LUMS offers a Major in History leading to a BA(Honours) in History. Students majoring in other subjects can also chose to complete a Minor in History. The HSS department offers a wide range of courses across a range of historical time periods, geographical regions, and approaches. The specialised faculty, all of whom have PhDs from leading universities around the world, have with extensive research interests and teaching experience directly related to the undergraduate courses on offer. The History courses at LUMS focus on offerring a multifacted approach to the past through primary and the latest secondary sources. Students encounter and engage with multiples discourses and multiple ways of looking at the past through close study of primary and secondary sources. Instructors use the latest and most appropriate pedagogical techniques. There is a focus on reading, analysis and debate and discussion. Students in particular learn to read historical documents and become attuned to the process of narrative construction. Currently LUMS offers courses which fall into the following areas: Asian History, European History, Global History, History of Art, Muslim History, and South Asia.
History is a core component of a foundational training for all students in the Humanities and Social Sciences. By studying History students learn to understand competing narratives. It helps them appreciate how narratives are created by probing the issues such as: What are the extant sources on which we base a claim to knowledge? Where is this information archived? Is there more than one way of reading a historical document? Do multiple readings contribute to multiple discourses? Are these discourses complementary or irreconcilable? These are thorny debates that explicitly or otherwise influence most disciplines of the Humanities and Social Sciences. History - with its emphasis on physical and documentary evidence, and its insistence on a careful reconstruction of chronology - offers the a way to unravel these debates.
A BA in History equips a student with analytical tools. Besides a broad-based knowledge of the past, a student of History shall have read seminal historical texts, be knowledgeable about important scholarly contributions in her/his area of specialisation, have developed the skill to read carefully, be able to argue - both orally and in writing - with power and conviction. A student of History would also be cognizant that the discipline requires patience, rigour, and extreme attention to detail before any substantive claim to knowledge can be made. Finally, appreciation of History inculcates a life-long love for learning that contributes to our individual and collective selves in ways that are impossible to quantify.
The History Major
To complete a History Major students are required to successfully complete a minimum of 13 History courses (52 credit hours). Of these courses, no more 3 should be at the 100-level and at least 3 should be at the 300 and 400 level. With official administrative approval, students may take up to 2 courses at an institution other than LUMS. Students are also required, as one of their 13 courses, to take one of the two core courses - either HIST 100 (Introduction to Historical Studies), HIST 101 (World Civilizations). Students taking the Major are encouraged to take the core courses as and when they become available, and the earliest opportunity.
Students are encouraged, in consultation with faculty, to specialise in one of the following areas within the Major: Asian History, European History, Global History, History of Art, Muslim History, and South Asia. LUMS students considering a Major in History are encouraged to contact a History faculty member at the earliest opportunity (see list below).
The History Minor
To complete a History Minor students are required to successfully complete a minimum of 6 History courses (24 credit hours). Of these courses, at least 2 should be at the 300 level or above. Students are also required, as one of their 6 courses, to take HIST 124 (The World Since 1453) and one of HIST 100 (Introduction to Historical Studies) or HIST 101 (World Civilizations). Students taking the Minor are encouraged to take the core courses as and when they become available, and the earliest opportunity.
Research in History
The history faculty at LUMS has received formal training in research methods and analysis in their respective specialist areas, and is research active in these areas. Faculty participate in international collaborative research projects as well carrying out ground-breaking individual research. The research interests of the faculty are broadly grouped into the following 'research clusters': Global South Asia, Intellectual History, International History, Material Culture, Twentieth Century History. LUMS undergraduate students interested in carrying out a Senior Project in one of these areas are encouraged to contact the faculty below at the earliest opportunity.
* The medium of instruction at LUMS is English for all degree programmes offered. Assessments are accepted in English only.
The University reserves the right to change dates and deadlines for admissions. Please keep informed of any changes by visiting www.lums.edu.pk periodically as well as the LUMS online application site.
Minimum Eligibility Criteria for Fall 2018 Admissions
Applicants must meet the minimum eligibility criteria in order to be considered for admission to the Undergraduate Programme. Meeting this criteria does not guarantee admission to the Undergraduate programme.
Students are selected for admission to LUMS Undergraduate Programmes based on the following factors:
Academic Background
Performance in the Admission Test
Submission of a completed application form and supporting documents
Interview (if called)
Admission in a specific school is based on merit and the availability of seats.
Academic Requirements for Fall 2018 Admissions (Classes Commencing August 2018)
The University is keen to attract students who are not only academically competent but also have the potential to contribute to the learning environment of LUMS.
Following are the minimum academic requirements for applicants applying to the Undergraduate Programme:
Applicants who have successfully completed FA/ICS/ICOM/FSc/A’ Levels/High School Diploma or International Baccalaureate (IB) are eligible to apply for admission if they fulfill one of the following academic qualifications:
Successful completion of Matric with 70% marks or above & FA with 65% marks or above/FSc/ ICS/ICOM with 70% marks or above.
O’ Levels* results (in at least 8 subjects) with an average grade of at least ‘B’ in all subjects attempted; and A’ Levels in at least 3 principal subjects1 with at least 2 Bs and 1 Cgrade. No credit will be given for Advanced Subsidiary and General Paper.
American High School Diploma (HSD) with 70% or above/Grade point average of B or above
International Baccalaureate (IB) with at least 28 out of 45 points
Combination of the above
Any other equivalent qualification (minimum acceptable scores will be determined by the Admissions Committee)
If shortlisted for admission, applicants will be given a conditional offer. To join LUMS in Fall, applicants must subsequently meet all the stipulated conditions specified by the Admissions Committee by August 2018.
Note:
Candidates who have already completed their A' Levels (have taken the exam of minimum three A’ level principal subjects1) and do not meet the minimum grades requirement (specified above) must improve their grades in order to be eligible for admission. A' Levels Exams are held in November and June. To be eligible for the admission in Fall 2018, applicants must improve their A' Level grades in November 20172. Applicants planning to improve their grades by taking June 2018 exams are not eligible for the Fall 2018 session.
Applicants admitted to LUMS and subsequently require HEC attestation of their UG degree must meet the conditions stipulated by the Higher Education Commission (HEC), Pakistan to get their Undergraduate degree attested. Details are available at the following link:
1Principal subjects (Full credit courses. Details can be checked with the British Council)
2Applicants taking their A’ levels or AS level exam in November 2017 are required to submit the final result within three days of its announcement; however, they must provide this information through online application form and by submitting a copy of the “Statement of entry “along with all other supporting documents.
* Minimum subjects requirement for O’levels may vary regionally and can be checked by visiting the following link: http://www.ibcc.edu.pk/equivalence.php.
Applicants who have not taken the final exams of their FA/ICS/ICOM/FSc/A’ Levels(in three principal subjects1)/High School Diploma or International Baccalaureate (IB) as yet and are expecting their final results by August 2018 are eligible to apply for admission if they fulfill one of the following academic qualifications:
Successful completion of Matric with at least 70% marks or above and FA (Part-1) with 65% marks or above/FSc (Part-1)/ICS (Part-1)/ICOM (Part-1) with 70% marks or above.
O’ Levels* results (in at least 8 subjects) with an average grade of at least ‘B’ in all subjects attempted
American High School Diploma (HSD) (first year) with 70% or above/Grade point average ofB or above
International Baccalaureate (IB) (first year) at least 28 out of 45 points
Combination of the above
Any other equivalent qualification (minimum acceptable scores will be determined by the Admissions Committee)
If shortlisted for admission, applicants will be given a conditional offer. To join LUMS in Fall, along with other requirements specified by the Admissions Committee; applicants must subsequently meet one of the following academic conditions by August 2018:
Successful completion of FA (65% marks or above)/FSc/ICS/ICOM (70% marks or above)
A’ Levels in at least 3 principal subjects1 with at least 2 Bs and 1 C grade. No credit will be given for Advanced Subsidiary and General Paper.
American High School Diploma (minimum required grades for the 12th Grade HSD will be decided by the Admissions Committee)
International Baccalaureate at least 28 out of 45 points
Applicants admitted to LUMS and subsequently require HEC attestation of their UG degree must meet the conditions stipulated by the Higher Education Commission (HEC), Pakistan to get their Undergraduate degree attested. Details are available at the following link:
1 Principal subjects (Full credit courses. Details can be checked with the British Council)
* Minimum subjects requirement for O’levels may vary regionally and can be checked by visiting the following link: http://www.ibcc.edu.pk/equivalence.php.
Students may apply for admission to multiple schools through a single application. Applicants are required to mention their major preference(s) for BS Programme of SBASSE & BA/BSc.(Honours) Programme of MGSHSS & SDSB through the LUMS Online Admission Application form.
Students are admitted to a specific school from the beginning of the programme and are not assigned a major at the time of admission except those admitted to the BA-LL.B Programme in SAHSOL. Admission in a specific school is based on merit and the availability of seats.
Allocation of a preferred major cannot be guaranteed at the time of admission. Allocation of a major will be done according to the school’s policy and mainly determined by the students’ preference(s), their academic performance at LUMS and, in the case of MGSHSS, the capacity constraint in the subject area.
Students may request for a change in their programme/school at the end of first year at LUMS subject to academic performance and availability of space. However, such requests will be considered on a case to case basis by the concerned department.
Applicants who are admitted to, and join the LUMS UG programme having an assessed high need of financial assistance will be considered for the refund of paid SAT registration fee of one attempt.
Application processing fee waiver is available for applicants with high financial need. Decision to grant a fee waiver will be taken after evaluation.
Admission Test Requirement for Fall 2018 Admissions
(Classes Commencing August 2018)
Test Requirements for Local and Overseas Applicants
New SAT (with Essay) is mandatory for all applicants applying to the Suleman Dawood School of Business (SDSB), Mushtaq Ahmad Gurmani School of Humanities & Social Sciences (MGSHSS), Shaikh Ahmad Hassan School of Law (SAHSOL) for Fall 2018. The deadline to take SAT for Fall 2018 is March 10, 2018. Click here to register for the New SAT (with Essay). The Essay component of the New SAT will be required for the Fall 2018 applications.
Applicants taking SAT (with Essay) on or before December 2, 2017 and not planning to retake it in March 2018 will be considered for the First Round Offers.
Applicants planning to take SAT (with Essay) on March 10, 2018 will be considered for the Second Round Offers.
In order for your application to be considered complete and for LUMS to make an admission decision, have your official test scores submitted directly to LUMS by the testing agency, Educational Testing Service (ETS), USA on your behalf. The College code for reporting SAT scores to LUMS is 0513.
Important Note:
SAT taken after March 2018 will not be considered for Fall 2018 session.
SAT scores before March 2016 will not be considered for Fall 2018 admissions.
All applicants must attempt the Essay component of the New SAT for Fall 2018 admissions. SAT taken without Essay will not be considered for evaluation.
While registering for SAT, applicants must use the same name which is mentioned on the LUMS Admission application and other academic credentials. Using a different name may prevent your scores from matching the rest of your application in our database.
Applicants are required to report test scores of all attempts to the University by submitting a copy of score report(s). Best score of a single attempt will be considered for application evaluation.
Applicants who join the LUMS UG Programme and have an assessed high financial need will have their SAT registration fee refunded for one test attempt.
Supporting Documents Requirement for Fall 2018 Admissions
Applicants must submit complete online application form on or before January 16, 2018 5:00 pm (Pakistan Standard Time).
The deadline to submit all supporting documents along with the proof of payment of Admission Application Processing Fee in ONE Package is January 17, 2018
Application Processing Fee
The application processing fee is Rs. 5,000.
Payment Procedure
After the successful submission of the online application form through the LUMS Online account on or before the application submission deadline, applicants will be able to print a system generated Application Processing Fee payment voucher. The Processing Fee voucher will be generated on the next day of Application Submission. For further details regarding Fee payment options,Click here
Proof of Payment
A stamped copy of the payment voucher or a confirmation email of an online banking transaction constitutes proof of payment. Applicants are required to send a copy of payment proof along with all other required supporting documents in ONE package on or before the stipulated deadline.
Applicants must print and paste the “Mailing label” on the envelope before sending it to the LUMS Office of Admissions. Applications or documents received after the stipulated deadline will not be processed.
A merit ranking for interview short listing is established on academic performance and SAT scores of the candidates. Only short-listed candidates are called for interviews.
Admission to the LUMS Undergraduate Programme is highly competitive and the University is able to offer admission to only a small fraction of applicants.
For the programmes offered by the MGSHSS/SDSB/SBASSE/SAHSOL, submit an online admission application through the following link: https://admissions.lums.edu.pk
Applicants with diploma may apply if they have secured minimum 70% marks or above, however, they are required to submit equivalence certificate issued by the IBCC, Pakistan.
No, applicants are evaluated on their academic grades regardless of the fact whether someone has taken the final exam through a school/college or privately.
All admission decisions taken by the University are final. During admission evaluation process, some applicants are admitted, some are placed on a waiting list and the remaining applicants are denied admission. Acceptances are offered on a rolling basis between April to July. For this reason, your admission decision may arrive at a different time from a friend or classmate.
Applicants can mention their major preference(s) for BS Programme of SBASSE, BA/BSc. (Honours) Programme of SDSB, MGSHSS and BA-LL.B of SAHSOL through the online admission application form.
Applications are evaluated according to the preferences mentioned by applicants in this section. Based on the evaluation of each school, applicants are offered the highest preference they qualify for. This means that if an applicant qualifies for more than one school, one is sent an offer from the school of his highest qualified preference. Therefore, it is highly suggested to select school preferences very carefully.
Applicants appearing for the November 2017 retakes must check the result awaiting option in the online application. Applicants must inform Admission Office, the estimated time period in which the result of any retake exam will be announced.
Candidates who have either completed or are in the last year of completion of their education which does not lead to Matric/FA/ICS/ICOM/FSc. will be required to get an equivalence certificate from the Inter Board Committee of Chairmen (IBCC), Islamabad, Pakistan. For further information please contact:
Applicants must provide attested copies of original documents issued officially. Attestation of these documents is mandatory by concerned authority (School/College).
Documents sent to the Admissions Office cannot be returned as they are for administrative purposes. Please make sure to keep a copy for your own use before sending the documents to our office.
Yes, academic records from international universities if not in English must be accompanied by an official English translation along with other supporting documents
Since the number of students who accept our first round of admission offers varies each year, a small number of applicants stay on our wait list and in case space becomes available after the first round, students on the wait list are offered a place in the second round.
The New Redesigned SAT Reasoning Test (SAT I) is mandatory for all applicants applying to the Suleman Dawood School of Business (SDSB), Mushtaq Ahmad Gurmani School of Humanities & Social Sciences (MGSHSS), Shaikh Ahmad Hassan School of Law (SAHSOL). The Essay component of the New Redesigned SAT will be required for the Fall 2018 applications. SAT I Registration can be done online through the following link: https://www.collegeboard.org.
Local applicants applying to the Syed Babar Ali School of Science and Engineering (SBASSE) are required to take the following two admissions tests in order to be considered for admission:
New Redesigned SAT Reasoning Test (SAT I); and
LUMS SBASSE Subject Test;
The SBASSE Admission Test for admission to the Fall 2018 semester will be held ONLY ONCE on February 11, 2018.
The deadline to take New Redesigned SAT I for Fall 2018 is March 10, 2018.
Applicants residing outside Pakistan and currently studying or having completed their last year of schooling abroad are required to submit official results of the New Redesigned SAT Reasoning Test (SAT I) and at least 3 of the 4 SAT II subjects listed below:
Biology-M
Chemistry
Mathematics II-C
Physics
Applicants residing outside Pakistan and currently studying or having completed their last year of schooling abroad need to take all required SAT tests through College Board, USA latest by March 10, 2018 in order to be considered for admission. SAT scores must be reported to LUMS officially from the testing agency. The college code for reporting SAT scores to LUMS is 0513.
Applicants taking the SBASSE Admission test and also have taken (or are planning to take) the new SAT I and/or SAT II subject tests are encouraged to submit a copy of their SAT score reports as part of their admission application. The copy of the scores should be sent along with all other supporting documents OR reported directly from the College Board.
Applicants are required to report test scores of all attempts to the University by submitting a copy of score report(s). Best score of a single attempt will be considered for application evaluation.
In addition to New SAT (with Essay), subject knowledge in the area of Biology, Physics, Advanced Mathematics & Chemistry will also be evaluated through this test. Questions are designed to explore knowledge and skills acquired over a period of time. The test is designed to compare candidates with different academic backgrounds.
Difficulty Level: Admission Test is designed to determine the intellectual abilities of test takers. Questions will be at a difficulty level appropriate for students in the final year of A’ Levels/FSc./IB/HSD. They are typically Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs), similar to the pattern used in SAT. LUMS SBASSE Subject Test is approximately two (2) hours long. Calculators are not allowed during Admission Test.
LUMS reserves the right to use any test pattern that best meets its admission’s objectives. Instead of preparing for the test, we recommend getting a deep knowledge of fundamental principles and focusing on a good understanding of your school subjects.
The SBASSE Subject Test Registration can be done through the LUMS online application system at: http://admissions.lums.edu.pk on or before January 16, 2018, 5:00 pm (Pakistan Standard Time).
Note: The SBASSE Admission Test for admission to the Fall 2018 semester will be held ONLY ONCE on February 11, 2018.
After the successful submission of the online application form through the LUMS Online account on or before the application submission deadline, applicants will be able to print a system generated Application Processing and LUMS Test Registration (if applicable) Fee payment voucher. For further details regarding Fee payment options Click here
In cash, the next day by presenting the payment voucher along with the requisite amount at any Allied Bank branch throughout Pakistan.
Test cards will be available within the application in printable form starting February 02, 2018. If any applicant is unable to view his/her Test Registration Card despite completing all the requirements then he/she can write to us at helpdeskao@lums.edu.pk
Test Centre can only be changed in special circumstances (provided a reason) and the applicant must inform the Admission Office latest by January 23, 2018. No request later than the specified date will be entertained.
It is highly recommended to fill out the application form carefully. Changes cannot be made after the submission of online application. In sheer need an applicant can send the updated information to helpdeskao@lums.edu.pk with the specific header "Change in Application Form".
The admission process is a well deliberated and thorough process. Each year we receive a large number of outstanding applications. Unfortunately, all of them do not qualify because of the limited number of available seats. The decision regarding admission is final.
If your application is unsuccessful you will also receive a letter informing you of this. Due to the volume of applications the University receive, it is not possible to provide feedback on unsuccessful applications.
A mailing label has especially been designed for your convenience as it bears not only your name, tracking/application ID, schools applied to but also a complete address for correspondence. After the successful submission of your application form you will be able to print the mailing label. The LUMS Admissions Office will only accept a package that contains the “Mailing Label”.
Prospects
A B.A. in History opens up many possibilities. Students with an undergraduate degree in History shall find themselves qualified for work in the media, the public sector, in multilateral/non-governmental organisations and with advocacy groups. In addition, it is noteworthy that many students with a Humanities or Social Sciences degree from LUMS have gone on to find employment in the corporate and financial sector. A History degree is not an impediment to finding meaningful employment.
In addition, some students shall pursue graduate training leading to a life of teaching, research, and writing as professional historians. We encourage students to think carefully about further studies, although admittedly this is a path that requires many years in graduate school, extensive language training, and competing in an increasingly global academic job market.
