HIST 101-102 World Civilizations I & II 3 credits each
These courses are a survey of world civilizations and the interactions between the different centers of civilization from the ancient world to the present. Particular emphasis is given to non-Western cultures in Asia, Africa, and the Americas. First semester covers the period from the ancient world to about AD 1400. Second semester carries through to the present.
HIST 201-202 U.S. History I & II 3 credits each
These courses survey the political, economic, and social growth of America. The first semester covers the period of exploration to 1865, and the second semester from 1865 to the present.
HIST 225 West Virginia History, Government, Geography 2 credits
This course is a history of the western section of Virginia to the Civil War and the history and government of West Virginia to the present. The physical, political, and social geography of the state is included.
HIST 297 Special Studies in History 2 or 3 credits
These courses are designed to permit students to study with various faculty members in the department or with visiting instructors or foreign visitors.
HIST 309 The World of Late Antiquity 3 credits
The World of Late Antiquity surveys the many different and competing elements of religious views found in ancient Greco-Roman culture through the first five centuries of the common era. Particular attention is given to the philosophical, sociological, theological, and political environment of ancient Mediterranean culture in an effort to understand the influence these views had on the Western tradition. (This course may be taken for credit as RELS 326.)
HIST 311 The Age of Transition: 1300-1600 3 credits
This course is an examination of the transitional period from the Middle Ages to the Modern World. Particular emphasis is on the political and economic development of the Italian city states, the rise of national monarchies in Northern Europe, and the collapse of the unity of western Christendom.
HIST 312 The Age of Absolutism: 1600-1789 3 credits
This course examines the emergence of the modern state system and the rise of Absolutism. Topics include the Thirty Years War, the Age of Louis XIV, the English revolutions, and the Enlightenment.
HIST 313 The Age of Revolution and Nationalism: 1789-1914 3 credits
This course is an examination of the French Revolution, the Industrial Revolution, and the rise of the modern nation-state. Particular emphasis is placed on the political, economic, and social upheaval resulting from the impact of liberalism and nationalism.
HIST 314 The Age of Uncertainty: 1914-Present 3 credits
This course examines the collapse of European global domination in the wake of two world wars and the division of Europe during the Cold War. Topics include the disaster of the First World War, the rise of Communism and Fascism, the Second World War, the recovery of Europe, the collapse of the Soviet Empire, and the rise of the European Union.
HIST 324 Russia Under the Tsars: 1500-1918 3 credits
This course surveys the history of Russia from the late Middle Ages to the Russian Revolution. Specific topics include the growth of Russian power, the emergence of Russia as a major player in the European state system, and the collapse of Tsarist autocracy.
HIST 325 Post Tsarist Russia: From Lenin to Putin 3 credits
This course is an examination of the rise of Soviet totalitarianism, the Great Patriotic War, the impact of the Soviet Union’s role as superpower, both internal and external, the collapse of Soviet society, the first halting attempts to rebuild Russia, and the re-emergence of Russia on the international stage as a regional power and an economic force.
HIST 327 British History 3 credits
This course provides a brief survey of British society to the Elizabethan period, followed by a more detailed study of the Elizabethan period through World War II. Topics such as the nature of the 18th century politics, the Industrial Revolution, liberal and Victorian England, the impact of the World Wars on British society, and the “Irish Question” are examined.
HIST 328 History of Mexico 3 credits
This course is a survey of Mexican history that emphasizes the variety of forces that shaped the formation of modern Mexico. Beginning with the settlement of Mesoamerica, the first half of the course examines the classical, pre-Columbian civilizations, the Spanish conquest, and the development of a diverse, multi-racial society from the sixteenth to the eighteenth centuries. The second half of the course discusses the causes and consequences of Mexican independence, the roots of the Mexican Revolution, its social, cultural and political consequences, and the breakdown of the PRI system in the late twentieth century.
HIST 329 Islamic Civilization 3 credits
This course is a survey of the emergence of Islam during late Roman antiquity and the middle ages, highlighting the life of the prophet Mohammed and the development of Islamic religion, philosophy, and literature in the early Islamic empires. Also considered is the development of Islamic fundamentalism in the modern world and institutional, operational, and environmental factors which demonstrate differences between the Islamic and Western worlds. (This course may be taken for credit as RELS 352.)
HIST 330 Modern China 3 credits
This course is a basic survey of modern China. Following an introduction to the geography and history of the country, the course focuses on the art, modern literature, cinema, culture, sociology, politics, foreign relations, economy, and current conditions in the People’s Republic of China.
HIST 331 Modern Japan 3 credits
This course is a basic survey of modern Japan. Following an introduction to geography and history, the course focuses on art, modern literature, cinema, culture, sociology, politics, economy, and current conditions in Japan. (This course may be taken for credit as JAPN 321.)
HIST 332 Japanese History and Culture in Film 3 credits
This class explores the historical development of Japanese culture through the viewing of a series of 16 to 18 Japanese movies which portray, in one way or another, key concepts that are central to understanding Japanese society. Combines with readings and lectures which place the films in their historical context, students should gain an understanding of the wrenching social changes that buffeted Japan over the course of the twentieth and into the twenty-first century.
HIST 351 The Early Republic, 1789-1848 3 credits
This course explores the development of the United States from the birth of the Republic through the Mexican-American War, examining, among other topics, the implementation of the government under the Constitution, the democratization of the political process, the early foreign relations of the United States, the growth of sectionalism, the commercial and market “revolutions,” and territorial expansion.
HIST 352 The Crisis of the Republic, 1848-1877 3 credits
This course examines the social, political, economic, and ideological forces that led to the American Civil War, traces the main phases of the military campaigns, and explores the far-reaching consequences of the war in American history. Topics include slavery and sectional conflict before the war, the abolitionist movement, Union and Confederate strategies, the wartime experiences in the North and South, African-Americans and emancipation, and the Reconstruction period following the war.
HIST 354 America in the Era of the World Wars, 1914-1945 3 credits
This class explores American society, politics, and international relations in the era of the world wars of the twentieth century, a period during which American attitudes concerning international relations, domestic politics, and social policies underwent profound changes. Topics include American participation in the First World War, the isolationist impulse of the 1920s and 1930s, the culture and politics of the 1920s, the Great Depression, the New Deal, and the Second World War.
HIST 355 Contemporary U.S. History, 1945-present 3 credits
This course examines the history of the United States since 1945. Emphasis is placed on the evolution of the postwar world, the Cold War, the rise of the consumer society, the changes in society and social values, the urban and suburban revolution, the sixties, and the Civil Rights Movement.
HIST 376 Methods of Historical Research and Writing 3 credits
This course is a study of the techniques of historical writing and research that that are expected in the History program and more generally in the academy. It introduces students to the major types of historical paper-writing, including book reviews, various analyses, and research papers. It also discusses suggestions for improving writing quality and provides an introductory tutorial to the Chicago Manual of Style.
HIST 377 Theory and Practice of History 3 credits
This course is a study of the major works of the ancient, medieval, and modern European and American historians with emphasis on the various schools and methods of interpretation. The student also receives an introduction to the nature and methods of history as an intellectual discipline. Emphasis is on the techniques of historical research in preparation for the Senior Project.
HIST 400-409 Seminar in American History 2-4 credits
These seminars provide the opportunity for advanced study of a topic, period, or issue in American History. (Topics change regularly.) Prerequisite: Previous study of the topic in a survey course or permission of the instructor.
HIST 401 Constitutional Law 3 credits
Case studies and moot cases examine the historical development of important constitutional issues before the United Stated Supreme Court. Students become familiar with the basic structure and functions of the federal court system. (This course may be taken for credit as POLS 401.)
HIST 410-419 Seminar in European History 2-4 credits
These seminars provide an opportunity for advanced study of a topic, period, or issue in European History. (Topics change regularly.) Prerequisite: Previous study of the topic in a survey course or permission of the instructor.
HIST 410 Weapons and Warfare 4 credits
This course is an examination of the science and art of warfare throughout the history of civilization. Particular emphasis is on the technology of war and the methods developed to employ that technology against opponents on the battlefield or against an opponent’s entire society.
HIST 420-429 Seminar in Non-Western History 2-4 credits
These seminars provide the opportunity for advanced study of a topic, period, or issue in non-Western History. (Topics change regularly.) Prerequisite: Previous study of the topic in a survey course or permission of the instructor.
HIST 487-488 Independent Study 2-4 credits
HIST 490 Senior Project 2-4 credits
The student plans and pursues an independent research project in History.
HIST 495 Comprehensive Exams
This course is an administrative placeholder used to record a student’s score on Comprehensive Exams (CR/NCR).
“As a History major, Bethany College was an ideal setting in which to study, from the iconic Old Main and the grand old buildings on campus to the beautiful downtown historic district. At Phillips Library the college archivist encouraged me to work hands-on with the rare books and artifacts and I was immediately hooked. I graduated from Bethany and landed a job at the Library of Congress before pursuing a Master’s degree and eventually finding my way back to West Virginia as an archivist and records manager. While I learned theory and critical thinking in the classroom, it was the visceral connection to the past that working in an archives provides that truly set the course of my career. A degree from Bethany could have landed me any number of jobs, but I probably wouldn’t be where I am were it not for that chance visit to the college archives.”