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Undergraduate History Courses (HIST)

1191 First Year Research in History I. (Independent.) Independent research at an introductory level in History with a History faculty mentor.
Prerequisites: Student must be in the freshman research program and have permission of the department.

1301/HIST 1301 History of the United States to 1865 (3-0). A general survey of American development through the period of the Civil War.

1302/HIST 1302 History of the United States, 1865 to Present (3-0). A survey of American development from reconstruction to the present, with emphasis on America in world affairs.

1391 First Year Research in History II. (Independent.) Independent research at an introductory level in History with a History faculty mentor.
Prerequisites: History 1191. Student must be in the freshman research program and have permission from the department.

Satisfactory completion of History 1301 and 1302 or equivalent American history credit is prerequisite to advanced history courses (3000- and 4000- level courses).

2311/HIST 2311 Western Civilization I (3-0). Western civilization to 1500. A study of the antecedents of modern institutions, including the political history of the period, and the human condition across cultures.

2312/HIST 2312 Western Civilization II (3-0). Western civilization from 1500 to the present, with emphasis on the background of present-day political, economic, and social issues, and the human condition across cultures.

2321/HIST 2321 World Civilizations I (3-0). A survey of the social, political, economic, cultural, religious, and intellectual history of the world to 1500. The course examines major cultural regions of the world in Africa, the Americas, Asia, Europe, and Oceania, their global interactions over time, and the human condition across cultures. Themes include the development of human civilizations, rise of important world religions, and the formation of empires in Asia, Africa, the Americas, and the Middle East.

HIST 2322/HIST 2322 World Civilizations II (3-0). A survey of the social, political, economic, cultural, religious, and intellectual history of the world from the 15th century to the present. The course examines major cultural regions of the world in Africa, the Americas, Asia, Europe, and Oceania, their global interactions over time, and the human condition across cultures. Themes include maritime exploration and transoceanic empires, nation/state formation and industrialization, imperialism, global conflicts and resolutions, and global economic integration. The course emphasizes the development, interaction and impact of global exchange.

2372 Historiography and Methods (3-0). This course will introduce students to the concept of historiography and to basic historical research, writing, and analytical skills.

3301 History of Texas (3-0). Texas from the earliest Native American inhabitants to the present. Topics covered include the war for independence, Reconstruction, recent political and social movements and the contributions of minority groups and women to the development and modernization of the state.

3302 Colonial America to 1763 (3-0). This course begins with a brief study of the Atlantic World before 1492, examines key moments in European exploration and colonization, and then critically evaluates the creation, growth, and transformation of the mainland English colonies from their formal beginnings in 1607 through the French and Indian War. Key topics include: the Columbian Exchange, the Crisis of 1675, Bacon’s Rebellion, the Salem Crisis, the Glorious Revolution, and the imperial wars as well as thematic topics such as expansion, slavery, and economic development.

3303 Revolutionary America 1763-1840 (3-0). This course begins in the aftermath of the French and Indian War, examines the American Revolution and the Constitutional debates in detail, and then studies the Early National Period up to the election of 1840. Key topics include: the social, economic, and political causes of the Revolutionary War; governance under the Articles and the Constitution; the War of 1812 and ideas of nationalism; and the presidencies of men such as Washington, Jefferson, and Jackson.

3307 America in the Gilded Age and Progressive Era (3-0). An examination of America in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Topics include, but are not limited to, urbanization, industrialization, immigration, Populism, imperialism, reform, and the ways America reflected and shaped global developments. The course will also discuss how discrimination came to affect various non-white groups and the ways such groups fought against racial injustices.

3308 U.S. Urban History (3-0). U.S. Urban History will examine the influence of cities, suburbs, and exurbs on American economics, politics, and society from 1600 to the present.

3310 U.S. Constitutional History (3-0). Everything has a history, and that includes the U.S. Constitution. This class focuses on the development of the Constitution, the critical ideologies and court decisions that shaped the Constitution up to our time, and how those ideologies and decisions were conditioned by their historical moments.

3311 African American History (3-0). This course will cover the history of African Americans in the United States. Areas of focus may include: African influences in the Americas; formation of race in the United States; slavery and emancipation; social movements and civil rights; education and the economy; popular culture, literature, music, and art; politics and the formation of organizations.

3335 Renaissance and Reformation (3-0). Major developments in Europe from about 1450 to 1648, focusing on the humanist Renaissance, and Protestant Reformation, the Catholic reform movement, and the conflict of Protestants and Catholics through the Thirty Years War of 1618-1648.

3336 Absolutism and Enlightenment: Europe, 1648-1788 (3-0). Major themes are political conflict in England, absolute monarch in France under Louis XIV, the Scientific Revolution, conflict for world empire between France and Britain, and the revolutionary thought of the Enlightenment.

3337 Ancient World (3-0). This class will give students a detailed overview of the ancient world. The course will explore topics as diverse as the emergence of cities, trade and travel, religion, government and empire, and the everyday experiences of ancient peoples.

3342 The American Civil War (3-0). An examination of the causes and course of the American Civil War which places that pivotal conflict in the context of the nation’s development during the nineteenth century. Topics include, but are not limited to, life in the Old South, development of an industrial North, slavery, abolitionist movement, and political and military strategy.

3343 U.S. Reconstruction (3-0). An examination of Reconstruction in the United States, from the origins of Lincoln’s Reconstruction plan in the midst of the Civil War through the Compromise of 1877, that places the era in the context of regional, national, and global developments during the nineteenth century. Topics include, but are not limited to, notions of race, gender, and citizenship, industrialization, foreign policy, and the ways the American West was incorporated into the U.S. along with the former Confederacy.

3344 American Environmental History (3-0). This course explores the political, social, intellectual, cultural, and material interactions between humans and the natural world, the ways in which those interactions have changed over time, and the fluid constructions of the word “nature.” Put another way, this class studies large-scale dams and natural disasters, western expansion and southern agrarianism, salmon cannons and super highways, resource development and grassroots activism, and it grounds those stories in an ongoing discussion about our place in the natural world.

3347 Culture, Gender, and Reform in 19th Century America (3-0). This course will examine the development of American masculinity, femininity, and gender from the early 19th Century to World War I. Students will study the role of gender in politics, the culture of honor in the South, family relationships and romance, and the challenging of gender, racial, and sexual boundaries in the Civil War and afterward.

3348 American Civil Rights Movements (3-0). This course will discuss the history of movements for civil rights in the United States. Possible topics of discussion may include: the Black Freedom Movement, Chicana/o Movement, Women’s Rights, Voting Rights, Marriage Equality and LGBTQ+ rights, Native American movements, Asian American movements, labor reform, religion and its role in reform movements, national policy changes, and regional differences.

3350 American Immigration (3-0). Analyzes the history of immigration in the United States from a variety of perspectives, time periods, and topics, including but not limited to: labor, policy, language and culture, geography, family dynamics, politics and activism, religion, race and ethnicity, gender and sexuality, and movements for reform.

3355 Latin America to 1800 (3-0). A survey of Latin American History from the 15th Century to 1800. Topics include the influence of Spain and Portugal, Indian heritage, and colonial history, with a particular emphasis on political, social, and cultural developments.

3356 Latin America Since 1800 (3-0). A survey of Latin American History since 1800. Topics include the development of Latin American Republics and revolutionary movements, with particular emphasis on political, social and cultural developments.

3362 Mexican American History (3-0). The history of people of Mexican descent in the United States, including their contributions to and importance in American society and culture, politics, the economy, and the military. Topics may include: contributions to popular culture, service in the global conflicts, struggles for equality, regional differences, coalition building and the impact on larger politics, immigration and migration, and struggles for labor reform.

3371 Asia in the Age of Imperialism (3-0). A study of Asia in the age of European, Japanese, and American colonialism, focusing on economic, political, and diplomatic relations. The course will span early European voyages to Asia to high imperialism to independence movements and World War II.

3372 Modern China (3-0). A survey of modern China from 1644 to the present. The course will explore the changes in the relationship between state and society from the founding of the Qing dynasty to the People’s Republic of China (PRC). Themes will include imperialism, nationalism, ethnicity, gender, and revolution.

3373 The Vietnam Wars (3-0). This course explores the interrelated wars in Vietnam and the surrounding region between 1940 and the present. The course takes an international approach, combining local and national perspectives with a focus on the U.S. and Vietnam, but attention paid to the experiences and roles of the French, Cambodians, Laotians, Soviets, and Chinese. The course brings together military, social, cultural, political, and diplomatic history to explore complex dynamics of recent wars in the region.

3374 The Silk Roads (3-0). An introduction to Asian history from earliest times to 1600, examining civilizations and cultural exchanges. This course will place Eurasian trade routes in context. Topics will include commerce; the spread of the world religions Hinduism, Buddhism, and Islam; the influence of Confucian thought in East Asia; and the Mongol Empire.

3379 U.S. Military History (3-0). Explores the evolution and history of the American military, from colonial militias to the 21st century. The course covers the technological, political , cultural, social, and diplomatic aspects of U.S. military history, from individual combat experiences to grand strategy.

4302 The American West (3-0). A cultural history of America’s frontier experience, with special emphasis on the Trans-Mississippi West in the nineteenth century.

4313 U.S. – Mexico Borderlands (3-0). This course will examine the historical interaction of the U.S. and Mexico at the Border, focusing on cultural exchange, economic relations, politics of immigration and labor, as well tensions and accommodations.

4314 Public History (3-0). This course will provide students with training in the field of public history with attention paid to historic preservation, archival research and preservation, museum studies, and related fields. Students will receive preparation for employment in fields such as tourism, marketing, archives, museums, state and national parks, and research for corporations and non-profits.

4323 History of U.S. Foreign Relations (3-0). An examination of key events in U.S. diplomatic history as well as significant trends from colonialrevolutionary times to the present.

4324 Sports in American History (3-0). The role of sports in American history, including the economic, big business, social, cultural, racial, gender, ethnic and higher education aspects of sports in American history.

4325 American Indian History (3-0). A general survey of the pre-history, culture, and historical experience of American Indians living north of Mexico.

4330 The Middle Ages (3-0). This class will explore Europe, the Mediterranean, and the Middle East between c. 400 and c. 1500. It will introduce students to the complex, interconnected worlds of the Middle Ages, focusing on themes such as cultural and socio-political developments and the movement of people, objects, and ideas.

4333 Modern Europe (3-0). Examines the unification of Germany and Italy, European imperial and colonial rivalries, the Second Industrial Revolution, class and gender dynamics, and the emergence of modern society. This course will also provide the social and political context of World War I.

4335 Revolutionary Europe (3-0). Studies the evolution and impact of the French Revolution, including the emergence of such ideologies of nationalism, communism, liberalism, and Romanticism. This course will also examine the Industrial Revolution, urbanization, and class and gender dynamics.

4340 Globalization Since 1945 (3-0). An examination of global economics since World War II. Topics of study will include the dynamics of modernization, international trade, regional conflicts, and the evolution of an integrated global economy.

4342 Dictatorship and Democracy in the 20th Century (3-0). Examines European history from the outbreak of World War I through the fall of the Soviet Union and European integration. This course will analyze the ideological struggle between liberalism, fascism, socialism and communism on European politics, economics, and society in the twentieth century.

4351 Mexico Since Independence (3-0). Mexican national history from 1823 to the present, detailing the political, economic, and cultural trends since independence and emphasizing United States-Mexican relations.

4360 Latin American Slavery (3-0). Latin American Slavery examines the evolution of slavery in Latin America, offering a comparative framework to understand differences among countries colonized by the Portuguese and the Spanish. This course will look closely at the cultural interactions among Africans, Indians, and European colonizers to understand the basis of caste society in Latin America.

4361 Topics in Military History (3-0). A study of war in different historical epochs. The course will analyze combat and the evolution of military technique within the broad cultural context of political, economic, social, and intellectual factors. (May be repeated once for credit when topic varies.)

4370 Capstone: Historical Research and Methodology (3-0). The objective of this course is to provide a capstone experience to History majors. Students should have senior status in order to enroll in the class. Students must obtain permission to enroll in the class. Secondary Certification students must take the class the semester prior to their clinical teaching (student teaching) experience.

4371 Internship in History. The student will participate in work and on-the- job training at a historic site, museum, or other appropriate organization. A research paper dealing with the internship experience, written under the direction of a faculty member, will be required. The internship is limited to history majors. Registration allowed only after selection by the History Department made upon written application in the semester prior to placement. See department chair for details.

4381 Special Topics (3-0). A course dealing with selected topics in History. (May be repeated twice for credit when topic varies.)

4391 Research. A specialized course of directed reading or research for superior students majoring in history. Must have departmental approval to register.