Course Descriptions

An introductory survey of the American experience from the Age of Exploration to the present, with emphasis on those national traits which continue to influence American attitudes and actions.

This semester we will look at Medieval Europe from the collapse of the Western Roman Empire (c. 410) to the arrival of the plague in 1348. Against the backdrop of daily life in Medieval Europe, we will consider a broad range of ideas and texts from the philosophy of Boethius to the Letters of St. Catherine of Siena; and from courtly romance to the Crusades. Far more than just the Dark Ages, our consideration of Medieval Europe includes monks on the trail of a murderer, kings and their subjects, and even mythical heroes such as King Arthur and Robin Hood (and of course, Maid Marion).

Fall semester, even-numbered years

This course examines Europe's 20th century, starting with Europe at the height of its relative wealth, power, and population in 1900 and continuing through war, trauma, division, and resurgence to the year 2000. We will survey major political, economic, social, and intellectual events and trends from several perspectives including individual experience, culture, and geopolitics, emphasizing the role of ideology. The course includes lectures, discussions, readings, and two papers. Country assignments will help students bring national perspectives to class, and special assignments will help students tie past events to present-day issues and controversies.

An introductory survey of Montana's past and its importance in the development of the West, from the period of exploration to the present.

For purposes of this class, the modern Middle East is defined as 1914- present, territorially and politically stretching from Egypt to Iran, including Israel/Palestine, the Arabian Peninsula, and Turkey. As time allows, we will consider North Africa as a region with cultural, linguistic, and religious ties to the Middle East but also very different, as well as Afghanistan, and Pakistan. This course carefully considers how history, culture, politics, economics, and geography, as well as all three Abrahamic faiths-Judaism, Christianity, and Islam-shaped the region's past, are inextricably tied to its present, and help us think about what the future might hold. This class also addresses matters of gender, violence, terrorism, and the chances for a lasting peace. Finally, colonialism and imperialism continue to resonate throughout the Middle East, making it necessary to exam the roles of such countries as Britain, France, Russia, and the United States.

A survey of Sub-Saharan African history from the eighteenth to the twenty-first centuries with an emphasis on formal colonization, colonialism, decolonization, and post-colonial developments.

Two Reformations, one Protestant the other Catholic, and a host of explorers occupy our study in this course as we look critically and analytically at the people, events, ideas, values, cultures, and perspectives of this turbulent and fascinating time in history. We will consider carefully the objections and the goals of Fra Girolamo Savonarola, Martin Luther, John Calvin and a number of others in their calls for reforms. We will venture beyond the confines of Europe in an attempt ascertain what might be learned about both the Europeans and those they encountered from a wide array of travel narratives. We will consider the use of maps as both ideological statements and navigational tools, and we will conduct our own search for the elusive Prester John.

This course will examine the history of the Cold War between the United States and Soviet Union, from its origins during and after World War II to the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991. The political, ideological, economic, and strategic aspects of the conflict will all be closely examined. While much of the focus will be on the diplomatic tensions between the superpowers that brought the world to the brink of nuclear war, the various impacts of the Cold War on Europe, Asia, and the rest of the globe will also be explored, helping to uncover the ways in which the Cold War's legacy continues to shape our world today.

This course traces the rise and development of Britain over the past three centuries, covering the major social, political, economic, and cultural developments of this influential part of the world. Topics will include the evolution and disintegration of the British Empire, the Industrial Revolution, the development of parliamentary institutions and the changing constellations of political rights, British foreign relations (including war and diplomacy), and the quest for a post-imperial role.

French Revolutions, 1789 to present: French History. For centuries, France was the most populous and powerful European state between Russia and the Atlantic Ocean, with a cultural and intellectual impact to match. This course covers topics of importance in French history from the late 18th century to the present, starting with the world-changing Revolution and Napoleon, proceeding to the crises and modernization of the 19th century, and finishing with the disasters and successes of the 20th century and today's challenges of national integration and terrorism. The course will be organized as a set of student research projects combined with common readingss and short lectures.

An examination of the destruction of European Jewry within Nazi-dominated Europe. The origins of, development of and response to the Holocaust will be assessed using a variety of resources.

The Civil War was the gravest crisis the United States has ever faced and remains to this day the deadliest war in American history, having taken over 600,000 American lives. Even now, 150 years since the end of the war, historians still debate the major questions surrounding this compelling period in American history. This course will examine the major political, economic, and social developments that led to the American Civil War, the military, political, and social aspects of the war itself, and the 12-year period of Reconstruction following the war. Major questions to be explored include,was the war inevitable or could it have been avoided? Why did the North win and the South lose-could the result have been different? How exactly should Reconstruction be defined and remembered, and how do its failures and successes continue to shape American life today?

An analytical survey of major developments and trends in United States diplomacy from the 1898 to the present. Major issues include American imperialism, the World Wars, Cold War, and War on Terrorism.

This course will explore the history of games (card and board games and games of chance) from thousands of years ago to modern times. The objectives of the course are to introduce the important features (history, cultural context, strategy, style, and economic correlations) of games. The aim is to focus on larger themes and trends rather than merely having you memorize rote facts. By the time you leave this course you will be able to actively engage major concepts and issues related to a number of games.

World War II was the most destructive conflict in human history. By the time the guns fell silent in 1945, approximately 60 million people had been killed worldwide. What can possibly explain the extent of such bloodshed? While a comprehensive answer may require us to explore some of the most diffi - cult existential questions about what it means to be human, history offers us a clear guide as to why this conflict occurred when it did, the ways in which it unfolded, and how it came to an end. This course will explore the historical origins of World War II in both Europe and the Pacific, the major political and military turning points of the conflict, and issues related to the war's lasting impact, including the Holocaust. We will also seek to balance the stories of some of the more compelling personalities of the war (e.g., Hitler, Churchill, Stalin, and Roosevelt) with the experience of the millions of everyday soldiers and civilians who endured unspeakable suffering during this most terrible war.

Internship Programs Recognizing that learning can take place outside the classroom, Carroll College allows its students to participate in a work program that relates to their area of studies. This employment must relate directly to classroom work in order to qualify for an internship. Close cooperation between Carroll and the participating companies insures a work experience that contributes significantly to the student?s overall growth and professional development. Juniors and seniors in any major area may participate with the approval of the department chairperson, academic advisor, and the internship coordinator. Students will receive academic credit and may or may not receive monetary compensation for an internship. A student may earn a maximum of 6 semester hours in the internship program. Enrollment in the course must be during the same semester in which the majority of the work experience takes place. Interested students should contact their academic advisor and the internship coordinator at the Career Services Office.

A formal seminar which surveys theories and literature of history as seen in the work of a variety of historians. Emphasis will be on methodological and topical approaches. Required for all history majors. Recommended for spring semester of the junior year.

The senior thesis is designed to encourage creative thinking and to stimulate individual research. A student may undertake a thesis in an area in which s/he has the necessary background. Ordinarily a thesis topic is chosen in the student's major or minor. It is also possible to choose an interdisciplinary topic. Interested students should decide upon a thesis topic as early as possible in the junior year so that adequate attention may be given to the project. In order to be eligible to apply to write a thesis, a student must have achieved a cumulative grade point average of at least 3.25 based upon all courses attempted at Carroll College. The thesis committee consists of a director and two readers. The thesis director is a full-time Carroll College faculty member from the student's major discipline or approved by the department chair of the student's major. At least one reader must be from outside the student's major. The thesis director and the appropriate department chair must approve all readers. The thesis committee should assist and mentor the student during the entire project. For any projects involving human participants, each student and his or her director must follow the guidelines published by the Institutional Review Board (IRB). Students must submit a copy of their IRB approval letter with their thesis application. As part of the IRB approval process, each student and his or her director must also complete training by the National Cancer Institute Protection of Human Participants. The thesis is typically to be completed for three (3) credits in the discipline that best matches the content of the thesis. Departments with a designated thesis research/writing course may award credits differently with approval of the Curriculum Committee. If the thesis credits exceed the full-time tuition credit limit for students, the charge for additional credits will be waived. Applications and further information are available in the Registrar's Office.