Catalog Course Descriptions
The University Catalog is the authoritative source for information on courses. The Schedule of Classes is the authoritative source for information on classes scheduled for this semester. See the Schedule for the most up-to-date information and see Patriot web to register for classes.
History Courses
Undergraduate
History of Western civilization from ancient Mediterranean origins through medieval and modern development of Europe to contemporary world. Notes: Students who take HIST 100 may not receive credit for HIST 101 or HIST 102. Equivalent to HIST 101, HIST 102.
Evolution of Western culture from ancient Mediterranean world to formation of modern Europe in 17th century. Notes: Students may not receive credit for HIST 101 if they have taken HIST 100. Equivalent to HIST 101T.
History of Western institutions and ideas from 17th century to the present. Notes: Students may not receive credit for HIST 102 if they have taken HIST 100. Equivalent to HIST 100, HIST 102T.
Social, political, economic, and intellectual growth of American institutions from colonization through Reconstruction. Limited to three attempts.
History of the United States since 1877. Limited to three attempts.
By focusing on historical experiences that reflect the diversity of Mason’s student body, students will be able to see how their families and communities fit within, and contribute to, global history from the pre-modern period to our present day. This course offers a long-term historical perspective on structural issues challenging our world today, including demographic and environmental changes, national and global inequalities, and the underrepresentation of marginalized groups. Students will gain an understanding of how interconnections and inter-dependencies have been forged through the global movement of people, pathogens, goods, and ideas. Limited to three attempts.
Focuses on skills, methods of learning, and subject matter to introduce discipline of history. Notes: Topics vary. Equivalent to SYST 202.
Surveys history of China and Japan from prehistoric times to ca. 1600. Limited to three attempts.
Surveys history of China and Japan from early modern times (ca. 1600) to present. Limited to three attempts.
Focuses on the sub-Saharan region and examines evolving systems of kinship power, spirituality, and slavery. Explores the interactions between Africans and global influences from the religions of the book and colonialism to the politics of development and continuities and changes in production. HIST 261 surveys African history from the earliest times to 1800. HIST 262 surveys African history from 1800 to the present. Limited to three attempts.
Focuses on the sub-Saharan region and examines evolving systems of kinship power, spirituality, and slavery. Explores the interactions between Africans and global influences from the religions of the book and colonialism to the politics of development and continuities and changes in production. HIST 261 surveys African history from the earliest times to 1800. HIST 262 surveys African history from 1800 to the present. Limited to three attempts.
Surveys colonial era to 1825. Emphasizes interactions of United States, Latin America. Limited to three attempts.
Surveys development of independent Latin America since 1825. Emphasizes interactions of United States, Latin America. Limited to three attempts.
Survey of Middle Eastern history from rise of Islam to present, emphasizing processes that led to emergence of economic, cultural, social, and political institutions that characterize region today. Surveys period from rise of Islam in 570 to medieval period (ca. 1258) Limited to three attempts.
Survey of Middle Eastern history from rise of Islam to present, emphasizing processes that led to emergence of economic, cultural, social, and political institutions that characterize region today. Surveys medieval period to present. Limited to three attempts.
Introduces research skills and methods, as well as historical interpretation, culminating in written and oral presentations. Notes: Topics vary according to instructor. History majors strongly urged to take HIST 300 as soon as possible after reaching 30 credits. Grade of C or better is required to graduate with BA in history. Students may repeat HIST 300 only with permission from the Department of History and Art History and repetitions are limited. Limited to three attempts.
Political, social, economic, and cultural history of classical Greece from development of the city-state through 5th century. Limited to three attempts.
Political, social, economic, and cultural history of classical Rome from founding of the city through fall of Roman republic. Limited to three attempts.
Survey of development of European society from collapse of Roman rule in 5th century to advent of Black Death in 14th century. Emphasizes political, social, cultural, and intellectual growth of society that developed from Roman, Catholic, and Germanic roots. Limited to three attempts.
Survey considering Renaissance as phenomenon rather than chronological period. Emphasizes growth of humanism in Italy in 14th and 15th centuries, development of new political concepts, and laicization of society. Includes transmission of these developments to transalpine Europe in late 15th and 16th centuries. Limited to three attempts.
Late medieval ecclesiastical conditions and reform movements, late scholasticism, Protestant Reformation, Catholic Reformation, dynastic rivalries, and religious wars. Concludes with Peace of Westphalia. Limited to three attempts.
Political, social, economic, and cultural history of Europe from 1648 to 1815. Crisis of authority, consolidation of the state, absolutism, colonial expansion, the Scientific Revolution and the Enlightenment, and the French Revolution and Napoleon. Limited to three attempts.
History of Europe from Congress of Vienna to outbreak of World War I. Limited to three attempts.
Two world wars, the Great Depression, and political and cultural revolutions transformed Europe as never before. Explores causes and consequences of these tumultuous events, and concludes with consideration of reconstruction that caps period. Limited to three attempts.
Examines history of modern Eastern Europe from mid-19th century through collapse of communist regimes in 1989, and includes focus on Yugoslav wars of 1990s. Nationalism provides organizing theme; topic approached through literature, political, social, cultural, and new media sources. Class sessions emphasize discussion of central issues and sources. Limited to three attempts.
Political, diplomatic, economic, social, and cultural development of Germany from dissolution of Holy Roman Empire to present. Limited to three attempts.
Students will use case histories to explore the cultural and social aspects of global STEM development during the Scientific and Industrial Revolutions, roughly the period from 1700 to 1900. Students will be required to critically analyze articles, books chapters, other readings and media, and articulate their findings and viewpoints in classroom and online discussions and presentations. They will also work in a team project which will present its results to the class in live and online formats. Limited to three attempts.
This course covers the history of modern architecture in the Western world from the mid-19th century to the present. Introduces movements such as Art Nouveau, Futurism, Modernism, and Post-Modernism in their political, social, and cultural contexts. Limited to three attempts.
Although Adolf Hitler governed Germany for only twelve years, the Nazi state remains one of the most intensively studied regimes in modern history. This course will cover the history of Nazi Germany, examining the rise of National Socialism in the Weimar Republic, elements of Nazi rule, World War II, the Holocaust, and the global effects of Nazism in postwar Europe and the United States. Limited to three attempts.
Students examine the Holocaust – the term commonly used to denote the destruction of European Jewry during World War II – within the contexts of twentieth-century European, Jewish, and global history. The first part of the course, “History,” analyzes the steps leading to the genocide of the Jews in Europe as well as the factors that enabled its implementation, focusing on the on the interaction of victims, perpetrators, and witnesses/bystanders. The second half of the course, “Meaning,” deals thematically with contemporary interpretations and literary and visual representations of the Holocaust and its meaning, looking at issues of testimony and how the tension between history and memory affects how we can learn about the violence and mass murder. Limited to three attempts.
Surveys two centuries of French history presenting an introduction to the multidisciplinary study of culture, politics, and society. Course begins with the 1789 French Revolution, covering the nation’s long and difficult transition to democracy and ends with the consideration of enduring discourses of liberty, equality, and secularism in the contemporary political and social landscape. Covers major events such as revolutions, wars, and uprisings, as well as the experiences of ordinary citizens, social practices, and cultural techniques. Limited to three attempts.
History of Britain from mid-18th century to present. Focuses on social, political, and economic transformations of industrialization; culture of 19th-century industrial society; problems of late 19th-century economic competition and imperialism; creation of welfare state; and experience of post-World War II political, social, and economic realignments. Limited to three attempts.
Uses primary sources to examine the growth and development of the medieval kingdom of England and its place within the British Isles and on the wider European stage in the English Middle Age (1066-1314). Topics to be considered include: the nature of medieval kingship in England, origins of parliament, the development of common law, English relations with Wales, Scotland and Ireland, change and continuity in medieval Christianity, the methods and sources by which modern historians study the medieval past. Limited to three attempts.
Uses digital technologies to examine the political, economic, religious, scientific, cultural, and social transformations of 16th and 17th centuries in England with emphasis on how people attempted to understand and thrive amidst rebellions and dynastic drama, religious uncertainty and massacres, plagues and famines, continent-wide wars, and seaborne invasions. Demonstrates how this struggle for survival lay the foundations for a British Empire and its colonies, including America. Limited to three attempts.
Examines Josef Stalin and Stalinism as a political, economic, social, and cultural system, with a focus on the period from Lenin's death in 1924 through Stalin's death in 1953. Explores the history of rapid industrialization, collectivization of agriculture, famine, terror, war, Cold War, and human suffering in the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe. Limited to three attempts.
Analyzes the Soviet Union, the Cold War "enemy" of the United States, from victory in World War II under Joseph Stalin through collapse in 1991. Studies the fifteen independent countries that emerged from the Soviet collapse, including Russia, the Baltic States, Ukraine, Belarus, Moldova, Central Asia, and the Caucasus, which continue to influence world politics and culture today. Limited to three attempts.
Political, social, and cultural development of Russia from early times to the end of the 19th century. Limited to three attempts.
Russia and the Soviet Union from the early 20th century to the present. Focuses on the Russian Revolution and the political, social, cultural, and economic developments of the Soviet and post-Soviet eras. Limited to three attempts.
Examines history of crime, the development of criminal law, and how the criminal justice system developed in the US beginning in the mid-nineteenth century. Topics include changing ideas about illicit behavior, shifts in the scope, operation and limits of state power, and how social, economic, and political structures shaped the actions of individuals are explored by analyzing how newspapers reported offenses such as murder, assault, rape, theft, counterfeiting and arson. Limited to three attempts.
In this course, students will analyze texts that Americans have treated as “scripture.” Students will read texts that present themselves as scripture, such as selections from the Book of Mormon and a Holy Sacred and Divine Roll and Book (a Shaker text). They will also read texts that have attained a sort of canonicity within American culture, such as the Declaration of Independence and Martin Luther King Jr.’s “Letter from Birmingham Jail.” Students will thus gain more than a valuable familiarity with a variety of American religious traditions. They will also reflect on the way that, even in a digital age, texts continue to shape American identity. Equivalent to RELI 334.
History of African American experience in United States including African origins; trans-Atlantic slave trade; development of slavery in colonial, revolutionary, and antebellum periods; abolitionist movements; and African American participation in Civil War and during Reconstruction. Limited to three attempts.
History of African American life in post-slavery America, and rise and consequences of racial segregation in 19th and 20th centuries. Examines African American response to continued racial inequality and repression. Covers great migration, urbanization, black nationalism, and civil rights era, as well as contemporary debates about race. Limited to three attempts.
Examines development of baseball in U.S. context of labor, intellectual, economic and political events including racial segregation. Limited to three attempts.
Explores history of basketball in the United States since the late 1800s. Examines how basketball reflects and informs attitudes toward race, ethnicity, gender, and national identity. Possible topics include YMCA movement, Jews in basketball, racial segregation, growth of college basketball, international politics, evolution of black aesthetic, ABA-NBA merger, women's basketball, Magic Johnson-Larry Bird rivalry, Michael Jordan, and basketball's professionalization, commercialization, and globalization. Limited to three attempts.
Examines the roots of American sport in colonial play and recreation, the emergence of organized and national sports, issues of gender and race in the sporting world, and the intersection of U.S. sport with events such as the Civil Rights Movement and the Cold War. Limited to three attempts.
Traces history of American participation in the Olympics from 1896 to the present. Topics may include American leadership in the Olympic Movement, the historical legacy of American Olympic host cities, American Imperialism, Nazism, issues of race, gender and ethnicity in the Olympics, the Cold War and Olympic boycotts, and commercialization of sport. Limited to three attempts.
This course examines the history of African American women in antebellum America, both the general experiences of enslaved and nominally free women, and the lives of noted women who were involved in the public arena as orators, writers, preachers, abolitionists and women's rights activists. Within the context of the national political debates and compromises that took place on the issue of slavery and the status of free blacks, the course uses an intersectional analysis in examining the effect of gender, class and race on the development of ideologies concerning abolition, colonization, women’s rights and enslavement. Limited to three attempts.
The course examines the underlying causes of the increased violence and oppression African Americans faced post-Reconstruction and the organizational responses of blacks to the drastic curtailment of their basic rights. During this period of Jim Crow ascendancy, African American life was circumscribed by race riots and lynching, police brutality, segregation, job exclusion, housing discrimination, unequal educational opportunities and disfranchisement. Race and gender ideology figured prominently in white justification for violence and the restrictions meted out against blacks. In addition to examining the changing political and economic conditions that gave rise to various protest and civil rights organizations and movements, the course analyzes the different personalities and ideologies of leaders in these organizations, explores the divisions that sometimes impeded a movement’s effectiveness, and investigates the gendered meanings of what it meant to be black and white in America. Limited to three attempts.
At the turn of the 20th century popular culture categorized African American women as desexualized Mammies or immoral Jezebels. These devastating depictions were also linked to the myth of black men as hypersexual rapists of white women whose image was infused with a heightened purity. This course examines the simultaneous struggles of black women to defend their name and fight all forms of race and sex proscriptions from the turn of the century period of Jim Crow segregation and disfranchisement through the Civil Rights and Black Power Movements of the 1960s. This course establishes that the activism of women was central to struggles to overturn segregation, end lynching, and secure political and civil rights. The course explores the effects of sexist and racist ideologies on their lives and activism, the changes in their economic and political status, the legal and social barriers they faced, and the ways in which they were defined within families and within popular culture. Limited to three attempts.
Explores the intersection of sport history and film and how feature movies, documentaries, shorts, and newsreels can be used to study U.S. history as well as global history. Among the subjects examined are sport and early filmmaking; global issues of race, class, ethnicity, gender, doping, and identity in sport; intercollegiate athletics; amateurism; nationalism; international politics; mythmaking; hero-worship; and historical comparisons of sports systems worldwide. Limited to three attempts.
History of women and their changing status and gender roles in American society from colonial period through "second wave" of feminism in 1970s. Explores images and lives of women of different class, ethnic, and regional origins. Also focuses on women's political, economic, and legal conditions, and changes in them. Limited to three attempts.
History of South to outbreak of Civil War, with particular emphasis on rise of sectionalism. Focuses on development of distinct Southern culture through emergence of economic, political, social, agricultural, and intellectual institutions. Limited to three attempts.
History of South during Reconstruction, Redeemer era, and New South, with particular emphasis on race relations. Covers political, economic, cultural, and intellectual development from aftermath of war. Limited to three attempts.
China from earliest times to period of modern Western intrusion. Development of traditional Chinese culture, society, and government. Limited to three attempts.
China from 1644 to the People's Republic of China. Emphasizes coming of West and various stages of Chinese reaction. Limited to three attempts.
Japan from Meiji Restoration to World War II. Emphasizes Japan's modernization in face of challenge. Limited to three attempts.
History of Japan from World War II to present. Examines Japanese experience of several key moments: Japan's defeat in Pacific War, reconstruction during U.S. occupation, rise to economic prominence during 1960s and 1970s, and cultural and international identity crisis during 1980s and 1990s. Limited to three attempts.
Puts People's Republic of CHINA (PRC) into historical context by assessing legacies of China's socialist revolution (1949-1976) and post-socialist reforms (1978-present). Explores revolutionary heritage of the Chinese Communist Party, goals and agendas of china's socialist state, ideologies and policies shaping urban and rural development, individual agency and responses to revolutionary mass mobilization and market reforms. Limited to three attempts.
Explores the historical processes that led to the rise of African kingdoms, colonialism, industrialization, resistance movements, and legalized segregation. Limited to three attempts.
During the twentieth century, Latin America witnessed both peaceful political movements and violent revolutions aimed at redressing economic inequalities and creating a more just society. This course will consider several of these movements in comparative perspective: the Mexican Revolution, the Allende government in Chile, the Cuban and Nicaraguan Revolutions, the Chavez regime in Venezuela. Limited to three attempts.
Examines forms of conquest and colonization practiced by Aztec, Inca, Spanish, and Portuguese in what is now Latin America. Includes role of ideology and religion in imperial rule, use of warfare to create empires and colonies, and implementation of political and economic systems to rule subject people. Limited to three attempts.
Examines systems of slavery from ancient world to modern world, with special emphasis on Atlantic slave trade and slave societies in Latin America and Anglo America. Considers impact of slaves and slavery on cultural, economic, and political systems in Africa and Americas from 16th to 19th centuries. Limited to three attempts.
Examines war and American society from the colonial period to the post-Cold War era, including how military institutions, war, and the preparation for war have affected American society, and how Americans have thought about military service, experience war, and made peace through their history. Special emphasis on civil-military relations and the role of war and militarism in American culture. Limited to three attempts.
Analyzes the history of the American Civil War from its origins in the late 18th century to the withdrawal of federal troops from the south in 1877. Examines the political, social, and economic issues that led to war; the home fronts, war leadership, diplomacy, combat motivation, and grand strategy; problems associated with reconstituting the nation's political institutions; and the integration of millions of newly freed slaves. Limited to three attempts.
Explores the variety of ways that Americans experienced the early Cold War, the period from the end of WWII to the presidency of JFK. Addresses the question of how the Cold War changed American politics and culture by examining the construction of the Cold War order, both at home and abroad, through the politics of international confrontation, the Korean War, McCarthyism, and the policies of the Truman and Eisenhower administrations, as well as such social developments as consumerism and suburbanization, the feminist movement, the nascent counterculture, and the civil rights movement. Limited to three attempts.
Covers the causes, major events, and legacies of America's Vietnam War, including an introduction to Vietnamese history and culture, American decisions for war, strategy and major military engagements, diplomacy and peace talks, and the aftermath of the conflict in Vietnam and United States. Limited to three attempts.
Examines history of aviation from origins to the present in the context of culture, economics, politics, society, technology and war. Addresses such topics as the emergence of aerospace engineering as a profession, the evolution of aerospace technology and growth of the industry, military aviation, the Space Race, and aviation art, literature, music and film. Limited to three attempts.
Examines how factors like colonialism, capitalism, and fossil fuel extraction contributed to the emergence of global warming to demonstrate how the tools of historical inquiry can help navigate the present-day climate crisis. Limited to three attempts.
Examines Hollywood films as historical sources that reveal the social, political, cultural and economic landscapes of their historical moment. Explores the ways films participate in pressing national debates over gender, race and ethnicity , and national security. Limited to three attempts.
Examines the role of literature and narrative in addressing and redressing violent pasts. Understanding these narratives as acts of collective social remembering, the course reveals the power of memory to challenge dominant historical narratives. We will consider how these narratives challenge the way readers think about the past and its relationship to the present and future. Limited to three attempts.
Exlpores the history of Christianity around the world in the context of political and social structures as well as religious beliefs and practices. Limited to three attempts.
Focuses on career choices and effective self-presentation for soon-to-be graduating students with majors in the humanities. Explores how skills typically learned in humanities majors can be leveraged for a successful transition to post-graduation employment. Equivalent to ENGH 303, FRLN 309, PHIL 393, UNIV 420.
Study of historical topics of special interest. Notes: Topics announced in advance. May be repeated for credit when topic is different. May be repeated within the term.
Study of historical topics or periods of special interest in global, Latin American, African, Asian, or Middle Eastern history. Notes: Topics announced in advance. May be repeated for credit when topic is different. May be repeated within the term.
Study of historical topics or periods of special interest. Notes: Topics announced in advance. May be repeated for credit when topic is different. May be repeated within the term.
Study of historical topics or periods of special interest. Notes: Topics announced in advance. May be repeated for credit when topic is different. May be repeated within the term.
Teaches the fundamentals of information technology within the context of a history course. Students learn fundamentals and skills as well as how our society became so enamored of and dependent on these knowledge and information tools. Understanding a new technology requires understanding how new technologies transform the societies that embrace them. Emphasizes the use of free and open-source software whenever possible. Limited to three attempts.
Discovery and settlement of Virginia. Colonial period with emphasis on development of representative government and race relations, Golden Age of Virginia dynasty, and coming of Civil War. Limited to three attempts.
Study of historical periods or topics from perspective of feature films and documentaries. Notes: Topics available in advance from the department. May be repeated when topic is different. A maximum of 6 credits may be applied to the BA in history. May be repeated within the term for a maximum 6 credits.
Explores major events in the making of the modern world from a global perspective, with emphasis on interconnections and the historical development of power, authority, and governance. Limited to three attempts.
Introduces students to issues and methods in digital history through study of a particular topic May be repeated within the term for a maximum 15 credits.
Explores the role of historical memory in shaping public perceptions of the past, with emphasis on museums , monuments, and other public and popular culture expressions of historical information and themes. Limited to three attempts.
Introduces students to issues and methods in preserving history and presenting historical information to a variety of audiences through museum exhibits, websites, public commemorations, and other means. May be repeated within the term for a maximum 9 credits.
Intended for participation in formally organized course offered by Center for Global Education during intersession or spring break. Notes: May be repeated with permission of department. May be repeated within the degree for a maximum 6 credits.
Approved work-study programs in cooperation with specific organizations including area museums; archives; historic sites; and local, state, and federal agencies. Notes: Credit determined by department. May be repeated within the degree for a maximum 9 credits.
Intensive study of colonial American history from European origins through Revolutionary War. Limited to three attempts.
Study of formative years of new republic from Treaty of Paris of 1783 to election of 1820. Limited to three attempts.
Overview of history of Arab-Israeli conflict. Examines conflict from various perspectives: over land and between competing nationalisms and identities; in terms of national interests of various states, including Israelis and Palestinians as well as other Arab governments and great powers; and in terms of peace making and conflict resolution. Some knowledge of history of Middle East since World War I strongly advised. Limited to three attempts.
Surveys history of women in Islamic society from rise of Islam to present day. Examines historical processes that affected role and status of women in society, and specific topics around which issues of gender status and identity coalesced, especially in modern period. Limited to three attempts.
Political, social, and cultural history of Middle East since World War I. Emergence of Israel, Arab nationalism, and political and economic influence of Middle East in world affairs. Limited to three attempts.
Students must have completed at least one course in the field, or with the professor, chosen for these honors courses. Notes: The 3 reading credits should be taken before 3 research credits, though they may be taken concurrently. Either may be taken concurrently with HIST 499. Linked, individualized courses, usually given by same instructor. Involves directed readings. Limited to three attempts.
Students must have completed at least one course in the field, or with the professor, chosen for these honors courses. Notes: The 3 reading credits should be taken before 3 research credits, though they may be taken concurrently. Either may be taken concurrently with HIST 499. Linked, individualized courses, usually given by same instructor. Culminates in research paper related to subject of readings. Limited to three attempts.
Readings, research conducted on individual basis in consultation with instructor. Notes: Only 3 credits may be applied to credits for degree. May be repeated within the term for a maximum 6 credits.
Research on specialized historical topic culminating in seminar paper and oral presentation. Synthesis course; students expected to integrate knowledge and skills acquired in Mason Core courses. Notes: Subject determined by instructor. Student may present no more than 3 credits for graduation credit. Must receive passing grade to graduate with BA in history. Limited to three attempts.
Study of historical topics of special interest. Notes: Topics announced in advance. May be repeated for credit when topic is different. May be repeated within the term.
Study of historical topics or periods of special interest in global, Latin American, African, Asian, or Middle Eastern history. Notes: Topics announced in advance. May be repeated for credit when topic is different. May be repeated within the term.
Study of historical topics or periods of special interest. Notes: Topics announced in advance. May be repeated for credit when topic is different. May be repeated within the term.
Study of historical topics or periods of special interest. Notes: Topics announced in advance. May be repeated for credit when topic is different. May be repeated within the term.
Study of historical periods or topics from perspective of feature films and documentaries. Notes: Topics available in advance from the department. May be repeated when topic is different. A maximum of 6 credits may be applied to the BA in history. May be repeated within the term for a maximum 6 credits.
Graduate
Introduces historical study of world beyond Europe and United States. Students read major theoretical works and case studies of particular regions. Examines imperialism, national identity, and various forms of popular resistance; familiarizes students with range of scholarly approaches, including world systems theory and subaltern studies. May not be repeated for credit.
Analysis of selected problems. Emphasizes reading and discussion of historical interpretations, and development of bibliography. Notes: May be repeated for credit when topic is different. May be repeated within the term.
Investigates selected problems in global and comparative history, covering multiple countries or world regions. Notes: May be repeated for credit when topic is different. May be repeated within the term.
Discussion of readings and historical interpretations and compilation of a comprehensive bibliography on given theme. Notes: Topics announced by instructor. May be repeated for credit when topic is different. May be repeated within the term.
Analysis of selected problems in African history. Emphasis on reading and discussion of historical interpretations and development of bibliography. Notes: May be repeated for credit when topic is different. May be repeated within the term.
Introduces students to the central issues and debates surrounding the study of the Middle East, Islam, and Muslim societies. Covers key methodological issues including the role of area studies vis-a-vis disciplinary approaches and debates on the politics of knowledge production and historiography. May not be repeated for credit.
Explores the interaction between the Christian East, the Muslim World and the Christian West. Examines primary sources (in translation) and secondary sources that render a wide spectrum of ideologies and scholarship on the crusading movement. Emphasizes cultural interaction and transmission, warfare and coexistence between competing societies from Western Europe, Byzantium, and the Middle East. May not be repeated for credit.
Analyzes selected problem. Emphasizes reading and discussion of historical interpretations, and development of bibliography. Notes: May be repeated for credit when topic is different. May be repeated within the term.
Addresses specific topics in applied history selected by the instructor, with emphasis on combining theoretical analysis and readings with attention to practices and skills of applied history. May be repeated within the degree for a maximum 15 credits.
Intended for participation in formally organized course offered by the Center for Global Education. May be repeated within the term for a maximum 6 credits.
Survey of European history from 1815 to present. Designed for individuals entering graduate program who need to strengthen preparation in this area, or who seek to enhance knowledge of latest interpretations in field. Stresses factual knowledge and its interpretation. May not be repeated for credit.
Methodology of the historian including techniques of research, use of documentation and other sources, development of bibliography, and synthesis of material. May not be repeated for credit.
Examines European colonization in North America from a variety of perspectives, including cultural interaction, exchange, and conflict among Native, European, and African peoples, the political, social, economic, and cultural development of European colonies, and historical interpretations of the colonial era within national, continental, Atlantic, and world-historical frameworks. May not be repeated for credit.
Readings and discussion of bibliographies, interpretations, and research trends in topics selected by instructor. Notes: May be repeated for credit when topic is different. May be repeated within the term.
Joint project of instructor and students into various aspects of common topic in Civil War era, with emphasis on historiography and historical method. May not be repeated for credit.
Survey of social, cultural, intellectual, economic, and political changes in United States during period of rapid growth and expansion. Topics include second-party system; growth of sectionalism, nationalism, and expansionism; industrialization and spread of market economy; rise of romantic reform and evangelical religion; and growth of abolitionist and proslavery movements. May not be repeated for credit.
Investigates breakdown of Confederation, Constitutional Convention, and role of revolutionary ideology of republicanism. Discusses leadership and policies of republic in hostile international context. Students read extensively in monographic literature and prepare research paper. May not be repeated for credit.
Provides a graduate level survey of the major themes and trends in the historical literature on the U.S. South since 1865. Topics covered include Jim Crow, the New Deal, the long Civil Rights movement, the rise of the Sunbelt, and the changing role of the South in national politics. May not be repeated for credit.
Explores political, social, economic, and cultural elements of life in the United States from World War II to the Reagan era. Traces debates over the legacy of the New Deal, considering such topics as race relations, business interests, Communism, crime, and war to build a complex, if not comprehensive, understanding of the postwar period. (Chronological field: US since 1914) May not be repeated for credit.
Examines the history of civil rights and citizenship in modern America. Considers the civil rights of African Americans, immigrants, Native Americans, the disabled, the LGBTQ+ community, poor people, and the incarcerated. By comparing these different movements, teaches the history of citizenship--both its rights and obligations--in modern American society. May not be repeated for credit.
Examines disasters as lived experiences and cultural constructions from the seventeenth century to the industrial era. Presents so-called natural disasters as partly the result of human agency. Shows how that storms, fires, and other unfortunate events become “disasters” only when they intersect with human lives. Uses case studies of disasters to explore their larger cultural and social contexts. (Chronological fields: US pre-1861, US 1861-1914, US since 1914, Europe pre-1789, Europe 1789-1914, Europe since 1914, LatAm/Caribbean) May not be repeated for credit.
Examines history of United States from 1877 to 1918, with attention to history of reform movements and politics, and social history of the period. Familiarizes with major issues and historical literature of the period. May not be repeated for credit.
Wide-ranging survey of burgeoning field of women's history, emphasizing critical evaluation of sources and interpretation. Readings represent variety of approaches, which may include material culture studies, medical history, history of sexuality, political history, and social and cultural history. May not be repeated for credit.
Examines history and historiography of revolutionary era, with special emphasis on social and ideological interpretations of period. Includes events leading to War for Independence, war itself, and social and political effects of war on American society. May not be repeated for credit.
Examines Reconstruction as an era in which the federal government became increasingly powerful, but also one in which people on the ground, including former slave and rebels, western settlers, and Natives were able to resist or overthrow its actions. Addresses the rise of liberal individualism and the freedom of contract, as well as the way events on the ground resulted in more regionally focused, pragmatic understandings of rights. May not be repeated for credit.
Considers issues of United States between the two world wars. Explores various ways issues complemented and contradicted each other in rich and complex historical era. May not be repeated for credit.
Investigates selected problems. Readings, discussions, development of bibliographies. Primary sources used where possible. Notes: May be repeated for credit when topic is different. May be repeated within the term.
Explores themes in European history over the long nineteenth century, from the French Revolution to the eve of World War I. Examines the intersecting strands of political, social, intellectual, and cultural movements through topics such as industrialization and labor; class relations; urbanization and urbanism; nationalism and imperialism; gender and early feminism; science, technology, and medicine; mass culture and consumption. May not be repeated for credit.
Examines the emergence of the modern metropolis in Europe and the U.S. between the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. Studies individual cities and urban life in depth to address themes such as public health and hygiene, architecture and urban planning, technology, spectacles, environment, gender, race, and class. May not be repeated for credit.
The Renaissance as a unique period in European cultural history from ca. 1350 to 1520. Concentrates on Italian situation as standard, with consideration given to manifestations of Renaissance in northern Europe, especially Germany, until Reformation. Focuses on recent studies of political, social, intellectual, and religious changes. Students write class reports and a larger bibliographic paper. May not be repeated for credit.
Explores differing interpretations of the history of Stalinism. Topics include Soviet ideology, terror, Stalinist culture and society, the politicization of everyday life, industrialization and urbanization, family and gender politics, nationalities policies, and foreign policy—all of which combined to create the strange new culture that has been called Stalinism. May not be repeated for credit.
Explores classic and contemporary interpretations of Nazi Germany. Covers the rise of Nazism in the Weimar Republic, elements of Nazi rule including persecution of racial and social outsiders, World War II, the Holocaust, and the aftereffects of Nazism in postwar Europe. May not be repeated for credit.
Explores German history from the end of World War II until the Fall of the Berlin Wall. Introduces scholarship on both East and West Germany, asking how the Cold War shaped each Germany’s path, how ordinary people engaged in the geopolitical struggles of the Cold War, and how national and international priorities intersected in the two German states. May not be repeated for credit.
Explores the interactions between state power and technology in the United States and Europe in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, considering such areas as public health, infrastructure, scientific research, and national security. May not be repeated for credit.
Explores the history of medicine through its intersections with other political, social, and cultural developments, focusing on Europe and the U.S., late 18th to 20th centuries. Topics include the historical and social constructions of disease and wellness; cultural components of illness; politics of public health and hygiene; social determinants of health; medical technologies and their ethical, social, and cultural implications. May not be repeated for credit.
Explores the various ways in which historians have conceptualized the shift from early modernity to modernity. Focuses on two geographic regions: Western Europe, whose historical experience gave rise to most of the models of modernization, and East Asia, where many of those models have been applied in an attempt to test their universality. May not be repeated for credit.
Examines sexuality and gender identity, their relationship, and how they have changed over time, as well as why and how different regimes, including contemporary structures, regulate sexuality and gender. May not be repeated for credit.
Dimensions of religion and religious experience in early America, from the beginnings of European settlement into the mid-to-late nineteenth century. May not be repeated for credit.
Dimensions of religion and religious experience in the United States, from the mid-to-late nineteenth century through recent decades. May not be repeated for credit.
Readings and discussion of bibliographies, interpretations, and research trends in U.S. religious history. Topics selected by the instructor. Notes: May be repeated when topic is different. May be repeated within the degree for a maximum 6 credits.
Examines recent historiographical debates in the field of US Indigenous history and situates Indigenous peoples within the broader context of US cultural, social, and political history. Introduces students to various historical methodologies for working with Indigenous peoples as well as the politics of Indigenous history. May not be repeated for credit.
Examines the roots and course of the most catastrophic war in human history. Analyzes the political, ideological, economic, and moral dimensions of the conflict, with special attention to the experience and perspectives of civilians and soldiers caught up in the fighting. Explores the way that memory of the war evolved in the decades since its conclusion. May not be repeated for credit.
Considers the causes, major events, and historiographic debates of America's Vietnam War including the war's antecedents in Vietnamese history, American decisions for war, strategy and major military engagements, the American antiwar movement, and diplomacy and peace talks. May not be repeated for credit.
Explores the evolving relationship between the elected civilian government and the military charged with protecting it. Draws on history, political science, and sociology to explore the theory, practice, pitfalls, and tradeoffs involved in maintaining a military system to defend a democratic state. May not be repeated for credit.
Considers various approaches to the study of public or collective memory as it pertains to war, in particular how people around the world have constructed memories of war and how those memories have been expressed in literature, popular culture, memorials, and commemorative activities. May not be repeated for credit.
Introduces students to key concepts, tools, and practices of digital humanities. May not be repeated for credit.
Covers specific topics in history and new media selected by the instructor, with an emphasis on combining theoretical analysis and readings with hands-on projects and problem-solving. Notes: May be repeated for credit when topic is different. May be repeated within the term for a maximum 12 credits.
Examines what happens when instructors integrate new media technology into history classroom. Includes consideration of learning theory, new media theory, and an in-depth examination of state-of-the-art in practice. In the final third of semester, students produce practicum that is either working history teaching web site or concept paper for site, depending on student's degree of technical sophistication. No prior facility with information technology required. Course appropriate for graduate students working as teachers or planning career in teaching. May not be repeated for credit.
Introduces principles and practices of managing records and administering archival and manuscript collections, public and private. Designed for graduate students with special interest in historical sources as well as for those specializing in applied history. May not be repeated for credit.
General introduction to museums of history and museum studies in the United States, intended for interested citizen as well as for assistance to students in course and career choices. Explores development, present state, and future possibilities of U.S. Museums, with some reference to international developments. May not be repeated for credit.
Introduces fundamentals of historical editing of documents, including microform, word processing, and computer techniques. Designed for those seeking introduction to various areas of applied history, and those intending to edit historical documents for publication. May not be repeated for credit.
General introduction to historic preservation in the United States, intended for interested citizen and to assist students in course and career choices. Explores development, present state, and future possibilities of historic preservation in the United States, with some reference to international aspects of preservation. May not be repeated for credit.
Introduces students to the theories and methods central to doing digital public history, and develops the skills necessary for students to plan and execute their own projects. Topics include digital strategy development, developing effective digital exhibits, describing and publishing digital collections, mobile computing and curating the landscape, creating participatory history projects, and effective methods for evaluating digital public history work. May not be repeated for credit.
Students with limited computer competency should consult department before enrolling. Introduces changes that new media and technologies are bringing to how we research, write, present, and teach about the past. Students explore theoretical and historical issues as well as learn hands-on skills in digital history. Notes: Students with limited computer competency should consult with department before enrolling. May not be repeated for credit.
Introduces students how to create, computationally analyze, and publish historical data. Students explore theoretical and historical issues as well as learn programming skills. Notes: Students with limited computer competency should consult with department before enrolling. May not be repeated for credit.
Introduces students to the basics of software development and its deployment within the field of digital history. Students explore theoretical and historical issues as well as learn the basics of software development. Note: Students with limited computer competency should consult with department before enrolling. May not be repeated for credit.
All internship placements must be approved by the department to ensure suitability to student's program. Introduces applied history through work and study at historical museum, site, library archive, editing project, or other approved agency. May be repeated within the degree for a maximum 6 credits.
Exposes students to various projects in digital history through work and study at the Center for History and New Media. All placements must be approved by CHNM to ensure the suitability of students and projects. May be repeated within the degree for a maximum 12 credits.
Independent reading on topic agreed to by student and faculty member. May be repeated within the degree for a maximum 6 credits.
Research in specialized topics using primary sources. May be repeated for credit when topic is different, or with same topic with permission of the department. Equivalent to HIST 711.
Intended for students in department's predoctoral track who are not writing master's thesis. Goal is to produce substantial and original contribution to historical knowledge on model of article in scholarly journal. May not be repeated for credit.
HIST 799:
Thesis (1-6 Credits)
Master's thesis research and writing under direction of faculty committee. May be repeated within the degree.
Independent readings for PhD students on topic agreed on by student and instructor, taken in preparation for completing major field exam. Should be broadly comprehensive of field, and cover major historical themes and historiographical debates. May be repeated within the term for a maximum 20 credits.
Independent readings for PhD students on topic agreed on by student and instructor, taken in preparation for completing minor field statement. Designed to help student master literature of subfield that is subject of field statement. May be repeated within the term for a maximum 20 credits.
Introduces array of scholars and scholarship through discussions of innovative historical events, important theories, and significant methodological breakthroughs in history. May be repeated within the degree for a maximum 6 credits.
Students pursue research projects in their areas of specialization. May not be repeated for credit.
Work on research proposal that forms basis for doctoral dissertation. May be repeated within the degree.
Doctoral dissertation research and writing under direction of student's dissertation committee. May be repeated within the degree.
Analysis of selected problems. Emphasizes reading and discussion of historical interpretations, and development of bibliography. Notes: May be repeated for credit when topic is different. May be repeated within the term.
Investigates selected problems in global and comparative history, covering multiple countries or world regions. Notes: May be repeated for credit when topic is different. May be repeated within the term.
Discussion of readings and historical interpretations and compilation of a comprehensive bibliography on given theme. Notes: Topics announced by instructor. May be repeated for credit when topic is different. May be repeated within the term.
Analysis of selected problems in African history. Emphasis on reading and discussion of historical interpretations and development of bibliography. Notes: May be repeated for credit when topic is different. May be repeated within the term.
Analyzes selected problem. Emphasizes reading and discussion of historical interpretations, and development of bibliography. Notes: May be repeated for credit when topic is different. May be repeated within the term.
Readings and discussion of bibliographies, interpretations, and research trends in topics selected by instructor. Notes: May be repeated for credit when topic is different. May be repeated within the term.
Investigates selected problems. Readings, discussions, development of bibliographies. Primary sources used where possible. Notes: May be repeated for credit when topic is different. May be repeated within the term.