History and political science

The development of a historical frame of reference, an appreciation of the dynamics of change and an understanding of the modern world constitute the broad objectives of the offerings in history and political science. The department's aim is the development of specific competencies: the ability to pursue historical research with skill and integrity, the facility to analyze with insight and balance and the demonstrated capacity to write with clarity and readability.

Even though there is not a separate major in political science or international studies, history majors may choose to minor in those areas - provided that no courses taken to fulfill the requirements for one area are used to meet those in another area (an exception to this rule is that either HIS 245: Regional and National Studies or HIS 299 or HIS 212: World History I or II may count once for both the major and the International Studies minor).  The same rule holds true with regard to students wishing to have a minor in more than one area: no course may overlap among the different minors (while this rule may prevent students from doing certain combinations of minors using our existing course offerings, it does not exclude the possibility that other courses transferred in from other institutions might make these combinations possible.)

Students interested in using the history major in preparation for law school should also complete the pre-law minor. All majors are required to take at least one course in a non-Western area. Students considering graduate work in history are encouraged to consider a departmental honors project. Incoming first-year students might also want to consider the honors program.

Students may repeat the studies courses (HIS 245, HIS 301, HIS 302, PLS 303) and HIS 350 if the content is different. In addition to the following history and political science courses, one course in history of religion, one in art history and one in music history may be counted toward a history major. In addition to the course requirements, all seniors will take a comprehensive examination covering all the subjects they have studied in history and political science.

The department welcomes non-majors in all of its courses.
More info...
 

History Major  

Minors

There are four possible minors in history and political science in the separate areas of history, political science, international studies and pre-law. History majors may have a minor in political science and/or international studies, provided the guidelines outlined above are adhered to. Minors include the courses listed below:

History minor 

(18 hours)
HIS 180 Introduction to the Study of History (3)
HIS 200 Foundations of American Civilization (3)
HIS 201 The Making of Contemporary America (3)
HIS 225 History: Theory and Application (3)

Choose one of the following:
HIS 210 World History I (3)
      or   HIS 212 World History II (3)
      or   HIS 245 Regional and National Studies (3)

Choose one of the following:
HIS 265 European Social/Intellectual History (3)
HIS/PLS 271 History of Northern Ireland and Background to the Troubles (3)
HIS 301 Studies in American History (3)
HIS 302 Studies in European History (3)
HIS 305 African American History (3)
HIS 310 U.S. Women's History (3)
HIS 312 European Women's History (3)
HIS 320 Civil War and Reconstruction (3)
HIS 359 Mennonite History and Thought (3)

Political Science minor

(18 hours)
PLS 215 Introduction to Politics (3)
PLS 251 American Political Process (3)
PLS 270 Political Theory (3)
PLS 272 Global Politics (3)
PLS 285 Comparative Politics (3)
PLS 301 Constitutional Law (3)
   or  PLS 303 Studies in Political Science (3)
   or  PLS 385 Political Science Internship

International Studies minor 

(18 hours)
Core: 12 hours
HIS 245 Regional and National Studies (3)
HIS 245 Regional and National Studies (second topic) (3) or   HIS 205 World Civilizations (3)
PLS 272 Global Politics (3)
PLS 285 Comparative Politics (3)

Electives: 6 hours
ECN 371 International Trade and Investment (3)
ECN 382 Economic Development and the Environment (3)
GEO 111 Principles of Geography (3)
Selected cross-cultural semester study abroad programs
 

Pre-Law minor 

(21 hours)
PCS 230 Theories of Peace & Conflict (3)
CRJ 345 Restorative Justice: Theory & Practice (3)
 or  CRJ 340 Conflict Transformation and Mediation (3)
COM 212 Argumentation and Advocacy (3)
CRJ 180 Law, Justice & Society (3)
PLS 301/CRJ 303 Constitutional Law (3)
CRJ 310 Criminal Law & Procedure (3)  
ENG 205 Creative Writing: Nonfiction (3)
 or  ENG 207 Professional & Technical Writing (3)

Strongly recommended courses:

• Economics: ECN 141 Macroeconomics (3) - (ECN 141 may also fulfill a social science general education requirement)
• Elective in Political Science or History: take one of the following: (3)
  
  • Political Science: PLS 270 Political Theory; or PLS 385 Political Science Internship; or
  • History: HIS 225 History: Theory and Application or any upper level history course (excluding HIS 350)
• Ethics: either PHI 150 Philosophical Ethics or  REL 274 Christian Ethics (3)  - (REL 274 may also fulfill a Tier 2 religion general education requirement)
   

Adolescent/young adult licensure in integrated social studies

(81-82 hours)
Students who wish to obtain an Ohio teaching license for adolescent/young adult (7-12) in social studies must complete the following courses, in addition to general education and major requirements:

Required:
HIS 200 Foundations of American Civilization (3)
HIS 201 The Making of Contemporary America (3)
HIS 225 History: Theory and Application (3)
ECN 141 Principles of Macroeconomics (3)
ECN 142 Principles of Microeconomics (3)
GEO 111 Principles of Geography (3)
PLS 215 Introduction to Politics (3)
PLS 251 American Political Process (3)
PSY 110 Introduction to Psychology (3)
SOC 162 Anthropology (3)
COM 185 Public Speaking & Persuasion (3)

Required professional education courses:
EDU 200 Introduction to Teaching in a Diverse Society (3)
EDU 205 Field Experience (1)
EDU 220 Curriculum and Assessment (2)
EDU 303 Computers & Technology in Education (2)
EDU 305 Content Area Literacy/General Methods (3)
EDU 332 Social and Philosophical Issues in Education (3)
EDU 353 Educational Psychology & Instructional Practices(3)
SED 220 The Adolescent: Development and Diversity (2)
SED 389 Issues in Special Education (1)
EDU 403 Adolescent/Young Adult Special Methods: Social Studies (2)

All of the previously listed professional education courses, plus the completion of all licensure area course work, are prerequisites for clinical practice:
EDU 451 Clinical Practice (Adolescent/Young Adult) (10)

Courses

Geography
GEO 111 Principles of Geography (3)
Study of people, nations and theatres of current events in their physical environment in order that the student may more accurately analyze social and political problems. Recommended for state teaching certification in social studies but does not count for the history major.

History

  HIS 180 Introduction to the Study of History (3)
This course is designed to function as an introduction to the study of history at the college level. It will acquaint entry-level majors with the fundamentally interpretative nature of the historical enterprise, the use and evaluation of primary documents, the basic elements of historical research and writing and other skills and approaches integral to a successful undergraduate experience in the major. No prerequisite.

HIS 200 Foundations of American Civilization (3)
A chronological overview of American history from exploration and colonization through the Civil War. Emphasis is placed on the growth and development of American society.

HIS 201 The Making of Contemporary America (3)
A chronological survey of American history from Reconstruction through the 1980s. Emphasis is placed on the impact of industrialization, growth of the United States as a world power and the development of state capitalism. 

HIS 225 History: Theory and Application (3)
For majors and interested nonmajors, this course combines a focus on historical methodology with its application in local archival sources. A variety of themes and topics are considered, including great controversies, philosophies of history and the relationship of the historian to society. Having surveyed some key historiographical concepts, students then turn to the practice of social history, applying the emphasis and research methods of social historians to sources in local history.

HIS 210, World History I, Global Foundations (3)
A survey of world history from the Agricultural Revolution through the Age of European Expansion.  Focus will be on the origins of the nonwestern societies and their cross-cultural interactions.

HIS 212, World History II, The Age of Global Contact (3)
A survey of world history from the Age of European Expansion through post-Colonialism and globalization.  Focus will be on the rise of Imperialism, Capitalism and Revolution in a globalized world.

HIS 245 Regional and National Studies (3)
A specialized course of study on a particular topic or civilization significant in world history. Course topics may include Russia, Latin America, Canada, the Middle East, Africa, China and the Far East, etc. Announcement of the course topic is made prior to registration. May be taken more than once with different topics. With an appropriate theme, this course may be taken as part of the Peace and Conflict Studies minor.

HIS 252 Ohio and the Old Northwest (3)
A selective study of important themes in Ohio and regional history beginning with the Mound-builders and extending through the period of colonization, Indian removal, the Civil War and the 20th century. Opportunities for individual exploration into local history are provided and field trips supplement lectures, readings and discussion. Offered alternate years.

HIS 253 American Social and Intellectual History (3)
A study of some selected major social and intellectual movements in American history from early settlements until recent years. Topics could include Puritanism, the First and Second Great Awakenings, reform movements, Social Darwinism, racism, imperialism, secularization, fundamentalism/evangelicalism, the Social Gospel movement, emerging urban problems or changing gender roles. Particular attention is paid to developing intellectual currents and the socio-historical background that informed them. Offered every third year.

HIS 265 European Social and Intellectual History (3)
A study of the social and intellectual movements in European civilization in the modern period. Topics such as social life, religious activity, literary themes, the impact of science, the interaction of historical events and intellectual development, and the advent of technological civilization are considered. Recommended background in European history. Offered every third year. This course may be taken as part of the Peace and Conflict Studies minor. 

HIS 271/PCS 271 History of Northern Ireland and Background to the Troubles (3)
This course covers Modern Irish History from 1800-1923. Class topics include: Daniel O Connell and his campaigns for Catholic Emancipation for Repeal of the Union; social, economic and demographic problems in pre-famine Ireland and the Great Famine and its impact on Irish society; emigration from Ireland in the course of the 19th century; the campaign for Home Rule under Butt, Parnell, Redmond and Dillon; the land problem and its resolution and the end of landlordism; the Easter Rebellion and its political consequences. It focuses also upon the political issues and events out of which the Troubles arose in the l960s and early l970s.

HIS 301 Studies in American History (3)
A specialized course of study focusing upon a significant theme or topic in American history, such as African-American history. Recommended background in American history. May be taken more than once with different topics. With an appropriate theme, this course may be taken as part of the Peace and Conflict Studies minor.

HIS 302 Studies in European History (3)
A specialized course of study focusing upon a significant theme or topic in European history. Recommended background in European history. May be taken more than once with different topics. With an appropriate theme, this course may be taken as part of the Peace and Conflict Studies minor.

HIS 305 African American History (3)
A chronological survey of African American history from early colonial period through the civil rights struggles of the 1960s and 1970s. It begins by exploring the arrival of slavery and examining the problem that slavery posited in colonial life. The course moves on to examine the development of slavery in its classic form in antebellum America, with particular focus on different historo-graphical approaches, before moving on to survey African American life in the Jim-Crow south and the creation of segregation. Finally, the course concludes with a careful treatment of the great migration of rural blacks to the urban north and then an analysis of the freedom struggles of the later 20th century. This course may be taken as part of the Peace and Conflict Studies minor.

HIS 310 U.S. Women's History (3)
A chronological survey of U.S. women s history from the 17th to the 20th century. Primary themes throughout the course include work and family, class and race, public and private, and religion and politics. Examines how women s history and status have been defined by these categories and how each has changed over time and differed for women from diverse cultures and communities. This course may be taken as part of the Peace and Conflict Studies minor and Women's Studies minor.

HIS 312, European Women's History (3)
This course will survey European Women s lives from the High Middle Ages through the Early Modern Period. Students will discuss the ways that religious, political and cultural authorities controlled women as well as the ways that women exercised agency within those restrictions. The course will examine the diversity and similarity of women s experiences depending on their age, social status, religion, country of origin or time. This course may be taken as part of the Peace and Conflict Studies minor and Women's Studies minor.

HIS 320 Civil War and Reconstruction (3)
This course offers a chronological survey of the causes, course and impact of the American Civil War and the Era of Reconstruction that occurred in its wake. A variety of related topics and themes will be considered, included key military developments, the particular impact of the war on American gender and race relations, and the war as a major step in the development of total war. In addition, the course will survey the dramatic postwar political and social events emanating from the emancipation of four million slaves. The course includes one overnight field trip to a battlefield. No prerequisite.

HIS 350 Research Seminar (3)
A course providing practice in research and writing using primary source materials. The course focuses on research methodology and the preparation of a seminar paper. A common theme in either American or European history is selected each year, and individual student research findings are shared. For juniors and seniors. Topic alternates between American and European history. May be taken more than once with different topics.

HIS 359 Mennonite History and Thought (3)
The course surveys the history and meaning of Mennonitism from its inception to the present. Topics may include Mennonite origins in the Anabaptist Reformation of the 16th century, Mennonites in colonial North America, the movement westward with the frontier, the Quickening of the 19th century, the schisms of the 19th and 20th centuries, the impact of such American phenomena as revivalism and fundamentalism on Mennonite thought, the Mennonite response to war and the character of Mennonite theology. Emphases on particular topics may vary from one term to another. Prerequisite: Permission of instructor. This course may be taken as part of the Peace and Conflict Studies minor.

HIS 380 History Internship (2-4)
A supervised work/study experience with a historical society, museum, archives or other institution providing an opportunity to apply classroom learning through research, planning exhibits, organizing collections or other "public history" activities.

HIS 390 Independent Study in History (1-4)
By arrangement; topic to be proposed by the student. See Humanities course descriptions for more European History courses.

Political Science
PLS 215 Introduction to Politics (3)
This course covers the scope and methods of the study of political science and examines the basic concepts and theories in the discipline. Traditions and approaches in the field and their application to the various subdivisions of political science are covered. Intended to help develop within the student the critical ability to analyze and evaluate political issues and questions.

PLS 251 American Political Process (3)
A study of the historical evolution of American political institutions. Appropriate attention is given to the theory of American federalism, constitutional safeguards, the political role of minorities and the contemporary challenges to democratic government.

PLS 260 Government and Politics of Northern Ireland (3)
This course covers the background to The Troubles, examines Partition, significant political leaders in Irish politics, the different types of government in Ireland, Northern Ireland and Britain, the different political parties in Northern Ireland, inter-governmental relations between Britain and the Irish Republic, and relevant issues, groups, parties and paramilitary organizations. Some sample essay questions for this course have included: Why was the Unionist government unable to resolve the political crisis in Northern Ireland between l968 and l972? Assess the record of the Anglo-Irish Agreement as a strategy for promoting political consensus in Northern Ireland. Why has there been a growth of U.S. involvement in Northern Ireland politics since l985?

PLS 270 Political Theory (3)
A study of the principal writings and theories of selected major political philosophers from the time of the Greek city-states to the present. Special emphasis is on individualized programs of study and seminar discussions. Recommended background:  PHI 105, PLS 215. Offered alternate years.

PLS 272 Global Politics (3)
A study of international nation-state behavior since World War II. The course surveys political forces that operate in the contemporary international system such as ideology, nationalism, international law and economic interests. Selected current issues in international politics are identified for in-depth study and discussion. Such issues might include the Middle East conflict, the arms race, revolution in Central America, international development, protecting world resources, the struggle of Black Africa, nuclear proliferation and related issues. Recommended background: PLS 215. This course is one of the core courses in the Peace and Conflict Studies minor.

PLS 285 Comparative Politics (3)
An introductory course in comparative politics designed to introduce the student to the systematic study of nations and their political systems, to provide a solid base of information about political systems of selected countries and to develop analytical skills so that each student is able to compare any two nations with regard to political culture, political socialization, structure and institutions of government and public policy. This course may be taken as part of the Peace and Conflict Studies minor.

PLS 301 Constitutional Law (3)
This course utilizes a variety of perspectives and gives particular attention to the growth and development of the relationship between the individual and government at the federal, state and local levels.  Offers an analysis of the historical evolution of the relationship between the states and the Bill of Rights and of the impact of the due process clause of the Fourteenth Amendment on the application of the Bill of Rights to the states. Provides a study of notable Supreme court decisions from Marbary and Madison to the leading decisions relating to the criminal justice system. Upper level standing and PLS 215 recommended for registration, or permission of instructor.

PLS 303 Studies in Political Science (1-4)
A specialized course of study focusing upon a significant theme or topic in political science. Topics may include Canadian or European politics, the American presidency, voting behavior, state and local government or international conflict resolution. May be taken more than once with different topics. This course may be taken as part of the Peace and Conflict Studies minor.

PLS 385 Political Science Internship (2-4)
A supervised work/study experience that gives students the chance to explore career and personal interests related to government, politics, law, human rights, communications, international relations, etc.  Student interns have the opportunity to get involved in the political process, make a contribution to the community and develop specialized employment skills and contacts.

PLS 390 Independent Study in Political Science (1-4)
By arrangement. Topic to be proposed by the student.

_June 2012