stretch themselves intellectually and organizationally to produce their best piece of college work

5. Assessment Measures

Assessment of the students’ success in mastering historical interpretation, research, analysis, and writing will be made by evaluating students’ ability to write and discuss analytical pieces on assigned readings or primary source material. Typically, students are expected to engage in reading, discussion, oral reports, writing of formal papers based on individual research, and critiques of each other’s work. Individual professors will determine the exact methods of assessment. Completion of a senior writing project is expected.

6. Other course information

None

7. Review and Approval

Date Action Reviewed By
January 2005 Reviewed and Approved by Charles McClellan