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2022-2023 Academic Catalog 
    
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2022-2023 Academic Catalog [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. In general 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 usually 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 Sunnen

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 combined with their previous high school language coursework, and after consultation with the department head of modern languages.

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.

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 four 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 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 Johnson

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 Methods

    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 better 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 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. Note: Required of history majors and minors. Writing Intensive Course (W).
  

  • 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 223 - 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 course will examine 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 into Western societies.  Attention will be given to the interaction between Muslim and Christian communities and to the official policies of Western governments toward their Muslim citizens and residents. Region: United States or Europe, but not both. Note: This course may be offered as a survey or as a methodologically-intensive seminar. If offered as a seminar, the following prerequisites apply: HI majors must complete HI 200  with a minimum grade of C. Non-HI majors require permission of instructor.
  

  • 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 pre-dynastic period through the Roman occupation. Note: Region: Africa/Asia/Latin America. May be offered as 301X (Civilizations & Cultures), 301W (Writing Intensive), or both 301WX.
  

  • 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. Region: Europe or Africa/Asia/Latin America, but not both.  Note: May be offered as 303X (Civilizations and Cultures). May be offered as 302X (Civilizations & Cultures).
  

  • 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. Region: Europe or Africa/Asia/Latin America, but not both. Note: May be offered as 303X (Civilizations & Cultures). May be offered as 303X (Civilizations & Cultures).
  

  • 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. Region: Europe or Africa/Asia/Latin America, but not both. Note: May be offered as 304X (Civilizations & Cultures), 304W (Writing Intensive), or both 304WX. May be offered as 304X (Civilizations & Cultures), 304W (Writing Intensive), or both 304WX.
  

  • HI 305 - Jacksonian America

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

    This methodologically intensive course will examine the history of the United States from the War of 1812 to the mid-1840s. Topics will include the expansion of the United States in an age of global revolutions as well as the rise of populism as embodied in the life and careers of Andrew Jackson. Historical and historiographical issues will be covered via analysis of popular beliefs and prejudices. Cadets’ primary goal will be to progress through the stages of structuring and writing a research essay.  Region: United States. Note: This course may be offered as a survey or as a methodologically-intensive seminar. If offered as a seminar, the following prerequisites apply: HI majors must complete HI 200  with a minimum grade of C. Non-HI majors require permission of instructor.
  

  • HI 306 - Religion and Warfare in Nineteenth Century United States History

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

    An upper-level survey course covering the expansionist Protestant ideology in the nineteenth-century United States as it came into conflict with Native Americans, Catholic immigrants, and hemispheric neighbors. The interaction between politics and millenarian religious beliefs will be studied in the context of four nineteenth-century wars, from 1812 to 1898. Region: United States.
  

  • 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. 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. 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). 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. Region: Asia/Africa/Latin America. Civilizations and Cultures Course (X). Prerequisite(s): HI 104 .
  

  • HI 311 - History of the Cold War

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

    This course surveys the Cold War from the origins of great power confrontation in the World War II era, through such key episodes as the Cuban Missile Crisis, the construction of the Berlin Wall, the Prague Spring, Detente, and its decline. We will emphasize shifting historical interpretation of the era, as well as the assessment and employment of primary source documents in historical analysis. Students are required to write a term paper combining a historiographical review with research on one major episode. The course may be team-taught to provide multiple perspectives. Region: Europe/U.S./Latin America-Asia-Africa depending on topic. Note: This course may be offered as a survey or as a methodologically-intensive seminar. If offered as a seminar, the following prerequisites apply: HI majors must complete HI 200  with a minimum grade of C. Non-HI majors require permission of instructor.
  

  • HI 312 - Introduction to the History of Islam

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

    The course traces the history of Islam, beginning with the life of the Prophet Mohammad and the formative period, along with its medieval achievements and modern situation.  Aspects of analysis include the historical development, social institutions, intellectual traditions, and religious system of Islam.  We will explore this history using a range of primary and secondary materials including religious texts, historic chronicles and works of fiction. Region: Africa/Asia/Latin America.
  

  • 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. 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. Region: United States.
  

  • HI 315 - The History of Everyday Life (M)

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

    Social history is an approach to the past that 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 that 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 (M). Prerequisite(s): HI majors must complete HI 200  with a minimum grade of C. Non-HI majors require permission of instructor.
  

  • 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. Region: United States/Europe/Asia/Africa/Latin America depending on topic. Note:   This course may be offered as a “Civilizations and Cultures” course (HI 316X), a “Writing Intensive” course (316W), or both (316WX). Prerequisite(s): HI 103  and HI 104 . This course may be offered as a “Civilizations and Cultures” course (HI 316X), a “Writing Intensive” course (316W), or both (316WX).
  

  • HI 317 - The Great Depression and the New Deal (M)

    This methodologically intensive course will focus on United States history from the origins of the Great Depression to the end of the New Deal. Topics will include the political, economic, social, and cultural history of the era. Specific emphasis will be placed on the origins and effects of the Great Depression, the stock market crash, and the nature of the institutional responses offered by Franklin Roosevelt’s New Deal. Cadets will engage both historical and historiographical topics while completing a significant research project. Region: United States. Note: Methodologically Intensive (M). Prerequisite(s): HI majors must complete HI 200  with a minimum grade of C. Non-HI majors require permission of instructor.
  

  • HI 318 - George C. Marshall and the American Century (M)

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

    A methodologically-intensive course designed to develop research and analytical skills through the intensive study of the career of General of the Army George C. Marshall, VMI class of 1901. Class will focus on teaching students how to find, analyze, organize, and present primary and secondary sources material. In doing so, student will explore the manuscript collections at the VMI archives and George C. Marshall Research Library. The course will explore major trends in U.S. military history and foreign relations from the Spanish-American War (1898) to the Korean War (1950-1953). Note:  Members of the First Class MAY NOT enroll in this course. Region: United States. Methodologically Intensive (M). Prerequisite(s): HI majors must complete HI 200  with a minimum grade of C. Non-HI majors require permission of instructor
  

  • HI 319 - African American Experience (M)

    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. Region: United States. Note: Methodologically intensive (M). Prerequisite(s): HI majors must complete HI 200  with a minimum grade of C. Non-HI majors require permission of instructor.
  

  • HI 320 - The Progressive Era (M)

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

    This methodologically-intensive course will examine the United States during the Progressive Era—roughly 1890-1920—one of the most dynamic periods in American history. Focusing on the political, economic, social, and cultural changes of the era, the central focus will be an examination of the United States’ transformation into an increasingly diverse, industrial, urban, and internationalist nation. Region: United States. Note: Methodologically Intensive Course (M). Prerequisite(s): HI 200  with a minimum grade of C. Non-HI majors require permission of instructor.
  

  • 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. 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. Region: United States.
  

  • 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. Region: United States. Prerequisite(s): Prior completion of HI 324 , “American Foreign Relations to 1919” is recommended, but not required.
  

  • HI 326 - 19th Century South Africa: War, Cross and Gold (M)

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

    This methodologically intensive course will focus on the history of nineteenth-century South Africa at a time when social and political communities in the region were radically transformed by encounters with European soldiers, missionaries and mining capitalists, setting the stage for the origins of apartheid South Africa. Cadets will explore the major historiographical issues and relevant primary sources as they prepare a substantial independent research paper. Region: Africa/Asia/Latin America. Note: Methodologically Intensive (M). Prerequisite(s): HI 200  with a minimum grade of C. Non-HI majors require permission of instructor. Note: Methodologically Intensive
  

  • 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. 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. Region: Europe or Africa/Asia/Latin America, but not both.
  

  • HI 329 - War and Society in Twentieth Century United States History

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

    This course focuses on the themes that have defined America’s and Americans’ experiences of conflict during the 20th century. The central project will be to explore the relationship between war and society from a variety of perspectives while critically engaging the events and processes that shaped the United States’ evolving relationship with conflict during a tumultuous period. Note: This course may be offered as a survey or as a methodologically-intensive seminar. If offered as a seminar, the following prerequisites apply: HI majors must complete HI 200  with a minimum grade of C. Non-HI majors require permission of instructor.
  

  • HI 330 - Topics in Ancient History (M)

    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. Region: Europe or Africa/Asia/Latin America, but not both. Note: Methodologically intensive (M). Prerequisite(s): HI majors must complete HI 200  with a minimum grade of C. Non-HI majors require permission of instructor.
  

  • HI 331 - Colonial America (M)

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

    A study of eastern North America from contact through the Seven Years’ War. Explores major social, political, religious, and economic trends, plus evolving relationships with Indians. Region: United States. Note: Methodologically intensive (M). Prerequisite(s): HI majors must complete HI 200  with a minimum grade of C. Non-HI majors require permission of instructor.
  

  • 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. Region: United States. 
  

  • HI 333X - 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 political, social, and cultural aspects of Islamic Civilization. Region: Africa/Asia/Latin America. Note: Civilizations & Cultures Course (X).
  

  • HI 334X - 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, from the 1800s to the present. Starting with a brief overview of the late Ottoman empire, follows political, social and cultural developments of the region. Focuses on the interaction with the West, evolution of the modern state system, and the rise of political Islam. Region: Africa/Asia/Latin America. Note: Civilizations & Cultures Course (X).
  

  • 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. Region: United States or Africa/Asia/Latin America, but not both. Note: This course may be offered as a survey or as a methodologically-intensive seminar. If offered as a seminar, the following prerequisites apply: HI majors must complete HI 200  with a minimum grade of C. Non-HI majors require permission of instructor.
  

  • HI 336 - The U.S. - Mexico Borderlands

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

    The U.S.—Mexico Borderlands: This course is an introduction to the history of the U.S.— Mexico borderlands. It traces the rich and complex history of the region from the founding of St. Augustine, Florida, by the Spanish in 1565, to the present. The course focuses on the study of the Southwestern U.S. and northern Mexico border zone with special emphasis on topics of ethnicity, race, and gender. Coverage includes the colonization of the Southwestern United States, the Mexican-American War, the Immigration Act of 1907, the establishment of the U.S. Border Patrol, issues of immigration, and the war on drugs. Region: United States or Asia/Africa/Latin America, but not both. Note: This course may be offered as a survey or as a methodologically-intensive seminar. If offered as a seminar, the following prerequisites apply: HI majors must complete HI 200  with a minimum grade of C. Non-HI majors require permission of instructor.
  

  • HI 337 - Quantitative History

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

    An introduction to the literature and techniques of quantitative history. Cadets will organize, graph, and write about historical data they compile. Topics vary among economic, legal, or social issues capable of exploration via statistical analysis. Open to all majors. Region: United States. Prerequisite(s): MA 101  & MA 102  with a minimum grade of C. Region: United States.
  

  • 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. Region: Africa/ Asia/Latin America.
  

  • HI 347X - Africa in Pre-Modern Times, to 1850

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

    Survey of the historical experiences that have shaped contemporary sub-Saharan Africa: African societies’ political, economic and cultural responses to the continent’s variegated ecological and climatic conditions; the material and cultural exchanges across the continent’s North African, Sahelian, Indian Ocean and Atlantic Ocean contact zones; the trans-Atlantic slave trade and the expansion of Christianity in Atlantic Africa; the expansion of Islam and Muslim reform movements. Region: Africa/Asia/Latin America. Civilizations & Cultures Course (X).
  

  • HI 348X - 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. Region: Africa/Asia/Latin America. Civilizations & Cultures Course (X).
  

  • HI 349 - A History of South Africa

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

    Similar to the United States, modern-day South Africa is a plural society with deeply ingrained racial, ethnic, and economic fissures. Adopting multi-racial and multi-ethnic perspectives of history, this course explores the contexts that produced these fissures, including the interactions between Khoesan and Bantuspeaking Africans; the arrival of European settlers and their practices of social domination; the mineral revolution and the wars of imperial conquest; the formation of mission-educated Africans and their protest movements against racial discrimination; the rise of apartheid, anti-apartheid activism, and the effects of democratization and reconciliation since the 1990s. 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 Old 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. Region: Europe. 
  

  • 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. Region: United States or Europe, but not both.
  

  • HI 357X - History of Imperial China

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

    This Core Curriculum Civilization and Culture course is intended as a broad introduction to the ebb and flow of Chinese political, economic, cultural, and military power from the Bronze Age (about 1500 BCE) up through the late imperial period (about 1800 CE). For most of the past two millennia, few states could match the wealth and power of imperial China—yet, by the nineteenth century, the system that had sustained late imperial China crumbled under internal and external pressure. An appreciation of the history of imperial China is necessary for thinking about the “rise” of China in the twenty-first century. Organized in chronological order, the course centers on three questions: How did imperial Chinese states go about politically unifying and controlling diverse peoples over vast spaces? How did imperial China’s approaches to relations with the outer world change over time? How did major socio-cultural formations grow and take root? This course is suitable for History majors who want to fulfill their major requirement in Asian history, as well as for cadets interested in China or pursuing a minor in Asian Studies, and for cadets seeking to meet the Core Curriculum requirement. Region: Africa/Asia/Latin America Note: Civilizations & Cultures Course (X).
  

  • HI 359 - China in the Communist Era (1949-Present)

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

    This course explores the history of the People’s Republic of China (1949-present) in chronological order and through three overarching themes: the changing politics and structure of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP); the social, economic, cultural, ethnic and religious ramifications of Communist rule in China over sixty years; and China’s shifting relations with major global powers and the influences on China’s domestic policy changes. Region: Asia/Africa/Latin America.
  

  • 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. 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. Region: Europe. Prerequisite(s): No prerequisite, but HI 350  is recommended.
  

  • HI 368X - Europe, 1919-1939

    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 including Mussolini, Hitler, Stalin, and Churchill. It then deals with events leading to the Second World War. Region: Europe. Note: Civilizations & Cultures Course (X).
  

  • HI 369 - Race, Gender and Sexuality in Colonial Latin America

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

    This course is an introduction to the social history of colonial Latin America through the lenses of “race,” gender, and sexuality. Categories of difference including race/caste, social status, honor, and propriety guided colonial lives. Despite the potential for harsh punishments, individuals manipulated social norms and negotiated the arenas of gender, “race,” patriarchy, and sexuality to fit their individual needs. Topics discussed include religion, social mobility, sexual deviance, gender relations, love, and romance. Region: Asia/Africa/Latin America. Note: This course may be offered as a survey or as a methodologically-intensive seminar. If offered as a seminar, the following prerequisites apply: HI majors must complete HI 200  with a minimum grade of C. Non-HI majors require permission of instructor. 
  

  • HI 372 - Reading Course for Honors (M)

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

    Reading in depth in a selected field of history under the close supervision of a faculty member as preparation for an honors research paper. Introduction to historical methodology and preparation of an annotated bibliography or such other preliminary project(s) as the advisor directs. Note: Methodologically intensive (M). Prerequisite(s): HI majors must complete HI 200  with a minimum grade of C and have admission to the departmental 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. Region: Africa/Asia/Latin America. Note: This course may be offered as a survey or as a methodologically-intensive seminar. If offered as a seminar, the following prerequisites apply: HI majors must complete HI 200  with a minimum grade of C. Non-HI majors require permission of instructor. May also be offered as Writing Intensive (W). 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. Region: Africa/Asia/Latin America. Note: This course may be offered as a survey or as a methodologically-intensive seminar. If offered as a seminar, the following prerequisites apply: HI majors must complete HI 200  with a minimum grade of C. Non-HI majors require permission of instructor. May also be offered as Writing Intensive (W). 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. Region: Europe. Note: May be offered as HI 375X (Civilizations & Cultures). May be offered as HI 375X (Civilizations & Cultures).
  

  • HI 377 - Insurgency and Terrorism (M)

    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. Region: Europe or Asia/Africa/Latin America, but not both. Note: Methodologically intensive (M). Prerequisite(s): HI majors must complete HI 200  with a minimum grade of C. Non-HI majors require permission of instructor.
  

  • 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. 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 and beyond. Key themes include the evolution of military thought and the operational, political, socio-cultural, and technological aspects of armed forces and war. 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. Region: Europe. Note: Methodologically Intensive (M). Prerequisite(s): HI majors must complete HI 200  with a minimum grade of C. Non-HI majors require permission of instructor.
  

  • HI 382X - 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. Region: Europe. Note: Civilizations & Cultures Course (X).
  

  • 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. 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. 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. 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. Region: United States.
  

  • HI 387 - History of Air Power

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

    An investigation into the development and employment of military aviation in both peace and war. Common threads to be followed include leadership, strategy, tactics, technology, joint operations, and ethical issues. Region: Europe or the United States (but not both).
  

  • HI 388X - 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. Region: Europe. Note: Methodologically intensive (M). Civilizations & Cultures Course (X). Prerequisite(s): HI majors must complete HI 200  with a minimum grade of C. Non-HI majors require permission of instructor.
  

  • 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. 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. 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. 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. 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 401 - History and Culture of Ghana

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

    This course exposes students to the history and culture of Ghana through a combination of classroom lectures and visits to culturally and historically relevant sites. This course prepares participants for socially and culturally appropriate interactions.
  

  • 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: Writing Intensive (W). Required of history majors except those who complete the departmental honors sequence. HI 460W cannot be used to satisfy a regional distribution requirement. Prerequisite(s): One 300-Level Method Intensive Course. 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

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

    Research and writing of the honors paper under the supervision of a faculty member. Note: Course concludes with an oral defense of a draft version of the thesis. Prerequisite(s): HI 372  with a minimum grade of B. Writing intensive (W).
  

  • HI 492W - Thesis Course for Honors

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

    Oral examination on the completed honors paper, followed by its revision and final submission. Prerequisite(s): HI 491W  with a minimum grade of B. Writing intensive (W).

HONORS PROGRAM

Director: Colonel Robert McDonald
For information pertaining to the Institute Honors Program, please see Special Programs .
  

  • 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 Atlantic). Enrollment is restricted to cadets who have been admitted to the Institute Honors Program.
  

  • HN 400 - Honors Thesis I

    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 - Honors Thesis II

    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.
  

  • HNL Designation - Honors Seminar - Liberal Arts

    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. Topics vary by semester. Recent offerings include Shakespeare’s Leaders and Public Literacy.
  

  • HNS Designation - 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. 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.

HUMAN PERFORMANCE AND WELLNESS

Department of Human Performance and Wellness
Department Head: Colonel Coale

All cadets are required to take seven semesters of Human Performance and Wellness classes, and earn four semester credit hours (exclusive of any 3 credit hour course) to meet graduation requirements. New cadets are required to take Wellness Concepts (HPW 105), and Boxing (HPW 102) during their fourth-class year. Third-class year cadets are required to take Swimming (HPW 200 or 201), and Principles of Physical Conditioning (HPW 205). Cadets will take two HPW Elective courses during their second-class year. Cadets will also take an HPW elective during the first semester of their first-class year to complete their Human Performance and Wellness requirements. There is no HPW requirement (OPEN semester), for the second semester of the first-class year. To accommodate special circumstances that may arise, such as study abroad and medical/health issues, the OPEN semester may occur during the fall/spring of the second-class year, or the fall of the first class year.
  

  • HPW 102 - Boxing

    Lecture Hours: 0
    Lab Hours: 1
    Credit Hours: 0.5

    This course is designed to introduce the cadet to the basic skills of boxing.  The basic skills include:  proper movement/footwork, basic punches and combinations, effective defense as well as offensive and defensive strategy. Note: This is a required HPW course and should be taken during the cadet’s 4th class year.
  

  • HPW 105 - Wellness Concepts

    Lecture Hours: 1
    Lab Hours: 0
    Credit Hours: 0.5

    This course will provide an introduction to basic nutrition and dimensions of wellness. Major topics will include, choosing a nutritious diet, maintaining healthy body composition and body weight, managing stress, avoiding risks from harmful habits, and sexual health. Note: This is a required HPW course and should be taken during the cadet’s 4th class year.
  

  • HPW 190 - Independent Research

    Lecture Hours: 0
    Lab Hours: 2-6
    Credit Hours: 1-3

    This course is for rising third classmen pursuing research during the summer. Permission of instructor and department head required.
  

  • HPW 200 - Beginning Swimming

    Lecture Hours: 0
    Lab Hours: 2
    Credit Hours: 0.5

      This course is for non-swimmers only. Note: Instructor approval required.
  

  • HPW 201 - Basic Swimming and Survival

    Lecture Hours: 0
    Lab Hours: 1
    Credit Hours: 0.5

    Stressed are the basic strokes, survival support, breath control skills, and pre-lifesaving skills. Note: This is required HPW course and should be taken during the cadet’s 3rd class year.
  

  • HPW 205 - Principles of Physical Conditioning

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

    An elementary course in exercise physiology. Note: This is a required HPW course and should be taken during the cadet’s 3rd class year.
  

  • HPW 230 - Human Anatomy

    Lecture Hours: 3
    Lab Hours: 1
    Credit Hours: 4

    This lecture and lab course focuses on the basic structure and function of the human body.  The content includes the entire musculoskeletal system of a virtual human cadaver. Emphasis is on osseous anatomical features, skeletal muscles, tendons, ligaments, and nerves that supply the skeletal muscles.  Emphasis is placed on osteology, skeletal musculature, and major neurovascular structures of the back and limbs.  The laboratory component supports the lecture and requires student participation in virtual human dissection. Prerequisite(s): BI 101  or BI 111  with a minimum grade of C.
 

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