Undergraduate Course Descriptions
101. Western Civilization: Antiquity to 1600. 3 Hr. (HIST 101 does not have to precede HIST 102.) A survey of the major developments in Western civilization beginning with the ancient Mediterranean world and concluding with Reformation Europe.
102. Western Civilization: 1600 to Present. 3 Hr. (HIST 102 may precede HIST 101.) A survey of major developments in Western civilization from 1600 to the present with attention to Europe's emerging industrial society and changing role in world affairs.
104. Latin America: Past and Present. 3 Hr. Introduction to Latin American history, stressing the relationship between the past and present. Special emphasis is given to economic problems, political development, and social change in modern Latin America.
105. The Middle East. 3 Hr. History of the Middle East from the rise of Islam (610 C.E.) to Twentieth Century. Special attention given to religion, gender issues, political developments, economic problems, relations with the West, cultural patterns, and changes in the modern era.
106. East Asia: An Introduction. 3 Hr. Focuses on modern China, Japan, and Korea. Consideration of important problems facing each nation today together with the cultural and historical developments which help explain contemporary affairs in East Asia.
108. North America: Past and Present. 3 Hr. Introduction to the history of Canada, Mexico, and the United States, emphasizing selected social, economic, and political developments and how they have influenced the present.
152. Growth of the American Nation to 1865. 3 Hr. (HIST 152 does not have to precede HIST 153.) Examines the basic political, economic, and social forces in formation and development of the United States before 1865. Emphasis on national development from independence through the Civil War.
153. Making of Modern America: 1865 to the Present. 3 Hr. (HIST 153 may precede HIST 152.) Continues the examination of basic political, economic, and social forces in the development of the United States since the Civil War.
179. World History to 1500. 3 Hr. Comparative history of Africa, Asia, and Europe from earliest times until 1500. Political, economic, social, and religious developments with emphasis on patterns of authority, the individual, nature, and society.
180. World History Since 1500. 3 Hr. Comparative history of Africa, Asia, and Europe 1500 to the present. Political, economic, and social developments with emphasis on patterns of authority, the individual, nature, society, and the impact of the West.
199. Orientation to History. 1 Hr. Orientation to degree programs and requirements, departmental resources, curriculum options, student responsibilities, and opportunities.
201. History of Ancient Times: Stone Age to the Fall of Rome. 3 Hr. Ancient civilizations of the Near East and the Mediterranean.
202. King Tut's Egypt. I, II. 3 Hr. Surveys ancient Egyptian history from late Pre-dynastic era (4500 BCE) through New Kingdom (1090 BCE). Examines culture, society, religion, art, architecture, and archaeology of ancient Egypt before, during, and after the time of King Tutankhamon.
203. Introduction to Medieval Europe. 3 Hr. Treats the emergence of the distinctive culture of Western Europe from the Fall of Rome to the Renaissance, considering the transformation and interaction of politics, economics, society, religion, and ideas.
204. Renaissance & Reformation. 3 Hrs. Medieval antecedents; humanism and the new learning; renaissance art; Machiavellian politics; demographic and social trends; Luther and Calvin; Radical reformers; Council of Trent; popular culture; wars of religion.
205. Absolutism & Enlightenment. 3 Hr. Europe from 1600-1800. End of religious wars; emergence of absolutism; nobility and court life; mercantilism; expansion; theological and philosophical crisis; empiricism and scientific revolution; philosophes and Enlightenment; French Revolution.
206. Social History of Europe. 3 Hr. Examines the lives of ordinary people in Europe from the end of the Middle Ages to the present.
207. Revolutionary Europe. 3 Hr. Traces the development of European history from the reign of Louis XV to the end of the Franco-Prussian War. Political and social history emphasized.
209. Twentieth Century Europe. 3 Hr. Traces the major political, economic, and social developments of Europe from World War I to the present.
210. Modern Military History. 3 Hr. Military history from the American Revolution to the present, stressing the evolution of warfare with particular attention to strategy, tactics, weaponry, and the consequences of war.
217. History of Russia: From Kiev to Nicholas. I . 3 Hr. Interdisciplinary approach integrating political, social, economic, diplomatic, and cultural studies to provide more than an introduction to the history of Russia. In-depth study of the various aspects of Russian life in an attempt to provide an understanding of the forces which produced the Russian autocracy.
218. History of Russia: From the Emancipation to the Present. 3 Hr. Using the same approach as in HIST 217, an attempt is made to follow the changes which turned an underdeveloped country into one of the major world powers.
220. The Holocaust. 3 Hr. The origins and development of Nazi genocide against European Jews, focusing on the experience of the victims, the motives of the killers, and the in-action of bystanders.
221. History of Modern Germany. 3 Hr. German history from Congress of Vienna to the end of World War II. Student gains special knowledge of more specialized topics by selecting literature and writing essays on these topics.
241. Latin America: Culture, Conquest, Colonization. 3 Hr. History of the formative period of Latin America, emphasizing the social and economic interaction between Indians, Europeans, and blacks from the conquest to the wars for independence in the early nineteenth century.
242. Latin America: Reform and Revolution. 3 Hr. History of modern Latin America, concentrating on the durability of nineteenth century social, economic, and political institutions, and the twentieth-century reformist and revolutionary attempts to change those institutions.
250. West Virginia. 3 Hr. Historical foundations and development of West Virginia, with particular emphasis upon the growth of the government, the economy, and the traditions of the state.
255. History of American Colonial Society: 1607-1763. 3 Hr. The planting and maturation of the English colonies of North America. Relationships between Europeans and Indians, constitutional development, religious ferment, and the colonial economy are studied.
256. History of the American Revolution: 1763-1790. 3 Hr. The immediate origins and long-range consequences of the movement for independence from Great Britain; includes the 1775-1790 controversy over the charter of new state and federal governments.
257. Antebellum America: 1781-1861. 3 Hr. (Completion of HIST 152 is advised.) American history from the Revolution to the Civil War is examined in detail, with particular attention to the key personalities of the era, the development of political parties, the movement westward, the beginnings of industrialization, and the sectional struggles that culminated in war.
259. The United States: 1865-1918. 3 Hr. Development of the United States during the most intensive phase of American industrialization; special emphasis on ideas of selected Americans on how to cope with the increase in poverty and social malaise which accompanied economic development; attention is also given to the roots of American imperialism.
261. Recent America: The United States since 1918. 3 Hr. (Primarily for non-history majors.) The 1920's, the New Deal, World War II, and a survey of developments since World War II.
264. American Indian History. 3 Hr. Surveys the history of Native peoples of what is now the United States, from pre-contact to the present. Ethno-historical approach emphasizes cultural development as well as interactions with European and American peoples and policies.
271. Science, Religion, and Myth. 3 Hr. Surveys human understandings of nature from prehistoric astronomies and Babylonian myths through ancient and medieval thought to the new sciences of Copernicus, Galileo, and Newton.
272. Science since 1700. 3 Hr. Historical survey of major trends and critical events in science since the Scientific Revolution, including developments in the physical and biological sciences. Examines both the content and context of science.
275. The Coal Industry in America. 3 Hr. The historical development of the coal industry: the technology of extraction, the political and economic context, the United Mine Workers of America, and the particular social problems of the industry will be emphasized.
277. Revolutions in Science and Technology. 3 Hr. Examines particular periods of intensified change in science and technology, to develop general understanding of scientific and technical change. Episodes may include the Scientific, Industrial, Darwinian, or other revolutions.
281. The Agrarian Transformation. II. 3 Hr. Surveys the modernization of world agriculture from 17th century Europe to the Green Revolution, and its economic, social, and political consequences. (Alternate years.)
284. History of Environmental Sciences. II. 3 Hr. Physical environment of the Earth, from the Greek central Earth to plate tectonics. Historical perspectives on geology, geography, oceanography, and other Earth Sciences. (Alternate years.)
293 A-Z. Special Topics. 1-6 Hr. PR: Consent. Investigation of topics not covered in regularly scheduled courses.
330. History of Italy, 1200-1800. 3 Hr. Medieval communes and principalities, humanism and the Renaissance, Habsburg-Valois wars on the peninsula, the Baroque and scientific court culture, seventeenth-century crisis, state-building and absolutism, Enlightenment and Napoleonic invasion.
331. History of Italy, 1800-2000. 3 Hrs. Napoleonic occupation, regional states, Risorgimento, liberal democracy, emigration, industrialization, World War I, Mussolini and Fascism, postwar reconstruction, cinema, partyocracy, images of Italy, 1990s reforms.
346. Kinship in Pre-modern Europe. 3 Hrs. Traces key shifts in the theory and practice of European family structure, gender roles, marriage, demography, inheritance, household labor, property-holding, and child-rearing from 500 BC to 1700 AD.
400. Greece and Rome. 3 Hr. Covers the Minoan and Mycenean civilizations, Archaic and Classical Greece, Alexander the Great and the Hellenistic Age, the Roman Republic, the Etruscan and Carthaginian states, and the rise of the Roman Empire.
401. Social and Economic History of the Middle Ages: 300-1000. 3 Hr. (HIST 203 is recommended as preparation.) The social-economic crisis of the late Roman and German institutions, the Merovingian and Carolingian economies, Pierenne Thesis, and transition to feudal society.
404. Ancient and Medieval Science. 3 Hr. Investigations of the natural world in classical antiquity and medieval Europe.
407. The Rise of Modern Science. 3 Hr. The emergence of the scientific world view from the Renaissance through the Enlightenment.
408. Science in Modern Europe. 3 Hr. Crystallization and generalization of scientific world view in Europe after the Scientific Revolution. Emphasizes the mutual interaction of science, society, and culture.
409. Brazil: Colony to World Power. 3 Hr. Examines the transition of Brazil from a colony to a world power, with special emphasis on recent economic developments, regional diversity, political patterns, foreign affairs, and race relations.
410. Modern Spain. 3 Hr. Survey of the Muslim, Hapsburg, and Bourbon periods followed by an examination of modern political and social forces, the Civil War, and the rule of Franco.
411. Industrial Revolution: 1600-1900. 3 Hr. Focuses on technical, economic, and social changes surrounding the Industrial Revolution in England and the United States. Examines also the expanding effects of the process of industrialization in continental Europe.
412. Introduction to Public History. 3 Hr. Introduction to a wide range of career possibilities for historians in areas such as archives, historical societies, editing projects, museums, business, libraries, and historic preservation. Lectures, guest speakers, field trips, individual projects.
413. France from the Renaissance to Napoleon. 3 Hr. French history from the end of the Hundred Years War to Napoleon's defeat at Waterloo. Focus on the construction of the modern French state, the Enlightenment, the French Revolution, and Napoleon.
414. France since 1815. 3 Hr. French history from the Restoration of the Bourbon monarchy to the present. Will emphasize the development of a modern industrial society, the revolutions of the 19th century, the impact of the World Wars, and France's role in the new Europe.
415. History of England, 1485-1815. Social, cultural, political, and economic history of England under the Tudor, Stuart, and early Hanoverian dynasties. Henry VIII, Elizabeth I, Cromwell, Restoration, Glorious Revolution, English empire, Napoleonic wars
416. The French Wars of Religion. 3 Hrs. Detailed analysis of the tangled roots of this conflict (1562-1629), the salient events of the period, and their long-term impact. Popular culture, military developments, theology, court politics.
417. World War II in Europe. 3 Hr. PR: 6 hrs. History or Consent. Impact of World War II on political culture and moral fabric; emphasis on themes of invasion, occupation, collaboration, resistance, survival, and retribution. (Alternate years.)
418. Eastern Europe since 1945. 3 Hr. The social, economic, intellectual, cultural, and political history of Eastern Europe since the Second World War. Special emphasis on the causes of the East European revolutions of 1989 and the problems of post communist transition. (Offered every third semester.)
419. Revolutionary Russia: 1905-1939. 3 Hr. Detailed study of the revolutionary era of Russian/Soviet history with emphasis on the origins of Russian radicalism, the upheavals of 1905 and 1917, and Stalin's "revolution from above."
420. The U.S.S.R.: 1939 to Present. 3 Hr. Detailed study of the recent social and political history of the Soviet Union. The Soviet experience in World War II, Stalin's last years, and the conflict between reformism and conservatism since Stalin's death.
421. Hitler and the Third Reich. 3 Hr. PR: Junior, senior, or graduate standing. Myths and realities of Hitler's public and personal life; emphasis on rise to power, party, ideology, and propaganda techniques; position and policies as Fuehrer.
422. Twentieth-Century Germany from Weimar to Bonn. 3 Hr. The Weimar Republic, the Third Reich, and the two German states created after World War II.
424. 15th and 16th Century England. II. 3 Hr. England from Richard II to Elizabeth I, covering developments in politics, religion, and society, ranging from the War of the Roses and the plague to Protestantism and Shakespeare. (Alternate years.)
425. History of Modern China. 3 Hr. Introduction to modern China (since 1839) with attention to China's Confucian heritage; the Chinese effort to modernize in the face of Western diplomatic and economic pressure; specific attention to China's nationalist and communist revolutionary traditions.
426. History of Modern Japan. 3 Hr. Modern Japan (since 1868) with attention to development of Japanese institutions and ideas in earlier periods, especially the Tokugawa Era (1600-1868); examines the rapid pace of economic change in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries along with the important social, political, and diplomatic implications of this change.
427. East Africa to 1895. 3 Hr. East Africa from earliest times to the beginning of European control. Population movement and interaction, development of varying types of policy, revolutionary change, and the European scramble for East Africa form the major focus.
428. East Africa since 1895. 3 Hr. History of colonial rule and movement to independence in East Africa. Political, economic, and social changes will be examined with particular emphasis on the rise and triumph of African nationalism.
429. History of Africa: Pre-Colonial. 3 Hr. History of Africa from earliest times to the middle of the nineteenth century. Particular emphasis on population and interaction, state formation, and the development of trade in sub-Saharan Africa as well as the impact of such external influences as Christianity and Islam.
430. History of Africa: European Dominance to Independence. 3 Hr. History of Africa from the middle of the nineteenth century to the 1960's. Political and economic trends will form major focus.
431. Seventeenth Century Britain: 1603-1715. 3 Hr. The more significant political, social, economic, religious, and intellectual developments of Britain during a century of revolution and of the men and women who interacted with those movements.
432. Eighteenth Century Britain: 1715-1832. 3 Hr. The "Age of Aristocracy," the political, social, religious, economic, and intellectual impact of the Industrial, Agricultural, American, and French revolutions.
433. West Africa to 1885. I. 3 Hr. West Africa from the earliest times to the imposition of colonial rule. Examines social, economic, political developments and interactions, and European scramble for West Africa. (Alternate years.)
434. West Africa from 1885. II. 3 Hr. Abolition of the transatlantic slave trade, imposition of colonial rule, colonial economic, social and administrative systems, the rise and triumph of African nationalism, West Africa since independence.
441. 17th Century Colonial America. I. 3 Hr. The establishment of England's American colonies and their development during a century of political, social, religious, and economic change and the interaction between events in Old and New Worlds. (Alternate years.)
442. 18th Century America. II. 3 Hr. The social, political, and economic maturation of England's American colonies, the move toward independence, and the establishment of government at state and federal levels. (Alternate years.)
445.History of American Women. 3 Hr. Examination of the history of American women from 1607 to the present, with emphasis on working conditions, women's rights, development of feminism, women's role in wartime, and women in the family.
448. Sexuality in American Culture. 3 Hr. Explores changes in sexuality in the United States from the seventeenth century to the present, examining social and cultural struggles and debates over the meaning of sexuality and sexual orientation in America.
449. Contemporary Women's Movements. 3 Hr. Compare contemporary U.S. feminist movements with selected international movements. Examines "What is feminism?" and how answers change with social and political context. Explores impact of race, class, sexual orientation, and national environment on different movements.
451. African-American History to 1900. 3 Hr. African background, the slave trade and evolution of slavery in the New World. The attack on slavery and its destruction.
452. African-American History Since 1900. 3 Hr. Reconstruction, the age of reaction and racism, black migration, black nationalism, blacks in the world wars, and desegregation.
453. Civil War and Reconstruction. 3 Hr. Causes as well as constitutional and diplomatic aspects of the Civil War; the role of American black in slavery, in war, and in freedom; and the economic and political aspects of Congressional Reconstruction.
456. The Gilded Age in U.S. History. 3 Hr. Examines responses of the American people and institutions to opportunities and problems of the late nineteenth century. Emphasis on rise of big business; labor organization; immigration; regular, reform, and radical politics; disappearance of the frontier; farm crisis; and origins of imperialism.
457. The United States From McKinley to the New Deal, 1896 to 1933. 3 Hr. American national history from William McKinley to Franklin D. Roosevelt. Particular attention is given to great changes in American life after 1896; national political, economic, social, and cultural development; the Progressive Era in American politics; and alterations in American foreign relations resulting from the Spanish-American War and World War I.
459. United States History: New Deal to Great Society. 3 Hr. Covers New Deal; World War II; Cold War, with emphasis on American social, political, technological, and cultural developments; United States domestic problems and foreign relations from 1945 to 1968.
460. World War II in America. 3 Hr. Examines the American experience in World War II; with an emphasis on the economic, social, and political impact of war on American society.
463. American Diplomacy to 1941. 3 Hr. PR: None. HIST 152 and 153 recommended. American foreign policy and diplomacy from the adoption of the Constitution to the beginning of World War II.
464. American Diplomacy since 1941. 3 Hr. (HIST 152 and 153 recommended.) America's foreign policy and growing involvement in international relations including the U.S. role in World War II, the Korean War, and Vietnam.
465. The Vietnam War. II. 3 Hr. United States participation in the 1946-1975 fighting in Indochina. United States involvement in the political and military conflict, and the impact of the war on the United States. (Alternate years.)
466. American Economic History to 1865. 3 Hr. Origins and development of American business, agricultural, and labor institutions, problems, and policies, from 1600 to 1865; influence of economic factors upon American history during this period.
467. American Economic History Since 1865. 3 Hr. Scope similar to HIST 466.
468. The Old South. 3 Hr. (For advanced undergraduate and graduate students.) History of the South exploring peculiar differences that led to an attempt to establish a separate nation. The geographical limitation permits a detailed study of economic and social forces within the context of the larger national history.
469. The New South. 3 Hr. Integration of the South into the nation after the Civil War. Emphasis on southern attitudes toward industrialization, commercial agriculture, organized labor, and African-Americans. Special attention to the southern literary renaissance and conservative and progressive politics of the southern people.
473. Appalachian Regional History. 3 Hr. Historical survey of Central Appalachia's three phases of development: traditional society of the nineteenth century, the transformation of a mountain society by industrialization at the turn of the twentieth century, and contemporary Appalachia.
474. The City in American History. 3 Hr. A survey of urban history in the United States, including the colonial period, with emphasis on the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, focusing on physical development of cities (planning, transportation, architecture, surburbanization) and social history.
477. Working-Class America. 3Hr. Course is designed to introduce students to the issues surrounding the social history of the American working class. It will explore changes in the modes of production, the significant impact of labor migration patterns, the emergence and transformation of working-class organizations, the political and social ideologies of working people, and the development of industrial relations systems. Particular attention will be given to the impact of racial, ethnic and gender-based conflict on the emergence of working-class movements.
480. History of the Alps. 3 Hrs. Examines the peoples, lands, culture, and politics of the Alpine arc (France, Switzerland, Italy, Austria, Germany, and Slovenia) in comparative perspective. Mountain democracy, commerce, banditry, transportation, tourism, mining.
481. The Mediterranean, 1200-1800. 3 Hrs. Interactions between societies surrounding the Mediterranean (Christians, Muslims, and Jews from Europe, the Ottoman Empire, Egypt, the Maghrib) from the late Abbasids to Napoleon. Trade, warfare, family life, religion.
489. Introduction to Historic Preservation. 3 Hr. Introduction to historic preservation issues, including law, economics, not-for-profit organizations, site interpretation, architectural history, industrial archeology, federal programs, downtown revitalization, and landmarks commissions.
490. Teaching Practicum. 1-3 Hr. PR: Consent. Teaching practice as a tutor or assistant.
491. Professional Field Experience. 1-18 Hr. PR: Consent (May be repeated up to a maximum of 18 hours.) Prearranged experiential learning program, to be planned, supervised, and evaluated for credit by faculty and field supervisors. Involves temporary placement with public or private enterprise for professional competence development.
493 A-Z. Special Topics. 1-6 Hr. PR: Consent. Investigation of topics not covered in regularly scheduled courses.
494 A-Z. Seminar. 1-3 Hr. PR: Consent. Presentation and discussion of topics of mutual concern to students and faculty.
495. Independent Study. I, II, S. 1-6 hr. Faculty supervised study of topics not available through regular course offerings.
496. Senior Thesis. 1-3 Hr. PR: Consent.
498. Honors. 1-3 Hr. PR: Students in Honors Program and consent by the Honors director. Independent reading, study, or research.
