History Department Overview
The Department of History at the College of Staten Island is a community of professional historians committed to excellence in teaching and research. Our faculty of specialists train students in specific skills related to our discipline and provide geographic, thematic, and chronological coverage of the past from a global perspective. Our mission to the major reinforces general education objectives of critical thinking, reading, writing, and communication skills.
About the CSI Department of History
The primary teaching mission of the department is the undergraduate major; secondly, the department is committed to the general education of the College’s undergraduates; and finally, it offers the master’s degree. Our faculty of specialists train students in specific skills related to our discipline and provide geographic, thematic, and chronological coverage of the past from a global perspective. Our mission to the major reinforces general education objectives of critical thinking, reading, writing, and communication skills.
Our master’s program trains graduate students in advanced historical methods of research and analysis and provides in-depth seminars that reflect diverse specialties in the department. Our faculty take seriously our responsibility to mentor students. As a community of scholars committed to free inquiry and critical thinking, we aim to help students gain a sophisticated knowledge of history and the professional skills of historians. We foster the professional development of our faculty by supporting their research, publication, involvement in professional associations, and participation in the programs of the CUNY Graduate Center.
Programs in the History Department
- Bachelor of Arts in History (HST-BA)
- Bachelor of Arts in History, grades 7-12 (EDHI712-BA)
- Undergraduate Minor in History (HST-MIN)
- Master of Arts in History (HST-MA)
- Public History Advanced Certificate
History Courses
Jobs for History Majors
What our alumni are saying about our programs:
Public History at the College of Staten Island
Public History at the Conference House
History Department Faculty and Staff
Full Time Faculty
Staff
Denise Galica, History Secretary (Gittleson), 718.982.2870, denise.galica@csi.cuny.edu
BA in History/AEd 7-12K
MA Program in History
History Events
Honors Program
Bachelor of Arts Program - Honors
History majors may graduate with Honors in the Major and/or join our department's chapter of Phi Alpha Theta, the National History Honors Society.
Graduation with Honors in the History Major
Students with a 3.5 or above GPA in all History courses and a 3.0 or above cumulative GPA for all college‐level courses may complete an honors thesis in order to graduate with Honors in the History Major. To start the process, eligible students should fill out the form, ʺIntent to Pursue Honors in the History Major,ʺ and submit it to the Department of History in 2N‐215. Once accepted, students will enroll in HSS 594: Independent Study Honors in History or in a Divisional Honors Seminar. In HSS 594, students complete an honors thesis under the supervision of a History faculty member who will oversee and approve each step of the thesis process. Additional details, including the contact information for the Coordinator of Honors in History, are available on the Intent to Pursue Honors in the History Major form.
Department Contact
Susan Smith-Peter
Advanced Certificate in Public History Coordinator and Professor
Tasha Kimball
History MA Coordinator and Associate Professor
Joseph Frusci
Adolescent Education Advisor and Adjunct Assistant Professor
Alpha Xi Theta (ΑΞΘ) Chapter/ Phi Alpha Theta (ΦΑΘ) at CSI/CUNY
Founded in 1921, Phi Alpha Theta (ΦΑΘ) is a national history honors society designed to promote the study of history through the encouragement of research, publication, excellence in teaching, and intellectual exchange among students and historians. The CSI Chapter of Alpha Xi Theta (ΑΞΘ) of Phi Alpha Theta (ΦΑΘ) was founded in 2010 and has organized field trips, lectures, seminars and other events in pursuit of these goals, with the aim of fostering a sense of academic community between students and faculty within the CSI History Department.
Students wishing to apply to join and participate in Phi Alpha Theta must have a 3.0 overall GPA, and a 3.5 GPA in the History major. They can download the application online (here) and submit it to the History Department Office or to the program coordinator at CSI: Professor Alexander Zevin (alexander.zevin@csi.cuny.edu).