The range and diversity of courses offered by the Department of History are designed to meet the needs and interests of Majors, non-Majors, and of full-time and part-time students. Students who do not intend to concentrate in history will find that history courses complement in almost any of the fields and disciplines which comprise the Faculty of Arts & Science. History courses are considered Non-Specialist Electives for students registered in the Faculty of Arts & Science and who are concentrating in an area other than the Humanities.
Students who elect to concentrate their studies in history will select from three programs offered by the department: Specialist, Major or Minor. The Department of History also offers two foci options: Focus in Law and History (Specialist) and Focus in Law and History (Major). We are also apart of the Arts & Science Internship Program (ASIP).
History Specialist (Arts Program) - ASSPE0652
Type 2L
Enrolment Requirements
This is a limited enrolment program. Students must have completed 4.0 credits and meet the requirements listed below to enrol.
Variable Minimum Grade
A minimum grade is needed for entry, and this minimum changes each year depending on available spaces and the number of applicants. The following courses must be completed:
2.0 HIS credits to be made up in one of the following ways:
Option 1:
- 1.0 credit at the 100-level excluding the following HIS First-Year Foundations (FYF) courses: HIS190H1, HIS191H1, HIS192H1, HIS193H1, HIS194H1, HIS195H1, HIS196H1, HIS197H1, HIS198H1, HIS199H1
- 1.0 credit at the 200+ level
Option 2:
- 0.5 credit from HIS111H1, HIS112H1, HIS115H1 or the following HIS First-Year Foundations (FYF) courses: HIS190H1, HIS191H1, HIS192H1, HIS193H1, HIS194H1, HIS195H1, HIS196H1, HIS197H1, HIS198H1, HIS199H1
- 1.5 credits at the 200+ level
To ensure that students admitted to the program will be successful, applicants with a final grade lower than 70% in each course will not be considered for admission. Please note that obtaining this minimum final grade does not guarantee admission to the program.
Students in this program have the option to request enrolment in the Arts & Science Internship Program (ASIP) stream. Students can apply for the ASIP stream after Year 1 (Year 2 entry) or after Year 2 (Year 3 entry, starting Fall 2024). Full details about ASIP, including student eligibility, selection and enrolment, are available in the ASIP section of the Arts & Science Academic Calendar. Please note that the majority of students enter ASIP in Fall term of Year 2. Space is more limited for Year 3 entry. Students applying for Year 3 entry must have been admitted to the History Specialist in the Summer after Year 2.
Note: Some courses may contribute to both the Geographical and Temporal requirements. Some Full (1.0 credit) courses may satisfy 0.5 credit of the Temporal requirement. Refer to the Department website for a full list of courses that meet these separate requirements.
Completion Requirements:
A total of 10.0 credits of which no more than 1.0 credit can be at the 100-level and of which at least 5.0 credits must be at the 300+ level, including 1.5 credits at the 400-level. Some courses may contribute to both the Geographic Distribution and Temporal requirements (requirements 1 and 2).
The Specialist program gives students in-depth training in historical research, analysis, and writing for future professional use or graduate study. To tailor the program to your needs, in your third year you have a choice between two pathways: a higher level course-work option in order to further the development of excellent skills via a wider variety of courses or a thesis option where you will be able to do the same while also concentrating on a specific research topic.
1. Geographic Distribution (200+ level):
a) 2.0 credits in Africa/Asia/Middle East with at least one 0.5 credit in 2 of the 3 areas. This requirement cannot be met by more than 1.0 credit from any area.
b) 1.0 credit in Canada/US/Latin America/The Caribbean
c) 1.0 credit in Europe
2. Temporal Requirement:
1.0 credit in pre-1800 history course(s) listed below.
Note 1: HIS courses listed with (.50) indicate that they fulfill half of the Temporal Requirement.
3. 1.0 credit from one of the following pathways below:
a) Thesis Option: HIS475H1 and HIS476H1 taken in that order. (see Note 2)
b) Coursework option: 1.0 credit of Senior (300 or 400-level) 
Methodology Courses for History Specialist 26-27.pdf
Note 2: Students interested in the Thesis Option should contact the Undergraduate Associate Chair for advice about the pathway, thesis topics, and the selection of an appropriate faculty advisor.
4. Additional HIS, JIH, JHA, JHM, JHN, JMH, JSH or Equivalent courses (listed below) to a total of 10.0 credits. No more than 1.0 credit from the Equivalent courses can contribute to program completion.
Focus in Law and History (Specialist) - ASFOC0652A
The Focus in Law and History gives students the critical skill-set to interrogate the ‘force of law’, not only in the sense of law as enforced, but also as a vehicle of cultural, social, and economic knowledge. Importantly, it will ask students to interrogate assumptions of what counts as law across time and space. At the core of this Focus to the Major are fundamental questions of both law and society: Who has law? What does (or should) it look like? Who decides? What sorts of critical histories can be written from and about legal archives that span time, space, and language tradition?
Enrolment Requirements:
Enrolment in the History Specialist is required.
Completion Requirements:
3.0 credits
1. Methodological Training Requirement: HIS268H1 Law and History.
2. Law and History Focus Enrichment: 2.5 credits from the following list, including at least 1.0 credit at the 300+ level.
HIS101Y1, HIS221H1, HIS230H1, HIS231H1, HIS282Y1, HIS283Y1, HIS310H1, HIS324H1,
HIS332H1, HIS335H1, HIS374H1, HIS375H1, HIS379H1, HIS382H1, HIS390H1, HIS392H1,
HIS397H1, HIS417H1, HIS419H1, HIS424H1, HIS426H1, HIS438H1, HIS443H1, HIS470H1,
HIS492H1, HIS493H1, JHM307H1, JHN323H1, JIH366H1, JIH369H1, JMH385H1
Some offerings of HIS357H1, HIS389H1, HIS466H1, HIS495H1 and HIS496H1 may also count towards this focus. Topics Courses that Fulfill Focus Requirements - 2025-2026.pdf
Up to 0.5 credit from non-HIS courses may be substituted for requirement 2, with permission of the department. Substitutions will be reviewed based on a copy of the course syllabus.
History Major (Arts Program) - ASMAJ0652
Type 2
Enrolment Requirements
This is a limited enrolment program. Students must have completed 4.0 credits and meet the requirements listed below to enrol.
Completed courses:
The following courses are required:
HIS credits to be made up in one of the following ways:
- 1.0 credit from HIS courses excluding the following HIS First-Year Foundations (FYF) courses: HIS190H1, HIS191H1, HIS192H1, HIS193H1, HIS194H1, HIS195H1, HIS196H1, HIS197H1, HIS198H1, HIS199H1; or
- 0.5 credit from HIS111H1, HIS112H1, HIS115H1 or the following HIS First-Year Foundations (FYF) courses: HIS190H1, HIS191H1, HIS192H1, HIS193H1, HIS194H1, HIS195H1, HIS196H1, HIS197H1, HIS198H1, HIS199H1, and 0.5 HIS credit at the 200+ level
Students in this program have the option to request enrolment in the Arts & Science Internship Program (ASIP) stream. Students can apply for the ASIP stream after Year 1 (Year 2 entry) or after Year 2 (Year 3 entry, starting Fall 2024). Full details about ASIP, including student eligibility, selection and enrolment, are available in the ASIP section of the Arts & Science Academic Calendar. Please note that the majority of students enter ASIP in Fall term of Year 2. Space is more limited for Year 3 entry. Students applying for Year 3 entry must have been admitted to the History Specialist in the Summer after Year 2.
Completion Requirements:
A total of 7.0 credits of which no more than 1.0 credit can be at the 100-level and of which at least 2.0 credits must be at the 300+ level, including 0.5 credit at the 400-level. Some courses may contribute to both the Geographic Distribution and Temporal requirements (requirements 1 and 2).
1. Geographic Distribution (200+ level):
a) 2.0 credits Africa/Asia/Middle East with at least a 0.5 credit in 2 of the 3 areas. This requirement cannot be met by more than 1.0 credit from any area.
b) 1.0 credit Canada/US/Latin America/The Caribbean
c) 1.0 credit Europe
2. Temporal Requirement:
1.0 credit in pre-1800 history course(s) listed below.
Note 1: HIS courses listed with (.50) indicate that they fulfill half of the Temporal Requirement.
3. Additional HIS, JIH, JHA, JHM, JHN, JMH, JSH or Equivalent courses (listed below) to a total of 7.0 credits. No more than 1.0 credit from the Equivalent courses can contribute to program completion.
Focus in Law and History (Major) - ASFOC0652B
The Focus in Law and History gives students the critical skill-set to interrogate the ‘force of law’, not only in the sense of law as enforced, but also as a vehicle of cultural, social, and economic knowledge. Importantly, it will ask students to interrogate assumptions of what counts as law across time and space. At the core of this Focus to the Major are fundamental questions of both law and society: Who has law? What does (or should) it look like? Who decides? What sorts of critical histories can be written from and about legal archives that span time, space, and language tradition?
Enrolment Requirements:
Enrolment in the History Major is required.
Completion Requirements: 3.0 credits
1. Methodological Training Requirement: HIS268H1 Law and History.
2. Law and History Focus Enrichment: 2.5 credits from the following list, including at least 1.0 credit at the 300+ level.
HIS101Y1, HIS221H1, HIS230H1, HIS231H1, HIS282Y1, HIS283Y1, HIS310H1, HIS324H1,
HIS332H1, HIS335H1, HIS374H1, HIS375H1, HIS379H1, HIS382H1, HIS390H1, HIS392H1,
HIS397H1, HIS417H1, HIS419H1, HIS424H1, HIS426H1, HIS438H1, HIS443H1, HIS470H1,
HIS492H1, HIS493H1, JHM307H1, JHN323H1, JIH366H1, JIH369H1, JMH385H1
Some offerings of HIS357H1, HIS389H1, HIS466H1, HIS495H1 and HIS496H1 may also count towards this focus. Topics Courses that Fulfill Focus Requirements - 2025-2026.pdf
Up to 0.5 credit from non-HIS courses may be substituted for requirement 2, with permission of the department. Substitutions will be reviewed based on a copy of the course syllabus.
History Minor (Arts Program) - ASMIN0652
Type 1
Enrolment Requirements
This is an open enrolment program. A student who has completed 4.0 credits may enrol in the program.
Completion Requirements:
The minor program provides a useful grounding for students interested in the study of the past and contributes to their development of interdisciplinary perspectives from across the Humanities and Social Sciences.
(4.0 credits, of which only 1.0 credit at the 100-level may be used to fulfill program requirements)
Completion Requirements: HIS courses to a total of 4.0 credits, including at least 1.0 credit at the 300- or 400-level.
Courses in other departments: Students may take up to a 0.5 credit from the Equivalent Courses list below.
The Arts & Science Internship Program (ASIP) is a professional work-integrated learning program for Faculty of Arts & Science students enrolled in specific programs of study, including the following History programs:
- History Specialist (ASSPE0652)
- History Major (ASMAJ0652)
Students enrolled in the ASIP stream of their program of study complete mandatory Professional Development programming plus a minimum of 12 and maximum of 20 months of paid, full-time, academically related work experience. The time to degree completion for students enrolled in ASIP is normally 5 years. ASIP is administered by the Faculty of Arts & Science’s Experiential Learning & Outreach Support (ELOS) Office.
The ASIP stream of each program is limited enrolment. Students will typically be admitted to the ASIP stream of their program for the Fall term of Year 2 of study; however, in exceptional circumstances, students, including transfer students, who enrolled in an eligible program in the Summer after Year 2, may be admitted to the ASIP stream of their program for the Fall of Year 3. Acceptance into an ASIP stream in Year 3 is dependent on space and requires approval of the student’s academic unit and the Faculty of Arts & Science Experiential Learning & Outreach Support (ELOS) Office. Please refer to the ASIP Eligibility page for further details.
The mandatory Professional Development programming will help students prepare for their work opportunities and maximize their learning while on their work terms. It will consist of 4 zero credit weight courses taken over 4 academic terms (Year 2 entry) or 2 academic terms (Year 3 entry). The completion of these courses is mandatory for the ASIP stream of each program, in addition to the regular academic requirements of the program.
The work experience component will consist of 12-20 months of paid, full-time work in the private, not-for-profit, and/or public sectors. For students enrolling in the ASIP stream of their program for the Fall term of Year 2, the first, 4-month work term will take place in the summer between Year 2 and 3, followed by a longer 8, 12 or 16-month work term following the completion of Year 3. Students enrolling in the ASIP stream of their program for the Fall term of Year 3 will complete 12 or 16 months of work experience after Year 3 over one or two work terms. Students completing all mandatory Professional Development requirements and a minimum of 12 months of work experience will graduate with the ASIP stream acknowledged on their transcript.
Students will be provided a wide range of professional development supports as they progress through the ASIP stream of their program, including workplace readiness and job search coaching, access to a dedicated co-op/internship job board, professional skill development training, access to Employer Relations and Student Development staff, industry information sessions, resources to support students facing barriers to employability, and community-building events. Acceptance into the ASIP stream of a program does not guarantee a student’s employment in each work term.
There are additional ancillary fees to participate in the ASIP stream. Fees are paid over a series of six installments, paid as ancillary fees which will be assessed on each Professional Development course, while the final two payments will be assessed on the first two work terms between Year 3 and Year 5. Refer to the mandatory Fees section below for further details.