AMERICAN CONCENTRATION (HIA)

The five (5) lower division courses of the History major core are required of all History majors and should be taken before they have earned 16 course credits toward graduation.

 

UNITED STATES COURSES:

 

32.302     Colonial America

32.304     The American Revolution

32.306     Jeffersonian through Jacksonian America

32.307     Maritime History of New England

32.308     American Civil War Era

32.310     Emergence of a Modern Nation

32.312     America in Crisis

32.314     United States Diplomatic History

32.318     Religion in America

32.321     Immigrants, Ethnics, and Racial Minorities in United States History

32.326     Women in American History

32.340     Industrial and Labor History of the U.S.

32.341     Total, Limited, and Cold: America at War in the 20th Century

32.348     United States Environmental History

32.495     Independent Study in History

32.496     Internship in History

 

Upper division course requirement:

32.444     Seminar in American History

 

EUROPEAN/WORLD CONCENTRATION (HIE)

 

The five (5) lower division courses of the History major core are required of all History majors and should be taken before they have earned 16 course credits toward graduation.

 

EUROPEAN/WORLD COURSES:

32.336     Latin America From the Conquest to the Present

32.351     A History of Modern Science - The Copernican Revolution to Present

32.362     Ancient Greece: From the Homeric through the Hellenistic Age

32.364 Ancient Rome: The Republic and the Empire

32.366 Medieval Europe: Its Ideas and Institutions

32.368 Intellectual History of Early Europe

32.370 Intellectual History of Modern Europe

32.371 Women in Europe, 1500- 2000

32.375 Superpower Diplomacy

32.376 History of Modern France

32.380 Blood, Iron, and Republics: Germany from 1866 to the Present

32.381 Remaking Europe: History, Politics, and Culture since World War II

32.382 Empires in Collision: Southeastern Europe, 1683 to the Present

32.383 Making of the Modern Middle East

32.384 India in the Age of Empire

32.387 History of South Africa

32.388 The Path to Modernity: Russia from 1682 to the Present

32.392 Africa and the World

32.398 Modern China and Japan

32.495 Independent Study in History

32.496 Internship in History

Upper division course requirement:

32.484 Seminar in European/World History

Intermediate Division Courses

 

32.302 Colonial America

A study of the transfer of Old World cultures (especially British) to America, their interaction with the New World environment and peoples, and the subsequent evolution of distinctive political, economic, and cultural orders. Community building and related issues of gender, race, and class are emphasized. Prerequisite: 32.151 U.S. History to Reconstruction.

32.304 The American Revolution

A social, political, military, and diplomatic history of the emerging United States from 1763 to 1787. The course focuses on the causes and consequences of the War of Independence. The revolutionary nature of the period is considered within the context of the larger Atlantic world. Prerequisite: 32.151 U.S. History to Reconstruction.

 

32.306 Jeffersonian through Jacksonian America

A study of a vital transitional epoch in American history from the Federalist era to the age of Jackson. Especially stressed is the shift from deferential to greater democracy in politics, economics, and religion. Related matters of social reform, race, and gender are also considered. Prerequisite: 32.151 U.S. History to Reconstruction.

 

32.307 A Maritime History of New England

A survey of the sea’s legacy from the earliest Indian fishery to the shipbuilding and commerce of today. Course themes include historical, political, and economic developments, with particular attention to insights gleaned from the investigation of shipwrecks, time capsules of discrete moments from New England’s past. Classes include visits to museums, a field session at a maritime archaeology site, and guest lectures on current research projects. Prerequisite: Application to campus representative of the Massachusetts Bay Marine Studies Consortium one semester prior to experience.

 

32.308 American Civil War Era

An intensive analysis of the social, political and economic factors in antebellum America that led to the Civil War, the war itself, and the problems of reconstructing the nation after the war. Prerequisite: 32.151 U.S. History to Reconstruction.

 

32.310 Emergence of a Modern Nation

A study of United States history from 1877-1920. Topics include the change in the national spirit from the Gilded Age to the rise of industrialism, imperialism, and World War I. Special emphasis is given to the dominant roles of Theodore Roosevelt, Taft, and Wilson in transforming the nation.

 

32.312 America in Crisis

A study of political, economic and diplomatic transformations of the United States since 1920. The focus is on the roaring twenties, the Great Depression, World War II foreign and domestic policies, the civil rights movement, the Vietnam War, the end of the Cold War, and the expanding role of the federal government. Prerequisite: 32.152 U.S. History since Reconstruction or a course in American politics.

 

32.314 United States Diplomatic History

A presentation of the evolution of America’s major foreign policies. Among the factors considered in the formulation of American diplomacy are economic concerns, cultural attitudes, the role of individuals, the nation’s constitutional basis, as

well as foreign events.
Prerequisite: A course in either United States his
tory or American politics.
 

32.318 Religion in America

An interdisciplinary study of the growth of a denominational society in the United States. The course is especially concerned with the impact of American environment on religions imported from Europe and elsewhere, the problems posed by modern science, the development of new American faiths, and the contributions of religion to the core values of American culture. Prerequisite: An introductory course in American history, Western civilization, the sociology of religion or western religion.

 

32.321 Immigrants, Ethnics, and Racial Minorities in United States History

A study of the history of immigration to the United States from the eighteenth century, the forces of expulsion from the Old World and attraction to the New, and the nation’s response to immigrants and their descendants. Native Americans, the English, Germans, Irish, Jews, Mexicans and other Hispanic peoples, Africans, eastern and southern Europeans, Asians, and others who became part of the American people are considered, but from semester to semester different groups are emphasized. The most recent changes in immigration patterns are considered. Prerequisites: 32.151 United States History to Reconstruction, 32.152 United States History since Reconstruction.

 

32.326 Women in American History

A study of the changing roles of women from colonial times to the present. Topics include society’s stereotypes of women; women’s social, family, and work roles; and the effect of legislative and constitutional changes on women. Prerequisite: 32.151 United States History to Reconstruction or 32.152 United States History since Reconstruction.

32.336 Latin America from the Conquest to the Present

A study of the political, social, economic and cultural history treating indigenous antecedents, the colonial period, the independence movement, the emergence of modern states, and contemporary Latin America. Attention is given to both indigenous and Iberian cultural inheritance, the Roman Catholic Church, worker and peasant populism, military authoritarianism, and influence of the United States. Prerequisite: A survey course in either American history or Western Civilization or permission of the instructor.

 

32.340 Industrial and Labor History of the United States

A study of the historical development of industry and labor in the U.S. from the middle of the nineteenth century to the present. Special emphasis is placed upon the historical forces that helped to foster industrial growth, the social impact of newly-created corporations, the legal milieu that made expansion possible, the growth of organized labor and class consciousness, and the evolution of a unified, integrated monetary and banking system. Prerequisite: 32.151 U.S. History to Reconstruction,

32.152 U.S. History since Reconstruction, or 62.110 Introduction to American Politics.

 

32.341 Total, Limited, and Cold: America at War in the 20th Century

An examination of how wars have shaped the United States’ politics, society, and economic policies during the twentieth century. From the Filipino-American War to the Persian Gulf War, America has been fighting much of the century. The concept of warfare has shifted to fit the country’s changing role in world affairs, from an isolationist nation in the late nineteenth century to a Superpower after World War II.

 

32.348 United States Environmental History

An historical examination of how people of the United States organized their lives within ecological systems of the area, conceived of their natural world, and reshaped their environment according to human needs. The complex and interdependent relationships among human social, cultural, and political institutions and the natural world receive special emphasis. Prerequisite: 32.151 U.S. History to Reconstruction or 32.152 U.S. History since Reconstruction; or permission of instructor.

 

32.350 Historical Studies Tour

A guided tour, or series of tours, of significant sites, cities, or landmarks in the human past. This course also includes traditional or other methods of teaching. Topics vary according to the specialty of the faculty member. Students are expected to prepare in advance for the excursions and are examined on their learning experiences. Prerequisite: One of the five survey courses

(32.151 United States History to Reconstruction,

32.152 United States History since Reconstruction, 32.153 Western Civilization to the Renaissance, 32.154 Western Civilization since the Renaissance, or 32.155 The Comparative History of World Civilizations) in American or European/World History as appropriate, or permission of instructor.

 

32.351 A History of Modern Science – The Copernican Revolution to Present

An historical examination of revolution in modern science. After a brief introduction to the structure of scientific revolutions and a comparison of the concepts of political and scientific revolutions, the course deals with major transformations in science from Copernicus to the computer. Prerequisite: 32.154 Western Civilization since the Renaissance or 32.155 The Comparative History of World Civilizations.

 

32.362 Ancient Greece: From the Homeric through the Hellenistic Age

An examination of the history of ancient Greece. Topics include the society and thought of the Homeric period; the rise of the polis and the thought of the Archaic age; the Persian wars, the Athenian empire, Periclean Athens, the Peloponnesian wars, and the thought of the fifth century; the empire of Alexander the Great and the thought of the Hellenistic age. Prerequisite: 32.153 Western Civilization to the Renaissance or another course that includes the Classical period.

 

32.364 Ancient Rome: The Republic and the Empire

An examination of the history of ancient Rome from the founding of the Republic to the collapse of the Empire. Topics include the evolution and decline of the Republic, its concept and institutions of government; the reign of Julius Caesar and the rise of Caesarism; the rise of Augustus and the formation of the Empire; relations of the Empire to the Christian church; the decline of the Empire; and the reigns of the emperors Diocletian, Constantine, and Theodosius. The contributions of Rome in the fields of political, constitutional, and legal thought and institutions are stressed. Prerequisite: 32.153 Western Civilization to the Renaissance.

32.365 The History of Gender, Sexuality, and the Body

An analysis of the history of gender, sexuality, and the body in European history.  Topics covered may include religious views of gender and sexuality, sexuality and the state, the growth of sexology as an academic discipline, and the changing meanings and significance of sex and the body.  In this course, students also gain an understanding of the centrality of course themes to the study of religion, the state, and the family in any historical time period. Prerequisite: 32.154 Western Civilization since the Renaissance

32.366 Medieval Europe: Its Ideas and Institutions

A focus on the history of western Europe from the periods of the collapse of the Roman Empire in the west and the emergence of the Middle Ages to the decline of the Middle Ages in the fourteenth century. Topics include the settlement of western Europe by the Germanic peoples; the merging of the Germanic, Classical, and the Christian cultures to form the civilization of the Middle Ages; the kingdom of the Franks, the empire of Charlemagne, and Frankish society and thought; feudalism; and the society and thought of the feudal kingdoms of France, England and Germany. Prerequisite: 32.153 Western Civilization to the Renaissance.

 

32.368 Intellectual History of Early Europe

An in-depth study of the ideas which represent the contributions of ancient Greece, ancient Rome, and the Middle Ages to the intellectual history of Western Europe. Special emphasis is placed upon the Ancient and Medieval concepts of man’s nature and destiny.

 

32.370 Intellectual History of Modern Europe

A sequel to 32.368 Intellectual History of Early Europe, the course evaluates outstanding ideologies which have appeared since the seventeenth century. Within a historical context, developments in science, political theory, philosophy, and the arts are examined. The emergence of modern psychology, sociology, and economics also receives attention. The goal is to identify and appraise the points at which various intellectual pursuits have converged and to determine how ideas are translated into actions. Among the topics considered are the origins of modern rationalism, the scientific revolution, scientific and utopian socialism, conservatism, positivism, anarchism, existentialism, and a variety of counter-cultural movements. Prerequisite: Junior status, and any two of the following: survey of Western philosophy or political thought, a natural science, a social science, or

32.154 Western Civilization since the Renaissance.

 

32.371 Women in Europe, 1500 - 2000

An historical examination of women’s lives and ideas of gender in Europe. Through an analysis of social, economic, political, religious, intellectual, and cultural developments, this course explores how women have both experienced and shaped European history. Topics covered may include women’s political action, work and the economy, religion, feminism, and family life. Student thus gain a greater understanding not only of women’s lives, but also of the ways in which one can study the history of women and gender. Prerequisite: 32.153 Western Civilization to the Renaissance or 32.154 Western Civilization since the Renaissance; or permission of the instructor.

 

32.372 Renaissance and Reformation Europe, 1350-1650

A history of Europe from 1350 to 1650, with particular emphasis on the many faceted change-over from medieval to modern during this period: the decline of the papacy, the growth of the Italian Renaissance, Anglo-French rivalry, the rise of Spain, the Reformation, and the growth of modern science.

 

32.375 Superpower Diplomacy

An examination of European diplomacy since World War I. Special emphasis is on Germany in the 1930’s; World War II and the Allied Conferences; the Cold War and the roles played by Washington, Moscow, and Beijing; the emergence of a single Europe; and the diplomatic impact of the end of a superpower rivalry. Prerequisite: 32.154 Western Civilization since the Renaissance, or 32.155 World Civilization and upper class standing.

 

32.376 History of Modern France

A study of the political, social, economic, and
intellectual development of France since 1789.
Particular emphasis is on the Revolution,
Napoleon, the political experiments of the nine
teenth century, the psychological collapse of the
French in the first half of the twentieth century,
the rise of Charles DeGaulle, and present day
issues.
Prerequisite: 32.154 Western Civilization since the
Renaissance.

 

32.378 Modern Britain

The socio-economic, cultural, and political history of Britain from the seventeenth century to the present. Lectures and readings deal with such topics as Stuart and Georgian England, industrialization, Parliamentary reform, party politics, and the disintegration of the Empire.

32.379 Modern Ireland

An exploration of the history of Ireland from the eighteenth century to the dawn of the new millennium. Students analyze the social, cultural, economic, intellectual, and political developments that have shaped Ireland’s history. Students also examine how the people of Ireland have defined both themselves and their nation and how Irish identities have changed. Prerequisite: 32.154 Western Civilization since the Renaissance or permission of instructor.

 

32.380 Blood, Iron, and Republics: Germany from 1866 to the Present

A study of the German state from its unification to the present. Among the topics explored are the following: the general condition of the various German states during the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, the rise of Prussia, the impact of the Napoleonic conquest, the Revolution of 1848, Bismarck and the formation of the German Empire, the First World War, the failure of the Weimar Republic, Hitler’s regime, and the era of the two Germanies. Attention is also given to culture, society, and the economy. Note: Credit will not be given for both this course and 32.380 Modern Germany. Prerequisite: 32.154 Western Civilization since the Renaissance.

 

32.381 Remaking Europe: History, Politics, and Culture Since World War II

An examination of European history since the end of World War II.  In this course students analyze how the politics, culture and society of both Western and Eastern Europe have been transformed since 1945. Topics covered may include the Cold War, decolonization, the emergence of the European Union, the fall of communism, and migration. Special focus is placed on European identities and how they have changed since 1945. Prerequisite: 32.154 Western Civilization since the Renaissance.

 

32.382 Empires in Collision: Southeastern Europe, 1683 to the Present

A study of the Balkan-Anatolian unit since 1683. Emphasis is placed upon the emergence of the Balkan national states, the evolution of native cultures, problems of ethnicity, class, and gender, the involvement of such great powers as Austria and Russia in the region, and the profound changes since World War II. Note: Credit will not be given for both this course and 32.382 The Modern Balkan World. Prerequisites: 32.154 Western Civilization since the Renaissance, any course in European international relations since 1815, or any area studies course which introduces the student to the Balkans.

 

32.383 Making of the Modern Middle East

An examination of social, economic, and political developments in the Middle East since circa A.D.1500. The course covers the rise and fall of the Ottoman and other “Gunpowder” Empires, the expansion of European influence and control, nationalist and socio-religious responses to the West, and the Arab-Israeli conflict. Prerequisite: 32.154 Western Civilization since the Renaissance.

 

32.384 India in the Age of Empire

An introduction to the social, economic, and political history of India from circa A.D. 1500 to 1947. The course examines the rise and fall of the Mughal Empire, the establishment and character of the British Raj, the development of modern Indian nationalism, and the crisis of independence and partition. Issues of race and class are emphasized throughout the course. Prerequisite: 32.154 Western Civilization since the Renaissance.

 

32.385 Portraits in Power

A biographical examination of the rise and development of major leaders in their respective countries or civilizations. This course considers the relationship between leaders and events to determine their influence in the development of history. Specific leaders will vary by semester. Students may take only one section of this course for credit. Prerequisite: A survey course in either American history or Western Civilization.

 

32.387 History of South Africa

A study of the social, economic, and political history of South Africa from 1652 to the present. Particular attention is paid to uncovering the patterns of interaction between the peoples of southern Africa that culminated in the crisis of apartheid during the 1970s and 1980s, and to those aspects of the South African experience that may shed light on what may (or may not) happen in contemporary South Africa. Prerequisite: 32.154 Western Civilization since the Renaissance or permission of the instructor.

 

32.388 The Path to Modernity: Russia from 1682 to the Present

A broad exploration of imperial, Soviet, and post-Soviet periods. Among the topics stressed are the Rurican, Byzantine, and Muscovite formative influences of the Pre-Petrine era; the modernization of Russia under Peter I and his successors; the growth and development of the intelligentsia during the nineteenth century; the revolutions of 1905 and 1917; the emergence and dissolution of the USSR; and developments within the post-Communist epoch. Note: Credit will not be given for both this course and 32.388 Russia: From 1689 to the Present. Prerequisite: 32.154 Western Civilization since the Renaissance.

 

32.392 Africa and the World

An examination of the African continent’s relationship with the larger world since antiquity, with particular emphasis on the period since circa A.D. 1500. Topics to be discussed include the relationship between geography and human development, indigenous state formation, the colonial experience and decolonization, and the processes and consequences of sub-Saharan Africa’s incorporation into the capitalist world economy. Prerequisite: 32.154 Western Civilization since the Renaissance or permission of instructor.

 

32.398 Modern China and Japan

An introduction to the philosophical, societal, political, economic, and cultural facets of modern China and Japan. The main emphasis is on the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. Special attention is given to the rise of Communism in China and the economic regulating of Japan since 1945. Prerequisites: 32.154 Western Civilization since the Renaissance or 32.155 Comparative History of World Civilizations. Note: Students may not receive credit for both 32.390 History of Modern China and 32.398 Modern China and Japan.

 

Upper Division Courses

 

32.444 Seminar in American History

A course in which a small group of students engages in advanced study and original research under the direction of a member of the faculty. In addition to their individual research projects, the students may be expected to produce and to discuss such assignments as book reviews and bibliographic essays. All students concentrating in American history must take at least one seminar in American history. The course is open only to students who are junior, senior, or post-graduate American history concentrators. No transfer course can fulfill this seminar requirement. Topics vary with the instructor, and will be announced for a two-year period. Seminars in addition to the one required may be taken for intermediate-level credit. Prerequisites: 32.151 United States History to Reconstruction, 32.152 United States History since Reconstruction, 32.153 Western Civilization to the Renaissance, 32.154 Western Civilization since the Renaissance, 32.250 Historical Research and Writing, two intermediate level history courses (numbered three-hundred or above) in American history, and permission of instructor.

 

32.484 Seminar in European/World History

A course in which a small group of students engages in advanced study and original research under the direction of a member of the faculty. In addition to their individual research projects, the students may be expected to produce and discuss such assignments as book reviews and bibliographic essays. All students concentrating in European/World History must take at least one seminar in European/World History. The course is open only to students who are junior, senior, or post-graduate European/World History concentrators. No transfer course can fulfill this seminar requirement. Topics vary with the instructor, and are taken for intermediate-level credit. Prerequisites: 32.151 United States History to Reconstruction, 32.152 United States History since Reconstruction, 32.153 Western Civilization to the Renaissance, 32.154 Western Civilization since the Renaissance, 32.250 Historical Research and Writing, two intermediate level history courses (numbered three-hundred or above) in European/World History, and permission of instructor.

 

32.495 Independent Study in History

A History major who has taken no fewer than six courses in history and whose quality point average in history is at least 3.0 may take an Independent Study under the supervision of a member of the History Department. The following conditions must be met: 1) The topic must be determined in consultation with the faculty member under whose supervision the project is to be accomplished. 2) The topic must be specified, in writing, by the student and must be approved by both the faculty supervisor and the department chair in the semester preceding the initiation of the project. 3) The independent study project counts as one course. 4) No History major may take more than two independent study courses as part of the required six intermediate-division courses.

32.496 Internship in History

Especially recommended and counts as one (1) to four (4) courses depending on the nature of the internship experience. Only two (2) course credits are allowed toward the fulfillment of intermediatedivision courses required for the History major. Any remaining course credits are designated as free electives. The internship is limited to junior and senior History majors who have a quality point average of no less than 2.5 in their major and related required subjects and who have been approved by the History Internship Committee, said committee to include the Chair of the History Department as well as the faculty coordinators for the internships. As a supervised field-study experience, the internship is offered in cooperation with participating institutions or individuals who agree to provide professional guidance for studentinterns. Most interns are assigned to an eight-to sixteen-week internship which is conventionally a full-time commitment, that is, five days a week and eight hours a day. In that context, students are requested not to be employed outside the internship during the school week (Monday to Friday) and not to take additional courses. A part-time internship may be coordinated with one or two courses during a semester; in no case shall the student earn more than four credits during that semester. The letter grade received for the internship is based on: (1) visitations (usually two, one near the beginning and the other toward the end of the internship) by the faculty coordinator; (2) an evaluation form completed by the supervisor in the field and sent to the Chair of the History Department at the end of the internship; and (3) a written project submitted to the faculty coordinator by the student at the end of the internship. The specific nature of the project is to be determined by the faculty coordinator, the field supervisor, and the student-intern no later than the end of the third week of the internship. Students interested in an internship should consult with their advisor and the Chair of the History Department. Registration must be completed in the semester prior to the beginning of the internship.