HISTORY
College of Behavioral and Social Sciences
(See History in the "Academic Programs" section for information on degrees)
Undergraduate Courses
109 Ancient African Civilizations (3) [GE]
F
A myth-exploding introduction to the role of Africa in the birth of civilization. How research has provided evidence of African achievements and changed thinking on human progress in ancient times. Emphasis on the cultures of Egypt, Ethiopia, and Nubia.
110 History of Western Civilization I (3) [GE]
F,S
The growth of the political, economic and cultural institutions of the Western World from the beginnings to the Renaissance. [CAN HIST 2]
111 History of Western Civilization II (3) [GE]
F,S
A continuation of HIST 110 from the Renaissance to the present. [CAN HIST 4]
112 Latin American Civilizations (3) [GE]
F,S
An introduction to the societies of Latin America from the pre-Columbian era through European colonization to independence, revolution, and national definition.
113 Asian Civilizations (3) [GE]
S
The rise and development of the cultural, social, economic, and political institutions of the Asian peoples from the earliest times to now.
114 World History to 1500 (3) [GE]
A comparative history of the world's civilizations from 4500 B.C. to 1500 A.D.
115 World History Since 1500 (3) [GE]
A comparative history of the world's civilizations from 1500 A.D. to the present.
120 History of the United States to 1865 (3) [US]
F,S
The history of the United States from Colonial times to the Civil War. The more important political, constitutional, economic, and cultural aspects of American life as they developed both nationally and locally. (Page reference for U.S. history requirement can be found in the Index.) [CAN HIST 8]
121 History of the United States Since 1865 (3) [US]
F,S
The history of the United States from the Civil War to the present. The more important political, constitutional, economic, and cultural aspects of American life as they developed both nationally and locally. (Page reference for U.S. history requirement can be found in the Index.) [CAN HIST 10]
130 Survey of United States History for Foreign Students (3) [US]
F,S
The American people from colonial times to the present; the development of American political, social, and economic institutions. Comparing and contrasting the American experience with that of other countries from which students come. (Page reference for U.S. history requirement can be found in the Index.)
Because History courses numbered 300 and above include significant writing requirements, students should complete ENG 214 or an approved equivalent before enrolling in them. Students enrolled in upper division History courses should have upper division status (completion of 60 units) or permission of the instructor.
300 Seminar in Historical Analysis (3)
F,S
The nature and sources of historical evidence and the tools and techniques of historical writing and interpretation; the philosophy of history. Required for major.
312 Capitalist Hegemony and Third World Resistance (3) [GE]
A critical study of capitalist hegemony and third world resistance in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, with emphasis on the changing dynamics between center and peripheries, development and underdevelopment, hegemony and resistance. (Also offered as CST 312.)
313 Comparative History of Love and Sexuality (3) [GE]
F
Historical study of the development of and changes in the attitudes and practices surrounding love and sexuality on selected western and non-western cultures from Antiquity to the present.
314 Gay, Lesbian, and Bisexual History (3)
Central themes and issues in the history of gays, lesbians, and bisexuals. Emphasizes the period since the nineteenth century, but also considers theoretical issues and earlier times.
316 Media and Bourgeois Society (3) [GE]
S
A critical study of the development of the novel, painting, film, television, news communication, and publicity image in nineteenth and twentieth century society in the West. (Also offered as CST 316.)
317 The Holocaust and Genocide (3) [GE]
Case study seminar of the process and conditions which led to the harassment, expulsion, and extermination of the European Jews during World War II, including a detailed analysis of new information about the concentration camp system.
318 Topics in Comparative History (3)
Topic to be specified in Class Schedule. Comparative study of selected problems in European, American, non-Western history. May be repeated for credit when topics vary.
319 Century of Warfare 1850-1950 (3) [GE]
A
Historical study of the changes in warfare during the Industrial Revolution, the Age of Democracy, and the Era of Nationalism from 1850 to 1950.
320 Archaic and Classical Greece (3)
A
The political, institutional, and cultural history of Greece from the Bronze Age to the end of the Peloponnesian War.
321 Hellenistic Greece (3)
A
The political, institutional and cultural history of Greece from the end of the fifth century to 146 B.C.
322 The Roman Republic (3)
A
The political, institutional, and cultural history of Rome from the Etruscans to the outbreak of the Civil War of 49 B.C.
323 Imperial Rome (3)
A
The political, institutional and cultural history of Rome from the outbreak of the Civil War of 49 B.C. to the council of Nicaea (325 A.D.).
325 Late Antiquity (3)
A
The political, social, economic, and cultural history of the Mediterranean world from the fourth to the eighth centuries A.D. The later Roman Empire and its early Greek, German, and Arabic-speaking successor states.
326 The Byzantine Empire (3)
A
The political, social, economic, and cultural history of the Byzantine empire from the seventh to the fifteenth centuries A.D.; the relations of Byzantium with its Germanic, Slavic, Arabic and Turkic-speaking neighbors.
327 The Mediterranean World (3) [GE]
Prerequisites: ENG 214, upper division standing, and consent of instructor. An interdisciplinary colloquium on selected Mediterranean societies. (Also offered as CLAS 327.)
328 Early Christian Church to 313 (3) [GE]
A history of the Christian Church from its beginnings to the conversion of Constantine. Special emphasis is given to the following: the quest for the historical Jesus; Orthodoxy and Gnosticism; development of worship; the Apologists; the phenomenon of martyrdom.
329 Early Christian Church, 313–787 (3)
A history of the Christian Church from the conversion of Constantine to Iconoclasm. Emphasis on the establishment of the Imperial Church; monasticism; doctrinal controversies of the fourth and fifth centuries; worship; Rome, Africa, and the development of the papal primacy.
330 The Early Middle Ages (3) [GE]
F
A study of society and culture in early medieval Europe, up to the twelfth century. (Also offered as HUM 420.)
331 The High Middle Ages (3) [GE]
S
A study of society and culture in medieval Europe from the twelfth to the fourteenth century. (Also offered as HUM 421.)
334 The Renaissance (3) [GE]
F
Political and economic conditions during the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries; the rise and spread of humanism; intellectual, political, and cultural developments characteristic of the Renaissance era.
336 The Reformation (3) [GE]
S
The causes and progress of the Lutheran Reformation, the variations within Protestantism, the Counter-Reformation; the political and economic history of the sixteenth century.
338 The Age of Louis XIV (3)
A
Political, economic, social, and intellectual survey of European history from 1648 to 1715.
340 Europe During the Old Regime: 1715-1789 (3)
A
Political, economic, social, and intellectual survey of European history from 1715 to 1789.
342 Europe and the French Revolution (3) [GE]
A
European history from 1760-1799; the development of the Revolution in France; concurrent revolutionary movements outside of France.
343 Europe in the Age of Napoleon (3)
A
European history in the Napoleonic Era: the transformation of the Revolution in France, the impact of Napoleonic conquests on Europe, comparison of French and non-French revolutionary experiences under Bonaparte.
344 Nineteenth Century Europe (3) [GE]
F,S
Development of Western Europe from the time of the fall of Napoleon to World War I (1814-1914).
346 Recent European History (3) [GE]
F,S
Western Europe since the eve of World War I; current political and social problems originating in the conditions of the interwar period and World War II. (Also offered as IR 346.)
347 Women in Modern Europe (3) [GE]
The social, economic, political, and intellectual life of European women since 1500.
348 Recent European Intellectual History (3)
F
European intellectual history from the Enlightenment to the present, with emphasis on a critical analysis of textual forces that have influenced European development. (Formerly offered as HIST 409.)
349 Topics in European History (3)
Topic to be specified in Class Schedule. Selected topics in European history from the ancient world to the present. May be repeated for credit when topics vary.
356 Modern England (3)
A
Political, social, economic, and intellectual history of England since the great Reform Bill of 1832, stressing the tension between the forces of change and the forces of continuity in English life.
372 History of Modern Germany I (3)
A
Development of German institutions, politics, and ideas from 1648 to the unification period.
373 History of Modern Germany II (3)
A
Development of German institutions, politics, and ideas from 1871 to the present.
385 The Russian Revolution (3) [GE]
S
The crisis and collapse of Imperial Russia, the traditions of the Russian revolutionaries, and the rise of the Soviet Union of Stalin.
386 Soviet Russia in the Cold War Era (3)
A survey of political, social, economic, and cultural affairs in the Soviet Union since the end of World War II. Attention is paid to the roles of Khrushchev, Brezhnev, Andropov, and Gorbachev in framing a post-Stalin administration.
388 The Soviet Union in World Affairs (3) [GE]
F,S
Soviet foreign policy and international communism from 1917 to the present.
389 European International History, 1848-1918 (3) [GE]
The international relations of the European states, designed to focus on their diplomatic history, while taking into account the broad range of cultural and intellectual contacts among them.
390 European International History, 1918 to Present (3)
The international relations of the European states, designed to focus on their diplomatic history, while taking into account the broad range of cultural and intellectual contacts among them.
391 Traditional Asia (3) [GE]
An overview of pre-1500 traditional Asian cultures, encompassing the origins and evolution of philosophical, aesthetic, linguistic, political, social, and technological patterns in China, Japan, Korea, and South and Southeast Asia. (Also offered as ANTH 391.)
392 Asia in Transition (3) [GE]
Examination of Asian empires and their confrontation with the West, and the nationalist challenges to Western imperialism. (Also offered as GEOG 573/IR 392.)
393 Contemporary Asia (3) [GE]
Examination of social, political, and cultural structures and processes; ideologies and leadership; modernization and development; conflict and cooperation; selected aspects of regional and international interactions of China, Japan, Korea, and the states of South and Southeast Asia. (Also offered as GEOG 574, IR/S S 393.)
400 History of Modern European Imperialism (3) [GE]
Theories of imperialism, European public opinion and policies with regard to imperialism; specific influence of Western practices on non-European societies.
418 Society and Politics in American History (3) [US]
F,S
The changing nature of American political patterns from the American Revolution to the present. Parties, elections, and policy-making at a national level; ideological, social, and economic bases of politics. (Page reference for U.S. history requirement can be found in the Index.)
420 American Colonial History (3)
S
The English colonies in North America from the settlement of Jamestown to the preliminaries of the great war for Empire. Modification of European institutions and ideals in the New World.
422 The Founding of the American Nation (3) [GE]
F
Background and problems of the American Revolutionary era, culmination in the Confederation period and drafting of the Constitution.
424 History of the United States: 1827–1877 (3) [GE]
S
Internal development and expansion of the American people and the rise of sectional conflict, culminating in the Civil War and the Reconstruction era.
426 History of the United States: 1877–1916 (3) [GE]
S
United States history from 1877 to 1916, emphasizing the impact of industrialization, urbanization, immigration on existing social and political systems.
427 History of the United States: 1916–1945 (3)
F
United States history from 1916 to 1945, emphasizing the politics of the New Era and the New Deal; involvement in two world wars and its domestic impact; and changing social, economic and intellectual patterns.
428 History of the United States Since 1945 (3) [GE]
F
United States history since 1945, emphasizing politics, foreign policy and changing social, economic, and intellectual patterns.
429 The Sixties (3)
F,S
Analysis of the changes of a decade critical for understanding the contemporary world with emphasis on international affairs, cultural change, and intellectual development. (Also offered as S S 429.)
440 The South in American History (3)
A
Southern life from the beginning to the present day stressing the patterns and institutions which have contributed to southern distinctiveness; regional politics and economics, slavery, race relations, and the development of a southern mentality.
448 History of the American Northwest (3) [GE]
A
History of the Northwestern states of the United States, Western Canada and Alaska from the earliest explorers to the present. The distinct international, cultural, political and commercial characteristics of the area.
450 History of California (3) [GE,CA]
F,S
California through the Spanish and early American periods to the present. Satisfies the California state and local government requirement. (Page reference for requirement can be found in the Index.)
461 History of American Foreign Relations (3) [GE]
S
American foreign policy, 1776 to the present. Examines especially the major wars and foreign policy crises in America's history and the changing principles and attitudes underlying American diplomacy.
464 American Ethnic and Racial Relations I: 1740–1890 (3) [GE]
F
Analysis of the effects of immigration on American life from the mid-eighteenth century to the closing of the frontier. Special attention is given to four ethnic or racial groups: Amerindians, Blacks, Irish Catholics, and Chinese.
465 American Ethnic and Racial Relations II: 1890-Present (3) [GE]
S
Analysis of the effects of immigration on American life from the closing of the frontier to the present. Special attention given to the Russian Jews, American Irish, Mexican Americans, and Japanese.
467 Women in the United States (3) [GE]
S
History of the changing social, economic, political, and intellectual life of women in the United States.
469 American Childhoods: Past and Present (3) [GE]
F,S
An examination of childhoods through time and across the cultures which have composed American society since the seventeenth century. (Also offered as S S 469.)
471 United States Constitutional and Legal History (3)
S
Constitutional and legal aspects of American history. Emphasis on the constitution as a living instrument, the historic role of the courts in arbitrating individual rights and social claims, the law reflecting and shaping changing national needs and values.
474 History of Labor in the United States (3)
A
Historical development of the work force and of organized labor in the United States with emphasis on the period since industrialization. Social and economic characteristics of work and of the work force; characteristics of labor organizations at different times. (Also offered as ECON and LABR 474.)
480 Thought and Culture in America (3) [GE]
S
Thought and culture from colonial times to the present. Intellectual movements and influential texts, with emphasis on ideas in the texts, traditions they created, and social and personal contexts that produced them. (Also offered as HUM 480.)
482 Religion in America (3) [GE]
American religion, from colonial times to the present. Changing relations between religious thought and institutions. The range and variety of forms of religious expression in an increasingly urbanized, industrialized, and organized multicultural society.
489 Dynamics of the American City (3) [GE]
F,S
Social science perspectives on the historical development and contemporary condition of urban America, including city planning, federal-city relations, and the dynamics of urban policy-making. Special attention to social class, gender, and ethnic diversity in urban America. (Also offered as URBS 400.)
490 Topics in American History (3)
A
Topic to be specified in Class Schedule. American life from colonial time to the present. May be repeated for credit when topics vary.
501 Latin America: The National Period (3) [GE]
Latin America since independence (c. 1825). Covers fundamental issues whose impact has cut across the histories of Latin American peoples. Central topics include culture, race relations, women, political oppression and resistance, the economy and development. (Also offered as ANTH/LARA/S S 501.)
510 Colonial Latin America (3)
A
Hispanic America from preconquest times to independence. Through documents and art we explore Indian, African, and Hispanic elements in the colonization process; the new colonial culture; political, economic, religious, racial, and sexual domination; and the legacy of colonialism.
520 Central America and the Caribbean (3) [GE]
F
Political, economic, and social development from the colonial era to the present. Contemporary Central America and the Caribbean, especially post revolutionary Cuba.
524 History of Mexico (3) [GE]
S
Mexico from colonial times to the present with emphasis upon the development of major economic, social and political institutions.
528 History of Brazil (3)
S
Brazil from colonial times to the present. The unique role of Brazil in Latin American history, shifting patterns of economic activity, evolution of political institutions, development of distinctively Brazilian cultural patterns.
530 Revolution and Reform in Latin America (3) [GE]
Comparative history of 20th century revolutionary changes in selected Latin American countries, especially Mexico, Cuba, and Nicaragua. Consideration of contrasting experiences involving violent revolution and non-violent reform.
550 Social Change in Modern Latin America (3) [GE]
F,S
The processes of modernization operative in various Latin American societies. Twentieth century developments which typify the region as a whole. (Also offered as S S 550.)
560 History of the Traditional Far East (3)
A
Political, social, and cultural development of China, India, Japan, Korea, and Southeast Asia from the prehistoric period to the end of the fifteenth century.
561 History of the Far East in Transition (3)
A
Political, social, and cultural development of China, India, Japan, Korea, and Southeast Asia from the beginning of the sixteenth century to the present.
570 History of China before Modern Times (3)
A
The evolution of the Chinese civilization from its beginning to the decline of the Ming dynasty.
571 History of Modern China (3) [GE]
A
The rise and fall of the Ch'ing empire and the establishment of the Republic and its aftermath.
578 History of Japan (3)
F
The early cultural borrowings from China; the crystallization of feudal society; and the evolution of modern Japan since the Meiji restoration in 1868.
584 Postmodernism/Capitalism (3) [GE]
The following issues are studied: postmodernism; late capitalism; the connection between postmodernism and late-capitalist society, and how late-capitalist center and peripheries differ in their approaches to postmodernism. (Also offered as CST 584.)
600 Ancient Near East (3) [GE]
A
Topic to be specified in Class Schedule. Topics in the history of the Ancient Near East: the Egyptians, the Sumerians, the early Semitic peoples, the Hittites, and the Persians. May be repeated for credit when topic varies.
603 History of the Middle East (3)
Middle Eastern and North African history from World War I to the present.
610 History of Africa (3) [GE]
F
African cultures from the Iron Age to 1880 with particular emphasis on Africa south of the Sahara.
611 Modern Africa (3) [GE]
S
The rise and decline of European colonization and the emergence of contemporary nationalist movements.
635 Recent History of the Jewish People (3)
A
History of the Jews in the 20th century.
640 Proseminar in European History (3)
F,S
Prerequisite: HIST 300. Topic to be specified in Class Schedule. Intensive discussion and research on a topic in European history. May be repeated for credit when topics vary.
642 Proseminar in American History (3)
F,S
Prerequisite: HIST 300. Topic to be specified in Class Schedule. Intensive discussion and research on a topic in American history. May be repeated for credit when topics vary.
652 Proseminar in World History (3)
Prerequisite: HIST 300. Topic to be specified in Class Schedule. Intensive discussion and research on a topic in world history. May be repeated for credit when topics vary.
680 Archives or Historical Agency Internship (3-4)
F,S
Prerequisites: major in history and consent of department chair. Internship with an archive or other historical agency. Development of knowledge, experience, and training in archival or historical agency work. May be repeated once; seven-unit limit in either HIST 680 or 880.
685 Directed Study in Computer Methodology for Historical Research (1-4)
Prerequisites: HIST 300 and consent of instructor. Directed study and supervised experience in uses of computers for historical research. Not applicable to fields within the major. No more than six units may be earned in HIST 685 and 885 together.
690 Editing and Publishing the History Journal (1-4)
F,S
Prerequisites: HIST 300 and consent of instructor. Supervised experience in editing and production of an annual journal of research done by SFSU students. Not applicable to major or minor fields within history majors. No more than a combined total of eight units may be earned in HIST 690 and 890.
697 Honors Thesis (3)
F,S
Prerequisite: completion of or concurrent enrollment in HIST 660. Tutorial leading to an honors project or thesis based on intensive study of a topic or problem. Topic to be determined by student and faculty member selected by the student.
698 Directed Reading in History (1-4)
F,S
Directed reading in selected areas of history under the supervision of a faculty member.
699 Special Study (1-4)
F,S
Prerequisites: consent of instructor, major adviser, and department chair. Supervised study of a particular problem selected by the student.
Graduate Courses
Prerequisite to all graduate courses in history: admission to classified graduate status in history or consent of instructor. Seminars may be repeated for credit when topics vary.
700 History as a Field of Knowledge (3)
F,S
Seminar in the problems in the historical inquiry and facilities designed to prepare master's candidates for research and teaching.
710 Seminar in Ancient and Medieval History (3)
S
Topic to be specified in Class Schedule. The problems and research techniques of ancient and medieval history. A reading knowledge of one or more foreign languages is expected. May be repeated once when topic varies.
730 Seminar in Early Modern European History (3)
F
Topic to be specified in Class Schedule. Research experience in the period from the Renaissance to 1815. Deals either with a topic or a limited time span within the period. A reading knowledge of one or more modern foreign languages is expected. May be repeated once when topic varies.
740 Seminar in the History of Europe Since 1815 (3)
S
Topic to be specified in Class Schedule. Topics selected by the instructor and students within the period from the end of the Napoleonic era to the present. A reading knowledge of one or more foreign languages is expected. May be repeated once when topic varies.
780 Seminar in American History To 1877 (3)
F
Topic to be specified in Class Schedule. Selected topics in American history from the Colonial period through Reconstruction. May be repeated once when topic varies.
790 Seminar in American History Since 1877 (3)
F,S
Topic to be specified in Class Schedule. Experience in historical research and synthesis, involving the preparation of papers based on primary source materials for selected topics in recent American history. May be repeated once when topic varies.
800 Selected Themes in American History (3)
A
Topic to be specified in Class Schedule. Research experience with respect to various themes—e.g., in American intellectual, economic, or diplomatic history—which are not conveniently divisible by the conventional year of 1877. Seminar sessions. May be repeated when topics vary.
805 Seminar in the History of Women (3)
S
Topics in the history of women and feminism to be specified in Class Schedule. May be repeated for credit when topics vary.
830 Seminar in Latin American History (3)
S
Topic to be specified in Class Schedule. Readings and research in the primary and secondary resources on Spanish and Portuguese America covering the colonial and national periods. May be repeated once when topic varies.
840 Seminar in Asian History (3)
F
Topic to be specified in Class Schedule. Selected topics in the history of the principal civilizations of Asia—China, Japan, Korea, India, and Southeast Asia—from the beginnings to the advent of Western influences during the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. May be repeated once when topic varies.
880 Archives or Historical Agency Internship (3-4)
F,S
Prerequisites: classified standing in history and consent of department chair. Internship with an archive or other historical agency. Development of knowledge, experience, and training in archival or historical agency work. May be repeated once; seven-unit limit in either HIST 680 or 880.
885 Directed Study in Computer Methodology for Historical Research (1-4)
Prerequisites: HIST 300 and consent of instructor. Directed study and supervised experience in uses of computers for historical research. Not applicable to field within the M.A. program. No more than six units may be earned in HIST 685 and 885 together.
890 Editing and Publishing the History Journal (1-4)
F,S
Prerequisites: HIST 700 and consent of instructor. Supervised experience in editing and publication of an annual journal of research done by SFSU students. Not applicable to major fields within M.A. programs. No more than a combined total of eight units may be earned in HIST 690 and 890.
896 Directed Reading in History (3)
F,S
Directed reading in one historical field, based upon a standard bibliography and consultation with departmental specialists in that field. Not open to M.A. candidates who choose to write a thesis.
898 Master's Thesis (3)
F,S
Prerequisites: advancement to candidacy for the master's degree and consent of chair of candidate's committee for the Master of Arts. An intensive study of a topic or problem within a field of history. After carrying on research and writing the thesis, the student defends the findings before the committee. Graduate Approved Program and Proposal for Culminating Experience Requirement forms must be approved by the Graduate Division before registration.
899 Special Study (1-4)
F,S
Prerequisites: permission of the graduate major adviser, the supervising faculty member, and the department chair. Study is planned, developed, and completed under the direction of a member of the departmental faculty. Open only to graduate students who have demonstrated ability to do independent work. Enrollment by petition.


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