History

History is the universal major. With a reflective understanding of the past, the historically-minded individual is equipped to embrace life with an informed perspective and to excel with competence in careers spanning a broad array of occupations. Since History studies the origin, growth, and complexity of civilization, it provides a framework from which to view and understand the great issues of our time. In order to meet the needs of students as individuals in an increasingly competitive and technological society, the History program traces the development of humanistic and spiritual ideas and values; provides intellectual and cultural enrichment; and develops skills in critical thinking, research, and expression. Equipped with such knowledge and skills, the student is prepared to make a creative and effective response to the challenges and opportunities of our contemporary world.

As one of the most versatile degrees offered by the University, History provides students with a collection of skills and a base of knowledge which employers in a broad spectrum of career fields highly desire. For those preparing for careers in traditional history-related fields, such as education, research, and government service, the scope of the pro-gram enables students to pursue American, European, and non-Western areas of study; to develop necessary analytical skills; and to gain useful insights from other disciplines among the social sciences and the liberal arts. For those interested in a broader set of career opportunities, History majors can apply the skills and techniques developed from the program to find success in professions as varied as law, business, military intelligence, journalism, publishing, and international relations.

History may also be selected as an area of emphasis by students pursuing a major in the social sciences. Consult Social Sciences section for the complete degree requirements.

History Club

The History program sponsors the History Club, a student organization that provides the University community with the opportunity to engage in the richness of historical discourse in its many manifestations. Special emphasis is focused on exploring the multiplicity of significant historical sites in the Lower Hudson Valley that stretch back through Colonial times. In addition to field trips, the Club pro-vides a variety of programming to include educational activities, social events, community involvement, career development, and net-working opportunities. Membership in the Club is open to students in any major. For more information, please contact the History pro-gram located in Casey Hall, Room 18 or call (845) 848-4068.
 

Phi Alpha Theta National Honor Society for History

Purpose:
Phi Alpha Theta is a professional society dedicated to the advancement of the study of history through the exchange of ideas, learning, and research and is comprised of professors, scholars, and students at the undergraduate and graduate levels.

Eligibility:
Any undergraduate student of good moral character who has achieved academic distinction in the study of History may be invited to join Dominican University’s Alpha Xi Gamma Chapter of Phi Alpha Theta. Specifically, students must complete at least 12 credit hours in History with a combined GPA of 3.1 and maintain a 3.0 GPA in their overall University coursework. These students are generally among the top 35% in their respective classes, but they do not need to have a major or minor in History in order to be eligible for membership.

Major Activities:
Students who join Phi Alpha Theta may participate in all activities sponsored at the local chapter and national levels to include meetings, academic conferences, social events, and volunteer activities. Members also have the opportunity to compete for national scholar-ships and run for elective offices at the local chapter level. For more information, please contact the History program located in Casey Hall, Room 18 or call (845) 848-4068.

History Minor

The minor in History offers a broad overview of the past through a focus on three distinct but related areas of study: United States, Europe, and the Non-Western World. In pursuing the minor, students will deepen their experience of the study and practice of the discipline through the critical engagement of primary and secondary source material while also broadening their experience of the study of humanity with an emphasis on the development of analytical, critical thinking, and writing skills. Because it provides students with a foundation in understanding the contemporary world through a knowledge of its historical roots while developing essential cognitive skills, the minor serves as a complement to a range

Degrees and Certificates

Courses

HI 101: Introduction to History and Methods

Credits 3

Providing a foundation for concepts and skills to students interested in learning about college-level History, this course aims to answer three fundamental questions: what is history, why study history, and how do historians write about the past? Students will explore theories of History, survey different forms of Historical writing, develop critical reading skills, analyze primary and secondary sources, practice research and writing techniques, and survey the professional opportunities open to those who have an understanding of History. 

The course is open to anyone interested in History, not just History majors.

HI 109: Introduction to American History, 1900-Present

Credits 3
A broad overview of the major historical events of 20th-century American History, examining such topics as the Progressive Era, the New Deal and the welfare state, World War I, World War II, the Cold War, the Korean and Vietnam Wars, political and social change since 1945, and the development of contemporary popular culture.

HI 110: Issues in American History, 1900-Present

Credits 3
An introductory study of major historical issues such as American involvement in two world wars, the development and effects of the Cold War, and the causes and consequences of American entry into the Korean and Vietnam wars. Other areas examined are the evolution of Federal social welfare policies, the rise of the Civil Rights movement, and the continuing quest for social justice spawned by the movement, and the splintering of political and social consensus since 1960.

HI 114: Biography in American History

Credits 3
This course explores the past by studying the aspirations and struggles of a broad mix of people and relating their lives to the social and cultural diversity of the American experience. Biography will also be used to enhance the understanding of major historical themes.

HI 222: Classical History and Civilization

Credits 3
This course integrates history, literature, philosophy, religion, and the arts to explore the ancient foundations of the Western tradition. The cultural and political development of the peoples and states of the ancient Near East, Greece, and the Roman world, as well as their respective influence in shaping Western institutions, ideas, and values, are the central themes under examination.

HI 223: Medieval Europe

Credits 3
Examines the history of Europe from the fall of the Western Roman Empire to the beginning of the Renaissance through an analysis of the Byzantine Empire and its Western European political and cultural rivals. The lingering influence of the Roman tradition, the rise of Christendom, Church schism, social transformation through feudalism, and the shift of political, economic, and cultural perceptions of Europe from East to West are explored.

HI 224: Renaissance and Reformation Europe

Credits 3
This course explores the history of Europe from the close of the Middle Ages to the Early Modern Period. The revival of the classical intellectual and artistic tradition and the emergence of humanism are analyzed as the critical transformative developments in the rise of modern Western Europe. The Protestant movements and the Counter-Reformation are examined in the context of the revolution in religious ideas and the rise of new state systems.

HI 225: Nineteenth-Century European History

Credits 3
A comprehensive study of European history beginning with the legacy of the French Revolution and ending with the rise of intense nationalism. Some of the topics discussed are the Napoleonic wars and their impact on European society, the transforming effects of the Industrial Revolution, thought and culture, revolutions and counter-revolutions, progress and breakdown, and the rise of nationalism and imperialism.

HI 226: Hitler's Third Reich

Credits 3
Advanced study of Nazi Germany and Europe during the period of the Second World War. The historical and ideological origins of German fascism, the rise of the National Socialist Party, the collapse of the Weimar Republic, as well as the Nazi regime, institutions, and state policies are examined. Germany’s diplomacy, war effort, occupation policies, and defeat are analyzed within the context of Nazi ideological goals and the international conflict in Europe.

HI 227: The American Revolution

Credits 3
The social, intellectual, and cultural forces that shaped American society from the colonial period to the formation of the new nation. Topics will include the causes of the Revolution, the debate over independence, the war itself, the Confederation, and the Constitution.

HI 228: Coming Apart: American Society, 1960–1974

Credits 3
This course analyzes changing social mores and values between 1960 and 1974. Particular attention is given to the New Frontier, the Civil Rights Movement, the Great Society and the War on Poverty, the Women’s Movement, and the rise of a youth and counterculture. Additional emphasis is placed on American military intervention in the Vietnam War and the resulting backlash, the Nixon presidency, Watergate, and the unraveling of political and social consensus.

HI 229: History of the American West

Credits 3
Examines the exploration, conquest, and settlement of the American West between 1800 and the present. Special attention is given to ethnic diversity, cooperation, and conflict, and the role that the West plays as part of a national myth.

HI 230: History of the Byzantine Empire

Credits 3
This course examines the history of the Eastern Roman Empire from its emergence in the third century to its collapse with the fall of Constantinople in 1453. The central theme is the contribution of the Classical Greco-Roman tradition and Christian thought to the development of medieval Christendom and its lasting influences on the contemporary world. Topics include the formulation of Christian orthodoxy, iconoclasm, relations with Western Europe, the Great Schism, the conversion of the Slavic populations of Eastern Europe, the emergence of imperial Russia, and Byzantium’s centuries-long internal and external struggles for survival.

HI 233: History Through Film: Renaissance Humanism

Credits 3
This course examines the history of Renaissance humanism and explores its connections to the modern world. Through primary and secondary sources and the dynamic medium of film, students will study the emergence and flowering of Renaissance humanism, particularly in Florence, and examine its influence on modernism. As an age defined by revolutionary developments in art, education, religion, politics, and economics, this vibrant period in history will be studied using an interdisciplinary approach with a particular emphasis on art, literature, and religion. The course will also consider the unique contributions as well as limitations film provides in understanding history.

HI 270: History of Sports

Credits 3
This course examines the dynamic role sports have played in society from the ancient world to the present with special emphasis given to the modern American sports experience. Far from being mere recreational diversions, sports have reflected as well as influenced social, cultural, and political dimensions of the human experience throughout time. Through primary and secondary sources students will trace important developments in the practice of sports and will analyze their intersection with such themes as religion, nationalism, race, gender, class, urbanization, and economics. The course will also introduce students to some of the great moments in modern sports history.

HI 283: Conflict and Crisis in Modern American History

Credits 3
Coupled with HI 114 and designed for lower classmen students, this course is multi-purposed. One, it intends to assist students in the development of basic academic skills in reading, writing, and thinking critically. Two, by taking both a chronological and a relational approach to significant issues and events in American history from 1900 to the present, it aims to provide students with a general understanding of modern American history (narrative and analysis will be used in tandem to engage students in course material). And three, it seeks to enhance student retention by encouraging individual academic success.

HI 292: History of Women in America

Credits 3
This course explores the many roles and contributions of women in American history beginning with the Gilded Age and ending in the post-feminist contemporary period. Among the topics that will be discussed, students will examine women’s critical contributions to such important historical movements as Suffrage, Temperance, Settlement House, Progressivism, and the Feminist Movement itself. The course will conclude with an examination on how individualism, material culture, and self-interest have transformed feminism between 1980 and the present and with reflection about other changes in the place that women now occupy in American society.

HI 301: Women in the Middle Ages

Credits 3
This course explores the unique roles and contributions made by women during the Middle Ages, an age that profoundly altered western civilization. Although operating in a society bounded in many ways by traditional roles, creative and powerful women provided significant contributions in the areas of religion, politics, literature, and business which helped to shape this pivotal period in history. This course explores these accomplishments as well as the larger medieval society in which these talented women operated. Topics include Matilda of Tuscany, Eleanor of Aquitaine, Blanche of Castile, Marie de France, Catherine of Sienna, and Joan of Arc.

HI 302: Race and Ethnicity in America

Credits 3
This course explores how the United States has become the most ethnically diverse nation in the world through a process that has forced the country continually to accommodate various ethnic groups who have often been viewed as unassimilable and thereby to broaden the meaning of the American identity. Beginning with Supreme Court decision in the Plessy v. Ferguson case of 1896, students will explore how a racially divided society has transformed itself while also continuing to experience lingering economic and social problems for African Americans and for other ethnic groups arriving in later periods of immigration.

HI 327: Age of Chivalry

Credits 3
This course explores chivalry and its lasting legacy in the Western experience. The central focus is to understand the martial, aristocratic, and religious influences that came together during the central Middle Ages to form this unique way of life among a particular social class. A combination of primary and secondary sources are used to examine the degree to which the ideals of chivalry were practiced in real life and what led to the eventual decline of this cultural world. Topics include the medieval knight, tournaments, crusades, and courtly love.

HI 330: Special Topics in History

Credits 3

Required for majors who will pursue independent study at an advanced level. Under faculty supervision, students will engage in a research project and an intense guided reading program. In consultation with a faculty member, the student will develop a contract to be filed in the offices of the Dean and Registrar.

HI 331: American Colonial Period

Credits 3
A study of the political, economic, social, religious, and cultural institutions of the English colonies from settlement to independence.

HI 332: American National Period

Credits 3
Examines the ideological, political, and social currents which shaped the American nation between 1776 and 1824. Includes the causes and consequences of the American Revolution, the founding of the nation, and the "Era of Good Feeling."

HI 334: American Society 1877-1920: Progress & Reform

Credits 3
A study of the impact of post-Civil War industrialization on American society, including New York State, and the role of the reformer in American life. Examination of the motives, needs, methods, accomplishments and expectations of the protagonists of the Gilded Age and Progressive Era from the perspectives of sociology, economics, and psychology as well as that of history. Comparisons and contrasts will be drawn with contemporary reform movements.

HI 335: The American Consensus: 1932 to the Present

Credits 3
Is consensus a reality or a desirable goal in a pluralistic society? The course examines issues of majority and minority rule in contemporary American society including New York State. Majority demands in the areas of moral, social, and political ideas and behaviors versus the rights of individuals will be considered.

HI 337: Twentieth-Century Europe

Credits 3
This course emphasizes the major ideological conflicts engendered by nationalism, fascism, and communism to identify the central currents shaping the European experience in the twentieth century. Attention is given to the destruction of the European Old Order through the First World War, the Russian Revolution, interwar instability, the rise of authoritarianism, the tumult of the Second World War, the division of the continent in the Cold War, the collapse of the East Bloc and Soviet systems, and the process of European integration in the postwar period.

HI 338: History of New York State

Credits 3
A survey of the history of the region now known as New York State from its earliest habitation by native Americans through its Dutch and English colonial heritage to its development as a distinctive state in a new nation, a commercial link between the East and the Western Frontier, and a world cosmopolitan center. Attention is given to New York’s recent experience; to important personalities and issues which have shaped its commercial, artistic, and political image; and to encounters among Native Americans, European, and West African cultures in the context of New York history.

HI 339: Ethnicity in America

Credits 3
Considers the ethnic minorities (African-Americans, Hispanic-Americans, Asian-Americans, and Native Americans) as well as white ethnic groups in relation to their history, values, and characteristics; problems of assimilation and racism; and the effects of ethnic identification on politics, society, and the schools in America and New York State.

HI 340: From Berlin to Baghdad: America, 1980 to the Present

Credits 3
Covering the period between the Reagan and Obama presidencies, this course examines the rise of cultural and political conservatism, the waning of liberalism and the welfare state, technological change, immigration, the globalization of the American economy and social policy, war in the Middle East, terrorism, and economic crises.

HI 348: Great Books in History

Credits 3
A study that uses significant literary works to explore the major ideas and values of Western thought and to examine how those ideas and values have shaped institutions, ideologies, and technology and inspired the quest for civil rights and social justice in modern society.

HI 349: Disease & History: Pathogens, Parasites, & Pandemics

Credits 3
An interdisciplinary approach to the study of social, political, economic, and cultural changes that have taken place throughout history in response to plagues and pandemics. Topics include the Great Plague of Athens, the Antonine Plagues of the 2nd-3rd centuries, Justinian’s Plague, the Black Death, the great smallpox pandemic in the Americas, the influenza pandemic of 1918, and the AIDS pandemic in modern Africa.

HI 350: Food & Civilization

Credits 3
A global survey that examines the cultural, political, and social forces that have shaped the patterns of human diet and the role that food has played in the course of history. Particular attention is paid to culinary exchange, integration, and modification. Related topics include the causes and impact of famine and disease, the interplay of religion and food, and the relationships between diet and culturally driven views of the body.

HI 395: The Holocaust

Credits 3
This course examines the origins, implementation, and aftermath of the Holocaust which remains as one of the most horrific events in recorded human history. The systematic murder of millions by one of Western civilization’s most sophisticated nations was a radical break from the notion of the inevitability of progress; some of the elements of modernity that we consider vital to our own civilization were instrumental in implementing the Holocaust. Topics covered include racial anti-Semitism, the Nazi state, the creation and administration of concentration camps, survival testimony, the Nuremberg Trials, and remembrance of the Holocaust and its victims.

HI 409: Freedom & Liberty in America, 1607 to Present

Credits 3
An exploration of the conflicting meanings, development, and transformation of freedom and liberty and the ideologies and political and social structures created in support of them. Attention is given to the frequent clashes–individual and collective--provoked by the pursuit of freedom and liberty.

HI 440: Advanced Studies in History

Credits 3

Required for majors who will pursue independent study at an advanced level. Under faculty supervision, students will engage in a research project and an intense guided reading program. In consultation with a faculty member, the student will develop a contract to be filed in the offices of the Dean and Registrar.

HI 441: The African-American Experience

Credits 3
The African-American Experience explores the history of America’s oldest minority, excepting the Indians. It includes a study of their "roots," their struggle for existence during slavery, and their continued striving for full and equal representation in America, including New York State, through to the present. Special attention is given to the role of the African-American in the economic, political, scientific, and military growth and development of the United States. Additional attention focuses on the contributions of African Americans to the arts and to literature.

HI 442: The Survival of the Native American

Credits 3
Study introduces students to the cultural diversity of the North American Indians. Indian-White relations will be examined with emphasis on cultural conflict, adaptation, and change. Historical, sociological, psychological, and economic factors will be used to investigate contemporary Indian problems.

HI 443: American Diplomatic History: Democracy and Diplomacy

Credits 3
In examining the historical debate surrounding American foreign policy issues since 1890, this course provides students with various frames of reference for evaluating American diplomacy, past and present. The impact of the policy-making process, group interests, and values on decision-making will be explored.

HI 444: American Social Thought: Continuity and Change

Credits 3
Examines ideologies that have shaped the moral systems, attitudes, and values of the typical American and shows how these views have influenced popular reaction to social concerns and issues. Ideas that have persisted and factors that have brought about changes will also be analyzed.

HI 446: War and Society

Credits 3
This course explores the questions of what is war, what are its causes, why do societies make the decision to go to war, and what impact in turn does war have upon the individual and upon society itself. Beginning with an exploration of the origins of war in the prehistoric era, the course ponders these developments using selected topics in European and American history and incorporating an interdisciplinary approach that considers the social, psychological, technological, political, ideological, and ethical dimensions of war.

HI 450: Advanced Studies in History

Credits 3

Required for majors who will pursue independent study at an advanced level. Under faculty supervision, students will engage in a research project and an intense guided reading program. In consultation with a faculty member, the student will develop a contract to be filed in the offices of the Dean and Registrar.

HI 451: Middle Eastern History

Credits 3
A survey history of the Middle East since the Early Modern Period. Through an exploration emphasizing the growth and decline of the Ottoman Empire, this course analyzes Islamic ideas and institutions as the foundations for state and social organization, cultural patterns of continuity and change, the origins and record of Great Power involvement in the region, the rise of Arab and other nationalist movements, and the emergence of successor states in the 19th and 20th centuries.

HI 452: East Asian History

Credits 3
This course examines the major political, economic, cultural, and social developments underlying the emergence of modern China and Japan. Examination of imperial decline and fragmentation, in the case of China, and the rise of a centralized nationalist state, in the case of Japan, before the Second World War, are followed by the subsequent emergence of unitary communist authoritarianism and capitalist modernism, respectively.

HI 453: History of Developing Nations

Credits 3
Examines the political, economic, and social problems faced by developing nations of Africa, Latin America, Asia, and the Middle East in the 20th century. Topics to be discussed include colonialism, nationalism, communism, social conflict, population pressures, and the impact of technology.

HI 454: Latin American History

Credits 3
A study of the political, cultural, economic, and social development of the peoples and states of Central and South America from pre-Columbian times to the present. Examination of civilizational forms in ancient America is followed by a review of European conquest, patterns of social and ethnic transformation, liberation movements, the establishment of nation-states, political progress, decline through dependence and neo-colonialism, and trends toward democratization.

HI 461: Public History

Credits 3
This course is designed to give students an opportunity to develop & apply history-related marketable skills such as editing, archival and record management, preparation of documentaries, docu-dramas, exhibits and radio broadcasts, preservation (park services), genealogy, museology, oral history, and corporate research. Depending on student interest, several of these aspects will be developed using campus and off-campus facilities. Implicit in the practice of public history is strong ability in writing and research. Course may be taken on an individual or small-group basis with permission of the Division Director and is open to upper level History majors and concentrators.

HI 462: History of Terrorism

Credits 3
This course explores the evolution of modern terrorism from the French Revolution to the rise of global Islamic extremism. It examines how terrorists from different cultures have attempted to use violence in order to affect political and social change relating to struggles for political freedom, ideology, state-sponsored policy, and religious fanaticism. Topics include leftwing and rightwing extremism in Europe and the United States, terrorism during the Cold War, and the current U.S.-led Global War on Terrorism against the al-Qaida network.

HI 470: Historiography

Credits 3

This course provides advanced readings in history to deepen students' understanding of historiography, which deals with the conceptual approaches for studying and writing history. Under faculty supervision students read and discuss a collection of historiographical works, primary sources, and secondary sources that explores the historian's craft and by extension their own practice of it. This course is part of the capstone sequence for history majors, but students in any major are also welcome to take it.

HI 471: History Internship

Credits 3
The internship in history provides students with a supervised experience in public history in order to broaden and deepen their understanding of the historical profession. Students typically are eligible to undertake an internship in their junior or senior year. Prior coordination with and approval from the academic advisor or program coordinator are required.

HI 472: Seminar in Historical Research

Credits 3
A study of historiography, principles and methods of research, sources, criticism, and synthesis. Students are required to write and defend a major research paper on a topic approved by the in-structor. This course is required of all History majors and is open to seniors or to juniors with the permission of program coordinator.