Invitation to History (Theme: Death and Dying in Medieval and Early Modern Europe) (HIST*1050)

Code and section: HIST*1050*02

Term: Fall 2026

Details

Course Description: 

This course will introduce students to the basics of the historian’s craft, including locating, analysing, and interpreting both primary and secondary sources. It will provide you with the skills that you need to be successful in your History major, minor, or area of concentration. 

Topic: This course examines death and dying in the medieval and early modern period in Europe. Major themes of the course include beliefs and attitudes toward death, social and religious changes in this period, and the tension between medical practices and death. Major topics will include the Protestant Reformation, beliefs in ghosts, the medical renaissance, and bodysnatching. Students examine primary sources relevant to the various themes and topics. 

Methods of Evaluation and Weights:

• Class Participation: 20%
• Writing Assignments (Including, but not limited to, crafting a thesis statement, conducting an article review, analysis of information and proper footnoting practices, evaluating a primary source, and constructing a research paper): 50%
• Final Examination: 30%

Learning Outcomes:

1. You will learn how to manage your time in university for success.
2. You will learn how to distinguish between important information and unnecessary details.
3. You will learn how to distinguish between a scholarly and a non-scholarly source.
4. You will develop effective written and oral communications skills and enhance listening comprehension.
5. You will learn to analyse and interpret a variety of primary and secondary sources and construct a historical argument.
6. You will learn how to act with academic integrity.
7. You will learn how to cite sources appropriately in history classes.
8. You will learn that historical interpretations change over time and in response to evidence.
9. You will learn that history is a diverse enterprise which helps us to understand different cultures, regions, and states.

Texts and/or Resources Required:

All readings will either be provided on Courselink or can be accessed through the library.

*Please note: This is a preliminary web course description only. The department reserves the right to change without notice any information in this description. The final, binding course outline will be distributed in the first class of the semester.

**Please login to WebAdvisor, once the course schedule goes live, for instructor and room information.