HIST - History
Courses numbered 500 to 799 = undergraduate/graduate. (Individual courses may be limited to undergraduate students only.) Courses numbered 800 to 999 = graduate.
HIST 500. Your Family in History (3).
Cross-listed as HIST 225. Bridges the gap between history and genealogy through demonstrations of the kinds of research techniques available to those who are interested in creating a family history. Students demonstrate understanding of these techniques in a family history project.
HIST 501. American Colonies (3).
General education humanities course. Colonization of the New World emphasizing the British colonists and their development.
HIST 502. American Revolution and the Early Republic (3).
General education humanities course. Examination of selected phases of the Revolutionary, Confederation and Federal periods.
HIST 503. The Age of Jefferson and Jackson (3).
General education humanities course. Examines the eras of Thomas Jefferson and Andrew Jackson; that is roughly the period from 1800 to 1850. During that time, the United States experienced tremendous territorial growth, cultural ferment and reform movements, engaged in two major international wars and a number of Indian conflicts, and moved toward the sectional showdown over slavery that culminated in a bloody civil war. Focuses on political, social and military history, as America expanded from the Mississippi River across the North American continent.
HIST 504. Civil War (3).
General education humanities course. Explores the origins and history of the bloodiest war this nation has ever fought. Students study antebellum America, focusing on the sectional differences between North and South, the institution of slavery, the abolitionist crusade, and the battlefields of the Civil War.
HIST 505. The United States, 1865 to 1920 (3).
General education humanities course. Examines the political, economic, social and cultural developments during the Gilded Age and Progressive Era. Students read articles, books, and primary documents to trace the experiences of the American nation and people as they transform from a growing nation into a global power with special focus on topics such as Reconstruction, political and economic corruption and reform, industrialization, the development and mechanization of the trans-Mississippi West; the rise of corporations, railroads, cities and the American State; and the challenges of African-Americans, immigrants and women. In the end, students should walk away from the course with a better, more in-depth understanding of the history of, and major historical debates concerning, the Gilded Age and Progressive Era in the United States.
HIST 507. United States 1900-1945 (3).
General education humanities course. Major topics explored include World War I, the Great Depression and World War II. While this period in U.S. history is noteworthy for conflict, consensus in the form of Progressivism, the New Deal, and the emergence of the modern presidency also characterize these decades. Examines political leadership as a major component of the course. Emphasizes "history from the bottom up" as the lives of ordinary Americans are examined.
HIST 508. United States Since 1945 (3).
General education humanities course. In this time period, the United States emerged as a world leader. Although the Cold War became a defining force both at home and abroad, "hot" wars in Korea and Vietnam also produced social, economic and political repercussions in the United Sates. Course explores major issues and events of the period with a focus on international relations, the Civil Rights Movement, and the growth of the imperial presidency.
HIST 510. 20th Century African American History (3).
Cross-listed as ETHS 381E. The 20th century witnessed a dramatic transformation of the African-American community. As the century began, the vast majority of African-Americans lived in the rural South. At century's end, the vast majority of African-Americans lived in urban areas across the U.S. Besides the demographic relocation of black America, the 20th century also witnessed the Black Freedom Movement (comprised of the Civil Rights and Black Power movements), which dramatically changed the social, economic and political status of blacks. Course examines these and other aspects of the African-American experience during the pivotal 20th century. Course includes diversity content.
HIST 511. Women in Early America, 1600-1830 (3).
General education humanities course. Cross-listed as WOMS 511. Focuses on women and gender in U.S. history between 1600 and 1830 by examining the lives, experiences, and interactions with social, political and economic systems of women. Students read articles, books and primary documents that examine women’s experiences from the first colonial contact with Native Americans to the dawn of the first women’s movement in the 19th century. Focuses specifically on colonization, regionalism, the roles of race and ethnicity in the construction of gender, women in religious life, the impact of the American Revolution, Republican Motherhood, and women’s contributions to the public sphere and market economy. In the end, students should walk away with an understanding of women in early U.S. history and of the major historical debates concerning women’s and gender history. Course includes diversity content.
HIST 512. Women and Reform in America, 1830-Present (3).
General education humanities course. Focuses on women, gender and reform in U.S. history from 1830 to 2000 by examining the lives, experiences, and interactions with social, political and economic systems of women. Students read articles, books and primary documents that examine women’s experiences from the emergence of a domestic economy in the 1830s to 21st century popular culture with specific focus on topics such as the Cult of True Womanhood, slavery, Civil War and Reconstruction, Progressivism, suffrage, WWII, postwar feminism, and popular culture. In the end, students should walk away with an understanding of women in early U.S. history and of the major historical debates concerning women’s and gender history. Course includes diversity content.
HIST 513. History of United States and the Modern Middle East (3).
General education humanities course. Introduces U.S. relations with the Middle East from the early 20th century to the present. Discusses the fraught redrawing of the map of the Middle East after the collapse of the Ottoman Empire and considers the role of the U.S. in the region, especially focusing on American missionary and business interests in the region before World War II, including the founding of ARAMCO. Examines events in the latter half of the 20th century, including U.S. competition with the Soviets for regional clients and U.S. engagement with regional revolutionary nationalist movements such as those in Israel-Palestine, Iran, Iraq and Libya. Students discuss oil politics, peace processes, approaches to refugees and human rights issues, the rise of Al-Qaeda, attacks of September 11th, and the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq that have become the longest wars in U.S. history. Course includes diversity content.
HIST 514. History of the Modern Middle East (3).
General education humanities course. Examines the emergence of the Modern Middle East from the Ottoman Era to the present. Begins by examining 19th century institutions and considering Middle Eastern political innovations during the late 19th century, especially those rooted in the emergence of nationalism and transforming expectations for the relationship between governments and the people. Focuses upon these two transformations, tracing them through the 20th century, and examines the impact of colonization, World War I, Palestinian and Israeli nationalism, secular ideologies like Arab nationalism and socialism, Nasserism, Islamism and political revolutions in the region. Course features a wide array of source material beyond the texts including articles, literature, film, music and digital archives. Course includes diversity content.
HIST 515. Economic History of the United States (3).
Cross-listed as ECON 627. Analysis of the basic factors in economic growth. Explores agriculture, trade and commerce, industrial development and the changing role of the government in economic activity. Prerequisite(s): ECON 201 and junior standing.
HIST 517. United States Constitutional History to 1865 (3).
General education humanities course. The evolution of the American constitutional system from English and Colonial origins through the Civil War.
HIST 517H. United States Constitutional History to 1865 Honors (3).
General education humanities course. The evolution of the American constitutional system from English and Colonial origins through the Civil War.
HIST 518. United States Constitutional History from 1865 (3).
General education humanities course. American constitutional development from Reconstruction to the present.
HIST 518H. United States Constitutional History from 1865 Honors (3).
General education humanities course. American constitutional development from Reconstruction to the present.
HIST 519. Introduction to Local and Community History (3).
Introduces the study of local history and community history. Discusses the various venues through which local and community history takes place including historic preservation, archival administration, museum studies, documentary work and writing for a variety of audiences. Students learn relevant practices as well as issues that face those who study local topics and/or specific communities. Prerequisite(s): graduate standing or instructor's consent.
HIST 519H. Introduction to Local and Community History Honors (3).
Introduces the study of local history and community history. Discusses the various venues through which local and community history takes place including historic preservation, archival administration, museum studies, documentary work and writing for a variety of audiences. Students learn relevant practices as well as issues that face those who study local topics and/or specific communities. Prerequisite(s): graduate standing or instructor's consent.
HIST 522. United States Foreign Relations Since 1898 (3).
General education humanities course. Examines U.S. foreign relations from the wars of 1898 through the Forever Wars of the early 21st century. Examines topics including war in the Philippines, colonialism, World Wars, technology and warfare, the Cold War, humanitarian intervention, U.S. involvement in civil conflicts, oil politics, and drone warfare. Students consider how ideas about race, religion and modernization influenced the rise and exercise of U.S. power abroad. Throughout, the course contextualizes U.S. foreign relations within and their global context. Course includes diversity content.
HIST 523. Special Topics in History (3).
An umbrella course created to explore a variety of subtopics differentiated by letter (e.g., 523A, 523B). Not all subtopics are offered each semester – see the course schedule for availability. Students enroll in the lettered courses with specific topics in the titles rather than in this root course. These upper division courses in history are taken individually with a given instructor. Each lettered course may be taken only twice for credit toward a history major or master’s in history.
HIST 525. American Military History (3).
General education humanities course. Surveys the American military heritage and its role in shaping the modern United States. Studies the history of warfare from frontier conflicts during the Colonial period through Desert Storm, focusing on the most significant wars and battles, and the evolution of military institutions and their impact on American social, economic and political traditions.
HIST 527. African-American Business History (3).
General education humanities course. Cross-listed as ETHS 527. Surveys the history of African-Americans as entrepreneurs and business people. Drawing from a commercial tradition dating back to pre-trans-Atlantic Africa, business minded blacks overcame a variety of obstacles (such as slavery and Jim Crow segregation) to establish a commercial presence in America. Besides chronicling these efforts, the course also examines why African-American business history has traditionally received minimal attention in both the realms of American business history and African-American history. Course includes diversity content.
HIST 528. History of Wichita (3).
General education humanities course. A history of Wichita, Kansas, 1865-present, emphasizing the lessons of local history for future planning and its importance to an individual citizen's sense of place.
HIST 530. The American Woman in History (3).
General education humanities course. Cross-listed as WOMS 530. Examines the history, status and changing role of women in American society. Course includes diversity content.
HIST 531. American Environmental History (3).
General education humanities course. Examines the historical, physical, economic, scientific, technological and industrial interactions of the peoples of America with their environment. Emphasizes the period 1800-present. Course includes diversity content.
HIST 535. History of Kansas (3).
General education humanities course. History of the Kansas region from Spanish exploration to the present, emphasizing the period after 1854.
HIST 536. Survey of American Indian History (3).
General education humanities course. Surveys the history of Native American nations from prehistoric times to the present. Includes the process of European colonization and indigenous responses, the strategies of accommodation, assimilation and resistance, and the resurgence of tribalism in the 20th century. Course includes diversity content.
HIST 541. Modern France (3).
General education humanities course. History of the major trends in French history from Napoleon to DeGaulle emphasizing French attempts to adjust politically, socially, economically and culturally to the changing conditions of modern industrial society.
HIST 542. Religion in America (3).
Cross-listed as REL 542. Surveys various religious traditions in American history from Colonial times to the present. Discusses how religions, groups, beliefs and issues have changed over time and how they interact with each other. Includes the different branches of Christianity and Judaism, the study of awakenings and revivals, the stories of prominent religious thinkers and leaders, immigrant religious traditions, the tensions between liberal and traditional religious forms, the prophetic and apocalyptic traditions in American, and the impact of Native American, Asian and African beliefs and practices on the religious landscape.
HIST 543. Law and American Society (3).
General education humanities course. Examines the role that law plays in American society from the early Colonial settlements through the 20th century. Examines the connection between law and society in four parts: crime and punishment in early America; property, economy and American identity; the 15th Amendment and questions of female citizenship; and the origins of the Civil Rights movement. By looking at laws and court cases in the larger context of American social history, students gain a fuller understanding of the impact and influence that law has on the development of American society. Course includes diversity content.
HIST 543H. Law and American Society Honors (3).
General education humanities course. Examines the role that law plays in American society from the early Colonial settlements through the 20th century. Examines the connection between law and society in four parts: crime and punishment in early America; property, economy and American identity; the 15th Amendment and questions of female citizenship; and the origins of the Civil Rights movement. By looking at laws and court cases in the larger context of American social history, students gain a fuller understanding of the impact and influence that law has on the development of American society. Course includes diversity content.
HIST 544. American Law and Film (3).
General education humanities course. Cross-listed as HNRS 305S. American popular culture has demonstrated an enduring fascination with lawyers, the law and the legal system. Course focuses on the portrayal of attorneys and the legal system in films. Uses films as a lens through which to examine the American criminal and civil justice systems, lawyers and legal education, and social and civil rights, while considering how film helps shape public perception of lawyers, creates viewer expectations regarding law and justice, and may influence the conduct of practicing attorneys and judges. Course includes diversity content.
HIST 546. An LGBTQ+ History of the United States (3).
General education humanities course. Explores the historical development of institutions, ideals, social and cultural transformations, and economic and political processes in the U.S. since European colonization with a focus on the how of the evolution of sexual and gender diversity. The approach is intersectional, always considering gender and sexual diversity as they intersect with race, class and other forms of social difference and power. Students come to appreciate continuities and changes in the meanings and implications of sexual and gender diversity over time and across social contexts of indigeneity, settler colonialism, urbanization and industrialization, social and scientific modernization, the development of municipal and state power, the elaboration of the U.S. nation-state, immigration, the proliferation of mass culture, developments in family formation, and social movements for justice, rights and liberation. Moreover, students make connections between historical and contemporary social practices, discourses, cultural expressions and institutional formations related to sexual and gender diversity. Key areas of focus are the emergence and elaboration of the modern formations of homosexuality, heterosexuality, bisexuality and transness as well as contemporary identity and political categories of straight, gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender and queer. Course includes diversity content.
HIST 547. Law and Modern American Civil Rights (3).
General education humanities course. Examines what it means to have civil rights, what it means when people talk about civil rights, and how the concept of civil rights has changed over time. Examines marginalized groups who have struggled for civil rights in the 20th century and who all used the language of civil rights to draw attention to their movements. Through legislative and judicial decisions, as well as social movements and nonviolent protest, students begin to see the complexities inherit in the concept of civil rights and its modern promises of ‘due process’ and ‘equal protection’. In the end, students gain a greater understanding of civil rights, as well as an ability to identify civil rights struggles throughout American history. Course includes diversity content.
HIST 548. The Evolution of Warfare I: Pre-History through the Middle Ages (3).
Explores the origins and evolution of military conflict from the ancient world to the High Middle Ages. Students read and discuss a number of sources to analyze the strategic, operational and tactical evolution of warfare over time; through this analysis, students better understand the influence of warfare on the political, social, economic, technologic and cultural aspects of human history. Areas of study include conflicts and wars in the Stone Age world; the seminal eastern and western empires of the Bronze and early Iron Ages; the classical civilizations of the Iron Ages, including Greece and Rome; the European ‘Dark Ages’ and the rise of Islam; and the kingdoms of the western and eastern Feudal period prior to widespread use of gunpowder and firearms. Special attention is given to the evolution of missile and shock technologies over time and how they were used in offensive and defensive warfare, both on land and at sea, to achieve social, political and religious objectives. Class presentation includes lecture, discussion, primary readings and audio-visual material.
HIST 549. The Evolution of Warfare II: Renaissance to Present (3).
Explores the origins and evolution of military conflict from the High Middle Ages to the present day. Students read and discuss a number of sources to analyze the strategic, operational and tactical evolution of warfare over time; through this analysis, students better understand the influence of warfare on the political, social, economic, technologic and cultural aspects of human history. Areas of study include conflicts and wars from the advent of gunpowder and the Military Revolution, the Wars of Religion and National Expansion, the Wars of Revolution, the impact of the Industrial Revolution and rise of mass armies and navies, the introduction of the airplane, the impact of the use of nuclear weapons and space and information systems. Special attention is given to the evolution of missile and shock technologies over time and how they were used in offensive and defensive warfare, both on land, at sea and in the air to achieve social, political and religious objectives. Class presentation includes lecture, discussion, primary readings and audio-visual material.
HIST 550. Mapping and History (3).
General education humanities course. Cross-listed as GEOG 550. This exploration of mapping and history studies how maps have shaped our understanding of the past and how our changing understandings of the past have shown up in maps. In this class, students learn to look critically at maps, what they convey, and how their own interpretations can shape mapping analysis. Students also gain an introduction to mapping technologies from hand drawn symbols on parchment to the latest in ArcGIS technology.
HIST 551. The U.S. Army Since the Vietnam War (3).
Cross-listed as MILS 351. Examines the history of the U.S. Army after the end of U.S. involvement in the Vietnam War. Examines how the U.S. Army was shaped by the Vietnam War and its aftermath, and how that Army responded to the loss of the United States’ only near-peer competitor with the collapse of the Soviet Union and the end of the Cold War. Examines the competing strains of thought on the Army’s future through the competing lenses of its 1990s low-intensity conflict military interventions and its struggle to modernize in an era of shrinking budgets. Concludes by examining how these events shaped the U.S. Army’s performance in the ongoing wars in Afghanistan, Iraq and Syria.
HIST 553. History of Mexico (3).
General education humanities course. Considers the history of Mexico, beginning in the pre-colonial past and moving through the Spanish period, the War of Independence and the Mexican Revolution, and into the early 21st century. Emphasis is placed on the nation’s political, economic and social development, and cultural production(s) are introduced that help students grapple with questions of national identity. This course also focuses on developing students’ critical reading, thinking and writing skills. Course includes diversity content.
HIST 555. U.S. and Mexico Borderlands (3).
The United States and Mexico share a 2,000 mile long border, a region rich with history and rife with complexity. This course puts that border in historical perspective beginning with the Spanish Colonial period and moving into the modern era, analyzing how the region has long been a zone of conquest, accommodation, difference and exchange. Course includes diversity content.
HIST 581. Europe 1789-1870 (3).
General education humanities course. A focused survey of European social, cultural and political history from 1789-1870. Among the topics covered are the Enlightenment, the French Revolution, industrialization, Romanticism, nationalism, liberalism, socialism, the revolutions of 1848, and the role of women in European society.
HIST 582. Europe 1871-1945 (3).
General education humanities course. A focused survey of European history between the years 1871-1945. Among the subjects covered are the phenomena of nation building and the imperial project, the rise and growth of European socialism, the emergence of a "mass society," the role of women and minorities, the origins and impact of World War I, inter-war politics and diplomacy, the Nazi Era, and World War II.
HIST 583. Europe 1945-Present (3).
A survey of European history, 1945-present.
HIST 588. Medieval Russia (3).
General education humanities course. Covers the history of the earliest Russian state from the seventh century c.e. to the sixteenth century. It examines the political, social and economic developments throughout the period. It also includes the role of the Mongol Empire in Russian history.
HIST 589. History of Imperial Russia (3).
General education humanities course. A survey of the political, social and cultural history of Imperial Russia.
HIST 592. History of Soviet Union (3).
General education humanities course. A survey of Soviet history from the Bolshevik Revolution to the present.
HIST 599. Experimental Course (3).
An umbrella course created to explore a variety of subtopics differentiated by letter (e.g., 599A, 599B). Not all subtopics are offered each semester – see the course schedule for availability. Students enroll in the lettered courses with specific topics in the titles rather than in this root course.
HIST 599AB. World War I in Film (3).
A study of how filmmakers have portrayed World War I over the years. Students watch and discuss films from different eras and different perspectives to explore how the same topic can be interpreted in different ways.
HIST 599AD. Interwar Europe (3).
A study of Europe from the end of the First World War through the onset of the Second. Topics include the breakup of old empires to form new nation states; the rise of communism and fascism; and the struggle between monarchy, democracy and authoritarianism. Other themes include social and cultural movements, political changes, and shifting ethnic and national identities.
HIST 599AE. 1960s in Europe (3).
Cross-listed as HIST 399AE. The 1960s evoke considerable debate: were they a period of emancipation? Or were they an era of disorder? This course explores the politics, social movements and cultural phenomenon which emerged during the 1960s in both Eastern and Western Europe. We will pay particular attention to how contemporaries made sense of the changes they were experiencing, and how they strove to translate youthful energy and activism into sustained cultural change. Above all, this course seeks to examine what was the meaning of the 1960s and what were its consequences.
HIST 599AF. Vietnam Conflict in Film (3).
Cross-listed as HIST 399AF. A retrospective study of America’s longest and most divisive war. The goal of the course is to compare and contrast Hollywood’s version of the war, which may be highly romanticized and subjective, with what professional historians and documentaries have said. It is anticipated that the students’ knowledge and understanding of the war will be enhanced, and their critical viewing skills sharpened. Students will view a series of film, documentary as well as feature films, that deal with the war. These films will provide an in-depth treatment of several selected topics. Each viewing will be preceded by a lecture providing background and will be followed by class discussion about the merits, accuracy, and interpretation provided in the feature film.
HIST 599AI. Nazism and the Third Reich (3).
Cross-listed as HIST 399Z. Introduces the history of Nazism in Germany during the 1930s and 1940s. Focuses on the political, social and cultural manifestations of Nazism, and the consequences for both German society and the wider world down to the present day.
HIST 599AK. Constitutional Criminal Justice in the 21st Century (3).
Cross-listed as CJ 500, POLS 500. Unlike CJ 320 Criminal Procedure that provides only an overview of constitutional principles while concentrating on general criminal law procedures, this course more deeply examines the 1st, 4th, 5th, 6th, 8th and 14th amendments to the United States Constitution and how their requirements affect practitioners and citizens alike. The course uses seminal Supreme Court cases to provide deep understanding of constitutional law and why society requires our criminal justice system to seek justice, to reflect reasonableness, and to respect the concepts of liberty and individual rights, while at the same time recognizing societal authority and its dual needs of security and redress for crime victims. The course recognizes the importance of the Rule of Law in a representative democracy.
HIST 698. Historiography (3).
Required of undergraduate history majors. This capstone course engages students in a systematic analysis of major historians and schools of historical thought. Class assignments and discussions encourage students to examine their own ideas about history as an academic discipline. Prerequisite(s): 12 upper-division hours in history or instructor's consent.
HIST 703. Museum Administration (3).
Addresses the many facets of museum administration from a specialist's point of view. Covers collecting, management, law and ethics, and resource development. Gives a close view of the operations of American museums.
HIST 725. Advanced Historical Methods (3).
Reviews basic historical research methods, the general character of field bibliographies and recent interpretations, and the techniques of professional narrative development. Required of graduate degree students during their first year of enrollment. Fulfills the university's professional and scholarly integrity training requirement covering research misconduct, publication practices and responsible authorship, conflict of interest and commitment, ethical issues in data acquisition, management, sharing and ownership. Prerequisite(s): departmental consent.
HIST 727. Readings In History (1-3).
Arranged individual independent readings in specialized content areas under the supervision of a faculty member. Readings in ancient, medieval, modern, European and American field bibliographies. Repeatable for credit. Prerequisite(s): departmental consent.
HIST 730. Seminar American History (3).
A graduate seminar that covers a specific topic in the history of the Americas that varies per the specialty of the instructor. Seminars focus largely on group readings, writing and discussions. Students select a topic of their own to study that falls within the themes of the class as a final project. Repeatable for credit. Prerequisite(s): departmental consent.
HIST 733. Seminar European History (3).
A graduate seminar that covers a specific topic regarding historical subjects outside of the Americas, typically Europe, and varies per the specialty of the instructor. Seminars focus largely on group readings, writing and discussions. Students select a topic of their own to study that falls within the themes of the class as a final project. Repeatable for credit. Prerequisite(s): departmental consent.
HIST 750. Workshop in History (2-3).
An umbrella course created to explore a variety of subtopics differentiated by letter (e.g., 750A, 750B). Not all subtopics are offered each semester – see the course schedule for availability. Students enroll in the lettered courses with specific topics in the titles rather than in this root course. Does not satisfy requirements for history majors.
HIST 781. Cooperative Education (1-2).
Graduate history students participate in internship experiences through the cooperative education program. May substitute for HIST 803. A maximum of 4 credit hours of any combination of HIST 803 and HIST 781 may count toward degree requirements with permission from the program area. Prerequisite(s): instructor's consent.
HIST 802. Thesis (1-3).
Student-driven research experience to address a specific research question. Potential topics should be formulated by the student and discussed with their advisor. Repeatable for credit.
HIST 803. Internship Public History (1-4).
Public history students practice their skills in summer or semester internships. Type and level of responsibility varies depending on student's interests and work setting. Internship should be in area related to student's MA thesis. Prerequisite(s): HIST 701 and consent of public history faculty.
HIST 810. Special Topics in History (1-3).
An umbrella course created to explore a variety of subtopics differentiated by letter (e.g., 810A, 810B). Not all subtopics are offered each semester – see the course schedule for availability. Students enroll in the lettered courses with specific topics in the titles rather than in this root course.
HIST 810D. Local Wichita History (3).
A study of local history and how it is presented to different audiences. Students explore the presentation of local topics, work with a local historical museum, a local archive, and a research project involving the Chisholm Trail.
HIST 810E. Special Topics in World History (3).
This independent study course will be created by the instructor and student to best meet the latter's needs. Repeatable for six credit hours. Course includes diversity content. Prerequisite(s): Graduate standing.
HIST 810F. Special Topics in American History (3).
This independent study course is created by the instructor and student to best meet the latter's needs. Repeatable for 6 credit hours. Course includes diversity content.