History

Contact Information

Website: www.uis.edu/history
Email: his@uis.edu
Office Phone: (217) 206-6779
Office Location: UHB 3050

Bachelor of Arts
Concentration
Minor

Department Goals and Objectives

The Department of History explores links between the past and our contemporary world. History helps us craft narratives of the past based on the interpretation of a wide range of artifacts from the past. Through the study of history, students learn to compare elements of their own culture with those of other cultures and from other time periods. Students consider the impact, lives, and perspectives of individual men and women in the histories of both the United States and the world, while appreciating the significance of national and transnational structures and forces such as cultures, economics, the environment, gender, religions, politics, and war. Students examine historical perspectives that are well represented by documentary record and consider ways of recovering perspectives that have been silenced.

Honors in History

The UIS History Department Honors program is designed to provide an opportunity for the highest-performing students in the major to develop skills above and beyond what is required of the typical BA student. The Honors program focuses on developing skills that will assist high-performing students in applications to graduate and professional schools. To be eligible students must have a minimum 3.65 GPA in History course work and a cumulative 3.5 GPA.

Course-embedded portfolio model

Students will develop a portfolio of Honors work by taking four enhanced HIS courses at the upper level. An ‘enhanced’ course requires the research and creation of a project in addition to those required by the standard 400-level course (this project should not simply be a longer version of a class project). These projects should be tailored to the academic and professional goals of the student. Examples of enhanced portfolio projects include:

Research papers.
Creation of a research-based website.
Historiographical essay.
Development of a teaching curriculum.
A short film.
Study abroad.
History-approved internships.

For study abroad and internships, students must design and develop a project based on time spent at their activity.

Honors Portfolio and Defense

Students will present their completed Honors Portfolio to an Honors Committee, comprised of three members of the UIS History Department. Students will present for 20 minutes on their portfolio, followed by an oral examination of that portfolio by the committee. This presentation can be conducted via Skype for online students. During the presentation, students will reflect on their enhanced work and discuss how their projects relate to each other or build on each other.

Learning Experiences

Learning experiences available to history majors include regular classroom courses; independent studies and tutorials; study abroad; and internships at libraries, archives, historic sites, and other institutions, particularly in state government. The history curriculum includes courses covering America from the colonial era to the present; interdisciplinary, transnational thematic courses in such areas as imperialism, the history of religion and women’s history; courses in the history of Europe, Asia, and other world regions; and courses analyzing historic forces shaping the contemporary world.

The Bachelor's Degree

World History Concentration

The baccalaureate curriculum is organized for students who hope to place their world in historical perspective. Education in history at the University of Illinois Springfield is broad-based humanities training, providing students with research capabilities, analytical methods, and communication skills that are useful in many fields. The curriculum prepares students for careers in fields such as history, politics, government, business, law, journalism, writing, and administration. Through internships, students are able to test career possibilities where the research and analytical skills of the historian are appropriate.

Advising

Each student is assigned both an academic advisor and a faculty advisor to assist in planning an individual program of study responsive to the student’s interests and goals and designed to meet the requirements of the History Department. Students are strongly encouraged to consult with their advisors regularly, especially before enrolling for their first and last semesters. Questions about advising may be directed to the History Department. Students who are enrolled in the Teacher Education Program (TEP) must consult regularly with their TEP advisor.

Grading Policy

History courses for which the student has attained a grade of C or better will be applied toward the B.A. degree (grades of C- or lower will not be accepted). History courses taken as CR/NC will be applied toward the degree if a grade of CR is attained. History majors may repeat program courses for grade improvement only once without seeking department approval.

Program Learning Outcomes

Students who successfully complete a B.A. in History should be able to:

Read critically; that is, they will be able to identify a thesis, evidence, interpretation, and the different voices in a text.
Define and distinguish between primary and secondary sources and explain the strengths, weaknesses, and appropriate uses of each.
Interpret and analyze primary documents, and place them within the appropriate historical context.
Identify characteristics and practitioners of major schools of historiographical thought.
Craft a narrative based on primary sources.
Locate different kinds of sources for historical research.
Appropriately document and cite sources in academic work.
Explain roles that history and historians play in contemporary society as well as current issues under debate within the profession and within the public arena.
Explain the purpose and use of historiographical essays. (limited to HIS 401)
Compose an historiographical essay. (limited to HIS 401)

Requirements

To pursue a major in history, students must complete two courses from the following list of classes on historical regions and themes (six hours total). The 2 courses must be from different categories of historical regions and themes. Alternatively, students can transfer equivalent courses from an accredited institution. Comparative Societies courses with an HIS prefix can be used to fulfill both the Comparative Societies requirements and history lower-division requirements provided students graduate with sufficient total credits.

Lower-Division Requirements
Two Courses from different categories historical regions or themes
Select 2 course from the following region or theme options:		6
World History
HIS 118	Making of the West
HIS 119	Gods & Heroes of Early Europe
HIS 125	The History of Everywhere
Comparative Religion
HIS 150	Topics in Comparative Religion
Europe
HIS 202	European History
HIS 212	History of Russia: Peter I to Putin
United States
HIS 204	U.S. History to 1877
HIS 205	U.S. History Since 1877
HIS 206	American Immigration History
Middle East
HIS 160	Topics in Middle Eastern History
HIS 161	Introduction to the Modern Middle East
HIS 211	Women in the Middle East
East Asia
HIS 176	History of Premodern East Asia
HIS 177	History of Modern East Asia
Total Hours		6

Upper-division Core Requirements ¹
HIS 301	The Historian's Craft ²	3
HIS 401	Senior Seminar ¹	3
Eight hours of non-U.S. History Courses from the following:		8
HIS 360	Topics in Warfare
HIS 365	ECCE: Culture Wars/Europe
HIS 371	Islamic Civilization
HIS 373	ECCE: Reading Arab Pasts
HIS 375	ECCE: Conflict in the Middle East
HIS 378	ECCE: Christian-Muslim Encounters
HIS 411	ECCE: Democracy and Democratic Theory
HIS 412	Alexander the Great
HIS 414	ECCE: Cleopatra's Egypt
HIS 415	ECCE: Archaeology of Global Slavery
HIS 416	Rise of Rome
HIS 417	Caesar to Charlemagne
HIS 419	Egyptology
HIS 422	ECCE: Politics and Religion: Culture Wars
HIS 424	Ancient Sport and Spectacle
HIS 462	ECCE: Conflict in 19th Century Europe
HIS 463	Europe In The 20th Century
HIS 470	Topics in 20th Century World History
HIS 471	ECCE: The Pacific War: World War II in East Asia
HIS 472	Imperial Russia
HIS 473	Russia from the Revolution to the New Cold War
HIS 475	ECCE: Nationalism and Imperialism
HIS 476	Modern China
HIS 477	Premodern Japan
HIS 479	ECCE: From Vikings to Hackers: A Pirate's World History
HIS 480	Topics in Pre-Modern World History
HIS/WGS 481	Women in Chinese and Japanese History
HIS 482	Samurai in History and Romance
HIS 485	Cold War and the Middle East
HIS 486	ECCE: Exhibiting Asia: Trans-Pacific Material Culture
HIS 487	History of Christmas
HIS 488	Eastern Christianity
Upper Division Elective History Courses
Options: any 300-level or 400-level HIS course not used to fulfill another HIS degree requirement.		19
Total Hours		39

¹: Students may fill up to 4 credit hours of upper-division core requirements with HIS 499.
²: Students must earn no less than a C in HIS 301 as a prerequisite for HIS 401. HIS 301 and HIS 401 may not be taken during the same semester.

Courses from other departments may count for history credit when they support the student’s degree plan and are approved in advance.

Online Degree

The online History degree program is identical to the on-campus program. The online program allows students to participate actively in dynamic, diverse, and interactive online learning communities and to complete their degrees in their own time and at their own pace via the Internet. The online format enables them to complete course work using the latest networked information technologies for increased access to educational resources, advisers, and materials.

EHS HDC Admissions
Degree Program	Program Type	Dept Application Materials and Admission Criteria	Prerequisite Course Requirements	Department ADM Review	Dept Conditional Admits	Dept Appeal Process
History	BA	No additional admission requirements beyond the general UIS criteria	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A

Courses

HIS 106. Peoples of the Past. 3 Hours.

This course combines historic and archaeological approaches to explore major social, political and cultural transformations in several different world regions, with particular attention to the rise of agriculture, cities, states, and writing systems. No prerequisites. Course Information: Same as SOA 106. This course fulfills a general education requirement at UIS in the area of Comparative Societies Social Sciences.

HIS 118. Making of the West. 3 Hours.

This interdisciplinary course will offer students the opportunity to become familiar with an array of Near Eastern cultures and societies, beliefs, and traditions, mainly by examining the archaeological evidence and reading ancient literary sources. It will be taught linking Greece and the Near East together. Course Information: This course fulfills a general education requirement at UIS in the areas of Comparative Societies Social Sciences.

HIS 119. Gods & Heroes of Early Europe. 3 Hours.

This interdisciplinary course will offer students the opportunity to become familiar with an array of European cultures and societies, beliefs, and traditions, mainly by examining the archaeological evidence and reading ancient literary sources. It will be taught as a course linking Greece to Western Europe. Course Information: This course fulfills a general education requirement at UIS in the areas of Comparative Societies Social Sciences (IAI Code: S1 901N).

HIS 122. Game of Thrones. 3 Hours.

This course examines the cultural manifestations of Game of Thrones through the lens of history and philosophy. It will teach students how to employ historical and philosophical approaches using Game of Thrones as a vehicle for critical study. Course Information: This course fulfills a general education requirement at UIS in the area of First-Year Seminar and a general education requirement at UIS in the area of Humanities.

HIS 124. Antiquity in Film. 3 Hours.

Antiquity is a beloved and enduring theme in popular entertainment. Modern screenwriters follow Aristotle's rules for building a successful story, explore ancient myths, historical events, and ideas, transforming them into new vehicles of meaning. This course will explore the changing cultural and historical contexts, as well as the social forces behind movies we will watch and the stories that have inspired them over the centuries, as these seek to evoke emotional and intellectual responses among students. Course Information: This course fulfills a general education requirement at UIS in the area of Humanities and a general education requirement at UIS in the area of First-Year Seminar.

HIS 125. The History of Everywhere. 3 Hours.

Global History Survey. Focuses on historical events that happened at the same time across the globe. This allows us to explore fascinating connections and coincidences, a complex web of interactions, exchanges, influences that have shaped the course of civilization across geographical/cultural/temporal boundaries. Course Information: Same as IGS 125. This course fulfills a general education requirement at UIS in the area of Comparative Societies Humanities.

HIS 150. Topics in Comparative Religion. 3 Hours.

Introduction to the comparative study of religion.

HIS 151. Judaism, Christianity, Islam. 3 Hours.

This course surveys the historical development of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam over time, compares and contrasts their scriptural texts, beliefs, and practices in different societies, and evaluates the benefits and challenges of inter-religious relationships in contemporary times. Course Information: This course fulfills a general education requirement at UIS in the area of Comparative Societies Humanities.

HIS 152. Bible and Qur'an. 3 Hours.

Historical development of the Bible and Qur'an, analyzing significant characters and themes. Focuses on the societies who wrote the scriptural texts, comparing and contrasting historical views, evaluating benefits and challenges of comparative analysis, and comprehending diversity of perspectives among contemporary interpreters. Course Information: This course fulfills a general education requirement at UIS in the area of Comparative Societies Humanities.

HIS 153. Religion in America. 3 Hours.

This course surveys religious communities with a focus on Christian movements and introduces other religions that have emerged in American history. The course examines religious change over time, compares the texts, beliefs, and practices of different religious communities, assesses religious controversies in contemporary times. Course Information: This course fulfills a general education requirement at UIS in the area of Humanities.

HIS 160. Topics in Middle Eastern History. 3 Hours.

Introduction to Middle Eastern history through a comparative perspective. This course takes a cross-disciplinary approach, designed to allow students the chance to examine the region from a number of different perspectives; not only a historical one but also those of literature, art, religion, economics, politics and international relations. Course Information: This course fulfills a general education requirement at UIS in the area of Comparative Societies Humanities.

HIS 161. Introduction to the Modern Middle East. 3 Hours.

This course introduces students to the history of the Middle East, Surveying major social, economic, and political developments, with a focus on the modern (20th century) period. Course Information: This course fulfills a general education requirement at UIS in the area of Comparative Societies Humanities. (IAI Code: H2903N).

HIS 176. History of Premodern East Asia. 3 Hours.

This course provides an introduction to the histories and societies of East Asia (primarily China, Japan, and Korea) from prehistoric times through the early-modern era (ca 1700). Themes include intercultural exchange, political and economic transformations, Confucianism, the relationships between Buddhism and indigenous religions and worldviews, gender relations, and warfare. Course Information: This course fulfills a general education requirement at UIS in the area of Comparative Societies Humanities (IAI Code H2910N).

HIS 177. History of Modern East Asia. 3 Hours.

This course uses a comparative, regional perspective to explore the histories of East Asia (primarily China, Japan, and Korea) from the early-modern era (ca 1700) to the present. Topics under examination include modern political, cultural, religious, and economic transformations, western and Asian colonialisms, changing world views and ideologies, and the historical evolution of gender roles. Course Information: This course fulfills a general education requirement at UIS in the area of Comparative Societies Humanities.

HIS 201. World History. 3 Hours.

A broad survey of historical forces at work over the past 12,000 years, examining the manners in which human societies have organized themselves along categories of race, ethnicity, class, and gender to meet the challenges of the increasing human population and its demands on natural resources.

HIS 202. European History. 3 Hours.

Major topics in European political, intellectual, socio-economic history from 1400 to present: the Renaissance, Christian Reformations, Scientific Revolution, Enlightenment, French and Industrial Revolutions, World Wars I and II, the Russian Revolution, totalitarian dictatorships, existentialism. Course Information: This course fulfills a general education requirement at UIS in the area of Humanities (IAI Code: H2 902) or Social and Behavioral Sciences.

HIS 204. U.S. History to 1877. 3 Hours.

An overview of U.S. political, social, economic, cultural, and foreign relations history from the colonial era through Reconstruction. Course Information: Fulfills a lower-division prerequisite for HIS majors/minors and a general education requirement at UIS in the area of Humanities or Social and Behavioral Science (IAI Code: S2 900).

HIS 205. U.S. History Since 1877. 3 Hours.

An overview of U.S. political, social, economic, cultural, and foreign relations history from the Gilded Age to the present. Course Information: Fulfills a lower-division prerequisite for HIS majors/minors and a general education requirement at UIS in the area of Humanities or Social and Behavioral Science (IAI Code: S2 901).

HIS 206. American Immigration History. 3 Hours.

Surveys the migration of peoples to America: why they came, what they experienced, and how they were treated. Investigates the roles of race, ethnicity, and state policy in their reception and integration. Situates the lives of individual immigrants in the context of the major events and developments of American immigration history. Course Information: This course fulfills a general education requirement at UIS in the area of Humanities.

HIS 211. Women in the Middle East. 3 Hours.

Students will consider the ways in which social, religious, and cultural factors shape the lives of women in the Middle East over time - 7th century to present. Course Information: Same as WGS 211. This course fulfills a general education requirement at UIS in the area of Social and Behavioral . 420258.

HIS 212. History of Russia: Peter I to Putin. 3 Hours.

This survey course covers the history of modern Russia from the founding of the Empire under Peter I to the present day. It will examine major political, diplomatic, and cultural developments in Russia from the eighteenth to the twenty-first centuries in a broader global context, especially in comparison with other European countries. Course Information: This course fulfills a general education requirement at UIS in the area of Humanities or Social and Behavioral Sciences (IAI Code: H2908).

HIS 241. Survey of African American History. 3 Hours.

This course provides students with an introduction to African American history that covers ancient African cultures, the development of the transatlantic slave trade, the role of slavery as an economic system in the founding and development of the nation, and ends with the Civil War and Reconstruction. Course Information: Same as AAS 241 and LIS 241. This course fulfills an Engaged Citizenship Common Experience requirement at UIS in the area of U.S. Communities.

HIS 299. Tutorial. 1-4 Hours.

Intended to supplement, not supplant, regular course offerings. Students interested in a tutorial must secure the consent of the faculty member concerned before registration and submit any required documentation to him or her. Course Information: Not intended for use in meeting general education requirements.

HIS 301. The Historian's Craft. 3 Hours.

An introduction to the work of historians and the basic methods of the discipline. Should be completed before student reaches senior status. Course Information: Successful completion - C or higher - satisfies the department's requirement for the major or minor.

HIS 304. ECCE: Illinois History. 3 Hours.

Illinois History surveys the political, social, and economic development of Illinois from the prehistoric period to the present. It pays particular attention to defining events and developments. Throughout, the course integrates the history of Illinois and Chicago with the history of the nation. Course Information: This course fulfills an Engaged Citizenship Common Experience requirement at UIS in the area of U.S. Communities.

HIS 305. Monuments, Museums, and Memory: Springfield and Beyond. 4 Hours.

HIS 305 focuses on historical memory and cultural heritage in contemporary settings. As an introduction to public history, the course outlines theoretical and methodological approaches to working with people outside academia. Springfield serves as a laboratory, with site visits, in-class visits from local professionals, and assistance with UIS "History Harvest" - an event where community members bring historical objects and memories to be interpreted and recorded by curators and students.

HIS 307. Podcasting History. 3 Hours.

This course will introduce students to historical interpretation and audio production. Students will perform historical research, interview a historian, and develop and edit a podcast that tells a historical story. *Same as COM 307.

HIS 325. ECCE: Latina/o USA. 4 Hours.

Introduction to the study of Mexican, Puerto Rican, Cuban, Dominican, and Central/South American communities in the U.S. Main themes are immigration, identity, gender and racial constructions, labor, education, and activism. Other topics include demographic trends, political participation, and relations with origin communities in Latin America and the Caribbean. Course Information: This course fulfills an Engaged Citizenship Common Experience requirement at UIS in the area of U.S. Communities.

HIS 341. Popular Culture in United States History: From Barnum to Beyonce. 4 Hours.

This course surveys the development and influence of popular culture in the United States, from the early 1800s to near the present day. Special attention is paid to the manner in which popular culture is formed by social, political, and economic conditions, as well as the ways that popular culture influences those conditions. The primary focus is on the construction and consumption of music and the dramatic forms of theatre, film, and television.

HIS 345. ECCE: US Women's History. 3 Hours.

Explores the history of U.S. women beginning with Native Americans. Examines themes of women in colonial society, domesticity, suffrage, reproduction, and work. Course Information: Same as WGS 345. This course fulfills an Engaged Citizenship Common Experience requirement at UIS in the area of ECCE U. S. Communities.

HIS 347. ECCE: Native American History. 4 Hours.

This course will cover Native American history, from before the arrival of Europeans in North America to the present day. Students will learn the concept of 'ethno history'. The course will cover Native American beliefs and cultures, and will explore the history of events such as the settlement of Cahokia, King Philip's War, the Pueblo Revolt, Pontiac's Rebellion, and the Trail of Tears. Course Information: This course fulfills an Engaged Citizenship Common Experience requirement at UIS in the area of U.S. Communities.

HIS 348. ECCE: Slavery and Abolition in the Nineteenth-Century United States. 4 Hours.

This course focuses on the histories of slavery and abolition in the nineteenth-century United States. In our class, we will consider how different groups of Americans worked to uphold and undermine their nation's "peculiar institution" of slavery. We will examine a diverse assortment of primary sources from enslaved people, antislavery activists, and slave owners as well as secondary scholarship about the institution of slavery and the evolution of abolitionism. Course Information: This course fulfills an Engaged Citizenship Common Experience requirement at UIS in the area of U.S. Communities.

HIS 352. History of American Law. 3 Hours.

Historical examination of the professional and constitutional development of law in the United States. Topics include the common-law legacy, substantive and procedural aspects of legal history, jurisprudence, the American lawyer, and the interaction of law with American society, thought, and politics. Course Information: Same as LES 352.

HIS 360. Topics in Warfare. 3 Hours.

Much of history is military history. This course treats wars, warriors, and their impact on their contemporary societies. It also examines military practices and encounters with the other and discusses technical aspects of warfare like strategy, logistics, and armor.

HIS 365. ECCE: Culture Wars/Europe. 4 Hours.

This course examines the roots and manifestations of sacred-secular conflict in nineteenth and twentieth-century Europe. Topics include: popular religious piety, the spread of liberalism, the expansion of civil rights, the crisis of the papacy, the First Vatican Council, the secularization of education, movements to disestablish state churches, Euro-orientalism, and contemporary sacred secular conflicts such as Europe's Muslim communities and European Union identity. Course Information: This course fulfills an Engaged Citizenship Common Experience requirement at UIS in the area of Global Awareness.

HIS 371. Islamic Civilization. 4 Hours.

Introduction to pre-modern and modern Islamic history. The course examines the development of Muslim peoples and cultures from the seventh century through the nineteenth century. Themes include the study of Islamic origins and early Islam, methods of ancient and modern historians, politics, women, and other topics.

HIS 373. ECCE: Reading Arab Pasts. 4 Hours.

The disciplines of history and literature have long been closely combined. Writing history necessitates the crafting of a narrative; likewise, literature can serve as a primary source through which we gain insights into history and culture, In this course, we will look at literary works originating from the Middle East in order to gain a deeper understanding of the culture and policies of the countries under study. Countries under consideration may vary from semester to semester. Course Information: Same as ENG 325. This course fulfills an Engaged Citizenship Common Experience requirement at UIS in the area of Global Awareness.

HIS 375. ECCE: Conflict in the Middle East. 4 Hours.

The various conflicts that have wracked the Middle East over the last two centuries are examined. The specifics of each conflict are considered, as well as the larger factors that have helped lay the groundwork for them. Among the latter are the historical relationships between the Middle East and the "West," which in many respects had been characterized by the latter's political and economic domination of the former. Course Information: This course fulfills an Engaged Citizenship Common Experience requirement at UIS in the area of Global Awareness.

HIS 378. ECCE: Christian-Muslim Encounters. 4 Hours.

Seminar on the global history of Christian-Muslim relations from the seventh century through the twenty-first century. This course surveys first contacts, Christians living under Muslim rule, significant intellectual figures and their theological writings, Crusade and Jihad, recent global encounters and dialogue in the religious and public spheres. Course Information: Same as: CAP 258. This course fulfills an Engaged Citizenship Common Experience requirement at UIS in the area of Global Awareness.

HIS 399. Tutorial. 1-8 Hours.

HIS 401. Senior Seminar. 3 Hours.

Capstone course for majors that focus upon refining and assessing skills in the discipline. Will examine current issues in the study of history. Course Information: Students should have senior status before enrolling and must have completed HIS 301 with a grade of C or higher.

HIS 411. ECCE: Democracy and Democratic Theory. 4 Hours.

This course focuses on the evolution of Western Democratic theory from the ancient Greeks to our times, emphasizing institutions and traditions associated with evolving theories. Course Information: Same as PSC 425. This course fulfills an Engaged Citizenship Common Experience requirement at UIS in the area of Global Awareness.

HIS 412. Alexander the Great. 4 Hours.

This interdisciplinary course examines Alexander the Great's life, career, and legacy through primary and secondary sources. It places him in his historical context and discusses the political, religious, socio-economic, and cultural changes that transformed the Mediterranean world during his reign and beyond.

HIS 414. ECCE: Cleopatra's Egypt. 4 Hours.

This course will explore Cleopatra's reign, multi-cultural society, politics, representatives, and the ever-changing meanings with which she was invested from her lifetime through our days. Images and texts manipulated and shaped historical knowledge. Subsequent generations assigned different signifiers to the culturally charged icon of Cleopatra as a woman in power. Course Information: This course fulfills an Engaged Citizenship Common Experience requirement at UIS in the area of Global Awareness.

HIS 415. ECCE: Archaeology of Global Slavery. 4 Hours.

This academic journey delves deep into the tangible remnants of one of the most profound, tragic, and enduring human experiences in history. It combines archaeology, anthropology, history, and sociology to unravel the material culture and lived experiences of enslaved individuals across continents and centuries. Course Information: Same as IGS 415. This course fulfills an Engaged Citizenship Common Experience requirement at UIS in the area of Global Awareness.

HIS 416. Rise of Rome. 4 Hours.

This interdisciplinary course offers an overview of Roman history from the founding of Rome (8th century BCE) to the collapse of the Roman Republic (30 BCE). We will survey how a city-state conquered the Italian peninsula, historical circumstances defined its role as a major political player, and Rome swallowed up the Hellenistic world.

HIS 417. Caesar to Charlemagne. 4 Hours.

Seminar on the decline and fall of the Roman Empire through the rise of Europe, the Byzantine Empire, and the Arab conquests. The course explores the transformation of the religions, political, social, and cultural identities in Europe, the Mediterranean, and the Near East from the second through the ninth centuries.

HIS 419. Egyptology. 4 Hours.

This course will provide an overview of the history, art, and archaeology of Pharaonic Egypt (i.e. Bronze Age Egypt under the pharaohs and before the Persian conquest and Alexander the Great). We will look at Egyptian monuments, including the pyramids, towns, mummies, religion, art, and literary texts. Course Information: Same as ART 419.

HIS 421. ECCE: Introduction to Oral History Methods. 3 Hours.

Introduction to oral history technique, including interviewing, transcription, and editing. Includes technical and conceptual literature, collateral fields, and professional concerns. Student work added to UIS oral history collection. This course fulfills an Engaged Citizenship Common Experience requirement at UIS in the area of U.S. Communities.

HIS 422. ECCE: Politics and Religion: Culture Wars. 4 Hours.

This ECCE course seeks to examine the multifaceted connections between politics and religion in the United States, although with a global perspective. Our goal will be to establish a dialogue on the issues that increasingly confront us about the proper role of religion in our public life. Course Information: Same as: LES 422 and PSC 422. This course fulfills an Engaged Citizenship Common Experience requirement at UIS in the area of U.S. Communities.

HIS 424. Ancient Sport and Spectacle. 4 Hours.

This course will study the beginnings of sport in the Greco-Roman world and its transformation throughout the centuries to our days. It will also examine how sport became a vehicle for the ideological and political expression, was associated with class, gender, violence, nationalism, and ethnicity, and how it has been appropriated and reinterpreted in modern times. Course Information: Same as LIS 424.

HIS 427. African-American History. 4 Hours.

Focuses on the history and sojourn of the African-American from the creation and demise of the last three West African empires, through the enslavement and shipment of Africans to North America and their struggle for human and civil rights in present-day America. Topics are the Middle Passage, religion of the slaves, slave resistance, Abolitionism, the Civil War, Reconstruction, the Great Migration, Harlem Renaissance, the Civil Rights movement, Black Power movement, urban unrest, affirmative action, and the new reparations movement.

HIS 429. ECCE: Civil Rights Movement of the Twentieth Century. 4 Hours.

This discussion course examines the connections between the oral histories of the civil rights movement, the intellectual contributions of African American essayists to traditions of thought in United States history in the twentieth century and the political activism of educated professionals and grass-roots community figures. Course Information: Same as AAS 433 and LIS 433. This course fulfills an Engaged Citizenship Common Experience requirement at UIS in the area of U.S. Communities.

HIS 431. Colonial America. 4 Hours.

Survey of the establishment and development of England's North American colonies between 1585 and 1763. Emphasis primarily on land use, economic development, religions, and social history.

HIS 432. Revolutionary America. 4 Hours.

Examines the social trends, economic rivalries, and political disputes that together created the American Revolution. Course begins with the Stamp Act Crisis of 1765 and follows the developments and conflicts through the presidential election of 1792.

HIS 433. United States, 1790-1840. 4 Hours.

Examines the first decades of the new republic, including early industrialization, settlement of the frontier, Manifest Destiny, the War of 1812, the cotton economy, and Jacksonianism.

HIS 434. United States, 1840-1890. 4 Hours.

Examines antebellum U.S. plus the Civil War and Reconstruction. Also explores cultural and social history, including Victorianism and the women's movement.

HIS 435. United States, 1890-1945. 4 Hours.

Examines the emergence of the U.S. as an industrial and world power, progressivism, World War I, the 1920's, the Great Depression, and World War II. Focus is on political, cultural, social, and foreign relations history.

HIS 436. United States, 1945-Present. 4 Hours.

Examines domestic and foreign policy issues in the post-World War II period with an emphasis on how the Cold War shaped contemporary America. Focus is on political, cultural, social, and foreign relations history.

HIS 437. The Sixties. 4 Hours.

Examines the social movements of the decade, including the Civil Rights movement, the antiwar movement, the student movement, the women's movement, and the counterculture. Explores how these movements emerged in the post-World War II period and their legacies for the 1940's and beyond.

HIS 438. ECCE: American Environmental History. 4 Hours.

Study of the American land that examines human attitudes toward both the wilderness and the quest for resources and the actual use and abuse of the natural world. Beginning with the 16th century, the course focuses on the conflicting advocacies of exploitation, preservation, and conservation. Course Information: Same as ENS 418. This course fulfills an Engaged Citizenship Common Experience requirement at UIS in the area of U.S. Communities.

HIS 440. Topics In U.S. History. 4 Hours.

Special topics ranging from early American history to the recent past. Course Information: May be repeated if topics vary. Students may register in more than one section per term.

HIS 441. The Civil War and Reconstruction. 4 Hours.

A study of the origins of the American Civil War, the war itself, and post-war Reconstruction. Major topics include the Market Revolution; Slavery and Racism; and social, cultural, political, economic, and legal impacts of the conflict.

HIS 442. American Urban History. 4 Hours.

Examines the development of American urban centers from 1800 to the present. Demographic, sociological, economic, and political aspects of the urbanizing process will be discussed, as well as the impact urban populations have had on American culture over time.

HIS 445. Intellectual Origins of the American Revolution. 4 Hours.

This course introduces students to the ideas and texts that influenced the leaders of the American Revolution. The Founding Fathers had studied classical Greek and Roman through eighteenth-century European thinkers. Americans used these ideas to articulate their critique of the British, and debate the formation of a new government.

HIS 446. American Political Thought from the Revolution to the 20th Century. 4 Hours.

In this course, students will explore the foundational ideas of the American Revolution and investigate how these ideas have been used to shape, justify and challenge the structures of American society. Students will read texts, including the Federalist Papers, and authors such as Tocqueville, Thoreau, Lincoln, Jane Addams, Theodore Roosevelt and Martin Luther King.

HIS 447. ECCE: Sports and US History. 4 Hours.

Examines changes in American social, cultural and political life through the lens of sports. Covers issues of race, community identity, class, and cultural development. Covers origins of baseball as "America’s game", how sports has been used to advance civil rights, gender identity, American exceptionalism. Course Information: This course fulfills an Engaged Citizenship Common Experience requirement at UIS in the area of U.S. Communities.

HIS 448. UFOs & National Security History. 4 Hours.

This course examines the American national security state's response to Unidentified Aerial Phenomenon, commonly known as UFOs. Topics include national security studies, public policy, media, and relevance to History, Political Science, Physical Sciences, and Psychology.

HIS 450. Major Figures in History. 4 Hours.

Focuses on important individuals from the past. Course Information: May be repeated if topics vary. Students may register in more than one section per term.

HIS 451. ECCE: A Global History of Espionage. 4 Hours.

This course explores the clandestine world of global espionage and international diplomacy, including the intricate cultural history, strategies, and technologies that define the realm of intelligence gathering and covert operations. We will examine pivotal espionage events from historical spy networks to modern day intelligence. This course fulfills an Engaged Citizenship Common Experience requirements at UIS in the area of Global Awareness.

HIS 453. ECCE: Women of Color and Minority Women. 4 Hours.

The experience of American women of color is at the center of this course. Interdisciplinary consideration of the intersection of race, class, and gender in the lives of women past and present. Course Information: Same as AAS 403, SOA 451, SWK 462, and WGS 403. This course fulfills an Engaged Citizenship Common Experience requirement at UIS in the area of U.S. Communities.

HIS 454. ECCE: History of the Family. 4 Hours.

The modern family in comparative and historical perspective. Selected themes -- changing patterns of household, intimacy, gender -- explored historically to understand their present importance. Course Information: Same as SWK 454, and WGS 454. This course fulfills an Engaged Citizenship Common Experience requirement at UIS in the area of U.S. Communities.

HIS 455. Fashion History. 4 Hours.

This course examines the history of fashion in the U.S. from the American Revolution through the present. The course considers how fashion had been used as a means of crafting individual, group, and national identities, and how race, class, gender, and sexuality have impacted fashion culture. This course reflects on how fashion has worked to both construct and destabilize existing social structures, and fashion's potential as a liberating and oppressive force.

HIS 456. ECCE: Rebels and Revolutionaries: Female Activism in the United States. 4 Hours.

Throughout U.S. history, women have participated in movements designed to undermine and defend existing hierarchies of race, class, gender, and sexual orientation within American society. In this course, we will examine how notions of female activism have changed from the eighteenth century up to the present, considering how race, class, and sexual orientation have shaped women's access to public space and how women have shaped the activist movements in which they have taken part. Course Information: This course fulfills an Engaged Citizenship Common Experience requirement at UIS in the area of U.S. Communities.

HIS 457. ECCE: Women and Gender in the U.S. South, 1607-1877. 4 Hours.

This course examines the histories of women and gender in the U.S. South from 1607 to 1877. The class will consider how ideas about masculinity and femininity shaped the lives and experiences of Native American, African American, and white Southern men and women in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. Course Information: This course fulfills an Engaged Citizenship Common Experience requirement at UIS in the area of U.S. Communities.

HIS 458. Missions in Early America. 4 Hours.

This course examines the history of Catholic, Protestant, and Orthodox missions and frontier encounters between missionaries and American Indian societies from the colonial period through the nineteenth century. Themes include the study of Spanish, French, Russian, and American missions and their religious, social, economic, and cultural exchanges with local native populations.

HIS 460. Studies in Latin American History. 4 Hours.

Studies include roots of Latin American history, Latin American history since independence, revolution in modern Latin America, and the history of Brazil. Course Information: May be repeated up to 2 time(s) if topics vary.

HIS 462. ECCE: Conflict in 19th Century Europe. 4 Hours.

This course explores political, cultural, and international conflicts in Europe from the French Revolution to 1890. It examines the conflicting political ideologies that shaped the century, struggles between church and state, the impact of modernity on religion, nationalism, anti-Semitism, and the revolutions and wars that continuously threatened the status quo.Course Information: This course fulfills an Engaged Citizenship Common Experience requirement at UIS in the area of Global Awareness.

HIS 463. Europe In The 20th Century. 4 Hours.

Study of the political, socioeconomic, cultural, and colonial history of Europe from the turn of the century to the present. Special emphasis on the importance of ideology in shaping society, the transforming effects of war and depression, and Europe's changing role in the international order.

HIS 468. History Of Spain. 4 Hours.

A general survey of the history of Spain from the times of the Iberians and Romans to the present, focusing on the rise and fall of the Spanish empire and monarchy and the emergence of a new democratic nation.

HIS 470. Topics in 20th Century World History. 4 Hours.

Topics such as imperialism, holocaust and genocide, war and revolution, environmental history, gender history, biography, intellectual history. Students may take additional sections for credit, but must study different topics each time. Course Information: May be repeated if topics vary. Students may register in more than one section per term.

HIS 471. ECCE: The Pacific War: World War II in East Asia. 4 Hours.

This class takes as its theme the different ways in which inhabitants of countries bordering the Pacific, particularly China, Japan, Korea, and the United States, experienced World War II in different ways. It also explores how the Second World War became one of the defining elements in understanding relations between these countries today. Themes such as total war, colonialism, race, and memory will be covered. Course Information: This course fulfills an Engaged Citizenship Common Experience requirement at UIS in the area of Global Awareness. Same as CAP 355.

HIS 472. Imperial Russia. 4 Hours.

Examines significant aspects of Russian political, cultural, and intellectual life from 1689 to the revolutions of 1917 in the broader European context. Topics will include: the expansion and dissolution of the empire from Tsar Peter I to World War I; Russian Orthodoxy and society; the emergence of the intelligentsia and the revolutionary tradition; and major intellectual/cultural movements from the Enlightenment to the Silver Age. Course readings will consist of selections from primary and secondary sources, including literary works from the period.

HIS 473. Russia from the Revolution to the New Cold War. 4 Hours.

This course examines Russian culture, society, and diplomacy from the revolutions of 1917 to the present. Topics include the origins of revolution, Leninism, Stalinism, World War II, the Cold War, the collapse of the Soviet Union, and the Yeltsin and Putin presidencies. The course will examine Russia’s complex relationship with the West and consider why a new Cold War ensued after the first conflict had ended.

HIS 475. ECCE: Nationalism and Imperialism. 4 Hours.

Is national identity inherent - are we all born with a national identity? Or is it something that is shaped by historical and social events? Historians have debated this question for many decades and we will consider this question in this course. In what ways have national identities in various parts of the world been shaped by the historical experiences of Imperialism in its various forms? In this course, we will explore the debates around how "national" identities have been shaped in the 19th and 20th centuries. We will explore a series of case studies that allow us to consider a variety of angles and approaches to this question. Course Information: This course fulfills an Engaged Citizenship Common Experience requirement at UIS in the area of Global Awareness.

HIS 476. Modern China. 4 Hours.

Examination of the main trends, events, and problems in 19th and 20th century China. Topics of study include the intrusion of the West, rebellions and revolutions, gender issues, popular culture, and environmental problems.

HIS 477. Premodern Japan. 4 Hours.

Examination of the social, cultural, and political developments of premodern Japan. Topics of study include literature and the arts in the Nara and Heian periods; the age of the Samurai; religions, including Shinto and Zen Buddhism; and popular culture.

HIS 479. ECCE: From Vikings to Hackers: A Pirate's World History. 4 Hours.

Course seeks to understand the historical transformations across time and to compare the manifestations across cultures of the popular, but elusive figure of the pirate. We will attempt to understand how these figures may have thought of themselves, how they were so labeled by land-based authorities, and how their histories were appropriated and romanticized for ideological ends. Course Information: This course fulfills an Engaged Citizenship Common Experience requirement at UIS in the area of Global Awareness.

HIS 480. Topics in Pre-Modern World History. 4 Hours.

Special topics covering diverse geographic areas in the Pre-modern period (ca. 3300 BCE - 1500 CE). May be repeated if topics vary. Students may register in more than one section per term.

HIS 481. Women in Chinese and Japanese History. 4 Hours.

Exploration of the histories of women in China and Japan over the last several centuries, with special attention to their changing roles and status in the 20th century. Course Information: Same as WGS 481.

HIS 482. Samurai in History and Romance. 4 Hours.

This course explores the evolution of samurai in historical sources, artistic representations, and ideological constructions. Topics include debates over the origins and meaning of samurai, gender and samurai, premodern and modern romanticization, cultures of warfare and violence, and samurai lordship and the state. Course Information: No previous knowledge of Japan is expected.

HIS 485. Cold War and the Middle East. 4 Hours.

In this course we will study the Middle East in connection with the global politics of the Cold War era in order to gain an understanding of the ways in which political, economic, cultural and other aspects of society in the region interacted with the US and USSR. Course Information: This course is an upper division research seminar in History. Students taking this course for graduate credit will be expected to do additional work.

HIS 486. ECCE: Exhibiting Asia: Trans-Pacific Material Culture. 4 Hours.

This course partners with the Illinois State Museum to research and design digital exhibits for its collection of Asian artifacts. We trace how symbolic meanings of objects change; explore how material culture can serve ideological ends; and consider the agency of objects in Trans-Pacific contexts. Course Information: This course fulfills an Engaged Citizenship Common Experience requirement at UIS in the area of Engagement Experience.

HIS 487. History of Christmas. 4 Hours.

Seminar on the origins and development of the celebration of Christmas. Themes include early Christian Nativity traditions, the date of Christmas, devotional literature, liturgical texts, hymnography, art, global perspectives on the celebration and Christmas traditions.

HIS 488. Eastern Christianity. 4 Hours.

Introduction to the history of Christian peoples in the Middle East, India and Asia from the first century through the sixteenth century. The course focuses on significant figures and their contributions to eastern cultures. Themes include martyrdom, aceticism, intellectual learning, and women in the Syriac tradition.

HIS 499. Independent Study: Special Topics in History. 1-8 Hours.

Independent and directed readings on an individual topic for students in history. Students should make arrangements with an appropriate faculty member. Course Information: May be repeated to a maximum of 8 hours.

HIS 501. Graduate History Colloquium. 3 Hours.

Introduction to the graduate program that assists students in diagnosing skills, designing the education plan, learning research methods, using various bibliographical resources, and examining professional conflicts among historians. Research project. Successful completion satisfies communication skills requirements.

HIS 502. Public History Colloquium. 3 Hours.

Concepts of public history, including subject areas, techniques, and ethical issues. The application of historical knowledge and methods to the administration, preservation, and interpretation of historical resources as well as historical analysis of public policy issues.

HIS 503. Researching and Writing History. 3 Hours.

Seminar emphasizing research in primary sources. Includes critical examination of historical writing, exploration of research and writing techniques, and completion of an advanced research paper. Course Information: Prerequisites: Must have completed HIS 501 with a grade of a full B or higher.

HIS 504. American Material Life. 3 Hours.

Examines interdisciplinary theories, methodological approaches, and applications of material culture studies to the study of history. Focuses on the study of artifacts and the way historians and museums use them to research, document, and interpret past and present.

HIS 505. Historic Environmental Preservation. 3 Hours.

Preservation policies and their applications in planning are considered. History of preservation movements and of American architecture and landscapes are examined, as well as current preservation technologies. Case studies of the politics and economics of preservation. Field work required.

HIS 507. Museum and Society. 3 Hours.

Explores the ways museums have been used since the 1800's and the functions they serve today. Indoor and outdoor history, art, folk life, and science museums are considered. Focus is on museums as learning resources and analysis of problems in communicating realities.

HIS 508. Archival Management. 3 Hours.

Examines concepts and methods of archival management and considers issues in acquiring, preserving, evaluating, and making archival resources accessible. Additional focus is on creative research and developing means to reach broad publics.

HIS 510. Graduate Readings Seminar. 3 Hours.

Intensive readings in a defined topic area. Seminar format emphasizes group discussion of historical methods and ideas. Course Information: Offered each semester. May be repeated as long as topics vary.

HIS 511. Museum/Historic Sites Methods. 3 Hours.

Examines collection management and conservation, research, interpretation, educational programming, exhibit preparation, and administration. Explores collection development in the past and current concepts of collecting "today for tomorrow".

HIS 515. History and Digital Media. 3 Hours.

This course introduces students to the digital skills necessary for conducting and presenting historical research. Topics covered include website design and management, familiarity with mapping, and database software. Students will produce final projects showcasing research using digital platforms.

HIS 520. Oral History Methods. 3 Hours.

Mastery of oral history technique, including interviewing, transcription, and editing. Includes technical and conceptual literature, collateral fields, and professional concerns. Student work added to UIS oral history collection.

HIS 560. Position Essay and Historiography. 1-8 Hours.

Supervised advanced research and essay to fulfill MA closure requirement for students pursing the European and World History concentration. NOTE: If the historiography is not completed by the time eight hours are accrued, students must register for HIS 561 for zero credit hours (one billable hour) in all subsequent semesters until the requirements are completed. Course Information: Prerequisites: successful completion of the core requirements HIS 501, HIS 503, or HIS 510. Restricted to HIS graduate students with European and World History concentration.

HIS 561. Position Essay and Historiography Continuing Enrollment. 0 Hours.

Refer to NOTE in course description for HIS 560. May be repeated. Course Information: Restricted to HIS graduate students.

HIS 570. Public History Internship and Project. 1-8 Hours.

Supervised applied study in public history used to develop a project to meet history M.A. requirements. Maximum of eight hours of history credit. NOTE: If the project is not completed by the time eight hours are accrued in continuing enrollment, students must register for HIS 571 for zero credit hours (one billable hour) in all subsequent semesters until the project is completed. Course Information: May be repeated to a maximum of 8 hours. Prerequisites: Successful completion of at least three of the core requirements (HIS 501, HIS 502, HIS 503 or HIS 510).

HIS 571. Public History Internship and Project Continuing Enrollment. 0 Hours.

Refer to NOTE in course description for HIS 570. Course Information: May be repeated.

HIS 580. Thesis. 1-8 Hours.

Historical research for the required master's research essay. NOTE: If the thesis is not completed by the time eight hours are accrued in continuing enrollment, students must register for HIS 581 for zero credit hours (one billable hour) in all subsequent semesters until the thesis is completed. Course Information: May be repeated to a maximum of 8 hours. Prerequisites: Successful completion of at least three of the core requirements (HIS 501, HIS 502, HIS 503 or HIS 510).

HIS 581. Thesis Continuing Enrollment. 0 Hours.

Refer to NOTE in course description for HIS 580. Course Information: May be repeated.

HIS 599. Independent Study: Special Topics in History. 1-8 Hours.

Independent and directed readings on an individual topic for graduate students in history. Students should make arrangements with an appropriate faculty member. Course Information: May be repeated to a maximum of 8 hours.