Course Descriptions
HIST 100 History of Western Civilization I (3 units)
This course begins with the evolution of the human species and its biological capacity to create “culture” and then continues into the Neolithic Revolution and the birth of some of the first civilizations in the Fertile Crescent. It also includes Bronze Age cultures of the Eastern Mediterranean. Topics include: Mesopotamian civilizations, Ancient Egypt, the Hebrews, Ancient Persia, the Minoans, the Mycenaean Greeks, Archaic and Classical Greece, Alexander the Great and Hellenistic Greece, the rise of Rome (republic and empire), the development and spread of Christianity, the Celts, the Germanic Invasions, Medieval Europe, the Renaissance and Reformation, and the Age of Exploration and Conquest.
HIST 101 History of Western Civilization II (3 units)
This course explores the history of Western Civilization from the late Medieval Era to the creation of contemporary Europe. The focus is on examining and analyzing the social, political, economic, and cultural trajectories of European societies from the 1400s to the post WWII world. Topics include: the late Medieval Era, the Renaissance, the Protestant Reformation, the Scientific Revolution, the Age of Exploration and Conquest, absolutism, constitutionalism, the Enlightenment, the French Revolution, the Age of Revolution in general, the Industrial Revolution, imperialism, World War I, the Russian Revolution, World War II, and post-war Europe. Intellectual history, art history, gender history, and class history will be integrated during each time period.
HIST 104 World History I (3 units)
This course explores the origins and development of diverse societies and civilizations of the world from the Paleolithic era through 1500. The focus is on examining and analyzing the ways in which the world’s peoples and societies compare, connect and/or diverge. Broad themes and major turning points such as migration, trade, agriculture, urban settlement, and state-building, lead us to raise questions about the nature of the human experience both past and present.
HIST 106 World History II (3 units)
This course explores diverse civilizations and societies of the Middle East, Africa, Asia, Europe, Oceania and the Americas from 1500 to the present. The focus is on examining and analyzing the ways in which the world’s peoples and societies compare, connect and/or diverge. Themes such as imperialism, industrialization, and globalization are examined, as well as cross-cutting global phenomena and ideas, such as race and racial difference, nationalism, and feminism.
HIST 201 U.S. History through 1877 (3 units)
This course explores U.S. history from pre-Columbian times to 1877. The focus is on the varied experiences and cultures of the peoples of North America. Topics covered include Native Americans, European colonization, the American Revolution, the U.S. Constitution and American institutions, slavery and the Civil War, the Mexican American War, and Reconstruction. A further emphasis will be placed upon the identities and of the diverse peoples of British North America and the United States.
HIST 202 U.S. History from 1877 to the Present (3 units)
This course explores U.S. history from 1877 to the present day. The focus is on the political, economic, social and cultural forces that have shaped the modern nation and the varied experiences and contributions of the diverse peoples of America. Topics covered include the Gilded Age, “roaring 20s,” Great Depression, World Wars, the sixties, the Reagan era, the War on Terror and the Obama presidency.
HIST 245 Race, Ethnicity and Immigration in the U.S. (3 units)
Historical introduction to race and the interconnected experiences of diverse racial, ethnic, and immigrant groups. Special attention is paid to the ways in which race and ethnicity have intersected with immigration, class, and gender to shape American institutions, social life, and identities over time. Grassroots struggles for liberation and justice, from early abolitionism to the Immigrant Rights and Black Lives Matter movements, are also examined.
HIST 246 History of Latinos in the U.S. (3 units)
Surveys the history and contributions of Latino/Latina/Latinx peoples in the U.S., from pre-Columbian heritage to the present. Explores the impacts of conquest, migration, struggles for social justice, and the formation of Mexican American, Caribbean, Central American, and other Latin American communities and identities. Emphasizes the intersections of race, ethnicity, class, and gender throughout.
HIST 247 Women in U.S. History (3 units)
Surveys the experiences and contributions of diverse women in U.S. social, cultural, economic, and political life, from pre-conquest to the present day. Explores how gender has shaped peoples' lives and opportunities. Intersections of race, class, ethnicity, sexual orientation, and regional variations are emphasized throughout, as are feminist ideas & movements, including women of color feminisms.
HIST 422 Modern Latin America (3 units)
This course explores and analyzes the diverse histories of Latin American nations and peoples from 1800 to the present. The focus is on the social, political, economic, and cultural developments that have shaped the region. Themes such as nationalism, neocolonialism, dictatorship, revolution, and social and cultural change are explored. Special attention is paid to Latin American relations with the U.S. and migration.
HIST 695 Independent Study (0.5- 3 units)
Designed for students who are interested in furthering their knowledge via self-paced, individualized instruction provided in selected areas or directed study to be arranged with instructor and approved by the division dean using the Independent Study Form. Varying modes of instruction can be used -- laboratory, research, skill development, etc. For each unit earned, students are required to devote three hours per week throughout the semester. Students may take only one Independent Study course within a given discipline.