Major
Minor
Courses |
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Programs offered:
B.A. in History
B.A.L.S. in History
Minor in History (TU)
Minor in History (EDP)
History bridges the disciplinary perspectives of the humanities
and social sciences. The causes, experience, and
impact of important moments in the past are examined in order to
explain, analyze, and assign contemporary significance to the
movements and events that have shaped human experience. History
courses at Oglethorpe begin where traditional survey courses and
textbooks leave off. Rather than simply viewing the parade of
events, students consider the origins and implications of events,
their impact on our values, assumptions, social relations, and world
views. In this spirit students are invited to enter into dialogue
with historians past and present.
Courses are taught in a seminar format designed to promote lively
interchange and informed debate. Reading assignments draw on a wide
range of historical methods and traditions, including perspectives
from religion, philosophy, art, music, literature, and popular
culture as well as politics, economics, and geography. These methods
and perspectives inform independent student research. In their
individual projects, students develop their own research agendas and
learn to master the techniques of historical research. Particular
emphasis is placed on presentation – both written and oral – of
evidence, arguments, and conclusions.
Oglethorpe’s location provides many opportunities for creative
research as well as internships. The experience and training of
History majors prepares them for post-graduate study in a
wide variety of academic disciplines, including history,
archaeology, anthropology, politics, international studies, and social work, as
well as careers in such fields as education, law, journalism, public
relations, art, theology, diplomacy, and public service.
Lower-level courses are especially recommended for
freshmen and sophomores; upper-level courses generally
require a research paper, may have prerequisites, and are primarily
aimed toward juniors and seniors.
B.A, in History
1. Completion of all of the following courses:
HIS 101 Foundations of the West
HIS 102 Europe and the World, 1715 to the Present
HIS 450 Senior Seminar in Historiography
2. Completion seven additional History courses.
3. Completion of one of the following cognate courses from the humanities:
Art History: all 200-level and higher courses
English/English and Comparative Literature: all literature courses
Foreign Language: all upper level literature courses
Philosophy: PHI 204, PHI 205, PHI 206
Politics: POL 341, POL 342, POL 441
Theatre: THE 210, THE 220, THE 305
Women’s and Gender Studies: all 200-level and higher courses
4. Completion of one of the following cognate courses from the social sciences:
Economics: ECO 290, ECO 320, ECO 323, ECO 324, ECO 400, ECO 424, ECO 425, ECO 490
Mathematics: MAT 111
Politics: all 200-level and higher courses, not including POL 341, POL 342, POL 441
Sociology: all 200-level and higher courses, not including SOC 303, SOC 304, SOC 402, SOC
4055. Completion of one semester of a foreign language at the 200-level or higher, or demonstration of equivalent proficiency.
5. Completion of one semester of a foreign language at the 200-level or higher, or demonstration of equivalent proficiency.
6. Additional requirements and things to note:
a. A grade of “C-” or better is required in all courses contributing to the major.
b. The 10 required History courses must cover the following geographic areas and time periods (a course can simultaneously satisfy both one area and time-period requirement): European (E), United States (A) and Latin American history (L); ancient or medieval (1), early modern (2), and modern (3). Fields covered by individual courses are indicated in the course descriptions found in Sec. 12.; the letter (E, A or L) indicates geographic field and while the number (1, 2 or 3) indicates chronological field. Some courses may cover more than one chronological field.
c. At least half of the History courses must be at the upper level and include at least one 400-level History course beyond the HIS 450 requirement.
d. Students are responsible for ensuring they have completed any required prerequisites for cognate courses
B. A. L. S. in History
The requirements are identical to those for the B.A. in History (see above).
Minor in History (TU)
1. Completion of one of the following courses:
HIS 101 Foundations of the West
HIS 102 Europe and the World, 1715 to the Present
2. Completion of four additional History courses.
Minor in History (EDP)
The requirements are identical to those for the Minor in History (TU) (see above).
The following courses are offered in History:
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HIS 110. The Vikings and the
Anglo-Saxons |
4 hours |
This course will examine the meteoric rise of the Scandinavians from
obscurity to become the terror of Europe in the 8th through the 11th
centuries. For purposes of comparison, a look also will be taken at
the Vikings’ more "civilized" cousins, the Anglo-Saxons. While both
medieval and modern historians have tended to draw a thick line
between these two cultures, this course will suggest that both
represent aspects of a general political, economic, and cultural
zone in the Northern Seas.
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HIS 130. United States History to 1865 |
4 hours |
A survey from Colonial times to 1865, concerned mainly with the
major domestic developments of a growing nation.
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HIS 131. United States History Since 1865 |
4 hours |
A survey from 1865 to the present, concerned with the chief events
which explain the growth of the United States to a position of world
power.
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HIS 201. Ancient Greece |
4 hours |
This course will examine the Greeks from their Minoan and Mycenaean
antecedents through the rise of Macedonia in the mid-fourth century
B.C.E. Students will investigate the
political, social, economic, and cultural aspects of Greek
civilization as well as an appreciation of the Hellenic world’s
legacy. Specific topics include: the collapse of Mycenaean
civilization and the problem of a "Dark Age;" the rise, development
and failure of the polis system; Greek contact with eastern
cultures; the political significance of hoplite warfare; the roles
of women in various Greek poleis; and competing models of Greek
political organization.
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HIS 202. Roman History |
4 hours |
This course will trace the history of Rome from its Italian
precursors through the ascension of Constantine. Topics will include
political, religious, social, cultural, and economic aspects of
Rome’s development, focusing on the origins, maturation, decline,
and transformation of its civilization.
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HIS 210. The Age of Chivalry,
800-1450 |
4 hours |
This course will cover
the High and Later Middle Ages, from the later Carolingian
period through the War of the Roses. The main focus will be on
the evolution of state and society in northern and western
Europe during these periods. Special attention will be given to
such events as the rise of feudal monarchies, the Investiture
Contest, the Norman Conquests, the Crusades, and the Hundred
Years’ War.
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HIS 211. The Renaissance and
Reformation |
4 hours |
Students will study the
significant changes in European art, thought, and institutions
during the period from 1300 to 1550. The course will focus on
critical readings of primary sources from this era.
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HIS 212. Early Modern Europe |
4 hours |
This course will
examine the development of European society and politics from
the end of the Reformation to the eve of the French Revolution.
Special emphasis will be placed on the development of the modern
state, the contest between absolutism and constitutionalism, and
the Enlightenment.
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HIS 213. The Age of Revolution -
Europe and the Atlantic World 1776-1849 |
4 hours |
The "old regime"
(serfdom, rule by monarchs and nobles, and a politically
powerful church) and an agrarian way of life had prevailed in
much of Europe and the New World since the Middle Ages. From
1776 on, however, a series of upheavals, such as the American
and French revolutions, the Napoleonic Wars, the Latin American
Wars of Independence, and the European revolutions of 1820-21,
1830-31, and 1848-49 had challenged the old order. This course
studies the events of this dramatic period, including the
Industrial Revolution and the rise of romanticism, socialism,
nationalism, and liberalism.
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HIS 214. The Age of Empire and
Nationalism - Europe 1848-1914 |
4 hours |
The six decades
following the revolutions of 1848 were a period of remarkable
power, prosperity, and creativity in Europe. New nation-states
(Germany and Italy) were formed; old multiethnic empires (Russia
and Austria-Hungary) seemed rejuvenated; and Europeans acquired
immense colonial empires. Meanwhile, industrialization and
modern science and art revolutionized European life and thought.
However, this fusion of cultural and economic modernity with
social and political conservatism concealed grave weaknesses
that would lead, beginning in 1914, to the upheavals of world
war, communism, and fascism.
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HIS 215. The Age of World War -
Europe 1914-1945 |
4 hours |
This course examines
the disasters that befell Europe in the three decades after
1914: World War I; the Russian Revolution; the ill-fated Treaty
of Versailles; the rise of Mussolini; the Great Depression; the
dictatorships of Hitler and Stalin; the spread of fascism in the
1930s; and World War II. The course discusses the reasons for
the failure of the international order to prevent two horrific
military conflicts, and for the failure of moderate forces in
many European countries - including Russia, Germany, Italy, and
Spain - to block the rise to power of violent and millenarian
political forces.
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HIS 216. Rise and Fall of the Third Reich |
4 hours |
The course examines the roots of National Socialism in Germany
before World War I; the reasons for the failure of the Weimar
Republic in the 1920s, which ended in Hitler’s coming
to power; and the nature of Hitler’s dictatorship, with its policies
of totalitarian rule, world war, and genocide.
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HIS 240. Latin America to
Independence |
4 hours |
Latin American history
from the origins of pre-Columbian civilizations to independence
will be examined by exploring: the origins and development of
indigenous societies in Mesoamerica and the Andes; the conquest
and colonization of (what became) Spanish and Portuguese
America; the nature of colonial control; the response of
indigenous populations to colonial society, administration, and
religion; and the developing tensions between Spaniards and
Creole elites. The movement for independence, which arose from a
variety of issues, created by contrasting views and concerns of
distant European authority and local cultural identity, will be
studied. Finally, the major challenges that faced the newly
emergent Latin American nations will be considered.
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HIS 301. History of Christianity |
4 hours |
This course will examine the origins and development of Christianity
through the modern era. Special areas of interest include the
structure and organization of the church, the development of liturgy
and doctrine, and the counterpoint between orthodoxy and heresy. A
central question will be the relationship between the "three
pillars" of doctrine – revelation, reason, and tradition – and
social pressures in the history of the church and doctrine.
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HIS 311. The Old Reich: German History to 1800 |
4 hours
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The Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation has been derided by
Voltaire as being none of the above. At the same time, the Empire
provided the primary political organization of pre-Modern Germany,
from the Middle Ages to the Napoleonic Wars. This course will survey
the general history of the Empire from the Renaissance to the end of
the 18th century. Special emphasis will be paid to questions of
social, cultural and constitution history, in particular, the
development of German identity and political culture in the Early
Modern era. Prerequisite: HIS 211, HIS 212, or HIS 213, or
permission of the instructor.
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HIS 312. German History Since
1800 |
4 hours |
This course is a survey
of German history in the 19th and 20th centuries, focusing on
the unification of Germany in the 19th century, the Bismarckian
state, the two world wars, the Weimar Republic, the Third Reich,
and the division and subsequent reunification of Germany after
World War II.
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HIS 320. Russia under the Tsars |
4 hours |
This course studies the
thousand years from the formation of the Kievan state until the
abolition of serfdom. It covers the Mongol invasion, the rise of
Muscovy, the reign of Ivan the Terrible and the Time of
Troubles, Imperial Russia’s Westernization under Peter the
Great, and its apogee under Catherine the Great and her
grandsons.
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HIS 321. Russian History Since
1861 |
4 hours |
This course studies
Russian history from the abolition of serfdom, which began
Imperial Russia’s last attempt to reform itself and stave off
revolution, until the present. It also covers the 1905 and 1917
revolutions, the rise of communism, the era of Lenin and Stalin,
and the fall of the communist system.
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HIS 330. Between World Wars: The
United States, 1920-1945 |
4 hours |
During this period of war, prosperity, and depression, the United
States underwent dramatic economic, political, social, and cultural
changes. The interwar years witnessed the
emergence of the United States as a world power, an increasingly
sophisticated women’s movement, the rise of mass production and mass
consumption, and a variety of new challenges to social and economic
policies. The Great Depression and the New Deal brought further
challenges to traditional liberal political and economic assumptions
as the federal government intervened in nearly every aspect of
American life. World War II, then, again transformed the nation as
it ushered in the "age of affluence" and cold wars in the
international and domestic realms. Prerequisites: HIS 130 and HIS
131 or permission of the instructor.
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HIS 331. The Age of Affluence:
The United States Since 1945 |
4 hours |
An interdisciplinary
study of American life since World War II, this course will
emphasize political, economic, and social developments. Foreign
policy is considered principally with respect to its impact on
domestic affairs.
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HIS 335. Georgia History |
4 hours |
This course is a chronological examination of the history of Georgia
from the Colonial period to the 20th century. Emphasis is given to
Old and New South themes, higher education development with
attention to the history of Oglethorpe, the transition from rural to
urban life, and Georgia’s role in contemporary American life.
Prerequisites: HIS 130, HIS 131, or permission of the instructor.
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HIS 340. Dictatorship and
Democracy in Latin America |
4 hours |
This course will examine the roots, character, and impact of
authoritarian rule – and resulting resistance movements – in Latin
America. Included will be a look at the caudillos who competed for
power after independence, the Liberal dictatorships of the late 19th
century, the Depression Dictators of the 1930s and Populist
dictators of the 1940s and 1950s, and the rise of
military-bureaucratic dictatorships in the 1960s and 1970s. An
understanding will be sought for why almost all political
orientations (Republicanism, Liberalism, nationalism, Populism, and
Communism) offered up a dictator as their champion at some point in
Latin American history and how Latin American nations have been able
to make a transition to democracy. Finally, consideration will be
given to how dictatorships affect the everyday lives and perceptions
of the people living under them and in their aftermath.
Prerequisite: HIS 240 or permission of the instructor.
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HIS 350. Special Topics in
History |
4 hours |
Courses offered to
respond to topical needs of the curriculum. Prerequisite:
Permission of the instructor.
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FRE 402. The Modern French Republics and Their Institutions |
4 hours |
A study of both political and cultural institutions in France from
1870 to the present with emphasis on the traditions established by
the new republican government in the 1880s and the creation in 1958
of the Fifth Republic under which France is currently governed.
Taught in French. Prerequisite: FRE 301.
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HIS 410. Ancient History and
Ancient Historians |
4 hours |
In this course, the history of Greek and Roman civilizations will be
studied through the writings of several ancient historians. The
methods used by ancient authors, their literary style, and the
relation of their works to the specific historical context in which
they were written will be examined. The course will focus on
detailed analysis of specific historical events such as the
5thcentury Athens, the rise of the Roman Empire, and the Roman civil
wars. Since the thematic focus and selection of readings will not
always be the same, the course may be repeated for credit with the
permission of the instructor.
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HIS 411. The Fall of Rome and
the Barbarians |
4 hours |
This course will examine the "fall" of the Roman Empire in late
antiquity and the subsequent rise of barbarian kingdoms in Europe.
The primary issue will be to determine whether the Roman Empire did
in fact "fall" during this time, or whether the period actually
marks a transition, the birth of Europe. The role of Christianity in
the transformation of Europe will be a major focus of discussion, as
well as other social, political, and economic issues. Prerequisite:
Junior standing or permission of the instructor.
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HIS 412. Radical Religion and Revolution |
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This course will examine the role of radical theologies in shaping a
series of rebellions and revolutions in the Middle Ages and the
Early Modern era. Some of the conflicts studied will
include the Hussite Revolution, The German Reformation, and the
English Civil War. In addition, some modern examples illustrating
the connections between religion and revolutionary thought, in
particular, liberation theology in Latin America and the current
crisis in the Middle East will be considered. Prerequisite:
Permission of the instructor.
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HIS 430. The American Civil War
and Reconstruction |
4 hours |
A course for advanced history students emphasizing the causes of
conflict, the wartime period, and major changes that occurred.
Prerequisites: HIS 130 and HIS 131.
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HIS 431. History of United States Foreign Relations |
4 hours |
This course is a study of major developments in American diplomacy
from the end of the Revolution until 1945. Prerequisite: at least
one prior United States history course, or permission of the
instructor.
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HIS 450. Independent Study in
History |
1-4 hours |
Supervised research on a selected topic. Prerequisite: Submission of
a proposed outline of study that includes a schedule of meetings and
assignments approved by the instructor, the division chair, and the
Provost and Senior Vice President prior to registration.
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HIS 451. Internship in History |
1-4 hours |
students. The internship generally requires the student to obtain a
faculty supervisor in the relevant field of study, submit a learning
agreement, work 30 hours for every hour of academic credit, keep a
written journal of the work experience, have regularly scheduled
meetings with the faculty supervisor, and write a research paper
dealing with some aspect of the internship. Written work should
total five pages of academic writing for every hour of credit. An
extensive list of internships is maintained by the Career Services
Office, including opportunities at the Atlanta History Center, the
Atlanta Preservation Center, the Holocaust Center, and the
Coosawattee Foundation archeological dig. Graded on a
satisfactory/unsatisfactory basis. Prerequisites: Permission of the
faculty supervisor and qualification for the internship program.
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