Graduate Courses

Units: 4
Workload: 0-3-0-0-7
Prerequisite(s): Nil
Preclusion(s): Nil
Cross-listing(s): Nil

This graduate seminar introduces students to major topics and approaches in American history and historiography. The precise themes and subjects taught in this course vary by semester and instructor. Please refer to the course syllabus for more information.

Units: 4
Workload: 0-3-0-0-7
Prerequisite(s): Nil
Preclusion(s): Nil
Cross-listing(s): Nil

This course will examine the major approaches to the study of modern European (19th-20th centuries) history in order to equip graduate students at the MA level with the major historiographic trends which have shaped research into the subject. To that end, the course will introduce students to the most significant approaches in political, economic, diplomatic, cultural, gender, social, religious and intellectual history which have shaped the existing scholarship.

Units: 4
Workload: 0-3-0-0-7
Prerequisite(s): Nil
Preclusion(s): Nil
Cross-listing(s): Nil

This course is designed to introduce graduate students to the major themes and issues that make up the chronological field of “modern Southeast Asian history”. A comprehensive study of secondary literature for the period as well as seminal works in Anthropology and Political Science will prepare students with the necessary training before embarking on their own research projects. Topics covered will include: modernity/ traditionalism, constructing chronologies, colonialism, nationalism, rebellion/resistance, nation-building, the Japanese in WWII, the role of the Army/Communists, post-colonial critiques, border tensions, migration, and religion.

Units: 4
Workload: 0-3-0-0-7
Prerequisite(s): Nil
Preclusion(s):Nil
Cross-listing(s): Nil

This course examines the political, economic, social, cultural, racial, and military histories of China, Japan and Korea over the course of the twentieth and outset of the twenty first centuries. Special attention will be paid to the interaction among these different national histories, as well as the influence of other regional actors, such as the United States and Soviet Union.

Units: 4
Workload: 0-3-0-0-7
Prerequisite(s): Nil
Preclusion(s): Nil
Cross-listing(s): Nil

It aims to provide students with practical professional experience involving at least ten weeks in an archive, museum, historical library, or the heritage business. The hosting institution in collaboration with the Department will define the work scope of students on internship. Students are required to submit a project, the topic of which must be approved in advance, together with a 3000-word report on the internship experience at the end of the work period. The student is required to spend three hours three days per week for a total of ten weeks at the hosting institution.

Units: 4
Workload: 0-3-0-0-7
Prerequisite(s): Nil
Preclusion(s): Nil
Cross-listing(s): Nil

Military history is one of the most dynamic fields in the subject, focal point for controversies ranging from what historians should be studying to how they should see history per se. The traditional focus on operations, command and strategy now co-exists with the no longer “new” military history that is more interested in the impact of warfare on society and culture, militarism and its effect on politics, the relationship between military institutions and economies, and issues of race and nationality in the military experience. This course will introduce graduate students to the methodologies and controversies of a field that crosses all regional and national boundaries in history. An important component will be the bibliographical project, training students to develop their own grasp of the literature that must be mastered.

Units: 4
Workload: 0-3-0-7-0
Prerequisite(s): Nil
Preclusion(s): Nil
Cross-listing(s): Nil

This course aims to introduce graduate students to cultural history as a distinct sub- discipline within historical studies. In each session, the course will structured around a theme (e.g., ‘Culture and imperialism’, ‘Power, Status and Charisma’) to allow the student to both learn about the methodology of cultural historians and how this field fits into the broader study of history.

Units: 4
Workload: 0-3-0-0-7
Prerequisite(s): Nil
Preclusion(s): Nil
Cross-listing(s): Nil

Imperialism and Empires are two historical developments that no scholars of modern world, political, international, cultural, social, economic and military history ever ignore. Imperialism remains one of the most hotly debated historical forces in the discipline and has been approached by nearly every different methodology and perspective that academic historians have explored in the last century. This course will introduce graduate students to the approaches to a field that crosses all boundaries in the study of history. An important component will be the bibliography project, training students to develop their own grasp of the literature they must master.

Units: 4
Workload: 0-3-0-0-7
Prerequisite(s): Nil
Preclusion(s): Nil
Cross-listing(s): Nil

This course examines major themes, methodologies and scholarship in the rapidly developing field of world history. Depending on the instructor, the content of the course might focus on specific topics such as immigration, trans-imperial trade, or frontier studies. As special emphasis is placed on the integration of particular regions into global systems and networks, this course will be especially useful for helping students to locate the significance of their own research in a larger context

Units: 4
Workload: 0-3-0-0-7
Prerequisite(s): Nil
Preclusion(s): Nil
Cross-listing(s): Nil

This graduate course examines the history of history writings on China, turning the pool of extant secondary publications into a primary source of analysis. Certain major authors and their works will be highlighted, with attention paid to inter-disciplinary approaches. Their selection is aimed at achieving a broad coverage of the various streams of traditional Chinese historiography, Chinese Marxist writings and Western historical analyses. The reading and writing of book reviews and literature surveys are integral parts of this course.

Units: 4
Workload: 0-3-0-0-7
Prerequisite(s): Nil
Preclusion(s): Nil
Cross-listing(s): Nil

In recent decades, the Cold War has developed into an area of study not only in the fields of diplomatic history and international relations, but in social and cultural history, literature and film, design and art, and rhetoric and communications studies. This seminar introduces students to new developments, themes, and approaches in the study of the Cold War through exploring such diverse topics as colonialism and anti-colonialism, cultural diplomacy, Cold War culture, domestic purges, social protest, decolonization, developmentalism, and "neo-colonialism." It aims to expose students to new arenas of research, helping them to prepare for their own research.

Units: 4
Workload: 0-3-0-2-5
Prerequisite(s): Nil
Preclusion(s): Nil
Cross-listing(s): Nil

The notion of Southeast Asia continues to be a site of contestation. In this course, students will be encouraged to imaginatively wade into an ongoing conversation as the latest in a long line of interpreters – mythic, historical and contemporary – of Southeast Asian pasts. Students will encounter a wide range of texts and discover how differing contexts, worldviews, theories, methods and source materials have been creatively and imaginatively used to both question and enrich understandings of Southeast Asian pasts. Each iteration of this module will focus on a specific region in Southeast Asia, depending on the expertise of the instructor.

Units: 4
Workload: 0-3-0-3-4
Prerequisite(s): Nil
Preclusion(s): Nil
Cross-listing(s): Nil

This course introduces students to the theories and practices of applied and public history. It examines the development and evolution of the field; the major theoretical debates; and exemplary examples of how history has been applied to educate, entertain, offer perspective to current problems, and resolve realworld issues.

Units: 4
Workload: 0-3-0-3-4
Prerequisite(s): Nil
Preclusion(s): Nil
Cross-listing(s): Nil

This course critically examines “the archive.” It explores the various ways in which the archive has been defined. It investigates why and how some knowledges about the past are collected, preserved, and recovered, and why and how some are not collected, preserved, and recovered. The class will also study the extent of the authority that the archive holds and wields over interpretations of the past.

Units: 4
Workload: 0-3-0-3-4
Prerequisite(s): Nil
Preclusion(s): Nil
Cross-listing(s): Nil

This course examines the craft and tools of the oral historian. It explores the key theoretical ideas developed in oral history scholarship; the methods used to collect oral histories; the variety of approaches to interpret oral sources; and the ethics of oral history collection. Students reading this course will be equipped with the tools to develop, undertake, transcribe, and critically analyze an oral history interview.

Units: 4
Workload: 0-3-0-3-4
Prerequisite(s): Nil
Preclusion(s): Nil
Cross-listing(s): Nil

This course examines the major themes in the study of history and memory. It addresses questions about the importance of investigating memory, its construction, its production, and its impact on personal and group identities, popular understandings of the past, and national identity. Topics explored include the relationship and tension between historical research and memory; individual and collective memories; the politics of memory; and memorial practices. The class will also examine the memory industry and the business of memorialization.

Units: 4
Workload: 0-3-0-3-4
Prerequisite(s): Nil
Preclusion(s): Nil
Cross-listing(s): Nil

This course explores the key theoretical debates and methodological approaches to the study of museums.  It equips students with the capacities to understand what a museum is and does. It also offers critical perspectives on what a museum can be. The range of topics to be covered include the history and development of museums in diverse cultural and sociopolitical contexts; the purpose and functions of museums; the strategies of collection; and the ordering of collections and knowledge.

Units: 4
Workload: 0-3-0-3-4
Prerequisite(s): Nil
Preclusion(s): Nil
Cross-listing(s): Nil

This course is about the use of history for decision making. It examines the ways decision-makers employ historical analogies and narratives about the past to make sense of contemporary affairs or solve problems. It explores how history can be abused or misused. The course also presents ways on how history can be better employed to reason and make decisions.

Units: 4
Workload: 0-3-0-3-4
Prerequisite(s): Nil
Preclusion(s): Nil
Cross-listing(s): Nil

This course explores topics of special interest in applied and public history. It is offered by regular or visiting faculty members. The specific topics to be covered will depend on the instructional and research interests of the faculty member.

Units: 4
Workload: 0-3-0-3-4
Prerequisite(s): Nil
Preclusion(s): Nil
Cross-listing(s): Nil

This course acquaints graduate students with the field of Singaporean history. Seminar students will read, critique and discuss the analytical and methodological approaches, historiographical debates, key questions, research agendas, and major trends contained in key articles and books on Singaporean history in order to gain a deeper understanding of how the past, and writing about it, has shaped our understanding of our history.

Units: 4
Workload: 0-3-0-3-4
Prerequisite(s): Nil
Preclusion(s): Nil
Cross-listing(s): Nil

This course explores topics of special interest in Asian and global history. It is offered by regular or visiting faculty members. The specific topics to be covered will depend on the instructional and research interests of the faculty member.

Units: 8
Workload: 0-0-0-10-10
Prerequisite(s): Must have completed 16 units.  Those who completed 12 units will require the approval of Thesis Advisor and Graduate Coordinator.  Only full-time candidates with an average 4.0 and above GPA at the end of the first semester and part-time candidates with an average 4.0 and above GPA at the end of the second semester are permitted to write the thesis.
Preclusion(s): Nil
Cross-listing(s): Nil

Students select research topics with the guidance and approval of the Department of History. They are assigned supervisors who will guide them in conducting research and writing a 10,000-word thesis.

Units: 4
Workload: 0-3-0-3-4
Prerequisite(s): Nil
Preclusion(s): Nil
Cross-listing(s): Nil

This course surveys how societies gain new understandings of the past through performances in the public sphere. A broad spectrum of performances across various cultural contexts will be explored, including theatre and dance, historical re-enactments, public rituals, immersive exhibitions, films, and digital sites such as video games and social media. This course equips students with a toolkit with which to interpret, analyse, and reflect on the dramaturgical strategies and techniques that shape the stories told in these performances, examining how they enhance historical consciousness and negotiate the distance between past and present for the communities involved.

Units: 4
Workload: 0-3-0-3-4
Prerequisite(s): Nil
Preclusion(s): Nil
Cross-listing(s): Nil

This course  explores topics of special interest in the study of the history of U.S. foreign relations with Asia. It addresses the origins, nature, and outcomes of the American interventions and involvement in the region. It also discusses the multiple approaches scholars employ to investigate and explain the history of U.S.-Asia relations. Candidates will be trained and equipped with the analytical tools to critique the approaches and undertake independent research of the subject.

Units:: 4
Workload: 0-3-0-1-6
Prerequisite(s): Nil
Preclusion(s): Nil
Cross-listing(s): Nil

This course will focus on the ways certain monuments have become sites of contestation. From conflicts over religious monuments, to the statue-toppling protests of recent years, to the attacks on ancient historical structures by groups like the Taliban and Islamic State, built heritage embodies ideas and beliefs about social norms, belonging ideals and divine presence, for some, whilst signalling oppression, absence, exclusion and loss for others. Through a series of case studies, students will learn the complex histories of certain sites and the range of actions that various interest groups have taken to ‘resolve’ the conflicts.

Units:: 4
Workload: 0-0-0-3-3-4
Prerequisite(s): Nil
Preclusion(s): Nil
Cross-listing(s): Nil

This course takes a comparative approach to business history by examining the role of entrepreneurship and firms in shaping global capitalism since World War II. Using case studies, Part I examines how entrepreneurs and businesses rebuilt global capitalism and markets after the War. Part II focuses on the creation of the ‘new global economy’ since the 1980s, looking at emerging markets, especially India and China.

Placing business in political, economic and cultural context the course emphasises how national and regional diversity coexists within a globalizing economy. It also highlights the contrasting pathways of capitalist development which different national economies follow.

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Units: 4
Workload: 0-0-0-4-3-3
Prerequisite(s): Nil
Preclusion(s): Nil
Cross-listing(s): Nil

Digital technologies and methods have opened new possibilities for historians. This course explores the field of digital history, its theoretical debates and its practical implications. We will survey the different types of digital historical data, consider the process and ethics of digitisation, and debate the merits and limitations of methods like crowdsourced research and machine learning. You will have the opportunity to experiment with a variety of digital tools, and to create your own digital history project. No prior experience in digital history or in computing is required for this course; students with any level of digital literacy are welcome.

Units: 4
Workload: 0-0-0-0-3-7
Prerequisite(s): Nil
Preclusion(s): Nil
Cross-listing(s): Nil

What’s noteworthy in recent Cold War historiography is that the focus of questions has shifted from the Cold War’s origins to its nature. The key question is no longer simply “Who began it?” but more “What was it?” and “How do we approach it?” Also, the focus is no longer limited to Europe and the U.S. With these points in mind, this seminar introduces students to new developments and approaches in the studies of the Cold War, with a particular focus on Asia. It aims to expose students to new arenas of research, helping them prepare for their own research.

Units: 4
Workload: 0-0-0-0-10
Prerequisite(s): Nil
Preclusion(s): Nil
Cross-listing(s): Nil

Independent research plays an important role in graduate education. The Independent Study Course is designed to enable the student to explore an approved topic in History in depth. The student should approach a lecturer to work out an agreed topic, readings, and assignments for the course. A formal, written agreement is to be drawn up, giving a clear account of the topic, number of contact hours, assignments, evaluation, and other pertinent details. Head’s and/or Graduate Coordinator’s approval is required. Regular meetings and reports are expected. Evaluation is based on 100% Continuous Assessment and must be worked out between the student and the lecturer prior to seeking departmental approval.