UNCA Catalog: Courses of Instruction
UNCA Catalog: Table of Contents

History (HIST)

Associate Professor Hardy (Chair); Professors Ready, Spellman, Uldricks; Associate Professors Greenawalt, Rizzo; Assistant Professors Judson, Pierce; Instructor Peters

The purpose of history is to provide a broad liberal arts education that addresses fundamental questions about the nature of humanity, of society, of past experiences and of the times in which we live. UNCA History graduates use their training in numerous ways: half the majors have entered careers in business and education, while the remainder are employed in such fields as national and state government, law, medicine, banking, the military, the ministry, social service, law enforcement, graduate study and archival work. This partial list demonstrates the diversity of careers open to those trained in history.

Major in History

1. Required courses in the major--36 hours: HIST 101, 102, 151, 152, 390, 452; six additional three-semester-hour courses chosen as described below after Course Distribution.
2. Required courses outside the major--None.
3. Foreign language--Students expecting to enroll in graduate school are encouraged to complete the intermediate level in a foreign language.
4. Other departmental requirements--Oral competency is satisfied in History 390 by delivery of formal presentations judged satisfactory by the department. The senior demonstration of competency is satisfied by completion of History 452 with a grade of C or better.

History with Teacher Licensure

Students desiring History with Teacher Licensure in Social Studies should complete the following program, review the requirements found in the Education section of the catalog, and consult with the appropriate advisor in the Education Department.

1. Required courses in the major--36 hours: HIST 101, 102, 151, 152, 390, 452, six additional three-semester-hour courses chosen as described after Course Distribution. HIST 315 is required for students seeking either K-6 or 6-9 licensure.
2. Required courses outside the major--9 hours: ECON 101 or 102; POLS 220; one course from ANTH 215, SOC 221 or 240.
3. Other departmental requirements--Oral competency is satisfied in History 390 by delivery of formal presentations judged satisfactory by the department. The senior demonstration of competency is satisfied by completion of History 452 with a grade of C or better.

Students desiring middle school licensure must also complete the requirements for a second area of licensure. (See Education section of the catalog and the appropriate advisor in the Education Department.)

Declaration of Major in History

Declaring a major in History requires the student to complete a Declaration of Major form that must be signed by the department chair. Before declaring a major, students must satisfy the LANG 102 and Library Research requirements.

Minor in History

18 hours in History: 9 semester hours from HIST 101, 102, 151, 152; 9 semester hours at the 300 level or higher. At least 6 of the 300-level-and-higher credit hours must be taken at UNCA.

Credit for Courses Outside History

As many as 6 semester hours of credit for courses outside the area of history may be counted toward the requirements of either program if approved by the History Department chair. Up to 3 semester hours of credit for courses outside the area of history may be counted toward the minor if approved by the department chair.

Course Distribution

Students are expected to avoid undue concentrations of courses in either American or European history. Every major must select at least one advanced course from each of categories II, III and IV and no more than four from any one of these categories.

Category I. Courses Required of All Majors

101 The United States to 1865 (3)

A general study of American history from early exploration through the Civil War, emphasizing the political, economic and social forces that have shaped the nation. Fall.

102 The United States Since 1865 (3)

A continuation of HIST 101, with particular emphasis upon 20th century development. May be taken independently of HIST 101. Spring.

151 World Civilization to 1500 (3)

A study of the trends and cultures of the Americas, Europe, Asia, Africa and the Pacific World to 1500, emphasizing political, diplomatic, economic and social development. An emphasis on non-Western cultures. Majors who transfer three or six hours in Western or World Civilization from another institution must not repeat 151 or 152 or both, but instead take three or six hours of History at the 300 level or above. See department chair. Fall.

152 World Civilization Since 1500 (3)

A study of the trends and cultures of the Americas, Europe, Asia, Africa and the Pacific World since 1500, emphasizing political, diplomatic, economic and social development. An emphasis on non-Western cultures. Majors who transfer three or six hours in Western Civilization or World Civilization from another institution must not repeat 151 or 152 or both, but instead take three or six hours of History at the 300 level or above. See department chair. Spring.

390 Seminar in Historiography (3)

A study in the practice and writing of history, its evolving methods, theories and content, with attention to both academic and public history. Required of all majors. Prerequisite: 12 hours in History or permission of instructor. Spring.

452 Senior Research Seminar (3)

A research seminar in which a student conducts a supervised investigation of a selected subject. Prerequisite: HIST 390. (An IP grade may be awarded at the discretion of instructor.) Fall.

Category II. American History Courses

301 Women in United States History: 1890s to the Present (3)

Examines the diverse experiences of women in the United States from the 1890s to the present. Explores how catalysts like industrialization, politics, the rise of consumer culture and changing notions of sexuality affected women's lives and how they in turn shaped these historical forces. See department chair.

302 African American History: 1865 to the Present (3)

Analyzes the historical experiences of African Americans in the United States from Reconstruction to the present. Examines the following topics central to African Americans: Reconstruction and the formation of post-emancipation communities, the origins of legal segregation and white supremacy, migration from South to North, political activism and intellectual production, African Americans and the labor movement, African American cultural production, the modern civil rights movement and contemporary issues of poverty and political disempowerment. See department chair.

303 Colonial and Revolutionary America (3)

Early America to 1787: the colonies, causes and results of the Revolution, and the writing and ratification of the Constitution. Even years Fall.

305 Civil War and Reconstruction (3)

A study of the factors leading to secession and Civil War, outlining military operations and stressing the war's social and economic consequences. Reconstruction, the Grant era, and the New South. Even years Spring.

308 The United States Since 1937 (3)

An intensive study of America's recent history from the Depression experience through its participation in World War II to contemporary society. Odd years Fall.

311 Foreign Relations of the United States (3)

Historical development of American foreign policy and diplomatic relations, with attention to the interplay between isolationism and expansion, realism and idealism, and the emergence of the nation as a world power. Odd years Fall.

315 North Carolina History (3)

An evaluation of North Carolina's contributions to the nation and the South through the state's development from its colonial origins to the 20th century. Spring.

316 The American West (3)

A study of Frederick Jackson Turner's theory of westward expansion, the hero in western literature, the myth of the west as the Garden of Eden, and the conflict between different cultures on the frontier. See department chair.

318 The Modern South (3)

A history of the South from 1865 to the present, showing political, cultural, economic and social changes since the end of the Civil War. Emphasis on the region's distinctive sense of otherness, its music, literature, cultural traditions and the impact of "modernity" upon the South's traditions and rituals. See department chair.

Category III. European History Courses

342 The Roman Empire (3)

A study of Italy and the ecumenical world from the establishment of the Principate of Augustus to the abdication of Diocletian in 305 A.D. See department chair.

346 Medieval Europe (3)

An analysis of civilization in Western Europe from the fall of the Roman Empire in the West to the High Middle Ages, with special emphasis given to social history and church-state relations. See department chair.

348 Tudor-Stuart England (3)

The social, political and religious history of England from 1485 to 1688: Henry VIII and the Reformation, Puritanism and the rise of the gentry, the Civil War and the victory of parliamentary government. See department chair.

349 The Age of Enlightenment (3)

An investigation of one of the most significant periods in world history, this course considers the cultural, political and intellectual innovations of the 17th and 18th centuries. Focusing principally on Western Europe, the course also considers the impact of the Enlightenment on the colonies of North America and the Caribbean. See department chair.

350 Britain Since 1688 (3)

A study of Europe's first industrial society, transition from aristocracy to democracy, imperialism and empire, the experience of the world wars and the role of socialism after 194. See department chair.

354 European Women: Antiquity to 1700 (3)

An examination of the similarities and differences (including ethnicity, religion and social class) characterizing the lives of European women across the centuries in the West, with an emphasis on the challenges women's history presents for historiography. See department chair.

355 European Women: 1700 to the Present (3)

A historical survey that examines how the lives of European women were transformed by the social, economic and cultural conditions occurring between 1700 and the present. Investigation of the impact of the Industrial Revolution on women's involvement in the workplace and the family, to changing ideas about female nature and identity, and the emergence of an organized women's movement. See department chair.

361 Renaissance and Reformation (3)

A study of the transition from medieval to modern Europe, including political, economic, intellectual, artistic, religious and social developments. See department chair.

362 The French Revolution: History and Historiography (3)

An in-depth study of the French Revolution (1788-1815), focusing on the competing historical interpretations this singularly significant event has generated both in the past and in recent years. See department chair.

364 Europe: 1848-1918 (3)

Beginning with the widespread revolution of 1848 and ending with the horror of World War I, this course will focus on popular unrest, social dislocation, and the activism that resulted against the backdrop of European hegemony in a global context. See department chair.

367 Tsarist Russia (3)

Covers the rise of Russian civilization in the Kievan period, the consolidation of the Muscovite state, the origins of Imperial Russia, as well as the 19th-century autocracy and its revolutionary opponents. See department chair.

368 20th-Century Russia (3)

Covers the political, international, economic, social and cultural history of Russia, from the reign of Nicholas II and the era of revolutions, to the break-up of the Soviet regime and the attempted transition to democracy and capitalism. See department chair.

Category IV. Other History Courses

330 World War II (3)

A multinational comprehensive survey of the military, political, economic and social aspects of the war in Europe, Africa and Asia. See department chair.

340 Classical Greece (3)

A history of Greece from the Mycenaean Period to the death of Phillip II of Macedon in 336 B.C. See department chair.

343 History of Christianity (3)

Survey of the historical development of Christianity from its Jewish and Greco-Roman background, the life of Jesus, and the apostolic and patristic ages, through the evolution of the Papacy, medieval theology and the Reformation, to the encounter with science and the modern world. Attention will be paid to Christianity in America, from the Puritans to the contemporary scene. See department chair.

380 Imperial China (3)

History of China from Neolithic times to Ming Dynasty (1368-1644). See department chair.

381 Revolutionary China (3)

A treatment of Chinese history from the Qing Dynasty (1644-1912) to the present, including the demise of the imperial system, the Nationalist period, Communist China and post-Deng reforms. See department chair.

383 Women in China (3)

An introduction to gender, family and social organization in Chinese history. The reading of autobiographies and memoirs will be combined with historical analyses that provide context for women's experiences. Particular attention is given to women in the Qing Dynasty and the 20th century. See department chair.

384 History of Japan (3)

A survey of Japanese history from legendary times to the present. In addition to political and institutional history, it examines the complex cultural responses toward foreigners and militarism. Particular attention is given to Japan's astonishing modernization during the Meiji period. See department chair.

386 History of Buddhism (3)

A study of the origins and spread of Buddhism, focusing on how it influenced and was in turn transformed by its contact with the cultures of India, China, Japan and Southeast Asia. The course examines why Buddhism, like Christianity and Islam, has transcended its birthplace and has flourished among peoples and lands far removed from its origins. See department chair.

387 History of Judaism (3)

A study of the historical development of Judaism from its biblical origins and the rabbinic revolution through medieval Jewish renaissance, and the impact of the enlightenment on modern and contemporary developments. Among the modern and contemporary issues to be examined are Zionism and the rise and history of the State of Israel, varieties of contemporary American Judaism, and religious and philosophical reflections on the Holocaust. Odd years Fall.

Category V. Unclassified

395 History Internship (3)

A scheduled internship with a participating archives, museum, company, or historic or government agency, to be taken on an individual basis by majors with at least 21 hours of history. Permission of department chair and a supervising faculty member is required.

499 Undergraduate Research in History (1-6)

Independent research under the supervision of a faculty mentor. An IP grade may be awarded at discretion of instructor. May be repeated for a total of 6 hours credit. See department chair.

171-3, 271-3, 371-3, 471-3 Special Topics in History (1-3)

Courses not otherwise included in the catalog listing but for which there may be special needs. May be repeated for credit as often as permitted and as subject matter changes. These courses may be distributed into categories II through IV above as determined by department chair.

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