Frequently asked questions

You may take a 100- or 200-level History course. Only our 300- and 400-level courses have pre-requisites. If you have been at university for a while, you may be able to take several 300-level courses, many of which only require 45 university-level credits.

The main difference is content. Our 100-level courses often cover large periods of time or large geographic areas. Our 200-level courses tend to be a bit narrower in scope. All 100- and 200-level courses, though, are considered introductory so feel free to start wherever you would like.

Our lower-level classes (100- and 200-level) are offered annually. Some are offered in both the Fall and Winter (such as HIST 101 and 102) while others are only offered in one semester. Our upper-level classes (300- and 400-level) are on a two-year rotation. This means the courses are generally offered only once every two years. We are working to minimize this for some courses.

Lower-level classes are focused on introducing you to history as a discipline, to the skills you need to be successful, and to historical narratives, themes, and content. At this level, focus is placed on developing your skills in:

• Reading for history, including primary and secondary sources
• Writing for history, including exams and basic essays writing. This includes:
  • Developing and defining theses and arguments
  • Working with a range of sources
  • Writing with audience in mind
  • Thinking historically
• Engaging in historical debate and discussion
• Developing historical consciousness

All lower-level classes, therefore, are geared towards history beginners.

At the 300-level, instructors focus on further developing the skills you have obtained during your earlier university years, whether focused on history or other disciplines. In addition to continuing to develop skills introduced at the 100- and 200-level, you are expected to:  

• Pay greater attention to context, evidence, and perspective when exploring historical documents and debates
• Work with a larger number of sources
• Build your understanding of historiography
• Write with the discipline in mind
• Contribute more in class through seminar discussions, presentations, and group work

At the 300-level, we expect you to further develop your skill set, take more responsibility for your learning, and show more independence in your studies.

Our 400-level courses are seminar-based. This means that the bulk of class time is spent in discussion. When taking 400-level courses, be prepared to work at a high level. The 400-level is the place where all skills are meant to come together; you are working to develop your abilities to the highest level possible. You are expected to take even greater responsibility for your own learning.

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All requests for prerequisite waivers need to go to the course instructor. The department head and department coordinator cannot and will not approve such requests for you.

There are lots of ways to connect with your fellow students! Consider joining the Association of History Students (AHS). Attend departmental events, such as film nights, coffee breaks, etc. Join our group pages on Facebook, both the UFV History Dept. and the AHS page.

Do you have ideas for history student events?
Contact the department head or department coordinator.