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Academic Bulletin History - 2006-07

Currently viewing 2006-07 bulletin

Faculty: S. Morillo(chair) J. Aden, Y. Pitts, M. Rhoades, R. Warner

History is the study of the past, a process that produces an ever changing view of the past, not a static picture. The History Department therefore strives to make every student his own historian, a task encompassed in the CORE GOALS of the department:

A. CONTENT: to acquire a degree of mastery of both essential factual material and conceptual, thematic and comparative knowledge in several geographical areas, diverse cultures, and different time periods in human history, with particular sensitivity to the change over time of a diverse, global society.

B. THE CRAFT OF HISTORY: to acquire the habit of the many analytical skills which historians use in recovering, researching and writing about the past; such as, constructing important questions, making inferences from primary sources, putting sources into larger contexts, and making one's own interpretations of the past.

C. HISTORICAL THINKING: to develop habits of thinking like an historian: e.g., an appreciation for the complexity of both change and continuity over time and in different ages, cultures and areas of the world; an awareness of historical interpretation and historiographical schools of thought; and an understanding of how events and ideas from the past affect the present.

D. SELF-EXPRESSION: to become competent, confident and fluent in the oral, written and group skills necessary to speak and write about and explore historical questions.

E. SELF-DEVELOPMENT: to become an independent intellectual inquirer into the past, as well as a lifelong learner of history; and to locate oneself and one's family, community and cultural traditions in history.

Comprehensive Examinations: The Written Comprehensive Exam in History is a two day exam that is designed to evaluate the students' mastery of the core goals of the department. The first day asks students to discuss some aspect of history, approach to historical studies, or theories of history with respect to those areas of history the student has studied. The second day generally asks students to act as historians using a selected set of primary and secondary source texts provided ahead of time.

Requirements for a Major: Students majoring in history must complete either History 101 or History 102, both History 497 and 498, and six additional courses with at least one course drawn from each of the following areas:

World (second digit 0, 6, or 7)

Europe (second digit 1, 2, or 3)

Americas (second digit 4 or 5)

At least two of the six additional courses must be at the 300 level, and majors must have at least one 300 level course in two of the areas. Advanced (300 level) courses may include independent studies.

In addition, majors must maintain a portfolio of selected papers they have written for history courses (details are available in a handout from the Department Chair). Evaluation of portfolios will be an aspect of comprehensive exams in the history major.

History majors, especially those planning to pursue graduate historical studies, are urged to gain a proficiency in at least one foreign language. Proficiency is here defined as the ability to read, without undue difficulty, historical works in the appropriate foreign language.

Requirements for a Minor: A minimum of five courses to be distributed over at least two of the three areas offered by the department, and at least one 300 level course.


Course Title Credits Prerequisites
 

World and Comparative
HIS 101 World History to 1500 1  
HIS 102 World History since 1500 1  
HIS 200 Topics in World and Comparative History 1 or 1/2  
HIS 201 The World from 1945-present 1  
HIS 260 Topics in Asian History 1 or 1/2  
HIS 261 Classical and Imperial China to 1911 1  
HIS 262 Modern China from 1911 to the Present 1  
HIS 270 Topics in African History 1 or 1/2  
HIS 271 African History to 1885 1  
HIS 272 African History from 1885 1  
HIS 300 Advanced Topics, World and Comparative History 1 or 1/2 Prerequisite: Previous course work in world history or consent of the instructor. 
HIS 301 Craft and Theory of World History 1 Prerequisite: previous work in world history or consent of instructor. 
HIS 360 Advance Topic in Asian History 1 or 1/2 Previous course work or consent of the instructor 
HIS 370 Advanced Topics in African History 1 or 1/2 Prerequisite: Previous course work or consent of the instructor. 

Europe
HIS 210 Topics in Ancient History (CLA 213) 1 or 1/2  
HIS 211 Ancient History: Greece (CLA 105) 1  
HIS 212 Ancient History: Rome (CLA 106) 1  
HIS 220 Topics in Medieval and Early Modern Europe 1 or 1/2  
HIS 221 Medieval Europe, 400-1400 1  
HIS 222 Early Modern Europe, 1400-1800 1  
HIS 230 Topics in Modern Europe 1 or 1/2  
HIS 231 19th Century Europe 1  
HIS 232 20th Century Europe 1  
HIS 235 Topics in Economics History: European (ECO 214) 1  
HIS 236 History of Economic Thought (ECO 205) 1  
HIS 310 Advanced Topics, Ancient History (CLA 212) 1 or 1/2 Prerequisite: Previous course work in ancient history or consent of the instructor. 
HIS 320 Advanced Topics, Medieval and Early Modern Europe 1 or 1/2 Prerequisite: Previous course work in medieval or early modern Europe or consent of the instructor. 
HIS 330 Advanced Topics, Modern Europe 1 or 1/2 Prerequisite: Previous course work in modern Europe or consent of the instructor. 
HIS 334 Russia, 1860-present 1  

Americas
HIS 141 America to 1877 1  
HIS 142 America since 1877 1  
HIS 240 Topics in American History 1 or 1/2  
HIS 244 African-American History 1  
HIS 245 Topics in Economic History: American (ECO 213) 1  
HIS 250 Topics in Latin American History 1 or 1/2  
HIS 252 Peoples and Nations of Latin America 1  
HIS 340 Advanced Topics, American History 1 or 1/2 Prerequisite: Previous course work in American history or consent of the instructor. 
HIS 350 Advanced Topics, Latin America 1 or 1/2 Prerequisite: Previous course work in Latin America or consent of the instructor. 

Departmental
HIS 187 Independent Study 1 or 1/2  
HIS 188 Independent Study 1 or 1/2  
HIS 287 Independent Study 1 or 1/2  
HIS 288 Independent Study 1 or 1/2  
HIS 387 Independent Study 1 or 1/2  
HIS 388 Independent Study 1 or 1/2  
HIS 497 Philosophy and Craft of History 1  
HIS 498 Research Seminar 1  
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