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Undergraduate Class Descriptions

CLICK HERE for WMU's online Undergraduate Catalog.

Survey of major developments in European civilization from ancient Greece and Rome to approximately 1500,

HIST 101 Modem Western World: 3 hours

Survey of major developments in Western civilization from the Renaissance to the present.

HIST 102 Western Civilization: The Modem Era: 3 hours

Survey of major developments in European civilization from the late nineteenth century to the present.

HIST 103 History and Current Events: 3 hours

Historical background of selected contemporary issues and news events.

HIST 110 Outline of World History: 3 hours

Broad patterns and themes in world history considered from the perspective of the major centers of civilization.

HIST 145 Heroes and Villains In the Middle Ages: 3 hours

An introduction to medieval history and culture that focuses on the people of the Middle Ages, especially those who were particularly admired or vilified. The course explores how their lives were shared by the society in which they lived, and how legends about them have influenced values and ideals down to the present. Students may not receive credit for both HIST 145 and MDVL 145.

HIST 190 Historians In to Modem World: 3 hours

A survey of the historical professions and the academic preparation needed to enter them. Introduction to basic research, analytical, and presentation skills in the discipline.

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HIST 204 Business History: 3 hours

The business community as an integral pad of history and society. Uses the case study method and business biography to explore economic and financial issues in historical setting. Covers the whole range of Western history with emphasis on the American experience.

HIST 210 American History to 1877: 3 hours

General survey of United States history from colonial times to the late nineteenth century.

HIST 211 American History since 1077: 3 hours

General survey of United States history with emphasis on the twentieth century American experience.

HIST 212 American Culture: 3 hours

Major concepts in American life as seen from the perspective of literature, the arts, and mass media, and the role of these forms of communication on the development of public historical consciousness.

HIST 250 Michigan History: 3 hours

Political, economic and social development of Michigan with emphasis on its relation to the history of the United States.

HIST 298 Directed Reading in History: 1-3 hours

Registration requires approval of the supervising faculty member and the Department Chair. May be repeated to a maximum of three semester hours.

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HIST 300 Arts and Ideas: Ancient/Medieval: 3 hours

Survey of the history and interplay of intellectual and artistic developments in the West from ancient through medieval times.

HIST 301 Modem Art and Ideas: 3 hours

Survey of the history and interplay of intellectual and artistic creativity from the Renaissance to the present. Covers all major areas of material culture.

HIST 302 World History to 1500: 3 hours

Introduction to World History to 1500, intended for students of all majors. By "world history" is meant not the sum history of the world's separate societies and culture, but major chapters in the history of the interaction between them. We will examine the ways in which societies contacted one another, the ways they influenced one another, and the ways new societies emerged, including the roles played by migration, trade, war, empire, technology, epidemic, and religious and cultural diffusion.

HIST 303 World History since 1500: 3 hours

Introduction to World History to 1500, intended for students of all majors. By "world history" is meant not the sum history of the world's separate societies and culture, but major chapters in the history of the interaction between them. We will examine the ways in which societies contacted one another, the ways they influenced one another, and the ways new societies emerged, including the roles played by migration, trade, war, empire, technology, epidemic, and religious and cultural diffusion.

HIST 306 Technology and Culture: 3 hours

Major technological developments throughout history, and interaction between technological change and culture. Survey of ancient and medieval technology, the industrial revolution, and the twentieth century, including aspects of technology and culture outside the Western tradition.

HIST 308 History of Medicine and Medical Care: 3 hours

Survey of the development of medicine as 'a science, a healing agency, and a social institution. Includes medical achievements from ancient to modern times, overview of the changing role of medical experts in various cultures, medical education, medical social work, and evolution of the nursing profession.

HIST 310 Topics in History: 1-3 hours

Topics listed in Schedule of Course Offerings. May be repeated under different topics.

HIST 313 American Diplomatic History: 3 hours

History of American foreign relations from the American Revolution to the present, emphasizing diplomacy of the twentieth century.

HIST 314 American Minorities: 3 hours

Surveys of the historical experiences of American ethnic groups such as Black Americans, Native Americans, and major European, Asian, and Hispanic communities. Topics listed in Schedule of Course Offerings. May be repeated under different topics. Topics may be cross-listed with BAS 300 or BAS 301.

HIST 315 Popular Art arid Architecture In America: 3 hours

Popular themes in American history as shown in paintings, buildings, cartoons, and commercial art. Extensive use of local Illustrations adaptable to elementary and secondary, teaching.

HIST 316 Women in United States History: 3 hours

Women’s legal and social status, work, daily life, and participation in major events and, processes in United States history; variety of women's experience due to class, race, region, ethnicity, and religion. Survey of the women's movement and emergence of feminist perspectives.

HIST 318 Environment and the American Experience: 3 hours

Impact of environmental conditions on American historical and cultural development; changing attitudes toward environmental issues.

HIST 320 American Military History: 3 hours

Survey of major events and developments in North American and United States military history from the eighteenth century to the present.

HIST 322 The American West: 3 hours

A study of the exploration and settlement of the North American continent. Topics include Indian relations, utilization of land and resources in the fur trade, mining, and cattle ranching; and the establishment of law and order on the frontier.

HIST 324 Everyday Life In America: 3 hours

Introduction to the study of artifacts and the built environment in understanding everyday life in America. Artifacts as social and cultural documents in the American experience and sources for examining culture.

HIST 326 American Indian Cultural History: 3 hours

Survey of history and culture of American Indians from earliest times to the present; emphasis on cultural achievements and diversity, myths and prejudices of non-Indian Americans, and Indian-government interaction.

HIST 327 U.S./Spanish Borderlands: History and Culture: 3 hours

In the sixteenth century, the Spanish explored and colonized what became the southern tier of the United States, interacting with diverse indigenous groups in multiple ways. The movement of French and Anglo-Americans into areas of Spanish control in the eighteen century, and later political and economic changes such as Texas independence, Manifest destiny, and the growth of ranching added new dimensions. Discussion of export agriculture and manufacturing, twentieth century immigration, and contemporary class and ethnic relations along the US/Mexico border bring the course to current issues.

HIST 328 African-American Cultural History: 3 hours

Survey of history and culture of African-Americans from colonial times to the present; emphasis on cultural achievements and diversity, myths and prejudices of non-African-Americans, struggle for civil and human rights, and the dilemmas of integration versus separate identity. Brief survey of United States in a pan-Diaspora context.

HIST 330 History of Canada: 3 hours

A survey of Canada from the sixteenth century to the present. Special attention to the sources of Anglo-French discord and Canada's changing relationship with the United States.

HIST 332 Global History 1885-1945: 3 hours

Themes in global history and global interdependence from the late nineteenth century to the cataclysm of World War II. Topics include globalization of technology, commerce, communication and human expectations; economic integration and international cooperation; the dichotomy of nationalism and ethnicity and the emergence of a world culture; the world at war.

HIST 333 The World since 1945: 3 hours

Examination of the major developments of the second half of the twentieth century and the dichotomies of continuity and revolutionary change they present.

HIST 336 Women In European History: 3 hours

Examination of the condition of women in various periods of European history, with particular attention to women's changing status and experiences in the family and workplace. Study of various institutions, associations, and activities in which women expressed themselves becomes the basis for conclusions about women's contributions to European history and culture.

HIST 349 Ancient Near East: 3 hours

Ancient history of Near Eastern lands which, also figure prominently in biblical accounts. Archaeology, prehistory; and the cradles of civilization in Mesopotamia and the Nile Valley. Survey of ancient Sumerian, Babylonian, Egyptian, Hittite, Phoenician, and Hebrew cultures, as well as the emergence of the Assyrian, Neo-Babylonian, and Persian empires.

HIST 350 Ancient Greece and the Hellenistic World: 3 hours

Origins of the ancient Greeks and their role in the Aegean civilizations of Crete, Troy, and Mycenae; the Homeric age, and development of the polis. Examination of the contrasting, city-states of Athens and Sparta, as well as the unique cultural achievements and legacy of Hellenism; Alexander the Great and the Hellenistic world.

HIST 351 Ancient Rome: 3 hours

Roman history from earliest beginnings to the decline and fall of the Roman Empire. The early Italic, Etruscan; and Greek cultures of ancient Italy prior to the emergence of Rome; rise of the Roman republic and conquest of the Mediterranean; civil wars, development of the empire and its ultimate collapse; cultural achievements of the age.

HIST 360 The Medieval World: Society and Culture: 3 hours

Society and culture of medieval Europe with emphasis on everyday life, material culture, and ways of knowing. Impact of medieval Europe on the formation of modern European states and systems; brief survey of comparative medieval conditions in other regions, and the Impact of "Medievalism" on popular culture.

HIST 362 History of England: 3 hours

Development of national culture in England and the British Isles approximately the end of the eighteenth century; evolution of constitutional and legal structure; emergence of England as a competitor for European and world hegemony.

HIST 363 Britain and the British Empire: 3 hours

Britain in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries; development and subsequent loss of economic hegemony and consequences for British society; elaboration of parliamentary government; the British Empire from the loss of North America to the conquest of India and establishment of naval dominance; the British search for new roles in the twentieth century

HIST 364 Modem Europe: Culture and Society: 3 hours

Social and cultural history of Europe in the late nineteenth and twentieth centuries with emphasis on the post-World War If period: reconstruction; era of, the Cold War the dilemma of economic; integration and cultural fragmentation; Europe in the wider world; modern European cultural life.

HIST 366 Russia Yesterday and Tomorrow: 3 hours

Historical survey of Russia and the regions included in the former Soviet Union. Emphasis on the Russian cultural core and its potential for the reformulation of the Russian republic, Consideration of the ideals and realities of the Soviet Union, and the triumph of culture over ideology in Its collapse.

HIST 368 History of European Nations: 3 hours

Surveys of selected European national histories. Emphasis on the growth of national consciousness and national cultures as both positive and destructive forces. Topics listed in the Schedule of Course Offerings. May be repeated under different topics.

HIST 370 History of Latin America: 3 hours

Sources of the traditions of Latin American societies and national cultures, and the response of Latin America to the challenges of the twentieth century.

HIST 376 Modem East Asia: 3 hours

The recent history of China, Japan, and Korea: tradition, reform, and revolutionary movements; ideologies and techniques of modernization; national ambitions and international relations.

HIST 384 Modem Islam: 3 hours

Survey of the, Islamic world from the late nineteenth century to the present, with emphasis on development of Islamic alternatives to social, economic and political modernization. Considers Islam in a global relationship to the Christian West.

HIST 385 Modem Middle East: 3 hours

The Middle East since the collapse of the Ottoman Empire at the close of World War I. Emphasis is upon the history of the Arab-Israeli conflict, which may be seen as thematic of the clash of the major forces shaping the modern Middle East, including Arab nationalism, Zionism, and colonialism.

HIST 388 Introduction to African Civilization: 3 hours

Overview of major aspects of African history and civilization from earliest times to the present. Emphasis upon elements which contribute to the uniqueness of the African experience.

HIST 390 Introduction to the Study of History: 3 hours

Major themes and developments in historiography and historical thought. Ideas and interpretations of history from different periods are studied in their historical context. This course is approved as a writing-intensive course which may fulfill the baccalaureate-level writing requirement of the student's curriculum. Prerequisite. HIST 190.

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HIST 400 Topics In History: 1-3 hours

Selected topics in historical studies. Topics announced in Schedule of Course Offerings. May big repeated under different topics.

HIST 404 Introduction to Public History: 3 hours

Origins and objectives of public history as a philosophy of history and as a discrete field of study and research. Examination of social, economic, political and cultural changes pertinent to the field. Characteristics and Interrelationships of the major components of public history including historic preservation, museology, education, environmental concerns, public policies and information sciences.

HIST 406 Archives Administration: 3 hours

Theory, techniques, and practice in the development and administration of archives and archival materials

HIST 408 Museum Studies: 3 hours

History, philosophy, organization and administration of general history, science, technology, and art museums. Discussion of theory, conservation and security, display and interpretation, and the role of museums in culture, and education.

HIST 410 Historic Preservation: 3 hours

Development, conservation, and interpretation of historic sites and districts: documenting historic sites; registration procedures; preservation law; funding sources; history of the preservation movement; social and political issues in urban, rehabilitation.

HIST 412 Local History Techniques: 3 hours

Sources and techniques of local historians and their application to research. Emphasis on various primary sources such as manuscript collections, oral history, genealogy, archaeological and ethnographic data. Topics may be listed In Schedule of Course Offerings. May be repeated under different topics.

HIST 414 Topics in Military History: 1-3 hours

Topics in military history from ancient times to the present. Topics announced in "Schedule of Class." May be repeated under different topics.

HIST 416 Topics In Michigan History: 1-3 hours

Topics listed in Schedule of Course Offerings. May be repeated under different topics.

HIST 420 Colonial America: 3 hours

The American colonies as part of the British Empire; their founding, and their political, social, and economic development to the eve of the American Revolution.

HIST 421 The New Nation: American Revolution and Independence: 3 hours

Causes and consequences of the American Revolution; early experiments at national integration; social and cultural developments from approximately 1770 to 1820.

HIST 422 Antebellum America: 3 hours

Society and culture of the United States in-the 19th century before the Civil War.

HIST 424 The Civil War and Reconstruction: 3 hours

Examines the origins of the Civil War, the, reasons for Northern victory and Southern defeat, and the conflicts over Reconstruction policy and the status of Black Americans.

HIST 425 United States, 1877-1919: 3 hours

Causes and consequences of industrialization and urbanization in the period, and concurrent revolutions in agriculture, transportation and communications; the Progressive movement; ideas, arts, and culture of the era.

HIST 426 United States 1920-1940: 3 hours

Social, economic, and political characteristics of the 1920s; economic collapse and onset of the Great Depression; the Roosevelt New Deal; arts and culture of the era.

HIST 427 United States 1940-1960: 3 hours

The United States in World War II and the 1950s; major social, cultural, and economic aspects of the era; emergence of the United States as a superpower.

HIST 428 United States since 1960: 3 hours

Major domestic developments and international challenges since the Kennedy presidency.

HIST 430 American Maritime History: 3 hours

This course will examine America's historic relationship with marine and freshwater environments. It will consider the economic, cultural, political, and naval uses of these bodies of water by Americans from 1700 to the present. Viewing maritime history as the documentation and interpretation of water-situated movement (people, commodities), networks (intercultural contact, economic/political linkage, culture (maritime communities), and resource use (fisheries, leisure activities), this course will assess these factors within, three frameworks: 1) the American mariner's world; 2) the American maritime community along shore; 3) American society at-large.

HIST 432 Women In America to 1870: 3 hours

Women's historical experiences from the early 16th century to 1870; focus on women's relationships to the economy, the family, politics, changing concepts of gender and ideals of womanhood; variations in experience by class.

HIST 433 Women In America Since 1870: 3 hours

Continuation of HIST 432.

HIST 434 American Indians to 1783: 3 hours

Introduction to themes and issues in Native history from earliest contact to 1783. Topics include contact and conflict, depopulation, Native-European relations, cultural change and continuity.

HIST 435 American Indians Since 1783: 3 hours

Introduction to themes and issues in Native history from 1783 to the present day. Topics include Federal-Indian, relations, removal, evolution of federal Indian policy, and contemporary native society.

HIST 436 Topics In African-American History: 3 hours

Major themes and topics in African-American history in North America and the Caribbean. Topics listed in Schedule of Course Offerings. May be repeated under different topics.

HIST 439 Topics In United States History: 1-3 hours

Examination of major social, economic, intellectual and cultural themes and issues in United States history. Topics announced in Schedule of Course Offerings. May be repeated under different topics.

HIST 440 Imperial Rome: 3 hours

Rome from the close of the republic to the zenith of the imperial age, with emphasis on the first century of the empire.

HIST 441 Early Christianity: 3 hours

History of the Christian church and community from its inception to its triumph in the Western and Eastern Roman empires; emphasis on the relationships between church and state.

HIST 442 Byzantine Civilization: 3 hours

The fusion of Western Roman, Hellenistic, Christian, and diverse cultural traditions into a unique Byzantine phenomenon. Coverage from Constantine the Great to the capture of Constantinople by the Ottoman Turks in 1453.

HIST 444 Early Medieval History: 3 hours

Evolution of medieval institutions and culture from the collapse of Rome to approximately the twelfth century.

HIST 445 Later Medieval History: 3 hours

The maturation and flourishing of medieval civilization from approximately the twelfth century to the disintegration of medieval unity in the Renaissance. Emphasis on social and political institutions and intellectual developments.

HIST 446 Renaissance Europe: 3 hours

Political, intellectual, and artistic developments in Renaissance Europe and the process of dissolution of the medieval world-view in the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries.

HIST 447 The Reformation: 3 hours

The collapse of European religious unity in the sixteenth century; religious wars, the appearance of regional churches, and Roman Catholic renewal; early traces of scientific and intellectual revolutions; arts and culture of the era.

HIST 450 Europe In the Seventeenth and Eighteenth Centuries: 3 hours

Major social, political, intellectual and cultural developments from the Thirty Yews War through the Enlightenment.

HIST 452 French Revolution and Napoleon: 3 hours

Background, major events and phases of the French Revolution; Napoleon and the French empire; impact of the revolution on Europe and the rest of the world.

HIST 456 Europe 1815-1871: 3 hours

Europe from the Congress of Vienna to Me Franco-Prussian War. Emphasis on the struggle between conservative and liberal forces and the growth of modem nationalism and national unity; economic and social impact of industrialization; arts and culture of the era.

HIST 457 Europe 1871-1919: 3 hours

Continued growth of nationalism and national rivalries; the golden age of European imperialism. Evolution of alliance patterns; background and major military and political events of World War I; economic and social impact of the second industrial revolution; arts and culture of the era.

HIST 458 Europe 1919-1945: 3 hours

Aftermath and political settlement of World War I; Europe of the 1920s; the rise of Fascism and economic collapse: the assault on ethnic and religious minorities and on democratic government; background and major events of World War II; arts and culture of the era.

HIST 460 Europe since 1945: 3 hours

Recovery and reconstruction following World War II; the East-West conflict, roles and objectives of major European states and blocs in international affairs; the movement toward European unity.

HIST 462 Great Ages In English History: 3 hours

Period studies in the history of England: Anglo-Saxon, medieval, Tudor-Swart, Victorian and twentieth century. Topics listed in Schedule of Classes. May be repeated under different topics.

HIST 465 Russia to 1855: 3 hours

History of Russia from Medieval times to the beginning of the reign of Tsar Alexander II and the close of the Crimean War.

HIST 480 Russia since 1855: 3 hours

History of Russia since the mid-nineteenth century. Political, social, economic, and cultural developments presaging the revolutions of 1905 and 1917; evolution of the Soviet state.

HIST 467 Topics in Iberian History: 3 hours

Period studies in the history of Spain medieval, early modern, and modern. Topics listed in Schedule of Course Offerings. May be repeated under different topics.

HIST 468 Topics In European History: 1-3 hours

Topics listed in Schedule of Course Offerings. May be repeated under different topics.

HIST 471 Latin America: 3 hours

Period or regional studies in the history of Latin America: colonial, modern, Andes, Amazon, Mexico, Caribbean, etc. Topics listed in Schedule of Course Offerings. May be repeated under different topics.

HIST 476 Traditional China: 3 hours

History of China from to earliest beginnings of Chinese civilization to the collapse of the Ming Dynasty in the seventeenth century.

HIST 477 Modern China: 3 hours

Last of the great traditional Chinese dynasties and Its response to the challenge of outside forces and ideas; early industrialization and sociopolitical change in the nineteenth century; the revolution of 1912 and the struggle for dominance ending in Communist victory in 1949; China's struggle to modernize and define its place in the twentieth century.

HIST 479 Modem Japan: 3 hours

Survey of Japanese history and traditional society; the Japanese response to outside forces in the nineteenth century; development of the Japanese empire arid its destruction in World War II; emergence of Japan as an economic world power.

HIST 480 Topics in Asian History: 1-3 hours

Topics listed in Schedule of Course Offerings. May be repeated under different topics.

HIST 485 Early Islam: 3 hours

The rise of Islam and the Arab conquests; the fusion of Muslim, Hellenistic, and Indo-Persian cultural influences in classical Islamic civilization; political, social, religious, and intellectual history from the seventh century to the Mongol conquests in the thirteenth century.

HIST 488 History of West Africa: 3 hours

Major themes of West African history from medieval times to the present, including development of states and empires; regional, Saharan and trans-Atlantic trade; economic transformations; the influence of Islam and other religious institutions; and the dynamics of traditional West African civilization.

HIST 489 Topics In Asian and African History: 1-3 hours

Topics listed in Schedule of Course Offerings. May be repeated under different topics.

HIST 494 Teaching Methods for Secondary Schools: 3 hours

Theories and techniques for the effective teaching of history at the secondary level. Evaluation and selection of reading assignments and instructional materials; methods of measuring cognition of historical concepts; course organization and learning activities for students of varying backgrounds and abilities; use of interactive media; the role of history In social science and humanities education, and of historians as curriculum leaders. Prerequisite: In addition to 8 hours of U.S. History, students must also have taken ED 302 or take it concurrently.

HIST 495 Internship: 3-9 hours

Professional internship experience in museums, historical administration, historic preservation, editing, applied research, etc. Registration requires approval of supervisor and Department Chair. Grading format is credit/no credit. Prerequisite: appropriate course work in public history.

HIST 496 Senior Seminar: 3 hours

Interpretive and theoretical issues. Preparation of a major paper. Topics listed in Schedule of Course Offerings. Prerequisite: 24 hours of course work in history.

HIST 496 Directed Research: 3 hours

Individualized research and production of a written project supervised by a faculty Member Registration requires a research proposal approved by a faculty member and the Department Chair. Prerequisite: 18 hours of history at the 300-level and above.

HIST 499 Senior Thesis: 3-6 hours

Research, preparation and defense of a supervised research project Registration requires approval by two faculty supervising project and the Department Chair. Honor students may substitute HNRS 499 (Honors College Thesis) with appropriate approval. Graded on a credit/no credit basis.

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Undergraduates with junior status and 12 hours of work in history may enroll in 500-level courses with prior approval of the department chair. To view Graduate level classes, CLICK HERE.