History

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• Faculty Coordinators
• Course Offerings
• Links, Events, and History Handbook
• Instructor Certification Requirements

Faculty Coordinators

Sherri Olson - European History

• Department of History, Unit 2103
• (860) 486-3552
• sherri.olson@uconn.edu
• Click to see Dr. Olson's CV

Sherri Olson is Associate Professor History and Co-Director, with Professor Robert Hasenfratz (English), of the Medieval Studies Program at the University of Connecticut. She teaches medieval history, and is especially interested in rural society, peasant culture, and monasticism. She received her Ph.D. from the Centre for Medieval Studies, University of Toronto.

Robert Forbes - United States History

• University of Connecticut- Torrington Campus
• 855 University Drive, Torrington, CT 06790
• (860) 626-6891
• robert.forbes@uconn.edu

Robert Forbes is an Assistant Professor of History and American Studies at the University of Connecticut Torrington campus.

Course Offerings

HIST 1300 - Western Traditions Before 1500

• Either semester. Three credits. May not be offered with History 101 in the same, double-long period.
• An analysis of the traditions and changes which have shaped Western political institutions, economic systems, social structures and culture in ancient and medieval times.

HIST 1400 - Modern Western Traditions

• Either semester. Three credits. May not be offered with History 100 in the same, double-long period.
• The origins of the economy, society, politics, and culture of contemporary Europe with emphasis on aspects of European history that have contributed to the shaping of the modern world from the Renaissance to the present.

HIST 1501 - United States History to 1877

• Either semester. Three credits. Not open to students who have passed HIST 231 or HIST 231W.
• Surveys political, economic, social, and cultural developments in American history through the Civil War and Reconstruction.

HIST 1502- United States History since 1877

(Pilot course beginning in Fall 2008- not open to all high schools)

• Either semester. Three credits. Not open to students who have passed HIST 232 or HIST 232W.
• Surveys political, economic, social, and cultural developments in American history from 1877 to the present.

History Events

Frequently Asked Questions About Instructor Certification

• Q: What are the minimum requirements for instructor certification?
• A: The minimum degree requirement for teachers wishing to teach UConn ECE History courses is a Bachelor's of Arts in History along with coursework completed at the graduate level. A Master's in History or Education is preferred.

• Teachers interested in obtaining History certification are asked to submit the following materials in addition to the certification application: 

  1. A detailed syllabus for the course being taught:  this should include a ‘statement of purpose’ for the course, a list of the texts being used, and a schedule of the lectures and readings for each class meeting.  Be sure to indicate the ‘title’ of the lecture (e.g., “Heresy and Dissent in the 13th Century”).  Discussion topics, films, etc. should also be noted in the schedule, as well as notice of any websites that students are required to use.
  2. The syllabus must include a full listing of all primary source texts assigned for the course, along with an indication of how they will be used, e.g., as a basis for a careful in-class close reading, as a focus for class lecture and/or discussion, as material for written assignments, etc.  The single most important feature that distinguishes an ECE History course from regular high school courses in an emphasis on reading, discussing and interpreting primary sources.