Courses

Using the  study area buttons below find detailed information about the courses being offered. 
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History

• HIS 100 Issues in World History I

  An exploration of major themes, periods, and events in World History to 1500. This course will introduce students to methods, practices, and sources common to historical study.

• HIS 101 Issues in World History II

  An exploration of major themes, periods, and events in World History since 1500. This course will introduce students to methods, practices, and sources common to historical study.

• HIS 114 The Ancient and Medieval World I

  An introduction to the cultures of the Ancient Near East from the Stone Ages to the Persians with special emphasis on Mesopotamia and Egypt.

• HIS 115 The Ancient and Medieval World II

  A general introduction to the history, culture, and literature of ancient Greece and Rome and the medieval world.

• HIS 200 Canadian History to Confederation

  This course examines some of the central issues and events from the pre-contact period to the Confederation debates of the 1860s. Students are also introduced to some of the principal historiographic debates surrounding pre-Confederation Canada.

• HIS 201 Canadian History since Confederation

  This course examines some of the central issues and events from the formation of a Canadian nation-state from the 1860s to the present. Students are also introduced to some of the principal historiographic debates surrounding post-Confederation Canada.

• HIS 210 American History to 1865

  This course examines some significant issues and events in American history from the pre-contact world to the end of the Civil War. Students are introduced to some of the principal historiographic debates surrounding early America.

• HIS 211 American History since 1865

  This course examines some significant issues and events in American history from the Reconstruction era to the present. Students are introduced to some of the principal historiographic debates surrounding modern America.

• HIS 237 History of Christianity I

  A study of the church in the Roman and medieval worlds from the first through the 16th centuries, this course includes topics such as the expansion of Christianity, the development of doctrine and struggle against heresy, the establishment of Christendom and the rise of the papacy and monasticism, the decline of the Roman Empire, the Dark Ages, the contribution of the Celtic church, the papacy, the Crusades, the Renaissance, medieval monasticism and mysticism, Scholasticism, and the beginning of the Protestant Reformation.
  
  Note: This course is offered both in-class and online. The online offering of this course is only available during the winter semester.

• HIS 238 History of Christianity II

  A study of Christianity from the sixteenth century to contemporary times, this course examines topics such as the Reformation, the Catholic Reformation, Puritanism, Pietism, the first and second Evangelical Awakenings, the development of liberalism and fundamentalism, and recent movements in ecumenism.
  
  Note: This course is offered both in-class and online. The online offering of this course is only available during the fall semester.

• HIS 273 Russian History

  A Survey of Russian history from ca. 900 AD to the present.

• HIS 280 History and the Historian

  This course will introduce students to historical thinking and the history of historical writing. Attention will be given to the development of skills for interpreting primary sources with the use of historical methodologies and for critiquing historiography – the varied and often conflicting interpretations proposed to explain historical events.

  Prerequisite: One of HIS 100, HIS 101, HIS 237 or HIS 238

• HIS 311 Medieval Europe

  This course explores the political, social and cultural history of Europe from the Roman Empire to the fifteenth century.

  Prerequisite: 6 credit hours of History

• HIS 312 Ideas and Society in Early Modern Europe

  Between the fourteenth and seventeenth centuries, a renaissance of classical learning began in Italy and moved throughout Europe. This course will explore various aspects of this cultural phenomenon including, for example, the impact of an expanded press, philosophical developments from scholasticism to humanism, political and economic developments, accomplishments in the realms of art, architecture, and literature, as well as the religious conflicts and reforms of the Roman Catholic Church and its protestors.

  Prerequisite: 6 credit hours of History

• HIS 313 Europe in the Age of Enlightenment

  This course will explore the social, cultural and intellectual developments of eighteenth-century Europe, including changing views of the universe, the Scientific Method and competing theories of scientific knowledge, the influence of the philosophes, enlightened statecraft, educational reform, the expansion of trade, the growth of urban centres, and the beginnings of the industrial revolution.

  Prerequisite: 6 credit hours of History

• HIS 314 Social, Intellectual and Cultural Developments in Nineteenth-Century Europe

  From the French Revolution to the First World War, this course will examine the long nineteenth-century in European history. This will include an exploration of the rise of cultural, intellectual and political trends such as socialism, liberalism, conservatism, Marxism, imperialism, feminism, Darwinism, modernism, nationalism, secularization and industrialization.

  Prerequisite: 6 credit hours of History

• HIS 315 Society and Politics in Twentieth-Century Europe

  An examination of political, social, and economic developments in twentieth-century Europe including the origins and outcomes of the two world wars, varieties of political ideologies, and the changing nature of national and trans-national identities in the wake of decolonization, and the origins and development of the European Union.

  Prerequisite: 6 credit hours of History

• HIS 320 Imperial Russia

  When Peter the Great envisioned a new capital city on the Neva in 1703, he opened debate regarding the future of the Russian empire and its relationship with the West. This course will explore the history of the Russian empire from Peter's reign to the overthrow of the autocracy in 1917. It will examine such topics as the reforms of Peter I and Catherine II, the reign of Alexander I and the question of a constitution, the Decembrist uprising, the Slavophile controversy, official nationality, the impact of the Crimean war, the Great Reforms, the radicalization of the intelligentsia, the Silver Age in the arts, and the revolutions of 1905 and 1917.

  Prerequisite: 6 credit hours of History

• HIS 321 Twentieth-Century Russia

  Beginning and ending with political transformation, Russia's twentieth century was one of experimentation, sacrifice and achievement. This course will examine the central themes and decisive moments in the history of Russia in the twentieth century including revolution, war communism, the New Economic Policy, collectivization and industrialization, the purges, the impact of World War II, De-Stalinization, the communist empire, Glasnost and Perestroika, and the collapse of the Soviet Union.

  Prerequisite: 6 credit hours of History

• HIS 330 Social History of Canada

  A study of major themes in Canadian social history. In addition to the study of methodologies current in social history, this course will, in particular, explore issues concerning race, class, and gender in Canadian history.

  Prerequisite: 6 credit hours of History

• HIS 335 North American West

  This course examines themes in the development of the western regions of Canada and the United States. While specific local, regional, and national issues/events/themes will be examined within the context of western Canada and the United States, some attention to the comparative history of the 'wests' will be made.

  Prerequisite: 6 credit hours of History

• HIS 339 World Christianity from the Colonial Period to the Present

  The spread of Christianity around the world in the last few centuries is based on both the missionary activity of the Western churches and the growth of indigenous churches that were initially the recipients of missionary activity. In exploring the history of this growth, this course examines the missionary enterprise of the Christian church in the broader context of the imperial and colonial ambitions of European states. Concurrently, it looks at how the recipients of the Christian message appropriated and transformed it, creating dynamic new expressions of the Christian church. The relationships between the emerging indigenous churches and the missionaries, mission agencies and the colonial regimes are studied along with the interaction of the indigenous churches with their own cultural and political contexts.

  Prerequisite: HIS 238 History of Christianity II

• HIS 340 Gender, Sex, and Sexuality in Global History

  This course will explore a range of methodological approaches to the study of gender, sex, and sexuality within the discipline of history. Using a variety of case studies, it will also examine the construction of gender identities and self-hood as well as the relationship between power and sex within particular cultural and historical contexts.

  Prerequisite: 6 credit hours of History

• HIS 351 Islamic History and Society in the Classical Era

  After the death of the Prophet Muhammad, Arab armies rapidly conquered territories from India to Spain and developed thriving cultures in the centuries that followed. This course examines the origin of Islam and the development of key Muslim institutions such as the Qur'an, the Hadith, the Shari'ah, Sufism, and Muslim theology. It traces the rise and fall of successive Muslim regimes to the fall of Baghdad during the Mongol invasions in the thirteenth century.

  Prerequisite: 6 credit hours of History

• HIS 352 Islamic History and Society in the Medieval and Modern Eras

  The situation in the Muslim world today can be more fully understood in the light of historical developments of the past few hundred years. This course begins with the rise and decline of the major Muslim powers in the medieval period--the Ottomans in the Middle East, the Safavids in Persia, and the Mughals in India. The impact of European colonialism and modernism on Muslim thought and institutions in the nineteenth century is also studied. The course concludes with an examination of the subsequent developments including the violent manifestations in recent years.

  Prerequisite: 6 credit hours of History

• HIS 361 History of the Modern Middle East

  This course begins with an examination of the Ottoman Empire and the transformation it experienced in the 19th century. The concurrent impact of European colonialism on Middle Eastern societies will be examined. Additionally, the development of nation states throughout the twentieth century will be studied, along with the rise of Zionism and the impact of the creation of the state of Israel. The influence of ideological movements such as nationalism and Islamism will likewise receive attention throughout the course.

  Prerequisite: 6 credit hours of History

• HIS 362 History of Modern South Asia

  This course traces the history of South Asia from middle of the 18th century to the present. It examines the growth of the British Empire in India and impact of colonialism on Indian societies while also examining the continuing legacy of the declining Mughal Empire. The evolution of political, judicial, and educational institutions in British India are included in this study. The subsequent growth of nationalism and the struggle for independence, leading to the establishment of independent states, along with the struggles to develop democratic institutions, are also examined.

  Prerequisite: 6 credit hours of History

• HIS 363 Modern China

  This course will explore the history of China from the Opium Wars to the Present. It will include an examination of such topics as China's relationship with the west in the nineteenth century, the end of the Qing Dynasty, the Guomindang State, the impact of World War II, the Communist Revolution, Communism under Mao, isolationism, and contemporary social issues including human rights concerns and the growing Chinese economy and world trade.

  Prerequisite: 6 credit hours of History

• HIS 371 Jewish Backgrounds to Early Christianity

  A seminar on the history, literature, and thought of early Judaism (from 300 BCE to 200 CE). This course highlights the Jewish origins of Christianity, illuminates the thought world of Jesus and his Jewish contemporaries, and explores the reasons for the eventual "parting of ways" between Judaism and Christianity.
  
  Cross-listed: BLST 371 Jewish Backgrounds to Early Christianity

  Prerequisite: 6 credit hours of History

• HIS 393 Specialized Study

  Offered occasionally to provide in-depth study in a topic in History that is not covered in regularly scheduled courses.

  Prerequisite: 6 credit hours of History

• HIS 401 History of Psychology

  An examination of the historical roots of psychology, with particular emphasis on the relationship between socio-cultural context and the emergence of key psychological theories and figures.
  
  Cross-listed: PSY 401 History of Psychology

  Prerequisite: 6 credit hours of Psychology and 6 credit hours of History

• HIS 418 The History and Future of the Book

  A seminar that examines the production and transmission of texts from antiquity to the present. This course will examine the physical as well as social history of texts and text transmission. As well, it will consider the impact of the digital age on the present and possible futures of the book, comparing the current revolution to past revolutions in text transmission, and recognizing the various ways that texts, their material forms, and their historical contexts all influence one another.
  
  Cross-listed: ENG 418 The History and Future of the Book

  Prerequisite: 6 credit hours of English and 6 credit hours of History

• HIS 420 Topics in European History

  A seminar examining a specialized topic, issue, or event in European history. The focus of the course will vary. May be taken more than once provided that the subject matter varies substantially.

  Prerequisite: 6 credit hours of History and 60 credit hours of completed coursework

• HIS 430 Indigenous-Newcomer Relations in Canada

  This course examines the shared history of Indigenous peoples and non-Indigenous Canadians from the mid-nineteenth century to the present. Particular attention is paid to economic relationships, the treaty process and Canadian state formation, the intersection of Indigenous and western forms of religion, assimilative endeavours and Indigenous resistance, and contemporary social, legal, and political issues.
  
  Cross-listed: INDG 430 Indigenous-Newcomer Relations in Canada

  Prerequisite: 6 credit hours of History and/or Indigenous Studies

• HIS 431 History of Christianity in Canada

  While contemporary Canada is often thought of as more secular than its American neighbour, Christianity constituted a vital part of the social and intellectual fabric of the nation's past. This course traces the history of Christianity in Canada from the initial contact experience to contemporary times, all within the broader context of relevant political, social, and intellectual developments. Students are also introduced to some of the principal historiographic debates surrounding the history of Christianity in Canada.

  Prerequisite: 6 credit hours of History

• HIS 433 History of Christianity in the United States

  This course provides a critical examination of religious development in colonial America and the United States from European settlement to the present. Students will read widely in both primary and secondary literature and be introduced to some central historiographic debates concerning the role of religion in historic and contemporary America.

  Prerequisite: 6 credit hours of History

• HIS 439 Topics in Canadian History

  A seminar examining a specialized topic in Canadian history. The specific focus of the course will be determined by the instructor.

  Prerequisite: 6 credit hours of History and the completion of 60 credit hours of study

• HIS 441 Christianity and Science from Copernicus to Creation Science

  This course examines the relationship of Christianity and science from the Copernican revolution in the 16th century to the rise of the modern Creation Science movement and aims to place the relationship between science and faith in a mature historical and theological context. Students are introduced to both primary and secondary literature on the encounter between Christianity and science.

  Prerequisite: 6 credit hours of History

• HIS 442 Topics in the History of Science

  A seminar examining a specialized topic in the history of science. The specific focus of the course will be determined by the instructor.

  Prerequisite: 6 credit hours of History and the completion of 60 credit hours of study

• HIS 445 Philosophy of History

  This seminar examines the philosophical issues raised by history and historical description, explanation, and narrative. It will consider topics such as the nature of human historical agency, whether ideas, traditions, or material conditions can be identified as causes of historical events, whether there is purpose, necessity, and meaning in history, and whether history contributes to an understanding of human nature.
  
  Cross-listed: Philosophy 445 Philosophy of History

  Prerequisite: Prerequisite: HIS 280 and one of PHI 100 or PHI 101.

• HIS 451 History of Christian-Muslim Relations

  Increasingly, Christians in North America are encountering Muslims. A review of the ways in which Christians and Muslims have interacted in a variety of contexts in the past provides guidance for our current relationships. This course covers such topics as Christianity in the Arab world at the time of Muhammad, the initial conquest of the Christian regions of the Middle East and North Africa by Arab armies, and the Muslim treatment of Christian communities in conquered territories. It goes on to explore the Christian-Muslim encounters in medieval times--both the military clashes and the more peaceful exchanges of medieval scholars. Current relations in the context of Christian missionary efforts, the immigration of Muslims to the West, and post-colonial conflicts receive special focus.

  Prerequisite: 6 credit hours of History

• HIS 460 Empire and Imperialism in World History

  Instead of focusing on nations and nationalism, this course explores the role of empires and imperialism in the shaping of world history and the modern world. Beginning with the Roman Empire and early Imperial China, and proceeding to Imperial Russia and the British Empire, this course will examine major world empires chronologically and thematically, looking at the continuities and discontinuities of building and maintaining empires. In addition to imperial conquest, rule, and colonization, the diverse experiences of the conquered peoples, and their resistance to and participation in empire will also be analyzed.

  Prerequisite: 6 credit hours of History

• HIS 466 War, Peace and Society in the Twentieth-Century

  An exploration of the nature and impact of warfare in the twentieth-century world with particular attention to the world wars, the impact of war upon society, peace movements, the reality and threat of nuclear war, Cold War politics and policy, and conflicts in the Middle East and Asia. Not a course in military history.

  Prerequisite: 6 credit hours of History and the completion of 60 credit hours of study

• HIS 469 Topics in World History

  A seminar examining a specialized topic or comparative study in world history. While a significant component of this course requires a non-western focus, the precise topic will be determined by the instructor.

  Prerequisite: 6 credit hours of History and the completion of 60 credit hours of study

• HIS 480 Historiography and the Craft of History

  A seminar designed to introduce key analytical concepts and theories, schools of historiography and notable historians from across the centuries. While this seminar will typically begin with an examination of ancient, medieval and early modern schools of thought, primary attention will be focused on practitioners, theories, methods, and historical interpretations in both western and majority world contexts over the past two centuries and, in particular, since the 1960s.

  Prerequisite: 60 credit hours completed in the BA Humanities program or permission of instructor

• HIS 490 History Practicum

  A supervised field experience that combines both theoretical and practical approaches to a specific task related to the historical profession. Students will work closely with a faculty member in an internship involving, for example, teaching, research, public history, service in government or non-governmental organizations, or information management and/or preservation. Internships may be on- or off-site with a wide range of institutions and organizations.

  Prerequisite: 60 credit hours completed in the BA Humanities program and permission of program chair

• HIS 493 Specialized Study

  A seminar offered occasionally to provide in-depth study in a topic in History that is not covered in regularly scheduled courses.

  Prerequisite: 6 credit hours of History and the completion of 75 credit hours of study

• HIS 496 Honours Reading Course

  This individualized program of study will be developed and supervised by a faculty member in a content area closely related to the student’s honours thesis.

  Prerequisite: Prerequisite: Admission into the BA History (Honours) program

• HIS 498 Honours Thesis

  Students will research, write and defend a 12,000 – 15,000-word thesis. An oral defense and a library-acceptable copy are required.

  Prerequisite: Prerequisite: Admission into the BA History (Honours) program

• HIS 499 Honours Thesis

  Students will research, write and defend a 12,000 – 15,000-word thesis. An oral defense and a library-acceptable copy are required.

  Prerequisite: Prerequisite: Admission into the BA History (Honours) program