Tier One Courses
HIST 101 The Evolution of Western Ideas and Institutions to the Seventeenth Century
This course is an introduction to history as a discipline, and an analysis of the origins, early development and structure of Western civilization from the ancient world to the 17th century. It covers the beginning of civilization in the Near East; Greece and Rome; the development of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam; the medieval civilization(s); economic change and geographical expansion of the west; the Renaissance and Reformation. Throughout the course, political, social, and religious crisis and resolution will be emphasized, along with cultural responses to these events. Students will gain an understanding of history as a discipline; be able to place Judaism, Christianity, and Islam in historical context; explain the expansion of the West; and develop their critical thinking and communication skills.
Outcome: Students will gain an understanding of history as a discipline; be able to place Judaism, Christianity, and Islam in historical context; explain the expansion of the West; and develop their critical thinking and communications skills.
HIST 102 The Evolution of Western Ideas and Institutions since the Seventeenth Century
This course is an introduction to history as a discipline, and an analysis of the development and structure of Western civilization from the 17th century to the present day. It begins with the three great waves of revolution that have forged the modern world: (1) a seventeenth and eighteenth-century intellectual revolution associated with science, rationalism, and secularism; (2) a wave of political revolutions (British, American, French, 1848 and Russian) that ushered in a new era of mass politics and nationalism; and (3) a commercial and industrial revolution that enormously expanded the productive capabilities of human societies. Throughout the course, political, social, and religious crisis and resolution will be emphasized, along with cultural responses to these events. Students will gain an understanding of history as a discipline; be able to explain the expansion of the West and the events that shaped the modern world; and develop their critical thinking and communication skills.
Outcome: Students will gain an understanding of history as a discipline, develop critical thinking skills based on historical knowledge about the key people, places, and events that shaped the modern world, and hone their communication skills.
HIST 103 American Pluralism
This course is an introduction to history as a discipline, and an analysis of the origins, development and structure of the United States as a pluralistic and multiracial society from 1609 to the present.
Outcome: Students will be able to demonstrate historical knowledge, draw links between the American experience and national identities, and to develop critical thinking and communication skills.
HIST 104 Global History since 1500
This course deals with the emergence of the modern world, including such topics as the expansion and intensification of cross-cultural interaction; imperialism, colonialism, and nationalism; the spread of information; capitalism, industrialism, and popular sovereignty; race and ethnicity, gender, and socio-economic status.
Outcome: Students will be able to evaluate and explain the forces of historical continuity and change; demonstrate how the encounters/changes between and among societies produced the world we have today; analyze and discuss the significance of primary and secondary sources and how they relate to the history under discussion.