The History program aims to create a new generation of Arab researchers in the field of Arab and Islamic History, to build on the experience accumulated by prominent professors in the field of historical studies from Arab and Western universities. This program makes recourse to a multiplicity of new western theories in the field of historical research. The program aims to fathom the depths of the history of economic, political, social and intellectual structures in Arab countries, while revisiting historical events with the goal of reinterpretation based on new research methodologies. The program accords particular importance to the study of Arab history within the various regional and international processes. It also seeks to step into new territory in offering the study of current or immediate history. In all it proposes to do, the program aims to impress on students the necessity of diversifying news sources through exposure to various Arabic and western archives. This exposure to the history of structures and relational history will familiarize students with modern schools of history and will enable them to write Arab history in a new manner, which contributes to overcoming tradition and focusing on new methodological frameworks.
A. Program Requirements:
1. Core Courses (18 Credit Hours):
- HIST611 Historical Research : Methods and Schools
- HIST612 Mediterranean Islamic Political Entities
- HIST613 Mediterranean Material and Social Civilization: Population, Production and Ways of Life
- HIST614 Reform and Modernization in the Arab and Islamic World
- HIST615 Communication Networks and Transfer of Ideas and Techniques in the Mediterranean and Islamic world
- HIST616 Urban and Rural Structures in the Mediterranean and Islamic world
- HIST620 Reading Archival Documents: Methods and Study (non- credit)
2. Elective Courses (6 Credit Hours):
- HIST621 Arab and Islamic Historiography
- HIST622 Current History: Protest Movements
- HIST623 History and Memory
3. Specialized English Language Course (non- credit):
B. School Requirements- 12 credits:
1. Cross - Disicplinary Course (3 Credit Hours):
All SOSH students must successfully complete two non-credit core compulsory courses offered at the School level as a cross-disciplinary introduction to the study of the social sciences and humanities. Please visit the "Interdisciplinarity at SOSH " page for more details about these courses and their descriptions.
2. Interdisciplinary Courses (6 Credit Hours):
Each program allows students to enroll in courses of special interest, and of a cross-disciplinary nature, which are offered jointly with one or more other programs. Courses offered as interdisciplinary courses may vary and are dependent on faculty availability, student demand and registration capacity.
All students will choose two courses of 3 credits each from the list of interdisciplinary courses. Please visit the "Interdisciplinarity at SOSH" page for more details about these courses and their descriptions.
3 - Non-restricted Elective (3 Credit Hours):
Students may choose one course of 3 credits from any program in any of the Schools/centers in the DI (including SPADE and CHS).
C. Thesis (6 Credit Hours):
In consultation with an academic supervisor, the student will choose a thesis topic and program of research. The student will submit a thesis of 12,000 – 18,000 words at the end of the second academic year, but discussions about the topic begin during the first year. The coordinator of the course will organize regular sessions for students to discuss research methodologies and choose a research topic. Students will be expected to write a summary research proposal, incorporating the main assumptions to be tested, choose a research methodology and write a summary on what the thesis will contribute to present literature, based on a critical view of existing writings on the subject. The coordinator will then choose a supervisor who follows up with the student until completing the thesis.
The thesis examination consists of two parts; a marked assessment of the thesis by two examiners and an oral defense in front of an examination panel comprised of the same two examiners.
