History Degrees Online

The Admissions Committee for the undergraduate programs of La Sierra University examines evidence of scholastic competence, moral and ethical standards, and significant qualities of character and personality of each applicant. Three factors are used in determining academic eligibility for admission. An applicant will academically qualify for regular admission as a first-time freshman if the applicant is a high school graduate, has a qualifiable eligibility index [calculated from grade point average for the specific high school courses and ACT or SAT score results] and has completed, with grades of “C” or better, the required subject requirements.

New Freshmen graduating from a United States High School

The following factors are considered in determining eligibility for admission:

High School Subject Requirements
New Freshmen applicants graduating from a high school in the United States must complete with grades of “C” or better a 15 unit pattern of courses during high school to fulfill the subject requirements in the “A-G” subject areas with an additional unit, up to 4 units “H” for each year of attendance at a Seventh-day Adventist high school. Each unit is equal to a year of study in a subject area. Early admission may be based on work completed through the junior year of high school and indication of courses to be taken during the senior year. Refer to the “A-G” & “H” Subject Requirements.
TEST SCORES

ACT or SAT Critical Reading/English and Math sections will be used for calculating admission eligibility.
ELIGIBILITY INDEX Table

An Eligibility Index table for new freshmen applicants uses the selective GPA [“A-G” high school subject requirements] and the total SAT 1 [Critical Reading + Math] or ACT Composite score to determine academic eligibility. Academic eligibility does not guarantee admission to the University. [Refer to the Eligibility Index Table].

COMMUNITY STANDARDS FORM

Please complete this form and return it to the Admissions Office. FOR PAPER APPLICATIONS ONLY
Community standards form (PDF file help)

PERSONAL STATEMENT

Applicants must submit a personal statement of no less than 250 words describing their achievements, academic goals, and why they have chosen La Sierra University for their studies

Critical Reading - Students will learn strategies in the following areas: evaluation, analysis, identification of patterns, breaking down arguments into elemental parts, and reflecting on potential responses. These strategies will facilitate the questioning of assumptions, exploring of perspectives, and acknowledgment of complexity. Students will explore different ways of understanding and through this process formulate political and social identities.
Critical Thinking - Students will learn to engage with new ideas and explore complex, real-world problems. Skills cultivated will include the ability to conceptualize information, integrate outside opinions, draw inferences, synthesize positions, and generate tenable solutions.
Critical Writing - Students will show the ability to critically analyze primary and secondary sources and demonstrate this ability by writing scholarly arguments, summaries, bibliographic reviews, and research papers. Writings will show consideration of point of view, bias, and perspective in the things we read. Students will also show knowledge of scholarly documentation style used within the profession and understand, and that proper documentation is essential and does not plagiarize the writing or ideas of others.
Oral Presentation Skills - Students will transmit their own critical work verbally with clarity, accuracy, and conviction. The thesis statement, surrounded by the arguments and evidence that develop it, is the focal point of the oral presentation. The presentation itself should: be clearly outlined and follow a logical progression; provide necessary context for understanding the topic at hand; provide thoughtful conclusion linked to the thesis of the paper; stay within assigned time limits; and, be free from distracting gestures and vocalized pauses.
Engagement with Diversity - Students will become familiar with and sensitive to issues of diversity through the study of historical events, political debates, and sociological models that illustrate how and why issues of race, ethnicity, class, and gender have divided and united people. Students will evidence respect for and appreciation of all humans, regardless of color, creed, culture, socio-economic status, and country of origin.
Disciplinary Proficiency - Throughout their history coursework at La Sierra University, students will develop disciplinary proficiency and will show culmination of all history learning objectives in their writing and through the oral presentation of their senior thesis project. In the required thesis project (20-25 pages in length), students will apply the skills they have acquired in previous courses and assignments to a research project of their choice. Students will show that they can make logical and well-reasoned arguments with contextual knowledge of historical issues and professional standards, acknowledge other perspectives, evaluate evidence, write with clarity, document with accuracy, and demonstrate that they can use sources ethically.
Research Methodology - History students will show their grasp of historical research methodologies by writing a research paper documented in the Turabian format. This research will consist of either original research or a historiographical study. In the research paper, attention will be given to consulting a range of sources, both primary and secondary, and accounting for bias and strengths and weaknesses of sources. In the historiographical paper, attention will be given to identifying the scholarly conversation that surrounds a particular topic. In both types of papers, making a strong argument, conveyed with clarity and accuracy, and supported by historical evidence is essential. Students must provide proper documentation for their sources and never plagiarize the writing or ideas of others.
Religious/Moral/Ethical Values - Students will develop an awareness of and engagement with the important religious, moral, and ethical issues of the past and those of contemporary concern, including but not limited to values promoted and debated by the Seventh-day Adventist Church, American political, civic and religious society, and global issues that interact with or diverge from local, regional, and national debates. Students will cultivate their own personal system of religious, moral, and ethical values, utilizing the academic, social, and spiritual values learned from their university experience.
Extra-Curricular Civic Breadth - Students will be encouraged to participate in extracurricular activities that may not have specific academic objectives but which contribute to the student’s personal, spiritual, and professional growth. Such activities may include, but are not limited to the following endeavors: serving as a student missionary, NGO volunteer or similar involvement with a service-oriented organization having national or global outreach objectives; serving as a volunteer in a local civic or church-related organization designed to improve local communities and/or foster better community relations; participating in campus organizations, clubs, and outreach programs; and, participating in political campaigns, ballot initiatives, and related civic endeavors that advance democratic objectives.
External Academic Enrichment - Students will be encouraged to participate in extra-academic activities outside of their regular classroom experience, including but not limited to the following endeavors: attending university-provided lectures or film series; attending discipline-related conferences; presenting papers at outside conferences and similar forums; collaborating in join research efforts; participating in internship and externship opportunities; and, participating in on-campus and off-campus debate societies.

Sociology Learning Objectives:
Critical Reading - Students will learn strategies in the following areas: evaluation, analysis, identification of patterns, breaking down arguments into elemental parts, and reflecting on potential responses. These strategies will facilitate the questioning of assumptions, exploring of perspectives, and acknowledgment of complexity. Students will explore different ways of understanding and through this process formulate political and social identities.
Critical Thinking - Students will learn to engage with new ideas and explore complex, real-world problems. Skills cultivated will include the ability to conceptualize information, integrate outside opinions, draw inferences, synthesize positions, and generate tenable solutions.
Critical Writing - Students will show the ability to critically analyze primary and secondary sources and demonstrate this ability by writing scholarly evaluations, arguments, summaries, reviews, research papers, and bibliographies. Students will understand the basic elements of critical thinking: differentiating between fact and opinion, recognizing and evaluating author bias and rhetoric, determining cause-and-effect relationships, determining the accuracy and completeness of information presented, recognizing logical fallacies and faulty reasoning, comparing and contrasting information and points of view, developing inferential skills, and making judgments and drawing logical conclusions. Students will also demonstrate a knowledge of the scholarly, documentation style used within the profession. Students will understand that proper documentation is essential and refrain from plagiarizing the writing or ideas of others at all times.
Oral Presentation Skills - Students will transmit their own critical work verbally with clarity, accuracy, and conviction. Oral presentations should provide necessary context for understanding the topic at hand and should be clearly outlined and follow a logical progression with an introduction, a body of content, and a conclusion in a summary form linked to a thesis of the paper. The thesis statement or the hypothesis, surrounded by the arguments and evidence that developed it, is the focal point of the oral presentation. The presentation is NOT read verbatim, except in the case of quotations.
Engagement with Diversity - In the profound words of poet Maya Angelou, we must believe in the “awesome wonder of diversity,” because in it “there is beauty and there is strength.” “Diversity makes for a rich tapestry [where] all the threads are equal in value no matter their color; equal in importance no matter their texture,” that “beneath the skin, beyond the differing features and into the true heart of being, fundamentally, we are alike.”

Students will evidence respect for and appreciation of all humans regardless of color, creed, culture, socio-economic status, and country of origin. Students will be encouraged and expected to celebrate diversity. This campus is a living laboratory of diversity being “the most diverse student body west of the Mississippi.” The student’s interaction with “the other” on campus will be monitored, evaluated, and recorded.
Subject Matter Proficiency Before graduation, during the last academic quarter attended, majors will submit to two processes to measure and judge their subject matter proficiency in Sociology: a written paper that answers questions prepared by their Sociology advisor on the basic tenants of sociology, e.g. the implication of understanding and internalizing the concept of “the sociological imagination,” the main theories of the discipline, the various methodologies sociologists use in research, society’s major institutions, inequities in modern society, and the meaning and impact of globalization; and, an interview with their advisor and another sociology faculty member, where students are engaged in demonstrating subject matter proficiency in an atmosphere of collegiality and mutual respect. At this conference, the faculty members will discuss with the student their written paper as well as review his/her portfolio collected over the course of the student’s enrollment in the program here at La Sierra University and other materials he/she may present from his/her experience in other institutions of higher learning before coming to LSU.
Research Methodology - Sociology students will show their grasp of the scientific principle and the scientific method of inquiry by writing a research paper documented in the style used within the profession. This research will consist of either qualitative or quantitative original research. In the research paper, attention will be given to consulting a range of sources, both primary and secondary, and accounting for bias, strengths, and weaknesses of sources. Students shall have knowledge of statistical tools and statistical analysis, capable of using the appropriate statistical tool, and able to read and understand graphs, tables, and other abbreviated forms of data. Whether the paper is qualitative or quantitative, students shall generate a hypothesis or hypotheses, review the literature, create a research design, collect the data, analyze it, and write a report.
Religious/Moral/Ethical Values - La Sierra University is a faith-based institution of higher education. One of the paramount objectives of the university and the department is to instill in every student the urgent necessity of building a personal system of religious, moral, and ethical values. Developing a body of knowledge and learning how to translate it into a useful career must be based on a foundation of integrity.

Character does count in every transaction of life. This goal will be assessed in observing a student’s academic honesty, disciplinary excellence, and in each one of the “six pillars of character”: trustworthiness, respect, responsibility, fairness, caring, and citizenship.
Extra-Curricular Civic Breadth - In recognition that higher education involves more than just academic learning, students will be encouraged to explore their civic engagement in the following areas: leadership in the campus student government association (SALSU); service in a student club, either departmental or university; singing in a choir or a chorus; playing in a musical ensemble; leading out in a university outreach program; engagement in student missions or other student services outside the university; holding office in a church; helping on recruitment trips; and, volunteering in civic organizations. These and similar extra-curricular activities serve to enrich the student in every aspect of his/her life. Therefore, the department will encourage and monitor such activities deemed as pursuits necessary for the life of a well-educated person. The department will also seek to instill in the student the importance of lifelong learning and lifelong service to the community.
External Academic Enrichment - It has been said that a university student learns more outside the classroom than inside. As part of student growth, these academic activities are, therefore, very important. Such activities might include: presenting papers at conventions; public speaking at service clubs; internships or externships; attending professional conventions; collaborative research with LSU and non-LSU personnel; and, going on cultural tours inside or outside of the United States. These activities and others similar will manifest a student’s breadth of education and will be encouraged and monitored by the department and its faculty.

HIS 151
GLOBAL HISTORY TO 1500
3 credits
Patterns 1
Examines the development of the first civilizations in Africa, Asia, the Mediterranean, and the Americas, with the aim of exploring their distinctive approaches to human needs and social organization. Students are also introduced to historical methodology, historiography, and different perspectives on how we view the past.

HIS 155 (F, S)
THEMES IN AMERICAN HISTORY: A BIOGRAPHICAL APPROACH
3 credits
Patterns 1
This introductory survey course covers United States history through the lives of representative Americans. Course readings consist of a series of paired biographies of major figures who confronted the pivotal issues and challenges of their times. Course themes include the establishment of the colonies, the emergence of American national identity, the founding and preservation of the republic, the struggle against slavery and racism, the spread of capitalism and industrialization, the rise of foreign affairs, the influence of immigration, the growth of the federal welfare state, and the creation of an inclusive society. Overall, the course addresses the experiences of different races, classes, genders, and ethnicities.

HIS 251 (150)
GLOBAL HISTORY FROM 1500 TO THE PRESENT
3 credits
Patterns 2
A study of the evolution and interactions of the cultures of Europe, the Americas, Africa, Asia, and Oceania from 1500 to the present, designed to give students a greater understanding of the relationships among modern nations so necessary in today’s shrinking globe. Students also have the opportunity to further hone their skills in the areas of the historian’s craft introduced in HIS 151.

HIS 300
THE UNITED STATES TO 1877
3 credits
Core Concentration
Traces the unfolding of American history from colonial times through the Civil War and Reconstruction. The coming of the Revolution, its results, the Federalist experiment, Jeffersonian and Jacksonian democracy, slavery and its opponents, and the trauma of the Civil War and its aftermath are examined. The central place of Philadelphia during much of this period is also given special attention.

AREAS OF CONCENTRATION
AREA I: UNITED STATES HISTORY
HIS 305
THE UNITED STATES FROM 1877 TO THE PRESENT
3 credits

The second half of the survey begun by the Core concentration course, HIS 300. Covers the Progressive Movement, American involvement in World War I, the Roaring Twenties, America between the wars, World War II, the Cold War, the Civil Rights Movement, the Vietnam Era, and the United States at the dawn of the 21st century.

HIS 324 (F, S)
HISTORY OF PHILADELPHIA
3 credits

The historical development of Philadelphia from colonial times to the present, emphasizing the way people lived, the impact of transportation upon city growth, and the changing nature of industrialization. Lectures combined with field trips. Cost of field trips requires an additional fee of $40.

HIS 329 (S)
THE AMERICAN WOMAN
3 credits

An in-depth analysis of the experience of women in American culture. Special attention to the women’s rights movement, women in the Industrial Revolution, and women in World War I and World War II.

HIS 331 (F, S)
AMERICA’S MILITARY PAST
3 credits

The impact of the American military establishment upon American society, and the formation of defense strategy and foreign policy.

HIS 333 (F, S)
THE AMERICAN IMMIGRANT
3 credits

The history of immigration to America and the ethnic impact upon American institutions.

HIS 337 (F, S)
THE BLACK EXPERIENCE IN AMERICA
3 credits

The main themes in black history from the African experience to the present, with special attention given to slavery, protest movements, civil rights, and black achievement.

HIS 341
RUSSIAN-AMERICAN DIPLOMATIC HISTORY
3 credits

This course will survey the diplomatic relations between the United States and the Soviet Union from the American Revolution to the Reagan-Gorbachev summit of 1987.

HIS 342 (F, S)
HISTORY OF THE WESTWARD MOVEMENT IN AMERICA
3 credits

A study of the American frontier emphasizing pioneer life, federal Indian policy, and the settlement of the Great Plains and Far West.

HIS 347 (F, S)
PRESIDENTIAL POLITICS; ROOSEVELT TO REAGAN
3 credits

Historical analysis of presidential campaigns from 1900 to 1980, stressing the evolution of political techniques, issues, political parties, and presidential personalities.

HIS 402 (F, S)
THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION
3 credits

An intensive analysis of concepts and movements generated in the American colonies, which resulted in revolution and separation of the British settlements.

HIS 413 (F, S)
JEFFERSONIAN-JACKSONIAN DEMOCRACY
3 credits

A detailed analysis of the development of the American political system in an increasingly democratic society.

HIS 415 (F, S)
THE AMERICAN CIVIL WAR
3 credits

A detailed study of the disruption of the Union, stressing the causes, personalities, and human drama of the military events leading to Appomattox.

HIS 425 (F, S)
AMERICA AS A WORLD POWER, 1939-PRESENT
3 credits

The growth of government involvement at home and abroad since 1939; reading and analysis of original documents.

HIS 429 (F, S)
THE EMERGENCE OF MODERN AMERICCA, 1877-1913
3 credits

The nationalization of American life, including the building of the railroad network, the rise of industry, the labor movement, immigration, and urbanization.

HIS 447 (F, S)
THE UNITED STATES IN THE PACIFIC BASIN
3 credits

The interrelationship of the United States and the East Asian world in the modern period.

AREA II: EUROPEAN HISTORY
HIS 310
EUROPE TO 1400
3 credits

Traces the unfolding of Western civilization from pre-history to the Renaissance. The legacies of Greece and Rome; the heritage of both early Christian Europe and the Byzantine and Islamic civilizations; and the contribution of later medieval society to the governmental, economic, and intellectual growth of Europe.

HIS 311
EUROPE FROM 1400 TO THE PRESENT
3 credits

Surveys the decline of feudal institutions, emergence of modern European states, expansion into the Western hemisphere, the impact of the Renaissance, Scientific Revolution and Enlightenment, rise of nationalism, development of modern totalitarianism, and the impact of two world wars on Western society.

HIS 325 (F, S)
IMPERIALISM IN THE MODERN WORLD
3 credits

A study of the expansion of Western nations into the world of Asia and Africa in the 19th century, and the contraction of Western influence in these areas in the 20th century.

HIS 328 (F)
WOMEN AND HISTORY
3 credits

The history of women and their changing role and position in Western Europe from the Classical Period to the 20th century. Particular attention to explanations of changed status in successive historical eras; e.g., the Greeks, the Romans, etc.

HIS 335 (F, S)
GREEK CIVILIZATION
3 credits

A survey that stresses the development of Greek civilization until the death of Alexander the Great.

HIS 336 (F, S)
THE ROMAN EMPIRE
3 credits

A survey that places a special emphasis upon the Roman Republic and the Empire until 476 A.D

HIS 338 (F, S)
THE EARLY MIDDLE AGES
3 credits

A study of the period from 284 A.D. until c. 1000 A.D., emphasizing the synthesis of Roman, Christian, and barbarian cultures.

HIS 339 (F, S)
THE LATER MIDDLE AGES
3 credits

A study of the period from c. 1000 A.D. until the Renaissance, focusing on the social, economic, intellectual, and political revival of Europe.

HIS 343 (F, S)
MODERN EUROPE TO 1870: THE AGE OF REVOLUTIONS
3 credits

A survey of Europe centered on the political and social development in Germany and France, and the impact of Russia’s rise to world power.

HIS 345 (F, S)
MODERN EUROPE SINCE 1870: THE AGE OF VIOLENCE
3 credits

A detailed survey of Europe in the last 100 years.

HIS 348 (F, S)
SLAVIC AND EASTERN EUROPEAN HISTORY
3 credits

An examination of the rise of Slavic civilization and the present problems of Eastern Europe.

HIS 440 (F, S)
MODERN IRELAND
3 credits

An examination of the major political, social, and economic developments in Ireland since the Famine of 1845.

HIS 452 (F, S)
MODERN RUSSIA
3 credits

The history of Russia from 1917 to the present.

HIS 458 (F, S)
RECENT BRITAIN: EMPIRE TO WELFARE STATE
3 credits

A detailed analysis of the decay of the Empire, the rise of the welfare state, and the impact of both on English life.

AREA III: NON-WESTERN HISTORY

HIS 303
ASIA, AFRICA, AND THE AMERICAS: 1920 TO THE PRESENT
3 credits

Traces the beginnings of the breakdown of Western colonialism after World War I and the devolution of European power and decolonization after World War II. Examines the problems of independence, North-South differences, the idea of the “Third World,” the impact of the Cold War, the new economic centers of Asia, apartheid, terrorism, and the prospects of the new century.

HIS 307 (F, S)
LATIN AMERICA: THE COLONIAL PERIOD
3 credits

A survey that treats the Inca, Aztec, and Maya cultures. African influences as well as Spanish and Portuguese contributions to the development of Latin America.

HIS 308 (F, S)
LATIN AMERICA IN REVOLUTION
3 credits

Revolutionary movements in Latin America from Independence to the present, with special emphasis on Cuba, Chile, Mexico, Brazil, and Central America.

HIS 325 (F, S)
IMPERIALISM IN THE MODERN WORLD
3 credits

A study of the expansion of Western nations into the world of Asia and Africa in the 19th century, and the contraction of Western influence in these areas in the 20th century.

HIS 344 (F, S)
TOPICS IN AFRICAN HISTORY
3 credits

An account of the empires, tribes, and development of Africa from earliest times to the present.

HIS 346 (F, S)
EAST ASIA IN THE MODERN WORLD
3 credits

Changes in Modern Asia as a result of the rise of industrialism, urbanism, nationalism, and Western influence.

HIS 350 (F)
TRADITIONAL CHINA TO 1840
3 credits

This course will trace the social, political, cultural, and economic origins of the Chinese dynastic system, the elaboration and triumph of Confucianism, and the expansion of the empire south of the Yangtze and west to Central Asia. The course will conclude with an overview of the initial western intrusion into this wealthiest and most populous of traditional civilizations.

HIS 351 (S)
MODERN CHINA, 1840 TO THE PRESENT
3 credits

Beginning with the traumas of the Opium Wars and Taiping Rebellion, this course will provide an overview of China’s initial attempts at using foreign technology to safeguard the Confucian polity, the rending of the social fabric during the Republican and Civil War eras, and the eventual triumph of Chinese Communism. The economic reforms of Deng Xiaoping and the events leading to Tiananmen Square will receive particular attention.

HIS 352 (F)
TRADITIONAL JAPAN TO 1840
3 credits

For nearly two millennia, the people of Japan have shown a remarkable ability to marry religious, political, and cultural innovations from abroad with vigorous indigenous institutions. The result has been one of the world’s most remarkable cultural syntheses. This course will trace the origins and development of the imperial system, the influence of Shinto and Buddhism, the development and elaboration of the early Shogunates, and conclude with an examination of Tokugawa society on the eve of Japan’s “opening” to the west.

HIS 353 (S)
MODERN JAPAN, 1840 TO THE PRESENT
3 credits

This course will assess the astounding transformation of Japan from Tokugawa seclusion to the dynamic superpower of today. Along the way such topics as the impact of the Meiji Restoration, Japan’s “special relationship” with China and the Asian mainland, the grand catastrophe of World War II, and the resurgence of a demilitarized economic colossus in the Pacific Rim will be examined.

HIS 354 (F, S)
THE MODERN MIDDLE EAST
3 credits

This course will focus on the Middle East from the Crimean War to the present, with emphasis on the dissolution of the Ottoman Empire, the role of Western imperialism in the creation of modern states in North Africa and West Asia, the Arab-Israeli conflict, oil and Arab nationalism.

HIS 370/470
SPECIAL TOPICS IN THIRD WORLD AREAS
3 credits

Central America, the Middle East, China, India, etc.

OTHER COURSES: DEPENDING ON THE SPECIFIC TOPIC, THESE COURSES CAN BE TAKEN FOR EITHER AREA I, II, OR III
HIS 340 (F, S)
TOPICS IN MODERN HISTORY
3 credits

An examination of selected topics illustrating the political, social, and cultural history of the modern world.

HIS 460 (F, S)
DIRECTED READINGS
3 credits

Readings of certain basic books relating to a specific historical topic, theme, or era; assignments discussed in seminar-tutorial fashion.

HIS 480 (F, S)
SEMINAR
3 credits

Methodology and historiography; bibliographical essay required.

HIS 481 (F, S)
SEMINAR
3 credits

Writing a research paper.

HIS 482-485
SEMINARS
3 credits

If the past, as is often said, is a foreign country, the modern traveler needs to know something of its language, geography, and customs. Everyone and everything has a past, and close, systematic study of these pasts can yield important insights about the present and, sometimes, clues about the future. As members of La Salle’s History department, we therefore see our discipline as the one that provides the contextual glue for the other liberal arts and sciences. For this reason it is an important foundation of La Salle’s core curriculum.

While intended as a general guide for History majors and minors, we hope that this website will also help those interested in the past, regardless of academic discipline. Thus, in addition to course descriptions, faculty biographies, publications, and contact information, we consider it vital to mention the many activities of our students and their organizations.

Our Historical Society, chartered in 1936, is one of the oldest and most active student organizations on campus. In addition to running trips, films, and other activities with historical themes, it publishes an award-winning student academic journal, The Histories, twice a year. The Society also sponsors an annual fall symposium featuring top scholars such as James McPherson on topics ranging from American foreign policy during the Civil War to the question of German responsibility for the outbreak of World War I.

The Department hosts the Nu Psi chapter of Phi Alpha Theta, the national history honor society. Nu Psi had the distinction of winning a national honorable mention for its work during the fortieth anniversary of the Marshall Plan.

More recently, with the help of a generous grant from alumnus John McHale, the Department has sponsored an annual competition for the Leo Award, which highlights the best student essays on the history of Philadelphia. Winners receive generous cash awards for their efforts.

Required for Major in Art History: 12 courses
ART 150
ART 201
ART 202
Two 200-level Art History courses
One Studio Art course
A second Studio Art course or a third 200-level Art History course
Four 300-level Art History courses
ART 380 or ART 460
Requirements for double majors (generally 10 courses) are determined in consultation with the Chair and may include a combination of Art History, Studio and DArt courses.

Required for Minor in Art History:
6 courses, adhering to the following guidelines:
One (and only one) course at the 100 level
At least two courses at the 300 level
The remaining three courses may be distributed between 200 and 300-level courses as the student wishes.
One (and only one) Studio course may be counted toward the minor
The Art History minor may, with permission of the Chair, pursue an internship, which will count toward the minor.
Students are advised to elect related courses in other disciplines that will be meaningful in enriching their concentration in Art History. It is recommended that art history majors take at least two years of either German or French, especially if they intend to pursue graduate study. The Art History major is to consider ART 201-202 as prerequisite for other Art History courses.

ART 150
INTRODUCTION TO ART
3 credits
Patterns 1
This course will introduce students to basic elements of visual literacy through the exploration of art history in a variety of cultural traditions, geographic locations and chronological periods. Students will learn about principles of design, form, and iconography while exploring the art of different societies and cultures.

ART 201-202 (F, S)
HISTORY OF ART I & II
3 credits
Patterns 2
A chronological survey of architecture, painting, sculpture, and minor arts from major cultures, especially in the West. Emphasis is on identification and comprehension of styles, monuments, and traditions. ART 201 covers pre-historic art to ca. 1400; ART 202 covers the Renaissance to the 20th century.

ART 203
ANCIENT ART
3 credits
Patterns 2
Study of selected early civilizations to the 4th Century A.D. and the Early Christian era, emphasizing Greek, Roman, and other Mediterranean cultures. Prerequisite: 100- or 200-level Art History or permission of the instructor.

ART 205
MEDIEVAL ART
3 credits
Patterns 2
The development of the visual arts from the late Roman period to the late Gothic of the 15th century. Special emphasis is on the establishment of Christian iconography and the evolution of church types. Prerequisite: 100- or 200-level Art History or permission of the instructor.

ART 213
THE RENAISSANCE IN ITALY
3 credits
Patterns 2
A study of Renaissance civilization concentrating on the architecture, painting, and sculpture of Italy from 1200 to 1570. Emphasis will be on such masters as Donatello, Michelangelo, Raphael, Leonardo da Vinci, and Titian. Prerequisite: 100- or 200-level Art History or permission of the instructor.

ART 216
BAROQUE AND ROCOCO ART
3 credits
Patterns 2
Styles, trends, and major forces in the visual arts of Western Europe during the 17th and 18th centuries, with special focus on the works of Bernini, Rubens, and Rembrandt. Prerequisite: 100- or 200-level Art History or permission of the instructor.

ART 217
19TH CENTURY ART
Patterns 2
Painting’s evolution, content, and style, from ca. 1780 to the turn of the 20th century. Emphasis is on major schools and artists, including Romanticism, Realism, Impressionism, and Post-Impressionism.

ART 222
AMERICAN ART: NATIVE AMERICAN TO MODERN
3 credits
Patterns 2
This survey course introduces American art through study of selected artists and works of art, many of them in local museums. It traces the evolution of American art from Native American beginnings, through the Colonial and Federal Periods, concluding in the World War II era and contemporary eras.

ART 223
AMERICAN ARCHITECTURE
3 credits
Patterns 2
This course presents the major trends that mark the architectural history of the United States from roughly the second half of the 19th century through the present. Emphasis will be on architects and styles that have had a significant and lasting impact on the urban landscape of America, with particular attention to such centers as Chicago, New York, and Philadelphia. Architects to be discussed include Frank Lloyd Wright, Mies van der Rohe, Philip Johnson, Robert Venturi, and Frank Gehry.

ART 226
INTRODUCTION TO MUSEUMS
3 credits
Patterns 2
Students will learn about the history and evolution of the museum and consider some of its main objectives. Topics will include the mission and function of art museums — collection, care of objects, exhibition, and education — as well as the politics of interpretation and display. Site visits to local art museums and presentations by curators and museum directors from the area complement readings and lectures by the instructor.

ART 227
MUSEUMS OF PHILADELPHIA
3 credits
Patterns 2
In this course, students visit at least 10 of Philadelphia’s art museums and galleries and study such works as Egyptian and African sculpture, Renaissance and Impressionist paintings, contemporary photographs, American furniture and Japanese prints. The on-site excursions are supplemented by class discussions and presentations.

ART 270
SPECIAL TOPICS IN ART HISTORY
3 credits
Patterns 2
Topics vary from semester to semester. May be repeated for credit if material is essentially different.

ART 316
WOMEN AND ART
3 credits
Patterns 2
Encourages students to think critically about the contributions of women artists, collectors, critics, models, and viewers to the fields of art and art history. These are areas which have been historically dominated by men, and this course requires that students look beyond the traditional models of art criticism to consider how gender has shaped women’s artistic practice and their response to works of art.

ART 319
MODERN ART
3 credits
Patterns 2
Study of developments in late 19th and early 20th century art as they pertain to the rise of Modernism. Movements to be examined include Post-Impressionism, Expressionism, Cubism, Futurism, and Surrealism. While the focus will be on painting and sculpture, related developments in architecture and the decorative arts may also be considered. Particular attention will be paid to the social and historical context for the production of the works of art studied. Prerequisite: 100- or 200-level Art History or permission of the instructor.

ART 320

ART AFTER 1945
3 credits
Patterns 2
This course will explore late 20th-century developments in the arts, with a particular focus on the rise of the American art scene in the years following World War II. Abstract Expressionism, Minimalism, Pop Art, Body and Performance Art, and Land Art will be discussed in depth. Contemporary art (art produced since 1980), including important contemporary movements outside the United States and museum culture of the late 20th century, will also be a focus. Prerequisite: 100- or 200-level Art History or permission of the instructor.

ART 322
TOPICS IN AMERICAN ART
3 credits
Patterns 2
An advanced course that takes an in-depth look at a particular topic in American Art. Possible subjects include: The Hudson River School, American Genre Painters, The Art and Artists of Mexico and American Impressionism. Prerequisite: 100 or 200 level Art History course or permission of Chair.

ART 325
TOPICS IN GLOBAL ART
3 credits
Patterns 2
An advanced art history course that surveys the visual arts in selected non-Western societies. Students will study and analyze the styles, methods and cultural contexts of the visual arts from Africa, Asia, Mesoamerica and Oceania. Prerequisite: 100 or 200 level Art History course or permission of Chair.

ART 340
ART AND CULTURE
3 credits
Patterns 2
An advanced art history course that takes an in-depth look at the art and society of one particular culture or historical period. This course offers a thematic approach to understanding art in a cultural context such as Art and Politics or Urban Art. Prerequisite: 100 or 200 level Art History course or Permission of the Chair.

ART 370
SPECIAL TOPICS IN ART HISTORY
3 credits
Patterns 2
Topics will vary from semester to semester. May be repeated for credit if material is essentially different.

ART 380
RESEARCH TOPICS IN ART HISTORY
3 credits

Analysis and application of methods used in art criticism and research, with emphasis on writing. Subjects of study will vary. Required for Art History majors but open to qualified advanced general students, with permission of instructor.

ART 460
INTERNSHIP
3 credits

The internship is designed to give Art History majors and minors the opportunity to gain real world experience in the art field. Students will meet regularly with a faculty member and will be encouraged to reflect on the relationship between their course work and their internship experience. Prerequisite: Cumulative G.P.A. of at least 2.75 and approval of the Chair. Students must apply for internships. Application forms, available in the Fine Arts Department office, should be returned to office during pre-registration period before internships can be approved.

STUDIO COURSES
ART 102
DIGITAL ART STUDIO
3 credits

In this course, students will learn the fundamental principles and techniques associated with creating and modifying digital images, and how to prepare these images for viewing on screen and in print. Both raster (paint) and vector (draw) type graphics will be studied, using appropriate software applications. The concepts and skills learned in this course will prepare students to handle all subsequent visual communication more effectively. Prerequisite: CSC 151.

ART 215
COLOR THEORY
3 credits

An introduction to color models, color interaction, and the human perception of color. The course will address color in both subtractive (pigmented) and additive (electronic) environments, and theoretical work will be reinforced by practical exercises in various media.
Prerequisite: ART 102.

ART 220
ELECTRONIC VISUAL COMMUNICATION
3 credits

Overview of issues related to the history and theory of images and their cultural function; assessment and analysis of digital images and their effectiveness, primarily through the World Wide Web; application of newly gained knowledge to the creation of students’ own visual projects. Emphasis will be on looking at the interactive potential of images in digital media and on devising analytical, assessment, and production strategies that focus on the dynamic potential of these interactive images. Prerequisite: ART 102.

ART 260-261
OIL PAINTING
3 credits

Introduction to basic techniques of painting, drawing, and perspective. Preparation of canvas and media. Exercises in indoor and outdoor painting.

ART 262
PRINT MAKING
3 credits

Introduction to basic print processes. Relief, intaglio, collograph printing, followed by mixed-media projects. Experimentation encouraged.

ART 263
DRAWING
3 credits

Provides students with mastery of basic principles of observation and familiarity with the potential and limitation of various media. Study of proportion, volume, perspective, and anatomy. Representation of still lives, the human figure, and landscape using various media.

ART 265-66
FIGURE SCULPTING
3 credits

A studio sculpture class in which students sculpt the human figure in non-hardening clay, working from live models covering as wide a range of body types as possible. An emphasis will be placed on anatomy. Course may be repeated for advanced credit (ART 266) after completion of ART 265.

ART 268
INTRODUCTION TO DIGITAL PHOTOGRAPHY
3 credits

A course introducing basic concepts, techniques and terminology in digital photography such as how sharpness and exposure affect images and the way they are perceived by viewers. Getting images from camera to computer, to print and/or web, and using software such as Adobe Photoshop will be covered.

Welcome to the home pages for Art History at La Salle University! Here you can learn more about some of the art history courses offered at La Salle and about local art resources available to students at the University. These include La Salle’s own University Art Museum - a little-known, but exciting collection of works, including paintings, sculptures, and works on paper, dating from the 15th century to the present day.

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