A minor in Holocaust Studies can be pursued in conjunction with any major. The study of the Holocaust offers more than an opportunity to acquire knowledge about a singular historical event. It provides students with an opportunity to examine a range of broader issues, such as antisemitism, racism, xenophobia, militarism, homophobia, and the formation and functioning of stereotypes. It provides important insight into behaviors such as obedience to authority, conformity, altruism, and civil courage. A consideration of the bureaucratic methods employed by the Nazi regime to systematically identify, isolate, and eliminate large populations addresses questions about the potential for the abuse of power by governments. The responses of Jews, Jewish institutions, and others subjected to Nazi policies have implications for our understanding of how individuals and groups respond to persecution. Finally, the ways in which the Holocaust is remembered and memorialized in different national and cultural contexts serves as a useful case study of how collective memories of important historical events emerge and evolve over time.
Students considering the undergraduate minor in Holocaust Studies should contact the Director of the Center for Holocaust Studies, who can advise them about requirements, future courses, and special educational opportunities. Once students have declared the minor, the Director will continue to advise them with respect to the minor field, working in cooperation with students' faculty advisors in their major departments.
HST 16, "Modern Europe"
Two semesters of German. (Another European foreign language may be substituted after consultation with the Director.)
18 hours of relevant course work, which must include HS/HST 139, "Modern Germany," and HS/HST 190, "The Holocaust."
9 hours must be at the 100 level or above.
No more than three hours may come from classes also used to fulfill a major.
You can find a list of approved Holocaust Studies (HS) courses here.
Several of the approved courses on the HS list have prerequisites as follows:
For HS/HST 115 the prerequisite is HST 10 or 15 or 16 (HST 26 and 27 are no longer available)
For HS/HST 139 the prerequisite is HST 10 or 16 (HST 26 and 27 are no longer available), or course work in German;
For HS/HST 190 the prerequisite is HST 10 or 16 (HST 26 and 27 are no longer available).
Please note that most HS courses are crosslisted with courses offered by departments such as History (HST), German (GERM), and Religion (REL). Courses taken with the relevant prefixes other than HS may be applied to the HS minor.
The following courses may be applied toward the HS minor when a significant component of the course addresses the Holocaust or related themes:
HST 195 and 196, "Intermediate Special Topics"
HST 226 and 227, "Seminar in Modern Europe"
GERM 281 and/or 282, "Seminar on Literary Genre, Period, or Theme"
WLIT 17 and 117, "Special Topics"
IMPORTANT NOTE: Additional courses may be applied in fulfillment of the requirements for the minor with the approval of the Director of Holocaust Studies. Please contact Professor Alan E. Steinweis at alan.steinweis@uvm.edu for more information.
Last modified November 19 2009 10:24 AM
