Undergraduate Program

Advising Resources

The History Department offers students a wide range of advising resources to help them decide which courses to take, whether to become a concentrator (or to pursue a secondary field), how to find their way through the concentration, and what to do with their degree after graduation.

The History Undergraduate Office

The Undergraduate Office is the best resource available for many of the questions which students may have about the concentration, whether they be general queries or specific concerns about their individual plan of study and progress through the concentration. Located in Room 101 of Robinson Hall, the office is open Monday through Friday, 9am–5pm for walk-in visits. Students may also schedule an appointment to meet with the Director of Undergraduate Studies (DUS) or Assistant DUS during office hours by signing up online.

The Undergraduate Office is comprised of three people. The DUS, Prof. Daniel Smail (smail@fas), is responsible for the overall shape of the concentration and for providing final rulings on petitions, credit issues, and other matters of policy. The Asst. DUS, Dr. Trygve Throntveit (throntv@fas), advises students in general, and manages the thesis program in particular. The DUS and Asst. DUS both have weekly scheduled office hours, and are happy to meet with students on a variety of matters, not just for policy-oriented questions. Laura Johnson (lmjohns@fas) is the office’s Staff Assistant, and can answer many questions regarding logistics and departmental forms.

House Advisors

Each History concentrator is assigned to a House Adviser, who is a Resident or Non-Resident Tutor affiliated with the concentrator’s house. The House Adviser is important for many reasons, especially because each concentrator must turn to this person when seeking a signature on the study card. House Advisers make themselves available for study card signing in various ways—some will participate in House-wide card-signing evenings, while others will publicize times that they are available.

However, the day before the study card is due should not be the only time that you should meet with your House Adviser. You should avail yourself of his/her advice earlier in shopping week to discuss your broader interests and goals in the concentration, and to gain insights on courses that may not appear in the CUE guide or in the Courses of Instruction. House Advisers are available to discuss general program requirements, but can also be an intellectual resource for concentrators. Juniors trying to find a thesis adviser should consult with their House Adviser to discuss their thesis plans and to receive recommendations regarding which faculty and graduate students to contact as potential advisers.

You must consult your House Adviser whenever you are considering making a petition or proposing a joint concentration. In addition, House Advisers are encouraged to promote a History community within the residential setting, so we urge you to participate in the events they organize.

For 2009-10, the House Advisers are as follows. Undergraduates affiliated with Dudley House should consider the Asst. DUS, as the equivalent of their House Adviser.

Adams	Rowan Dorin	dorin@fas
Cabot	Kuba Kabala	jkabala@fas
Currier	Scott Sowerby	sowerby@fas
Dunster	Vernie Oliveiro	oliveiro@fas
Eliot	Penny Sinanoglou	sinanogl@fas
Kirkland	Ann Wilson	amwilson@fas
Leverett	Juliet Wagner	jwagner@fas
Lowell	Sergio Silva-Castaneda	silvacas@fas
Mather	Abby Balbale	akrasner@fas
Pforzheimer	Ashley Farmer	adfarmer@fas
Quincy	Josh Hill (A-K), Kristen Poling (L-Z)	jhill@fas, kpoling@fas
Winthrop	Alex More	amedico@fas

History Yard Advisor

Freshmen interested in learning more about the History Department are encouraged to seek out Monica Poole (mpiotter@fas), the History Yard Advisor. Harmony is available by email or in person in Annenberg to discuss everything from general program requirements to course selection. She also hosts events throughout the year at which students interested in History can meet department faculty and ask questions; please email Monica to be added to her email list.

Faculty Advisors

Talking to members of the History faculty and seeking their advice in matters related to your intellectual interests are crucial to a successful career as a concentrator. The Department’s faculty are experts in their fields with an astonishing array of interests both historical and non-historical, and have spent years thinking about the discipline, its possibilities (and pitfalls), and its important intersections with life outside of academia. Faculty are also excellent resources for students refining their interests into a coherent program of study, seeking a potential senior thesis topic, or searching for research positions or internships.

The best way to get to know faculty is, of course, to take their courses. Still, enrolling in a course, participating in class, and completing your work should not exhaust your efforts to cultivate intellectual relationships with faculty. All faculty hold regular office hours, which can be a dull affair for them if students don’t drop by. You should feel free to visit your professors’ ffice hours, not only when you have course-related questions, but simply to introduce yourself, talk about your historical interests, and ask about theirs. Don’t forget that professors need to eat, too, and the House dining halls are very welcoming of faculty. Invite your favorite professor to lunch at your House: Sharing a meal is a great way to discover mutual interests naturally, without feeling like you have to prepare a raft of questions (or answers!) to fill the time. Contact your House (or the Freshman Dean’s Office if you are a first-year student) for information on its version of the “Take a Faculty Member to Lunch” program, and set yourself the goal of doing this at least once a term.

Recognizing the unique benefits of small-group and one-on-one interactions between students and faculty, the Undergraduate Office, working in conjunction with House Advisers, will also organize faculty lunches in the Houses throughout the year, as a way to initiate student-faculty relationships. Don’t feel you have to wait on these lunches before you extend your own invitations—ask away!—but please do make an effort to attend these and any other events your House Adviser plans. Your presence will be an encouragement to your fellow concentrators. Moreover, History is full of sharp students, and joining some of them in a casual small-group discussion with faculty will likely yield new insights into the discipline, the world at large, and your interests in both.

While we hope you are active in reaching out to History Department faculty, we remind you to be respectful of their time, as with any other person’s: In any given semester (or week), some faculty will be less available than others, and in any given instance you should accept that fact graciously without taking it personally. We remind you, too, that faculty members in the History Department should be mentors who inspire your intellectual, academic, and professional growth. Questions regarding program requirements or administrative measures, such as petitions, should be directed not to them but to the Undergraduate Office and/or your House Advisor.

Peer Concentration Counselors (PCCs)

One way of getting involved in the Department is to become a Peer Concentration Counselor (PCC). PCCs represent the History Department at concentration fairs and departmental events, and share with students interested in History their experiences as concentrators. They also constitute the concentrators’ committee, which meets with the History Undergraduate Office staff to discuss how to improve the curriculum and connections between faculty, tutors, and undergraduates, as well as to provide feedback on program policies and issues. They are a vital part of the History community. In addition, PCCs are associated with the Advising Programs Office, where they are listed as official representatives of the Department.

There are 1–2 PCCs from each undergraduate house. Concentrators interested in representing History in this way are encouraged to contact their House Advisor or the Asst. DUS.