Course Descriptions
HIST A101 Western Civilization I 3 Credits
Surveys major developments in Western Civilization from its origins in the ancient Near East to 1650. Emphasizes key social, political, economic, intellectual and cultural characteristics and developments.
Attributes: UAA Humanities GER.
HIST A102 Western Civilization II 3 Credits
Surveys major developments in Western Civilization from 1650 to the present. Emphasizes key social, political, economic, intellectual and cultural characteristics and developments.
Attributes: UAA Humanities GER.
HIST A121 East Asian Civilization I 3 Credits
A survey of the major historical, cultural and social developments of Chinese, Japanese and Korean civilization from their prehistoric origins through approximately 1600 (the decline of Ming China, the unification of Japan under the Tokugawa and the end of the Japanese invasions of Korea).
Attributes: UAA Humanities GER.
HIST A122 East Asian Civilization II 3 Credits
A survey of the major historical, cultural and social developments of East Asian civilization from approximately 1600 (the rise of Qing China, the unification of Japan under the Tokugawa and the revival of the Yi Dynasty in Korea) through the 21st century.
Attributes: UAA Humanities GER.
HIST A131 History of the United States I 3 Credits
Presents a chronological overview of the history of North America from the pre-colonial era through the U.S. Civil War. Examines social, cultural, political, and economic forces that have shaped the country during the period.
Attributes: UAA Humanities GER.
HIST A132 History of the United States II 3 Credits
Presents a chronological overview of United States history from Reconstruction to the present. Examines social, cultural, political and economic forces that have shaped the country during the period.
Attributes: UAA Humanities GER.
HIST A225 Ancient History 3 Credits
Surveys the origins and development of western civilization from the neolithic revolution
in the ancient Near East through the end of the Roman Empire. Emphasis on interrelationships
of political, social, economic, cultural and intellectual movements in various cultures.
Registration Restrictions: HIST A101 recommended
HIST A226 Medieval History 3 Credits
Surveys the origins and development of western civilization from the end of the Roman
Empire to the beginnings of the Renaissance. Emphasis on interrelationships of political,
social, economic, cultural and intellectual movements in various cultures.
Registration Restrictions: HIST A101 recommended
HIST A237 American Civil War 3 Credits
Study of North-South differences causing American Civil War, war itself in considerable detail, and legacy of that war for today.
HIST A244 Studies in Film History 3 Credits
Selected topics in motion picture history. Ranges from genre studies (musicals, comedies,
science fiction) to special areas of film history (animation, special effects, major
stars and studios, significant directors). Subtitle varies.
Special Note: May be repeated once for credit with a change of subtitle.
HIST A306 The Roman Empire 3 Credits
Surveys the Roman Empire from the assassination of Julius Caesar to the "fall" of the Empire in 476 CE. Its principal focus is upon the political and social history of the Empire.
Prerequisites: HIST A101 with a minimum grade of C and HIST A225 with a minimum grade of C.
HIST A308 Europe in the High Middle Ages 3 Credits
An analysis of key issues in Europe from roughly 1000-1400, including feudal and manorial
structures, religious developments, such as new monastic orders and the growth of
papal power, intellectual and economic developments such as the rise of scholasticism
and book-keeping, and political and social developments. Particular emphasis will
be placed on the impact of the Crusades, the Twelfth Century Renaissance, religious
minorities, dissent, and rural and urban life.
Registration Restrictions: Appropriate score on English placement test, SAT Verbal Section, or ACT English Test
will waive the WRTG A111 or WRTG A211 prerequisites.
Prerequisites: HIST A101 with a minimum grade of C and (WRTG A111 or WRTG A211).
HIST A310 Renaissance/Reformation Europe 3 Credits
Examines the key political, social, economic and cultural developments in Europe from 1300-1600. Emphasizes medieval legacies; Renaissance art, power and family life; European encounters and conquests; the emergence of global economies; religious reform and revolution; and daily life for common people.
Prerequisites: HIST A101 with a minimum grade of C or HIST A102 with a minimum grade of C or HIST A121 with a minimum grade of C or HIST A122 with a minimum grade of C or HIST A131 with a minimum grade of C or HIST A132 with a minimum grade of C.
HIST A312 Early Modern Europe: 1600-1789 3 Credits
Examines the key political, social, economic and cultural developments in Early Modern European history. Special emphasis will be placed on religious warfare and the military revolution; absolutism and constitutionalism; colonies and empires; commercial and agricultural revolutions; scientific revolution and enlightenment; witchcraft; social estates and daily life; and the Ancien Regime on the eve of Revolution.
Prerequisites: HIST A102.
HIST A314 Nineteenth Century Europe 3 Credits
Examines the key political, social, economic, intellectual and cultural developments in 19th century Europe. Special emphasis will be placed on the French and Napoleonic revolution; restoration and reaction; industrialization and urbanization; romanticism, liberalism and socialism; nationalism and national unification; imperialism; fin de siecle culture; gender and identity; and daily life.
Prerequisites: (HIST A101 with a minimum grade of C or HIST A102 with a minimum grade of C or HIST A131 with a minimum grade of C or HIST A132 with a minimum grade of C) and (WRTG A111 with a minimum grade of C or SAT Critical Reading Score with a score of 610 or SAT Verbal Score with a score of 610 or EVIDENCE-BASED READ/WRIT SCORE with a score of 610 or Enhanced ACT English with a score of 30 or Original ACT English with a score of 30).
HIST A316 Twentieth Century Europe 3 Credits
Examines the key political, social, economic, intellectual and cultural developments in 20th century Europe. Special emphasis will be placed on key themes such as war, revolution, fascism, communism, democracy, modernization, decolonization and globalism, and how both elites and ordinary people responded to a changing world.
Prerequisites: HIST A101 with a minimum grade of C or HIST A102 with a minimum grade of C or HIST A131 with a minimum grade of C or HIST A132 with a minimum grade of C.
HIST A321 Modern China 3 Credits
Chinese history from the middle of the Qing (Manchu) Dynasty, about 1800, through the present. Designed to provide a broad understanding of the historical, cultural, and social development of China as it made the transition to a modern state.
Prerequisites: HIST A101 with a minimum grade of C or HIST A102 with a minimum grade of C or HIST A121 with a minimum grade of C or HIST A122 with a minimum grade of C or HIST A131 with a minimum grade of C or HIST A132 with a minimum grade of C.
HIST A322 Modern Japan 3 Credits
Japanese history from the last decades of the Tokugawa Shogunate, about 1800, through the present. Designed to provide a broad understanding of the historical, political, economic, cultural, and social development of Japan as it made the transition to a modern state and the consequences of pursuing modern statehood.
Prerequisites: HIST A101 with a minimum grade of C or HIST A102 with a minimum grade of C or HIST A121 with a minimum grade of C or HIST A122 with a minimum grade of C or HIST A131 with a minimum grade of C or HIST A132 with a minimum grade of C.
HIST A325 Northeast Asia in 21st Century 3 Credits
An interdisciplinary examination and analysis of Northeast Asia covering China, the
Koreas, and Japan designed to provide students with the means to understand how the
societies of this region have developed separate and distinct identities despite their
common cultural and philosophic roots.
Registration Restrictions: Completion of GER Tier 1 (basic college-level skills) courses.
Crosslisted With: INTL A325 and PS A325
Attributes: UAA Integrative Capstone GER.
HIST A330 Russia in East Asia 3 Credits
Examines the relationships between Russia and its neighbors in East Asia and the Pacific. Among the major themes to be explored are the impact of the Mongol conquest; contact and colonization in the "borderlands"; historical debates on the importance of East Asia and the Pacific to Russia; and the articulation and pursuit of Russian geo-political interests in the region.
Prerequisites: HIST A102 with a minimum grade of C or HIST A121 with a minimum grade of C.
Attributes: UAA Integrative Capstone GER.
HIST A336 Latin America to 1800 3 Credits
An analysis of pre-Columbian cultures, the impact of the arrival of Europeans on indigenous
societies in Mesoamerica and South America, and the societies that emerged out of
conquest and colonization. Emphasis will be placed on labor, economy, religion, culture,
society, and daily life up to 1800, as well as the beginning of Independence movements.
Registration Restrictions: Appropriate score on English placement test, SAT Verbal Section, or ACT English Test
will waive the WRTG A111 or WRTG A211 prerequisite.
Prerequisites: HIST A101 with a minimum grade of C and (WRTG A111 or WRTG A211).
HIST A338 Modern Latin America 3 Credits
Analyzes Latin American history from the Independence movements of the nineteenth
century to the present, including the formation of states, the development of national
identities, and Latin America's connection to growing global economies. Emphasizes
post-Independence political and social conflicts, social reforms and revolutions,
the impact of modernization and industrialization, and cultural and artistic developments.
Registration Restrictions: Appropriate score on English placement test, SAT Verbal Section, or ACT English Test
will waive the WRTG A111 prerequisite.
Prerequisites: HIST A101 with a minimum grade of C or HIST A102 with a minimum grade of C or HIST A131 with a minimum grade of C or HIST A132 with a minimum grade of C and WRTG A111 with a minimum grade of C.
HIST A341 History of Alaska 3 Credits
Examines Alaska and its relationship to America and the world, including Alaska geography,
Alaska Native anthropology, and a detailed chronological history of the 49th state.
Emphasizes the themes of the persistence of Alaska as a global crossroads, the enduring
contribution of Alaska Natives, and the ongoing tensions between those inside and
outside Alaska about what the state could and should be.
Registration Restrictions: Completion of Tier 1 (basic college-level skills) GER courses
Prerequisites: HIST A101 with a minimum grade of C or HIST A102 with a minimum grade of C or HIST A121 with a minimum grade of C or HIST A122 with a minimum grade of C or HIST A131 with a minimum grade of C or HIST A132 with a minimum grade of C.
Attributes: UAA Integrative Capstone GER.
HIST A346 History of Native Peoples of United States and Canada 3 Credits
An examination of themes in the history of indigenous peoples of the U.S. and Canada from pre-contact through the 20th century, with an emphasis on Native voices and perspectives.
HIST A355 Major Themes in US History 3 Credits
Examines major themes that have shaped and impacted American history and contemporary society. Such themes may include, but are not limited to, democracy, global relations, and multiculturalism. Course emphasizes reading and analysis of primary sources to discern and evaluate the human experience.
HIST A377 Historiography: The Uses and Abuses of History 3 Credits
Explores how historians "do" history by examining the various historical methods, theories, and approaches used to interpret and to understand the human past and its significance. Investigates the relationships between experiencing, remembering, and reconstructing the past.
Prerequisites: (HIST A101 with a minimum grade of C and HIST A102 with a minimum grade of C) or (HIST A131 with a minimum grade of C and HIST A132 with a minimum grade of C).
HIST A382 American Women's History 3 Credits
Analyzes the social, political, cultural, and economic histories of women in the United States, highlighting the active roles played by women in shaping American history and society. Includes Native American women in early America, witchcraft in colonial New England, women in the American Revolution, separate spheres in antebellum America, women of the south, women and reform, women's rights and Seneca Falls, political motherhood in the gilded age, "new women" at work and at play, the politics of reproduction and birth control, women and civil rights, and second-wave feminism.
Prerequisites: HIST A131 with a minimum grade of C and HIST A132 with a minimum grade of C.
HIST A390 Themes in World History 3 Credits
A broadly comparative and interdisciplinary analysis of fundamental or universal aspects
of the human experience from prehistory to the present, focused on a selected theme.
Special Note: May be repeated twice for credit with a change of subtitle.
Registration Restrictions: Junior or senior standing and completion of Tier 1 GER courses
Prerequisites: HIST A101 with a minimum grade of C or HIST A102 with a minimum grade of C or HIST A121 with a minimum grade of C or HIST A122 with a minimum grade of C or HIST A131 with a minimum grade of C or HIST A132 with a minimum grade of C.
Attributes: UAA Integrative Capstone GER.
HIST A401 The History of Warfare 3 Credits
Surveys the history of warfare from the classical age to the present. Examines theories of the origins of war; social, economic, and political organization for war; technology and weapons; administration and logistics; asymmetrical conflict; strategic and tactical systems; war and revolution; and the impact of nuclear weapons.
Prerequisites: HIST A101 with a minimum grade of C or HIST A102 with a minimum grade of C or HIST A121 with a minimum grade of C or HIST A122 with a minimum grade of C or HIST A131 with a minimum grade of C or HIST A132 with a minimum grade of C.
HIST A402 The Second World War 3 Credits
Examines the origins of the war in Europe and Asia. Emphasizes the grand strategies of the belligerents, the principal military operations, the relationship between science and war, the mobilization of societies and economies for total war, wartime diplomacy, and postwar settlements.
HIST A406 Medieval Iberia 3 Credits
An analysis of key issues in Iberia from roughly 700 to 1492, including changing relationships between communities of Christians, Muslims and Jews. Particular emphasis will be placed on the Reconquista, the development of different kingdoms, rural and urban life, the growth of military orders, the unification of crowns, and Iberian expansion.
Prerequisites: (WRTG A111 with a minimum grade of C or WRTG A211 with a minimum grade of C) and HIST A101 with a minimum grade of C.
HIST A408 Iberian Empires: Globalization in the Early Modern World 3 Credits
Analyzes key issues in Iberia and their overseas territories, from roughly 1450 to
1808, including imperial expansion and religious, political and social developments.
Emphasizes the impact of ideologies of universal monarchy, the Union of Crowns, the
Inquisition, rural and urban life, religious minorities, and the economics of empires.
Registration Restrictions: Sophomore, junior or senior standing
Prerequisites: HIST A101 with a minimum grade of C or HIST A102 with a minimum grade of C or HIST A121 with a minimum grade of C or HIST A122 with a minimum grade of C or HIST A131 with a minimum grade of C or HIST A132 with a minimum grade of C.
HIST A411 History of Modern Germany 3 Credits
Examines the key political, social, economic and cultural developments in German history from the 1850s to present. Focuses on 19th-century unification, Imperial Germany, the Weimar Republic, Nazism and World War II, division and the Cold War, the two postwar Germanies, and contemporary re-unified Germany.
Prerequisites: HIST A101 with a minimum grade of C or HIST A102 with a minimum grade of C or HIST A131 with a minimum grade of C or HIST A132 with a minimum grade of C.
HIST A418 Tudor and Stuart England 3 Credits
Examines the history of England from the Wars of the Roses to the death of Anne. Includes
the English monarchy, the Reformation, the Civil War and Glorious Revolution, and
the establishment of parliamentary government. Covers social and cultural shifts,
intellectual, scientific, and literary developments, and English expansion and colonialism.
Registration Restrictions: Sophomore, junior or senior standing
Prerequisites: HIST A101 with a minimum grade of C or HIST A102 with a minimum grade of C or HIST A121 with a minimum grade of C or HIST A122 with a minimum grade of C or HIST A131 with a minimum grade of C or HIST A132 with a minimum grade of C.
HIST A420 The Rise, Fall, and Reinvention of the Samurai 3 Credits
Analyzes the historical origins, rise to prominence, dominance and the fall of the warrior caste of Japan. Principal focus on the constant reinvention of the samurai and how the "spirit of the samurai" was used in Japan's modernization.
HIST A422 "Communist" China 3 Credits
Analyzes the historical origins, rise, struggles and eventual triumph of the Chinese Communist Party in 1949. Examines the wrenching upheavals of the People's Republic under Mao Zedong, "reform and opening up" under Deng Xiaoping and China's "rise" under subsequent generations of leadership to the present. Principal focus on the constant reinvention of Chinese communism to face perceived challenges in China's modernization.
HIST A423 Medieval Russian History 3 Credits
Explores the socio-economic, political, and cultural foundations of Medieval Russia
beginning with ancient Slavic settlements and foreign invasions and concluding with
the creation of the Romanov dynasty in the 17th century. Major topics include the
impact of foreign invasions (e.g. Mongols), the influence of the Byzantine Empire,
the rise of Muscovy, and the internal dynamics of Muscovite society.
Special Note: Fulfills non-western selective for history majors.
Prerequisites: HIST A101 with a minimum grade of C or HIST A102 with a minimum grade of C.
HIST A424 Imperial Russian History 3 Credits
Explores the socio-economic, political, and cultural foundations of Imperial Russia from the seventeenth century to the early twentieth century. Themes include the nature of autocracy, the "golden age" of the aristocracy, the role of serfdom, the rise of revolutionary ideology and action, the impact of war, and the relationship between state and society.
Prerequisites: HIST A102 with a minimum grade of C.
HIST A425 History of the Soviet Union 3 Credits
Explores the creation, maintenance, and collapse of the Soviet Union, beginning with the nineteenth-century antecedents of the Russian Revolutions of 1917. Examines major events, personalities, and ideas that played a leading role in constructing Soviet society from 1917 to 1991. Themes include the triumph of Bolshevism, the creation of "Soviet society," Stalinism and its legacies, and the dismantling of the Soviet regime.
Prerequisites: HIST A102 with a minimum grade of C.
HIST A427 Post-Soviet Culture and Society 3 Credits
Interdisciplinary examination and analysis of Russian culture and society from the
late 20th century to present. Explores major themes in post-Soviet society including
shifting identities and changing social, cultural, political, and economic realities,
and examines how these are expressed in a variety of contemporary sources. Conducted
in English.
Registration Restrictions: Completion of Tier 1 GER courses and junior standing
Prerequisites: HIST A102 with a minimum grade of C.
Attributes: UAA Integrative Capstone GER.
HIST A431 America: Colonies and Revolution 3 Credits
Presents American history from the early 1600s to 1801. The two main themes are the interaction between different ethnic and cultural groups, and the creation and development of various political, economic, social, and cultural institutions in the United States.
Prerequisites: HIST A131 with a minimum grade of C.
HIST A434 Early National Period, 1800-1850 3 Credits
Analyzes the political, economic, social, religious, and cultural developments in American history from 1800 to 1850. Topics include George Washington's Farewell Address, the Quasi War, the War of 1812, American economic development after 1815, transportation and communication improvements, the American System, the Indian Removal, expansion of Southern slavery, the Reform Movements, and the Second Great Awakening.
Prerequisites: HIST A131 with a minimum grade of C.
HIST A437 Slavery and the Civil War 3 Credits
Analyzes political, economic, ideological, social and cultural aspects of African slavery in the antebellum United States and the effects of slavery on American society. Topics include the start of western slavery, differences of slavery systems in various regions, changes to slave systems, slave resistance and culture, the coming of the Civil War, the Civil War battles, and the Reconstruction.
Prerequisites: HIST A131 with a minimum grade of C.
HIST A440 The American West Since 1850 3 Credits
Study of major topics in Western American history, including economic, political, social, and cultural themes, and the historiography of the American West.
HIST A451 Gilded Age and Progressive Era America, 1865-1912 3 Credits
Examines the key political, social, economic and cultural developments in United States history from 1865 to 1912. Emphasizes the social and cultural developments that led to the rise of modern America: industrialization, reform movements, labor issues, and political evolution of the government.
Prerequisites: HIST A132 with a minimum grade of C.
HIST A452 America in War and Peace, 1912-1941 3 Credits
Examines nearly three decades in U.S. history characterized by the emergence of modern America, a process propelled by numerous crises. Explores how the American people and their elected representatives responded to the multiple national emergencies of wars and depression as well as the critical political and cultural legacies of those three decades.
Prerequisites: HIST A132 with a minimum grade of C.
HIST A453 Cold War America, 1945-1980 3 Credits
Examines the domestic history and foreign policy of the United States from 1945 to
1980. Focuses on how the US status as a superpower and competition with the Soviet
Union influenced the American economy, culture, politics and society. Emphasizes social
movements, culture and politics.
Registration Restrictions: Sophomore, junior, or senior standing
Prerequisites: HIST A132 with a minimum grade of C.
HIST A454 United States History in the New Gilded Age: 1980s to the Present 3 Credits
Presents United States history from the 1980s to the present. Themes include American
foreign relations, the end of the Cold War and the War on Terror, increasing levels
of economic inequality, the decline of industrial labor, the rise of the service sector,
and the changing nature of the nation's political, economic, social, and cultural
institutions over the previous forty years.
Registration Restrictions: Completion of Written Communication Skills and Oral Communication Skills GER
Prerequisites: HIST A132 with a minimum grade of C.
HIST A477 Senior Seminar 3 Credits
Provides senior history majors with a required program capstone experience focused
on the preparation of a major research paper, utilizing primary and secondary source
material on specific topics based on the expertise of department faculty.
Registration Restrictions: Junior or senior standing
Prerequisites: HIST A377 with a minimum grade of C.
HIST A490 Studies in History 3 Credits
Examines important historical topics based on instructor specialty. Specific areas
will be treated as student need and faculty expertise indicate. Subtitle varies.
Special Note: May be repeated twice for credit with a change of subtitle.
Registration Restrictions: Junior or senior standing
Prerequisites: HIST A101 with a minimum grade of C or HIST A102 with a minimum grade of C or HIST A121 with a minimum grade of C or HIST A122 with a minimum grade of C or HIST A131 with a minimum grade of C or HIST A132 with a minimum grade of C.
HIST A495 History Internship 1-3 Credits
Advanced application of historical writing and/or research skills in a professional
setting within the historical discipline.
Special Note: May be repeated for a maximum of 6 credits.
Registration Restrictions: Admission to BA in History, Minor in History or instructor permission
Prerequisites: (HIST A101 with a minimum grade of B or HIST A102 with a minimum grade of B) and (WRTG A111 with a minimum grade of B or WRTG A211 with a minimum grade of B) and (HIST A121 with a minimum grade of B or HIST A122 with a minimum grade of B or HIST A131 with a minimum grade of B or HIST A132 with a minimum grade of B).