Departmental News

Ryerson University Senate approves a new Specialist degree in History

 May 2, 2011

At its May 2011 meeting, Ryerson University Senate approved the introduction of a new Specialist degree in History for a September 2012 launch (along with a new Minor in the subject).

With this decision, Ryerson students will have two choices for studying History in depth within a 40-course undergraduate degree. One will be the new 20-course Specialist program, while the other will be the 12-course History Option of the existing – and popular – Arts and Contemporary Studies (ACS) degree. (As well, the interdisciplinary options within ACS, such as Global Studies and Equity Studies, incorporate History courses, as do several other Ryerson programs.) Senate’s decision also means that students will be able to choose a six-course History Minor in addition to current opportunities to explore the subject through Liberal Studies.

History Specialists might wish to examine the formation of societies in the ancient world, or contemporary problems in historical perspective, or the great diversity of themes in the centuries between. Beyond providing opportunities to explore significant historical issues and ideas, the new program will have distinctive career-focused components. Students will take special foundational, historian’s craft, and seminar courses to develop research, analytical, and communications skills in ways that will give them a competitive edge to help them succeed in today’s knowledge-based world. They also may wish to take advantage of the degree’s distinctive options: heritage management courses for those thinking of museums, historic sites, and related fields as potential career choices; experiential learning opportunities to allow students to perform real-world work in the subject; and a thesis course for people considering graduate school or wishing to conduct in-depth investigations on topics that have captured their imaginations.

In assessing the new initiative in History, Mark Lovewell, Interim Dean of Arts, noted that, “The Faculty is undergoing a remarkable expansion in the range of curricular offerings at both the undergraduate and graduate levels. Between 2000 and 2005 alone, Arts introduced six undergraduate degrees. In September this year, our new English BA will welcome its first incoming class. Then, in 2012 we will launch two new degrees: in History and in Environmental and Urban Sustainability (with a Philosophy degree to follow in 2013). Collectively, these and other new programs are vital steps in the evolution not just of Arts but Ryerson as a whole. Furthermore, our new History degree will occupy a distinctive place within the range of comparable undergraduate opportunities in Ontario.”

Over the years, the Department of History has received exceptionally high ratings for the quality of its teaching, while its professors have been active and productive scholars in the field. The new Specialist degree and the new Minor represent the next logical steps in the department’s evolution as it contributes to meeting the growing demand for undergraduate educational opportunities in Ontario in the years ahead.
For more information contact Dr. Carl Benn, Chair, Department of History, at cbenn@ryerson.ca or at 416 979-5000, ext. 2062.