The history program offers courses in the history of regions and major topics in world history as well as skills and project-based courses. These courses provide students with a grounding in the many ways historians have made sense of the world. Understanding how diverse societies, economies, states, and cultures have changed and developed over time is crucial to evaluating and adapting to today’s ever-changing world. Throughout their course work, students learn to acquire, organize, analyze, and clearly communicate information and present complex histories to the public in a variety of formats.

The teacher certification program offers certification in secondary social studies teaching. Students interested in this program should see the Certification Coordinator in the Education program for specific requirements.

Learning Outcomes

Students who successfully complete the International Studies major will be able to:

• Demonstrate knowledge of specific facts, concepts, and generalizations regarding past human activity in social, political, intellectual, economic, cultural, geographic and technological spheres.
• Demonstrate recognition of the influence of global forces and identify their connections to local and national developments.
• Demonstrate the ability to explain the connections between past development and contemporary issues.
• Demonstrate ability to extract and interpret information from both primary and secondary sources and identify and critique major arguments and evidence.
• Demonstrate ability to differentiate between fact and interpretation and comprehend their interrelationships.
• Demonstrate ability to identify strengths and weaknesses of arguments in the context of previously learned material.
• Demonstrate ability to formulate hypotheses and research questions based on data.
• Demonstrate ability to locate and evaluate the perspective, quality and accuracy of information resources.
• Demonstrate recognition of the difference between primary and secondary sources.
• Demonstrate ability to clearly communicate knowledge via oral and written means.
• Demonstrate ability to construct simple essay arguments that use historical evidence.

Curriculum

+Major Requirements

12 courses, including:
HIS100	Introduction to World History This course is an introduction to world history from the rise of civilization to the present. It establishes and compares major themes in the leading civilizations of today’s world. It investigates the development of the modern world system and interpretations of its impact on these civilizations.	3
HIS102	Introduction to American History This course examines significant areas in the development of American society from the Colonial period to the present. It focuses particularly on the issues of gender, class, race, religion, politics, and ideology to provide students with the grounding in those areas crucial to understanding today's society.	3
POL311W	Selected Topics in Social Science Research The course introduces methods and approaches used to describe, explain, and evaluate social science research. Students will get an introduction to an instructor chosen research topic. Students will learn to formulate questions, create a literature review, gather and evaluate evidence and provide feedback on outside research concerning the selected course topic.	3
INTHIS303	Internship - History Internship - History	3
HIS490	Integrative Capstone The integrative capstone, undertaken by the student during the senior year, is an extended project that helps the student complete their transition from an undergraduate student to a world-ready professional. The study usually centers on the student's major and may be conducted, at least in part, in the context of a group experience. Such programs are crafted to meet the unique needs of each major, and could include, for example, fieldwork, theater production, creative work in the arts, independent research, or independent readings. The integrative capstone in an interdisciplinary major must have the approval of both academic programs. Pre-requisites Complete any 1 of the following courses: POL311 Selected Topics in Social Science Research POL311W Selected Topics in Social Science Research	3
--------------------
One of the following:
HIS200W	Revolutions in Latin America This course surveys Latin American history from colonization through the present with an emphasis on world history themes. While the legacies of the colonial period will be briefly examined, the course will focus primarily on the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. Global themes will include the spread of European religions among indigenous populations; reverberation of liberal revolutionary ideas in the western hemisphere; the incorporation of Latin American and its populations into the world economy; the influence of race on society; and the spread of Marxism and resulting revolutions.	3
HIS201W	Modern Middle East This course introduces students to the cultural, religious, social, economic and political landscape of the Middle East. It provides an in-depth look at 'traditional' society, state and culture and then highlights change and resistance to change in the period since the First World War, when European imperialism redrew the political map and westernization threatened to redraw social, cultural and religious maps.	3
HIS202W	Modern Europe The impact of World War I on Europe, the crisis of democracy and rise of totalitarian ideologies in the interwar period, and the decline of European influence in the world after World War II provide the focal points of the course. It then explores the slow resurgence of Europe, prospects for European unity, and revived European influence in international relations as a "third force."	3
HIS204W	East Asian Studies An exploration of East Asian geography, history, language, and culture frim Zhou Dynasty (ca. 1,000 BCE) to present times. Focus on China, Korea, Japan with reference to neighboring regions and discussion of Taiwan. Emphasis on arts, ideologies, and East Asian cultural sites in Pittsburgh area.	3
HIS205W	Africa, Past and Present This course is an interdisciplinary examination of the problems and promises of African development. It investigates the historical development of pre-independence society, culture, political institutions, and economic structures, and their interaction with post-independent economic problems and development strategies.	3
--------------------
Electives
4 courses 200-level courses (from list below):
HIS213	Special Topics Special Topics	3
HIS215	Ind & the Working Class in Europe & America This course seeks to understand who built America, under what conditions they labored, and to understand their hopes, dreams, and struggles to create a better future for themselves and their families. The course traces the historical development of the American working class from colonial times to the present. Particular attention is given to the formation of working class political and economic organizations and their impact on American history.	3
HIS216	Rise of the Third World The emergence of Third-Worldism after 1945 is the central historical development of the twentieth century. The Afro-Asian movement namely aimed at recasting the historical initiative away from implacable colonialist powers. This course focuses on the analysis of doctrines and models that have collectively marked the rise of the Third World.	3
HIS220	U.S. Women's History This course explores women’s historical experiences in the United States, from Native American women in the pre-colonial era to the present. It investigates the interaction of gender, race, ethnicity, class and sexuality and the ways that these relationships have shaped women’s lives socially, economically, and politically.	3
HIS224	The Holocaust This course surveys the destruction of two-thirds of European Jewry during World War II. Through a close reading of primary texts and secondary sources, it explores the foundations and development of Nazi policy toward the Jews. The course documents the reactions of Jews, European peoples and governments, the U.S. people and government, and various churches and political movements.	3
HIS230	History of Social & Political Thought History of Ideas surveys some fundamental normative questions that have been formulated in religion, politics, the Arts, and popular culture from Plato (5th century BC) to the present. It examines principles and methods of political and social thought as they relate to authority, obedience, freedom, equality, and justice.	3
HIS231	History of the British Empire History of the British Empire examines the historical narratives relating to imperialism, ethnocentrism, military aggressions, colonization, acculturation, repression of revolt, technological diffusion, intellectual outreach, and cross-cultural fertilization from the beginning of the reign of Queen Elizabeth I in 1558 to the return of Hong Kong to China in 1997.	3
HIS234	Asian Foodways A strategic survey of Japanese, Chinese/Taiwanese, Korean, and South Asian food ways in their originating contexts and the U.S. Emphasis on anthropological understanding of food ways, cultural studies critique of class, gender, and family dynamics articulated via food, and historical transformations of food culture in response to migration and globalization.	3
HIS241	History of Islam This course is a historical examination of classical Islamic civilization: its origins, nature, and development. Special attention is given to the religion of Islam and the contributions of Arabs, Persians, and Turks to Islamic civilization. Cross-listed as REL 241.	3
HIS247	American Environmental History Environmental history examines human interaction with their environment over time, a relationship shaped by cultures and political economies. In US history, there have been competing ideologies of capitalist exploitation, conservationism, preservationism, and sustainability. The course will also introduce students to different facets and methods of environmental history.	3
HIS250	History of Christianity This course provides students with a broad historical overview of Christianity, its origins, nature, and development. Students analyze primary sacred and historical texts in addition to historical scholarship on the religion.	3
HIS257	The Sixties, Vietnam & America This course examines the 1960s in America and Vietnam. The course focuses on the war in Vietnam from multiple perspectives including those of Vietnamese and American leaders and ordinary people, examining the roots of the conflict and how it shaped lives and the path of history. Pre-requisites Complete any 1 of the following courses: HIS100 Introduction to World History HIS102 Introduction to American History IND108 Gender and Contemporary Social Issues	3
HIS263	Gender and the Family in America In every era of US history, family and gender have been subject to and shaped by other forced in society, such as religion, politics, and the economy. This course traces the history of social construction of family and gender from the antebellum period to the twentieth century. Attention will be paid to changing concepts of family roles, gender roles, and sexuality over time. Pre-requisites Complete any 1 of the following courses: HIS100 Introduction to World History HIS102 Introduction to American History	3
HIS270	U.S. and the Holocaust This course examines the US and the Holocaust in Europe during the 1930s and 1940s. The primary focus is on developments in the US such as antisemitism, response to the rise of Hitler, knowledge of the Holocaust, and important decisions by national leaders.	3
HIS283	Religious Movements in the Global South This is an interdisciplinary exploration of religious experimentation and innovation in modern African history. The course focuses on enterprises that intensify the production and reinvention of sacred ceremonies, legendary narratives, social norms, ritualistic language, and forms of political participation.	3
2 courses 300-level courses (from list below):
HIS307	Oral History, Neighborhoods, and Race Through this course, students will learn about oral history and the racial dynamics of American cities, especially Pittsburgh, since World War II. Students will learn about the history of racial inequality in cities and the efforts of people to both combat and maintain that inequality. They will then conduct oral history interviews to further explore the role the lives of people in two neighborhoods in Pittsburgh.	3
HIS309	Digital Local History This course examines current methods and technologies used in the production of digital history, with a particular focus on incorporating local history resources into on-line historical media. Pre-requisites Complete the following course: HIS102 Introduction to American History	3
HIS326	The Arab-israeli Conflict This course examines the origins and issues of conflict between Arabs and Israelis over Palestine. Using primary and secondary sources, arguments of the conflict over serveral decades are considered, emphasizing the conflict between Palestinians and Israelis but also examining the role of regional and world powers.	3
HIS328	Recent African History and NGO Networks Western media typically paints a catastrophic view of Africa with stories of conflicts, environmental degradation, horrendous sanitary conditions, and their corollaries. Are the positive trends regarding economic growth, democratization, and endogenous creativity being overlooked? The course tackles this question while offering opportunities to gain substantial, practical knowledge about contemporary Africa.	3
HIS342	Post/Modern China: Digital Storytelling An examination of Chinese cultural history from early 1900s to early 2000s, via literature and film, with training in digital storytelling techniques. Discussion of this dramatic national narrative framed by political and aesthetic considerations. Our interpretation and transmission of these narratives framed also by ethics and efficacy. Pre-requisites Complete the following course: ENG105 First - Year Communication Seminar	3
HIS351	Asian Pacfic Islander America: History and Culture Asian Pacific Islander American is a category well worth unpacking in cultural history contexts from the Western Pennsylvanian to the American and global, in order to grasp these communities’ diversity and commonality, as well as struggles, resilience, and creative impact in social formations and in the arts. Pre-requisites Complete the following course: ENG105 First-Year Writing	3
ART372	Curating African Art and Artifacts This course explores the rich diversity of art across sub-Sahara Africa from the Paleolithic era to today. It focuses on cultures from West Africa, Central Africa, and East Africa to complement the holdings of the College's outstanding Olkes Collection of African Art, which includes more than 600 objects. Class lecture, discussion, and student projects utilize works from the collection, including masks, wood sculpture, beadwork, and metalwork.	3

+Interdisciplinary Major Requirements

8 courses, including:
HIS100	Introduction to World History This course is an introduction to world history from the rise of civilization to the present. It establishes and compares major themes in the leading civilizations of today’s world. It investigates the development of the modern world system and interpretations of its impact on these civilizations.	3
HIS102	Introduction to American History This course examines significant areas in the development of American society from the Colonial period to the present. It focuses particularly on the issues of gender, class, race, religion, politics, and ideology to provide students with the grounding in those areas crucial to understanding today's society.	3
1 of the following:
HIS200W	Revolutions in Latin America This course surveys Latin American history from colonization through the present with an emphasis on world history themes. While the legacies of the colonial period will be briefly examined, the course will focus primarily on the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. Global themes will include the spread of European religions among indigenous populations; reverberation of liberal revolutionary ideas in the western hemisphere; the incorporation of Latin American and its populations into the world economy; the influence of race on society; and the spread of Marxism and resulting revolutions.	3
HIS201	Modern Middle East This course introduces students to the cultural, religious, social, economic and political landscape of the Middle East. It provides an in-depth look at 'traditional' society, state and culture and then highlights change and resistance to change in the period since the First World War, when European imperialism redrew the political map and westernization threatened to redraw social, cultural and religious maps.	3
HIS202W	Modern Europe The impact of World War I on Europe, the crisis of democracy and rise of totalitarian ideologies in the interwar period, and the decline of European influence in the world after World War II provide the focal points of the course. It then explores the slow resurgence of Europe, prospects for European unity, and revived European influence in international relations as a "third force."	3
HIS205W	Africa, Past and Present This course is an interdisciplinary examination of the problems and promises of African development. It investigates the historical development of pre-independence society, culture, political institutions, and economic structures, and their interaction with post-independent economic problems and development strategies.	3
1 approved 3-credit internship (INTHIS 303)
2 courses concentrating in American, European or non-Western history
1 300-400 level seminar
1 program elective

+Minor Requirements

6 courses, including:

Minor Requirements 6 courses, including:
2 courses from the following:
HIS100	Introduction to World History This course is an introduction to world history from the rise of civilization to the present. It establishes and compares major themes in the leading civilizations of today’s world. It investigates the development of the modern world system and interpretations of its impact on these civilizations.	3
HIS102	Introduction to American History This course examines significant areas in the development of American society from the Colonial period to the present. It focuses particularly on the issues of gender, class, race, religion, politics, and ideology to provide students with the grounding in those areas crucial to understanding today's society.	3
HIS200W	Revolutions in Latin America This course surveys Latin American history from colonization through the present with an emphasis on world history themes. While the legacies of the colonial period will be briefly examined, the course will focus primarily on the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. Global themes will include the spread of European religions among indigenous populations; reverberation of liberal revolutionary ideas in the western hemisphere; the incorporation of Latin American and its populations into the world economy; the influence of race on society; and the spread of Marxism and resulting revolutions.	3
HIS201W	Modern Middle East This course introduces students to the cultural, religious, social, economic and political landscape of the Middle East. It provides an in-depth look at 'traditional' society, state and culture and then highlights change and resistance to change in the period since the First World War, when European imperialism redrew the political map and westernization threatened to redraw social, cultural and religious maps.	3
HIS202W	Modern Europe The impact of World War I on Europe, the crisis of democracy and rise of totalitarian ideologies in the interwar period, and the decline of European influence in the world after World War II provide the focal points of the course. It then explores the slow resurgence of Europe, prospects for European unity, and revived European influence in international relations as a "third force."	3
HIS204W	East Asian Studies An exploration of East Asian geography, history, language, and culture frim Zhou Dynasty (ca. 1,000 BCE) to present times. Focus on China, Korea, Japan with reference to neighboring regions and discussion of Taiwan. Emphasis on arts, ideologies, and East Asian cultural sites in Pittsburgh area.	3
HIS205W	Africa, Past and Present This course is an interdisciplinary examination of the problems and promises of African development. It investigates the historical development of pre-independence society, culture, political institutions, and economic structures, and their interaction with post-independent economic problems and development strategies.	3
200-level Electives
HIS213	Special Topics Special Topics	3
HIS215	Ind & the Working Class in Europe & America This course seeks to understand who built America, under what conditions they labored, and to understand their hopes, dreams, and struggles to create a better future for themselves and their families. The course traces the historical development of the American working class from colonial times to the present. Particular attention is given to the formation of working class political and economic organizations and their impact on American history.	3
HIS216	Rise of the Third World The emergence of Third-Worldism after 1945 is the central historical development of the twentieth century. The Afro-Asian movement namely aimed at recasting the historical initiative away from implacable colonialist powers. This course focuses on the analysis of doctrines and models that have collectively marked the rise of the Third World.	3
HIS220	U.S. Women's History This course explores women’s historical experiences in the United States, from Native American women in the pre-colonial era to the present. It investigates the interaction of gender, race, ethnicity, class and sexuality and the ways that these relationships have shaped women’s lives socially, economically, and politically.	3
HIS230	History of Social & Political Thought History of Ideas surveys some fundamental normative questions that have been formulated in religion, politics, the Arts, and popular culture from Plato (5th century BC) to the present. It examines principles and methods of political and social thought as they relate to authority, obedience, freedom, equality, and justice.	3
HIS231	History of the British Empire History of the British Empire examines the historical narratives relating to imperialism, ethnocentrism, military aggressions, colonization, acculturation, repression of revolt, technological diffusion, intellectual outreach, and cross-cultural fertilization from the beginning of the reign of Queen Elizabeth I in 1558 to the return of Hong Kong to China in 1997.	3
HIS234	Asian Foodways A strategic survey of Japanese, Chinese/Taiwanese, Korean, and South Asian food ways in their originating contexts and the U.S. Emphasis on anthropological understanding of food ways, cultural studies critique of class, gender, and family dynamics articulated via food, and historical transformations of food culture in response to migration and globalization.	3
HIS241	History of Islam This course is a historical examination of classical Islamic civilization: its origins, nature, and development. Special attention is given to the religion of Islam and the contributions of Arabs, Persians, and Turks to Islamic civilization. Cross-listed as REL 241.	3
HIS247	American Environmental History Environmental history examines human interaction with their environment over time, a relationship shaped by cultures and political economies. In US history, there have been competing ideologies of capitalist exploitation, conservationism, preservationism, and sustainability. The course will also introduce students to different facets and methods of environmental history.	3
HIS250	History of Christianity This course provides students with a broad historical overview of Christianity, its origins, nature, and development. Students analyze primary sacred and historical texts in addition to historical scholarship on the religion.	3
HIS257	The Sixties, Vietnam & America This course examines the 1960s in America and Vietnam. The course focuses on the war in Vietnam from multiple perspectives including those of Vietnamese and American leaders and ordinary people, examining the roots of the conflict and how it shaped lives and the path of history. Pre-requisites Complete any 1 of the following courses: HIS100 Introduction to World History HIS102 Introduction to American History IND108 Gender and Contemporary Social Issues	3
HIS263	Gender and the Family in America In every era of US history, family and gender have been subject to and shaped by other forced in society, such as religion, politics, and the economy. This course traces the history of social construction of family and gender from the antebellum period to the twentieth century. Attention will be paid to changing concepts of family roles, gender roles, and sexuality over time. Pre-requisites Complete any 1 of the following courses: HIS100 Introduction to World History HIS102 Introduction to American History	3
HIS270	U.S. and the Holocaust This course examines the US and the Holocaust in Europe during the 1930s and 1940s. The primary focus is on developments in the US such as antisemitism, response to the rise of Hitler, knowledge of the Holocaust, and important decisions by national leaders.	3
HIS283	Religious Movements in the Global South This is an interdisciplinary exploration of religious experimentation and innovation in modern African history. The course focuses on enterprises that intensify the production and reinvention of sacred ceremonies, legendary narratives, social norms, ritualistic language, and forms of political participation.	3
300-level Electives
HIS301	The Middle East and the United States This course examines the history of the modern Middle East and how U.S. foreign policy has shaped that history from 1945 to the present. It explores official U.S. policy toward the Middle East and the policies of Middle Eastern countries toward the United States, but also tries to understand U.S.-Middle East relations in cultural, economic, and social terms. Prerequisite(s):(s): Any 200-level history course or permission of the instructor.	3
HIS307	Oral History, Neighborhoods, and Race Through this course, students will learn about oral history and the racial dynamics of American cities, especially Pittsburgh, since World War II. Students will learn about the history of racial inequality in cities and the efforts of people to both combat and maintain that inequality. They will then conduct oral history interviews to further explore the role the lives of people in two neighborhoods in Pittsburgh.	3
HIS309	Digital Local History This course examines current methods and technologies used in the production of digital history, with a particular focus on incorporating local history resources into on-line historical media. Pre-requisites Complete the following course: HIS102 Introduction to American History	3
HIS326	The Arab-israeli Conflict This course examines the origins and issues of conflict between Arabs and Israelis over Palestine. Using primary and secondary sources, arguments of the conflict over serveral decades are considered, emphasizing the conflict between Palestinians and Israelis but also examining the role of regional and world powers.	3
HIS328	Recent African History and NGO Networks Western media typically paints a catastrophic view of Africa with stories of conflicts, environmental degradation, horrendous sanitary conditions, and their corollaries. Are the positive trends regarding economic growth, democratization, and endogenous creativity being overlooked? The course tackles this question while offering opportunities to gain substantial, practical knowledge about contemporary Africa.	3
HIS342	Post/Modern China: Digital Storytelling An examination of Chinese cultural history from early 1900s to early 2000s, via literature and film, with training in digital storytelling techniques. Discussion of this dramatic national narrative framed by political and aesthetic considerations. Our interpretation and transmission of these narratives framed also by ethics and efficacy. Pre-requisites Complete the following course: ENG105 First - Year Communication Seminar	3
HIS351	Asian Pacfic Islander America: History and Culture Asian Pacific Islander American is a category well worth unpacking in cultural history contexts from the Western Pennsylvanian to the American and global, in order to grasp these communities’ diversity and commonality, as well as struggles, resilience, and creative impact in social formations and in the arts. Pre-requisites Complete the following course: ENG105 First-Year Writing	3
ART372	Curating African Art and Artifacts This course explores the rich diversity of art across sub-Sahara Africa from the Paleolithic era to today. It focuses on cultures from West Africa, Central Africa, and East Africa to complement the holdings of the College's outstanding Olkes Collection of African Art, which includes more than 600 objects. Class lecture, discussion, and student projects utilize works from the collection, including masks, wood sculpture, beadwork, and metalwork.	3