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Year Course ID Course
2026-2027 HIST 321

Tudor-Stuart England

An exploration of the history of England from the coming of the Tudors in the fifteenth century to the so called Glorious Revolution at the end of the seventeenth century. This was an eventful age, featuring the reigns of Henry VIII and Elizabeth I, the defeat of the Spanish Armada, the creativity of William Shakespeare, a bitterly fought civil war, and the development of a limited monarchy. Particular attention is paid to two developments that transformed English life: the religious reformations of the sixteenth century, and the civil war and political revolutions of the seventeenth century.

Course Credits: 3
Prerequisite(s): 6 sem. hrs. of History or instructor’s consent
2026-2027 HIST 324

Tudor-Stuart England

This course examines the long nineteenth century from the French Revolution to the onset of the Great War. Explores key movements and themes in political, intellectual, and socio-economic history through lectures, discussion groups, and close readings of primary and secondary sources.

Course Credits: 3
Prerequisite(s): 6 sem. hrs. of History or instructor’s consent
NB: Not offered every year. See department chair.
2026-2027 HIST 332

Issues in the History of British Columbia

The history of British Columbia from its earliest beginnings to the late 1980s. The province's move from regionalism, to provincialism, to internationalism by examining many of the social, cultural, political, and economic forces of change which shaped the West Beyond the West in Canada. Specific aspects of BC's history that particularly enlighten us about the character of the region, its unique place in Canadian history, and how these events have shaped the province today.

Course Credits: 3
Prerequisite(s): 6 sem. hrs. of History including HIST 135 or 136, or instructor's consent
NB: Not offered every year. See department chair.
Cross-listed: POLS 332
2026-2027 HIST 334

Issues in Canadian Government & Politics

Provides the student with a detailed examination of the political issues that divide and unite Canadians. Course topics encompass the discussion of political structures including regionalism, federalism and elections; political actors including the Executive in Canada, political parties, the media, and citizen engagement; constitutional politics including Western alienation, Quebec separatism, patriation of the constitution and the Charter of Rights and Freedoms; and key elements of Canadian political culture including political ideologies, bilingualism, multiculturalism, and Indigenous reconciliation.

Course Credits: 3
Prerequisite(s): 6 sem. hrs. of History or instructor’s consent
NB: Not offered every year. See department chair.
Cross-listed: POLS 334
2026-2027 HIST 339

Wilderness, Water & Global Warming: Canadian Environmental History

A thematic case study approach to Canadian Environmental History that highlights the nation's unique reciprocal relationships with nature as illustrated through ideas (Wilderness), material resources (Water) and social/ethical issues (Global Warming). Investigates how natural elements like climate, topography, plants, animals and diseases have influenced our choices about nature, and how cultural content, like clean/green energy initiatives, pipeline projects, save the whale campaigns, and fear of climate change, have shaped our perceptions of the places we inhabit. Critically engages the ethical decisions we make about the environment that may determine the future we wish to construct as Canadian and global citizens.

Course Credits: 3
Prerequisite(s): 6 sem. hrs. of History or instructor’s consent
NB: Offered every other year.
Cross-listed: GENV 312
2026-2027 HIST 340

Issues in First Nations-Canadian Relations

Explores specific events that have shaped the relationship between First Nations, Inuit and Metis and the Canadian state and have informed the interaction between indigenous peoples and settler society. Weekly seminars will cover topics such as the Indian Act, reserves, treaties, violence against indigenous women, residential schools, the Sixties Scoop, economic development and sustainability, crime and punishment, art and cultural representation, and activism and resurgence. The thematic approach will explore different visions for how indigenous communities and Canadian society can live together in a good way.

Course Credits: 3
Prerequisite(s): 6 sem. hrs. of History or instructor’s consent
NB: Not offered every year. See department chair.
Cross-listed: POLS 340
2026-2027 HIST 352

Government & Politics of the United States

An introduction to American politics, including the major branches of government: the presidency, the Congress, and the Supreme Court. The dynamics of American political institutions and their interaction. The prime emphasis is on national politics, especially the interaction of the executive and legislative, including presidential decision-making.

Course Credits: 3
Prerequisite(s): 6 sem. hrs. of History or instructor’s consent
NB: Not offered every year. See department chair.
Cross-listed: POLS 352
2026-2027 HIST 355

American Foreign Policy

A study of principle themes in United States foreign policy with in-depth review of post Second World War presidential periods. Students analyze the causes and results of American policy choices in the context of evolving world order. The course explores philosophy and leadership styles.

Course Credits: 3
Prerequisite(s): 6 sem. hrs. of History or instructor’s consent
NB: Not offered every year. See department chair.
Cross-listed: POLS 355
2026-2027 HIST 361

History of Christianity I

A study of the history of the Christian church from the turn of the first century to the eve of the sixteenth century Reformation, with attention to the persons, events and issues involved in the major developments of Christianity.

Course Credits: 3
Prerequisite(s): 6 sem. hrs. of History or instructor’s consent
Cross-listed: RELS 361, HIST 561
2026-2027 HIST 362

History of Christianity II

An examination of the development of the Christian church from the late medieval period through the early twenty-first century. Key topics include: the Protestant and Catholic reformations; the Great Awakenings and the rise of modern evangelism, fundamentalism, and the growth of modern missionary movements, along with a consideration of significant individuals, changes in theology, institutions, devotional practices, gender roles, and attempts to engage and shape culture.

Course Credits: 3
Prerequisite(s): 6 sem. hrs. of History or instructor’s consent
Cross-listed: RELS 362, HIST 562
2026-2027 HIST 367

History of the Family after 1600

An examination of the historical development of the family in the modern era. There is a central focus on the formation of families and households and the impact of religion on gender and family roles. The course integrates contemporary gender theory, but concentrates on the lives and ideas of historical actors as they are revealed in the historical record.

Course Credits: 3
Prerequisite(s): 6 sem. hrs. of History or instructor’s consent
NB: Not offered every year. See department chair.
Cross-listed: GNDR 367
2026-2027 HIST 371

Africa Since 1500: From Pre-Colonial to Colonial

This course will involve an examination of the major themes of sub-Saharan African history from 1500 to the partition of Africa following the Berlin Conference of 1884. Primary emphasis will be on the nature of African societies and the political, social, and economic consequences of their interaction with Europe. Special attention will be given to issues such as the origins and nature of African societies; the rise and impact of the slavetrade; the growth of the European presence and the nature of European imperialism; and the onset of direct European colonial rule and the African response to it.

Course Credits: 3
Prerequisite(s): 6 sem. hrs. of History including HIST 107, 108 or 109
NB: Not offered every year. See department chair.
2026-2027 HIST 372

History of Africa Since 1500: From Colonial to National

This course will involve a survey of Sub-Saharan African history since the Berlin Conference of 1884-1885. Primary emphasis will be on a variety of regions at various stages of their development, while exploring the roles of colonial power, emerging nationalisms and the politics of underdevelopment.

Course Credits: 3
Prerequisite(s): 6 sem. hrs. of History including HIST 107, 108 or 109
NB: Not offered every year. See department chair.
2026-2027 HIST 377

Contemporary China & South East Asia

A cultural and political history of China and Japan since 1900 with an emphasis on late twentieth century issues. Course includes discussion of Hong Kong and Taiwan as Chinese territories and Korea as a primary neighbour of China and Japan. Of special interest are the relations of Japan and China with the United States.

Course Credits: 3
Prerequisite(s): 6 sem. hrs. of History including HIST 107 or 108
NB: Not offered every year. See Department chair.
Cross-listed: POLS 377
2026-2027 HIST 381

The Arab Middle East in the 20th Century: The Politics of Identity

An examination of some major theses in the history of the Arab Middle East since the breakup of the Ottoman Empire following World War I. The course examines the role played by issues of identity in the development of national structures in the Arab East (Egypt, Syria, Lebanon, Iraq, Saudi Arabia and the Gulf States). Themes include: the nature of the Islamic community, the structure and legacy of the Ottoman rule, post-Ottoman settlement and the impact of colonial rule, the emergence of nationalist politics and the growth of contemporary Arab state system, oil and the politics of family rule in the Gulf States, and the relationship between religion and politics.

Course Credits: 3
Prerequisite(s): 6 sem. hrs. of History or instructor’s consent
NB: Not offered every year. See department chair.
2026-2027 HIST 382

Palestine & the History of the Arab-Israeli Conflict

A survey of the history of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The historical roots of the conflict, issues of land ownership and immigration, the development of national consciousness, and the process of state formation within both communities, impacts on the larger international community, and problems of peacemaking.

Course Credits: 3
Prerequisite(s): 6 sem. hrs. of History or instructor’s consent
NB: Not offered every year. See department chair.
2026-2027 HIST 390

Special Topics in History

An examination of special topics or issues in history that are not considered in depth in other courses.

Course Credits: 3
Prerequisite(s): 6 sem. hrs. of History or instructor’s consent
NB: Not offered every year. See department chair.
2026-2027 HIST 391

Canadian Governmental Leadership

In the setting of the historical Booth Mansion in Ottawa, students are invited to explore the history of Canadian political leadership. Using the historical method, including research in primary sources, they will evaluate the leadership of Canadian Prime Ministers and examine how they addressed the needs and crises of the nation. By means of their enquiries into Canada's political leadership, students will develop their own theories of effective leadership.

Course Credits: 3
Prerequisite(s): Admission to Laurentian Leadership Centre
Cross-listed: POLS 391; SOCI 391
2026-2027 HIST 392

Sugar, Slaves, Silver: Atlantic World, 1500-1850

This course examines the Atlantic world during an era of immense global change. Since the navigations of the fifteenth century, the Atlantic has been a corridor for fundamental exchanges of peoples, crops, technology, and ideas. Topics include: early maritime explorations, the destruction and reconfiguration of indigenous societies, the labour migrations of Europeans, Native Americans, and Africans, slavery and the trans-Atlantic slave trade, the establishment of an Atlantic economy, the maturation of EuroAmerican colonial societies and their struggles for autonomy and national independence.

Course Credits: 3
Prerequisite(s): 6 sem. hrs. of History, third- or fourth-year standing, or instructor's consent
NB: Not offered every year. See department chair.
2026-2027 HIST 400

Directed Studies in History

Independent but guided reading and research in a specialized area of history of interest to students.

Course Credits: 3
Prerequisite(s): 6 sem. hrs. of History and instructor's consent
2026-2027 HIST 403

Engendered History

This seminar examines specific topics in the history of gender throughout the period known loosely as the modern world. The course is designed to clarify the process through which ideas of gender evolved and the ways in which masculinity and femininity have been constructed and experienced in a global context. The seminar also examines group interactions across lines of race, class, ethnicity, region, and religion and the influence of groups striving to assert their own identities on ideas of gender.

Course Credits: 3
Prerequisite(s): 6 sem. hrs. of History, or instructor’s consent
NB: Not offered every year. See department chair.
Cross-listed: GNDR 403
2026-2027 HIST 406

War, Peace & Society

Examines the changing nature of, and approaches to, war and its effect on society from the ancient world to the present, including an assessment of various visions and proposals for peace. The course includes an assessment of historic and relatively recent armed conflicts, exploring the causes of contemporary conflict and some of its distinctive characteristics. It also evaluates the effectiveness of various strategies for preventing, abating and terminating current forms of conflict. Questions discussed include: Why do states go to war? How do they create a lasting peace? What role does morality play in foreign policy? What is our obligation to just peace or just war?

Course Credits: 3
Prerequisite(s): 6 sem. hrs. of History, or instructor’s consent
NB: Not offered every year. See department chair.
Cross-listed: POLS 406
2026-2027 HIST 409

Nature, Society & History in Global Perspective

Human interaction with the environment is the most fundamental of all relationships. This course examines the different ways in which societies have defined, understood, and used their nonhuman surroundings and the processes through which the environment influences culture and adapts to human communities. Students explore the historical context of the human-nature interaction in global perspective and compare the ways in which the concepts of politics, nationalism, race, ethnicity, gender, religion, etc. inform and guide the relationship.

Course Credits: 3
Prerequisite(s): 6 sem. hrs. of History, or instructor’s consent
NB: Not offered every year. See department chair.
Cross-listed: GENV 414
2026-2027 HIST 411

History, Culture & Interpreting the Past

The study of history relies on the written and oral record of human experience. The use to which words have been put has varied over time ranging from the ancient world's innocent acceptance of recorded inventories and boastful heroic conquests, to the postmodern era where the text is not a bearer of truth but an instrument of power. This course traces the place of the text in the human effort to know and remember the past. Although the written text has been foundational for the study of the past, people have left other signs of their presence and we interact with other realities than the text. This course brings in additional disciplines including philosophy, literary criticism, biology, psychology, physics, and biblical studies.

Course Credits: 3
Prerequisite(s): 6 sem. hrs. of History, or instructor’s consent
NB: Approved alternative to IDIS 400.
2026-2027 HIST 412

Senior Thesis

A program of independent readings and research on a specific topic leading to a written paper for students choosing the European area. A research project involving the use of primary sources, archives, etc., for those choosing the North American area.

Course Credits: 3
Prerequisite(s): 15 sem. hrs. of History including HIST 411
NB: For history majors only. See department chair.
2026-2027 HIST 435

Social History of Canada

An examination of major developments in the society and culture of Canada with a particular spotlight on the diverse experience of the people who made Canada. The course highlights aspects of Canadian identity as seen through the lenses of gender, race, class, ethnicity, religion, and region. The focus is on the interaction between migrant groups and the host society, rural and urban societies, education and social reforms, labour and capital, and changing gender roles.

Course Credits: 3
Prerequisite(s): 6 sem. hrs. of History including one of HIST 135 or 136
NB: Not offered every year. See department chair.
2026-2027 HIST 440

The Evolution of Canadian Foreign Policy

An overview of the formulation and trends of Canadian foreign policy in the period since Confederation. The domestic and external determinants of Canadian foreign policy, the nature of the foreign policy-making process, and the evolution of key themes in Canadian foreign policy.

Course Credits: 3
Prerequisite(s): 6 sem. hrs. of History including one of HIST 109, 135, or 136
NB: Not offered every year. See department chair.
Cross-listed: POLS 440
2026-2027 HIST 490

Special Topics in History

An examination of special topics or issues in history that are not considered in depth in other courses.

Course Credits: 3
Prerequisite(s): 6 sem. hrs. of History, third- or fourth-year standing, or instructor's consent
NB: Not offered every year. See department chair.
2026-2027 HIST 497

Honours Thesis

A 12,000-15,000 word thesis based on a review of the secondary literature and research in primary sources in archival, published, microform, microfiche, or electronic form, on an approved topic. An oral defence and a library-acceptable copy are required. Taken in fourth year by all Honours students in History.

Course Credits: 3
Prerequisite(s): Application and acceptance into Honours Program in History. See department chair.
2026-2027 HIST 498

Honours Thesis

A 12,000-15,000 word thesis based on a review of the secondary literature and research in primary sources in archival, published, microform, microfiche, or electronic form, on an approved topic. An oral defence and a library-acceptable copy are required. Taken in fourth year by all Honours students in History.

Course Credits: 3
Prerequisite(s): Application and acceptance into Honours Program in History. See department chair.
2026-2027 HIST 503

Engendered History

Examines specific topics in the history of gender throughout the period known loosely as the modern world and is designed to clarify the process through which ideas of gender evolved and the ways in which masculinity and femininity have been constructed and experienced in a global context. Also examines group interactions across lines of race, class, ethnicity, region, and religion and the influence of groups striving to assert their own identities on ideas of gender.

Course Credits: 3
2026-2027 HIST 504

Late Medieval Europe

An inquiry into a period of Europe's past in which beliefs, attitudes and institutions, moulded in the previous centuries, were consolidated into shapes that mark modern European (and North American) culture. The outlines of the modern state and of the modern family are examined. It is also an examination of late medieval civilization for indications of decline and rebirth. The course looks for signs of struggle between forces of tradition and of innovation, and between idealism and material or corporeal realities.

Course Credits: 3
2026-2027 HIST 506

War, Peace & Society

Surveys the changing nature of and approaches to war and its effect on society from the Middle Ages to the present including an examination of various visions and proposals for peace. Includes an assessment of relatively recent armed conflict in Africa, Central Europe, and the Middle East, exploring the causes of contemporary conflict and some of its distinctive characteristics. Also evaluates the effectiveness of various strategies for preventing, abating, and terminating current forms of conflict. Some of the questions discussed are: Why do states go to war? How do they create a lasting peace? What role does morality play in foreign policy? What is our obligation to just peace or just war?

Course Credits: 3
2026-2027 HIST 507

Renaissance Europe

A graduate-level course designed to survey a historical period in greater depth while introducing students to related primary and secondary sources. Students will be familiarized with major themes, events, and issues of interpretation in the history of European history from approximately the mid-fourteenth through to the sixteenth century. Particular attention will be paid to the “rebirth” of ancient Greek and Roman culture that began in the Italian commercial and educational centres of Milan, Florence, Venice and Rome. This course will examine the social, intellectual, artistic, political and economic history of the Renaissance as it developed in Italy and spread to the rest of Europe. These and other topics will be explored through close readings of primary sources. Students will also consider various methodological and theoretical approaches that have influenced the way that modern historians have analyzed and explained this period in European history.

Course Credits:
2026-2027 HIST 508

Reformation Europe

Examines the nature of religious reform in the sixteenth century. Religious ideas are the starting point for an examination of economic conditions, the existing social structure, the family, and the state. Examines how ideas were communicated to and received by the common people. It also examines displays of intolerance and tolerance, coercion and power, and relations between government and society and between women and men

Course Credits: 3
2026-2027 HIST 509

Early Modern Europe: 1600- 1789

An examination of developments and events from 1600 to 1800 including religious wars, the witch craze, growth of absolutism and political rights, enlightened despots, movements within the church and the culture of the enlightenment. In addition, wealth and poverty, social hierarchies, popular customs and culture, marriage, the family, and gender are examined.

Course Credits: 3
2026-2027 HIST 510

History in Practice

An analysis of the practice of history in the public sphere including the ways in which communities, regions, nations, and other entities collect, manage, create, present, and understand their histories and stories. How forms of historical consciousness show themselves in archives, museums, films, monuments, anniversaries, government policies, genealogy, etc. Practical application of historical skills and tools through communication with public historians, visits to local historic sites, and relevant assignments and experiential learning. Students gain valuable experiences and knowledge related to a variety of areas where public history is practised and are exposed to career opportunities in history.

Course Credits: 3
2026-2027 HIST 515

History of Science & Religion from Copernicus to Creation Science

Examines the engagement of science and religion in western culture over the past five centuries. In 1896, Andrew Dickson White published his famous History of the Warfare of Science with Theology in Christendom, a work that helped establish the belief that science and religion were irreconcilable domains. This course examines the validity of that claim from the Copernican revolution in the sixteenth century to the rise of the modern Creation Science movement, and aims to place the relationship between science and faith in a mature historical, scientific and theological context.

Course Credits: 3
2026-2027 HIST 521

Family, Gender & Power

Examines the historical development of the family beginning with the ancient world up to 1600. A central inquiry is the formation of families and households, as well as the impact of religion on gender and family roles. The course also explores the use of power and coercion in the organization of family and includes an inquiry into contemporary gender theory but concentrates on the lives and ideas of actual persons insofar as the historical record reveals them.

Course Credits: 3
2026-2027 HIST 522

History of the Family after 1600

Examines the historical development of the family from 1600 to the present day. A central inquiry is the formation of families and households, as well the impact of religion on gender and family roles. The course also explores the use of power and coercion in the organization of family and includes an inquiry into contemporary gender theory but concentrates on the lives and ideas of actual persons insofar as the historical record reveals them.

Course Credits: 3
2026-2027 HIST 523

Tudor-Stuart England

This course is designed to survey a historical period in greater depth while introducing students to related primary and secondary sources. Students are familiarized with major themes, events, and issues of interpretation in the history of early modern England. Particular attention is paid to two developments that transformed English life: the religious reformations of the sixteenth century, and the civil war and political revolutions of the seventeenth century. These and other topics are explored through close readings of primary sources. Students also consider various methodological and theoretical approaches that have influenced the way that modern historians have analyzed and explained this period in English history.

Course Credits: 3
2026-2027 HIST 524

Nineteenth-Century Europe

This course is designed to survey a historical period in greater depth while introducing students to related primary and secondary sources. Students will become familiar with major themes, events, and issues of interpretation in the history of European history during the long nineteenth century from the French Revolution to the onset of the Great War. It explores key movements and themes in political, intellectual, gender, and socioeconomic history through lectures, discussion groups, and the close readings of primary and secondary sources. Students will also consider various methodological and theoretical approaches that have influenced the way that modern historians have analyzed and explained this period in European history.

Course Credits: 3
2026-2027 HIST 532

Issues in B.C. History

Explores issues in the history of British Columbia from its earliest beginnings to the early 2000s. In particular, the province's move from regionalism, to provincialism, to internationalism is explored by examining many of the social, cultural, political, and economic forces of change that shape the West Beyond the West in Canada. The lectures, readings, and discussions focus on specific aspects of BC's history that particularly enlighten us about the character of the region, its unique place in Canadian history, and how these events have shaped the province today.

Course Credits: 3
2026-2027 HIST 533

Development of the Canadian Constitution

A historical and political analysis of the major steps leading to the present constitution, including landmark court cases, attempted and successful amendments (Constitution Act 1981, the Meech Lake Accord, the Charlottetown Accord, etc) and various historical acts both prior to and post-Confederation.

Course Credits: 3
2026-2027 HIST 534

Canadian Political Thought: An Intellectual History

This course examines selected Canadian authors (George Grant, Will Kymlicka, and Charles Taylor most prominently) who have contributed significantly to the development of Canadian political discourse. Topics include federalism, multiculturalism, and national identity. The systematic study of these particular authors aids in understanding the development of Canadian political thought. The first part of the course provides the intellectual history to enable an effective study of George P. Grant, Will Kymlicka, and Charles Taylor through a careful reading of Fierlbeck, Political Thought in Canada: An Intellectual History.

Course Credits: 3
2026-2027 HIST 535

Canadians at Home, Work & Play

Examines major developments in the society and culture of Canada with a particular spotlight on the diverse experience of the people who made Canada. The course highlights aspects of Canadian identity as seen through the lenses of gender, race, class, ethnicity, religion, and region. The focus is on the interaction between settlers and Indigenous peoples, migrant groups, and the host society, rural and urban societies, education and social reforms, labour and capital, and changing gender roles.

Course Credits: 3
2026-2027 HIST 537

Canada & War in the Twentieth

Surveys the changing social, political, and cultural impact of war on Canada in the twentieth century. The course is divided into four sections—World War I, World War II, the Cold War, and Post-Cold War. In each section students examine Canadian responses to war and warfare and the impact of those responses in shaping Canadian politics (both domestic and foreign policy), society, and culture. Topics include defence, security, and Canadian nationalism; the role of imperialism and continentalism in influencing Canadian identity and Canadian foreign policy; Canada as a middle power and the shift to Canada as a no power; war and the changing role of women in Canadian society; and the creation of Canadian military myths.

Course Credits: 3
2026-2027 HIST 540

Issues in First Nations-Canadian Relations

Examines the history of First Nations in Canada from pre-contact with newcomers through to the present time. Broad economic, social, and political themes that intersect with the history of its original peoples is covered including early encounters, fur trade economy, governmental policy, Christianity and culture, education, reservations and land claims. It surveys the major eras—assimilation, protection, civilization, marginalization, and integration—by specifically highlighting the observations and experiences of First Nations.

Course Credits: 3
2026-2027 HIST 542

Evolution of Canadian Foreign Policy

This course provides an overview of the formulation and trends of Canadian foreign policy from confederation to the present. The domestic and external determinants of Canadian foreign policy, the nature of the foreign policy-making process, and the evolution of key themes in Canadian foreign policy are its major themes.

Course Credits: 3
2026-2027 HIST 543

Medieval Europe 500-1250

An inquiry into the origins of European civilization. It examines what features from the ancient world survived the fall of Roman culture and the nature of the native Germanic and Slavic traditions. It looks at the way Christianity was received and altered. It looks at political, social, gender, and economic relationships and at the struggle between spiritual ideals on the one hand and traditional attitudes and material realities on the other.

Course Credits: 3