The History of the

Trinity College History Department    

How does Trinity College compare with Yale University?

Yale 1945-46.

During this time period Yale had a larger department than did Trinity, and Yale's department was considerably more broad. Courses were offered in Eastern European history, Far Eastern history, and Latin American history. Nonetheless, the bulk of the regular, annual departmental offerings was in American, English and European history.

History majors during this time period were required to complete eight term courses during the junior and senior years. Two of the courses were required to be in American history, and two were required to be in European history. Interestingly, the course bulletin specifically notes that Latin American courses can be counted as American courses, and English history courses can be counted as European history courses for the satisfaction of this particular requirement.

Yale 1954-55

Like Trinity, Yale University grew dramatically after World War II. This growth was reflected in the history department, which added many new courses and areas of study.While the bulk of course offerings were still in American and European, especially British, history, offerings in Asiatic and Latin American history were substantial. A course was even offered on a semi-regular basis on the history of the Near East. It is interesting to note that Trinity has only added a professor who will teach regular courses on the Middle East this year!

Yalies majoring in history were offered the choice of the standard major, or the intensive major, which was by permission only. The requirements for the standard major were few and non-specific. Students were required to complete one year of US history, and to do at least two fifths, but not more than four fifths, of their coursework in one field. It was recommended that students take two history courses per semester during the junior year and three history courses per semester during the senior year. A final departmental exam was given at the end of the senior year.

Students enrolled in the intensive major took the same basic courseload, with the addition of one upper level course. The intensive major enabled students to be eligible for honors.

Yale 1962-63

During this academic year over sixty courses were offered by the Yale history department. This made the department dramatically larger than was the Trinity department during the same period. The general courses within the department were still focused almost exlusively on Europe and the United States, with the exception of two courses in East Asian civilizations and one course in China. Within the upper level courses, courses were offered under the headings of American History, Ancient History, Russia, Asia, and Eastern European History, British History, European History, and International and World History. There were still no offerings in African history, however.

The requirements for the major had not changed noticeably since 1954-1955. The Intensive Major was now called the Honors Program, however.

Yale 1969-1970

By 1969-1970, the Yale history department had dramatically expanded its course offerings. Well over 100 courses were now being offered on a regular, consistent basis. Several courses in African history had been added to complement the wide range of classes already offered. In addition, a course similar to Historiography was offered: Hist. 29a Problems in the Philosophy of History. In comparison to Trinity, Yale's history department was leaps and bounds beyond ours. The 90 level classes, the uppermost level courses, covered China, Africa, India, New Haven, and a variety of other geographical regions and time periods.

Unfortunately, the requirements for the major were bound within another student handbook, and so we were unable to attain them.

Yale 1990-91

By this point, history at Yale had become a massive department, one of the signature areas within the University. 75 professors and lecturers were teaching over one hundred courses. Courses were being cross-listed with the emerging American studies department. Courses covered a wide array of topics incuding North American Environmental History, Introduction to the History of Medicine, and Pre-Modern Japan, just to give a sampling of some of the more unusual courses that were being offered. In comparison, Trinity had just added its first Latin American specialist, Dario Euraque.

In terms of the major requirements, Yale was going through a transitionary period, and so different requirements were listed for the Class of '91, the Class of '92 and the Class of '93. While no specific courses were required, the department did lay out a set of distribution requirements. For the class of 1991: 1 course in US; 1 course in European or British; 1 course in African, Latin American or Middle Eastern history. For the class of 1992: 2 courses in US; 2 courses in European or British; 2 courses in African, Asian, Latin American or Middle Eastern history; 2 courses in the pre-industrial period. For the class of 1993 and later: 2 junior seminars and 2 pre-industrial areas in two different areas of the three main categories. Every class was required to take 2 400 level courses, normally during the junior year. Seniors were required to write a senior essay.

Yale 1999-2000

Yale is one of the world's pre-eminent research universities and the history department reflects this. In depth and breadth of coverage, it would simply not be possible for a small liberal arts college such as Trinity to match the offerings of Yale. Over 95 professors and lecturers teach a "ridiculous" number of courses covering almost every imaginable field.

Current Yalies who wish to major in history must complete the following requirements:

Twelve terms of history are required, which may include the two terms taken as prerequisites. Included in these twelve terms must be:

(a) two terms of United States or Canadian history (courses in the colonial period may fulfill this requirement);

(b) two terms of European or British history (courses in Greek and Roman, Byzantine, and Russian history may fulfill this requirement);

(c) for the Class of 2001 and earlier, two terms of African, Asian, Latin American, or Middle Eastern history; for the Class of 2002 and later, three terms of African, Asian, Latin American, or Middle Eastern history.

Two of these six (or, for the Class of 2002 and later, seven) terms must be courses in preindustrial history, and they must be chosen from two of the geographical categories listed above. Preindustrial history courses are so marked in their data lines. Students may use the same courses to count toward both geographical and preindustrial distribution requirements. Starting in 1999-2000, only in rare cases will the director of undergraduate studies consider petitions from History majors seeking geographical or chronological credit outside of a History course's primary distributional designation.

Two terms of History 400-490 are required and are taken normally during the junior year, although students are encouraged to take more than two junior seminars. (See below under History 400-490, Seminars for Upperclassmen, for information about pre-enrollment.) Students must choose junior seminars from two different geographical categories. Sophomores contemplating a junior term abroad are urged to consider taking at least one junior seminar in the sophomore year. Residential college seminars that count toward the History major do not fulfill the junior seminar requirement. During senior year, each student must complete a senior departmental essay written under the guidance of a member of the faculty.