History (HIS)
HIS 122 World History 3 credits
A comparative introduction to the development of cultures in Europe, the Americas, Asia and Africa. Topics include the age of exploration from a global perspective; the rise of the West; religious, economic and political revolutions; imperialism; changes in the patterns of everyday life.
HIS 215 Introduction to History 3 credits
Students familiarize themselves with methods of inquiry in history and compare these with the methodologies of other disciplines. The course asks participants to raise relevant questions about the data, sources, and conclusions of the material they examine and to conduct their own inquiry through the completion of a self-designed project.
HIS 222 Leaders in American Society 3 credits
In this course, students examine the leadership foundations of American society. After examining and discussing these foundations, students will move to non-Western ethical influences of our contemporary society. Students will study the lives of many diverse leaders. In examining the traditional with the contemporary, students will explore the complex ethical framework of our nation.
HIS 235 USA to 1877 3 credits
This survey course traces American history from colonial times through Reconstruction. The course emphasizes a broad range of topics including: colonial settlement patterns, the growth of slavery, the Revolution, the development of nationalism, the Age of Jackson, Westward expansion, sectionalism, and the Civil War and Reconstruction.
HIS 238 USA since 1877 3 credits
This survey course traces American history from Reconstruction to the present time. The course will begin by focusing on the nation's emergence as a world power and its failure to keep the promises it made in the 13th & 15th amendments. Students will also examine: America's various reform movements, World War I, the Roaring Twenties, the Depression and New Deal, World War II, the Cold War, Civil Rights, Vietnam, the 1960s counterculture, Watergate, the oil and Iran hostage crises, the Reagan revolution, the Gulf War, the Clinton years, the 2000 election and the 9/11 attacks.
HIS 268 Introduction to Latin America 3 credits
An introduction to modern Latin America, with emphasis on the post-colonial era. Beginning with a discussion of the colonial heritage, the course traces the development of Latin America, its struggle with political instability and economic dependence and the role of the United States in hemispheric development. Primary focus is on Argentina, Brazil, and Chile.
HIS 289 European History 3 credits
This comprehensive survey focuses on events and forces that have shaped European history since the French Revolution. The course will examine industrialization, the revolutions of 1848, socialism, the unification of Germany, European imperialism, the devastating world wars of the 20th century, as well as the Russian Revolution, National Socialism and the Holocaust, the Cold War standoff, and the birth and expansion of the European Community.
HIS 300 World Culture: Greece & Rome 3 credits
This course studies the cultural history of ancient Greece and Rome with a focus on the interaction of diverse cultural elements which shape the metropolitan and cosmopolitan world culture of which we are heirs.
HIS 315 The Holocaust 3 credits
This course will introduce students to the history of the Holocaust and to individuals who embodied those issues. We will examine the historical development of anti-Semitism, German political and cultural history of the 19th and 20th centuries and the actions taken against Jews that culminated in the attempted implementation of a final solution to the Jewish question. Course will consist of lectures, readings and discussion, with occasional guest speakers and films.
HIS 320 Minnesota History 2 credits
This course will examine the social, cultural, economic, and political history of Minnesota from pre-European contact to the present. Special emphasis will be placed on American Indian and European-American conflict. This course will also focus on interrelationship between Minnesota's geophysical environment and socio-cultural development. Topics will include Native American life and culture, European settlement, the fur trade, immigration, economic and industrial development, political institutions, cultural legacy, ethnic heritage, and Minnesota's place in the global community.
HIS 345 The Civil Rights Movement in the U.S. 3 credits
This course will explore the major campaigns, personalities, organizations, and guiding themes of the Civil Rights Movement in the United States. This course will focus on the "long civil rights movement"; that portion of the struggle characterized by an organized mass movement(s) from World War II through the 1970s, highlighting the shift from protest to electoral politics. The class will place the civil rights movement within the context of American political, economic, and social institutions. It will also analyze the major historical, sociological, and political debates about the Civil Rights/Black Power movements and place those movements in the broader context of national and international developments.
HIS 350 Modern China, 1911-Present 3 credits
This course will study the effects of Western colonialism, the Sino-Japanese War, and World War I on China, and trace the development of the modern Chinese state, including the formation of the People's Republic of China and Taiwan. Emphasis will also be placed on China's relations with other countries around the world, as well as its treatment of ethnic minorities within its own borders.
HIS 360 The Cold War: A Global Perspective 3 credits
This course examines the causes, actions, and results of a conflict between the world's superpowers that shaped the direction of global affairs for more than forty years. This course will allow the students to view the Cold War through the eyes of the United States, the Soviet Union, their allies, and many other countries that served as proxies during this period. Both the history and the international system will be emphasized.
HIS 365 Women’s History 3 credits
An analysis of the social, political, and economic role of women in America and around the world. This course will cover both the history of women as well as contemporary issues concerning gender and equality. Global issues and themes will be accentuated.
HIS 370 Themes in World History 3 credits
This course will explore a specific topic or topics selected by the instructor, and will expand the student's understanding and appreciation of the history and historiography of the given subjects(s). (Pre-Req waiver can be signed by professor).
HIS 375 U.S. Foreign Policy 3 credits
This course examines the goals and consequences of American foreign policy and diplomacy from the founding of the republic to the present day. Topics include commercial and territorial expansion, America's relationships with other states and nations, World Wars I and II, the Cold War, Vietnam, U.S. imperialism, and the current conflicts over terrorism and natural resources. The perspectives of other peoples and nations will be emphasized.
HIS 380 The Vietnam War 3 credits
This course examines, from historical and political perspectives, the Vietnam War era. While an emphasis will be placed on America's role in the conflict; international geopolitical factors will also be investigated. Other topics might include the development of Vietnamese nationalism, the Cold War, French colonialism, Washington's initial commitment to Vietnam, the increase in American involvement from 1954-1965, the Gulf of Tonkin, the failure of military strategy, antiwar protests, the war's legacy, and the impact of the Vietnam War on current politics in Laos, Cambodia, and Thailand, and Southeast Asia. The plight and conditions of the Hmong people, both during and after the war, will be highlighted in this course.
HIS 402 Research and Writing in History 3 credits
This serves as the research and writing capstone course for History majors and minors. After reading other scholars' ideas and interpretations in various classes, students will now have the opportunity to research, analyze, and write their own original work of scholarship. Students will do original research projects using primary source materials (newspapers, oral history interviews, government documents, letters, diaries, etc.), rather than scholarly articles or books. Student can select their own topic, but must coordinate with an instructor. Assessment goals include sound research, adequate content and coverage of the subject, strong critical analysis of sources, and writing style.
HIS 487 Readings Seminar 2 credits
Readings/Research Seminar in History covering various, selected topics. This course will emphasize the use of scholarly and primary source materials; historiography and interpretation, archival research, and student participation. Recent readings-seminar topics include: America in the 1960s; the French Revolution and Napoleon, Minnesota History, and the Russian Revolution.
HIS 488 Independent Study 1-4 credits
Independent study provides a more flexible educational experience for the student as well as college credit for work done outside the conventional classroom setting. These courses are generally designed and supervised by a faculty member. Students are responsible for completing an application form that specifies course goals, objectives, projected outcomes, learning strategies, and evaluation procedures. The student's advisor, course instructor, department chair, and the dean must approve the proposal.
HIS 498 Internship 1-16 credits
Students participate in internships in state and local government agencies, archives, museums, and related fields of interest under supervision of staff members of the department of history.