Undergraduate Catalog 2024-2025

College of Humanities and Social Sciences

Department of History

HIST 100 Survey of American History from Its Beginnings to 1877

Survey of American history through Reconstruction to examine efforts to found New World communities, gain an American identity, secure independence and to define and secure the union under a federal government.
3

Course Attribute

LAH1-History and GT History

HIST 101 Survey of American History from 1877 to the Present

Survey of American history from reconstruction to the present to examine geographical expansion, the rise of industrial and military power, five American wars, reform cycles and the shaping of modern America.
3

Course Attribute

LAH1-History and GT History

HIST 110 African Civilization

An introduction to the society, economy, culture and politics of traditional Africa from the Empire of Ghana to the European conquest in the nineteenth century.

3

Offered

Generally offered Fall Annually

Course Attribute

LAH1-History and LAIS-International Studies and GT History

HIST 112 Asian Civilization I: From Prehistory to 1500

Introduction to the historical development of pre-modern cultures in East, South, Southeast and Central Asia.

3

Offered

Generally offered Fall Annually

Course Attribute

LAH1-History and LAIS-International Studies and GT History

HIST 113 Asian Civilizations II: From 1500 to the Present

Examination of the modern transformation of East, South and Southeast Asian societies.

3

Offered

Generally offered Spring Annually

Course Attribute

LAH1-History and LAIS-International Studies and GT History

HIST 114 World History to 1500

An introduction to the main global eras, their characteristics, and selected examples from the origins of our species to around 1491, with a focus on the period after 1000 BCE. Topics include empire, religion, gender relations, and the environment.
3

Course Attribute

LAH1-History and LAIS-International Studies and GT History

HIST 115 World History Since 1500

Survey of the world's major civilizations, their unique achievements, and their interactions with and relation to other societies. Examines political, economic, and social change in the period encompassing the sixteenth through the twenty-first centuries.
3

Course Attribute

LAH1-History and LAIS-International Studies and GT History

HIST 118 History of Mexico

Mexican history from pre-Columbian times to the present emphasizing 19th and 20th centuries. Covers socioeconomic, political and cultural change.

3

Offered

Generally offered Fall, Spring, and Summer Annually

Course Attribute

LAH1-History and LAIS-International Studies and GT History

HIST 120 Western Civilizations from the Bronze Age to 1689

A survey of European and Mediterranean civilizations from ancient Mesopotamia to the Glorious Revolution.

3

Offered

Generally offered Fall and Spring Annually

Course Attribute

LAH1-History and LAIS-International Studies and GT History

HIST 121 Western Civilization from 1689 to the Present

A survey of western Civilization from the Glorious Revolution to the present.

3

Offered

Generally offered Fall, Spring, and Summer Annually

Course Attribute

LAH1-History and LAIS-International Studies and GT History

HIST 224 History of Colorado

A survey of Colorado history from prehistoric times to the post-World War II era.
3

HIST 230 Class and Culture in America

Explores class distinctions and the ways they changed over time, filtered through the lenses of gender, race, age, labor, consumption, popular culture, the family, and the American Dream.
3

HIST 240 Critical Issues in Modern America

A tracing of modern American history. Topics may include such items as foreign policy, presidential politics, civil rights, the growth of the welfare state and the changing American character.
3

Course Attribute

Variable Title Course

Repeatable Status

ST - Repeatable under different subtitles and course is repeatable with a maximum of 6 credit hours

HIST 250 LGBTQ History in the United States (1900-2000)

This course will focus on the history of Americans who held, publicly or privately, Queer identities as well as the events they participated in and created. By examining LGBTQ history students will gain a broader understanding of United States history through the lens of marginalization, activism, and inclusion in and among members of the LGBTQ community. 

3

Offered

Generally offered Fall, Spring, and/or Summer Even Years

Course Attribute

LAH1-History and LAMS-Multicultural Studies and GT History

HIST 264 Magic in Europe from Antiquity to the Enlightenment

Examines intellectual, cultural, scientific, and social history through the lens of magical thought and practice in Europe from Ancient Greece to the Enlightenment.

3

Offered

Generally offered Fall and/or Spring - Check with department/school for next offering

HIST 280 Sophomore Seminar

An introduction to history, historiography, and historical methods.
3

Major/Minor Restriction

Include History Major(s)/Minor(s)

Class Restriction

Include Sophomore and Junior and Senior

HIST 283 Russian Cultural History

Development of Russian culture and society from the beginning to the present, with an emphasis on the 19th and 20th century, and contemporary contexts.
3

HIST 290 American Immigration

An examination of immigration to the United States, emphasizing 19th and 20th centuries. Includes Irish, English, German, Italian, Scandinavian, Jewish, Asian and Latin American immigrants as well as nativist and immigration legislation.
3

HIST 300 History of Feminism

This course provides an in-depth study of the history of American feminist political movements and intellectual traditions from the beginnings of the woman suffrage movement through contemporary feminist activism.
3

Mutually Exclusive Course

Credit allowed for only one of these courses: HIST 300 and GNDR 300

HIST 304 Sex and Gender in East Asia

This course explores the role of men, women, and gender politics in East Asian history from the pre-modern era to the present. Topics discussed include Confucian gender ideology and patriarchy, female chastity and virtue, the politics of love and sexuality, as well as body and fashion.
3

HIST 305 Screening for HIST 306

Required once per week film screening time to complement HIST 306. S/U graded.
0

Corequisites

HIST 306

HIST 306 Modern China through Film

(3 lecture, 1 film screening) This course introduces some issues in modern Chinese history and examines how that history is treated in film. It places film in historical context, considering both the aesthetic form and the socio-political content of the films.
3

Corequisites

HIST 305

HIST 307 History of China to 1500

A study of the development of Chinese civilization from antiquity to 1500, stressing indigenous social, political and cultural change.
3

HIST 308 Emotions in Chinese History

This course offers an exploration of the role emotions plays in people’s personal and social life in Chinese history. It challenges the conventional idea that emotions such as love, desire, hate, and fear are universal and timeless, and thus do not have a history. By examining a variety of emotions and their articulation in the Chinese past and present, we will read emotions as sociocultural and historical constructs.

3

Special Notes

HIST 308 cannot be retaken for credit if HIST 395 "Emotions in Chinese History" title was taken in Spring 2018 or Fall of 2019 or Spring of 2021.

Offered

Generally offered Fall and/or Spring - Check with department/school for next offering

Mutually Exclusive Course

Credit allowed for only one of these courses: HIST 308 and HIST 395

HIST 310 History of China Since 1500

An analysis of the Chinese experience from 1500 to the present. Emphasizes the internal changes in China's political, social, economic, and cultural institutions.
3

HIST 311 History of Japan

A historical analysis of the Japanese experience from earliest times to the present. Emphasizes internal changes in political, social, economic, and cultural institutions.
3

HIST 312 History of Brazil

Study of Brazilian history from 1500 to the present, stressing the multiethnic dynamics of colonial society, the political transformations of independence, and the contemporary legacies of race, slavery, abolition, and gender.
3

HIST 314 History of Latin America to 1855

A survey of Spanish America and Brazil from pre-Columbian civilizations to 1855. Covers conquest, church, Indian labor, administration, independence and beginning of nations.
3

HIST 315 History of Latin America: 1855 to the Present

A thematic study of personalism, nationalism, militarism, foreign influences and socioeconomic classes with particular reference to Nicaragua, Cuba, Chile, Argentina and Brazil.
3

HIST 316 History of Caribbean and Central America

The history of the Caribbean from pre Columbian times to the present, focusing on the legacies of slavery, abolition, race, and imperialism in Haiti, Cuba, the Dominican Republic, Jamaica and Nicaragua.
3

HIST 318 Modern Africa

A study of the social, political, economic and cultural transformation of 20th century Africa.
3

HIST 320 Early America to 1763

Examines history of early North America from European, African, and Native American perspectives, including cultural conflict among these groups; European imperial aims; political and economic developments; and experiences of ordinary people.
3

HIST 321 Revolutionary America, 1763-1815

A study of the background of the American Revolution, the Revolution itself, the Confederation, the framing of the Federal Constitution and the social, economic, political and religious patterns of the Early Republic.
3

HIST 322 Religion in American History

Investigates the critical and varied role of religion in American history from the arrival of Europeans in the sixteenth century through the present.
3

HIST 328 The United States West Since 1846

Analyzes the themes of modernization, cultural change, environment and perception that arose from the American presence in the West after the war with Mexico, including the 20th century.
3

HIST 329 Indigenous North America

Covers the American Indian experience from prehistory to the present, emphasizing themes of environment, diversity and perception of native peoples by outside observers.
3

HIST 331 Civil War and Reconstruction

Major topics studied include political upheavals in the 1850s, the growth of southern nationalism, attempts at compromising constitutional differences, the Civil War and problems in reconstructing the Union.
3

HIST 338 Advanced Overview of American History

Advanced survey of American history from its beginning. Students will learn concepts of historical thinking and how to analyze the processes and resources of historical inquiry as these affect America.
3

HIST 342 American Constitutional History

An analysis of the origins and early history of the constitution, including its drafting, ratification and subsequent shaping. A survey of the development of constitutional interpretation by examining major cases in their historical context.
3

HIST 347 United States Women's History to 1877

A survey of women in the United States to 1877. Examines gender ideologies, population movements, patterns of work, reform activities, and early women's rights from Colonization through Reconstruction.
3

HIST 348 United States Women's History Since 1877

A survey of women in the United States to 1877. Examines gender ideologies, population movements, patterns of work, reform activities, and early women's rights from Colonization through Reconstruction.
3

HIST 351 The United States and World War II

A survey of World War II from the rise of the totalitarian states to the dropping of the atomic bombs; emphasis on the military and social aspects of the war.
3

HIST 353 The Rise of the American Century: The United States from 1898-1945

Focusing on the United States from the turn of the twentieth century through World War II, this course highlights the rise of the United States as a military and economic power, as well as the dynamic relationship between everyday Americans and an ever expanding federal government.
3

HIST 354 The United States and the Vietnam Wars

Through a variety of readings, the course will concentrate on the political, social and cultural importance of Vietnam for American history from 1945 to 1975 and beyond.
3

HIST 355 America as a World Power: United States History from 1945 to the Present

A study of the political, social, cultural, and economic developments in post-WWII America. There will be a particular focus on the challenges Americans faced, at home and abroad during a time of U.S. global supremacy.

3

Offered

Generally offered Spring Even Years

HIST 356 The 1970s: America's Decade of Change

An in depth look at the major political, social, and economic developments of the United States during the 1970s examined primarily through the lens of popular culture.
3

HIST 357 The United States and the Middle East

An examination of the history of relations between the United States and the nations and peoples of the "greater Middle East." Provides a chronological and analytical overview of the major themes and events in US relations with the Middle East with a special focus on the 20th and 21st centuries. Counts as a US History concentration elective.
3

HIST 361 History of Classical Greece and Rome

A survey of Greek and Roman civilization from the origins of Greece to the decline of Rome. Emphasis will be placed on their cultural and intellectual heritage.
3

HIST 363 Medieval History

An examination of Western Europe from Late Antiquity to the Early Modern Period (500-1500) which traces the main political, economic, social, religious and intellectual developments of the period.
3

HIST 365 Jews, Christians, and Muslims in Medieval Europe

Examinations of the three religions that most significantly impacted the Western world. Identifies the beliefs of each and traces their early histories. Emphasis on their interaction in the Medieval period (500-1500).
3

HIST 367 Topics in Early Modern Europe

A survey of the social, economic, religious and cultural developments in Western Europe from 1500 to 1800. Geographical emphasis may vary.
3

Course Attribute

Variable Title Course

Repeatable Status

ST - Repeatable under different subtitles and course is repeatable with a maximum of 6 credit hours

HIST 368 England: National and Global Histories, 1485-1800

Key topics in the cultural, economic, and political transformation of England from a relatively weak and isolated kingdom to an emergent global power in complex relationships with many regions of the world.

3

Offered

Generally offered Fall and/or Spring - Check with department/school for next offering

HIST 371 The European Enlightenment

Investigates the European Enlightenment in the 18th century and its contributions to Western modernity. Themes that will be treated include religion and science, race, gender, universal culture, the organization of political power and economics.
3

HIST 372 Renaissance and Reformation in Early Modern Europe

This course analyzes historical changes in Europe from the fourteenth through the seventeenth centuries, emphasizing political, cultural, religious, and social developments and their effects on ordinary people.

3

Offered

Generally offered Fall, Spring, and/or Summer - Check with department/school for next offering

HIST 373 France, Empire and War to 1804

France and its empire in the Americas, 1500-1804. Political and cultural development, French-indigenous relations, the First Global War (1756-63).
3

HIST 382 Hitler's Germany 1890-1945

The recent history of Germany focusing on the forces, events and individuals that gave rise to National Socialism and contributed to the decline of Europe into war and revolution.
3

HIST 383 Great War and Aftermath

An analysis of WWI from its origins through 1939, focusing on European participants and how the war led to a series of protracted crises that shaped the 20th century. Issues to be covered include communism, fascism, cultural modernism and gender.
3

HIST 384 Three Germanies

Focused on East and West Germany, examines the political, diplomatic, cultural and social effects of the ideological battle between East and West on Europe from 1945 through 1990.
3

HIST 385 History of the Holocaust, 1933 to the Present

An examination of the intellectual and racial antecedents of the Holocaust, its bureaucracy, operating mechanics for murder and the steps taken toward the final solution, the elimination of European Jewry.
3

HIST 386 Twentieth Century Russia

A detailed consideration of the establishment of the Soviet Union, its dissolution, and the contemporary role of Russia in the world.
3

HIST 388 Imperial Russia, 1700-1917

Examines political, economic and cultural changes in imperial Russia from Peter the Great to the fall of the Romanov dynasty in 1917.
3

HIST 391 Gender and Difference in Pre-Modern Europe

Examines changing constructs of gender in ancient, medieval, and renaissance Europe, including non-binary figures and the intersection of gender with race, class, disability, and other categories of difference.

3

Offered

Generally offered Fall and/or Spring - Check with department/school for next offering

HIST 392 Sex and Gender in Modern Europe

Rewrites European history by placing women and gender relations at the center. Focuses on key episodes, including war, and examines women's agency and roles, the forces shaping their lives, gender relations, and masculinity.
3

HIST 394 European Intellectual History

A consideration in depth of selected topics in European intellectual history from the Enlightenment to the present.
3

HIST 395 Topics in History

Treats diverse topics in American, European, Asian, African, Latin American or World History at an advanced level. For History majors, the course's area designation (American, European, World) is determined by the course subtitle and content.
3

Course Attribute

Variable Title Course

Repeatable Status

Course is repeatable with a maximum of 9 credit hours

HIST 396 World History

One semester thematic course in world history for history secondary-education concentrations; open also to all history majors. May be counted as 300/400 level European or non-western history.
3

HIST 422 Directed Study

Individualized investigation under the direct supervision of a faculty member. (Minimum of 37.5 clock hours required per credit hour.)

1-4

Special Notes

Maximum concurrent enrollment is two times.

Offered

Generally offered Fall and/or Spring - Check with department/school for next offering

Course Attribute

Variable Title Course

Repeatable Status

Course is repeatable with no limitations

HIST 480 Seminar in History

Students will examine a specific topic and write a critical essay incorporating research, historical methodology, analysis and expository skills.
3

Class Restriction

Include Senior

Course Attribute

Variable Title Course

Repeatable Status

ST - Repeatable under different subtitles and course is repeatable with a maximum of 6 credit hours

HIST 492 Internship

Independent, individualized projects jointly directed by faculty supervisors and staff of cooperating office or institution.
1- 3

Repeatable Status

Course is repeatable with a maximum of 6 credit hours