117 World Geography
(3)
This course will familiarize students with the spatial
geography of the United States and other major regions of the world and will
help them to understand the political and economic differences between nations,
regions, and differently populated areas. Offered
Each Year (Spring).
101 Comparative
Politics (3)
Fulfills core competency: Contextual Competency. This course
is a general introduction to the field of comparative politics. The course’s main
objective is to enable students to analyze the political systems of the
countries outside the U.S.. The course covers countries selected from
established democracies, transitional political systems, and developing
societies. Offered Each Year.
113 Introduction to
American Politics (3)
Fulfills core competency: Civic Responsibility. This is an
introductory course which exposes students to the basic structure and processes
of the American political system. The course begins with the foundations of
U.S. National government and proceeds to an examination of the institutions
that comprise the federal government and the processes of governmental decision
making. Offered Each Year (Fall).
114 State and Local
Government (3)
Fulfills core competency: Civic Responsibility. A survey of
the development, structure and functions of state and local government in the
United States. Specific reference is made to the politics and problems of New
York State and the Buffalo Metropolitan Area. Offered Each Year (Spring).
117 Introduction to
Criminal Justice (3)
Fulfills core competency: Contextual Competency. The
case-based approach used in this course requires students to analyze criminal
procedure rulings of the United States Supreme Court. Students will be exposed
to the logical and legal arguments of a series of cases which comprise the
evolving corpus of the Court’s criminal rights jurisprudence. Offered As Needed.
121 International
Relations (3)
Fulfills core competency: Contextual Competency. An
introduction to international politics. Covers the transformation of world
politics since the late medieval era. Examines major international events such
as the two world wars, the Cold War, and the end of the Cold War. Exploration
of the origins and causes of wars and conflicts, the roles of international
organizations and international law in achieving lasting peace, and key issues
of post-Cold War international politics. Offered
Each Year (Spring).
125 Introduction to
Public Policy (3)
Fulfills core competency: Critical Thinking. This course is
an introduction to the policy making process and the discipline of Public
Policy. The first section of the class is devoted to the evolution of the basic
methodology of policy studies. Students will learn the basic social science research
approach and its critical uses in policy-making and analysis. Students will
then study the policy-making cycle using systems-based and process model
approaches. Offered As Needed.
210 The Politics of
Globalization (3)
Fulfills core competency: Contextual Competency. This course
focuses on the politics of globalization in the new world order and its impact
on international relations and on Third World nations. Topics include
international terrorism, issues of justice and poverty, the role of multinational
corporations, environmental issues, and the role of international organizations
such as the IMF, the World Bank, and the World Trade Organization. Offered As Needed.
211 Environmental
and Energy Policies I (3)
Cross-listed as ENS 211. Survey of major environmental and
energy policies and the intergovernmental administrative system established to
implement them. Other major topics include a history of the environmental
movement, green politics, international issues and the contrasts between
scientific and political decision-making. Offered
Each Year.
212 Environmental
and Energy Policies II (3)
Cross-listed as ENS 212. A continuation of GVT 211.
Prerequisite: GVT/ENS 211. Offered
Alternate Years.
213 Sustainability
and Third World Development (3)
Fulfills core competency: Contextual Competency. This course
examines the process of development in the Third World. Topics include
HIV/AIDS, overpopulation, the role of women, the environment, socio-cultural
barriers, and responses to inequality and poverty. Offered As Needed.
215 Issues in
Public Policy (3)
Fulfills core competency: Critical Thinking and Problem
Solving. An examination of the various analytical models employed by political
scientists in the study of political life and the application of these models
to specific domestic policy areas. Offered
Alternate Years.
217 American
Political Parties and Pressure Groups (3)
Cross-listed as ENS 217. An examination of the principles,
development and organization of American political parties as well as the
electorate and the electoral process. The nature and role of political interest
groups will be examined. Offered As
Needed.
219 Politics,
Planning and Land Use (3)
Cross-listed as ENS 219. Principles and practice of land
management policies at the state and local levels of government. Topics include
zoning power of local government, preparation of master plans, variance
procedures, federal mandates and Environmental Impact Statements. Offered Alternate Years.
221 Political
Economy of East Asia (3)
An analysis of the successful industrialization of East
Asia. Topics include the roles of development strategies, political
institutions, industrial policy, culture, financial and monetary policies and
China’s recent transition toward a market economy. Offered As Needed.
223 Political and
Civil Rights in the United States (3)
Fulfills core competency: Moral and Ethical Discernment.
This course will examine the development and current state of political and
civil rights in the U.S., through the use of texts, court cases and the U.S.
Constitution. Areas covered will include prohibitions against discrimination,
voting rights and elections, freedom of expression and the right to privacy.
While emphasis is placed on the role of the Supreme Court, discussion will address
the interplay of the other branches of government as well as other factors
(historical, economic, societal, etc.) in the evolution of political and civil
rights. Students will be asked to consider whether these rights exist primarily
to serve the interests of individuals, or to promote communitarian values. Offered Each Year (Fall).
224 American
Political Campaigns and Elections (3)
A study of the process of leadership selection in the United
States, including an examination of voting behavior, electoral laws and
campaign activity. The course will cover national, state and local elections.
Students will be given the opportunity to participate in local political
activities. Offered in presidential and gubernatorial election years.
225 Politics of
China (3)
This course is an introduction to Chinese politics. We will
study the history, institutions, and processes of Chinese politics. We will
critically examine the economic and political reforms that have transformed
China since the late 1970’s. We will also compare China’s reforms with other
countries that have undergone similar transitions. Finally, this course will
examine the strategic and economic impact of China’s rise as a great power. Offered Each Year (Fall).
230 United States
Judicial Process (3)
Fulfills core competency: Civic Responsibility. This course
will examine the basic elements of the United States judicial system. Among the
topics to be discussed will be the functions of the courts within a federal
system of government, different roles of different state and federal courts,
roles of attorneys and judges within the system, distinctions between different
areas of the law, different methods of dispute resolution and the difference
between the trial and appellate process, judicial selection and philosophy, and
judicial policymaking. Students will also address the effect of the judicial
process on citizens and ways in which citizens can either support or oppose the
current functioning of the judicial system. Offered
Each Year (Spring).
231 Global
Governance (3)
Fulfills core competency: Contextual Competency. This course
explores the growing importance of global governance. This course studies how
recent trends have generated greater international cooperation in various issue
areas, such as proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, trade and
investment, environment, and workers’ rights. Students will be required to
design their own plans to resolve selected policy problems through global
cooperation. Offered As Needed.
232 International
Political Economy (3)
Study of the globalization of the world economy, why nations
trade with each other and why they sometimes practice trade protectionism.
Examines the growing importance of regional economic blocs, such as the
European Union and the North American Free Trade Agreement. Other topics
include the rise and decline of American economic hegemony, the rise of Japan’s
economic power, global trade conflicts, economic reforms in the former Soviet
Union and China, and causes of development and underdevelopment in the third
world. Offered Each Year (Fall).
233 Democracy in
America (3)
Fulfills core competency: Civic Responsibility. Students
will gain comprehension of the democratic process and participatory rights in
the United States. This knowledge will be geared toward helping students better
understand myriad forms of civic engagement and encouraging greater political
efficacy. The manifestation of democratic ideals in America will be analyzed
against the backdrop of historical developments and worldwide trends in
democratization. Thus, while the primary focus will be on democracy in America,
students will study how the development of the American political system
compares to broader conceptions of democracy and democratic theory. Offered As Needed.
238 Democracy and
Dictatorship in World Politics (3)
This course examines the global resurgence of democracy in
recent decades, analyzing the causes and dynamics of this recent wave of
democratization as well as the different paths of democratic transitions in
Southern Europe, Latin America, East Asia, and Eastern Europe. Exploration of
strategies for achieving successful democratic consolidation. Study of factors
that influence successful democratic consolidation, such as ethnic conflicts,
economic reform, constitutional choice, and the role of culture. Offered As Needed.
247 Selected
Current Topics: Seminar (3)
Offered
As Needed.
305 American
Constitutional Law (3)
Fulfills core competency: Contextual Competency. The history
and development of the basic principles of American law. Includes British
foundations and the key civil and criminal precedents established by American
courts in the last two centuries. Offered
As Needed.
311 Seminar on
Legislative Politics (3)
An advanced study of Congress, its organization, membership,
procedures and policy outputs. Other topics will include relationship to other
national institutions, theories of representation, and recent reforms. Offered Alternate Years (Fall).
315 Politics of
Western Europe (3)
An examination of the politics and governments of selected
nations of Western Europe including Britain, France and Germany. Special
emphasis on comparative and contemporary policy making and on progress toward
European unification. Offered Alternate
Years.
320 Gender and
Policy in the U.S. (3)
This course will be a survey of the development of, and
current issues involving, legal rights as they are impacted by gender in the
U.S. Among the topics that will be covered are interpretation of the U.S.
Constitution and gender concerns regarding equal protection, reproductive
rights, political participation, education law, labor issues, and family law.
The course will also address the role of feminism in the development of civil
rights, including the diversity of approaches and concerns among different
branches of feminism. Also addressed will be examples of ways in which males
have been negatively affected by protective legislation and rigid policy
approaches to gender roles. Offered Each
Year.
326 Politics of
East Asia (3)
Fulfills core competency: Contextual Competency. This course
is designed to provide students with a comprehensive understanding of the
principal events and interactions in East Asia. Various political, social, and
economic aspects of China, Japan, and the two Koreas will be closely examined
within the regional context of the past and present, carefully discerning the
similarities and differences among those East Asian countries. Offered Each Year (Fall).
327 Politics of
South Asia (3)
Fulfills core competency: Contextual Competency. This course
is designed to provide an introduction to the governments and politics of South
Asia. We will begin the course with an overview of South Asian civilization and
its unique development for over several millennia. We then look at the British
colonialism and independence movement. Since the independence and the partition
that soon followed, the countries in the Indian subcontinent have taken
different paths to modernity and national development. The politics, society,
and economy of each country - India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka - will
then be carefully examined. In doing so, students will gain a better
understanding of such questions as how and why these countries have adopted
different ways; what are the sources of social and religious tensions in each
country; how these countries have accommodated social diversity, etc. We will
complete the course by paying special attention to the conflict between India
and Pakistan, two nuclear-armed states. Offered
As Needed.
350 Political
Argumentation and Debate (3)
Fulfills core competency: Communication Skills. This course
will be an introduction to the skills of persuasive speaking and argumentation.
Students will develop the ability to advocate a position persuasively, in an
enthusiastic yet dignified manner, using current political controversies as
subjects. In the process, students will also gain a deeper understanding of the
multiple points of view inherent in current political controversies which they
have selected to discuss. Among the topics that will be covered are the role of
argumentation in society, structure and process of debate, development of
arguments, researching and analyzing subjects for debate, use of evidence, use
of logic and rhetorical devices, refutation and the role of emotion in
advocacy. This course is also intended to help develop the skills of students
interested in participating in the Moot Court Experience. Students who are
taking, or who have completed, this course will be given preference as participants
in Moot Court. Offered As Needed.
411 Environmental
Law (3)
Cross-listed as ENS 411. Case method approach to judicial
interpretations of environmental laws. Additional topics may include litigation
as a political tactic, expansion of standing to sue and intervener funding
strategies. Prerequisite: GVT 211. Offered
As Needed.
415 Seminar on the
Presidency (3)
The development of the power and prerogatives of the
American Chief Executive including responsibilities in foreign affairs,
relation to the Congress and the President’s own administrative bureaucracy,
with emphasis on the modern presidency. Offered
Alternate Years (Spring).
447 Selected
Current Topics: Seminar (3)
Offered
Alternate Years.
The following Environmental Studies (ENS) courses are
cross-listed as Government (GVT): 115, 211, 212, 217, 219, 411. See
Environmental Studies course descriptions in the Interdisciplinary Programs
Section of the Catalog.
105 Introduction to
World History I: From Antiquity to 1500 (3)
Fulfills core competency: Contextual Competency. The
two-course world history sequence focuses on the peoples, forces and ideas that
have shaped the way individuals have experienced (and still do experience) the
world. The course’s perspective is global and focuses on the origins and
development, geographical context, and interactions of world cultures. In this
course, we will focus on two key themes of early world history: 1) the ways in
which different cultures emerged in response to the demands of their
environmental surroundings; and 2) the ways in which different peoples began to
increasingly interact with one another by 1500. Offered Each Year (Fall).
106 Introduction to
World History II: From 1500 (3)
Fulfills core competency: Contextual Competency. The
two-course world history sequence focuses on the peoples, forces and ideas that
have shaped the way individuals have experienced (and still do experience) the
world. The course’s perspective is global and focuses on the origins and
development, geographical context, and interactions of world cultures. In this
course, we will focus on two key themes of modern world history: 1) the ways in
which global connections have developed; and 2) the ways in which different
peoples at different times have resisted globalization, instead seeking to
preserve their distinct cultural traditions. Offered Each Year (Spring).
125 Historical
Approaches to Contemporary Problems: Domestic Affairs (3)
Fulfills core competency: Contextual Competency. This course
attempts to deepen understanding of contemporary issues in American society by
studying their historical evolution. We will examine the events and impact of
contested economic, political, social, and cultural issues in the U.S. since
the 1960s. Major topics include the impact of foreign policy on domestic
affairs; the civil rights movement; the women’s movements; the New Left;
liberation movements; Watergate; the rise of modern conservatism; and the
culture wars of the 1980s and 1990s. Offered
As Needed.
137 African
American History (3)
Fulfills core competency: Contextual Competency. A study of
the African American experience in America. The course will explore African
origins and cultural influences and examine the social and political
significance of African Americans in American history. Offered Each Year (Spring).
206 Twentieth
Century Europe (3)
Fulfills core competency: Contextual Competency. This course
deals with the story of Europe during the tumultuous 20th century. While we
will focus much of our attention on political, economic and diplomatic
developments; considerable time will be devoted to social and cultural
phenomena as well. Offered As Needed.
207 American
Society and the Vietnam War (3)
Fulfills core competency: Critical Thinking and Problem
Solving. A study of the history and nature of the Vietnam War, the causes of
both the war and America’s intervention in it, the turbulence and social
currents of the U.S. in the 1960s and the impact of the war on participants and
American society. Offered Alternate Years
(Spring).
215 Introduction to
Women’s Studies (3)
Fulfills core competency: Critical Thinking and Problem
Solving. This course is an interdisciplinary overview of the language,
concepts, and issues in the field of Women’s Studies. We will explore the
construction of gender by focusing upon the intersection of race, class,
gender, ethnicity, sexuality, and religion in shaping women’s lives, and will
look at women’s efforts to define their identities through work, creative
activity, and through feminism. Offered
Each Year (Fall).
216 History of
Medieval Europe: 300-1400 (3)
Fulfills core competency: Contextual Competency. This course
will focus on five specific developments: 1) the transition from the Roman
world to the medieval world; 2) the emergence of several distinct cultures
within the territories of the old Roman empire; 3) the key role played by
religion in the various medieval cultures; 4) the burst of creative energy and
economic expansion associated with the High Middle Ages; and 5) the crises of
the 14th century (church schism, the Black Death, etc.) that devastated
medieval Europe. Offered As Needed.
219 The Colonial
Americas (3)
A comparative study of the four American colonial empires:
French, Spanish, Portuguese and English. Topics include patterns of
colonization, slavery, European-Indian relationships, religious developments,
imperial control and movements for independence. Offered As Needed.
220 American
History to 1877 (3)
Fulfills core competency: Contextual Competency. This course,
an introduction to American civilization from the age of exploration and
colonization through the Civil War and Reconstruction, focuses on central
themes and issues in the development of American society and institutions by
raising questions about human values, economic growth, institutional change,
cultural development, and political democracy in the American past. Major
themes include: exploration and colonization; life in early America; the
creation of a slave society; colonial America and the British empire; the
establishment of representative government; the American Revolution;
establishing a new nation; the era of Andrew Jackson; the first industrial
revolution; social and cultural life in the early republic; expansion and
sectional crisis; and the Civil War and Reconstruction. Offered Each Year (Fall).
221 American
History from 1877 to the Present (3)
Fulfills core competency: Contextual Competency. This course
seeks to have students gain a perspective on the position of the United States
among the nations of the world and on the controversies and agreements among
Americans concerning the desired attributes of their own culture, government,
and ideals. Major themes include: conquest of the West; the Populist movement;
the creation of the Jim Crow system; industrialization and its effects on the
American society, economy, and political processes; immigration and
urbanization; the American Empire; Progressivism and the struggle for social
justice; World War I; social changes of the 1920s, the Great Depression, and
the New Deal; World War II; post-war affluence and social change, the Cold War
and anti-communism; the liberal state; minorities and civil rights; the Vietnam
era; the New Right and neo-conservatism; and the recent past. Offered Each Year (Spring).
222 Urban America
(3)
Fulfills core competency: Critical Thinking and Problem
Solving. A study of the growth of the city from colonial times to the present.
Will relate the development of cities to broad national events such as the
American Revolution, settlement of the West, industrial revolution, ethnic and
racial conflict, changing economy of the twentieth century. The history of
Buffalo will also be studied as a microcosm of the nation’s urban development. Offered As Needed.
223 U.S. Foreign
Policy: World War II to the Present (3)
Fulfills core competency: Critical Thinking and Problem
Solving. A study of World War II, the origins of the Cold War, the Cuban
missile crisis, Vietnam War, U.S. interventions in the Third World, and other
major issues since World War II. Offered
Each Year (Fall).
224 History of the
Byzantine Empire: 300-1453 (3)
Fulfills core competency: Contextual Competency. This course
introduces students to the history of the Byzantine Empire. This course focuses
on the following key features of Byzantine history: 1) the transformation of
the Roman Empire into the Byzantine; 2) the role of the Byzantine church in
political and cultural affairs; 3) the interaction of Byzantium with the other
“heirs” of Rome: medieval Islam and medieval Western Christendom; and 4) the
influence of Byzantium on neighboring states that interacted with Byzantium,
especially Kievan Rus’. Offered As
Needed.
229 History and
Film (3)
Fulfills core competency: Affective Judgment. Writing
Intensive. This course examines issues confronting societies around the world
and the ways in which films portray them. Students should be prepared to write
several papers based on films and readings. Offered
As Needed.
230 Problems of the
Third World (3)
The growing consciousness of the developing nations (LDC’s)
and their relationship with the advanced capitalist nations (First World) has
been a major development of the post World War II period. While the term “Third
World” was originally a political designation, it now implies certain economic
and cultural characteristics. This course is designed to acquaint the student
with many of the economic, political, social and international problems faced
by these nations, while exploring the historical roots of these problems. Offered Each Year (Spring).
237 History
of Early Modern Europe: From the Renaissance to the Age of Napoleon (3)
Fulfills core competency: Contextual Competency. This course
introduces students to the key elements of modern European society that began to
emerge during the period from the Renaissance to the age of Napoleon. In this
course, we will focus on the following key developments: 1) the Renaissance; 2)
the Protestant Reformation and Catholic Reformation; 3) the rise of the modern
system of European states; 4) the creation of the Atlantic economy; 5) the
Scientific Revolution and the Enlightenment; 6) the global rivalries of the
European colonial powers; and 7) the French Revolution and its legacy. Offered As Needed.
247 Selected
Current Topics: Seminar (3)
Offered
As Needed.
248 Ancient
Mediterranean World (3)
Fulfills core competency: Contextual Competency. This course
introduces students to the various cultures of the ancient Mediterranean world.
The course is divided into four sections: 1) the origins of Mediterranean
civilizations, including the history of ancient Mesopotamia and Egypt; 2) the
Greek cultural expansion from the classical period through the Hellenistic age;
3) the history of Rome from the foundations of the republic to the fall of the
empire; and 4) the rise of Christianity as a cultural phenomenon in the
Mediterranean world. Offered Alternate
Years (Fall).
304 Modern China
(3)
This course focuses primarily on twentieth century China and
will include the Revolution of 1911, the rise of the Kuomintang or Nationalist
Party, and China since the Communist victory in 1949. Students will be
encouraged to make their own evaluations regarding the Maoist regime,
U.S.-Chinese relations in the twentieth century and the Chinese relationship with
Third World nations. Offered As Needed.
308 Modern Latin
America (3)
Fulfills core competency: Contextual Competency. A course to
acquaint the student with significant historical and cultural developments in
Latin America since independence (political instability, economic
underdevelopment, class conflict, anti-clericalism, militarism, etc.). Select
countries such as Brazil, Argentina and Cuba will be emphasized; however, a
topical rather than a country-by-country approach will generally be followed. Offered Each Year (Fall).
309 Introduction to
the History of American Women (3)
Fulfills core competency: Contextual Competency. This course
surveys the social, political, and economic history of American women from the
colonial era to the present. The class places particular emphasis on the ways
in which women's experiences have been shaped by such factors as race, class,
and ethnicity, as well as by gender. Offered
Each Year (Spring).
312 Sub-Saharan
Africa (3)
A study of essential historical and cultural background
necessary for understanding contemporary problems of Sub-Saharan Africa.
Emphasis is placed on pre-selected countries: Nigeria, Zaire, Ghana and the
Republic of South Africa. Offered As
Needed.
313 History of
Russia to 1801 (3)
Fulfills core competency: Contextual Competency. Major
topics covered include: the rise of Kievan Rus’ and its relations with the
larger world; the impact of the Mongol invasion; the rise of absolutism;
church-state relations; the reforms of Peter the Great; the rise of the Russian
Empire and its growing role in European and Asian politics; the peasant
question in Russia; the emergence of the intelligentsia in the 18th century;
and the question of “westernization” during the reigns of Catherine II and
Nicholas I. Offered As Needed.
314 Russia: 1801 to
Present (3)
Fulfills core competency: Contextual Competency. Major
topics covered include: the importance of the Russian Empire in European
politics; the peasant question in Russia; the emergence of the radical
intelligentsia in the 19th century; the reforms of Alexander II; the economic
modernization of Russia in the late 19th century; the revolutionary movements
and the revolutions of 1905 and 1917; the Bolshevik Revolution and creation of
the Soviet Union; Stalin's "revolution" and the modernization of the
Soviet economy; the Soviet role in World War II; the creation of the Soviet
Empire in Eastern Europe; the Cold War and the clash between the U.S. and the
U.S.S.R.; de-Stalinization and Khrushchev's reforms; the growing opposition
movement in the 1960s and 1970s under Brezhnev; and Gorbachev's reforms and the
collapse of the Soviet Empire. Offered As
Needed.
315 Modern
Political Thought (3)
Students will analyze key problems in political philosophy
by reading original works by thinkers who have influenced our own political
discourse today. Offered As Needed.
317 The Middle East
(3)
Fulfills core competency: Contextual Competency.
Concentrating primarily on the period following World War I, the course mixes
the thematic with the chronological approach. Includes discussions of Islam,
the growth of nationalism, Pan Arabism, the Arab-Israeli conflict, and Gulf
War. Offered As Needed.
319 20th Century
Russia and Eastern Europe (3)
Fulfills core competency: Contextual Competency. This course
explores the nature of communism in Russia and Eastern Europe, the reasons for
the collapse of communist regimes, and the transition to the post-communist
era. We begin by examining how communist governments gained control in Russia
and Eastern Europe, the nature of communist rule, and the crisis confronted by
various regimes. In addition, we explore the nature of the Cold War and the
ideological struggle between state and society, the “democratization” of
politics, the problems of ethnic conflict, and changing relations with the
West. Offered As Needed.
324 Global
Environmental History (3)
Fulfills core competency: Civic Responsibility. This course
deals with several key aspects of environmental history: 1) humankind’s impact
on the environment as we attempt to alter our natural surroundings; 2) various
philosophical and religious concepts of the environment and humankind’s place
in the natural world; 3) European global expansion and the impact of this
ecological imperialism on indigenous peoples and ecologies; 4) the modern
“green” movement; and 5) global environment crises and their impact on domestic
affairs and international relations. Offered
As Needed.
325 Introduction to
Polish Culture (3)
Fulfills core competency: Contextual Competency.
Cross-listed as IND 325. This course introduces students to the history of
Polish culture. This survey will focus primarily on cultural developments, but
students will also learn about key political, economic, and social developments
in Polish history. Offered Alternate
Years (Spring).
343 Historical
Methods (3)
An introduction to historical investigation through
individual and group projects. Open to second semester sophomores, juniors and
seniors. Required of all History & Government majors. Offered Each Year.
345 Introduction to
Russian Culture (3)
Fulfills core competency: Contextual Competency.
Cross-listed as IND 345. This course introduces students to select themes in
the Russian cultural tradition. The peoples of Russia have engaged actively with
other cultures in Europe and Asia for over a millennium. We will explore how a
distinct Russian culture has emerged, with special emphases on the following
developments: the introduction of Christianity; the “Mongol Yoke;" the
“Europeanization” of Muscovite Russia; the cultural splendor of the Russian
empire during the reign of Catherine II; the flourishing of Russian literary
culture under an absolutist regime during the “Golden Age” of the mid-19th
century; and Russia’s role in the birth of Modernism at the end of the tsarist
era. Offered Alternate Years (Spring).
443 Research
Project (3)
An extensive paper emphasizing original research and proper
methodology will be required of all students. Offered As Needed.
447 Selected
Current Topics: Seminar (3)
Offered
As Needed.
103 Introductory
Colloquium (2)
The primary purpose of the course is to introduce majors to
the disciplines of History and Political Science. Another function of the
course is to facilitate students’ abilities to analyze knowledge from disparate
sources and to enhance critical thinking skills. The process involved in
learning and thinking critically will be emphasized throughout the course,
organized around a particular theme. An additional goal of this course is to
introduce students to the faculty of the Department of History &
Government. In addition to the primary instructors, several faculty members
will contribute to the course as guest discussants. The class will also include
activities designed to help students to begin exploring future career plans.
These activities may include goal-setting, developing a resume, introduction to
careers one can pursue with a degree from the department, question and answer
sessions with alumni, etc. Offered Each
Year (Spring).
331 Introduction to
Historiography (3)
Classes are conducted in seminar format. Class discussions
are based on the intensive study of a wide variety of historical writings.
Historiography is the study of the history of history writing; thus,
discussions and assignments will focus on a close study of the changing
interpretations of history. Offered Each
Year (Spring).
333 Methods of
Teaching Secondary Social Studies (3)
This course is designed to prepare prospective teachers who
will engage in teaching social studies at the secondary level. It is intended
to invest them with an understanding of the skills of teaching as well as
provide them with content knowledge. It is also intended to assist prospective
teachers in generating and implementing ideas and then assessing how well these
plans have worked in the classroom. Prerequisite: Junior status. Offered Each Year (Spring).
442 Thesis Research
(1)
In this course, taken in the spring semester of the junior
year, students select topics for their research projects and make substantial
progress on researching the senior thesis under the direction of History and
Government faculty members. Students are required to submit a polished research
proposal and an annotated bibliography and to make an oral presentation of the
research proposal to the class. Prerequisite: HG 343 or equivalent.
Co-requisite: HG 331 or equivalent. This course is a prerequisite for HG 443
Research Project. Offered Each Year
(Spring).
443 Research
Project (3)
Fulfills Research and Presentation requirement. Writing
Intensive. In this capstone course for students majoring in the History &
Government department, students research an approved topic under the direction
of History & Government faculty members and write a thesis of approximately
30 pages that synthesizes research from appropriate primary and secondary
sources. Students are required to present their research orally, in a forum
selected by the course instructor(s). Prerequisite: HG 331 or equivalent and HG
442. Offered As Needed.
458 Internship (3-6)
Credit is granted on an individual basis to students who
work with government or party officials on a national, state or local level, in
non-public agencies, law firms or in other institutions which are relevant to majors
in History and Government or Political Science.