History 401: The Renaissance
Seminar examining the major figures and developments of the Renaissance. Use of primary sources and audiovisual materials to explore such themes as humanism, changes in the arts, political ideas and developments, the family and society. Emphasis on the Italian Renaissance. Prerequisite: HIST 300 or satisfaction of the Graduation Writing Assessment Requirement (GWAR).
History 402: The Reformation
Seminar examining the origins, course, and consequences of the religious reformation of the sixteenth century. Use of primary sources to explore the ideas and actions of the major figures of the age within the broader context of European societies. Prerequisite: HIST 300 or satisfaction of the Graduation Writing Assessment Requirement (GWAR).
History 404: Pagans and Christians in the Roman World
A seminar-style course for both undergraduate and graduate students, the course examines imperial Rome as a religious state, from its classical roots to the rise and success of Christianity. The emphasis of the course is on understanding religious life in Roman society, the principles and expressions of paganism, the early character and struggle of Christianity, its challenge to the Roman social order, and particularly its experience and development within the context of Roman society. The effect of Christianity on Rome, as well as classical Rome's role in shaping Christianity, will be explored. Primary documents and visual evidence are used extensively to explore these topics.
History 406: The Rise and Fall of the Soviet Union, 1917-1991
The October Revolution of 1917 and the struggles of the civil war brought to power in Moscow upon the rubble of the Russian empire a political party committed to the socialist transformation of society, culture, the economy, the world order, and individual human consciousness. This course will explore the nature and significance of the Soviet experiment, the controversies to which it has given rise, and the forces, processes, and personalities that shaped the formation, transformation, and ultimate collapse of both the Soviet system and the Soviet Union.
