HIST 797: Research Seminar in History

HIST 797-DL1: War and Modern Society
(Fall 2026)

07:20 PM to 10:00 PM W

Online

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Section Information for Fall 2026

HIST 797 - DL1: War and Modern Society

HIST 797 is the required research seminar for master's students and an optional seminar for doctoral students seeking to strengthen their research skills and develop an article suitable for publication. The goals of the course are to:

  • Cultivate historical research skills.
  • Produce an article-length research paper that makes an original contribution to knowledge.
  • Present research to the class.
  • Assist other students with their work.

The course theme of “war and modern society” invites students to explore armed conflict and its closely related effects in any society, 1500-present. In choosing a research topic, please consider the following factors:

  • Your skills. Graduate-level work requires the ability to do research in any relevant language(s) and familiarity with the idioms of the period and culture under study. The most practical way to approach topic selection is to focus the inquiry on an area you have already addressed in a graduate seminar.
  • The availability of full-text source material and your ability to examine and contextualize it within the time available.

The prerequisite for HIST 797 is HIST 610. However, students may wish to delay taking HIST 797 until they have completed a few seminars, so that they have a strong foundation in the literature of a given topic. Because students are charged with producing new knowledge in HIST 797, and because familiarity with the existing literature of a subject is necessary to establish the originality of one's work, students should choose a research topic within a field that they know well, in terms of scholarly literature. Students are encouraged, but not required, to do some preliminary thinking about their research topic prior to the start of the course, and they are invited to contact me to discuss their ideas once they are registered for the course.

While class sessions will be held synchronously online and can be attended from anywhere in the world, students are expected to have access to and borrowing privileges from a library, preferably a research library. The standard of research quality by which students will be evaluated will not change, even if they do not have access to a research library.

This is an online live video section.

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Course Information from the University Catalog

Credits: 3

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. Offered by History & Art History. May be repeated within the term for a maximum 6 credits. Equivalent to HIST 711.
Specialized Designation: Topic Varies
Recommended Prerequisite: HIST 610 or permission of department.
Registration Restrictions:

Enrollment limited to students with a class of Advanced to Candidacy, Graduate, Non-Degree or Senior Plus.

Enrollment is limited to students with a major in Cultural Studies, Education (Community College) or History.

Students in a Non-Degree Undergraduate degree may not enroll.

Schedule Type: Seminar
Grading:
This course is graded on the Graduate Regular scale.

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.