Courses
The history department offers a variety of graduate courses in European, North American, and trans-Atlantic history, as well as courses in the field of Public history. Courses generally fall into three types:
- readings,
- research, and
- methods or studies (including internships).
A list of history course offerings for the current semester can be found by consulting the VCU Schedule of Classes.
Fall 2020 Course Offerings
HIST 601: Historiography and Methodology
Rocio Gomez, Ph.D.
Tuesdays, 7:00-9:40 pm
HIST 601 is designed as a methods course. We will discuss and examine the classic works on history as disciplinary field and practice, as well as recent works challenging those interpretations. At the same time, we will practice writing historiographical essays in addition to writing for the public. We will end the semester with a discussion of digital history. The goal is to obtain a greater understanding of the differing approaches to historical writing and analysis.
HIST 611: Readings in American History: Civil War and Reconstruction
Katy Shively, Ph.D.
Mondays, 4:00-6:40 pm
This course examines the historiography of the American Civil War and Reconstruction with relevant units on slavery and memory. We will use historical fields of inquiry—social, cultural, political, military, and environmental history—to learn how scholars have explored these topics using a variety of methods, sources, and questions. The course provides grounding in canonical and recent works to provide a sense of where the field has been and where it is heading. Students will learn how to write scholarly book reviews, lead and participate in meaningful conversations about the period, and write an essay exploring a major question answered with historiographical research – all skills required of professional historians.
HIST 615: Readings in European History: The Soviet City
George Munro, Ph.D.
Wednesdays, 7:00-9:40 pm
The Bolsheviks who forced themselves into power in the fall of 1917 hoped to create a more just and equitable society than had ever existed before. They ruled in the name of workers, which meant that cities were of greater importance to them than villages. As their vision took shape under Joseph Stalin’s leadership, it encompassed total planning. Cities—although not megalopolises—were intrinsic to their vision of the new humanity. The intent was that those cities would meet all the needs of workers and that in their physical forms they would be rational and efficient. Under the Communist Party’s direction an overwhelmingly rural society was transformed in a few decades into a majority urban one, and Soviet cities in many ways did look different and function differently from “capitalist” cities. This despite—or in some sense also owing to—massive destruction of many cities during World War II. The course will examine and analyze the history of the Soviet planned city, selecting a few examples for particular emphasis.
HIST 631: Research in American History: Early America
Sarah Meacham, Ph.D.
Thursdays, 4:00-6:40 p.m.
Students in this class will locate, read, and analyze secondary and primary sources on a research question of their choosing related to early modern America. While interest in traditional topics such as the founding mothers and fathers and the causes and consequences of colonial wars continues, the field has expanded to include the histories of the environment, capitalism, the body and the senses, emotions, law, high culture, and much more. Many scholars are now researching questions relevant today: How did early Americans handle disease, epidemics, vaccines, and death? How did they maximize crops and control insects and pests without modern chemicals? How did they handle poverty and disability? How did early America sound or taste? What sports did they play and how much was at stake with them? How did early Americans feel and think they ought to feel? How did they manage borders? How did they decide who was a citizen? Did enslaved men and women have de facto rights? Were the edges of slavery negotiable? Who had access to courts? How were early Americans shaped by what they read and viewed in novels and portraits? How did tea parties and bread riots throughout all the colonies shape the American Revolution? Class meetings will include group readings, presentations, and student collaborations. We will also visit nearby institutions to discuss with archivists their relevant historic resources.
HIST 651: Public History: Theory and Practice*
Daniel Morales, Ph.D.
Mondays, 7:00-9:40 pm
An overview of the field of public history, intended to introduce students to the range of professional historical activities practiced outside the classroom. Explores methods and skills including archival work, documentary editing, historic preservation, museum studies and oral history. The course also involves a sustained consideration of the theoretical issues that arise from public history work, defined as history of, for, by and/or with the public.
*Eligible for the Certificate in Public History
Hist 653: American Material Culture*
Ryan Smith, Ph.D.
Wednesdays, 4:00-6:40 p.m.
What is “material culture”? In short, the term means all things created or modified by people – clothing, tools, furniture, works of art, buildings, and even landscapes. So the study of American material culture attempts to learn about American society by examining its artifacts and architecture. What seems like a simple proposition is not. For the bulk of American history has been written from literary sources–letters, diaries, court records, newspapers, and so on—rather than material sources. Archaeologists, art historians, museum professionals, and others confronting artifacts have strived to make non-literary artifacts speak. Our class will explore this dilemma. Following a rough chronology of American history, we will consider representative topics from several related academic disciplines, and pay particular attention to the role of politics in the preservation and exhibition of material culture. We will also make a few excursions outside the classroom. Finally, true to time-honored traditions, each student will complete a substantial research project focusing on a particular artifact or landscape feature. Ultimately, students will be better prepared for careers in public history and will be able to apply insights from these experiences to other historical studies.
*Eligible for the Certificate in Public History
And, as always, History 693 Internships are available at a wide variety of public history institutions in the area. See Professor Brian Daugherity or Professor Emilie Raymond for more information.
Complete Graduate History Course Descriptions
HIST 511 Studies in American History
Semester course; 3 lecture hours. 3 credits. May be repeated for a maximum of 12 credits. Study of a selected topic in American history, primarily through lectures and readings. See the Schedule of Classes for specific topics to be offered each semester.
HIST 515 Studies in European History
Semester course; 3 lecture hours. 3 credits. May be repeated for a maximum of 12 credits. Study of a selected topic in European history, primarily through lectures and readings. See the Schedule of Classes for specific topics to be offered each semester.
HIST 519 Studies in Ethnic and Social History
Semester course; 3 lecture hours. 3 credits. May be repeated for a maximum of 12 credits. Study of a selected topic in ethnic or social history, primarily through lectures and readings. See the Schedule of Classes for specific topics to be offered each semester.
HIST 523 Studies in Virginia and Southern History
Semester course; 3 lecture hours. 3 credits. May be repeated for a maximum of 12 credits. Study of a selected topic in Virginia or Southern history, primarily through lectures and readings. See the Schedule of Classes for specific topics to be offered each semester.
HIST 527 Studies in African-American History
Semester course; 3 lecture hours. 3 credits. May be repeated for a maximum of 12 credits. Study of a selected topic in African-American history, primarily through lectures and readings. See the Schedule of Classes for specific topics to be offered each semester.
HIST 591 Special Topics in History
Semester course; 1-3 lecture hours. 1-3 credits. May be repeated with different topics for a maximum of 9 credits. An intensive study of a selected topic in history.
HIST 601 Historiography and Methodology
Semester course; 3 lecture hours. 3 credits. A study of the development of history as a discipline from ancient times to the present. The course examines the evolution of historical theory and philosophy, great historians, schools of interpretation, and problems of historical methodology. This course is a prerequisite for research seminars.
HIST 611 Readings in American History
Semester course; 3 lecture hours. 3 credits. May be repeated for a maximum of 12 credits. Analysis of major studies and interpretative trends in a particular area of American history through readings and class discussions. See the Schedule of Classes for specific topics to be offered each semester.
HIST 615 Readings in European History
Semester course; 3 lecture hours. 3 credits. May be repeated for a maximum of 12 credits. Analysis of major studies and interpretative trends in a particular area of European history through readings and class discussions. See the Schedule of Classes for specific topics to be offered each semester.
HIST 619 Readings in Ethnic and Social History
Semester course; 3 lecture hours. 3 credits. May be repeated for a maximum of 12 credits. Analysis of major studies and interpretative trends in a particular area of ethnic or social history through readings and class discussions. See the Schedule of Classes for specific topics to be offered each semester.
HIST 623 Readings in Virginia and Southern History
Semester course; 3 lecture hours. 3 credits. May be repeated for a maximum of 12 credits. Analysis of major studies and interpretative trends in a particular area of Virginia or Southern history through readings and class discussions. See the Schedule of Classes for specific topics to be offered each semester.
HIST 627 Readings in African-American History
Semester course; 3 lecture hours. 3 credits. May be repeated for a maximum of 12 credits. Analysis of major studies and interpretative trends in a particular area of African-American history through readings and class discussions. See the Schedule of Classes for specific topics to be offered each semester.
HIST 631 Research in American History
Semester course; 3 lecture hours. 3 credits. May be repeated for a maximum of 12 credits. Analysis of significant problems in a particular field of American history through research, writing, in-class presentations and discussions. See the Schedule of Classes for specific topics to be offered each semester.
HIST 635 Research in European History
Semester course; 3 lecture hours. 3 credits. May be repeated for a maximum of 12 credits. Analysis of significant problems in a particular field of European history through research, writing, in-class presentations and discussions. See the Schedule of Classes for specific topics to be offered each semester.
HIST638 Research in Transatlantic History
Semester course; 3 lecture hours. 3 credits. May be repeated for a maximum of 12 credits. Analysis of significant problems in a particular field of transatlantic history through research, writing, in-class presentations and discussions. See the Schedule of Classes for specific topics to be offered each semester.
HIST 639 Research in Ethnic and Social History
Semester course; 3 lecture hours. 3 credits. May be repeated for a maximum of 12 credits. Analysis of significant problems in a particular field of ethnic or social history through research, writing, in-class presentations and discussions. See the Schedule of Classes for specific topics to be offered each semester.
HIST 643 Research in Virginia and Southern History
Semester course; 3 lecture hours. 3 credits. May be repeated for a maximum of 12 credits. Analysis of significant problems in a particular field of Virginia or Southern history through research, writing, in-class presentations and discussions. See the Schedule of Classes for specific topics to be offered each semester.
HIST 647 Research in African-American History
Semester course; 3 lecture hours. 3 credits. May be repeated for a maximum of 12 credits. Analysis of significant problems in a particular field of African-American history through research, writing, in-class presentations and discussions. See the Schedule of Classes for specific topics to be offered each semester.
HIST 651 Public History: Theory and Practice
Semester course; 3 lecture hours. 3 credits. An overview of the field of public history, intended to introduce students to the range of professional historical activities practiced outside the classroom. Explores methods and skills including archival work, documentary editing, historic preservation, museum studies, and oral history. The course also involves a sustained consideration of the theoretical issues that arise from public history work, defined as history of, for, by, and/or with the public.
HIST 652 Documentary Editing and Scholarly Publishing
Semester course; 3 lecture hours. 3 credits. An overview of the processes by which historical scholarship is disseminated by publication. Students will practice editing scholarly editions of historic documents and reviewing manuscripts for publication in academic media. Special consideration will be given to the digital humanities and new technology's relation to the traditional publishing trade.
HIST 653 American Material Culture
Semester course; 3 lecture hours. 3 credits. Material culture is a term encompassing all things created or modified by people - such as clothing, tools, furniture, works of art, buildings, and even landscapes. This course introduces students to the field of material culture studies and challenges them to study the American past through examination of its artifacts and architecture. Students will explore a range of disciplinary approaches and time periods, as well as the role of politics in the preservation and exhibition of material culture.
HIST 654 Oral History: Theory and Practice
Semester course; 3 lecture hours. 3 credits. An introduction to the practice and theories of oral history, a method employing interviews or sound recordings of people with personal knowledge of past events. Students will consider the benefits and limitations of the method as well as learn the general legal issues involved. Students will conduct their own interviews and practice the transcription of oral history.
HIST 691 Special Topics in History
Semester course; 1-3 lecture hours. 1-3 credits. May be repeated for a maximum of 9 credits. An intensive study of a selected topic in history.
HIST 692 Independent Study
Semester course; 1-3 credits. Maximum of 6 credits. Prerequisite: Permission of department chair. Requires an analysis of a historical problem or topic in depth under faculty supervision.
HIST 693 Internship in History
Semester course; variable hours. 2-4 credits per semester. Maximum of 6 credits. Determination of the amount of credit and permission of departmental internship coordinator must be procured prior to registration for this course. Students receive credit for work on historical projects with approved agencies.
HIST 698 M.A. Thesis
1-6 credits. May be repeated for a maximum of 6 credits.