History Courses

Requirements: Course Descriptions

GROUP I: GENERAL EDUCATION

HIS 101 WORLD CIVILIZATION I (3, fa, sp). Survey of major Western and nonWestern civilizations from earliest times to 1650.

HIS 102 WORLD CIVILIZATION II (3,fa,sp). Survey of major Western and nonWestern civilizations from 1650 to the present.

HIS 151H HONORS WORLD CIVILIZATION I (3, fa). A survey of major world civilizations including political, social, religious and intellectual changes to 1650. Discussion, reading, and writing components emphasized in this course.

HIS 152H HONORS WORLD CIVILIZATION II (3, sp). A survey of major world civilizations emphasizing political, intellectual and social changes since 1650. Discussion, reading, and writing components emphasized in this course.

HIS 175 SPECIAL TOPICS (1-5). Topic to be listed in course schedule. May reenroll as topic changes; May not be used as a general education requirement.

HIS 203 AFRICAN AMERICAN HISTORY (3). Survey of the history of people of African descent from ancient Africa to the present.

HIS 205 UNITED STATES HISTORY I (3, fa, sp). Survey of political, economic, and social development of the United States to 1877 including the development of the Missouri and U.S. Constitutions.

HIS 206 UNITED STATES HISTORY II (3, fa sp). Survey of political, economic, and social development of the United States since 1877 including changes in the Missouri and U.S. Constitutions.

GROUP II: UPPER DIVISION SERVICE Prerequisite: HIS 205, HIS 206, PSC 203 or PSC 204

HIS 385 HISTORICAL METHODS (3, sp). Introduction to bibliography, scholarly methods, and the critical evaluation of historical research. This course is designated writing intensive. Prerequisite: 12 hours of history.

HIS 401 PROSTITUTES, POPULISTS, AND ORDINARY FOLK (3, sp). Examination of the history of Missouri through the eyes and experiences of ordinary everyday citizens. Special attention will be paid to traditionally overlooked groups in Missouri history, including women, African Americans, Native Americans, immigrants, the rural and urban poor, and other minority groups. By the end of this course, students will display a greater appreciation for and understanding of the “many acts of the small” that shaped the history and evolution of Missouri from the pre-statehood era up to the Present. Students in the class will also have the opportunity to work with primary sources related to Missouri’s “other” history, to prepare research papers related to Missouri’s social history, and to present their research to a professional audience at the Annual Missouri State Conference on History.

HIS 402 ETHNIC HISTORY (3) Survey of the national experiences of various immigrant and racial ethnic groups in the U.S. from colonial era to the present.

HIS 405 ECONOMIC HISTORY OF THE UNITED STATES (3, fa). Survey of American economic life from 1492 to the present. HIS 459 HISTORY OF AFRICA (3). African civilization from traditional through modern times.

HIS 476 ORAL HISTORY (3). A hands-on methodology course for students seeking a minor in Public History and those interested in conducting historical research in the 20th and 21stcentury.

HIS 477 WOMEN IN AMERICA (3). Changing status of women in the U.S. from 1607 to the present. 

GROUP III: UPPER DIVISION AMERICAN Prerequisite: HIS 205, HIS 206, PSC 203 or PSC 204

HIS 403 BLACKS IN AMERICA (3). Black people in the U.S. from the beginnings in Africa through the 21st century.

HIS 404 HISTORY OF THE SOUTH (3). Political, economic, and social development of the Southern United States pre-colonial to the present. Prerequisite: HIS 205 or 206 or PSC 203 or 204.

HIS 410 “WAR IS HELL”: AMERICAN WAY OF WAR (3,fa). Relationship of American military policy to the political, economic, and social development of the nation.

HIS 421 COLONIAL AMERICA (3, sp, odd). Social, political, economic, and intellectual development of America from the European background to the implementation of the Constitution.

HIS 422 U.S. NATIONAL PERIOD (3). Political, economic, constitutional, and cultural development of the U.S. from 1763 to 1828. 196

HIS 423 CIVIL WAR AND RECONSTRUCTION (3, sp, odd). Political, economic, and social development of the Southern United States through the Civil War.

HIS 424 20th CENTURY SOCIAL MOVEMENTS: CIVIL RIGHTS, FEMINISM AND BEYOND (3, sp, even). Political, economic, and cultural development of the United States from 1901 to the present; emphasis on the emergence of modern America. 

GROUP IV: UPPER DIVISION EUROPEAN/WORLD Prerequisite: HIS 101, HIS 151H, HIS 102, or HIS 152H.

HIS 431 HISTORY OF CHINA AND JAPAN (3, sp, odd). Political, social, and cultural developments of China and Japan from 1600 to late 20th century.

HIS 432 ISLAM AND THE CHRISTIAN WORLD (3, fa, odd). Political, social and cultural developments of the Islamic and Christian worlds; the intersection of these worlds in the Crusading movement and the impact of this interaction on the world that followed.

HIS 433 CULTURE AND CONFLICT IN THE MODERN MIDDLE EAST (3, fa odd). Political, social and cultural developments of the Middle East from its origins through the mid-20th century.

HIS 440 ANCIENT GODS, ANCIENT ENEMIES (3, fa, even). This course will explore the development of North African, Greek and Roman civilizations from c. 3000 BC- c. 500 AD. Students can gain an understanding of the political, social, and cultural and economic exchange as found in Black Athena, will be discussed as it relates to the modern scholarly debate. The course will also highlight the key foundational political, social, and cultural relationships between these societies and the modern World.

HIS 441 MEDIEVAL EUROPE (3, sp, odd). Thematic coverage of the history and culture of Europe, 300-1475. Emphasis is on the significance of the political, economic and social changes which took place.

HIS 442 CHURCH AND STATE IN A CHANGING WORLD (3, fa, even). The Reformation, like the Renaissance drew its inspiration from the ancient world. Renaissance humanists and artists sought to imitate and revive classical art and literary forms; in several important ways the Reformation contributed to the shaping of modernity by dividing Christendom into Catholic and Protestant. Thus, the Reformation destroyed the religious unity of Europe, the distinguishing feature of the Middle Ages, and weakened the Church, the chief institution of medieval society. Strengthening monarchs at the expense of church bodies, the Reformation furthered the growth of the modern secular and centralized state. The reformation contributed to the growth of political liberty – a feature of the modern West and advanced the idea of equality.

HIS 443 THE SINS OF GREATNESS: LEADERSHIP IN THE 18TH CENTURY (3). This survey course will examine 4 to 5 famous leaders from around the globe who were considered, in their native language to have been “Great.” From Frederick the Great of Prussia, Radama I of Madagascar to Kamehameha I of Hawaii to Catherine the Great of Russia, students will participate in Project Based Learning doing research and presenting to their peers a great leader of their choosing. Outside readings will include Machiavelli’s The Prince.

HIS 444 19TH CENTURY EUROPE (3). Political, economic, social, and cultural development of Europe to the outbreak of World War I to include nationalism, imperialism, liberalism, and socialism. HIS 445 20TH CENTURY EUROPE (3, sp, odd). Political, economic, and social developments in Europe from World War I to the present.

HIS 450 EUROPE 1914 TO PRESENT (3, sp, odd) Modern Europe from 1914 with emphasis on recent developments; to include the reunification of Germany, and changes in Russia to the present.

HIS 456 HISTORY OF BRITAIN (3). History of Britain, from prehistoric times to 1714 AD; students can gain an understanding of the political, social and cultural achievements of the early inhabitants of Britain.

HIS 457 HISTORY OF MODERN FRANCE (3). France from the Revolution to the present.

HIS 458 RISE AND FALL OF COMMUNISM (3, sp, odd). This course will examine the rise, survival and collapse of the Soviet Communist ideology and those regimes in Russia and Eastern Europe from 1917-1990 and the results to the present. The Russian revolution, civil war and establishment of the Stalinist regime in the Soviet Union will be addressed. Soviet involvement in the Second World War is also covered. The course concludes by addressing détente, the Gorbachev period, collapse of the Soviet Union by the end of 1990 as well as other Communist regimes in the Eastern Europe and the rise of Vladimir Putin in the present day.

HIS 460 MODERN GERMANY (3, sp odd). The formation of Modern Germany from 1815 to the present. Emphasis on unification in 1871, German Empire, Weimar Republic, the World Wars, East and West Germany, and Reunification.

GROUP V: UPPER DIVISION OTHER

HIS 390/391 DIRECTED TUTORING/ASSISTANT (3). Supervised tutoring/assistant. Student may enroll in a total of two directed tutoring/assistant courses during career, for a total of no more than six credit hours. Will not count toward the major. Prerequisite: permission of the department.

HIS 481H HONORS SUMMER MENTORSHIP (3). Provides students with the opportunity to engage in an individual research or creative project under the close supervision of a faculty mentor. Students work on a project 20 hours per week. Prerequisites: Previous honors coursework with a 3.2 GPA; 3.2 cumulative GPA; junior standing; consent of department; and consent of Honors Committee. To obtain Honors Committee consent, the student must submit an application to that committee.

HIS 490/DIRECTED STUDY (1-3). Independent research. Prerequisite: 492 Consent of instructor and department. HIS 495- SPECIAL SUBJECTS (1-3). Topic to be listed in course schedule. 498 May enroll again as topic changes. Prerequisite: See course schedule.

HIS 495H SPECIAL SUBJECTS (1-3). Topic to be listed in course schedule. 498H May enroll again as topic changes. Prerequisite: Honor College Status.

HIS 499 HISTORY INTERNSHIPS (3-6). Provides students an opportunity to apply their skills in a work setting. Permission of instructor required.