Overview
Here are some of the questions examined in History 201:
- Who were the peoples of prehistoric Europe and how were they influenced by ancient Egypt and Iraq?
- What was life like in ancient Greece and Rome from 500 BCE to 500 CE, and what was the classical legacy on western civilization?
- How did Christian Europe develop during the Middle Ages and the Renaissance, 500-1500 CE?
- How did the Protestant Reformation and European voyages of exploration in the 1500s usher in the Early Modern Era?
- How did the Scientific Revolution and Enlightenment of the 1600s and 1700s change European beliefs about the ordering of the cosmos and society?
HIST 201: Europe: Prehistory to the 1700s is a three-credit, junior-level course. This first-year course introduces students to the study of European history by surveying the long history of pre-Industrial Europe, from prehistory to the late 1700s. It follows the developments that have shaped the major political, social, and cultural features of Europeans and their colonies, which still influence the world today. This course also guides students in how to read history, take notes, and write academic assignments. It provides preparation for more advanced courses in History and other Humanities area courses.
Evaluation
To receive credit for History 201, you must achieve a course composite grade of at least D (50 percent) and a grade of at least 50 percent on the final examination. The weighting of the composite grade is as follows:
| Activity | Weight |
| Multiple Choice Questions | 14% |
| Multiple Choice Skills Modules | 4% |
| Assignment 1: Film Report | 10% |
| Assignment 2: Book Chapter Report | 20% |
| Assignment 3: Book Chapter Report | 22% |
| Final Exam | 30% |
| 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
Physical course materials
The following course materials are included in a course package that will be shipped to your home prior to your course’s start date:
Michael Burger. The Shaping of Western Civilization. Volume 1: From Antiquity to the Mid-Eighteenth Century. North York, ON: University of Toronto Press, 2014. ISBN: 978-1-4426-0756-9.
Other Materials
All other course materials are available online. They include an illustrated study guide and streaming videos.
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
Students must achieve at least 50% on each component and at least a 50% cumulative mark to pass the challenge.
| Activity | Weight |
| Assignment 1 - Report on a documentary film | 30% |
| Assignment 2- Report on a scholarly chapter | 30% |
| Exam | 40% |
| Total | 100% |
Challenge for credit course registration form