History

Course Descriptions

HIS 124 – America Before the Twentieth Century
(3) Y
American history from early colonial
times to late 19th century. Emphasis on
colonial life, Revolutionary Era, Civil
War and Reconstruction, and Industrial
Revolution.

HIS 125 – America and the World
(3) F, S
Major social, economic and political
events since the late nineteenth century.
Special focus on foreign policy, international
economic relations, and cross-cultural
comparisons.

HIS 135 – Africa and the Atlantic World
(3) Y
How contentious relationship between
Africans, Amerindians, Europeans, and
Arabs transformed the cultural, economic,
philosophical, political, religious, and
social institutions of Africa, the
Americas, Europe and the Middle East.

HIS 145 – Asia and the World
(3) Y
World history from an Asian perspective.
Cross-cultural interaction, political,
economic, social, and cultural exchange
from the eastern Mediterranean region
to Pacific Ocean.

HIS 155 – Introduction to Historical Research Methods
(1) F, S
History as a field of study, including
basic methods of historical research and
writing, and familiarity with different
schools of historical thought.

HIS 165 – Europe and the World
(3) F, S
World history from a European perspective.
Developments in Europe in a crosscultural
context and their influence on
other parts of the world.

HIS 200, 300, 400 – Selected Topics
(1–3 hours each) IR
Topics in various aspects of history. May
vary from year to year. Prerequisite:
Permission of the instructor.

HIS 202 – Introduction to East Asian History
(3) Y
Survey of East Asian traditions and
modern development in the Asian-
Pacific region.

HIS 266 – Modern Europe (3) Y
Europe in the nineteenth and twentieth
centuries. Emphasis on liberalism,
socialism, nationalism, fascism, communism,
and democracy.

HIS 305 – Civil War and Reconstruction
(3) Y
Background and causes of the Civil War,
major campaigns, and civilian war effort; 
political, economic, and social problems
of reconstruction.

HIS 308 – The United States in the World
(3) O
Development of United States foreign
policy from the Early National period to
present, emphasizing popular thought
and different concepts of the national
interest.

HIS 311 – History of New York State
(3) O
Study of economic, social, and political
developments with particular emphasis
on local history.

HIS 312 – American Immigration and Migration
(3) O
Analysis of (1) sources, impact, and
assimilation of immigrants from colonial
times; (2) internal migration, focusing
on movement of black population and
Puerto Ricans to urban areas since
World War II.

HIS 313 – U.S. Women’s History
(3) O
Comparative historical study of
American women and gender across
time and in a diverse range of communities.
Power, work, family, and sexuality.

HIS 315 – The City in the United States
(3) IR
The rise of the city in America as an economic,
political, and cultural institution
from the colonial times to the present
with special emphasis on the problems
of the twentieth century.

HIS 316 – America’s Industrial Revolution
(3) O
Social, economic, intellectual, technological,
and cultural causes and effects of
America’s Industrial Revolution.

HIS 322 – America’s Aged through History
(3) IR
Place of aged in three phases of
American history: rural stage, industrial
age, and post-World War II period.
Attention to popular attitudes toward
older people, demographic changes, and
rise of pensions and retirement.

HIS 323 – Civil Rights and African American Nationalism
(3) O
Development of civil rights and black
power movements, and how liberal and
nationalist ideology shaped the politics,
economics, and culture of the African
American community.

HIS 324 – Resistance, Race, and Labor
(3) O
Race and its impact on the development
of the American working class.

HIS 334 – History of Colonial Africa
(3) O
African societies and European powers
from 1870 to present. Africans’ resistance
to and accommodation of colonialism;
use of African labor; rise of African
nationalism and independence movements;
and post-colonial conditions.

HIS 335 – History of Modern South Africa
(3) Y
How social dynamics, industrialization,
nationalism, and gender shaped South
Africa.

HIS 343 – Modern Japan
(3) Y
Social, economic, and political history of
Japan since Tokugawa times.
Development of capitalism, struggles for
human rights and democracy, ultranationalism
and world war, the economic
miracle and its aftermath, and popular
culture.

HIS 344 – Modern China
(3) Y
The revolutionary transformations that
have dominated the experience of 20th century
Chinese people. Imperialism,
nationalism, status of women, communism,
cultural revolution, the “capitalist
road,” and China’s present ascent to
world power.

HIS 345 – Constitutional Law in the Governmental Process
(3) Y
Principles underlying American constitutional
government with special refer
ence to interpretation of the Federal
Constitution. Prerequisite: Government
and Politics 101. Same as Government
and Politics 345.

HIS 347 – Japanese Imperialism and the Pacific War
(3) IR
Japanese imperialism from 1895-l945.
Modernization, expansion, the Sino-
Japanese War, Russo-Japanese War,
imperialism and World War II in the
Pacific theatre.

HIS 348 – Science, Technology, and Industry in East Asia
(3) IR
Transformation of traditional science
and technology in China and Japan.
Westernization and rise of industry.

HIS 367 – Central Europe
(3) O
The Hapsburg Empire, its dissolution in
1918, and the nation-states which
replaced it. Emphasis on the post-World
War I states of Austria, Hungary, and
Czechoslovakia. Discussion also of
Germany, Poland, Romania, Yugoslavia,
and Italy.

HIS 371 – Russian History
(3) IR
The origins and development of the
Russian peoples and state to the eve of
the Bolshevik Revolution.

HIS 372 – Modern Russia
(3) IR
From Tsarist Russia on the eve of
Bolshevik Revolution through rise,
development and demise of USSR, to
emergence of post-Soviet Russia.
Emphasis on governmental structures
and political processes. Same as GOV
372.

HIS 375 – War and the Military in Historical Perspective
(3) IR
Evolution of warfare and military establishments
in the western world from
Greek and Roman times to the present.

HIS 376 – British History 1688 to the Present
(3) IR
Britain from eighteenth to twentieth
centuries with emphasis on political
events, technological and economic
developments, Napoleonic Wars, reform
movements, Victorian period, colonialism,
and loss of international authority.

HIS 381 – Germany in the Nazi Era
(3) O
Historical antecedents in the Empire,
World War I, and Weimar Republic.
Analysis of social organization, political
structure, and economy before and during
World War II. Diplomacy, military
operations, occupation regimes, resistance
movements, the “final solution,”
and aftermath of the war.

HIS 443 – Japan in the Age of the Warrior
(3) IR
Social and political origins of the warrior
class from earliest times to 19th century.
Prerequisite: History 105, 106, 202, or
permission of instructor.

HIS 455 – Historical Methods
(3) Y
Training in historical research involving
location of sources, their critical evaluation,
organization and writing of scholarly
papers. Also an introduction to
work of the more significant historians
of the past. Prerequisite: Junior standing
or permission.

HIS 456 – Guided Historical Research
(3) Y
Continuation of History 455. Substantial
piece of original research written to professional
standards required.
Prerequisite: History 455.

HIS 490 – Independent Research and Study
(3) IR
Individual reading or research in a historical
topic of interest, with the program
to be arranged by agreement
between the student and his or her
instructor. May be repeated.
Prerequisites: upper level (junior or senior)
status and permission of instructor.

 

Note: The figure in parentheses following the title of the course indicates the credit hours per term. Courses that extend through two terms are shown as follows: (3, 3). Courses that are one term only are shown by: (3). Courses with variable credit are shown with the range of credit available, for example: (1-6).

Letters appearing after course credit hours in this section are explained as follows:
S=Spring
IR=irregularly
F=Fall
U=Summer Session
Y=at least once each academic year Check schedule for Winter Session
O=every other year

The College reserves the right to cancel any course if registration does not justify continuance and to make changes in curricula at any time. 

 

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