Course Syllabus

Summer 2026 | HIS-1112-VO01 - World History Since 1500

Online Class

Online courses take place 100% online via Canvas, without required in-person or Zoom meetings.

Faculty

Rachel Cochran
View Faculty Credentials
View Faculty Statement
Hiring Coordinator for this course: Philip Crossman

General Education Requirements

Humanistic Perspectives

Note

Many degree programs have specific general education recommendations. In order to avoid taking unnecessary classes, please consult with additional resources like your program evaluation, your academic program catalog year page, and your academic advisor.

Courses may only be used to meet one General Education Requirement.

Course Description

This course explores the economic, political, cultural, and social developments in world history from 1500 Current Era (CE) to the present in Asia, Africa, Europe, Oceania, the Middle East, and the Americas. The course highlights issues in geography, trade, religious and cultural movements, and social and political change that influence the historical development of various world societies and their interrelationships within a global context.

Essential Objectives

1. Discuss the motivations and rationales for pursuing empire and imperialism in the world from the 16th century through the 20th century.
2. Explore the effect of trade, colonialism, and military expansion on global convergence and critique the diverse impacts of those exchanges as experienced by advantaged and disadvantaged communities.
3. Analyze patterns of emigration and immigration across the globe, including the causes and implications of large-scale human migration.
4. Explore important political and religious ideas articulated during this period and analyze how those ideas both shaped and reflected world historical change.
5. Explain the emergence of industrial capitalism and analyze its varied consequences.
6. Evaluate the disparate social impacts of industrialization and technological innovation on the diverse populations of the world.
7. Discuss the causes and course of the two world wars and evaluate the ways in which they have shaped international relations and the modern world.
8. Explore post-colonial freedom movements and their impact on global politics and society.
9. Analyze the theses, context, values, perspectives, and facts in historical primary and secondary sources.
10. Engage in and evaluate historical research using information literacy skills.

Required Technology

More information on general computer and internet recommendations is available on the CCV computer recommendations Support page.

Please see CCV's Digital Equity Statement (pg. 45) to learn more about CCV's commitment to supporting all students access the technology they need to successfully finish their courses.

Required Textbooks and Resources

*** This is a no cost textbook or resource class. ***

This course uses one or more textbooks/books/simulations, along with free Open Educational Resources (OER) and/or library materials.

Summer 2026 textbook/book details will be available on 2025-12-01. On that date a link will be available below that will take you to eCampus, CCV's bookstore. The information provided there will be specific to this class. Please see this page for more information regarding the purchase of textbooks/books.

HIS-1112-VO01 Link to Textbooks for this course in eCampus.

For Open Educational Resources (OER) and/or library materials details, see the Canvas Site for this class.

The last day to use a Financial Aid Advance to purchase textbooks/books is the 3rd Tuesday of the semester. See your financial aid counselor at your academic center if you have any questions.

Artificial Intelligence(AI) Policy Statement

CCV recognizes that artificial intelligence (AI) and generative AI tools are widely available and becoming embedded in many online writing and creative applications.

Prohibited: The use of generative AI is not allowed in this course, with the exception of spellcheck, grammar check and similar tools. This course rests in the value of students engaging in the learning process without relying on AI-generated content. Students will develop critical thinking and problem-solving skills independently, owning their learning journey from start to finish. If you use these tools, your actions would be considered academically dishonest and a violation of CCV's Academic Integrity Policy.

In this class I want to hear your thoughts and analyses, not generative A.I.’s outputs. This course will teach you the skills needed to think like a historian. A crucial aspect of this is learning to assess the role of contemporary concerns and ideologies in influencing our understanding and representation of the past. Generative A.I. cannot replace these skills and only a human with proper historical training will be able to critically analyze its output. Training yourself to think deeply about challenging topics is a key part of developing your intellectual toolkit and is a skill necessary for learning in any field. Any use of generative A.I. tools is a violation of this course’s Academic Integrity Policy.

Methods

This course introduces students to the major events and themes that have shaped the history of the world from 1500 to the present and to the methods historians use to understand the past. Each week I will introduce you to a topic and you will explore it through the course material (readings, lectures, film, etc.) and then participate in discussion forums. This course will help you build the analytical skills you will need to present your ideas effectively and coherently. You will learn how to critically analyize historical narratives and a variety of historical evidence (including literature, art, and film) and will learn about the continued importance of the past in understanding our present world.

Evaluation Criteria

Participation in Discussions 30%

Entry & Exit Reflection “Quizzes” 5% (completion grade)

Public History Assignment 15%

Essay 25% (option to revise essay)

Final Exam 25% (open book)

Participation in Discussions (30%)

Your semester grade for Participation is based on your informed participation in weekly discussions forums. Each week, you will submit an initial post (250 words) to the discussion and respond to at least two other posts throughout the course of the week.

Entry & Exit Reflection “Quizzes” (5%)

These “quizzes” will be done at the beginning and end of the course and are graded on the basis of completion only. The format will be short answer questions. The entry quiz will give me a sense of the historical knowledge you bring to this course and your learning goals and the exit quiz will ask you to reflect on what you have learned throughout the semester.

Public History Assignment (15%)

In this assignment you will explore how history has been understood in our broader culture. In consultation with me, you will select a public history site (online or in-person), a cultural event (online or in-person), or a film that is related to some aspect of this course and write a brief analysis (two pages, double-spaced)that reflects on how history has been memorialized and portrayed in the exhibit, film, event etc. that you selected.

Essay (25%)

You will write one essay for this course (three to four pages, double-spaced). The prompt will ask you to make an argument about one of our central questions based on the course readings. This essay will not be based on outside research. Instead you will use primary sources we have already read together in class. We will have an argument and evidence workshop in class to help you prepare to write the first paper. There will also be an opportunity to revise your essay and to resubmit it after you receive your initial grade.

Final Exam (25%)

The final exam format will be short-answer questions and will be open book.

Grading Criteria

CCV Letter Grades as outlined in the Evaluation System Policy are assigned according to the following chart:

	High	Low
A+	100	98
A	Less than 98	93
A-	Less than 93	90
B+	Less than 90	88
B	Less than 88	83
B-	Less than 83	80
C+	Less than 80	78
C	Less than 78	73
C-	Less than 73	70
D+	Less than 70	68
D	Less than 68	63
D-	Less than 63	60
F	Less than 60
P	100	60
NP	Less than 60	0

Weekly Schedule

Attendance Policy

Regular attendance and participation in classes are essential for success in and are completion requirements for courses at CCV. A student's failure to meet attendance requirements as specified in course descriptions will normally result in a non-satisfactory grade.

• In general, missing more than 20% of a course due to absences, lateness or early departures may jeopardize a student's ability to earn a satisfactory final grade.
• Attending an on-ground or synchronous course means a student appeared in the live classroom for at least a meaningful portion of a given class meeting. Attending an online course means a student posted a discussion forum response, completed a quiz or attempted some other academically required activity. Simply viewing a course item or module does not count as attendance.
• Meeting the minimum attendance requirement for a course does not mean a student has satisfied the academic requirements for participation, which require students to go above and beyond simply attending a portion of the class. Faculty members will individually determine what constitutes participation in each course they teach and explain in their course descriptions how participation factors into a student's final grade.

Participation Expectations

You will earn your participation on the basis of the following criteria:

• Complete all readings and viewing of course material each week.
• Participate substantively and constructively in the class discussion forums each week. This means:
  • Engage in critical analysis (not summary) of the course material. (We will go over how to do this and how to analyze historical sources in the beginning of the course)
  • Present your thoughts coherently in forum posts

Missing & Late Work Policy

Late papers and assignments will result in a lower grade, unless you have received an extension from me. If you experience an extenuating circumstance, it is your responsibility to email me or come see me in office hours before the due date to request an extension.

Accessibility Services for Students with Disabilities:

1. Provide disability documentation to the Accessibility Coordinator at your academic center. https://ccv.edu/discover-resources/students-with-disabilities/
2. Request an appointment to meet with accessibility coordinator to discuss your request and create an accommodation plan.
3. Once created, students will share the accommodation plan with faculty. Please note, faculty cannot make disability accommodations outside of this process.

Academic Integrity

Apply Now for this semester.