Department of History, Geography and GIS
The Department of History, Geography and GIS is dedicated to preparing its majors for a variety of careers. We establish a firm foundation of knowledge and understanding that prepares students for industry, academia, administrative and policy positions in the government at all levels, and helping all students to become knowledgeable and productive citizens and leaders in their communities through the Core Curriculum and our upper level offerings. Our mission is achieved through the coordination of the disciplines in the department.
History
The Bachelor of Arts Degree in History offers courses with a variety of topics taught by exceptional faculty. The degree provides students with exciting opportunities to explore how historians investigate, analyze, and write about history. The focus is on critical thinking and writing, as history is about solving problems, investigating mysteries, and writing clearly and persuasively. The skills gained in this program can be applied in nearly any career. Concentrations within the degree allow some students to pursue certification in secondary education through completion of Tarleton's Teacher Education Program as part of their coursework. The strength of this program is evident in the quality of students and faculty. From scholarly publications with major presses to excellence in the classroom, the program faculty offers a wide range of specializations, quality instruction, and mentoring in research, and conference presentations. Students have opportunities to engage in many activities from research and presentations related to courses, study abroad and away programs, campus student organizations, internships, area opportunities in local and public history, and much more.
Bachelor of Arts Degree in History Program Requirements
| General Education Requirements 1 | 42 | |
| ENGL 1301 [shared] [WI] | Composition I | |
| ENGL 1302 [shared] [WI] | Composition II | |
| Sophomore Literature [shared] | ||
| Choose one of the following [shared]: | ||
| College Algebra | ||
| Math for Business & Social Sciences I (Finite Mathematics) | ||
| Contemporary Mathematics I | ||
| Elementary Statistical Methods | ||
| Precalculus Math | ||
| Calculus I | ||
| HIST 2321 | World Civilizations I | 3 |
| HIST 2322 | World Civilizations II | 3 |
| HIST 3340 | Historical Methods | 3 |
| HIST 4390 [WI] | History Capstone | 3 |
| Select 1 of the following Writing Intensive courses: | 3 | |
| A People's History of the United States | ||
| Colonial America | ||
| A Nation Divided, 1812-1865 | ||
| America in the Gilded Age, 1865-1918 | ||
| History of Mexico | ||
| United States and the World | ||
| Ideas in Action: American Social Thought from the Progressive Era to the Present | ||
| Research in American Political History | ||
| World Since 1919 | ||
| Advanced HIST | 6 | |
| Foreign Language 1411, 1412, 2311, 2312 | 14 | |
| Total Hours | 77 | |
Secondary Education Certification - History
| READ 3351 [WI] | Content Area Literacy | 3 |
| HIST 2301 | History of Texas | 3 |
| EDUC 3321 [WI] | Foundations of Teaching: Middle and Secondary Classrooms | 3 |
| EDUC 4331 | Instructional Strategies for Middle and Secondary Classrooms | 3 |
| EDSP 4361 | Teaching Strategies for Adolescent Students with Learning Disabilities | 3 |
| EDUC 4335 | Issues of Professionalism | 3 |
| EDUC 4690 | Clinical Teaching | 6 |
| Advanced HIST | 12 | |
| Select one of the following: | 3 | |
| World Regional Geography | ||
| Introduction to Human Geography | ||
| The Geography of Texas | ||
| Economic Geography | ||
| Select one of the following: | 3 | |
| Cultural Anthropology | ||
| Introduction To Economics | ||
| Principles of Macroeconomics | ||
| Introduction to Philosophy | ||
| Introduction to Logic | ||
| Ethics in the Professions | ||
| Philosophy Seminar | ||
| Survey of the Old Testament | ||
| Survey of the New Testament | ||
| World Religions: Theory, Origins, & Practices | ||
| Introductory Sociology | ||
| Select one of the following: | 3 | |
| Child Psychology | ||
| Educational Psychology | ||
| Child Development: Theory, Research, and Practice | ||
| Total Hours | 45 | |
Secondary Education Certification - Social Studies
| Advanced Hours from ECON, GEOG, HIST, POLS | 6 | |
| HIST 2301 | History of Texas | 3 |
| GEOG 1303 | World Regional Geography | 3 |
| ECON 2301 | Principles of Macroeconomics | 3 |
| ECON 2302 | Principles of Microeconomics | 3 |
| EDUC 3321 [WI] | Foundations of Teaching: Middle and Secondary Classrooms | 3 |
| EDUC 4331 | Instructional Strategies for Middle and Secondary Classrooms | 3 |
| EDSP 4361 | Teaching Strategies for Adolescent Students with Learning Disabilities | 3 |
| EDUC 4335 | Issues of Professionalism | 3 |
| EDUC 4690 | Clinical Teaching | 6 |
| READ 3351 [WI] | Content Area Literacy | 3 |
| Select one of the following: | 3 | |
| Introduction to Human Geography | ||
| The Geography of Texas | ||
| Economic Geography | ||
| Select one of the following: | 3 | |
| Child Psychology | ||
| Educational Psychology | ||
| Child Development: Theory, Research, and Practice | ||
| Total Hours | 45 | |
Without Teacher Certification
| Advanced HIST | 15 | |
| Select one of the following: | 3 | |
| World Regional Geography | ||
| Introduction to Human Geography | ||
| Pre-GIS: GPS, VGI and Cartography | ||
| The Geography of Texas | ||
| Economic Geography | ||
| History of Texas | ||
| Select one of the following: | 3 | |
| Cultural Anthropology | ||
| Principles of Macroeconomics | ||
| Introduction To Economics | ||
| Introduction to Philosophy | ||
| Introduction to Logic | ||
| Ethics in the Professions | ||
| Philosophy Seminar | ||
| Survey of the Old Testament | ||
| Survey of the New Testament | ||
| World Religions: Theory, Origins, & Practices | ||
| Introductory Sociology | ||
| Electives (18 Hours Advanced) | 22 | |
| Total Hours | 43 | |
Minor in History
| HIST 1301 | United States History I | 3 |
| HIST 1302 | United States History II | 3 |
| HIST 3340 | Historical Methods | 3 |
| One of the following: | 3 | |
| World Civilizations I | ||
| World Civilizations II | ||
| Upper Level History Electives | 6 | |
| Total Hours | 18 | |
Certificate in United States History for Secondary Educators
| HIST 1301 | United States History I | 3 |
| HIST 1302 | United States History II | 3 |
| Select 3 of the following courses (9 hours total) | 9 | |
| Colonial America | ||
| Creating a Nation | ||
| A Nation Divided, 1812-1865 | ||
| America in the Gilded Age, 1865-1918 | ||
| U.S. Military History | ||
| History of American Ranching and Agriculture | ||
| Women in United States History | ||
| Making Modern America, 1919-Present | ||
| Historical Methods | ||
| United States and the World | ||
| History of the American Borderlands | ||
| Ideas in Action: American Social Thought from the Progressive Era to the Present | ||
| Research in American Political History | ||
| A People's History of the United States | ||
| History of the American West | ||
| Slavery in the Americas | ||
| Contemporary History of the United States | ||
| Special Topics in History 1 | ||
| History Capstone 2 | ||
| Total Hours | 15 | |
Certificate in World History for Secondary Educators
| HIST 2321 | World Civilizations I | 3 |
| HIST 2322 | World Civilizations II | 3 |
| Select 2 of the following courses (6 hours total) | 6 | |
| The Ancient World | ||
| Europe in the Middle Ages | ||
| The Rise of Early-Modern Europe, 1453-1789 | ||
| Latin America After Independence | ||
| History of Mexico | ||
| History of Modern Africa | ||
| World War II and the Holocaust | ||
| National Histories | ||
| History of the British Empire | ||
| History of Modern Europe, 1789-Present | ||
| World Since 1919 | ||
| Decolonization, Development, and the Cold War | ||
| Special Topics in History 1 | ||
| History Capstone 2 | ||
| Total Hours | 12 | |
Geography and GIS
The Bachelor of Science Degree in Geography and GIS provides students with the opportunity to acquire the knowledge and develop technical skills that are needed in every sector of the economy, from agricultural production, to natural resource management, to oil exploration, to facility management, to manufacturing, to urban planning, to retail location, to gathering census data, to space exploration. The department also offers a Bachelor of Applied Arts and Sciences in GIS, which caters to the needs of nontraditional students with existing military, technical or vocational credits in some aspects of GIS. The BAAS in GIS is offered only online and on the Fort Worth campus. Students who major in this discipline will learn how to use computers, with the aid of powerful and very sophisticated software and other related tools to gather, store, analyze and display spatial/geographic/locational data. Graduates in this field will be able to work across a variety of disciplines. This programs places a lot of emphasis on hands-on and students will learn from a variety of exceptional faculty.
Bachelor of Science Degree in Geography and Geographic Information Systems Program Requirements
| General Education Requirements | 42 | |
| ENGL 1301 [shared] [WI] | Composition I | |
| ENGL 1302 [shared] [WI] | Composition II | |
| GEOG 1303 [shared] | World Regional Geography | |
| MATH 1314 [shared] | College Algebra | |
| GEOG 1320 | Introduction to Human Geography | 3 |
| GEOG 1451 [shared] | Pre-GIS: GPS, VGI and Cartography | |
| Select one: | ||
| Natural Disasters | ||
| Planet Earth | ||
| GEOG 2451 | Introduction to Geographic Information Systems | 4 |
| GEOG 3312 [WI] | Economic Geography | 3 |
| GEOG 3450 | Intermediate Geographic Information Systems | 4 |
| SOCI 3330 | Social Science Statistics | 3 |
| GEOG 3352 | Introduction to Crime Mapping | 3 |
| BCIS 3334 | Programming for Business I | 3 |
| GEOG 4450 | Advanced Geographic Information Systems | 4 |
| GEOG 4451 | Applied Remote Sensing | 4 |
| ENGL 3309 [WI] | Professional Writing | 3 |
| Choose 18 hours from the following | 18 | |
| Web Development | ||
| Programming for Business II | ||
| Database Theory and Practice | ||
| Structured Query Language | ||
| The Technology of E-Business | ||
| Introduction to International Business | ||
| Python Programming for Data Science | ||
| Surveying | ||
| Civil Engineering Graphics | ||
| Meteorology | ||
| Oceanography | ||
| Remote Sensing | ||
| Biogeography | ||
| Fundamentals of GIS for Engineers | ||
| Science, Technology, and the Environment | ||
| Environmental Science II | ||
| GIS for Natural Resource Scientists | ||
| Environmental Policy | ||
| Sustainability | ||
| Land Use in the American West | ||
| International Environmental Issues | ||
| The Geography of Texas | ||
| Geology of National Parks | ||
| Introduction to Environmental Science | ||
| Geomorphology | ||
| Introductory Sociology | ||
| Urban Sociology | ||
| Rural Sociology | ||
| Environmental Sociology | ||
| Globalization | ||
| Society, Natural Resources, and the Environment | ||
| Ecology for Natural Resource Managers | ||
| Electives (12 hours must be advanced) | 26 | |
| Total Hours | 120 | |
Bachelor of Applied Arts and Science Degree in Geographic Information Systems
| General Education Requirements | 42 | |
| ENGL 1301 [shared] [WI] | Composition I | |
| ENGL 1302 [shared] [WI] | Composition II | |
| GEOG 3312 [WI] | Economic Geography | 3 |
| ENGL 3309 [WI] | Professional Writing | 3 |
| BCIS 3334 | Programming for Business I | 3 |
| GEOG 3352 | Introduction to Crime Mapping | 3 |
| GEOG 3450 | Intermediate Geographic Information Systems (must be taken before or concurrently with GEOG 4450) | 4 |
| GEOG 4450 | Advanced Geographic Information Systems | 4 |
| GEOG 4451 | Applied Remote Sensing | 4 |
| BCIS 4301 | Database Theory and Practice | 3 |
| BCIS 3344 | Programming for Business II | 3 |
| BCIS 4352 | Structured Query Language | 3 |
| Credit for Prior Learning Component (Must Total 45 Hours): | ||
| Credit for Prior Learning | 12-42 | |
| Electives | 3-33 | |
| Total Hours | 120 | |
Certificate in Geographic Information Systems
| GEOG 2451 | Introduction to Geographic Information Systems | 4 |
| GEOG 3450 | Intermediate Geographic Information Systems | 4 |
| GEOG 4450 | Advanced Geographic Information Systems | 4 |
| Choose 6 hours from the following | 6 | |
| Programming for Business I | ||
| Programming for Business II | ||
| Python Programming for Data Science | ||
| Surveying | ||
| Civil Engineering Graphics | ||
| Remote Sensing | ||
| Pre-GIS: GPS, VGI and Cartography | ||
| Science, Technology, and the Environment | ||
| Environmental Science II | ||
| GIS for Natural Resource Scientists | ||
| Introduction to Crime Mapping | ||
| Applied Remote Sensing | ||
| Total Hours | 18 | |
Geography Courses
GEOG 1301. Planet Earth. 3 Credit Hours (Lecture: 3 Hours, Lab: 0 Hours).
This course introduces students to the processes that drive Earth’s physical systems. Students will explore the relationships among these physical systems, with emphasis on weather and climate, water, ecosystems, geologic processes and landform development, and human interactions with the physical environment.
GEOG 1303. World Regional Geography. 3 Credit Hours (Lecture: 3 Hours, Lab: 0 Hours).
Introduction to the basic concepts of geography through a study of the major regions of the world. This course enhances the understanding of world events, lifestyles, environments, cultures, and conflicts and emphasizes thinking spatially to study human-land relationships.
GEOG 1320. Introduction to Human Geography. 3 Credit Hours (Lecture: 3 Hours, Lab: 0 Hours).
This course is an introduction to geography as a social science, emphasizing the relevance of geographic concepts to human problems.
GEOG 1451. Pre-GIS: GPS, VGI and Cartography. 4 Credit Hours (Lecture: 3 Hours, Lab: 2 Hours).
This is an introductory course to GIS. Pre-GIS focuses on the knowledge, instruments, and data necessary for GIS. Pre-GIS is a student-centered, hands-on course that will introduce students to the GIS concepts that are intrinsic in introductory and advanced GIS courses. Students will create virtual maps by gathering data points using GPS instruments. Students will then use GIS to create detailed information relating to their map and data points to answer questions posed in the course. Lab fee: $2.
GEOG 2301. The Geography of Texas. 3 Credit Hours (Lecture: 3 Hours, Lab: 0 Hours).
This course uses the key concepts of regional geography to study the evolving character and nature of the different areas of Texas. The interaction of people and environment is used to study the economic development, social and political issues, urbanization, and other changes in Texas in the past and present.
GEOG 2451. Introduction to Geographic Information Systems. 4 Credit Hours (Lecture: 3 Hours, Lab: 2 Hours).
GIS is a computer-based information system used in managing and analyzing spatial data. This course introduces students to the science, theory and techniques of GIS including basic geodesy, spatial data capture, management and analysis, and cartographic output. Emphasis is placed on the use of technical analysis and software in order to provide students with skills and a conceptual base on which they can build further expertise in GIS. After completing this course, students will master basic concepts of GIS and hands-on skills with ArcGIS, a widely-used GIS package. Students will learn how to create, manipulate, project, and interpret geographically-referenced data. Students are strongly encouraged to take GEOG 1451: Pre-GIS. Students can only receive credit for either WSES 2451, GEOG 2451, EASC 2451 or ENVS 2451. Lab fee: $2.
GEOG 3312. Economic Geography. 3 Credit Hours (Lecture: 3 Hours, Lab: 0 Hours). [WI]
This course examines economic activity and production as a function of geographic location. It introduces the basic concepts related to the advance, spread, and distribution of economic activity around the planet and considers the forces that are reshaping the global economy, the fundamentals of spatial economics, and classical location theories.
GEOG 3352. Introduction to Crime Mapping. 3 Credit Hours (Lecture: 3 Hours, Lab: 3 Hours).
The course provides conceptual knowledge and practical skills to design and implement a GIS-based analysis of community crime problems. This course constitutes an introduction to the scope and methods of crime mapping and analysis. The theory, logic, and practical applications of mapping and analysis are examined with a focus on developing a knowledge base, skills, and integration of mapping and analysis concepts that are applicable to crime detection and prevention. No prerequisites. Lab fee: $2.
GEOG 3450. Intermediate Geographic Information Systems. 4 Credit Hours (Lecture: 3 Hours, Lab: 2 Hours).
This course covers intermediate topics in geographic information systems (GIS) that will allow students to succeed in the advanced GIS class Prerequisite: GEOG 2451 for GIS-BS students only Lab fee: $2.
GEOG 4084. Internship. 1-4 Credit Hours (Lecture: 0 Hours, Lab: 1-4 Hours).
Directed real-world learning experience under the supervision of a practicing GIS professional. The internship assignment must be approved by an academic advisor in the Geography and GIS program prior to enrollment. The internship must be related to the student’s field of study and requires at least 240 hours of supervised work during the semester term. Student maintains a weekly log of work experience gained and, at semester-end, prepares a written report reflecting on the work experience. Student also provides to the academic advisor the employer’s evaluation of performance and maintains records of all the listed documentation. No credit will be given for previous experience or activities. Prerequisites: Junior or Senior classification and approval of department head.
GEOG 4086. Geography Problems. 1-3 Credit Hours (Lecture: 1-3 Hours, Lab: 0 Hours).
.
GEOG 4385. Geography Seminar. 3 Credit Hours (Lecture: 3 Hours, Lab: 0 Hours).
This course will consider major issues in modern geography. May be repeated for credit when topics vary. Prerequisites: GEOG 1303, junior classification or permission of instructor.
GEOG 4450. Advanced Geographic Information Systems. 4 Credit Hours (Lecture: 3 Hours, Lab: 2 Hours).
This course focuses on advanced topics in geographic information systems (GIS), manipulation of raster data; advanced spatial analysis; advanced geoprocessing, and spatial modeling. Prerequisites: GEOG 3450 and for GGIS majors only: GEOG 2451 Lab fee: $2.
GEOG 4451. Applied Remote Sensing. 4 Credit Hours (Lecture: 3 Hours, Lab: 2 Hours).
This course focuses on advanced topics in satellite remote sensing and digital image processing. Students will learn how to processes, interpret, classify and analyze satellite data for different applications. Lab fee: $2.
History Courses
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 2301. History of Texas. 3 Credit Hours (Lecture: 3 Hours, Lab: 0 Hours).
This survey course of Texas history addresses social, political, and economic developments from the Spanish colonial period to the present, with special attention to the Spanish and Mexican periods, causes and effects of the Revolutionary and Republic periods, the state’s role in the Civil War, effects of Reconstruction, challenges of the Progressive, World Wars, and Civil Rights movements Prerequisite: HIST 1301 and 1302.
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).
This course offers a survey of the ancient Near East, Greece, the Hellenistic period, and the Roman Republic and Empire. Prerequisites: HIST 1301 and 1302; for History majors only, HIST 3340, which can be taken concurrently.
HIST 3303. Europe in the Middle Ages. 3 Credit Hours (Lecture: 3 Hours, Lab: 0 Hours).
This course offers 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: HIST 1301 and 1302; for History majors only, HIST 3340, which can be taken concurrently.
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; for History majors only, HIST 3340, which can be taken concurrently.
HIST 3311. Creating a Nation. 3 Credit Hours (Lecture: 3 Hours, Lab: 0 Hours).
This course provides a study of United States history 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, 1812-1865. 3 Credit Hours (Lecture: 3 Hours, Lab: 0 Hours). [WI]
This Writing Intensive (WI) course surveys 1812 to 1865 in the United States. Class content will focus on social, cultural, political, technological, and economic changes and developments up to the election of 1860, and their effects on the American Civil War. Prerequisites: HIST 1301 and 1302; for History majors only, HIST 3340, which can be taken concurrently.
HIST 3315. America in the Gilded Age, 1865-1918. 3 Credit Hours (Lecture: 3 Hours, Lab: 0 Hours). [WI]
In the years following the Civil War, the United States faced dramatic political and economic challenges. As the country grappled with the need to protect the rights of newly-freed African Americans, it also had to confront violent social convulsions as robber barons and workers’ unions tried to assert their place in the newly industrialized country. In addition to examining the clashes between freedmen and southerners, workers and bosses, and immigrants and nativists, this course will also examine reform movements such as Greenbackers, Edward Bellamy, Henry George, the Populists, and the Progressives. Prerequisites: HIST 1301 and 1302; for History majors only, HIST 3340, which can be taken concurrently.
HIST 3317. U.S. Military History. 3 Credit Hours (Lecture: 3 Hours, Lab: 0 Hours).
This course examines the evolution of American warfighting philosophy from the colonial period to the twenty-first century. Students will explore key historical conflicts and trace the operational and technological advances that have shaped U.S. military actions of the past. This course will also highlight the evolution of doctrinal thought, specifically the rise of maneuver warfare theory and understanding the framework of decision-making and adaptability in modern warfare. This course is compliant with U.S. Army TRADOC Regulation 350-13. Credit will not be awarded for both HIST 3317 and STRG 3317. Prerequisites: HIST 1301 and 1302; for History majors only, HIST 3340, which can be taken concurrently.
HIST 3319. History of American Ranching and Agriculture. 3 Credit Hours (Lecture: 3 Hours, Lab: 0 Hours).
This course explores the history of ranching and agriculture in the United States from pre-colonial times to the present. Students will examine the evolution of agricultural practices and ranching culture, and their social, economic, environmental, and political impacts. The course will focus on how these industries shaped the development of the nation, the people involved, and their contributions to the United States. Prerequisite: HIST 1301 and 1302; for History majors only, HIST 3340, which can be taken concurrently.
HIST 3323. Women in United States History. 3 Credit Hours (Lecture: 3 Hours, Lab: 0 Hours).
This course examines changing experiences of women in the United States from the colonial period through the present. Commonly explored topics and themes include but are not limited to: political power and equal rights, economics and labor, citizenship, family patterns, media and popular culture, and intersectionality. Prerequisites: HIST 1301 and 1302; for History majors only, HIST 3340, which can be taken concurrently.
HIST 3324. Making Modern America, 1919-Present. 3 Credit Hours (Lecture: 3 Hours, Lab: 0 Hours). [WI]
This course covers the important social, political, and cultural changes which affected the United States in the twentieth and twenty-first centuries, beginning at the end of World War I. In particular, this course will examine how the United States developed from a parochial, rural society into a modern, centralized state; how the United States became a global superpower; and the disintegration of the American political order in the twenty-first century. Prerequisite: HIST 1301 and 1302; for History majors only, HIST 3340, which can be taken concurrently.
HIST 3325. The Rise of Early-Modern Europe, 1453-1789. 3 Credit Hours (Lecture: 3 Hours, Lab: 0 Hours).
This course covers European history from the end of the Byzantine empire in 1453 to the French Revolution in 1789. This course will explain the social, economic, and political processes beginning from the mid-fifteenth century to the late eighteenth century that took Europe from the periphery of Eurasia to the center of the international order. Students will learn the major historical events and processes that contributed to the rise and expansion of early modern Europe such as the Renaissance, the Reformation, the Age of Exploration, the Rise of Absolutism, the Scientific Revolution, the Age of Enlightenment, and the Industrial/Industrious Revolution. All of these factors and more contributed to Europe taking a place of global hegemony that it maintained going into the nineteenth century. Prerequisite: 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 discusses the American global hegemony, conflicts among civilizations, North and South separation, and Latin American influence in the Hispanic world. Prerequisites: HIST 1301 and 1302; for History majors only, HIST 3340, which can be taken concurrently.
HIST 3335. History of Mexico. 3 Credit Hours (Lecture: 3 Hours, Lab: 0 Hours). [WI]
This course offers 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: HIST 1301 and 1302; for History majors only, HIST 3340, which can be taken concurrently.
HIST 3337. History of Modern Africa. 3 Credit Hours (Lecture: 3 Hours, Lab: 0 Hours).
This course surveys significant developments in modern African history. It covers the period from 1884, when European powers colonized the African continent, up to the end of the twentieth century. Course topics and themes include Africa on the eve of European colonization, the scramble and partition of Africa, African reactions to European colonization, systems of colonial governance, Africa and the two World Wars, decolonization in Africa, the history of development in Africa, and Africa and the Cold War. Prerequisite: HIST 1301 and 1302; for History majors only, HIST 3340, which can be taken concurrently.
HIST 3340. Historical Methods. 3 Credit Hours (Lecture: 3 Hours, Lab: 0 Hours).
This course explores why we study history and examines the nature of the discipline and the concepts basic to all historical thinking, including causation, periodization, change and continuity, the roles of social forces and individuals, and problems of interpretation, accuracy, and truth. As a part of this examination, the course will introduce students to historiography and expose students to major developments and turning points in the discipline, especially since the nineteenth century. The course will also cover the process of historical research and writing and will introduce students to career options. Prerequisite: 9 hours of HIST.
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).
This course offers 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: HIST 1301 and 1302; for History majors only, HIST 3340, which can be taken concurrently.
HIST 4301. United States and the World. 3 Credit Hours (Lecture: 3 Hours, Lab: 0 Hours). [WI]
This course offers 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: HIST 1301 and 1302; for History majors only, HIST 3340, which can be taken concurrently.
HIST 4303. History of the American Borderlands. 3 Credit Hours (Lecture: 3 Hours, Lab: 0 Hours).
This course 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. It addresses several key themes, including the establishment of formal legal regimes in the borderlands; changing notions of citizenship; immigration policies and experiences; community tensions; the rise of border cities as sites of tourism and vice; 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 nineteenth 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. Prerequisites: HIST 1301 and 1302; for History majors only, HIST 3340, which can be taken concurrently.
HIST 4307. History Careers Outside the Classroom. 3 Credit Hours (Lecture: 3 Hours, Lab: 0 Hours).
This course offers an introduction to and examination of the choices available for historians who seek careers outside of classroom teaching, including but not limited to the exploration of career paths available in public history, historic preservation and archives, public service, law, editing and publishing, technology, and business. Class activities and materials will emphasize career and professional development, skills assessment, and preparation for professional settings and graduate school. Prerequisites: HIST 1301 and 1302; for History majors only, HIST 3340, which can be taken concurrently.
HIST 4311. Research in American Political History. 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 the founding of the United States. 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. Prerequisites: HIST 1301 and 1302; for History majors only, HIST 3340, which can be taken concurrently.
HIST 4313. A People's History of the United States. 3 Credit Hours (Lecture: 3 Hours, Lab: 0 Hours). [WI]
This course addresses the larger social, political, and economic forces that challenged everyday Americans and explores the many and varied forms of agency they employed to confront those forces. The focus of this course will vary each semester to emphasize different topics and time periods. Prerequisites: HIST 1301 and 1302; for History majors only, HIST 3340, which can be taken concurrently.
HIST 4314. History of the American West. 3 Credit Hours (Lecture: 3 Hours, Lab: 0 Hours).
This course explores the history of the American West. It examines political, social, cultural, and environmental issues in the American West, with an emphasis on how the region was shaped by Indigenous American societies, European exploration and colonization, the expansion of the United States, and the development of the modern West. The course will also address key themes such as settler colonialism, demographics, labor, environmental change, and the myths and realities of the West. Prerequisites: HIST 1301 and 1302; for History majors only, HIST 3340, which can be taken concurrently.
HIST 4315. Slavery in the Americas. 3 Credit Hours (Lecture: 3 Hours, Lab: 0 Hours).
This course traces enslavement and emancipation in the Americas from the 1500s through the 1800s. It covers a wide range of themes, places, and eras, such as various forms of Black and Indigenous captivity; the trans-Atlantic, intra-American, and Indigenous slave trades; the centrality of enslavement to colonial empires and nation-states; social, cultural, and religious life in enslaved communities; and post-emancipation society. To bring this complex history to life, students will engage with a variety of materials. Prerequisites: HIST 1301 and 1302; for History majors only, HIST 3340, which can be taken concurrently.
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: HIST 1301 and 1302; for History majors only, HIST 3340, which can be taken concurrently.
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 twentieth 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: HIST 1301 and 1302; for History majors only, HIST 3340, which can be taken concurrently.
HIST 4330. History of Modern Europe, 1789-Present. 3 Credit Hours (Lecture: 3 Hours, Lab: 0 Hours). [WI]
This course covers European history from the French Revolution in 1789 to the present. This course will explain the social, economic, and political processes beginning in the late eighteenth century that transformed Europe and brought it to its height of imperial power before rapidly losing these empires in the second half of the twentieth century. Students will learn the major historical events and processes that contributed to the rise and expansion of modern Europe such as capitalism, revolution, conservatism, nationalism, fascism, communism, imperialism, decolonization, and internationalism. Prerequisite: HIST 1301 and 1302; for History majors only, HIST 3340, which can be taken concurrently.
HIST 4331. World Since 1919. 3 Credit Hours (Lecture: 3 Hours, Lab: 0 Hours). [WI]
This writing intensive course explores 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 twentieth century receive special emphasis. Prerequisites: HIST 1301 and 1302; for History majors only, HIST 3340, which can be taken concurrently.
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. Prerequisites: HIST 1301 and 1302; for History majors only, HIST 3340, which can be taken concurrently.
HIST 4343. Contemporary History of the United States. 3 Credit Hours (Lecture: 3 Hours, Lab: 0 Hours). [WI]
This course will cover the last fifty years of American history, with an eye on explaining how historical developments have led to current debates and controversies. A close eye will be paid to the ways in which politics has changed in the last fifty years, how the treatment of minority groups has changed in the last fifty years, and on the origins of contemporary issues currently being discussed in American politics and culture. The class will also discuss the difficulties which are inherent in doing history so near the present and teach students how to historicize current events.
HIST 4350. Special Topics in History. 3 Credit Hours (Lecture: 3 Hours, Lab: 0 Hours).
This course offers a study of important periods, regions, and themes in history. May be repeated when the topic varies. Prerequisites: HIST 1301 and 1302; for History majors only, HIST 3340, which can be taken concurrently.
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 spring semester in which they are completing coursework. Prerequisites: 6 hours of advanced History including HIST 3340; for Secondary Education majors only, 12 hours of HIST and HIST 3340.
Dr. Jensen Branscombe, Department Head
Department of History, Geography and GIS
O.A. Grant Building, Room 370A
Box T-0660
Stephenville, Texas 76402
254-968-9280
branscombe@tarleton.edu
Ms. Julie Simpson, Administrative Coordinator
Department of History, Geography and GIS
O.A. Grants Building, Room 370
Box T-0660
Stephenville 76402
254-968-9280
jsimpson1@tarleton.edu
Endowed Chair
- Dr. Deborah Liles
Associate professors
- Dr. Paul Banda
- Dr. Jensen Branscombe
- Dr. Aaron George
- Dr. Christopher Hickman
- Dr. Steven Peach
Assistant professor
- Dr. Yuen Yolanda Tsang
Instructor
- Dr. John Harris
- Dr. Franziska Yost
Professional Assistant Professor - Tarleton Today
- Dr. Jahue Anderson
