The History Department at Mount Saint Vincent University is thrilled to announce five new course offerings for the upcoming 2026/27 academic year. New students attending Early Advising and Registration on May 8th take note: courses at the 2000 level have no prerequisites!
History courses provide students the opportunity to examine diverse aspects of recorded human experience (social relations, cultural expressions, political events, economic activities) and understand how the thoughts, actions, emotions, and habits of people have changed over time.
And you don’t have to be an Arts student to take a History course. For students in sciences, professional studies, or other Arts programs, they provide an excellent interdisciplinary perspective on contemporary issues and professional practice. Students in these courses will gain valuable research, critical thinking, and communications skills. There’s even an awesome opportunity for service-based learning at sites around Halifax (see History 3385 below, Vuarnet sunglasses optional).
Courses offered in Fall 2026
HISTORY 2244: The History of China Before 1600
Tuesdays and Thursdays 12:00 – 1:15 PM (on-campus) with Dr. Zixian Liu
Examine how the interactions at and beyond China’s borders have shaped China within an interconnected world. Topics covered include the Turkic, Islamic, and Inner Asian influences on China, environmental history, and the experiences of women, religious, and ethnic minorities.
HISTORY 3370: Modern Germany: A Graphic History
Tuesdays and Thursdays 1:30 – 2:45 PM (on-campus) with Dr. Roni Gechtman
Discover Modern German History as told in history books and recreated in graphic novels and films. In this way, you will reflect on the relation between factual and fictional(ized) depictions of the past.
Courses offered in Winter 2027
HISTORY 2245: History of China after 1600
Tuesdays and Thursdays 10:30 – 11:45 AM (on-campus) with Dr. Zixian Liu
Explore the transformation of China from an empire to a nation-state in the modern world. Topics covered include nationalism and the socialist revolution, settler colonialism and ethnic violence, and environment and technology in Chinese history.
HISTORY 3320: Service Learning in History and the Humanities
Mondays and Wednesdays 3:00 – 4:15 PM (on-campus) with Dr. Corey Slumkoski
This course will provide students an opportunity to engage in service learning with arts and humanities-based cultural institutions, including the MSVU Art Gallery, the Mi’kmaw Native Friendship Centre, the Maritime Museum of Natural History, and the National Museum of Immigration at Pier 21. Students will gain an understanding of the practice of service learning and the role of arts and humanities organizations in civil society, and then put knowledge into practice by working four hours per week for seven weeks at their assigned institution on projects related to history and the humanities. Afterwards, an in-class symposium will allow students to share what they learned during their placement. Please note: as service learning, the work is unpaid and enrollment is limited.
HISTORY 3385: History of the 1980s
Tuesdays and Thursdays 9:00 – 10:15 AM (on-campus) with Dr. Corey Slumkoski
This is a survey of the history and culture of the 1980s. Its primary focus is on the 1980s in North America, although some of the key global events of the decade will also be discussed. Themes such as the rise of neoliberalism, the growth of consumerism, the impact of the AIDS epidemic, the mainstreaming of lifestyle sports, and the transition to the digital age will be explored. Vuarnet sunglasses are encouraged but not required. Classes will include lectures and discussions of assigned readings and will meet twice weekly.
Note: Courses at the 1000 level and 2000 level have no prerequisites; those at the 3000 level normally require at least one unit of previous study in history at the 2000 level. Unless otherwise noted in the course description each History course is .5 Units.