History courses traditionally focus on a particular country or region, theme or period. World history expands the boundaries of historical analysis to survey history on the largest possible scale. Rather than "learning everything that happened," world history approaches broad themes and cross cultural fractures and connections. 

World Civilization since the 15th century provides a global perspective on the past. Understanding a global perspective has become an essential tool of citizenship. Building on the themes —  tradition and encounter —  we will examine the development of political, social, economic, and cultural traditions that have shaped the world's peoples from the 15th century to the present. 

The course is divided into three units.

We will first examine the global processes of the early modern era that transformed peoples and their societies in Unit I ~ Encompassing the Globe: The Origins of Global Interdependence, 1500 - 1800.

The second unit, Reshaping the Globe:  Revolution, Industry & Empire, 1750 To 1914, explores the global dominance of Europeans and their descendents in North America largely through three historical developments —  revolution, industrialization, and imperialism.

Finally, in unit three, Realigning the World: Globalization 1914 to the Present, we will study the outcomes and unintended consequences of these three historical developments, through two world wars, the cold war, waves of independence movements, decolonization, the end of empires in the establishment of new nations, technological advances, amid the continued force of globalization and its companion challenges. 

• understand history and the process of change over time; 
• develop the capacity to relate the past to the present;
• clarify your philosophy of life; 
• gain an understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of your own society; 
• improve your ability to place current events within a historical context;
• enhance your cartographic literacy; 
• become aware of the complexity of national & international events; 
• think like an historian. 

  Learning Outcomes & Performance Objectives

See the standard History Department Course Syllabus for content, and all HIST 2322 Learning Outcomes, Performance Objectives, Assessment, and College Policies.

Our class sessions are intended to engage in the process of historical analysis — to encourage you to think like historians. Each student will be challenged to consider history in new and different ways.