History (HIST)

HIST1101  US HISTORY TO 1877  

United States history from the colonial period through Reconstruction. Emphasis on the interpretation of American institutions and ideas. Prerequisite: ENGL1050 (3 credits)

HIST3800  SPECIAL TOPICS IN HISTORY  

Special topics in history to be determined by the faculty assigned. Please contact assigned faculty for more information about the course topic. Prerequisite: Completion of an English sequence.

HIST4100  ANCIENT WORLD CIVILIZATIONS  

This course surveys the cultures and histories of major world civilizations from human evolution until the 15th century C.E. with a concentration on European and Asian civilizations. Prerequisite: completion of an English Sequence (4 credits)

HIST4123  US HISTORY TO 1877  

United States history from the colonial period to Reconstruction. Emphasis on the interpretation of American political, social, economic, cultural and religious institutions and the history of ideas. A research project is required. Prerequisite: completion of an English Sequence (4 credits)

HIST4151  HISTORY OF BASEBALL  

This course explores baseball as a lens through which we may better understand American history. Since its inception, baseball has been the quintessential American game. Its rise as a pastime and institution-both locally and globally-parallels that of the United States itself, and its study reveals much about American life. This course analyzes not only how baseball reflected American politics and culture, but how it influenced them as well. To that end, this course explores topics such as American identity and mythmaking, the rise of spectacle and consumer culture, tensions between business and labor, politics of race and gender and globalization. Prerequisites: completion of an English sequence (4 credits)

HIST4171  TECHNOLOGY & SOCIETY  

This course is a study of the relationship between technology and society from prehistoric times to the present day. Various topics are covered with emphasis given to the relationship of science, engineering, and technology. The social and cultural impact of technology throughout human history is a central aspect of the course. Prerequisite: ENGL1050 and ENGL2050 (3 credits)

HIST4175  MODERN AMERICAN HISTORY  

The study of American civilization from the War Between the States to the turn of the 21st century. Emphasis will be placed on the cultural, economic, and political interactions of the melting pot experiences that led the United States to world power status. International states of affairs will also be studied. Prerequisite: completion of an English Sequence (4 credits)

HIST4191  HISTORY OF TECHNOLOGY  

An examination of the history of technology and its relationship to social and historical change. A special emphasis will be placed upon the transitions from one technological age to another. Prerequisite: Completion of an English Sequence (4 credits)

HIST4200  PICTURES, MEDIA & US POLITICS  

This history course examines relationships between images and politics from the American Revolution to the present. The course focuses on the developments in image technology and U.S. politics. In doing so, students will trace the rise of a national visual culture and modern political campaigns. Students will read history scholarship and analyze pictures from periods we study. The class will visit image collections throughout Boston to engage with historical prints, photographs and other visual materials. Prerequisite: completion of English Sequence (4 credits)

HIST4223  BOSTON HISTORY  

This course surveys Boston history, spanning the colonial era to our contemporary environment. The course will emphasize themes of urban development, immigration, politics and segregation by race and class. Students will contribute to digital projects analyzing the city’s past while also preserving it for the public. Prerequisite: completion of an English Sequence (4 credits) fall

HIST4251  THE CIVIL WAR  

The course deals with the central American event of the nineteenth century. The years before the war, the war itself, Reconstruction, and the meaning of the war today are among the topics studied. Prerequisite: Completion of an English sequence (4 credits)

HIST4271  HISTORY OF WORLD WAR II  

Students will be exposed to the events that precipitated the conflict and to the major battles and personalities of the war. The political results of the war and the start of the Cold War will also be examined. Prerequisite: ENGL1050 and ENGL2050 (4 credits)

HIST4300  AMERICAN URBAN HISTORY  

This history course examines American city life from the Revolutionary War to the present. The course focuses on the way culture and politics evolved within the context of a changing urban landscape. In Addition to reading historical scholarship students will analyze primary sources such as historical images, newspapers and films. We will also visit local museums and cultural institutions to learn about the history of Boston. Prerequisite: completion of English Sequence (4 credits)

HIST4351  HISTORY OF ANCIENT AFRICA  

This course provides an introductory survey of the historical development of Mediterranean, Sahara, and Sub-Saharan African societies from human evolution to the beginning of European colonialism. It explores how social groups responded to Africa’s varied geographical regions and created diverse political, economic, and cultural systems. The course also reflects on how elements of ancient African culture continue to influence modern globalized societies. Prerequisite: Completion of an English Sequence (4 credits)

HIST4400  ENVIRONMENTAL HISTORY AND IMPACT ASSESSMENT  

This course surveys the environmental history of New England, spanning the period prior to European contact to the present including farming, industrialization, Romanticism, hiking, and conservation of resources including timber and lobster. The course also introduces students to the purpose and nature of environmental assessment reports and studies. Working as a team, students develop an environmental assessment of a well-known historic feature of the regional built environment. Prerequisite: completion of an English Sequence (4 credits)

HIST4451  HISTORY OF GENDER & SEXUALITY IN THE US  

In this course students will examine the history of sexuality and gender in the United States through reading of historical, theoretical and scientific texts. The course will examine topics including feminism, identity, politics, race, and masculinity. Students will examine the way in which popular and historical perspectives on gender and sexuality are reflected in contemporary film and literature. Prerequisite: Completion of an English Sequence (4 credits)

HIST4475  HISTORY OF DESIGN  

Using the Museum of Fine Arts as a study collection, this course surveys the global history of designed goods and design for industry from 1600 to the present, with emphasis on the twentieth century. It addresses not only styles and methods of production, but also trends in trade and consumerism. Prerequisite: completion of an English Sequence (4 credits)