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COURSE DESCRIPTIONS
HISTORY
(HIS)

5023 Historical Methods
(3-0) 3 hours credit.
This course introduces students to the historian’s craft through an examination of basic research and analytical skills. These skills include: reading and analyzing primary and secondary works (literary and nonliterary), diverse methodologies, archival and library research (both traditional and electronic), and the design of a research proposal. (Students are expected to take this course at the outset of their graduate studies.)

5053 Topics in Medieval Europe
(3-0) 3 hours credit.
An examination of the major problems in the history of medieval Europe, from the second to the fourteenth century. The course focuses on changing interpretations in medieval history but also stresses the reading of primary texts.

5063 Topics in Early Modern European History
(3-0) 3 hours credit.
An examination of the major historiographical and historical problems in early modern European history, from the fourteenth century to the seventeenth century.

5093 Designing a History Course
(3-0) 3 hours credit.
A comprehensive approach to constructing history survey courses for the college level. Topics may include a survey of current curriculum debates; course and syllabus design; selection of textbook and other readings; evaluation and grading; leading discussions; nontraditional instructional methods, including the use of new technologies; and lecture preparation and presentation.

5113 Historical Approaches and Interpretations
(3-0) 3 hours credit.
This course promotes an understanding of how historians conceptualize the study of history by asking historical questions and using different historical approaches to develop answers. This will foster the ability to develop and critique an argument, to conduct bibliographic reviews, and to identify competing schools of thought. This course will also investigate how historical interpretations change over time. (Students are expected to take this course at the outset of their graduate studies.)

5123 The American Revolution, 1763–1789
(3-0) 3 hours credit.
A history of British America from the imperial crisis of 1763 to the ratification of the United States Constitution in 1789, with emphasis on the early beginnings of the American nation and social, economic, military, and cultural features of the revolutionary movement.

5153 The Civil War and Reconstruction, 1850–1877
(3-0) 3 hours credit.
An examination of the political, social, and economic factors in the 1850s that led to the American Civil War, as well as a study of the military, diplomatic, and political consequences of the war and efforts to create a new union.

5163 History of the U.S. South
(3-0) 3 hours credit.
This course examines the social, political, cultural, and economic developments that shaped life in the southern United States in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. Topics may include race relations; southern politics; the economic transformation of the region; and religious identities and faiths.

5193 The United States Since the Great Depression
(3-0) 3 hours credit.
An analysis of recent American history with emphasis on the role of the national government, U.S. involvement in global affairs, and the changing status of women and people of color. Topics may include the drives for social justice by women and minority groups, the evolution of the American economy, the rise of the national security state, the emergence of the welfare state, and the cultural impact of electronic mass media.

5203 U.S. Political History
(3-0) 3 hours credit.
Examines the role of government and the political process in the United States. Topics may include the origins of the political system, the evolution of political parties, and the expansion of the public sector.

5263 History of the Spanish Borderlands
(3-0) 3 hours credit.
A comprehensive study of Spanish exploration and colonization in the borderlands adjacent to the international boundary between the southwestern United States and Mexico. Emphasis is on Hispanic institutions and cultural values that shaped the development of a frontier society on the eve of Mexican independence. Attention is given to bibliographic sources and specialized readings.

5303 Twentieth-Century Texas
(3-0) 3 hours credit.
An examination of Texas society, culture, and politics in modern times. Topics may include the period of reform in the 1890s, the boom in oil, the growth of cities, the politics of the Progressive Era, the developments of the Twenties, the Depression and New Deal, World War II, the era of Lyndon Baines Johnson, and the expansion of industry in the state and the Sun Belt.

5313 South Texas: Rural and Urban
(3-0) 3 hours credit.
An overview and analysis of the development of South Texas, from pre-Columbian cultures to the rise of urbanization. Emphasis on Spanish exploration and settlement of Nuevo Santander, contact with indigenous cultures, the impact of nineteenth-century warfare, and the rapid transformation of the region through urbanization.

5323 The U.S.–Mexico Border
(3-0) 3 hours credit.
This course will examine social, economic, and political conditions shaping the character of the United States-Mexico border region. Using a transnational approach, students will have an opportunity to explore the history of the border as a bicultural region, and to examine issues relevant to the development of the border area. Topics of interest may include urbanization, industrialization, gender, trade, migration, security, and ecological problems.

5423 Colonial Mexico
(3-0) 3 hours credit.
A detailed examination of the Spanish conquest and colonization of Mexico from 1521 to Independence. Special attention is paid to the transformation of Indian society under Spanish rule, the development of the colonial economy, and the formation of an interrelated colonial elite.

5433 Modern Mexico
(3-0) 3 hours credit.
Examines the history of Mexico following independence from Spain in 1821. Consideration is given to the disintegration of the colonial system, nineteenth-century reforms, the Porfiriato, the Mexican Revolution, and their effects on contemporary Mexico. Students may have the opportunity to work in Mexico.

5453 The French Revolution and the Greater Caribbean
(3-0) 3 hours credit.
This course explores the French Revolution and its impact on the French colonies in the western hemisphere. The course provides a comparative analysis of notions of citizenship and the variety of factors that shaped the practice of rights before, during, and after the revolutionary struggle in both France and the Greater Caribbean.

5653 Modern Chinese History
(3-0) 3 hours credit.
This course provides an overview of Chinese history since 1550, with particular attention to the major historiographical debates in recent scholarship. Topics may vary, and the latest ones include ethnic and cultural identities in modern China and themes in local and transnational history.

5693 Indian Subcontinent
(3-0) 3 hours credit.
This course provides students with an opportunity to learn about the cultures and histories of the Indian subcontinent. Particular attention will be paid to the major historiographical debates in recent scholarship. Topic will vary and may include India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and/or Bangladesh.

5733 Migration in Historical Context
(3-0) 3 hours credit.
What has caused people to migrate as individuals and as groups? To what extent has geographical mobility been a function of economic mobilization, political transformation, social upheaval, and/or technological revolution? How has the migratory process, in turn, affected the migrants themselves, both in their place of origin, and in the host society? This course is a graduate-level exploration of these and other related questions on migration and may be explicitly comparative. Specific theme, regional focus, and time period may vary and may draw from a variety of historical situations.

5753 Women and Gender in African History
(3-0) 3 hours credit.
This course will explore individual and collective agency in the history of African women since 1800. Topics may vary but the historical themes examined in this course may include African feminisms, social movements, domesticities, masculinities and religions.

6113 Law and Society in America
(3-0) 3 hours credit.
An examination of the role of law as both a reflection and initiator of change in American life, from colonial times to the present. Topics range from seventeenth-century slavery to the equal rights revolution of the twentieth century.

6133 The United States and the World
(3-0) 3 hours credit.
An examination of the relationship between the United States and foreign nations and peoples from the late eighteenth century through the Cold War era. Using selected episodes, the course will focus on: the domestic sources for American policies and activities; the ways in which foreign peoples prompted, perceived, and influenced those policies and actions; and the impact the United States has had overseas.

6153 History of Sexuality
(3-0) 3 hours credit.
What does it mean to write, research, analyze, and talk about the histories of sex and sexuality? This seminar explores historical and cultural interpretations of the history of sexuality. The course involves understanding how changes in society, the economy, the family, and politics have reshaped sexual values and behaviors, and the ways that individuals and groups have responded to these challenges. Topics may include the family, religion, race and sexuality, class, reproductive health, and transgender and queer studies. Geographical focus may vary with instructor. (This course may employ an explicitly comparative approach.)

6163 Women in the United States
(3-0) 3 hours credit.
Analyzes the experiences of women in the United States from the colonial period to the present. Topics may include economic roles, legal issues, religion, culture, feminist movements, and family life.

6173 Latina/os in the United States
(3-0) 3 hours credit.
Examines the Mexican American, Cuban American, and Puerto Rican American experience in the United States, treating the historical relationship between this nation and the countries of origin and the interaction between these groups and mainstream society.

6193 The City in History
(3-0) 3 hours credit.
This course explores the roles of the urban place in the formation of modern culture, society, and polity. It interprets the shifting functions of the “urban factor” in social and cultural change. (This course may employ an explicitly comparative approach.)

6323 Comparative Environmental History
(3-0) 3 hours credit.
This course explores the role of environmental factors in world history. It provides students the opportunity to consider the importance of often overlooked actors such as plants, animals, and diseases alongside more familiar human cultural and social institutions. We consider how the inhabitants of different continents and nations were shaped by nature, shaped their own very different environments, and made sense of these processes.

6413 Topics in U.S. History
(3-0) 3 hours credit.
Examines topics of current interest to historians of the United States. May be repeated for credit when topics vary.

6423 Topics in Modern European History
(3-0) 3 hours credit.
Examines topics of current interest to historians of Europe. May be repeated for credit when topics vary.

6433 Topics in Latin American History
(3-0) 3 hours credit.
Examines topics of current interest to historians of Latin America. May be repeated for credit when topics vary.

6443 Comparative Nationalism in the Modern World
(3-0) 3 hours credit.
This course offers a comparative investigation of nationalism around the globe from 1700 until the present. Interdisciplinary perspectives will be used to examine the growth of nations, the nation-state, ethnic identity, and community as well as related subjects such as race and racism, fascism, minorities, gender, immigration, and genocide.

6453 Comparative U.S. Home Fronts: Civil War to Cold War
(3-0) 3 hours credit.
This course will examine the United States during wartime, with a focus on activities on the home-front. This course will examine the different ways U.S. conflicts from the Civil War to the Cold War have shaped the politics and culture of the United States. Issues considered in this course may include war’s effect on race and gender relations, propaganda during wartime, war and notions of citizenship, and war and the growth of the national state.

6463 Topics in African History
(3-0) 3 hours credit.
This seminar is a graduate-level introduction to African history. The course will emphasize the ways in which events and processes in the African past can be juxtaposed usefully with developments in other regions of the world. Topics and themes may include regional trading networks, the range of political/governmental structures, and cultural variation.

6473 Topics in Asian History
(3-0) 3 hours credit.
Examines topics of current interest to historians of Asia. May be repeated for credit when topics vary.

6483 Topics in Comparative History
(3-0) 3 hours credit.
This course provides an introduction to one or more of the major approaches, methods, or theories in comparative history today. It may consider, for example, comparison of events, social movements, social or political institutions, social groups, economic developments, regions or nations, among other topics. May be repeated for credit when topics vary.

6813 Proseminar in History
(3-0) 3 hours credit. Prerequisites: HIS 5023 and HIS 5113.
A detailed investigation of a major historical subject, with particular attention to current research and major interpretations. Intended as preparation for HIS 6903. May be repeated for credit when topics vary.

6903 Research Seminar in History
(3-0) 3 hours credit. Prerequisite: HIS 6813 in the specific subject of the seminar or consent of instructor.
An examination of research materials pertinent to topics in history explored in HIS 6813, of methodologies developed to interpret these materials, and of theoretical issues guiding inquiry. Preparation of a primary research paper required. May be repeated for credit when topics vary.

6913 Making History in the Digital Age
(3-0) 3 hours credit.
This course will explore some of the newer applications of information technology for presenting history to students and the public. Training will be offered in developing multimedia presentations for the classroom or public spaces, such as museums and the Web. Prior experience with computers is not required.

6951-3 Independent Study
1 to 3 hours credit. Prerequisites: Graduate standing and permission in writing (form available) of the instructor and the student’s Graduate Advisor of Record.
Independent reading, research, discussion, and/or writing under the direction of a faculty member. For students needing specialized work not normally or not often available as part of the regular course offerings. May be repeated for credit, but not more than 6 hours, regardless of discipline, will apply to the Master’s degree.

6961 Comprehensive Examination
1 hour credit. Prerequisite: Approval of the appropriate graduate program committee to take the Comprehensive Examination.
Independent study to prepare for the Comprehensive Examination. Students will select fields of study and prepare for examination under faculty supervision. Enrollment is required each term in which the Comprehensive Examination is taken if no other courses are being taken that term. The grade report for the course is either “CR” (satisfactory performance on the Comprehensive Examination) or “NC” (unsatisfactory performance on the Comprehensive Examination).

6973 Special Problems
(3-0) 3 hours credit.
An organized course providing specialized study in a historical field not normally available as part of the regular course offerings. May be repeated for credit when topics vary.

6983 Master’s Thesis
3 hours credit. Prerequisites: Permission of the Graduate Advisor of Record and thesis director.
Thesis research and preparation. May be repeated for credit, but not more than 6 hours will apply to the Master’s degree. Credit will be awarded upon completion of the thesis. Enrollment is required each term in which the thesis is in progress.

6993 Internship in History
3 hours credit.
A supervised experience, relevant to the student’s program of study, within selected community organizations, libraries, and archives. No more than 6 semester credit hours may apply to the Master’s degree.

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