What courses do history majors take at Hope College?

The History Department offers a series of basic survey courses. In addition to these, the Department contributes to and accepts courses from the Cultural Heritage interdisicplinary sequence (IDS 171 and IDS 172). A wide variety of upper-level courses are offered every semester.

• Major and Minor Requirements are listed in The College's Course Catalog.
  
  
• You can download a guide to Navigating the History Major here.
  
  

Below is a list of descriptions of the courses that faculty in the Department will offer in the fall.

Fall 2013

HIST 130 01 Introduction to Ancient Civilization
Bell, Albert TR 1:30 – 2:50 PM
Focused on significant developments in history from Greek origins through the Renaissance. Designed to introduce the discipline of history. Can be used to fulfill part of the cultural heritage requirement, and flagged for global learning international.

HIST 130 02 Introduction to Ancient Civilization
Bell, Albert T 6:30 – 9:20 PM
Focused on significant developments in history from Greek origins through the Renaissance. Designed to introduce the discipline of history. Can be used to fulfill part of the cultural heritage requirement, and flagged for global learning international.

HIST 131 01 Introduction to Modern European History
Morgan, Patrick MWF 12:00 – 12:50 PM
Focused on significant developments in modern European history from Renaissance to our own time. Designed to introduce the student to the discipline of history. Can be used to fulfill part of the cultural heritage requirement, and flagged for global learning international.

HIST 140 01 Religion, Politics and Society in Europe. 1500-1800.
Gibbs, Janis TR 1:30 – 2:20 PM
An introduction to historical questions, research and writing through the study of a special topic in depth. Required for history majors, minors and open to other interested students.

HIST 159 01 History of Science
Hagood, Jonathan W 2:00 – 4:50 PM and R 3:00 – 4:20 PM
Surveys the history of science from Renaissance to present. Students will recreate historical experiments in order to understand scientific theories, methodologies, and the nature of science. Labs will make use of inquiry-based learning that uses practices employed by scientists. The course will also make use of inter-group dialogue to focus on the historical marginalization of women within science and society; examine issues of difference, intolerance, inequality, justice, and power; and explore the interplay of these complex concepts and structures in the gendered development of science. Cross-listed with GEMS 159 (a four-credit NSL course) and flagged for Global Learning (Domestic).

HIST 160 01 U.S. History to 1877
Johnson, Fred TR 12:00 – 1:20 PM
This survey course examines the rise of the American nation from its colonial origins through the Civil War and Reconstruction. The approach is thematic and special emphasis is placed upon the impact of European contact with Native Americans, the establishment and abolition of slavery, the struggle for women’s equality, the influence of industrialization, westward movement, the evolution of republican institutions, the Civil War and Reconstruction, and the nation’s gradual rise to prominence.

HIST 175 01 Michigan History
Hagood, Jonathan T 9:30 – 10:50 AM
This course is a survey of Michigan History to the present and is primarily designed for students majoring in education. The main objective of this course is for students to demonstrate an understanding of the chronology, narratives, perspectives, and interpretations of Michigan history from its beginnings to the present. To this end, students will: examine relationships, including cause and effect, among important events from the era; identify the sequence of these events and describe the setting and the people affected; analyze and compare interpretations of events from a variety of perspectives; and assess the implications and long-term consequences of key decisions made at critical turning points in Michigan history. Flagged for global learning domestic.

HIST 175 02 Michigan History
Hagood, Jonathan R 12:00 – 1:20 PM
This course is a survey of Michigan History to the present and is primarily designed for students majoring in education. The main objective of this course is for students to demonstrate an understanding of the chronology, narratives, perspectives, and interpretations of Michigan history from its beginnings to the present. To this end, students will: examine relationships, including cause and effect, among important events from the era; identify the sequence of these events and describe the setting and the people affected; analyze and compare interpretations of events from a variety of perspectives; and assess the implications and long-term consequences of key decisions made at critical turning points in Michigan history. Flagged for global learning domestic.

HIST 200 01A Women in Early Modern Europe, 1500-1800
Gibbs, Janis TR 3:00 – 4:20 PM
This course is designed to allow the exploration of some narrow moment in time (such as the 1960s or even the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s) or some particular historical issue or problem (such as the status of women in the Middle Ages). The content and emphasis of each section is determined by the instructor. Students may repeat the course for credit as topics change. No more than two 2-credit HIST 200 courses may be counted toward the major, and no more than one toward the minor.

HIST 205 01 British and Irish History to 1700
Baer, Marc MWF 11:00 – 11:50 AM
Surveys British and Irish civilization from origins to the late 17th century. History 205 will focus on major events, trends and personalities in Britain and Ireland to 1700 by integrating the histories of the various peoples of the British Isles. Using artistic, literary and other historical sources we will concentrate on the evolution of distinct English and Irish forms of law, culture and society; the clash between kings and parliaments; the role of religion within the two cultures; and England's stormy relationship with its neighbors—Ireland, Scotland, Wales and the rest of Europe. Flagged for Global Learning (International).

HIST 207 01 World Civilization I
Janes, Lauren MWF 9:30 – 10:20 AM
This introductory world history course surveys developments in human civilization in Africa, Asia, the Americas and Europe from prehistory until about 1500. It employs comparative methods to investigate cultures and societies that developed in different parts of the world, and it examines the ways in which world societies have interacted in the past. It fulfills the Cultural Heritage I requirement and is flagged for cultural diversity.

HIST 207 02 World Civilization I
Janes, Lauren MWF 11:00 – 11:50 AM
This introductory world history course surveys developments in human civilization in Africa, Asia, the Americas and Europe from prehistory until about 1500. It employs comparative methods to investigate cultures and societies that developed in different parts of the world, and it examines the ways in which world societies have interacted in the past. It fulfills the Cultural Heritage I requirement and is flagged for cultural diversity.

HIST 215 01 The Roman World
Bell, Albert R 6:30 – 9:20 PM
The Romans dominated the Mediterranean world for centuries. Their language, literature and architecture are still the basis for western culture. Sometimes they seem like modern people, except for those funny togas, but when we look at them more closely we see that their culture might have been a thin veneer over the barbarism of gladiator games, slavery, and vast inequality between social classes. Through the study of written documents and archaeological remains we will try to understand who the Romans were and why we are still so fascinated by them. Flagged for Global Learning (International).

HIST 221 01 Colonial & Post-Colonial Africa
Janes, Lauren MWF 1:00 – 1:50 PM
Explores the colonial experiences of Africans as well as the legacies of European colonial rule in Africa. Highlights the different ways Africans responded to European military conquest and political domination from the mid-1850s to the 1960s. The course also examines how Africans struggled for independence. Postcolonial developments in Africa are covered to assess the long-term effects of European activities during the colonial interlude. The course is flagged for cultural diversity and Global Learning (International).

HIST 251 01 Revolutionary America
Johnson, Fred TR 3:00 – 4:20 PM
Since the days of America’s colonial origins, the people of the United States have struggled to fulfill the Founding Fathers’ vision of liberty, freedom, and justice for all. Starting with the Revolution of 1776, this course examines how Americans established and expanded their unique democratic republic and analyzes how the nation’s founding principles are immediately relevant today. Flagged for Global Learning (Domestic).

HIST 341 01 World War II: Collaboration & Resistance
Tseng, Gloria MWF 9:30 – 10:20 AM
Explores one specific dimension of 20th-century history, namely, how societies and individuals faced the moral ambiguities caused by World War II. Our goal is to learn about the significant events of the Second World War as it unfolded in different parts of the world. But more importantly, we will examine several noteworthy individuals and the specific circumstance in which they made significant moral choices and acted for good or for ill. Each person in the course will be challenged to consider what it means to act ethically in situations that require discernment and courage. Flagged for Global Learning (International).

HIST 361 01 U.S. Military History
Johnson, Fred MW 3:00 – 4:50 PM
Few would contest the assertion that, in the early 21st century, the United States is the world’s strongest military power, but does such strength equal power? This course examines America’s rise as a warrior democracy by tracing the history of the U.S. military from its colonial origins to present day and analyzes the historically dual roles of the military as an instrument of war and institution of social change.

HIST 370 01 Modern Middle East
Gibbs, Janis MWF 2:00 – 2:50 PM
To understand what is going on in the Middle East today, it is crucial that we understand its history. In this course, we will survey the social, political, religious, geographic, and economic history of the Middle East, broadly defined to include the regions of North Africa and Iran, as well as the core lands of the Middle East, from Turkey through the eastern Mediterranean to the Arabian Peninsula and Egypt. Most of our attention will be devoted to the modern period—that is, the period between the 19th century and the present. At the end of the course, we will consider the Arab Spring of 2011 and its continuing consequences. In order to understand the context of the history of the modern Middle East, we will spend the first few weeks considering the rise of Islam and some of the facets of the history of the earlier Middle East that influence the region today. Flagged for Global Learning (International).

HIST 495 01 History Seminar
Baer, Marc T 5:00 – 7:50 PM
This course is required of all history majors and is also open to non-majors with a serious interest in learning how to do scholarly research. The course is designed to help students develop advanced skills in historical research and writing. Major emphasis is given to the development of sound research methods and to the use of primary source materials. Each student will be expected to produce a lengthy research paper of scholarly merit and literary quality. Prerequisite: History 140.

HIST 499 01 History Internship
Baer, Marc TBD
This course is a practical experience for students. It enables them to apply the knowledge, research methods, and writing skills acquired in the academically oriented setting to concrete projects such as the Joint Archives, the Holland Historical Trust or an oral history undertaking. Application is made to the chairperson of the Department of History. Supervision and the number of credits earned are determined by the nature of the project.