History

Degrees

Courses

HIS 131: Foundations of World Civilization

Class Program
History
Credits 3
This course is a survey of the history of mankind from its beginning to the present. Emphasis will be placed on the development of basic institutions, cultural achievements, and historical connections that help students to understand the present, and plan for the future.

HIS 132: Foundations of American Civilization

Class Program
History
Credits 3
This course is a survey of major developments in the Western Hemisphere from the fifteenth century to the present. Emphasis will be placed on the development of institutions that shaped the development of the U.S.

HIS 230: Historical Methods

Class Program
History
Credits 3
This course will introduce history majors to the discipline, and help prepare them to write a senior thesis. It will teach them how to read primary and secondary sources. It will discuss historiography and basic research methods, and offer practical experience using library resources and Internet resources. By the end of the semester, students should have some practical knowledge of how a historian works, how to research, and how to begin writing a thesis. A thesis topic should be chosen, and a bibliography well under way. This is a prerequisite for HIS 339. Fall.

HIS 231: The Ancient World

Class Program
History
Credits 3
This course studies the major ancient empires that formed the Western Tradition. Mesopotamia, Ancient Egypt, the Ancient Hebrews, Ancient Greece, and Ancient Rome.
Prerequisite Courses
HIS 131

HIS 331: The American Revolution and the Early Republic, 1776-1860

Class Program
History
Credits 3
This course studies the winning of Independence, the formation of the U.S. Constitution and the first party system, the Treaty of Ghent at the conclusion of the War of 1812, the Age of Jackson and the rise of the common man, sectionalism, and the second and third party systems.
Prerequisite Courses
HIS 132

HIS 332: The Medieval World, Renaissance, and Reformation

Class Program
History
Credits 3
This course studies the development of Europe after the fall of the Roman Empire in the West. Topics include Medieval Europe, the Dark Ages, the development of Christianity, the rise of Islam, the development of feudalism and centralized monarchies, the Renaissance, the Reformation, and the Wars of Religion.
Prerequisite Courses
HIS 131

HIS 333: The Age of Absolutism to the Modern World

Class Program
History
Credits 3
This course studies the development of Europe from 1648 to the present. Emphasis will be placed on the Scientific Revolution, the Enlightenment, the French Revolution, Napoleon, industrialization, imperialism, World War I, World War II, Cold War Europe, and modern times.
Prerequisite Courses
HIS 131

HIS 337: African American History I

Class Program
History
Credits 3
This course traces the history of African Americans from colonial times to the end of the Civil War. Emphasis is placed on the great Afro-Muslim empires, the African way of life prior to colonialism and imperialism, the Atlantic slave trade, slavery in America, and the Civil War. Fall.

HIS 338: African American History II

Class Program
History
Credits 3
This course traces the history of African Americans from Reconstruction to the present. The course is designed to study the history of Afro-Americans from the Reconstruction era to the present. Emphasis is placed on the contributions of blacks who wield political power, their controversies, and their progress. Spring.

HIS 339: Historical Research and Writing

Class Program
History
Credits 3
This course builds on the information and techniques learned in HIS 230. The course focuses on writing a thesis, revising the paper, and developing a presentation. Students will spend time with history faculty thesis advisors developing the paper. The final draft of the thesis will determine much of a student’s final grade for the course.
Prerequisite Courses
HIS 230
Semester Offered Spring

HIS 400: Seminar in History

Class Program
History
Credits 3
This seminar will be offered periodically on specialized topics in history. The course will actively involve students in class presentations and research topics.
Prerequisite Courses
HIS 131
HIS 132

HIS 431: Asian History

Class Program
History
Credits 3
This course is an in-depth study of the political, economic, and social factors, which have influenced the growth of Asian nations with special emphasis on India, China, Japan, and Korea.

HIS 433: Modern International History

Class Program
History
Credits 3
This course is an interpretation of the contemporary world covering the legacies of the twentieth century. Topics include political and military interactions, the developing economics of global power, the history of current ideological, cultural and social forces, the roles of individual personalities in history, and related topics.

HIS 435: Latin America and the Caribbean

Class Program
History
Credits 3
This course is an examination of the political, economic, and social factors that have influenced the growth of Latin America and the Caribbean from the coming of the Spanish to the present. Emphasis will be placed on problems and issues in Latin America development since independence.

HIS 436: African History

Class Program
History
Credits 3
This course is a survey of the history of the African continent from the earliest times to present. The course will examine traditional African political cultural systems, as well as the rise of modern African nations in the twentieth century. Fall.

HIS 439: Internship in History

Class Program
History
Credits 3 6
Students with departmental approval may be awarded 3-6 hours credit for successfully completing an approved and supervised internship. Departmental approval required.