History Dept. Announces Major Curriculum Reform

The History Department announced yesterday major revisions in its undergraduate program for concentrators in the Class of 1978 and following classes, including the replacement of the seniors general examination in comparative history.

A general exam in each concentrator's major field of study--such as modern Europe, America, or East Asia--will replace the present generals, which test comparative history in at least three separate geographic areas or periods.

The department's other revisions include the abolition of the "pre-1600" requirement, which forced concentrators to take one full course in history before 1600, and changes in the department's distribution requirements.

Under the new plan, concentrators will distribute their course work over a major and a minor field rather than over the present three fields.

The department now requires concentrators to take at least one full course in each of three fields, one of which must be in a period or place other than modern Europe or America.

The new rules will still require concentrators to have a major or minor field of study outside modern Europe or American, although the general exam will not include questions on the minor field.

Wallace T. MacCaffrey, chairman of the History Department, said yesterday that the new plan still requires study of a non-Western culture or period, but allows students "more freedom to concentrate in a particular area of interest, and to learn it well."

The changes were largely the result of student dissatisfaction over the "inequities of the present program," MacCaffrey added.

Thomas J. Kimmell '75, a student member of the Department's Undergraduate curriculum committee, said yesterday that he approved of the revisions, but added that students still have little power in the department.

We've been asking for reforms of this type on the curriculum committee; only a faculty committee could have the power to put this through. We have very little influence." Kimmell said.

Dean Rosovsky has agreed to allocate more money to the departmental budget, allowing the department to pay more teaching fellows and offer the sections, MacCaffrey said.

The new undergraduate program was formulated by a special departmental committee appointed last fall by MacCaffrey and chaired by Richard E. Pipes, professor of History. The full senior faculty has approved the committee's proposals for changes step-by-step over the last month