2008-2009 Catalog - Virginia Wesleyan College

114 HUMANITIES426 European Heresy andthe Witch-Hunt (3)(I) WAn intensive examination of the varying themes andviewpoints historians grapple with in their study ofreligious dissent in Medieval and Early Modern Europe.Includes a formal research paper in a student-led seminarformat. Prerequisite: senior status or consent. Offeredspring of odd-numbered years.428 Atlantic Slavery (3) (I)An intensive examination of the African and Americanslave trades. While the focus varies, the course considers thecauses and consequences of the slave trade and keyquestions in the historiography of slavery from aninterdisciplinary perspective. Prerequisite: senior status orconsent. Offered spring of odd-numbered years.432 Russia/Soviet Union: 1855-Present (3)Study of the decline of Imperial Russia, the developmentof revolutionary movements and ideas, the history ofthe USSR, and post-Soviet developments. Prerequisite:senior status or consent. Offered when departmentscheduling permits.433 Globalization and Empirein American History (3)(S)Traces and evaluates the development of systems ofliberalized trade, cultural exchange, communication, andtransportation known as globalization and the relatedAmerican pursuit of empire and power in this capitalistworld system. Students also concentrate on the legal,administrative, political, ideological, cultural, and militarysystems and strategies created over time by policymakers inthe United States to shape and dominate an increasinglyinterconnected and interdependent world. The classproceeds chronologically, although it focuses on systemicanalysis of interrelated historical events. Students discussand dissect the different theoretical approaches developedby legal and foreign policy historians to explain themeaning of globalization and empire in American history.Prerequisite: senior status or consent. Offered fall of evennumberedyears.440 Seminar in American History (3)Intensive study of selected topics that vary fromsemester to semester. Prerequisite: senior status or consent.Offered on demand.450 Seminar in European History (3)Intensive study of selected topics that vary fromsemester to semester. Prerequisite: senior status or consent.Offered on demand.451 History of the Holocaust (3) (I)Examines the Holocaust from a variety of perspectivesbased on the General Studies Frames of Reference.Investigating the history of anti-Semitism, the emergence ofracial ideologies at the end of the 19th century, theconditions that contributed to the rise of the Nazi Party,and the memory of the Holocaust, this course seeks tosituate the Holocaust in a broad historical context. It alsoconsiders the Holocaust from aesthetic and ethicalperspectives. The course revolves around an all-class projectthat commemorates Kristalnacht on November 9, whichdevelops students’ historical knowledge, communicationskills, and aesthetic sensibilities. Prerequisite: senior statusor consent. Offered fall of odd-numbered years.460 Senior Project Seminar (3) WA workshop in which senior history majors applyprevious learning. The student selects a historical problem,develops the appropriate methodology for its investigation,and carries out the project under faculty supervision and inclose contact with other members of the seminar. Thestudent is encouraged to consider a variety of approaches tohistorical investigation, including oral history, quantification,and archival research. Prerequisite: senior status,HIST 258 and 360 or consent. Offered each fall.461 Senior Thesis (1)Designed as the capstone for history majors. Studentsrevise their senior theses with the guidance of their HIST460 defense committees. This revision requires additionalresearch and rewriting and culminates with an oral defenseof the thesis to the class and defense committee. Mastery ofinterpreting and evaluating primary sources and a thoroughunderstanding of historiography is expected as is the abilityto construct a solid historical thesis drawing from the two.The ability to revise the thesis and critique the efforts ofclassmates must be demonstrated. Throughout thesemester, students present their topics, the evolution oftheir thinking, and their research methods, findings, andchallenges to the class. Prerequisite: senior status and HIST460 or consent. Offered intermittently.485 History for Secondary School Teachers (1)Intended to be an intensive content and historiographicalreview course for secondary school teachers insocial studies. These tasks are accomplished by focusing onprimary documents and scholarly articles on varioushistorical periods. Techniques for teaching aspects of thiscomplicated material to students is discussed, shared anddeveloped, focusing in part on the requirements of the stateSOLs. This class deepens understanding of history, engagesscholarly controversies, and enhances the teacher’seffectiveness in the classroom.HUMANITIES150 Service-Learning in a Global Context (3) (V)(Winter Session)Students engage in service projects in communitiesaround the world, with a special focus on communities thathave been damaged by the effects of violence, poverty, andsocial injustice. Students become educated about the targetcommunity, engage in a thoughtfully organized serviceproject that addresses the particular needs of thatcommunity, and participate in structured reflection on the