American West Online College Course

UND's American West online college course explores the lives of diverse peoples living in western North America from the 16th century to the present.

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Why take American West online?

Welcome to one of the most exciting online courses in History! The idea of the American West has captured the imaginations of Americans and much of the world. What is it that compels people to study, dream, write poetry and make movies about the American West?

• Is it the mystique of the landscape, or the many and varied nations that lived here long before the arrival of Europeans?
• Is it the violence in the contest of cultures that captivates us? Or the reverse — the rich mixing of cultures along the frontier?
• Perhaps it's the image of women raising a dozen children in a sod hut, thousands of miles from their nearest kin?
• Is it cowboys, gunslingers and mountain men?

Perhaps it is all these things. In many ways, the West defines America, so it is fitting we should engage in all its richness.

This is an upper-level course in American History, ranging from the ancient past through the twentieth century. This is a vast period of time, meaning we can't cover everything; however, we will cover a great deal of fascinating material. In this online course, you will examine these aspects of the American West:

• political
• religious
• social
• economic
• intellectual
• military
• diplomatic
• cultural history

While this online course begins with North America as a whole, we focus on the loose geographic region known as the West. The boundaries of this region are among the questions this course addresses. Major topics include the ancient, medieval and early modern foundations of the West (early modernity is roughly 1500 - 1800). Other major topics include:

• the many cultures that infused the place and influenced one another as they came into contact
• the fur trade
• Lewis & Clark
• the Republic of Texas and the Mexican-American War
• the Oregon Trail
• Manifest Destiny
• the Civil War
• the US-Dakota War
• missionaries
• water rights
• mining
• immigration
• ranching
• the film industry

What is required to take this online course?

Robert Hine and John Mack Faragher, The American West: A New Interpretive History. (New Haven: Yale University Press, 2000).

• ISBN: 978-0300078350

How long will it take to complete the American West course?

You have 3 to 9 months from your enrollment date to complete:

• 10 Lessons
  • each lesson consists of essays and timeline entries
• 0 Exams

How will the American West course appear on my transcript?

You may enroll at any time and have 3-9 months to complete this online course. The college credits you earn will be recorded on your transcript in the semester you register.

Why Take Online Classes at UND?

Here are a few reasons why you should take an online enroll anytime course at UND:

• Great customer service – Our registration team is ready to answer questions quickly so you can focus on your coursework.
• Affordable – UND's enroll anytime courses are priced at North Dakota's affordable, in-state tuition rate.
• Accredited – UND is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.
• Easily transfer credits – Transferring credits is always at the discretion of the institution to which the credits are being transferred. In general, credits from schools/universities that are regionally accredited by the Higher Learning Commission transfer to other regionally accredited institutions. UND's online courses appear on your UND transcript in the same way as other courses.

Flexible 100% Online Course

You'll take this online course at your own pace. Some students thrive in this environment, while other students may struggle with setting their own deadlines. If you have successfully taken an independent study or correspondence course previously, UND’s enroll anytime courses may be right for you. Still not sure? Take our online quiz to help determine if online enroll anytime courses are right for you.

Course information including tuition, technology requirements, textbooks, lessons and exams is subject to change without notice.