Historical Studies in Western Culture (HWC)

Description:

Historical Studies in Western Culture: Two courses dealing with the Western cultural heritage, intended to develop historical perspective on, and critical appreciation of, its major traditions, institutions, and achievements.

Guidelines for courses:

  1. The focus of these courses is the history of the cultural heritage of Europe, whether in its countries of origin or influence.

  2. Cultural heritage includes the institutional, intellectual, and creative manifestations of human activity and expression.

  3. To develop historical perspective, courses must relate their subjects to the broader historical and cultural contexts in which they occurred, and they must help students attain a sense of relationship with the past and an awareness of the viewpoint from which they approach it.

  4. Courses will develop critical appreciation through the enquiring analysis of historical evidence and cultural phenomena, and by stressing the complex causes that lie behind the development of the cultural heritage.

  5. Courses must cover a period of sufficient length to illustrate the origins or development of their subject over time.

  6. Major traditions, institutions, and achievements are those whose impact and influence have been far-reaching and long-lasting.

Intended learning outcomes for students:

Students will demonstrate:

  1. An understanding of important texts and contexts in the social, political, economic, cultural, artistic, or intellectual heritage of the West.

  2. The ability to analyze historical evidence and to understand history as “constructed accounts” of the past.

  3. An understanding of the distinctive perspectives of people who lived in the time period or settings studied.

  4. An understanding of alternative interpretations of achievements and failures in Western culture and how these interpretations have changed over time.

Historical Studies in Western Culture requirement complete description - includes committee comments on course guidelines to assist instructors in preparing proposals for GE accreditation