HIS 101, 102 THE UNITED STATES I & II / 3 credits each
The American experience from the colonial period to the present.
HIS 201, 202 WESTERN CIVILIZATION I & II / 3 credits each
Major political, economic, cultural, and social forces and events from the time of the ancient Hebrews and Greeks to the present. The first semester will cover the ancient Hebrews and Greeks through the Reformation. The second semester will cover the Early Modern period through the present.
HIS 280 HISTORIOGRAPHY AND THE HISTORICAL METHOD / 3 credits
In this course, students will explore the process of doing history, practice those processes, and discuss the merits of different approaches to studying the past. Throughout the course, students will research primary materials and work in archives, think hard about spotting and developing theses, probe the philosophical question of what history is, and learn historical content from an important field of American history. By the end of the course, they will have a historical research project of their own choosing well in hand and ready to be developed in HIS 480. Required for history majors and minors. Prerequisites: HIS 201-202 or equivalent, or permission of instructor.
HIS 296 BACH’S GERMANY / 3 credits
An investigation of four cities (Berlin, Dresden, Leipzig, and Weimar) where the composer J.S. Bach lived and worked with emphasis on compositions written by Bach in each of these locales. (Same as MUS 296).
HIS 301 BRITISH HISTORY I / 3 credits
The principle events in the formation of England from the Norman Conquest to the end of the Stuart monarchy in 1714 with additional examination of England’s relation to its Celtic neighbors, the beginnings of the British Empire, and the creation of Great Britain.
HIS 302 BRITISH HISTORY II / 3 credits
The main political, social, economic, and cultural developments in Britain since 1714. Students will also examine British colonialism, Britain’s role in international affairs, and relations among the various territories that make up the United Kingdom itself.
HIS 303 HISTORY OF IRELAND / 3 credits
Survey the history of Ireland from the arrival of the Celts to the present-day conflict in Northern Ireland with major emphasis on explaining how Ireland’s history shaped and continues to shape its present. Prerequisite: HIS 201 or permission of instructor.
HIS 304 History of Scotland / 3 credits
An examination of Scotland’s historical development and distinctiveness within the period concerned. Students will also examine how engagement with other cultures and societies influenced and shaped Scotland.
HIS 305 Britain and the British Empire / 3 credits
A wide-ranging introduction to the history of Britain and the British Empire from 1700 to the present with emphasis on the changing political system, the development of the British state, and the maintenance of an overseas Empire.
HIS 306 Celtic World in Film / 3 credits
Varying studies of cinematic representations of the Celtic world, its geography, people, and history. Students will examine films by English, Scottish, Welsh, Northern Irish, and Irish directors that use English, Scottish, Welsh, Norther Irish, or Irish settings and/or whose subject matter is the history and/or character of the Celtic world. Prerequisites will vary.
HIS 307 Scottish Enlightenment / 3 credits
An introduction to the Scottish Enlightenment, including Scottish culture, learning, development, improvement, and influence.
HIS 308 Topics in Scottish and Irish Studies / ? Credits
Study of selected topics in the history of Ireland or Scotland. Prerequisites: HIS 303 or HIS 304.
HIS 310 COLONIAL AMERICA / 3 credits
Was the American Revolution radical? This course will investigate that crucial question and, in so doing, demonstrate to students the layers of meaning to our founding moment that current discourse about democracy and justice tend to obscure. Course content will focus on constitutional issues and juxtaposing these issues with social and economic history, allowing students to compare political theories of independence with the ways in which life was lived on the ground across colonial America.
HIS 312 FOUNDING AMERICA / 3 credits
An exploration of the era during which Europeans established polities and societies on this continent with emphasis on the diversity of peoples and cultures present and how this diversity made possible what would become the United States of America. Students will explore the histories of the various regions, types of colonies, people, and the important changes that took place culturally, socially, religiously, economically, and politically across the 150 years of colonial history.
HIS 315 U.S. FOREIGN AND SECURITY POLICY / 3 credits
The evolution of U.S. foreign and security policy with particular emphasis on the Cold War and post-Cold War eras. In addition, students will examine the policy-making process, including the role of public opinion, the mass media, and Congress. Prerequisite: POL 205 or permission of instructor (Same as POL 315).
HIS 320 METHODS OF TEACHING SOCIAL STUDIES / 2 credits
An introduction to the materials, methods, and latest trends in the teaching of social studies.
HIS 325 HISTORY AND FILM / 3 credits
A showcase of several films on real historical events to ascertain their historical veracity. Students will research both the films and the actual events from the standpoint of professional historians, ascertain their historical veracity, and demonstrate how films are very much the reflection of the society that produced them. Film topics will vary but treat such issues as war, revolution, imperialism, colonialism, and the struggle of classes and social order.
HIS 329 THE EARLY CHURCH / 3 credits
The development of Christian thought and life to 600 A.D. Prerequisite: RPH 120 or permission of instructor. (Same as RPH 329).
HIS 331 THE MIDDLE AGES / 3 credits
Survey of European history from the fall of the Roman Empire to the end of the 15th century. Topics include the Christianization of Europe, the evolution of feudalism, the rise of the papacy, the Crusades, and the Hundred Years’ War. Prerequisites: HIS 201 or RPH 201 or permission of the instructor. (Same as RPH 331).
HIS 334 RECENT EUROPEAN HISTORY / 3 credits
Dominant currents in Europe and its dependencies from the Congress of Vienna to the present.
HIS 340 THE FRENCH REVOLUTION AND NAPOLEON / 3 credits
An exploration of the causes and consequences of a decisive period which witnessed the destruction of the Old Regime and the birth of the modern state. Students will consider the ideology of the Enlightenment, social and political reforms, the forces of radicalism and popular violence, and the origin of nationalism, as well as examine the career of Napoleon and its impact on Europe will be examined. Prerequisite: HIS 201 or permission of instructor.
HIS 345 HISTORY OF INDIA AND CHINA / 3 credits
A survey of the history of China and India from earliest times to the present. Students will study China and India prior to contact with the West, the impact of the West on these cultures, the rise of nationalism and anti-imperialism, and the rise of communism. Prerequisite: HIS 201 and 202 or permission of instructor.
HIS 349 THE GERMAN POLITICAL AND CULTURAL TRADITION / 3 credits
The development of German political ideas and the evolution of German constitutional arrangements from the Reformation to the present. In addition to the Sonderweg thesis–which seeks to explain and understand Germany’s historical embrace of authoritarian political institutions–students will explore the rich German liberal and democratic tradition. In order to comprehend the complexity of German political thought, students will study the artifacts and writings of artists, philosophers, filmmakers, and poets, as well as historians and politicians. Prerequisite: HIS 202 or RPH 202. (Same as POL 349).
HIS 353 THE EVOLUTION OF WAR / 3 credits
An exploration of warfare from earliest times to the present, viewing war as a social institution that must be seen in its fullest cultural context to be understood. Students will examine not only the historical development of war, but also its interrelationships with society and technology. Although the course focuses mainly on the West, it will have a significant global component in that the military experience of other cultures will serve as a vehicle of comparison. Prerequisites: HIS 201 and 202 or permission of instructor.
HIS 354 THE BYZANTINE EMPIRE / 3 credits
The rise and fall of the Byzantine Empire from 330-1453 with emphasis on the political, social, and economic structures of Byzantium and the religion and culture of its peoples. In addition, students will study the influence of Byzantium on the Slavs, Arabs, Turks, and Western European kingdoms. Prerequisite: HIS 201 or RPH 201 or permission of instructor. (Same as RPH 354).
HIS 355 THE REFORMATION / 3 credits
An exploration of the causes and consequences of the Reformation with emphasis on understanding the role of the major reformers such as Luther, Calvin, and Loyola. In addition, students will explore its socio-political and cultural dimensions. Prerequisite: HIS 201 or RPH 201 or permission of instructor. (Same as RPH 358).
HIS 356 THE SPANISH GOLDEN AGE / 3 credits
Spanish culture and society during the Golden Age of the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. Through the study of historical texts, students will explore some of the major issues of the age, including the Inquisition, the Counter-Reformation, the problem of ethnic and religious minorities, and the rise and fall of an empire. Prerequisite: HIS 201 or permission of instructor.
HIS 357 EARLY MODERN FRANCE / 3 credits
The history of France from the “new monarchs” of the 15th century to the end of the Ancient Regime in 1789. Course content will focus on gaining an understanding of such traditional themes as the consolidation of the French kingdom, the renaissance monarchy, the wars of religion, the development of absolutism, Louis XIV, the Enlightenment, and the forces that would eventually unleash the French Revolution with emphasis on understanding the larger economic and social forces that helped shape French history. In addition, students will explore some of the recent work in the areas of gender and cultural history. Prerequisite: HIS 201 or permission of instructor.
HIS 358 MODERN RUSSIA / 3 credits
The transformation of Russia in the 20th century with special attention to the factors leading to the collapse of communism in the Gorbachev era and to the efforts to establish democratic institutions in the region thereafter. Prerequisite: POL 201 or permission of the instructor. (Same as POL 358).
HIS 361 THE CIVIL WAR / 3 credits
An examination of the Civil War as a military conflict with emphasis on understanding the strategy, operations, and tactics employed by both sides. In addition, students will study the war in the context of international diplomacy and domestic politics as well as its impact on the nation. Prerequisite: HIS 101 or permission of instructor.
HIS 362 U.S. CONSTITUTION / 3 credits
The evolving interpretation of the scope of power allotted to each separate branch of the national government, federalism, the legal and philosophical justifications for judicial review, and the politics of Supreme Court decision making. (Same as POL 362).
HIS 366 ARKANSAS IN THE UNITED STATES / 3 credits
Arkansas from exploration to the present.
HIS 367 LIFE IN 20th CENTURY AMERICA / 3 credits
The history of the United States from the 1900s to the 1990s. Social history, domestic politics, influence of the media and popular culture serve as themes while students consider such topics as the Progressive Era, the Roaring Twenties, the home front during World War II, the Great Depression, Cold War culture, counterculture during the 1960s, and others. Prerequisites: HIS 102 or permission of the instructor.
HIS 371 THE MIDDLE EAST / 3 credits
A survey of the Middle East from the rise of Islam to the present day with emphasis on the development of Islamic society and culture and the impact and influence of the West. Students will give particular attention to the rise of nationalism, the Arab-Israeli Conflict, and the development of Islamic fundamentalism. Prerequisite: HIS 201 and 202 or permission of instructor. (Same as POL 371).
HIS 382 SPECIAL TOPICS IN HISTORY / 3 credits
Study of selected topics in history. Prerequisites will vary.
HIS 383 WORLD THEATRE HISTORY / 3 credits
Survey of world theatre from its ritualistic beginnings to the present day. Readings include plays selected from world cultures. Prerequisite: THE 101 or HIS 201 (same as THE 383).
HIS 399 HISTORY INTERNATIONAL STUDIES COURSE: VARIABLE TOPICS / 1 credit
Study of varying topics in history. Includes a 2-week Nichols trip. Prerequisites will vary.
HIS 411, 412 READINGS IN HISTORY I & II / 1-3 credits each
Reading and review of three to six monographs each semester. Tutorial.
HIS 460 PRACTICUM IN HISTORY / 1-3 credits
470 CELTIC STUDIES RESEARCH / 3 credits
Students will write a research paper on a literary or historical topic pertaining to the British Isles, the British Empire, or the Celtic diaspora. Prerequisite: Students must complete all of the other requirements of the Celtic studies minor.
HIS 480 SENIOR SEMINAR / 3 credits
Preparation of a major research paper with some study of methodology in history. Prerequisite: Senior standing or permission of instructor.