This course surveys the most significant political, economic, social, cultural, religious, and intellectual trends in European history from the end of the sixteenth century to the 1930s. The aim of the course is to provide both a description and an explanation of the forces that shaped the modern world, including the development of the nation state, military conflict, the intellectual movements of the Scientific Revolution and the Enlightenment, industrialization, urbanization, nationalism, the spread of European industry, commerce, and culture to both the New World and the continents of Africa and Asia, and the development of new forms of government in the early twentieth century. The course also aims to prepare students for further studies in history by emphasizing critical reading and essay writing skills.
Outline
Unit 1: Introduction
Unit 2: Absolutism and Constitutionalism
Unit 3: Absolutism in Eastern and Central Europe to 1740
Unit 4: Scientific Revolution and Enlightenment
Unit 5: Agriculture, Global Economy, and Changing Life
Unit 6: Revolutions in Politics
Unit 7: The Industrial Revolution
Unit 8: Ideologies, Reforms, and Revolutions
Unit 9: Urbanization and New Ideas
Unit 10: Nation Building and Economic Expansion
Unit 11: Imperialism, the First World War, and the Russian Revolution
Unit 12: Economic Crisis and Authoritarianism
Evaluation
To receive credit for HIST 216, you must obtain at least 50 percent on the examination and achieve a final course composite grade of D (50 percent) or better.
Activity
Weight
Assignment 1
25%
Assignment 2
10%
Assignment 3
30%
Final Exam
35%
Total
100%
The final examination for this course must be requested in advance and written under the supervision of an AU-approved exam invigilator. Invigilators include either ProctorU or an approved in-person invigilation centre that can accommodate online exams. Students are responsible for payment of any invigilation fees. Information on exam request deadlines, invigilators, and other exam-related questions, can be found at the Exams and grades section of the Calendar.
To learn more about assignments and examinations, please refer to Athabasca University’s online Calendar.
Materials
McKay, John P., et al. A History of Western Society, vol. 2: From the Age of Exploration to the Present, 14th ed. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2023. (Print)
Marius, Richard, and Melvin E. Page. A Short Guide to Writing About History, 9th ed. Boston: Pearson, 2015. (Print)
Other Materials
All other course materials are available online.
Challenge for credit
Overview
The challenge for credit process allows you to demonstrate that you have acquired a command of the general subject matter, knowledge, intellectual and/or other skills that would normally be found in a university-level course.
Full information about challenge for credit can be found in the Undergraduate Calendar.
Evaluation
To receive credit for the HIST 216 challenge registration, you must achieve a grade of at least D (50 percent) on the entire challenge examination.
Athabasca University reserves the right to amend course outlines occasionally and without notice. Courses offered by other delivery methods may vary from their individualized study counterparts.