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.

Study Abroad Experience Leads to Deep Perspectives on the Holocaust

Sherbrook poses by a tree

Alex Sherbrook ’17 was disappointed about missing her spring commencement at UVM, but she still wouldn’t trade it for her final semester of college in Augsburg, Germany. In German universities, the semester begins in April and ends in late summer, so she had to wait until September to finally collect her UVM diploma.

“My classes were all in German and there wasn’t as a big of an emphasis on homework as there is in our system, so It was a really big adjustment. But I’m really glad I did it.”

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Launching an Academic Career in Holocaust Studies

Alexander smiles

Mark Alexander transferred to UVM with the intent of finishing his B.S. in education and finding a teaching job in Vermont. But after changing his major to history, his academic and career path took a fascinating detour.

Especially influential were classes with professor Jonathan Huener, who teaches in the history department and the Miller Center for Holocaust Studies. “I took several of his classes on the Holocaust and the history of Poland, and he was my academic adviser when I continued at UVM for my M.A. Dr. Huener’s insights into the issues we studied in his classes have helped to shape my understandings of the field, and he provided a consistent example of thoughtful academic professionalism that I will probably always hold up as a model for myself.”

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David Scrase Student Research Grants

These grants honor the contributions of David Scrase, professor emeritus of German, during his long service as the founding director of the Center for Holocaust Studies at UVM. Grants are available to UVM students -- both graduate and undergraduate--who are pursuing serious research projects related to the mission of the Center for Holocaust Studies. Priority will be given to students working on major research projects, such as an MA thesis, an undergraduate senior thesis, or a research-intensive independent study. Read more information on this opportunity on our graduate study page.

Requirements for the Minor

Prerequisites:

  • HST 16, "Modern Europe"
  • Two semesters of German. (Another European foreign language may be substituted after consultation with the director.)

Course Requirements:

  • 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.

Approved Courses:

You can find a list of approved Holocaust studies (HS) courses in the UVM catalog. Several of the approved courses on the HS list have prerequisites as follows:

  • For HS/HST 115  the prerequisite is three hours in history
  • For HS/HST 139  the prerequisite is three hours in history
  • For HS/HST 190  the prerequisite is three hours in history

Please note that most HS courses are cross listed 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/HS 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 the program director at uvmchs@uvm.edu for more information. 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.

Worldly Perspective

The UVM Miller Center for Holocaust Studies sponsors many public lectures, colloquia, and other events on the UVM campus. Students minoring in HS are encouraged to attend these events, where they can hear and meet prominent experts from around the world.