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Through the study of history at Pacific Lutheran University students gain an understanding and appreciation of the historical perspective. Opportunities for developing analytical and interpretative skills are provided through research and writing projects, internships, class presentations and study tours. The practice of the historical method leads students off campus to Latin America, to Europe or China and to community institutions, both private and public. The department emphasizes individual advising in relation to both self-directed studies and regular courses. The University library holdings include significant collections in American, European and non-Western history. Career outlets for majors and minors are either direct or supportive in business, law, teaching, public service, news media and other occupations.
Bachelor of Arts Degree
Major in History
Minimum of 36 semester hours, including:
- 4 semester hours – U.S. field
- 4 semester hours – European field
- 4 semester hours – Non-Western field
Students are expected to work closely with the department’s faculty advisors to insure the most personalized programs and instruction possible. Writing is emphasized across the curriculum.
All History majors must complete Option I, II or III of the College of Arts and Sciences Foreign Language Requirement.
Students earning a History major may take no more than 8 semester hours from HIST 227, 321, 322, and 326 unless they have permission of the chair of the Department of History.
Those majors who are preparing for public school teaching can meet the state history requirement by enrolling in History 351.
All majors are required to take 4 semester hours of historical methods and research (HIST 301) and 4 semester hours of seminar credit (HIST 499). Completion of the seminar course satisfies the core requirement for a senior seminar/project.
For the major at least 20 semester hours must be completed at PLU, including HIST 301 before taking HIST 499.
All History majors must take 20 semester hours of upper-division work in History for the major.All courses in History taken at PLU by a History major must be completed with grades of C- or better. Students will not be allowed to enroll in HIST 301 or HIST 499 until they have earned a grade of C- or better in every history class they have taken at PLU.
Minor
20 semester hours, including:
- A minimum of 12 from courses numbered above 300.
- The minor in history emphasizes a program focus and a program plan, which is arranged by the student in consultation with a departmental advisor.
- For the minor at least 12 semester hours must be completed at PLU, including eight of upper-division courses.
- Maintain a minimum 2.50 GPA in courses to be counted towards the minor.
Students earning a History minor may take no more than 4 semester hours from HIST 227, 321, 322, and 326 unless they have permission of the chair of the Department of History.
Continuation Policy
To remain in the major, junior and senior-level students must:
- maintain a minimum 2.50 overall GPA, and
- maintain a minimum 2.50 GPA in history courses.
Courses in the Department of History are Offered in the Following Fields
- U.S. Field: 245, 247, 251, 252, 253, 287, 305, 348, 349, 351, 352, 357, 359, 370, 381, 387
- European Field: 107, 108, 227, 260, 288, 321, 322, 323, 324, 325, 326, 329, 332, 334, 360, 362, 364, 388
- Non-Western Field: 109, 210, 215, 220, 231, 232, 233, 289, 310, 335, 337, 338, 339, 340, 344, 369, 389
- All Fields: 301, 491, 495, 499
History (HIST) - Undergraduate Courses
HIST 107 : Western Civilizations - SO
Surveys the history of western civilizations from ancient Mesopotamia to medieval Europe. Major themes include empire building, religion, law, art, and literature. Students learn to investigate historical problems, use sources, and write historical essays. Civilizations include ancient Sumer, Egypt, Israel, Persia, Greece, Rome, Byzantium, Islamic civilization, and early medieval Europe. (4)
HIST 108 : Western Civilizations - SO
Analysis of institutions and ideas of selected civilizations. Europe from the Renaissance to the present. (4)
HIST 109 : East Asian Societies - C, SO
The broad sweep of East Asian history is examined with foci on the founding Chinese dynasty, unification wars in Korea, and the rape of Nanking in 1937. Throughout, students will confront scholarly fertile and politically tendentious topics which are analyzed via short essays, examinations, maps quizzes, original research, and role-playing exercises. (4)
HIST 190 : FYEP190: Inquiry Seminar - SO
A four-credit seminar to introduce students to the methods and topics of study within a particular academic discipline or field. Students practice the academic skills that are at the center of the General Education Program. (4)
HIST 210 : Global Perspectives: The World in Change - C, SO
A survey of global issues: modernization and development; economic change and international trade; diminishing resources; war and revolution; peace and justice; and cultural diversity. (Although this course is cross-listed with GLST/ANTH/POLS 210, students receive history credit only when this course has a faculty member from history.) (4)
HIST 215 : Modern World History - C, SO
Surveys major features of the principal existing civilizations of the world since 1450: East Asia, India and southern Asia, the Middle East, Eastern Europe, Western civilization, sub-Saharan Africa, and Latin America. (4)
HIST 220 : Modern Latin American History - C, SO
Introduction to modern Latin American history, from 1810 to the present. (4)
HIST 227 : The Vikings - SO
This course examines Old Norse culture and history during the Viking period (approximately 750 to 1100), focusing on Viking expansion and interactions with external European, Asian and American societies, conversion to Christianity and the emergence of medieval kingdoms, and on how our historical understanding of the Vikings is produced. Cross-listed with HIST/SCAN 227. (4)
HIST 231 : World War Two in China and Japan, 1931 to 1945 - C, SO
This course unfolds multiple themes surrounding the East Asian experience of World War II, including mobilization, the establishment of collaboration governments, and the military impacts of Japanese occupation. Students will engage with memoirs, films, scholarly works, website memorials, and contemporary literature. (4)
HIST 232 : Tibet in Fact and Fiction - C, SO
The history of Tibet, emphasizing Tibet's relationship with China and the West. How have outsiders imagined Tibet, and how have stereotypes affected international relationships? Students will explore the present crisis stemming from China's occupation of Tibet, and also confront the powers of myth, the emergence of China as a world power, and the agonies of globalization. (4)
HIST 233 : Modern Korea - C
The course surveys the contemporary history of the Korean peninsula, analyzing the end of the tributary system and the period of Japanese colonial rule. After significant discussion of the central trauma of the Korean War, the course delves into the contemporary North Korean state, including the DPRK's relations with the United States, China, and its own refugee-citizens. (4)
HIST 245 : American Business and Economic History, 1607 to 1877 - SO
Surveys the history of the American economy from pre-Columbian Indian societies through the English mercantilist system, the American Revolution, the Industrial Revolution, the Civil War to the end of Reconstruction. Investigates influence of non-economic factors such as warfare, slavery, and the social standing of women on economic trends. (4)
HIST 247 : American Business and Economic History, 1877 to Present - SO
Surveys the history of American business and the economy from the rise of big business and labor unions after the American Civil War through the era of globalization. Topics include technological change, government regulation, business organization, economic thought, business ethics, the role of the entrepreneur, and the place of women and minorities in American business society. (4)
HIST 251 : Colonial American History - SO
The history of what became the United States, from the settlement of America to the election of Thomas Jefferson as the third President of the United States in 1800. It will pay particular attention to three periods - the years of settlement, the era of adjustment to an imperial system around the turn of the 18th century, and the revolt against that system in the second half of the 18th century, which culminated in the creation of the American union. Emphasizes certain themes: the origins of racism and slavery, the course of the religious impulse in an increasingly secularized society, and finally, the ideological and constitutional transition from royal government and the rights of Englishmen to republicanism, and popular sovereignty. (4)
HIST 252 : 19th-Century U.S. History - SO
Political, economic, and social transformations in the U.S. during the nineteenth century. Two main themes: struggles over expansion of the American nation-state and over expansion and contraction of the national community. The Civil War is explored as pivotal, but the limitations of its effect are also examined. (4)
HIST 253 : 20th-Century U.S. History - SO
Trends and events in domestic and foreign affairs since 1900; affluence, urban growth, and social contrasts. (4)
HIST 260 : Early Modern European History, 1400 to 1700 - SO
The foundations of early modern Europe, an era associated with Renaissance and Reformation movements, technological innovation, economic expansion, the revival of learning and visual culture, and the exploration of new geographic worlds. Particular attention to artistic innovation, Protestant and Catholic renewal movements, and the exploration and colonization of the New World. (4)
HIST 287 : Special Topics in U.S. History
To provide undergraduate students with new, one-time, and developing courses not yet available in the regular curriculum. The title will be listed on the student term-based record as ST: followed by the specific title designated by the academic unit. (1 to 4)
HIST 288 : Special Topics in European History - SO
To provide undergraduate students with new, one-time, and developing courses not yet available in the regular curriculum. The title will be listed on the student term-based record as ST: followed by the specific title designated by the academic unit. (1 to 4)
HIST 289 : Special Topics in Non-Western History - C, SO
This course offers students the opportunity to enhance cultural understanding through the examination of non-Western cultures. (1 to 4)
HIST 291 : Directed Study
To provide individual undergraduate students with introductory study not available in the regular curriculum. The title will be listed on the student term-based record as DS: followed by the specific title designated by the student. (1 to 4)
HIST 301 : Introduction to Historical Methods and Research
Focus on historical methodology, research techniques, and the writing of history from a wide range of historical primary sources. Required for all history majors before taking the senior seminar. Prerequisite: sophomore standing or consent of instructor. (4)
HIST 305 : Slavery in the Americas - A, SO
The comparative history of how slavery (and freedom) were constituted over time and in different parts of the Americas. Topics covered include: Atlantic slave trade, Native slavery, development of slavery and racism, rise of antislavery thought, plantation society, slave resistance and revolts, and the reconstruction of society after emancipation. Prerequisite: sophomore standing or consent of instructor. (4)
HIST 310 : Contemporary Japan: 1945 to Present - SO
The course investigates the complexities of Japan as a defeated state under the shadow of American military and cultural power. The course analyzes cultural artifacts as well as the complex politics of national and international security. Issues of war memory, returnees from wartime China, and Japan's attempts to reconcile with regional neighbors represent key themes in this course. Prerequisite: sophomore standing or consent of instructor. (4)
HIST 321 : Greek Civilization
The political, social, and cultural history of Ancient Greece from the Bronze Age to the Hellenistic period. Special attention to the literature, art, and intellectual history of the Greeks. Cross-listed with CLAS 321. Prerequisite: sophomore standing or consent of instructor. (4)
HIST 322 : Roman Civilization
The history of Rome from the foundation of the city to CE 337, the death of Constantine. Emphasis on Rome's expansion over the Mediterranean and on its constitutional history. Attention to the rise of Christianity within a Greco-Roman context. Cross-listed with CLAS 322. Prerequisite: sophomore standing or consent of instructor. (4)
HIST 323 : The Middle Ages - SO
Surveys the history of Western Europe during the Middle Ages, from late antiquity (c. 200) to the High Middle Ages (c. 1300). Major themes include the late Roman Empire, early Christianity and monasticism, Germanic and Anglo-Saxon culture, Carolingian Europe, the First Crusade, trade networks and economic revival, and medieval Judaism. Prerequisite: sophomore standing or consent of instructor. (4)
HIST 324 : The Italian Renaissance - SO
Political, cultural, and religious developments in Renaissance Italy from the formation of the Italian communes (c. 1200) to the death of Michelangelo (1564). Central themes include the development of merchant societies, Dante’s Divine Comedy, Humanism, the Italian Wars, and the painting of Giotto, Masaccio, Botticelli, and Leonardo da Vinci. Prerequisite: sophomore standing or consent of instructor. (4)
HIST 325 : European Reformations - SO
Examines Protestant and Roman Catholic reform movements in sixteenth-century Europe as part of an overall process that redefined the role of religion in society and prepared Europe in decisive ways for the modern era. Themes include late-medieval religion and church/state tensions, and the reforms of Luther, Zwingli, Calvin, and Loyola. Prerequisite: sophomore standing or consent of instructor. (4)
HIST 326 : A History of Medicine: Antiquity to European Renaissance
An investigation of medical history from antiquity to the European Renaissance (c. 1660) through an examination of Greco-Roman, Islamic, Byzantine, and European traditions and their attendant concepts of health, healing, and disease. Crosslisted with CLAS 326. Prerequisite: sophomore standing or consent of instructor. (4)
HIST 329 : Europe and the World Wars: 1914 to 1945 - SO
World War I; revolution and return to "normalcy"? depression and the rise of fascism; World War II. Prerequisite: sophomore standing or consent of instructor. (4)
HIST 332 : Tudor England - SO
Political, social, and religious developments in early modern England during the Tudor monarchies (1485 to 1603). Themes include the economic and demographic changes in England, Scotland, and Wales; Henry VIII’s “Great Matter”; the Protestant Reformation and Anglicanism; Thomas More’s Utopia; wars with France and Spain; and film study. Typically offered in J-Term. Prerequisite: sophomore standing or consent of instructor. (4)
HIST 334 : Modern Germany, 1848 to 1945 - SO
The Revolutions of 1848 and unification of Germany; Bismarckian and Wilhemian empires; Weimar Republic and the rise of National Socialism; the Third Reich. Prerequisite: sophomore standing or consent of instructor. (4)
HIST 335 : History of the Caribbean - C, SO
Survey of the major aspects of Central American and Caribbean history from colonial to modern times. Use of selected case studies to illustrate the region's history. Study in inter-American relations. Prerequisite: sophomore standing or consent of instructor. (4)
HIST 337 : The History of Mexico - C, SO
The political, economic, social, and cultural changes that have taken place in Mexico from 1350 to the present. Prerequisite: sophomore standing or consent of instructor. (4)
HIST 338 : Modern China - C, SO
The beginning of China's modern history, with special emphasis on the genesis of the Chinese revolution and China's position in an increasingly integrated world. Prerequisite: sophomore standing or consent of instructor. (4)
HIST 339 : Revolutionary China - C, SO
Beginning in 1911, an examination of the course of the Chinese revolution, China's liberation, and the changes since 1949. Prerequisite: sophomore standing or consent of instructor. (4)
HIST 340 : Modern Japan 1868 to 1945 - C, SO
Beginning with the Meiji Restoration, this course surveys Japanese history from 1868 until 1945. Among the themes covered are the rise of nationalism in Japan, the growth of the Japanese continental and maritime empires, the origins of war with the United States, and the impact of the war on Japanese society. Prerequisite: sophomore standing or consent of instructor. (4)
HIST 344 : The Andes in Latin American History - C, SO
The history of the Andean countries (Peru, Bolivia, Ecuador) from the 15th through the 20th centuries. Prerequisite: sophomore standing or consent of instructor. (4)
HIST 346 : History of Technology - SO
Surveys the role of technology in Western societies from the Renaissance to the computer age. Examines the way that technology has developed over time, and how those changes have affected business and the economies of Europe and the United States. Major themes include the development of forms of transportation, communication, industrial production, power systems, and computer technologies. (4)
HIST 348 : Lewis and Clark: History and Memory - A, SO
Examines the Lewis and Clark expedition of 1804-1806 and its broader impact, including its costs and consequences for both the expanding U.S. and the people affected by it. Course emphasizes Native American perspectives of the expedition and how it has been depicted and commemorated in U.S. popular culture. Prerequisite: sophomore standing or consent of instructor. (4)
HIST 349 : U.S. Civil War and Reconstruction - SO
Examines the history of the American Civil War (1861 to 1865) and the subsequent period of Reconstruction. Course uses a wide range of historical sources to understand the social, political, and military histories of the war itself and the legacies of Reconstruction. Prerequisite: sophomore standing or consent of instructor. (4)
HIST 351 : History of the Western and Pacific Northwest U.S. - A, SO
How “the West” was defined and geographically situated has changed greatly over time. Yet, “the West” - as both a place and an idea - has played a critical role in the development of the American nation. Course explores historiography and the evolving definitions and understandings of region in the United States. Prerequisite: sophomore standing or consent of instructor. (4)
HIST 352 : The American Revolution - SO
Study of the era of the American Revolution from the end of the Seven Year's War in 1763 through Thomas Jefferson's defeat of John Adams in 1800. Focuses on both American and British political, social, economic, and ideological conflicts that brought on the Revolution; the military strategy and tactics that won the war for the Americans and lost it for the British; the making of the Constitution and the opposition to it; and the challenges that faced the American people living in the new Republic. Prerequisite: sophomore standing or consent of instructor. (4)
HIST 357 : African-American History - A, SO
Experiences, struggles, ideas, and contributions of African-Americans as they developed within and strongly shaped the course of U.S. (and global) history. It focuses simultaneously on major social and legal issues like slavery or Jim Crow segregation and African-Americans' actions and identities framed in the context of systemic white supremacism. It also examines and evaluates aspects of daily life and personal experiences and expressions of individual African-Americans between the 17th century and contemporary times. Prerequisite: sophomore standing or consent of instructor. (4)
HIST 359 : History of Women in the United States - A, SO
A focused, thematic examination of issues and evidence related to women's experiences from the colonial period to the present. Prerequisite: sophomore standing or consent of instructor. (4)
HIST 360 : The Holocaust: The Destruction of the European Jews - A, SO
Investigation of the development of modern anti-Semitism, its relationship to fascism, the rise of Hitler, the structure of the German dictatorship, the evolution of Nazi Jewish policy, the mechanics of the Final Solution, the nature of the perpetrators, the experience and response of the victims, the reaction of the outside world, and the post-war attempt to deal with an unparalleled crime through traditional judicial procedures. Prerequisite: sophomore standing or consent of instructor. (4)
HIST 362 : Christians in Nazi Germany
This course will study the response of Christians in Germany to Hitler and the Holocaust, analyzing why some Christians opposed the regime but also why a large number found Hitler's ideology and policies attractive. Prerequisite: sophomore standing or consent of instructor.(4)
HIST 369 : History of Modern Palestine and Israel - SO
Beginning in the 1880s with the rise of Zionism in Europe, this class will trace the events and issues that led to the creation of Israel as a modern nation in 1948 and subsequent decades of conflict and struggle for Palestinians and Israelis as both societies pursued security and autonomy. Prerequisite: sophomore standing or consent of instructor. (4)
HIST 370 : Environmental History of the United States - SO
Uses historical methods to investigate the interrelationship between people and their environment in the United States. Explores the ways in which humans have interacted with, shaped, and been shaped by their physical environments in the past. Examines the fact that nature, too, has a history, one profoundly shaped by humans. Prerequisite: sophomore standing or consent of instructor. (4)
HIST 387 : Special Topics in U.S. History - SO
This course provides specific opportunities for students to examine chronologically, topically or geographically focused areas of study in U.S. History. Prerequisite: sophomore standing or consent of instructor. (4)
HIST 388 : Special Topics in European History - SO
This course provides specific opportunities for students to examine chronologically, topically or geographically focused areas of study in European History. Prerequisite: sophomore standing or consent of instructor. (4)
HIST 389 : Special Topics in Non-Western History - C, SO
This course provides specific opportunities for students to examine chronologically, topically or geographically focused areas of study in Non-Western History through the examination of non-Western cultures. Prerequisite: sophomore standing or consent of instructor. (4)
HIST 491 : Independent Study
To provide individual undergraduate students with advanced study not available in the regular curriculum. The title will be listed on the student term-based record as IS: followed by the specific title designated by the student. (1 to 4)
HIST 495 : Internship
A research and writing project in connection with a student's approved off-campus work or travel activity, or a dimension of it. Prerequisite: sophomore standing plus one course in history, and consent of the department. (1 to 6)
HIST 499 : Seminar: History - SR
Students write a substantial research paper using appropriate collection and analysis of primary source materials or extensive use of secondary sources and engagement of issues in a strongly historiographical manner. Prerequisite: HIST 301. (4)