Masters Degree Courses

Prerequisite(s): Fifteen semester credit hours or consent of chair.

Directed reading and research with topics chosen by the student and instructor. May be repeated for credit.

This course examines Texas history from the time of discovery to the late twentieth century. Topics examined include the Spanish colonial period, Anglo colonization, the Texas Revolution, early statehood, the Civil War and Reconstruction, the cattleman's frontier, the oil industry, and modern Texas politics.

An advanced study of United States diplomatic relations in the twentieth century from the opening of the Spanish-American War to the conclusion of the Cold War. The course will survey the history of United States foreign policy, beginning with American emergence from a tradition of isolation to a position of world leadership and world power. Topics will include the diplomacy of both world wars, the policy of containment underlying the Korean and Vietnam conflicts, relations with the Soviet Union and China, U.S.-Latin American affairs, and American approaches to the Arab-Israeli conflict.

This graduate-level course considers how exploration and colonization transformed North America from roughly 1500 to 1763.  As peoples, microbes, goods, and ideas circulated in this newly connected world, European colonists, enslaved Africans, and indigenous peoples forged new cultures, reckoned with environmental changes, and adapted to the social and political realities of life in North America.

This course traces the growth of Southern culture; economy and politics from the establishment of the first Southern Colonies to the Civil War. Emphasis is placed upon such topics as social organization, slavery, secession, and the creation of the Confederacy--always relating developments in the South to events in the nation at large.

The bitter sectional conflicts touched off by slavery and westward expansion provoked a mounting crisis in the 1850s, ending in the election of 1860. The course then turns to the battlefield and the question of why the South lost, concluding with an examination of the attempt to reintegrate the South into the Union and the angry social and political clash which was precipitated.

An examination of the history and development of the trans-Mississippi West from approximately 1890 to the present.  The course will consider major themes such as native and immigrant peoples, rural verses urban politics, economic growth and development, the environment, regionalism, and the West in popular culture.

A study of the background and development of the agrarian reform movements of the late nineteenth century culminating in the rise and fall of the Populist party, the urban-industrial movements in America during the early twentieth century including municipal, general political, labor, child labor, social welfare, and other movements.

Federalists and Jeffersonians struggled over the destiny of the young Republic -- would it be a unitary, entrepreneurial nation, or an agrarian confederation? Complicating the battle were economic change, and the acquisition of the Louisiana Territory, even as Europe began to threaten American commerce and ultimately the independence of the Republic.

Using Andrew Jackson as a symbol of his age, the course traces the acrimonious partisan conflict which gave birth to mass democracy, and a new two-party system. This is related to such crucial issues as the bank war, nullification, minority rights and the Mexican War -- questions fostered by rapid industrialization and the migration of pioneers to the Pacific.

A survey of the forces and events which dominated English development from the times of the Romans to the advent of the Tudors to the throne in 1485.  The course focuses on the constitutional development of England and discusses the contributions of the Anglo-Saxons and Normans as well as others.

A survey of American Indian history that considers early migrations through European contact, relocation, acculturation, termination, self-determination, and the civil rights movement of the twentieth century.

A survey of English history during the reign of the Tudors and the Stuarts, from 1485 until the death of Queen Anne in 1714.  The course covers the English Reformation and the Elizabethan Era, as well as the English Civil War and Glorious Revolution.

A study of American life from the end of World War One to the end of World War Two with special emphasis upon the prosperity of the Twenties, the Great Depression, the New Deal, and the domestic and foreign policy problems of the World War Two period.

The development of the New South from the legacy of the Civil War and Reconstruction. Southern politics, economics, cultural, and industrial development.

A survey of British history and the history of the British Empire, from the creation of Great Britain with the Act of Union in 1710 to decolonization after World War Two.  Areas of focus include the Industrial Revolution, the development of parliamentary democracy, the world wars of the twentieth century, and the differing trajectories of empire both by century and region.

A study of American life and foreign policy trends since 1945 with special emphasis upon the major political, economic, and social changes which have affected the lives of all Americans.

A survey of Mexican history from Pre-Hispanic times to the present with emphasis on the National Period 1820-1967, which includes the age of Santa Anna, La Reforma, the Diaz Dictatorship, and the Revolution of 1910.

Course will emphasize Vargas in Brazil, Peron in Argentina, Castro in Cuba, Allende in Chile, and such currently popular problems as those found in Central America.

Unlike most Vietnam War courses that are taught from the American perspective, this approach will be based mostly on Vietnamese sources and viewpoints. The course examines the Vietnam Wars, starting with the Vietnamese war for independence from the French and then with the United States (1965-1975). Though this class is mostly focused on the modern-era, students will learn Vietnam’s history and culture to gain a better understanding of Vietnamese behavior and attitudes. Students will gain an understanding of how colonialism and war had a large impact on the country and people. We will discuss the wars from a number of perspectives including, but not limited to, the U.S.-backed Saigon government, the Hanoi-allied National Liberation Front, and the Viet Cong. Some overall themes for the course include imperialism/colonialism, nationalism, communism, and anti-communism.

This course explores the history of the Caribbean and its place in the world from ancient times to the modern era.  Paying close attention to the peoples who inhabited the region--including indigenous peoples, European powers, enslaved Africans--it will consider the Caribbean as a center of globalization, especially since the early modern era when sugar production dominated the region.  Themes will include (but are not limited to) early migration to the Caribbean by native peoples, European colonization and subsequent imperial rivalries, the rise and fall of African slavery, the age of Revolutions, emancipation, independence, natural disasters, tourism, and legacy of colonial rule.

A study of the social, political, and intellectual traditions of western society as they developed after the Germanic invasions. Emphasis will be placed on the evolution of feudal society and its interaction with the community of the Christian Church.

Prerequisite(s): Six hours of history or consent of the chair.

A study of the development of Greece from the Bronze Age through the Classical Age of Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle with the emergence of Rome as an imperial power and its expansion through the Mediterranean world. The course concludes with an examination of early Christianity and the collapse of the Roman political system.

A study of the development of European society in the era of the Black Death, of overseas discoveries, of the Renaissance and Reformation.  The emphasis of the course will be a topical study of Renaissance humanism and a detailed analysis of the impact of the Reformation on the doctrines and structures of western Christianity.

Prerequisites: Six semester hours or consent of Chair.

A study of French history from the sixteenth century to the end of the nineteenth century.  The course will focus on topics such as the Age of Louis the Fourteenth, Napoleon, and the Dreyfuss Affair.

Prerequisites: Six semester credit hours or consent of Chair.

This course details the development of Germany from a reign of multiple independent states during the Reformation to a strong and united World Power by the end of the nineteenth century.  Highlights include The Thirty Years' War, Frederick the Great, Otto von Bismarck, and the roots of modern German nationalism.

This course will explore the shifts in and significance of popular culture throughout the history of the United States.  Differing forms of popular culture and what each can reveal about the context of their development will be examined.  Topics ranging from vaudeville, radio, and film to sports, newspapers, comics, magazines, beauty, and advertising will be discussed.

Development of Europe from the beginning of the twentieth century to the present with emphasis on development since World War One.

A survey of Russian history from earliest times to the peak of Romanov power and prestige.

Russian history from 1801 to the present. The crisis and collapse of autocracy, the revolutions, reaction, superpower status, and the decline and fall of empire are some of the major topics covered in this course.

An examination of the various Eastern European countries, including the Balkans, from earliest times to the present. Particular emphasis on nineteenth and twentieth century social, political, economic, and religious trends and institutions. The course will also include a discussion of the collapse of communism and accompanying regional conflicts.

A survey of the major intellectual currents which have shaped American thought, including Puritanism, the Enlightenment, Romanticism, Transcendentalism, Utopian Idealism, Social Darwinism, and Pragmatism. This course traces the changing intellectual patterns which have characterized the development of American civilization.

Includes a survey of pre-Islamic society, the rise and spread of Islam, the rise and fall of the Ottoman Empire, European Imperialism, and the contemporary Middle East.

The Age of the Vikings (HIST 5553)

Prerequisite(s): Six hours or consent of Chair.

This course examines the Scandinavian peoples of Europe in the central Middle Ages.  Although traditional medieval history courses consider the Viking, Magyar, and Muslim invasions of the eighth and ninth centuries (beginning circa the year 750), conventional courses tend to overlook the Scandinavian countries themselves and their culture.

Prerequisite(s): Six hours of history or consent of Chair.

This course surveys the period of the "Crusades" from its inception in the late eleventh century, to its maturity in the twelfth and thirteenth century, and through its final demise in the later Middle Ages.  The examination of the development of the idea of crusade throughout these periods proves crucial to understanding the Crusades themselves, as the idea of crusade changed dramatically during each period.

A survey of westward expansion from the Mississippi River to the Pacific. From Lewis and Clark to Wounded Knee, from the fur traders' frontier to the farmers' frontier, this course surveys the sweeping movement of the American people across the trans-Mississippi West.

Survey of the relations of the United States with Latin America from independence to the present. The course keys on the Monroe Doctrine and United States policy from the Latin American perception of that policy. The course also covers in some detail United States relations with Argentina, Chile, Cuba, and Mexico.

An analysis of the actions of the armed forces in five major conflicts. Emphasis will be placed on tactical and strategic decision making, personalities, force structures and the application of technological innovations to warfare. Conflicts to be studied are: The Revolution, the Civil War, World Wars One and Two, and Vietnam.

Covers the social history of Europe from the Reformation era through World War II. Examines how historical development affected the lives of ordinary men and women. Included are such topics as the life-cycle, material conditions, social issues, and popular culture.

Examines the lives of women in the United States and Great Britain from the seventeenth century to the present. The central focus is how the factor of gender, along with other factors such as class and race, affected the historical experience of women.

Required of all graduate students with a major in history. A study of the history of historical research and interpretation from the Greeks to the present with emphasis on the American historians.

This course investigates the Indian, White, and Black cultures which made up the ethnic and cultural world of Ibero-America. The discovery, conquest, and settlement of Ibero-America are covered in detail as are such institutions as the church, encomienda, and the military. The course concludes with a discussion of the impact of the reforms of Charles the Third as they affected Latin America and initiated the independence movement.

This course traces the independence of Ibero-American Nations and explains the factionalization caused by the collapse of Spain's empire and the power struggles which resulted. Institutions such as caudillismo, the church, the military, and their impact are discussed as they developed during the nineteenth century.

Prerequisite(s): Six hours of history or consent of Chair.

An introduction to the ever-evolving field of Environmental History, this course aims to explore the mutual influences man and nature had on one another.  It will encompass not only human impact on the environment and how nature influenced culture, but issues ranging from conservation and preservation to deforestation and pollution.  Among the myriad subjects covered are invasive species, extinction, soil conservation, national parks, and wilderness.

Prerequisite(s): Admission to the history graduate program.

This course is designed to further develop and refine the graduate student's awareness of and engagement in the process of scholarly historical writing.  Particular emphasis is placed on the graduate student's ability to analyze, evaluate, and produce the forms of academic historical writing, thus giving the graduate student a strong foundation in the skills necessary for practicing the craft of history at the professional level.

In-depth studies of selected topics in American, European, Latin-American, or Russian history. Oral reports and research papers. May be repeated for credit.

A course in which a student or a group of students complete a project in local, public, or archival history.  May be repeated for credit.

Includes traditional historical research methodology such as document evaluation, information management, content analysis, interpretation, and writing skills. Required for all graduate students.

A supervised, monitored internship that introduces students to historical research in a professional setting.  May involve archival research, training in historical methods, or application of historical research to industry. A written report is required.  May be repeated for credit.

This course introduces graduate students to key scholarly conversation in the teaching of American and European/World History. The class also introduces students to professionalization in the field. The course should be taken in the first year of course work.