Academic Programs: Honours
HONOURS PROGRAMME IN HISTORY 778
The Honours programme is a one-year full-time or a two-year part-time program aimed at in-depth study of themes from the Theory of History; International, South African and African history.
The duration of the full-time programme is one academic year. Part-time students structure their programme over a two-year period in such a way that they can attend lectures with the full-time students.
Admission requirements
Students with a BA degree with History (or Cultural History) as major with at least 60%, as well as students with a University of Stellenbosch BA (International Studies)-degree in which the following modules were passed with an average of 60%:
History
- 114(12) Introduction to the main global patterns and developments in history
- 144(12) Survey of South African History
- 214(16) Key Processes in the making of Western History
- 318(24) Wars, Decolonisation and Globalisation
Political Science
- 232(8) Politics and Foreign Policy of the USA
- 262(8) International Organisations
- 315(12) Political Conflict
- 364(12) International relations of Africa
Written applications, including a complete study record, must normally be submitted before November 30 of each year.
Formal application for registration is only necessary once a student has been accepted for a programme. Students who do not meet the required 60% standard could submit special considerations for admission.
Programme structure and content
The content of the Honours programme consists of the theoretical modules of history that are compulsory plus a selection of two modules from the Departmental Menu.
Theoretical modules (compulsory)
- Theoretical and Philosophical Issues
- Methodology
- Trends in International Historiography
- Trends in South African Historiography
A selection of TWO modules from the Departmental Menu
If one of your choices from the menu includes the cultural history module your internal choice within the cultural history module must be discussed and approved in consultation with the relevant lecturer and the Departmental Chair.
- Historical factors in the making of minority culture – the creation of white and brown identities in twentieth century South Africa
- Afrikaner Diaspora – the changing rationale for migration, 1875-2002
- Environmental history – society, nature and the changing environment [Click here to view the full course outline for this module - this document opens in a new window]
- Business history
- Working-class history and labour organization
- War and Society – context and consequences
- Histories of the Body [Click here to view the full course outline for this module - this document opens in a new window]
- Cultural History. A Choice from among others Architecture, Furniture, Vernacular language, Heritage conservation, Genealogy/Heraldry, Folk Science and Belief.
Method and requirements with regard to the modules
- The duration of a module is seven weeks (one term). The modules are covered by study material, a number of assignments and an examination.
- Contact time is determined by the lecturer. He/She also determines specific due dates for assignments. Students are free to contact lecturers to discuss module related issues.
- Apart from the module related assignments students must also do one advanced research essay as part of the honours course. The research essay must preferably be related to one of the two modules selected by students from the departmental menu. The choice/title of the research essay is determined in consultation with the presenter/lecturer of the specific menu option.
- The extent of the essay must be between 10 000-12 000 words and be based on a selection of more or less 12-15 standard sources. General histories, encyclopaedias, reference works, chronological dictionaries etc. are not considered as standard sources.
- Technical aspects of the essay must be in accordance with the departmental guidelines as introduced during the undergraduate programmes. The research essay must be in typed form.
- Students will receive a class mark for each module on the strength of the module assignments. Apart from the class mark students will also receive an exam mark on the strength of an exam per semester on the modules followed in that specific semester. The final mark per module will be calculated on the basis of 50% of the class mark and 50% of the exam mark. The final mark for the honours course will be the total of the final module marks divided by eight (six modules plus the research essay). The pass mark for the honours course is 50%.
