Topical: Cultural and Social

A page within History

UWL History students visiting a local museum

Introduction to the Cultural and Social History Emphasis

Students in UW-La Crosse's History Department's emphasis in Cultural and Social History will study the history of cultural and social forces embodied in movements and organizations; art, literature, and film; areas of human experience including apparel, architecture, and culinary practices; and the various commercial media inundating our daily lives. Our students will learn how social and cultural phenomena have historically affected and structured our material and intellectual environment in connection with ethical concerns involving political and economic questions. 

In general, the History Department's Cultural and Social History emphasis will help students develop and make tangible the kinds of relatively intangible skills prospective employers and professional and graduate school admissions committees will value: problem solving, analytical and creative thinking, research skills, the ability to express oneself and one's thoughts clearly and persuasively both verbally and in writing, intercultural communication skills, and the capacity to address immediate concerns with the kind of "big picture" perspective that a historically grounded education provides.

The History Department will particularly encourage students in topical emphases to apply for and undertake internships with organizations and businesses related to individual students' interests, concerns, and plans. Our faculty will work with students, helping to place them in intern positions that will be of genuine value with respect to their intellectual and professional development. Internships along these lines will help students get their "foot in the door" in areas of prospective post-graduation employment and professional development.

What really sets apart the three new topical emphases including Cultural and Social History is that faculty will work with students to produce portfolios packaging and showcasing the aptitudes and skills they develop over the courses of their undergraduate education. To some, abilities obtained and developed through a traditional liberal education, such as analytical and creative thinking, may seem abstract and without specific content, being notoriously difficult to measure and assess through means such as standardized testing. However, Cultural and Social History students' portfolios are where their skills, aptitudes, and abilities will become manifestly palpable and concrete. 

Portfolios will contain the following: a cover letter introducing the portfolio, a resume or CV, examples of scholarly research and writing, and letters of support from teachers and professors, employers, and others who have supervised and are willing to assess students. Our faculty will encourage Cultural and Social History students to personalize their portfolios, including various forms of evidence and artifacts that demonstrate valuable abilities and connect with particular students' interests, concerns, and plans.  Students must submit writing portfolios by the middle of the semester in which they intend to graduate; the portfolios should be submitted to the coordinator for the Social and Cultural History Emphasis, Prof. Iguchi.

Cultural and Social History students will be encouraged to keep and maintain their portfolios on a publicly or selectively accessible website, which will in turn interact with social media such as linkedin.com. One's portfolio can thus remain a resource and tool for students after graduation. In this role, one's portfolio will ease processes of obtaining and updating letters of recommendation, as well as networking with peers at UWL and beyond.

Professor Trimmer in class

Careers, Option, and Internships

One of the most common questions students and their parents have with regard to obtaining degrees in Humanities and Liberal Arts disciplines is, "what can I [or she or he] do with that?" History's Cultural and Social emphasis, along with emphases in Religious Studies and Public and Policy History are particularly geared towards answering that question, which also entails facilitating graduates' ability to find meaningful and productive professional and gainful employment in a variety of fields. Students majoring in History with a Cultural and Social emphasis will also be primed for further study in professional or graduate school.

A graduate in Cultural and Social History will certainly be well prepared for graduate work and a career in academia, in addition to immediate entry into the job market or professional school involving all of the professions traditionally valuing a liberal arts education. Areas of prospective employment include, for example, business and marketing; journalism, technical writing, publishing, and mass media; law and legal services; non-governmental organizations (NGOs), non-profit groups, and lobbying; and work in public history, archives,and museums (see this page).

However, we have designed the social and cultural emphasis to specifically open possibilities for employment involving, for example, management of culturally significant sites for public or private agencies; community activism and advocacy of human rights at local, national, and international levels, in particular involving populations such as migrants, women, children, veterans, members of LGBT communities, and ethnic-racial and religious minorities; the food industry and culinary arts; the entertainment and leisure industries; and the travel and tourism industry, especially insofar as it involves burgeoning opportunities in conducting and managing heritage and ecology tourism.

Student Stories
Jon N. Hale, Ph.D., was a student at UWL from 1999-2004:

My education at UW-La Crosse introduced me to social history and the importance of viewing history from the perspective of those who are marginalized. This insight inspired a critical worldview that ultimately shaped my career. As a double major in education, the insights garnered in History shaped how I viewed the field of education. Through my work with Multicultural Student Services on campus, I knew that the school system could be reformed to make our society live up to its democratic ideals and History was crucial to actualizing such reform.

photo of Jon HaleMy history professors trained me in the skill and importance of closely (and critically) examining primary sources, which laid an invaluable foundation for my work in graduate school. As a doctoral student, I explored my research on the history of grassroots educational reform by seeking out the vantage point of people of color and those disenfranchised by American democracy. I conducted extensive analysis in archives maintained privately by civil rights activists and those institutions, like the Wisconsin Historical Society, that provided a safe haven for materials donated by activists. Since much of the Civil Rights Movement was not documented (or was destroyed), I have conducted and transcribed over 100 interviews with activists who committed their lives to the long freedom struggle.

 
Jon N. Hale, Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Educational History, Department of Teacher Education
Author, The Freedom Schools (Columbia University Press, 2016)
Co-editor, To Write in the Light of Freedom (University Press of Mississippi, 2015)
Research Fellow, National Academy of Education (2008-2009, 2015-2016)

History Major with Topical Emphasis - Bachelor of Arts (BA)

(All colleges, excluding teacher certification programs)

40 credits

Core requirements
HIS 200Historiography and Historical Methods3
HIS 490History Research Seminar4
Select nine credits of the following:9
HIS 210
Survey of the United States
HIS 220
Survey of Latin American and Latino History
HIS 230
Survey of Ancient and Medieval Worlds
HIS 240
Survey of Modern Europe
HIS 250
Survey of Asia
HIS 260
Survey of the Middle East
HIS 280
Survey of the History of Modern Science
HIS 285
Survey of Modern Africa
Electives (24 credits total) 1
Topical18
Select 18 credits from one emphasis below, with no more than six of those credits coming from outside the HIS department.
Regional/world cultural zones6
Select six credits from any of the regional/world cultural zones listed below.
Total Credits40

Topical electives:

Select 18 credits from one emphasis below.

Cultural and social history
Code Title Credits
HIS 307
Comic Books and History
HIS 309
History of U.S. Science and Technology
HIS 310
Native American History
HIS 311
Peace and War
HIS 314
The Holocaust
HIS 319
Seminar in Twentieth Century America
HIS 324
Civil War and Reconstruction
HIS 325
America in the Cold War
HIS 338
Sugar, Coffee, Rubber, Bananas: Commodities in World History
HIS 364
Gandhi and the World
HIS 377
U.S. Labor History
HIS 378
The American West
HIS 383
Women in South Asia
HIS 384
The Idea of Asia
HIS 392
History Through Film
HIS 397
African Nationalism
HIS 398
Colonial Africa
HIS 399
Migration and Empire: 1200-1900
HIS 406
Topics in Social History
HIS 407
Government and Society
HIS 410
British Empire
HIS 413
Topics in Cultural History
HIS 450
History Internship/Field Experience
ENG 301
Foundations for Literary and Cultural Studies
ENG 348
Studies in Film and Literature
RGS 373
Gender and Human Rights
ART 251
Survey of Art History
ART 301
World Art
Public and policy history
HIS 303
Money and Crime
HIS 317
American Environmental History
HIS 318
Exhibition Development and Design I
HIS 319
Seminar in Twentieth Century America
HIS 320
Introduction to Public and Policy History
HIS 322
Public Education in Wisconsin and America
HIS 357
Crime and Punishment in America
HIS 390
Public and Policy History Research
HIS 393
Material Culture
HIS 407
Government and Society
HIS 416
History of Wisconsin State and Local Government
HIS 418
Exhibition Development and Design II
HIS 450
History Internship/Field Experience
PUB 210
Introduction to Public Administration
PUB 330
Public Policy
PUB 334
Health Policy
PUB 338
Environmental Policy
GEO 305
Geographic Information Systems and Science I
GEO 405
Geographic Information System and Science II 2
ENG 307
Writing for Management, Public Relations and the Professions
ENG 310
Digital Content Writing, Strategy, and Experience Design
ENG 314
Grant Writing 2
ENG 327
Publishing in a Digital Age 2
ENG 335
Introduction to Professional and Technical Writing 2
ARC 300
Cultural Resources Management 2
Religious studies
HIS 326
Modern Christianity
HIS 327
History of Buddhism
HIS 328
History of Hinduism
HIS 329
History of Islam
HIS 330
History of Religions
HIS/ARC 331
The Ancient Greek World
HIS/ARC 332
Ancient Rome and the Mediterranean
HIS 333
Christianity to 1517
HIS/ANT/ARC 353
Maya Civilization
HIS 364
Gandhi and the World
HIS 401
Japanese Religions
HIS 415
Religion and Conflict in Modern South Asia
HIS 450
History Internship/Field Experience
SOC 315
Religion and Society
ANT 320
Rites, Rituals and Ceremonies
SOC 399
Special Topics in Sociology 3
PHL 310
Metaphysics
PHL 331
Philosophy of Religion
PHL 336
International Multicultural Philosophy
PHL 349
Asian Philosophy
PHL 360
Zen Buddhism
Total Credits: 18

Regional/world cultural zones electives

Select six credits from any of the following:

Africa and African Diaspora
HIS 379
African Environmental History
HIS 386
Women and Gender in Africa
HIS 397
African Nationalism
HIS 398
Colonial Africa
Asia
HIS 316
Vietnam War
HIS 328
History of Hinduism
HIS 334
Themes in Chinese History
HIS 335
History of China
HIS 363
Modern South Asia
HIS 364
Gandhi and the World
HIS 382
Imperialism in Asia and the Pacific
HIS 383
Women in South Asia
HIS 384
The Idea of Asia
HIS 394
Modern Japan
HIS 395
Postwar Japan
HIS 401
Japanese Religions
HIS 415
Religion and Conflict in Modern South Asia
Europe
HIS 311
Peace and War
HIS/ANT 312
Peoples and Cultures of Eastern Europe and the Former Soviet Union
HIS 314
The Holocaust
HIS/ARC 331
The Ancient Greek World
HIS/ARC 332
Ancient Rome and the Mediterranean
HIS 339
Russia and the Soviet Union
HIS 346
The Middle Ages
HIS 349
Twentieth Century Europe
HIS 351
France and the French Empire: 1750-Present
HIS 352
Germany: 1848-1989
HIS 354
Spain to 1700
HIS 358
French Revolution
HIS 359
Women, Gender and Sexuality in Modern Europe
HIS 373
World War I
HIS 414
Ireland and the World: 1500-present
HIS 420
Global Fascisms
Latin America
HIS 341
Nineteenth Century Latin America
HIS 342
Twentieth Century Latin America
HIS 344
Latin America: 1450-1830
HIS 345
U.S.-Latin American Relations
HIS 356
History of Mexico
HIS 360
Women, Gender, and Sexuality in Latin America
Middle East
HIS 329
History of Islam
HIS 361
Israeli-Palestinian Conflict
HIS 362
Human Rights and the Middle East
HIS/ARC 368
History of Babylonian Language and Culture I
HIS/ARC 369
History of Babylonian Language and Culture II
HIS/ARC 374
Ancient Turkey
HIS/ARC 375
Iran before Islam
HIS 389
Women and Gender in the Middle East
HIS/ARC 396
Ancient Syria
Total Credits: 6

Writing portfolio requirement

To be certified for graduation in the history major with topical emphasis, students must submit and have approved a portfolio of professional writing especially geared towards their intended career path. Students must submit writing portfolios by the middle of the semester in which they intend to graduate. Specific deadlines, item requirements, and submission directions are posted on the department website. The list of required material will be different for each of the emphases. The submitted portfolio may include items of coursework completed during the student's undergraduate career, but might also require the production of additional materials. The materials might include a curriculum vitae or résumé, grant applications, a document written for a public audience, a sample of academic writing, or cover letters for job applications.

All students must complete the general education, college core, major/minor, and university degree requirements in order to qualify for a degree. The easiest way to track all of these requirements is to refer to the Advisement Report (AR) found in the Student Information System (WINGS) Student Center. All enrolled students have access to the AR. 

College of Arts, Social Sciences, and Humanities (CASSH/VPA) Bachelor of Arts core requirements

The following conditions apply to one or both Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Science degrees:

  1. Students majoring in English (writing and rhetoric or literary and cultural studies emphases) or in the department of global cultures and languages must earn a Bachelor of Arts degree. Education majors earn a Bachelor of Science degree; English major: medical professions emphasis majors may earn a Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science degree.
  2. Students majoring in other CASSH programs may choose either a B.A. or a B.S. degree.
  3. Language courses (ARA, CHI, FRE, GCL, GER, HMG, JPN, RUS, SPA) used to fulfill general education requirement: "Mathematical/logical systems and modern languages" (GE 02, category 2) may also be used to meet the B.A. and B.S. language requirements.
  4. All other courses used to meet the requirements below must be in addition to the minimum 42 credits required in the General Education Program.
  5. At least one course in the B.A. or B.S. college degree program (core requirements) must be a CASSH designated diversity course.
  6. Applicable courses may be found on the CASSH B.A./B.S. Degree Option Course List or in the Advisement Report (AR) when the degree has been declared.

Courses used to fulfill general education requirements will not apply to core requirements except for language courses (ARA, CHI, FRE, GCL, GER, HMG, JPN, RUS, SPA) that count in the general education requirement: "Mathematical/logical systems and modern languages" (GE 02, category 2).

Declare ONE of the following tracks in the CASSH Academic Services Office in 138 Wimberly:

A. Language track

  1. Native speakers of English complete:
    Select one of the following:
    ARA 202
    		Intermediate Arabic II
    CHI 202
    		Chinese Language and Culture in Action II
    FRE 202
    		French Language and Cultures in Action II
    GCL 202
    		Intermediate Languages II
    GER 202
    		German Language and Cultures in Action II
    HMG 204
    		Hmong Heritage Language: Intermediate
    HMG 304
    		Hmong Heritage Language: Advanced
    JPN 202
    		Intermediate Japanese II
    RUS 202
    		Russian Language and Cultures in Action II
    SPA 202
    		Spanish Language and Cultures in Action II
    or SPA 221
    		 Introduction to Spanish for the Health Professions
    Non-native speakers of English: score at least 80 on the La Crosse Battery of exams for non-native speakers of English; or submit a TOEFL or IELTS or DET (Duolingo English Test) score that meets the university's English language proficiency requirement for admission; or complete ESL 252 or ESL 253, and one additional course from ESL 250, ESL 251, ESL 252, ESL 253. (Contact the English as a Second Language Institute for eligibility and regulations); and
  2. Two additional courses outside of the student's major in two of the following: humanities, social sciences or fine arts.

B. Humanities track

  1. One global language course 102 or higher; and
  2. Two additional courses outside the department of the student's major from two different departments chosen from: communication studies, English, history, philosophy and race, gender, and sexuality studies (see the Advisement Report (AR) for a listing of the approved courses); and
  3. One additional course in social sciences or fine arts.

C. Fine arts track

  1. One global language course 102 or higher; and
  2. Two additional courses outside the department of the student's major from two different departments chosen from: art, music, theatre; and
  3. One additional course in social sciences or humanities.
In addition to all other College of Arts, Social Sciences, and Humanities core requirements, all students in CASSH must complete a second major, minor, or program option by satisfying one of the following:
  1. Complete a minor (or second major) outside of the student's major program, consisting of at least 18 credits; or
  2. Complete an emphasis, program or concentration of at least 18 credits outside the student's major program. General education courses may apply provided they are not being used to fulfill minimum general education requirements; or
  3. Complete 18 credits in two or more departments or programs (at least 12 credits earned at the 300/400 level). These courses must be outside the student's major department and can be from any college. General education courses may apply provided they are not being used to fulfill minimum general education requirements.

Baccalaureate degree requirements

Candidates for the Bachelor of Arts or the Bachelor of Science degrees must accomplish the following:

  1. Fulfill the general education requirements.
  2. Complete at least one ethnic studies (diversity) course.
  3. Complete the courses prescribed by the Undergraduate Curriculum Committee for the degree desired in the respective school or college. (No substitutions for graduation may be made in course requirements for a major or minor after the fourth week of the last semester of the senior year.)
  4. Earn a minimum of 120 semester credits with at least a 2.00 cumulative GPA.1, 2
  5. At least 40 credits must be earned in 300/400 level courses. Transfer courses earned or transferred at the 300/400 level apply to this requirement.
  6. Complete major and minor requirements with at least a 2.00 GPA1, 2 in each major and minor (and concentration or emphasis, if selected).
  7. A minimum of 30 semester credits in residence at UWL is required for graduation. (See undergraduate resident requirement.)
  8. Submit an application for graduation via the "Apply for Graduation" link in the WINGS Student Center as soon as the student has registered for his or her final semester or summer term in residence. December and winter intersession graduates should apply by May 1. May and summer graduates should apply by December 1.

No degree will be awarded unless all requirements are fulfilled and recorded within 30 days after the official ending date of each term.

Below is a sample degree plan that can be used as a guide to identify courses required to fulfill the major and other requirements needed for degree completion. A student's actual degree plan may differ depending on the course of study selected (second major, minor, etc.). Also, this sample plan assumes readiness for each course and/or major plan, and some courses may not be offered every term. Review the course descriptions or the class timetable for course offering information.

The sample degree plans represented in this catalog are intended for first-year students entering UWL in the fall term. Students should use the Advisement Report (AR) in WINGS and work closely with their faculty advisor(s) and college dean’s office to ensure declaration and completion of all requirements in a timely manner.

General Education Program
The general education curriculum (Gen Ed) is the common educational experience for all undergraduates at UWL. Sample degree plans include Gen Ed placeholders to ensure completion of the general education requirements. Courses may be rearranged to fit the needs or recommendations of the student’s program of study. Gen Ed courses may be taken during winter term (January between the semesters) and summer to reduce the course load during regular terms (fall and spring). Students should consult with their advisor and/or the college academic services director in their college/school for assistance with course and schedule planning. Refer to the general education requirements for more specific details.

At least 40 credits of the 120 credits required must be earned at the 300/400-level. 

Note: New students and transfer students with 15 or fewer credits earned are required to take FYS 100 First-Year Seminar (3 cr.) during one of their first two semesters at UWL.

This sample degree plan does not establish a contractual agreement. It identifies the minimum requirements a student must successfully complete, to qualify for a degree, in a format intended to assist the student in planning their academic career. Actual degree plans may differ.

Year 1
FallCreditsSpringCredits
HIS 110 (Gen Ed World History)3ENG 110 or 112 (Gen Ed Literacy - Written)3
Gen Ed Self & Society3Gen Ed Natural Lab Science4
CST 110 (Gen Ed Literacy - Oral)3HIS Core Course (HIS 210, 220, 230, 240, 250, 260, 280, or 285)3
Gen Ed Math4Gen Ed Minority Cultures3
Gen Ed Arts2-3FYS 100 (Gen Ed First-Year Seminar)3
 15 16
Year 2
FallCreditsSpringCredits
HIS 2003HIS Core Course (HIS 210, 220, 230, 240, 250, 260, 280, or 285)3
102+ Level Gen Ed/CASSH Core Language14Gen Ed Arts2-3
CASSH Core Course3History Topical Emphasis Course23
HIS Core Course (HIS 210, 220, 230, 240, 250, 260, 280, or 285)3Gen Ed Health & Well Being3
Gen Ed Global Studies3Minor Course3
 16 14
Year 3
FallCreditsSpringCredits
Minor Course3CASSH Core Course3
Gen Ed Humanistic Studies3Minor Course3
History Topical Emphasis Course23History Topical Emphasis Course23
Regional/World Cultural Zones Course33Regional/World Cultural Zones Course33
University Elective3CASSH Core Course3
 15 15
Year 4
FallCreditsSpringCredits
History Topical Emphasis Course23Minor Course3
HIS 4904History Topical Emphasis Course23
Minor Course3History Topical Emphasis Course23
Minor Course3CASSH Core Diversity Course3
University Elective1University Elective3
 14 15
Total Credits: 120

A writing portfolio is required.

At least two courses must be designed as writing emphasis.

View in catalog

Sample degree plan for History Major with Topical Emphasis - Bachelor of Arts (BA)

Below is a sample degree plan that can be used as a guide to identify courses required to fulfill the major and other requirements needed for degree completion. A student's actual degree plan may differ depending on the course of study selected (second major, minor, etc.). Also, this sample plan assumes readiness for each course and/or major plan, and some courses may not be offered every term. Review the course descriptions or the class timetable for course offering information.

The sample degree plans represented in this catalog are intended for first-year students entering UWL in the fall term. Students should use the Advisement Report (AR) in WINGS and work closely with their faculty advisor(s) and college dean’s office to ensure declaration and completion of all requirements in a timely manner.

General Education Program
The general education curriculum (Gen Ed) is the common educational experience for all undergraduates at UWL. Sample degree plans include Gen Ed placeholders to ensure completion of the general education requirements. Courses may be rearranged to fit the needs or recommendations of the student’s program of study. Gen Ed courses may be taken during winter term (January between the semesters) and summer to reduce the course load during regular terms (fall and spring). Students should consult with their advisor and/or the college academic services director in their college/school for assistance with course and schedule planning. Refer to the general education requirements for more specific details.

At least 40 credits of the 120 credits required must be earned at the 300/400-level. 

Note: New students and transfer students with 15 or fewer credits earned are required to take FYS 100 First-Year Seminar (3 cr.) during one of their first two semesters at UWL.

This sample degree plan does not establish a contractual agreement. It identifies the minimum requirements a student must successfully complete, to qualify for a degree, in a format intended to assist the student in planning their academic career. Actual degree plans may differ.

Year 1
FallCreditsSpringCredits
HIS 110 (Gen Ed World History)3ENG 110 or 112 (Gen Ed Literacy - Written)3
Gen Ed Self & Society3Gen Ed Natural Lab Science4
CST 110 (Gen Ed Literacy - Oral)3HIS Core Course (HIS 210, 220, 230, 240, 250, 260, 280, or 285)3
Gen Ed Math4Gen Ed Minority Cultures3
Gen Ed Arts2-3FYS 100 (Gen Ed First-Year Seminar)3
 15 16
Year 2
FallCreditsSpringCredits
HIS 2003HIS Core Course (HIS 210, 220, 230, 240, 250, 260, 280, or 285)3
102+ Level Gen Ed/CASSH Core Language14Gen Ed Arts2-3
CASSH Core Course3History Topical Emphasis Course23
HIS Core Course (HIS 210, 220, 230, 240, 250, 260, 280, or 285)3Gen Ed Health & Well Being3
Gen Ed Global Studies3Minor Course3
 16 14
Year 3
FallCreditsSpringCredits
Minor Course3CASSH Core Course3
Gen Ed Humanistic Studies3Minor Course3
History Topical Emphasis Course23History Topical Emphasis Course23
Regional/World Cultural Zones Course33Regional/World Cultural Zones Course33
University Elective3CASSH Core Course3
 15 15
Year 4
FallCreditsSpringCredits
History Topical Emphasis Course23Minor Course3
HIS 4904History Topical Emphasis Course23
Minor Course3History Topical Emphasis Course23
Minor Course3CASSH Core Diversity Course3
University Elective1University Elective3
 14 15
Total Credits: 120

A writing portfolio is required.

At least two courses must be designed as writing emphasis.

View in catalog