History of Western Civilization is an elective course. Its aim is to introduce students to the history of Western civilization from its beginnings in the ancient Near East and the Greek-Roman world to approximately WWI (1914-18). Much attention is devoted throughout the course of the year to those aspects of Western civilization which are most relevant to Chinese students of Western languages and literatures: the Greek-Roman legacy; Christianity; the history of major European languages such as English, French, and Spanish; European contacts with the East; Western concepts of self, other, home, identity, family, nation, state, justice, divinity, etc.

History of Western Civilization examines the “western tradition”—those unique patterns of thought and systems of values that constitute the Western heritage. This course will focus on key ideas and the broad themes found throughout the history and development of Western civilization while also providing key details of the most important economic, political, and social movements that occurred. The subject is divided into two courses over two semesters. The first (offered in the fall semester) covers Western Civilization from prehistory to the Middle Ages while the second (offered in the spring semester) covers Western Civilization from the Renaissance to the present day.

Cole, Joshua, and Carol Lynne Symes. Western Civilizations. 5th ed. Norton, 2020.