Student Affairs
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Student Affairs
Requirements · Resources · AssociationsThe Department offers an Undergraduate Program, a Master's Program, and a PhD Program. This page provides the requirements for each program, curriculum planning documents, and links to the History Student Association (HISSA) and the Graduate Student Association.
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Degree Programs
Program Requirements
The Department offers an Undergraduate Program, a Master's Program, and a PhD Program. The regulations and credit requirements for each program are outlined below.
Undergraduate Program
Bachelor in History128
Credits to Graduate
General Education: 28 credits (Basic Chinese / Foreign Languages / General Education)
Required Major Courses: 27 credits (6 core courses)
Major Electives: at least 73 credits
Required Major Courses: 27 credits (6 core courses)
Major Electives: at least 73 credits
Master's Program
Master in History30
Credits to Graduate
Fields Covered: Chinese history, Taiwan history, world history, historiography, and more
Graduation Requirements: a thesis, required major courses, and major electives
Graduation Requirements: a thesis, required major courses, and major electives
PhD Program
Doctor of Philosophy36
Credits to Graduate
Fields Covered: same as the Master's Program
Graduation Requirements: the PhD Qualifying Examination, a doctoral dissertation, and an oral defense
Graduation Requirements: the PhD Qualifying Examination, a doctoral dissertation, and an oral defense
Degree Examinations
Degree Examination Regulations
- National Cheng Kung University Regulations for Doctoral and Master's Degree Examinations
- NCKU Notes for the Administration of Doctoral Degree Examinations
- Regulations for the Appointment of Thesis and Dissertation Examination Committees, Department of History, National Cheng Kung University (in Chinese)
※ Links go to the latest versions of these regulations in the NCKU Rules and Regulations system. For procedures concerning the PhD Qualifying Examination, theses and dissertations, and oral defenses, please contact the Department Office.
E03-規劃文件與系統
Resources
Planning Documents & Systems
Course search system, curriculum planning charts, educational objectives, and related regulations. Please refer to the official systems and documents below for complete and authoritative information.
E04-選課 Q&A
FAQ
Course Selection & Credits FAQ
Frequently asked questions—required credits, double majors and minors, general education and Service Learning, counting courses from other departments, interdisciplinary and teacher education programs, credit waivers for transfer students, exchange students, and graduation clearance.
A1The Department's required courses total 27 credits; if you take a course in the “Social Sciences” category, up to 29 credits may be counted. Note also that “Social Sciences” courses taken through the Center for General Education count only as general education credits, although they do exempt you from the “Social Sciences” category.
A1-1For students admitted from Academic Year 2018–19 onward, the “Social Sciences” category is no longer required. In conjunction with this change, students must take at least 4 credits of courses from other departments, and up to 16 such credits are recognized. Any course may be taken, but it must be completed in full (for a course offered in both the first and second semesters, both semesters must be completed before the credits count), and it must not be a course the Department offers (language courses excepted).
A1-2“Introduction to Learning in the Social Studies Domain” and “Inquiry and Practice,” offered by the Department (each once every two academic years), count only toward the Teacher Education Program of the Center of Teacher Education (for pre-service teacher students). Other students who take them cannot count the credits toward the Department's graduation requirements.
A1-3For any year-long course, whether offered by the Department or by another department, both parts (I) and (II) must be completed before the credits can be counted. If only one semester is completed, the credits for that semester cannot be recognized either.
A2They exempt you from the category, but they are not recognized as credits of the Department of History. (For students admitted from Academic Year 2018–19 onward, the “Social Sciences” category is no longer required.)
A2-1Credits that were not used for a credit waiver toward any other requirement after your transfer can be counted toward a double major or minor.
A2-2Taiwan History I and II / General History of China I and II / World Cultural History I, II, III, and IV (choose two of the four) can all count toward the 21 credits, provided that you complete the full year-long sequence, parts (I) and (II).
A2-3For a double major in History, History credits must come from courses offered by the Department. The rule that allows History majors to count 16 credits from other departments therefore does not apply.
A2-4“World Cultural History” is a required first-year course offered in sequence as (I), (II), (III), and (IV). Two of these (without repetition) must be taken for required credit; any additional parts count as elective credits in the world history field.
A2-5Credits for a double major or minor are counted in addition to the credits required for your History degree. Under the principle that credits are counted only once, credits from another department taken for a double major or minor cannot be counted toward the Department's 16 credits from other departments.
A2-6Students who apply for a minor in History from Academic Year 2024–25 onward must complete the required course Historical Theory and Methods (6 credits), attend 10 lectures of the History Colloquium Series, and complete at least 21 elective credits.
A2-7There is no three-field minimum for a double major or minor. Double majors need to complete 27 elective credits, and minors 21 elective credits.
A3Yes. (For students admitted from Academic Year 2018–19 onward, the “Social Sciences” category is no longer required.)
A3-1Only one course with the same title is recognized, and courses offered as general education can count only within general education. (For students admitted from Academic Year 2018–19 onward, the “Social Sciences” category is no longer required.)
A3-2Yes. (For students admitted from Academic Year 2018–19 onward, the “Social Sciences” category is no longer required.)
A4General education courses taught by Department faculty relate to their own fields of expertise and may be the same as or similar to Department courses. Under the Student Handbook, they are therefore not recognized.
A4-1For students admitted from Academic Year 2019–20 onward, the regulations state that such courses do not count toward graduation credits.
A4-2This is handled under Point 3, Paragraph 2 of the NCKU General Course Enrollment Guideline: students may have courses from other departments recognized as general education credits. They must apply during the course selection period of the semester in which they take the course, and the application must be approved by their home department and the Center for General Education.
A4-3The credits from a course can be counted only once. If you convert History elective credits into general education credits, they cannot be recognized as the elective credits required for the minor.
A4-4Under the Department's General Education Objectives and Requirements, Area Courses must cover all five areas: Humanities (at most 2 credits), Social Sciences (at least 2 credits), Natural and Engineering Sciences (at least 2 credits), Life Sciences and Health (at least 2 credits), and Interdisciplinary Integration (at least 2 credits). A minimum of 14 credits is required, and up to 18 credits are recognized (up to 19 credits for international students, excluding students from mainland China).
A4-5To convert a course into a general education course, please contact the Center for General Education.
A4-6The Department requires at least 2 credits in “Interdisciplinary Integration.” Any credits beyond 2 may be counted toward the area indicated in the course note, as you choose.
A4-7For students admitted in or before Academic Year 2021–22, international students (excluding students from mainland China) may take Area Courses in place of Comprehensive Courses. For students admitted in Academic Year 2022–23 or later, international students (excluding students from mainland China, Hong Kong, and Macau) may take Area Courses in place of Comprehensive Courses.
A5“Service Learning (III)” can be recognized in two ways: by enrolling in the course through the NCKU Course Information & Enrollment System (an A6 course), or by volunteering. Students who wish to be exempted from the Service Learning course through volunteer work must obtain the consent of the head of their academic unit beforehand; the waiver must be applied for in advance (incomplete applications will not be accepted). First, go to Curriculum Division > Forms > Service Learning and download the “Service Learning Credit Exemption Application Form.” Stage 1: Submit the application form to the Department Office together with a description of the planned volunteer service. Once the Department Chair has reviewed and approved it, the Department will notify you, and you may then complete at least 18 hours of volunteer service. Stage 2: After completing the service, submit proof of service and a written reflection to the Department for a second review. The Department will then send it to the Registrar Division to process the credit waiver.
A5-1The university's grade inquiry system cannot display Service Learning waivers. The waiver notation appears only on a printed paper transcript.
A5-2Service Learning is required and consists of three courses. Students who do not pass them cannot graduate.
A5-3If Service Learning (III) has already been waived, you may take Service Learning (III) as an additional course; it can waive Service Learning (II) only if you apply in advance and the application is approved.
A7“Guided Readings in Classic Historical Works” is one of the Department's required one-semester courses, taught in rotation by faculty in Chinese history, Taiwan history, and world history (see the course notes). In the first semester, the NCKU Course Information & Enrollment System lists it as required by default; in the second semester, it lists it as elective by default. Passing it in either semester meets the graduation requirement, or you may take it for the full year (the additional semester counts toward the three core fields).
A8The History Colloquium Series is a required lecture-attendance course in the Department. At least two lectures are held each semester, so there are at least sixteen lectures over four years of undergraduate study, enough to meet the requirement of attending ten. Lecture information is announced on the Department website. In addition, if a lecture is approved to count toward the History Colloquium Series (a written reflection is required), this will also be noted in the event announcement.
A8-1You must attend at least 10 lectures before graduation to pass. Although this is a required fourth-year course (the NCKU Course Information & Enrollment System automatically enrolls you in it in both semesters of your fourth year; if a passing grade is already on your transcript and you are enrolled again, please drop the course yourself), you must start attending lectures in your first year (no need to enroll yet). With 2 lectures each semester, you will reach 10 only in the first semester of your third year (enroll in the semester in which you expect to reach 10 and do not plan to attend any more). Lectures are tentatively scheduled for November, December, April, and May, on Tuesday evenings from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. If you have not attended enough lectures, please drop the course first and enroll once you have enough; if you do not drop it, a grade of 50 will be entered in the NCKU Online Grading System.
A9Online verification → First upload your score documents to the Foreign Language Center's Confirmation of Foreign Language Competence System, then ask the Teaching Assistant to review them online. The Department's English proficiency benchmark is B2. Online Remedial English → Students who have not met the English proficiency benchmark (i.e., the English graduation requirement) may take “Online Remedial English.” Eligibility: students who have completed 4 credits of English courses may enroll.
A9-1At the 2nd Department Affairs Meeting of the second semester of Academic Year 2023–24 (June 5, 2024), on the proposed amendment to the English proficiency benchmark for undergraduates, it was resolved to abolish the undergraduate English graduation requirement (from Academic Year 2024–25 admissions onward) and to apply this change to current students as well.
A9-2The language courses within general education credits consist of “Basic Chinese” and “Foreign Languages,” 4 credits each. “Foreign Languages” (English) follows the university's rules for English courses. International students may not count courses in the official language of their own country as general education credits.
A10Each of the three core fields of the Department's electives originally required at least 12 credits. For students admitted from Academic Year 2023–24 onward, the minimum for each of the three fields has been lowered to 6 credits. The new rule also applies to students admitted in or before Academic Year 2022–23; however, students who need the 12-credit minimum to apply for personal reasons should submit a signed declaration to the Department. Courses marked “Other” do not belong to the three fields but still count toward the 73 credits of Major Electives; in the graduation credit review, enter them in the “Other” column. In other words, once your Major Electives meet the requirement of 18 credits across the three fields, you may choose the rest of your courses freely, as long as you reach the minimum total credits. For the field classification of each course, see the Curriculum Map. If a course belongs to more than one field, you may choose one of them in the graduation review.
A10-1Credits are not rounded: 0.5 credits count as 0.5 credits. You must take two 0.5-credit courses to make up 1 credit.
A10-2Because of the nature of the courses and the difference in student status, graduate courses are in principle not open to undergraduates. The exception is fourth-year students, who may take them with the instructor's consent and count the credits toward graduation. Beginning in the first semester of Academic Year 2025–26, the Department's Joint Undergraduate–Graduate Courses are graduate courses open to upper-level undergraduates (third- and fourth-year students). For regular graduate courses (those not marked as Joint Undergraduate–Graduate Courses), upper-level undergraduates (third- and fourth-year students) who wish to enroll must first obtain the instructor's signed approval; the credits count toward undergraduate graduation requirements only if the course is passed. However, credits already counted toward undergraduate graduation cannot be waived again once you are in the graduate program. For the application form for undergraduates taking graduate courses, please click the link.
A11First, ask a Department faculty member to sign the thesis advisor consent form, then submit it to the Teaching Assistants' Office for the record. You must enroll in “Thesis (I)” and “Thesis (II)” yourself through the NCKU Course Information & Enrollment System. During the semester, you will meet with your advisor from time to time to discuss your thesis, and your advisor will assign a grade at the end of the semester. Once the thesis is completed and you have obtained your advisor's certificate of approval, its 6 credits will be counted in the graduation credit pre-review. Submit one copy of the thesis to the Department before completing the graduation clearance procedures.
A12No advance application is needed. Simply enter the courses in the Credit Checklist during the graduation credit pre-review, under (2) Major Electives >> “4 Other.”
A12-1Students must take at least 4 credits of courses from other departments, and up to 16 such credits are recognized. Any course may be taken, but it must be completed in full (for a course offered in both the first and second semesters, both semesters must be completed before the credits count), and it must not be a course the Department offers (language courses excepted). If a course from another department has the same title as a Department course but carries fewer credits, it cannot be recognized; if it carries more credits, it is counted at the Department course's credit value. The Department of History recognizes “Folk Literature,” offered by the Department of Taiwanese Literature, as an elective from another department.
A12-2Any course not offered by the Department is a course from another department; regardless of course type, up to 16 credits are counted. Graduate courses in other departments cannot be counted toward the 16 credits from other departments because of the difference in student status.
A12-3To give up a double major or minor, you must first withdraw from it in writing. The credits you earned can then count toward the 16 credits from other departments recognized by the Department. However, for year-long courses with parts (I) and (II), both parts must be completed and passed before the credits count. Simply enter the completed courses in the Credit Checklist during each semester's credit pre-review.
A12-4Yes. Any course not offered by the Department counts as credits from another department.
A12-5Depending on your needs, you may choose either an elective from another department or general education (to have it recognized as general education, you must convert it online yourself).
A12-6The credits count only if you complete both (I) and (II).
A12-7Please follow the National Cheng Kung University Regulations for Intercollegiate Course Enrollment: in principle, NCKU students may take courses at other universities only in subjects that NCKU does not offer at the time. Such credits count toward the 16 credits from other departments.
A12-8Under the principle that credits are counted only once, credits used for a double major cannot be counted toward the Department's 16 credits from other departments. If you have already met the credit requirements for the double major, any additional credits (whether required or elective) can be counted toward the Department's 16 credits from other departments.
A13For students admitted from Academic Year 2018–19 onward, these courses may not duplicate the required “Foreign Languages” courses in the NCKU Course Information & Enrollment System, and up to 12 credits are recognized. Even a single semester can be counted, up to a maximum of 12 credits (counted as elective credits).
A13-1They can count as the Department's Second Foreign Language, with up to 12 credits recognized; they are not counted within the 16 elective credits from other departments. The Department's credits are divided into: 1. General Education Courses; 2. Major Courses: (1) Required Major Courses, (2) Major Electives; 3. Other (Physical Education, Service Learning). “Second Foreign Language” falls under 2. Major Courses, (2) Major Electives. Because the number of recognized credits varies slightly by year of admission, the Student Handbook for your year of admission prevails. So a student who has taken both “Japanese” and “French” may count only one of them as the Department's Second Foreign Language (the Department does not count a third foreign language), and the other language counts toward the 16 credits from other departments.
A13-2Once a course has been converted to general education credit, it is marked as general education on your transcript and cannot be converted back to a course from another department. The Department recognizes up to 28 general education credits; excess general education credits cannot be counted toward the 16 credits from other departments.
A14In principle, each course can be counted only once. Only courses that belong to a program under the College of Liberal Arts and are offered by the Department of History can be counted as both program credits and Department credits. Credits from other programs cannot be counted twice, toward both the program and the Department's 16 credits from other departments. Credits from programs under other colleges cannot be counted twice.
A14-1To withdraw from a program, submit a withdrawal statement to the unit that runs the program. Credits from courses offered by other departments may count toward the 16 credits from other departments; credits from courses offered by the Department count as Department electives.
A14-2Under the principle that each credit is counted only once, if a program course is offered as general education and counted as program credit, it cannot also be counted as general education credit.
A15As reaffirmed at the 2nd meeting of the Academic Development Committee in the first semester of Academic Year 2021–22 (November 4, 2021), the Department's principle is that credits from a course can be counted only once. The specialized courses certified by the Teacher Education Program for the “History Specialty in the Social Studies Domain” differ in nature from the Department's graduation credit requirements. Although “domain core courses” and “history specialty courses” may be counted twice because they are history-specific and offered by the Department, “cross-subject courses within the domain” are required subjects for pre-service teacher students and are already counted toward teacher education certification credits. They are therefore not counted toward the Department's requirement of 16 credits from other departments, to avoid double counting.
A15-1They may take only one semester, but the credits can be recognized only as Teacher Education Program credits.
A15-2Regarding history specialty courses for the Teacher Education Program, the courses offered by the Department are sufficient to meet the credit requirements. Some courses may not be offered because a faculty member has retired, and courses taught by new faculty may not yet be included; the list is revised and submitted to the Ministry of Education every 3–5 years. If you run into a problem with course offerings, you may contact the instructor yourself, explain that you need the course for the Teacher Education Program, and ask the instructor to help offer it and arrange a time (please talk with the instructor one semester in advance).
A15-3Because the Teacher Education Program is special in nature, if you withdraw from it for any reason, your professional education course credits cannot be recognized toward the 16 credits from other departments.
A16Log in to the online Course Credit Waiver System. Applications must be completed within 3 weeks after the registration deadline of your first semester (as set in the academic calendar). On the form, list the courses taken at your previous school, attach the syllabi, and then fill in the corresponding courses and credits required by the department (or graduate institute) you are transferring into. You must also submit, for verification, your transcript from your previous school and a certificate of study (or transfer certificate). Credits are waived according to the following principles: (1) same course title and content; (2) different course title but same content; (3) different course title and content but same nature. Credits recognized toward the Department's 16 credits from other departments are waived by the Department. Credits used for a double major or minor are waived by the unit responsible for that major or minor.
A16-1Year level is based on the transfer examination through which you were admitted that year. For example, a student admitted through the third-year Transfer Examination is a third-year student.
A16-2You must take (II), unless the Department does not offer the course again before you graduate.
A16-3Credit waivers must start from (I), so they cannot be changed to (II). In addition, if a waived course appears among your required course enrollments, you must drop it yourself, to avoid taking the course twice (if you take (I) twice, it is recognized only once) or receiving a failing grade for non-attendance.
A17Please plan in advance to leave either the general education “Comprehensive Courses” certification or the “English requirement” certification incomplete (so that one graduation requirement remains unmet in the second semester of your fourth year). During the exchange semester, register at NCKU without enrolling in any courses. Finally, complete the points certification for “Comprehensive Courses” at the Center for General Education before Week 16 of the semester; or, for the “English requirement,” register your scores in the Confirmation of Foreign Language Competence System; or attend ten lectures of the History Colloquium Series and wait until the semester in which you plan to graduate to enroll in the course.
A17-1For Department students going abroad on exchange, only credits from history-related courses are recognized (e.g., Economic History of Ancient China, Economic History of Medieval Europe, Modern Economic History of Taiwan, History of Chinese Architecture), and they must not duplicate courses offered by the Department (similar to Intercollegiate Course Enrollment). Also, since history-related courses taken on exchange are not offered by the Department, they count toward the 16 credits from other departments (you must apply for the credit waiver yourself).
A17-2Incoming exchange students from other universities follow the course requirements of their home institution. They must take at least one course in the Department, with no limit on courses in other departments; however, NCKU allows a maximum of 25 credits per semester.
A18The pre-review begins about one month after the start of each semester; please watch for announcements on the Department website. Based on the courses on your transcript (including courses in your final semester), fill in the Credit Checklist for your year of admission and email the electronic file to the Teaching Assistant. Then, as announced, go to the Teaching Assistants' Office to sign the credit pre-review form.
A18-1Apply within one month after the first day of classes in the semester (or year) before you plan to graduate, attaching your transcript and Credit Checklist. For the conditions for graduating one semester (or year) early, please refer to the National Cheng Kung University Academic Regulations.
A19First, check that all your grades have been entered. Then go to the Graduation Procedure system, fill in the required information, and print the clearance form. Take the form to the relevant offices for their stamps, and finally collect your diploma from the Registrar Division. Any matters not covered above are handled according to the relevant university regulations. For the Registration Q&A announced on January 8, 2024, please refer to the link.
※ Regulations may differ by academic year. The Student Handbook for your year of admission and announcements from the Department Office take precedence. For questions, please contact the Department Office at 06-2757575 ext. 52300.