History

HIST 1301. United States History I. 3 Credit Hours (Lecture: 3 Hours, Lab: 0 Hours).

This course is a survey of United States history from the first European contacts through the end of the Reconstruction Period. It is designed to cover the broad sweep of United States political, cultural, social, and economic history with emphasis on those periods that have helped to shape a distinctive American character. This course with HIST 1302 will fulfill the legislative requirement of two semesters of United States history.

HIST 1302. United States History II. 3 Credit Hours (Lecture: 3 Hours, Lab: 0 Hours).

This course continues the survey of United States history to present times. The emphasis is on the developments that contributed to the growth of modern America. This course with HIST 1301 will fulfill the legislative requirement of two semesters of United States history.

HIST 2321. World Civilizations I. 3 Credit Hours (Lecture: 3 Hours, Lab: 0 Hours).

A survey of world history from prehistoric times to the beginning of the 18th century. Special attention will be given to the origins of civilization in Africa, Asia, and the Middle East and its development through the ancient, medieval, and early modern eras.

HIST 2322. World Civilizations II. 3 Credit Hours (Lecture: 3 Hours, Lab: 0 Hours).

A survey of world history from the beginning of the 18th century to the present. Special emphasis will be placed on the rise and fall of Western global influence between the 18th and 20th centuries, and the numerous repercussions of this development.

HIST 3302. The Ancient World. 3 Credit Hours (Lecture: 3 Hours, Lab: 0 Hours).

A survey of the ancient Near East, Greece, the Hellenistic period, and the Roman Republic and Empire. Prerequisites: 6 hours HIST and HIST 3340 (this course can also be taken concurrently), or permission of the department head.

HIST 3303. Europe in the Middle Ages. 3 Credit Hours (Lecture: 3 Hours, Lab: 0 Hours).

A survey of Medieval Europe from the decline of the ancient world to the eve of the Renaissance. Special attention will be given to the examination of economic and social changes underlying the formation and development of medieval civilization. Prerequisites: 6 hours HIST and HIST 3340 (this course can also be taken concurrently), or permission of department head.

HIST 3304. History of Texas. 3 Credit Hours (Lecture: 3 Hours, Lab: 0 Hours).

A survey of Texas from the Spanish colonial period to the present, with special attention to the Hispanic heritage, the Revolution and Republic, the Civil War and Reconstruction, and the political and economic developments of the modern state. Prerequisites: HIST 1301 and 1302; for History majors only, HIST 3340, which can be taken concurrently.

HIST 3305. England and Great Britain to 1603. 3 Credit Hours (Lecture: 3 Hours, Lab: 0 Hours).

A survey of English history from Roman Britain to the death of Queen Elizabeth and the end of the Tudor dynasty. Special emphasis will be in political, legal, and religious changes which formed the foundations of modern England. Prerequisites: 6 hours HIST and HIST 3340 (this course can also be taken concurrently), or approval of department head.

HIST 3306. British History from 1603 to Modern Times. 3 Credit Hours (Lecture: 3 Hours, Lab: 0 Hours).

A survey of English and British history from 1603 to modern times. Special emphasis will be on constitutional, political, economic, and legal changes. Included as well will be a survey of the empire and the United Kingdom. Prerequisite: 6 hours HIST or approval of department head.

HIST 3309. History of Christianity and Christian Thought to the Reformation. 3 Credit Hours (Lecture: 3 Hours, Lab: 0 Hours). [WI]

An overview of the history of Christianity and Christian thought from founding to the beginnings of the Reformation with particular attention to major themes, movements, events, leaders, and developments within their social, cultural and political contexts. The course also offers an introduction to the central ideas and debates that have shaped the historical development of Christian theologies, practices, and institutions. Credit will not be awarded for more than one of the following courses: PHIL 3309, HIST 3309, and RELI 3309. Prerequisites: HIST 1301 and 1302; for History majors only, HIST 3340, which can be taken concurrently.

HIST 3310. Colonial America. 3 Credit Hours (Lecture: 3 Hours, Lab: 0 Hours). [WI]

This writing intensive course tracks the history of North America from first contact between American Indians, Europeans, and Africans to 1800. The course emphasizes research into the primary and secondary sources relevant to European-Indian relations; imperial and intertribal rivalries; the emergence of slavery and plantation societies; and the development of the Spanish, English, Dutch, and French mainland colonies. Each student will complete a rigorous original research project that examines this history. Prerequisites: HIST 1301 and 1302; 3340 as prerequisite or concurrent course, which is already an extant expectation.

HIST 3311. Creating a Nation. 3 Credit Hours (Lecture: 3 Hours, Lab: 0 Hours).

The United States from 1763 to 1815. The course concentrates on the causes and consequences of the American Revolution, the creation of the Constitution, the role of slavery, and the tumultuous political and social events of the young republic. Prerequisites: HIST 1301 and 1302; for History majors only, HIST 3340, which can be taken concurrently.

HIST 3312. A Nation Divided, 1815-1860. 3 Credit Hours (Lecture: 3 Hours, Lab: 0 Hours). [WI]

The United States from 1815 to 1860. An era shrouded in myth and legend, the early decades of the 19th century saw dramatic changes in American technology, politics, religion, economics, and society. From railroads, reforms, and religion, to political parties, Old Hickory, and the Cotton Kingdom, antebellum America was an exciting and critical time. Prerequisites: 6 hours HIST and HIST 3340 (this course can also be taken concurrently), or permission of department head.

HIST 3313. Civil War and Reconstruction. 3 Credit Hours (Lecture: 3 Hours, Lab: 0 Hours).

The United States from 1850 to 1877. From the infamous "Compromise of 1850" through the notorious "Compromise of 1877," this course will cover the immediate causes of disunion, the military and political battles of the Civil War, and the turbulent, controversial era of Reconstruction. Prerequisites: 6 hours HIST and HIST 3340 (this course can also be taken concurrently), or permission of department head.

HIST 3315. Rise of Industrial America, 1877-1929. 3 Credit Hours (Lecture: 3 Hours, Lab: 0 Hours). [WI]

The United States from 1877 to 1929. In the years following the Civil War and Reconstruction, the nation experienced dramatic economic and social changes. An era made famous by Big Business, Robber Barons, corruption, and the Roaring Twenties, this period also saw the birth of a global American Empire, the rise of Populist and Progressive reformers, and the development of conditions that would lead to the Great Depression. Prerequisites: 6 hours HIST and HIST 3340 (this course can also be taken concurrently), or permission of department head.

HIST 3317. U.S. Military History. 3 Credit Hours (Lecture: 3 Hours, Lab: 0 Hours).

This course covers the beginnings and growth of the American military tradition from the first English colonies through the new challenges of the 20th Century requiring changes and growth in the American military tradition. Important battles will be considered, especially those that illustrate tactical and technological developments. The primary emphasis of the class, however, will be on policy and strategic thought. Prerequisites: HIST 1301 and 1302; for History majors only, HIST 3340, which can be taken concurrently.

HIST 3320. The Renaissance and Reformation. 3 Credit Hours (Lecture: 3 Hours, Lab: 0 Hours). [WI]

A survey of European political, diplomatic, and cultural history from 1300 to 1648. The course will focus on Renaissance Humanism, the Protestant movements, the Catholic Reformation, and the emergence of the European state system during the age of religious wars. Prerequisites: 6 hours HIST and HIST 3340 (this course can also be taken concurrently), or approval of department head.

HIST 3321. Europe in the Age of Absolutism. 3 Credit Hours (Lecture: 3 Hours, Lab: 0 Hours). [WI]

A study of the European state system from the end of the Thirty Years War to the outbreak of the French Revolution. The course will concentrate on the consolidation of absolute monarchies, the rise of colonial empires, enlightened despotism, and the proliferation of Enlightenment ideas in Europe. Prerequisites: HIST 1301 and 1302; for History majors only, HIST 3340, which can be taken concurrently.

HIST 3322. Revolutionary Europe 1789-1850. 3 Credit Hours (Lecture: 3 Hours, Lab: 0 Hours).

An examination of the forces of change in modern Europe, beginning with the rise of Liberalism in the eighteenth century and culminating with the failure of the revolutionary movements of 1848-49. Prerequisites: 6 hours HIST and HIST 3340 (this course can also be taken concurrently), or approval of department head.

HIST 3323. Women and Gender in U.S. History. 3 Credit Hours (Lecture: 3 Hours, Lab: 0 Hours).

This course examines shifting conceptions and experiences of gender in the United States from the colonial period through the present. Topics to be covered include changing notions of masculinity and femininity; race, ethnicity, and sexual politics; the long struggle for women's rights; shifting family patterns; the media and popular culture; labor and the workplace; and the culture wars. Prerequisites: HIST 1301 and 1302; for History majors only, HIST 3340, which can be taken concurrently.

HIST 3332. Latin America After Independence. 3 Credit Hours (Lecture: 3 Hours, Lab: 0 Hours).

This course on the history of Modern Latin America will discuss the American global hegemony, conflicts among civilizations, North and South separation, and Latin American influence in the Hispanic world. Prerequisites: 6 hours and HIST 3340 (this course can also be taken concurrently), or permission of department head.

HIST 3335. History of Mexico. 3 Credit Hours (Lecture: 3 Hours, Lab: 0 Hours). [WI]

A survey of the political, economic, social, and cultural history of Mexico that includes pre-Columbian civilizations, especially the Maya and Aztec, the Spanish colonial era, and the national period. Prerequisites: 6 hours of HIST and HIST 3340 (this course can also be taken concurrently), or permission by department head.

HIST 3340. Historical Methods. 3 Credit Hours (Lecture: 3 Hours, Lab: 0 Hours).

An examination of the concepts basic to all historical thinking; causation, periodization, change and continuity, the roles of social forces and individuals, and problems of interpretation, accuracy, and truth. A comparison of the social sciences and the humanities will focus on the distinctive nature of the historical discipline as it has developed since the late nineteenth century. Required of all history majors and students with teaching fields in history. Prerequisite: 12 hours of HIST or permission of department head.

HIST 4085. History Seminar. 1-3 Credit Hours (Lecture: 1-3 Hours, Lab: 0 Hours).

Individual instruction in selected fields of history. The course will stress reports and wide readings in the field selected. Prerequisites: Senior classification and HIST 3340, or approval of department head. May be taken more than once for credit.

HIST 4086. History Problems. 1-6 Credit Hours (Lecture: 0 Hours, Lab: 1-6 Hours).

Independent reading, research and discussion. Entry into this course will be arranged with a history faculty advisor. Prerequisite: HIST 3340 or permission of department head.

HIST 4300. World War II and the Holocaust. 3 Credit Hours (Lecture: 3 Hours, Lab: 0 Hours).

An examination of European history between the end of the First World War to the aftermath of World War II. Special attention will be devoted to the rise of Hitler in the early 1930s and the origins, process, and consequences of the Holocaust. Prerequisites: 6 hours HIST and HIST 3340 (this course can also be taken concurrently), or permission of department head.

HIST 4301. United States and the World. 3 Credit Hours (Lecture: 3 Hours, Lab: 0 Hours). [WI]

A history of how world events influenced American history from 1789 to the present. The course will discuss American diplomatic and social reactions to major world occurrences. Emphasis will be on the twentieth century, particularly on the two world wars and the Cold War era. Prerequisites: 6 hours HIST and HIST 3340 (this course can also be taken concurrently), or permission of department head.

HIST 4303. History of the American Borderlands. 3 Credit Hours (Lecture: 3 Hours, Lab: 0 Hours).

This class examines the history of the North American borderlands from the sixteenth century to the present. It takes a comparative approach, examining the history of the US-Mexico and US-Canada borderlands in relation to one another. We will address several key themes, including the establishment of formal legal regimes in the borderlands; changing notions of citizenship; immigration policies and experiences; intercultural and interracial communities and tensions; the rise of border cities as sites of tourism and ‘sin’; Texas as a border state; crime and smuggling along the borderline; representations of the border in media and popular culture; and the political and economic relationships between the United States, Mexico, and Canada. Prerequisites: HIST 1301 and 1302; for History majors only, HIST 3340, which can be taken concurrently.

HIST 4305. Ideas in Action: American Social Thought from the Progressive Era to the Present. 3 Credit Hours (Lecture: 3 Hours, Lab: 0 Hours). [WI]

This reading and writing intensive seminar offers students the opportunity to encounter the ideas that have been cornerstones of intellectual debate in the United States since the late 19th century. From the Pragmatists (and the progressive era) to the neoconservatives of the more recent past, ideas have been embedded within the more available world of policy, politics and major historical developments. Participants in this course will survey a wide array of intellectual debates that have been essential components of American history. HIST 4301 is recommended. Prerequisites: HIST 1301, 1302, and 3340.

HIST 4307. History Careers Outside the Classroom. 3 Credit Hours (Lecture: 3 Hours, Lab: 0 Hours).

Examination of the choices available for historians who seek careers outside of classroom teaching, including museums, historic preservation, cultural resource management, archival administration, parks, oral history, corporate history, and editing and publishing. Will not count as a history course for purposes of teacher certification. Prerequisites: 6 hours of HIST and HIST 3340 (this course can also be taken concurrently), or with permission of department head.

HIST 4310. Recent United States History, 1929-Present. 3 Credit Hours (Lecture: 3 Hours, Lab: 0 Hours).

This course will cover the period of American history that stretches from 1929 to the present. Discussions of the diplomatic and the domestic realms will be intertwined, illustrating how each component influenced the other. On the diplomatic side, emphasis will be placed on the rise of the United States to world power status and how the country responded to the responsibilities that accompanied that position. Domestically the course will focus on the nation finishing its transformation from a rural society to an urban one. Emphasis will be placed on the role of and attitudes toward the federal government. Considerable attention will also be directed toward the nation's continued struggle to deal with its diversity. Prerequisites: 6 hours HIST and HIST 3340 (this course can also be taken concurrently), or approval of department head.

HIST 4311. Research in American Political History since 1929. 3 Credit Hours (Lecture: 3 Hours, Lab: 0 Hours). [WI]

This writing intensive seminar offers students the opportunity to encounter vital American political history developments since 1929. All students will carry out extensive reading and research in primary and secondary resources. Those sources will have direct relevance to the research project the student pursues. Topics for the semester’s research will vary based upon instructor prerogatives. Completion of HIST 4310 is recommended. Prerequisites: HIST 1301 and 1302; HIST 3340 or permission by the instructor or department head.

HIST 4312. Social History of the United States Before 1865. 3 Credit Hours (Lecture: 3 Hours, Lab: 0 Hours). [WI]

The social, cultural, and economic development of the United States from colonial times to the end of the Civil War. Prerequisites: 6 hours HIST and HIST 3340 (this course can also be taken concurrently), or approval of department head.

HIST 4313. Social HIstory of the United States Since 1865. 3 Credit Hours (Lecture: 3 Hours, Lab: 0 Hours).

The social, cultural, and economic development of the United States since the Civil War. Prerequisites: 6 hours HIST and HIST 3340 (this course can also be taken concurrently), or approval of department head.

HIST 4314. History of the Trans-Mississippi West. 3 Credit Hours (Lecture: 3 Hours, Lab: 0 Hours).

History of the Great West from the Lewis and Clark expedition to the 20th century. Emphasis on the West as a distinctive region in national politics, state building in the 19th century, and the development of agriculture, transportation, and commerce. Prerequisites: 6 hours HIST and HIST 3340 (this course can also be taken concurrently), or permission of department head.

HIST 4315. Slavery and the American South. 3 Credit Hours (Lecture: 3 Hours, Lab: 0 Hours).

From English pirates in the 1610s to King Cotton in the 1830s to the Civil War in the 1860s, this course will explore the nuances of Southern culture, politics, and economics, as well as the evolution and patterns of American slavery. Prerequisites: 6 hours HIST and HIST 3340 (this course can also be taken concurrently), or permission of department head.

HIST 4320. Europe 1850-1919. 3 Credit Hours (Lecture: 3 Hours, Lab: 0 Hours). [WI]

An analytical survey of important developments in the political, social, economic, and cultural history of Europe between the revolutionary movements of 1848 and the first World War. Prerequisites: 6 hours HIST and HIST 3340 (this course can also be taken concurrently), or permission of department head.

HIST 4324. National Histories. 3 Credit Hours (Lecture: 3 Hours, Lab: 0 Hours).

Each time this course is offered, it will examine the history of a particular state. May be repeated for credit when topics vary. Prerequisites: 6 hours HIST and HIST 3340 (this course can also be taken concurrently), or approval of department head.

HIST 4325. European Intellectual and Cultural History. 3 Credit Hours (Lecture: 3 Hours, Lab: 0 Hours).

A survey of some of the fundamental ideas in the European intellectual tradition from the Renaissance to the contemporary age. The course focuses on the ideas and ideologies that have shaped modern European mentalities through an analysis of primary texts. Prerequisites: 6 hours HIST and HIST 3340 (this course can also be taken concurrently), or permission of department head.

HIST 4327. History of the British Empire. 3 Credit Hours (Lecture: 3 Hours, Lab: 0 Hours).

This course is designed to familiarize students with some of the major themes surrounding the rise, global growth, and fall of the British Empire. Through this course, students will develop a broader and deeper understanding of the following issues: factors for the rise of the empire; its global spread; the economics of empire; the administrative systems used in the empire; the experiences of the colonized peoples; and its eventual downfall in the 20th century. In the end, students will also be introduced to the lingering legacies of the British empire across the world. Students will be expected to develop advanced reading and analytical skills as well as a better understanding of parts of the world that were once under imperial rule. Prerequisites: 6 hours of HIST and HIST 3340 (taken previously or concurrently), or the permission of the department head.

HIST 4331. World Since 1919. 3 Credit Hours (Lecture: 3 Hours, Lab: 0 Hours). [WI]

Major trends in world history following World War I, including the impact of the Great Depression, the rise of fascism, World War II and its impact, the Cold War, decolonization, and the rise and fall of the Soviet Union. Events of the latter 20th century receive special emphasis. Prerequisites: 6 hours HIST and HIST 3340 (this course can also be taken concurrently), or permission of department head.

HIST 4332. Decolonization, Development, and the Cold War. 3 Credit Hours (Lecture: 3 Hours, Lab: 0 Hours).

This course introduces students to the history of global north-south relations since 1945 through an exploration of three inter-related themes, namely: Decolonization; Development; and The Cold War. The focus is on the decolonization of European empires in Asia and Africa; the origins, major developments, and failure of the development agenda, both colonial and post-colonial; and the globalization of the Cold War rivalry (between the USA and the USSR) to the so-called Third World (Africa, Asia, and Latin America). By focusing on these three inter-related themes, the aim is to help students understand historical developments from a global perspective, and that the world is more inter-connected than they previously thought or viewed it. As W.R. Inge said, “the aim of education is the knowledge, not of facts, but of values.” Prerequisites: 6 hours in HIST and HIST 3340 (previously completed or concurrent), or with the permission of the department head.

HIST 4341. History of Sexuality in the United States. 3 Credit Hours (Lecture: 3 Hours, Lab: 0 Hours).

A broad survey of topics surrounding the study of sexuality in American history. The course focuses on the changing meanings and practices of sexuality in the United States, from the colonial period to the present, but with a specific focus on American History after 1880. Prerequisites: 6 hours of HIST and HIST 3340 (this course can be taken concurrently), or permission of the department head.

HIST 4350. Special Topics in History. 3 Credit Hours (Lecture: 3 Hours, Lab: 0 Hours).

A study of important periods, regions, and themes in history. May be repeated when the topic varies. Prerequisites: 6 hours of HIST and HIST 3340 (this course can also be taken concurrently), or permission by department head.

HIST 4384. Practicum, Field Problem or Internship. 3 Credit Hours (Lecture: 3 Hours, Lab: 0 Hours).

Supervised professional activities in workplaces where historians find professional careers including museums, historic preservation, cultural resource management, archival administration, teaching, parks, oral history, corporate history, and editing and publishing. Will count as an elective but not for teacher certification or completion of the history major. Prerequisites: 6 hours of HIST, HIST 3340, and HIST 4307. May be repeated once for credit.

HIST 4390. History Capstone. 3 Credit Hours (Lecture: 3 Hours, Lab: 0 Hours). [WI]

This course requires students to synthesize knowledge and apply concepts and skills acquired in previous history courses. Students will identify a research question, consult relevant primary and secondary sources, analyze those sources, formulate an interpretation, and write a paper to communicate their conclusions. The topic of the Capstone will change every semester and will be determined by the instructor. Preferably, students will take this course in the last semester of their senior year. Prerequisites: HIST 3340 and senior status.

HIST 5086. History Problems. 1-6 Credit Hours (Lecture: 1-6 Hours, Lab: 0 Hours).

Conference course. Independent reading, research, discussion, under supervision of senior professor.

HIST 5088. Thesis. 1-6 Credit Hours (Lecture: 1-6 Hours, Lab: 0 Hours).

Scheduled when the student is ready to begin the thesis. No credit until the thesis is completed. Prerequisites: 24 hours graduate credit, including HIST 5398 and at least one research seminar, and consent of major professor.

HIST 5307. Public History Seminar. 3 Credit Hours (Lecture: 3 Hours, Lab: 0 Hours).

An examination of public history careers available for master's level history graduates in areas outside of classroom teaching. This is a gateway course for all public history courses.

HIST 5308. Museum Studies. 3 Credit Hours (Lecture: 3 Hours, Lab: 0 Hours).

An examination of the theory and practice of the multiple careers available to historians in museums, including curating, collections care, educational programming, exhibits, media relations, financial development, and construction and management of facilities. Course fee $50.

HIST 5309. Historic Preservation. 3 Credit Hours (Lecture: 3 Hours, Lab: 0 Hours).

An examination of historic preservation as an area of professional employment for historians. Course fee $50.

HIST 5310. Archival Principles and Practices. 3 Credit Hours (Lecture: 3 Hours, Lab: 0 Hours).

An examination of the principles and practices of archival management. Course fee $50.

HIST 5320. State and Local history. 3 Credit Hours (Lecture: 3 Hours, Lab: 0 Hours).

Selected problems. Readings and research in Texas history. May be repeated when topics vary.

HIST 5331. Directed Reading in American History Since 1877. 3 Credit Hours (Lecture: 3 Hours, Lab: 0 Hours).

Readings and discussions of selected problems. May be repeated for credit when topics vary.

HIST 5332. Selected Topics in American History. 3 Credit Hours (Lecture: 3 Hours, Lab: 0 Hours).

Research and writing of papers on selected topics. May be repeated for credit when topics vary.

HIST 5340. Directed Readings in European History. 3 Credit Hours (Lecture: 3 Hours, Lab: 0 Hours).

Readings and discussions of selected topics in early modern and modern European history. May be repeated for credit when topics vary.

HIST 5342. Selected Topics in European History. 3 Credit Hours (Lecture: 3 Hours, Lab: 0 Hours).

Research and writing of papers on selected topics. May be repeated for credit when topics vary.

HIST 5343. Directed Readings in World History. 3 Credit Hours (Lecture: 3 Hours, Lab: 0 Hours).

Readings and discussion of selected topics in the history of regions and countries outside of Europe and the United States. May be repeated for credit when topics vary.

HIST 5398. Historiography and HIstorical Method. 3 Credit Hours (Lecture: 3 Hours, Lab: 0 Hours).

A survey of various "schools" of history with particular emphasis on recent trends and techniques in historical writing. Prerequisite: Full admission to the graduate program or permission of instructor.

HIST 5399. Practicum, Field Problem or Internship. 3 Credit Hours (Lecture: 3 Hours, Lab: 0 Hours).

Supervised professional activities in workplaces where historians find professional careers including museums, historic preservation, cultural resource management, archival administration, teaching, parks, oral history, corporate history, and editing and publishing. Will count as an elective but not for teacher certification or completion of the history major. May be repeated once for credit. Requires approval of instructor and department head. Field experience fee $50.