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2012-2013 Academic Catalogue 
    
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2012-2013 Academic Catalogue [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

Courses of Instruction

Course Numbering System. Each subject is identified by a symbol made up of two parts. The first part is an abbreviation denoting the general field of study. The second part is a number denoting the particular subject. The first digit indicates the year in which the course is usually taken and, therefore, the level of instruction.

Credit. The unit of academic credit used at the Virginia Military Institute is the semester hour. A semester hour represents one hour of classroom work (lecture or recitation) or one period (two or three hours) of laboratory or supervised research or field work per week during a single semester. Thus a course that meets for three class hours and one laboratory period each week during one semester carries credit for four semester hours.

In the following course descriptions the figures on the title lines indicate, in order, the class hours per week, the laboratory or field work hours per week, and the semester hours credit. For example, the figures “3—2—4” mean that the class meets three times a week for one-hour classroom sessions and has two hours of laboratory, supervised research, or field work each week, and that the course carries four semester hours of credit.

 
 

GERMAN

Department of Modern Languages and Cultures
Department Head: Colonel Bulger-Barnett

  1. All cadets who enter with two or more entrance units in a modern foreign language are given placement tests and are placed in appropriate courses on the basis of the test results, their previous high school language coursework, and after consultation with the department head of modern languages. 
  2. A single year of a foreign language shall count toward meeting graduation requirements only when the cadet is studying a second language or is taking a language as an elective.
  3. Classroom work is supplemented with computer-aided language instruction in a well-equipped Language Learning Center.

Prerequisites: Cadets must demonstrate proficiency in ML 101 in order to be admitted into ML 102. They must, similarly, demonstrate proficiency in ML 102 before enrolling in ML 201, and in ML 201 before enrolling in ML 202/204. Proficiency in ML 202/204 is a prerequisite for admission to 300-level courses. Completion of two 300-level courses or their equivalent is expected before enrollment in any 400-level course. Once a cadet has completed work at the 202/204 level, he/she may not return to the elementary level course for credit.

Cadets who present three or more years of a high school language or demonstrate native or near-native language abilities may not enroll at the elementary level of that language. Such students will have the choice of enrolling either in the first semester intermediate level of that language or in the first semester elementary course of a different language.
  

  • GR 406 - Seminar in German Literature

    Lecture Hours: 3
    Lab Hours: 0
    Credit Hours: 3

    Directed readings of major literary works; written reports and a research paper required. Taught in German. Note: Retakes for credit. Prerequisite(s): permission of the department head.
  

  • GR 411 - Vienna, Berlin, and Between: Germany and Austria From 1911-1950

    Lecture Hours: 3
    Lab Hours: 0
    Credit Hours: 3

    A study of Hermann Hesse, Robert Musil, Ernst von Salomon, Hugo von Hofmannsthal, among others. This course focuses on how Austrians and Germans saw the world during the first half of the 20th century. Prerequisite(s): 6 hours of 300 level German.
  

  • GR 412 - German On Both Sides of the Iron Curtain

    Lecture Hours: 3
    Lab Hours: 0
    Credit Hours: 3

    A continuation of GR 411 . Students will study the unique situation of the two Germanys during the Cold War. Emphasis on Heinrich Böll and Ulrich Plenzdorf. Prerequisite(s): 6 hours of 300 level German.
  

  • GR 413 - Germany and the Military

    Lecture Hours: 3
    Lab Hours: 0
    Credit Hours: 3

    This course treats depictions of military life and war in literature with emphasis on German traditions and attitudes. Authors include Erich Maria Remarque and Hans Hellmuth Kirst. Prerequisite(s): 6 hours of 300 level German.
  

  • GR 420W - Advanced Conversation and Composition

    Lecture Hours: 3
    Lab Hours: 0
    Credit Hours: 3

    Students examine, discuss, and debate current events of political and military topics, such as the restructuring and deployment of the Bundesweht and Germany’s role in the European Union. E-portfolios will constitute an important part of this course. Prerequisite(s): 6 hours of 300 level German. Writing Intensive (W).
  

  • GR 421 - Immigration to and From Germany Since 1850

    Lecture Hours: 3
    Lab Hours: 0
    Credit Hours: 3

    Readings will focus on immigration to the New World, starting in the 19th century, and the influx of immigrants to Germany after World War II. Prerequisite(s): 6 hours of 300 level German.
  

  • GR 450 - Modern Language Capstone Course

    Lecture Hours: 3
    Lab Hours: 0
    Credit Hours: 3

    The student will choose a topic incorporating an analysis of historical, literary or cultural factors in the major language area - field experience and interdisciplinary topics are strongly encouraged. Upon approval of the faculty adviser, the student will prepare both a research paper and a 20-minute oral presentation. This course is required of all Modern Language majors and is only open to first and second class Modern Language majors. The ML Capstone project will be written in the student’s major foreign language, as appropriate, and it will achieve a language rating of “Advanced-High”. All relevant documentation will adhere to MLA specifications. An accepted ML Honors Thesis could substitute for this course.

HISTORY

Department of History
Department Head: Colonel Wilkinson

Requirements for a major in history are specified in History .
  

  • HI 103 - World History I

    Lecture Hours: 3
    Lab Hours: 0
    Credit Hours: 3

    A study of the world’s major civilizations prior to 1500, concentrating on their primary values and institutions, and their cultural contacts. Particular attention devoted to the Middle East, China, India, the Mediterranean world, and Western Europe.
  

  • HI 104 - World History II

    Lecture Hours: 3
    Lab Hours: 0
    Credit Hours: 3

    A study of the world’s major civilizations since 1500, the rise and expanding influence of the West, and the interaction between the West and non-West.
  

  • HI 200 - Introduction to Historical Methodology

    Lecture Hours: 3
    Lab Hours: 0
    Credit Hours: 3

    This course develops essential skills for historians such as: critical reading and thinking, basic research methods and the fundamentals of organizing, writing and documenting history papers in accordance with the standards of the discipline. Subject matter varies. Required for majors; restricted to majors. Normally taken in the third year. Note: A grade of “C” or higher is required as a prerequisite to one of the 300-level methodologically intensive courses.
  

  • HI 205 - History of the United States I

    Lecture Hours: 3
    Lab Hours: 0
    Credit Hours: 3

    A general survey of American history beginning with the Colonial Period and ending with 1877. The approach is broad with attention being given to political, diplomatic, constitutional, intellectual, social, and economic trends. Required of history majors and minors. May be taken as a writing-intensive course when offered (205W).
  

  • HI 205W - History of the United States (W)

    Lecture Hours: 3
    Lab Hours: 0
    Credit Hours: 3

    A general survey of American history beginning with the Colonial Period and ending with 1877. The approach is broad with attention being given to political, diplomatic, constitutional, intellectual, social, and economic trends. Required of history majors and minors. Writing-intensive course.
  

  • HI 206 - History of the United States II

    Lecture Hours: 3
    Lab Hours: 0
    Credit Hours: 3

    A general survey of American history covering the period 1877 to the present. The approach is broad with attention being given to political, diplomatic, constitutional, intellectual, social, and economic trends. Required of history majors and minors.
  

  • HI 210-299 - Special Courses

    Lecture Hours: 3
    Lab Hours: 0
    Credit Hours: 3

    Occasional courses on special topics in history may be offered by visiting faculty members or by departmental faculty. These courses fulfill regional distribution requirements if their regional category is included in the course announcement before registration.
  

  • HI 301 - Ancient Egypt

    Lecture Hours: 3
    Lab Hours: 0
    Credit Hours: 3

    An upper-level survey course covering the history of Egypt from the predynastic period through the Roman occupation. Note: Region: Africa/Asia/Latin America.
  

  • HI 302 - Ancient Greece

    Lecture Hours: 3
    Lab Hours: 0
    Credit Hours: 3

    An upper-level survey course which covers the Greek world from the Trojan War to the death of Cleopatra. Note: Region: Europe or Africa/Asia/Latin America, but not both.
  

  • HI 303 - Ancient Rome

    Lecture Hours: 3
    Lab Hours: 0
    Credit Hours: 3

    An upper-level survey course which covers the Roman world from the early Iron Age settlements in Italy to Rome’s conquest of the Mediterranean and the fall of the empire. Note: Region: Europe or Africa/Asia/Latin America, but not both.
  

  • HI 304 - The Medieval World

    Lecture Hours: 3
    Lab Hours: 0
    Credit Hours: 3

    An upper-level survey of eastern and western Europe from the fall of Rome to the eve of the Renaissance, and Islam as it impacted these areas. Note: Region: Europe or Africa/Asia/Latin America.  May be writing intensive.
  

  • HI 307 - English History I

    Lecture Hours: 3
    Lab Hours: 0
    Credit Hours: 3

    A study of English history from Stonehenge to the Glorious Revolution of 1688. The focus is on social, cultural, and constitutional history, as they illuminate political trends. Note: Region: Europe.
  

  • HI 308 - English History II

    Lecture Hours: 3
    Lab Hours: 0
    Credit Hours: 3

    A study of English history from 1688 to the present. The focus is on England’s transition to an industrial democracy without a revolution, Victorianism, and the rise to global influence and subsequent decline. Note: Region: Europe.
  

  • HI 309 - History of the Holocaust

    Lecture Hours: 3
    Lab Hours: 0
    Credit Hours: 3

    A study of the causes, events, and results of the Nazi attempt to destroy the Jews of Europe. Topics to be considered are: the history of the Jewish people; the causes and history of anti-Semitism; the Nazi rise to power and persecution of the Jews; the actions and motives of Holocaust perpetrators, victims, and bystanders; and the impact of the Holocaust on contemporary history. May be offered as a writing intensive course (309W) at the Instructor’s discretion. Note: Region: Europe.
  

  • HI 310X - War and Society in Modern China

    Lecture Hours: 3
    Lab Hours: 0
    Credit Hours: 3

    This course introduces cadets to the 100-year cycle of civil war and international conflict that China experienced from the Opium War until the Communist victory of 1949. Major topics include warlords, imperialism, the Sino-Japanese wars of the 1930s, World War II in China and the Communist victory in China’s civil war. We will study not only the experience of the war for combatants and citizens, but also the domestic and international causes and ramifications of conflict. Note: Region: Asia/Africa/Latin America. Prerequisite(s): HI 104 . Civilizations and Cultures (X).
  

  • HI 313 - The United States, 1900-1945

    Lecture Hours: 3
    Lab Hours: 0
    Credit Hours: 3

    A comprehensive study of the United States during the Progressive Era, World War I, the 1920s, and the Great Depression. Note: Region: United States.
  

  • HI 314 - The United States Since 1945

    Lecture Hours: 3
    Lab Hours: 0
    Credit Hours: 3

    A comprehensive study of the United States from World War II through recent years. Note: Region: United States.
  

  • HI 315 - The History of Everyday Life

    Lecture Hours: 3
    Lab Hours: 0
    Credit Hours: 3

    Social history is an approach to the past which deemphasizes the study of “famous men, great ideas, and big events” in favor of description and analysis of the lives of ordinary people of the past and the social and economic structures which shaped their lives. This course introduces students to sources and methods for the study of “history from the bottom up” and focuses on topics such as family life, courtship and marriage, sex and death, patterns of work and leisure, gender relations, childhood and youth, and old age. Note: Region: Europe or United States, but not both. Methodologically intensive.
  

  • HI 316 - Food and Hunger in History

    Lecture Hours: 3
    Lab Hours: 0
    Credit Hours: 3

    This course explores themes and issues relating to social and cultural dimensions of food and food shortages in past times. The course ranges widely across time and space and adopts an explicitly comparative approach. Topics examined include the transition from hunting and gathering to agriculture, the historical development of food production and distribution systems, the emergence of staple crops as commodities, and the causes and consequences of food shortages. The course is open to students of all majors who have passed both semesters of World History (HI 103 and HI 104). The course may be offered as a “Civilizations and Cultures” course (HI 316X)
  

  • HI 319 - The African American Experience

    Lecture Hours: 3
    Lab Hours: 0
    Credit Hours: 3

    A general introduction to the African American experience in the United States beginning in Africa in the 15th century and continuing through to the late 20th century. Note: Region: United States. Methodologically intensive.
  

  • HI 321 - The Old South

    Lecture Hours: 3
    Lab Hours: 0
    Credit Hours: 3

    The social, intellectual, economic, and political history of the American South before the Civil War. Major topics include the plantation system, slavery, and the evolution of southern sectionalism. Note: Region: United States.
  

  • HI 322 - The Civil War and Reconstruction

    Lecture Hours: 3
    Lab Hours: 0
    Credit Hours: 3

    The causes and course of the American Civil War and the issues and consequences of Reconstruction. Note: Region: United States.
  

  • HI 323 - History of the South From 1865

    Lecture Hours: 3
    Lab Hours: 0
    Credit Hours: 3

    Political, social, economic, cultural, and demographic history of the Southern United States from 1865 to the present, with emphasis on interpretations of Southern history by twentieth-century historians. Topics include Reconstruction, segregation and disfranchisement, the “New South Creed” and industrialization, the Civil Rights Movement, and Southern popular culture. Note: Region: United States. Methodologically intensive. Prerequisite(s): HI 206  or permission of instructor.
  

  • HI 324 - American Foreign Relations to 1919

    Lecture Hours: 3
    Lab Hours: 0
    Credit Hours: 3

    An upper level survey of American foreign relations from the founding of the nation through World War I. Emphasis will be placed on the securing of American independence, continental expansion of the mid 19th century and the global expansion of American interests in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Considers the interplay of diplomacy, security issues, economics and culture in American relations with the world. Note: Region: United States.
  

  • HI 325 - American Foreign Relations Since 1919

    Lecture Hours: 3
    Lab Hours: 0
    Credit Hours: 3

    An upper level survey of American foreign relations from the end of World War I until recent times. Important topics include America’s emergence as a leading economic power, the background to World War II, the rise and the demise of the Cold War and American attempts to cope with the post-Cold War world. Note: Region: United States. Prerequisite(s): Prior completion of HI 324 , “American Foreign Relations to 1919” is recommended, but not required.
  

  • HI 327 - India From the Age of the Harrapans to the Present Day

    Lecture Hours: 3
    Lab Hours: 0
    Credit Hours: 3

    An upper-level survey of the history of India from the earliest age of complex society on the subcontinent to the present day. Topics include the development of India’s religions, the caste system, art, philosophy, and politics as well as India’s role in European imperialism. In addition, the class will examine the development of India post-1945 to illustrate the rising importance of the country on the modern international stage. Note: Region: Africa/Asia/Latin America. May be offered as a “Civilizations and Cultures” course (HI 327X).
  

  • HI 328 - British Imperialism

    Lecture Hours: 3
    Lab Hours: 0
    Credit Hours: 3

    An upper-level survey that will examine the growth of the British empire beginning in 16th century England and examine the importance of the institution to British development and the impact that it had on world history. Topics include the ideology underpinning the institution and changes to imperial ideology over time, the political growth of the empire and its role in British diplomacy, the economic impact of it on British life, and the effect of it on indigenous populations. Finally, the course examines the legacy of British imperialism in the modern world. Note: Region: Europe or Africa/Asia/Latin America.
  

  • HI 330 - Topics in Ancient History

    Lecture Hours: 3
    Lab Hours: 0
    Credit Hours: 3

    A problems course covering selected topics in the ancient world, historical controversies, and major turning points. The course presumes a general knowledge of the ancient world from the first semester of Western or World Civilization. The three civilizations discussed will be the Ancient Near East, Greece, and Rome. Note: Region: Europe or Africa/Asia/Latin America, but not both. Methodologically intensive.
  

  • HI 331 - Colonial America

    Lecture Hours: 3
    Lab Hours: 0
    Credit Hours: 3

    A study of eastern North America from contact through the American Revolution. The early colonial section examines major social, political, religious, and economic trends, plus evolving relationships with Indians. The revolutionary section examines the complex forces which produced the American rebellion and concludes with a campaign history of the Revolutionary War. Note: Region: United States. Methodologically intensive.
  

  • HI 332 - North American Indians

    Lecture Hours: 3
    Lab Hours: 0
    Credit Hours: 3

    A survey of North American Indian history from late pre-contact through the twentieth century. Requires a major research paper on one tribe north of Mexico. Note: Region: United States.  Usually offered as Writing Intensive.
  

  • HI 333 - History of the Middle East I

    Lecture Hours: 3
    Lab Hours: 0
    Credit Hours: 3

    Surveys the history of the Middle East and North Africa from the rise of Islam in the 7th century in Arabia to the beginning of the modern era in the 1800s. Focuses on Islam as both a religion and a civilization and includes the study of the Islamic faith and its institutions, the political history of the region and aspects of the culture, particularly art and architecture. Note: Region: Africa/Asia/Latin America.
  

  • HI 334 - History of the Middle East II

    Lecture Hours: 3
    Lab Hours: 0
    Credit Hours: 3

    Continues the History of the Middle East in the modern period. The course begins in the eighteenth century with the waning of the power of the Ottoman Empire and follows the region through a period of historic change and transformation to the present. Students will focus on the following issues, among others: the socio-economic transformation of the region in the 19th century, European imperialism and colonialism, the evolution of the modern state system, the conflict over Palestine and the rise of political Islam. Note: Region: Africa/Asia/Latin America.
  

  • HI 335 - The Vietnam War

    Lecture Hours: 3
    Lab Hours: 0
    Credit Hours: 3

    Traces the military, political, and diplomatic history of Vietnam from the earliest times to the present. The course emphasizes the period after the second World War: the Indo-China War, and especially, the Vietnam War.  Note: Region: Africa/Asia/Latin America.
  

  • HI 336 - Islam in North America and Western Europe

    Lecture Hours: 3
    Lab Hours: 0
    Credit Hours: 3

    Islam is believed to be growing faster than any religion in the United States today, and is the second largest religion in Europe. This methodologically intensive course examines the past and contemporary history of Muslims in the West, including the emergence and development of Muslim communities and institutions, Islamic devotional life and education, the impact of Muslims’ immigration from the Middle East and Africa, and the process of their integration into Western societies. Looking beyond mutually hostile stereotyping between Islam and the West is one of the objectives of the class. Note: Region: United States or Europe, but not both. Methodologically intensive.
  

  • HI 346 - Modern Japan

    Lecture Hours: 3
    Lab Hours: 0
    Credit Hours: 3

    An examination of the rise of modern Japan from the mid-19th century to the present. Topics that will be covered are: the opening of Japan and the Meiji Restoration, economic modernization, nationalism and expansionism, political development, militarism and the Pacific War, American occupation, postwar Japan and the economic miracle. Note: Region: Africa/ Asia/Latin America.
  

  • HI 348 - Africa in Modern Times, 1700 to Present

    Lecture Hours: 3
    Lab Hours: 0
    Credit Hours: 3

    Survey of the historical experiences that have shaped contemporary sub-Saharan Africa: the slave trade, European partition and imperial rule, and independence and nationhood. Note: Region: Africa/Asia/Latin America.
  

  • HI 350 - French Revolution and Napoleon

    Lecture Hours: 3
    Lab Hours: 0
    Credit Hours: 3

    A study of the collapse of the Ancient Regime and the causes of the French Revolution, the stages of the Revolution, and Napoleon as a domestic reformer and exporter of the Revolution. The course will emphasize the European context of the age of democratic revolution, 1789-1815. Note: Region: Europe. Methodologically intensive. Prerequisite(s): No prerequisite.
  

  • HI 355 - Grand Strategy in the Twentieth Century

    Lecture Hours: 3
    Lab Hours: 0
    Credit Hours: 3

    Examines the coordination of military strategy, mobilization, diplomacy, and other national or coalition instruments to achieve political goals in war during the twentieth century.
  

  • HI 356 - Twentieth-Century China

    Lecture Hours: 3
    Lab Hours: 0
    Credit Hours: 3

    A study of China’s twentieth-century revolutions since the overthrow of the last emperor in 1911. Examines the tortured efforts of the Nationalists and Communists to recreate the country and the culture, even while foreign “barbarians” were pounding on the gates. Studies a century of civil war, social reform movements, and political purges, concluding with Deng Xiaoping’s recent efforts to build a modern China where “to get rich is glorious.” Note: Region: Africa/Asia/Latin America.
  

  • HI 357 - Late Imperial China

    Lecture Hours: 3
    Lab Hours: 0
    Credit Hours: 3

    Major events and trends in Chinese history during the last two great dynasties, the Ming (1368-1644) and the Qing (1644-1911), including historians’ evolving interpretations of the periods. Topics include the role of the emperor, the world of the peasantry, the dynastic cycle, The Opium War, the problem of imperialism, the great Taiping Rebellion, The Boxer Uprising, and the 1911 Revolution. Note: Region: Africa/Asia/Latin America. Methodologically intensive. Prerequisite(s): HI 104 .
  

  • HI 361 - The Age of Blood and Iron. Europe, 1871-1918

    Lecture Hours: 3
    Lab Hours: 0
    Credit Hours: 3

    Survey of Europe in the period. This course begins with a discussion of the 1870-1871 Franco-Prussian War. It then successively examines social and economic developments, political developments in the separate European states, imperialism, the division of Europe into two hostile alliance systems, the arms race, the fundamental and immediate causes of the First World War, and the war itself. Note: Region: Europe.
  

  • HI 365 - France and the French Empire 1815 to the Present

    Lecture Hours: 3
    Lab Hours: 0
    Credit Hours: 3

    Surveys the political and socioeconomic history of France and its overseas empire from Waterloo to the present. Significant focus on developments in Africa and Indochina. Note: Region: Europe. Prerequisite(s): No prerequisite, but HI 350  is recommended.
  

  • HI 368 - A Broken World: Europe, 1919-1945

    Lecture Hours: 3
    Lab Hours: 0
    Credit Hours: 3

    Survey of Europe in the period. It begins with the peace settlement following the first World War. Through a chronological approach by country, it treats political, diplomatic, and military trends and events of the period, including the rise of fascism and totalitarianism, and the roles played by individual leaders as Mussolini, Hitler, Stalin, and Churchill. It then deals with events leading to the Second World War, and the war itself. Note: Region: Europe.
  

  • HI 372 - Reading Course for Honors

    Lecture Hours: 3
    Lab Hours: 0
    Credit Hours: 3

    Reading in depth in a selected field of history under the supervision of a faculty sponsor as preparation for an honors research paper. Preparation of an annotated bibliography and introduction to historical methodology. Note: Methodologically intensive. Prerequisite(s): Admission to the History Honors Program.
  

  • HI 373 - Colonial Latin America

    Lecture Hours: 3
    Lab Hours: 0
    Credit Hours: 3

    A survey of historical developments from the Iberian Reconquest through the Wars of Independence in Latin America. Note: Region: Africa/Asia/Latin America. Methodologically Intensive. May also be offered as Writing Intensive.
  

  • HI 374 - Modern Latin America

    Lecture Hours: 3
    Lab Hours: 0
    Credit Hours: 3

    A continuation of HI 373  comprising a survey of historical developments in Latin America in general and certain Latin American Republics from the Wars of Independence to the present. Note: Region: Africa/Asia/Latin America. Methodologically Intensive. May also be offered as Writing Intensive.
  

  • HI 375 - Germany and Eastern Europe From Bismarck to Brandt

    Lecture Hours: 3
    Lab Hours: 0
    Credit Hours: 3

    Special attention will be given to the nature of the Bismarckian Empire, Germany’s role in the origins of World War I, the Weimar Republic, Nazi totalitarianism, and post-war German society. Note: Region: Europe.
  

  • HI 377 - Insurgency and Terrorism

    Lecture Hours: 3
    Lab Hours: 0
    Credit Hours: 3

    An introduction to the modern history of armed struggle for revolutionary aims and the counterinsurgency campaigns that ensue. In addition to studying the major theorists of insurgency and counterinsurgency, the class will examine specific studies from the late eighteenth century through contemporary conflicts in the Middle East. Note: Methodologically intensive. Region: Europe or Asia/Africa/Latin America, but not both.
  

  • HI 378 - European Warfare, 1600-1871

    Lecture Hours: 3
    Lab Hours: 0
    Credit Hours: 3

    A survey of the development of modern warfare in Europe from the “Military Revolution” of the seventeenth century through the Franco-Prussian War. In addition to studying the armed forces, important battles, campaigns and wars, the class will explore related social, political, diplomatic, and cultural developments. Key themes will include eighteenth-century limited warfare, French Revolutionary and Napoleonic warfare, the Wars of Italian and German Unification, and military thought and strategy. Note: Region: Europe.
  

  • HI 379 - European Warfare Since 1871

    Lecture Hours: 3
    Lab Hours: 0
    Credit Hours: 3

    This course introduces students to major aspects of European warfare from the unification of Germany in 1871 through the Cold War. Key themes include the evolution of military thought and the operational, political, socio-cultural, and technological aspects of armed forces and war. Note: Region: Europe.
  

  • HI 380 - Europe in Renaissance and Reformation

    Lecture Hours: 3
    Lab Hours: 0
    Credit Hours: 3

    A study of European politics and culture (1400-1648) with an emphasis on the literary and artistic legacy of the Renaissance and on the religious struggles of the Reformation era. Note: Region: Europe. Methodologically Intensive.
  

  • HI 382 - Modern Russian History

    Lecture Hours: 3
    Lab Hours: 0
    Credit Hours: 3

    A survey of the history of Russia, stressing economic, political, social, and intellectual development during the Empire and the Soviet Union. Note: Region: Europe.
  

  • HI 383 - Virginia History I

    Lecture Hours: 3
    Lab Hours: 0
    Credit Hours: 3

    A survey of the political, social, economic, and cultural history of Virginia from 1607 to 1865. Note: Region: United States.
  

  • HI 384 - Virginia History II

    Lecture Hours: 3
    Lab Hours: 0
    Credit Hours: 3

    A survey of the political, social, economic, and cultural history of Virginia from 1865 to the present. Note: Region: United States.
  

  • HI 385 - U.S. Military History to 1919

    Lecture Hours: 3
    Lab Hours: 0
    Credit Hours: 3

    A survey of American military history through World War I with emphasis on strategy, force structure, technology, and the record of the American armed forces in both war and peace. Note: Region: United States.
  

  • HI 386 - U.S. Military History Since 1919

    Lecture Hours: 3
    Lab Hours: 0
    Credit Hours: 3

    A survey of American military history since World War I with emphasis on strategy, force structure, technology, and the record of the American armed forces in both war and peace. Note: Region: United States.
  

  • HI 388 - Modern Spain: Civil War and Colonial Conflict

    Lecture Hours: 3
    Lab Hours: 0
    Credit Hours: 3

    This course introduces students to modern Spanish history, paying particular attention to military affairs. Major themes include the guerrilla struggles against Napoleon, counterinsurgency in Cuba and Morocco, the Spanish Civil War, the dictatorship of Francisco Franco, and ongoing issues of regional nationalism and terrorism. Note: Region: Europe. Methodologically intensive.
  

  • HI 390 - Sea Power From the Age of Sail to the Early Twentieth Century

    Lecture Hours: 3
    Lab Hours: 0
    Credit Hours: 3

    A survey that deals with the use of naval power in both war and peace from the sixteenth century to the early twentieth century. Dominant themes will include the evolution of strategy and tactics in war, the impact of technology on tactics and shipboard lives, and the overall importance of sea power to the foreign policies of naval powers. Coverage includes discussions that focus on the Seven Years War, the American Revolutionary War, the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars, the War of 1812, the Crimean War, the American Civil War, the Sino-Japanese War, and the Russo-Japanese War. Note: Region: Europe.
  

  • HI 391 - Sea Power in the 20th Century

    Lecture Hours: 3
    Lab Hours: 0
    Credit Hours: 3

    This course investigates the employment of naval power in both peace and war during the twentieth century. Among the common threads to be followed are leadership, strategy, tactics, technology, and joint operations. The navies of Great Britain, Germany, Imperial Japan, the Soviet Union, and the United States will receive the closest scrutiny. Substantial class time will be devoted to both world wars, Korea, and Vietnam. Note: Region: Europe or the United States (but not both).
  

  • HI 392 - World War I

    Lecture Hours: 3
    Lab Hours: 0
    Credit Hours: 3

    A survey of the events leading to World War I and the course of the conflict itself. The coverage will include detail on the grand strategy and actions of the principal combatants, tactics, operations, armaments, and logistics. The course will focus on the principal combatants, but will offer worldwide coverage to showcase the magnitude of the war and the importance of regional conflicts on the course of the war. It will also include the effect of World War I, as a total war, on civilians and the world as a whole following the conclusion of peace. Through this coverage, the student will gain an understanding not only of war in the early twentieth century, but also an understanding of the legacy of the war on global development. Note: Region: Europe or the United States, but not both.
  

  • HI 393 - World War II

    Lecture Hours: 3
    Lab Hours: 0
    Credit Hours: 3

    This course aims to give students a broad overview of World War II, with a deeper knowledge of certain key themes. Areas of particular emphasis include military thought, “Blitzkrieg” and “Operational Art,” the Battle of France, the Eastern Front campaigns, and the realities of warfare in the Pacific. The class also covers such topics as Nazi ideology and the Holocaust. Note: Region: Europe or the United States or Africa/Asia/Latin America (can fulfill one category only).
  

  • HI 400 - History Internship

    Lecture Hours: 0
    Lab Hours: 0
    Credit Hours: 1-6

    Under appropriate conditions, cadets may earn up to six hours of academic credit in History for research and other academic activities related to an internship sponsored and approved by the History Department. Internships will normally be conducted during the summer and will involve activities away from the Institute. Details of activities and the amount of credit to be awarded must be arranged prior to the commencement of the internship and approved by the head of the History Department.
  

  • HI 460W - Capstone Experience

    Lecture Hours: 3
    Lab Hours: 0
    Credit Hours: 3

    Senior level methodologically intensive research seminar leading to the production of a major research paper. Topics vary. Note: Required of history majors except those who complete the departmental honors sequence. Note Well: HI 460W cannot be used to satisfy a regional distribution requirement. Prerequisite(s): completion of a 300-level methodologically intensive course, and perhaps other prerequisites at the discretion of the instructor. Writing Intensive (W).
  

  • HI 480 - Directed Study

    Lecture Hours: 3
    Lab Hours: 0
    Credit Hours: 3

    Advanced level one-on-one course emphasizing historical methodology and leading to the production of a major research paper. Note: May also be taken as a writing-intensive course (480W) with instructor’s permission. Prerequisite(s): a 300-level methodologically-intensive course and possibly other courses as required by the instructor; permission of the department head, completion of twelve hours of history courses numbered 200 or higher taken in residence at VMI, and at least a 3.0 GPA in history courses taken at VMI.
  

  • HI 481 - Special Seminar

    Lecture Hours: 3
    Lab Hours: 0
    Credit Hours: 3

    Seminars on special topics in history as suggested from time to time by members of the faculty or groups of history majors. Course will require completion of a major student research paper.
  

  • HI 490 - Special Seminar

    Lecture Hours: 3
    Lab Hours: 0
    Credit Hours: 3

    Seminars on special topics in history as suggested from time to time by members of the faculty or groups of history majors. Course will require completion of a major student research paper.
  

  • HI 491W - Thesis Course for Honors (I)

    Lecture Hours: 3
    Lab Hours: 0
    Credit Hours: 3

    Preliminary work on a research paper based on the reading done in HI 372 . Note: Course concludes with an oral defense of a draft version of the thesis. Prerequisite(s): HI 372 . Writing intensive (W).
  

  • HI 492W - Thesis Course for Honors (II)

    Lecture Hours: 3
    Lab Hours: 0
    Credit Hours: 3

    Embraces the completion of the research paper begun in HI 491W . Prerequisite(s): HI 491W . Writing intensive (W).
  

  • HI 493 - Special Seminar

    Lecture Hours: 3
    Lab Hours: 0
    Credit Hours: 3

    Seminars on special topics in history as suggested from time to time by members of the faculty or groups of history majors. Course will require completion of a major student research paper.

HONORS PROGRAM

Coordinator: Colonel Robert McDonald

For information pertaining to the Institute Honors Program, please see Special Programs .
  

  • HN L - Honors Seminar - Liberal Arts/Leadership

    Lecture Hours: 3
    Lab Hours: 0
    Credit Hours: 3

    These seminars provide exposure to topics in the liberal arts or leadership. One course in this sequence is required to earn Institute Honors. HNL seminars are writing intensive and are open to all majors. Topics vary by semester. Recent offerings include Shakespeare’s Leaders and Grand Strategy in the Twentieth Century. Prerequisite(s): Admission to the Institute Honors Program.
  

  • HN S - Honors Seminar - Science/Engineering

    Lecture Hours: 3
    Lab Hours: 0
    Credit Hours: 3

    These seminars provide exposure to topics in the sciences or engineering. One course in this sequence is required to earn Institute Honors. HNS seminars are writing intensive and are open to all majors. Topics vary by semester. Recent offerings include Environmental Myth, Ethics, and Justice and Science and Medicine: A Case-Based Approach. Prerequisite(s): Admission to the Institute Honors Program.
  

  • HN 100 - Honors Forum

    Lecture Hours: 1
    Lab Hours: 0
    Credit Hours: 0

    The forum provides an occasion for students enrolled in the Institute Honors Program to meet weekly to discuss and debate issues of current national and international interest. Requirements include regular readings in major national newspapers and serious periodicals (e.g., The Economist, The Atlantic). Enrollment is restricted to cadets who have been admitted to the Institute Honors Program.
  

  • HN 400 - Honors thesis

    Lecture Hours: 3
    Lab Hours: 0
    Credit Hours: 3

    Research for and completion of the Institute Honors thesis under the guidance of a faculty adviser. Cadets may enroll in this course (for one semester or two) or another appropriate research or independent study course in order to earn credit for completing the thesis required for Institute Honors. Enrollment is restricted to cadets in the Institute Honors Program and requires permission of the director of the Institute Honors Program. See Colonel McDonald in the Dean’s Office for details.
  

  • HN 401 - Project Research

    Lecture Hours: 3
    Lab Hours: 0
    Credit Hours: 3

    Research for and completion of the Institute Honors thesis under the guidance of a faculty adviser. Cadets may enroll in this course (for one semester or two) or another appropriate research or independent study course in order to earn credit for completing the thesis required for Institute Honors. Enrollment is restricted to cadets in the Institute Honors Program and requires permission of the director of the Institute Honors Program. See Colonel McDonald in the Dean’s Office for details.

INTERNATIONAL STUDIES AND POLITICAL SCIENCE

Department of International Studies and Political Science
Department Head: Colonel Hentz

Requirements for a degree in international studies and political science are specified in International Studies and Political Science .
  

  • IS 201 - Introduction to International Studies and Political Science

    Lecture Hours: 3
    Lab Hours: 0
    Credit Hours: 3

    This team-taught course introduces students to political science as a discipline and to the different interests of the international studies faculty. It is divided into four sections covering political science, political theory, American politics, comparative politics, and international relations. Readings are taken from the classics in political science. The focus is on key concepts, such as power, state-society relations, institutions; and on the central debates across the discipline and within the sub-fields. Required for IS majors. Must be attempted in the 3rd class year. Open only to IS majors.
  

  • IS 210 - American Government

    Lecture Hours: 3
    Lab Hours: 0
    Credit Hours: 3

    Examination of our main national governmental institutions and the application of constitutional provisions to their operation. The role of political parties, elections, and public opinion in the American political process.
  

  • IS 220 - International Politics

    Lecture Hours: 3
    Lab Hours: 0
    Credit Hours: 3

    Focuses on the international system of politics and examines the nature of relations between states, the factors which affect the actions and motives of states in their dealings with one another, and selected current problems in international politics.
  

  • IS 230 - Comparative Politics

    Lecture Hours: 3
    Lab Hours: 0
    Credit Hours: 3

    This introduction to the field of Comparative Politics has two main objectives. The first is to provide a foundation of basic empirical knowledge about political institutions and processes in select key countries: Britain, France, Germany, Japan, Russia, China, India, Iran, and Mexico. The second, more open-ended, objective is to engage some of the “big questions” and themes in world politics that engage scholars, political leaders, and (ideally) educated citizens: How and why did modern nation-states emerge in the West? How do the legacies of colonialism and socialism influence political and economic development elsewhere? What are the conditions most conducive to liberal democracy and market capitalism-and do they always go together?
  

  • IS 301 - Techniques of Computer Analysis

    Lecture Hours: 2
    Lab Hours: 2
    Credit Hours: 3

    A course to teach the fundamentals of computer analysis as practiced by students of international studies, historians, and political scientists. Emphasizes the active use of computers to perform statistical analysis on primary source data from a variety of contemporary and historical sources. Prerequisite(s): open only to international studies majors who have passed IS 201  with a grade of 75 or higher.
  

  • IS 310 - American Foreign Policy

    Lecture Hours: 3
    Lab Hours: 0
    Credit Hours: 3

    The central purpose of this course is to familiarize cadets with prevalent theoretical approaches to decision-making and to use these models to examine the American foreign policy experience. To this end, the course will survey rational, organizational, bureaucratic, and various psychological perspectives. Cadets will then use these tools to critically review the historical development of America’s relations with other international actors, including Washington’s admonition to steer clear of “foreign entanglements,” the world wars, the Cold War, and the current battle against terror. The course concludes with several mock policy debates which are designed to illustrate the intricacies of high-level decision-making and provide insights into the likely conduct of US foreign policy in the 21st Century.
  

  • IS 311 - The American Congress

    Lecture Hours: 3
    Lab Hours: 0
    Credit Hours: 3

    In the Constitution, the article that describes the duties and functions of the Congress as well as its limitations is longest. The reason for this evident: the Founders considered that the Congress, as the body of government that would pass our laws and control the federal purse, would be at the center of national government and politics. Despite the Presidency’s rise in power and reputation, Congress’ powers ensure it will be at the center of our constitutional order. Subjects covered will include the ideas that influenced the Founders’ ideas of a federal legislature, the powers of the Congress, the leadership and organizational structure of Congress (with an emphasis on the committee system), the legislative process, the Congress’ relationship with the President (especially on issues of national security), and electoral politics.
  

  • IS 312 - The American Presidency

    Lecture Hours: 3
    Lab Hours: 0
    Credit Hours: 3

    The American Presidency is a political institution like no other in the world. Born of the Founding Fathers’ wariness of the concentrated political power, the office is a blend of head of state, commander-in-chief, chief of party, and head of government. Its evolution has been central to the development of American national government and Americans’ concepts of and relationships to that government. This course will trace the history of the Presidency from the Founders’ ideas about and experiences with executive power to the office’s current state—with all its inherent paradoxes. I hope that, through this course, cadets will come to a deeper understanding of the Presidency’s origins, development, powers, and limitations as well as the reasons behind the constant contest between the President and the Congress.
  

  • IS 320 - National Security Policy

    Lecture Hours: 3
    Lab Hours: 0
    Credit Hours: 3

    Consideration of the formulation and conduct of United States defense and foreign policy with special attention to the key institutions involved in the decision-making process in this field. Recommended for NROTC cadets.
  

  • IS 321 - International Political Economy

    Lecture Hours: 3
    Lab Hours: 0
    Credit Hours: 3

    Provides students with a basic understanding of the nature and dynamics of contemporary international political economy (IPE). Politics and economics have often been separate fields of study with different core concepts. The former typically centers on power and the latter markets. However, the nature of international relations demands that we understand the interaction of politics (power) and economics (markets). This course will examine a broad range of substantive issues (trade relations, financial and monetary policy, economic integration, and economic development), as well as theoretical debates in IPE. Prerequisite(s): PO 325 International Politics or PO 350 Comparative Politics.

    IS 220  and IS 230 

  

  • IS 322 - Intelligence and Policy

    Lecture Hours: 3
    Lab Hours: 0
    Credit Hours: 3

    The history and practice of intelligence with special emphasis on the relationship to the political policy process. The focus is on the U.S. intelligence experience since WWII, although some attention is given to the broader comparative context.
  

  • IS 323 - The United States, Pakistan, and Afghanistan

    Lecture Hours: 3
    Lab Hours: 0
    Credit Hours: 3

    Cadets learn of historical factors and conflicts that have shaped the situation today with particular emphasis on the period from the start of extensive Soviet involvement in the 1970’s through the resurgence of the Taliban in the mid-2000s. They track political and military developments relying on a variety of news and think tank sources and examine various options for resolving the conflict from the US perspective. They make a field trip to Washington.
  

  • IS 325X - The United States and Iran

    Lecture Hours: 3
    Lab Hours: 0
    Credit Hours: 3

    This civilizations and cultures designated course focuses on the modern history of Iran and its relationship with the US. Cadets analyze policy options for addressing various challenges that Iran – especially if it gains a nuclear weapons – presents to the region, to the US and the world. Cadets make a field trip to Washington to speak with experts in think tanks and to examine Iranian cultural artifacts at the Smithsonian Museum. Civilizations and Cultures (X)
  

  • IS 329 - Counterinsurgency

    Lecture Hours: 3
    Lab Hours: 0
    Credit Hours: 3

    This course will concentrate on: a study of select counterinsurgencies using historical pattern analysis. Instructor will present a selection of various insurgencies and students will research and present on the following topics: American Revolution: Colonial insurgents against British army; Insurgency and Guerrilla warfare in U.S. Civil War; U.S and Counterinsurgency in the Philippines, 1899-1902; The Boer War: The Second War (1899-1902); British Malayan Emergency (1948-1960); Irish Republican Army vs British Army; Nepal : Maoist Insurgency. (1996-present); Colombia : FARC insurgency; and Overview of Turkish/Kurdish insurgency problem. Using historical study and pattern analysis of insurgent and counterinsurgent strategies, upon completion of the class, we will hopefully have an answer for the question – Will current U.S. counterinsurgency strategies in Afghanistan work?
  

  • IS 330 - Politics in Western Europe

    Lecture Hours: 3
    Lab Hours: 0
    Credit Hours: 3

    An examination of the political systems and the domestic, foreign and defense policies of the United Kingdom, France, Germany, selected smaller Western European nations, and Canada. Attention will be paid to the new role of NATO, European unification, and the ways in which Western Europe and Canada deal with the United States.
  

  • IS 331 - Politics in Russia and Eastern Europe

    Lecture Hours: 3
    Lab Hours: 0
    Credit Hours: 3

    An examination of the political systems and the domestic, foreign and defense policies of Russia and the nations of the former Soviet Union and Eastern Europe. Attention is given to the consequences of Marxist-Leninist theory and to the problems of transforming former communist systems.
  

  • IS 332X - Politics in East Asia

    Lecture Hours: 3
    Lab Hours: 0
    Credit Hours: 3

    An examination of the political systems and foreign relations of Japan, China, Korea, and Taiwan. Emphasis is placed on relations with other nations in the region, and with the United States. Particular attention is paid to the growing importance these nations have in the international economic system. Civilizations and Cultures (X)
  

  • IS 333 - Politics in Southeast Asia

    Lecture Hours: 3
    Lab Hours: 0
    Credit Hours: 3

    An examination of the political systems and the domestic, foreign and defense policies of the countries of Southeast Asia including: Brunei, Burma, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam. The course also focuses on the role of ASEAN, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations and the impact of outside powers on the region.
  

  • IS 334X - Politics of Central Asia

    Lecture Hours: 3
    Lab Hours: 0
    Credit Hours: 3

    By exploring the politics and societies of this important, but little understood, region, we will seek to develop a nuanced understanding of how international dynamics continue to shape the states of this region and also how forces emanating from within Central Asia impact the international system. Additionally, in this course students will analytically explore a variety of political and societal phenomena present in the region and beyond. Amongst the phenomena we will examine include: the politics of oil and gas pipelines, state-building and nationalism, secession and civil war, Islamism, democratization and authoritarian state consolidation. Civilizations and Cultures (X)
 

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