SPS150 World History
Syllabus | International University of Sarajevo - Last Update on Mar 03, 2026
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Political Science and International Relations
Jahja Muhasilović
Course Lecturer
Course Objectives
This course surveys the birth and diffusion of world history and major cultural, religious, social, economic, and political trends. The course provides an analysis of the development of civilizations, global historical interactions, and interrelationships among various civilizations. The diversity of human civilizations will be traced in terms of their historical, cultural, political, and economic formation with a focus on their interactions, similarities, and differences. Examining the broad patterns of change and continuity, as well as the turning points in world history, students will develop a greater understanding of today`s global environment.
Learning Outcomes
After successful completion of the course, the student will be able to:
Course Materials
Required Textbook
Parker, Philip. (2017). World History: From the Ancient World to the Information Age. London: Dorling Kindersley Limited.
Additional Literature
Szostak, Rick. (2020). Making Sense of World History. New York: Routledge. Marvin Perry, et. al. (2015). Western Civilization: A Brief History. 11th Edition. New York: Cengage Learning. Craig, Graham, Kagan, Ozment, Turner. (2013). The Heritage of World Civilization. New York: Pearson. Stearns, Peter, et al, (2015). World Civilizations. 7th ed. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education, Inc., Strayer, Robert W. and Eric W. Nelson, (2016). Ways of the World. 3rd ed. New York: Bedford/St. Martin’s. Spielvogel, J. (2007). World History: Modern Times. Glencoe.Teaching Methods
This course employs a range of teaching and learning methods such as lecturing
Written assignments
Student presentations
Take-away essays
Quizzes
Group debates
And screenings.
Weekly Topics
| Week | Topic | Readings / References |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Introduction | |
| 2 | What is History? | Textbook: pp. 12-25. |
| 3 | The Prehistoric World | Textbook: pp. 26-49. |
| 4 | The Ancient World | Textbook: pp. 50-79. |
| 5 | The Classical World: The world in 700BCE-600CE. | Textbook: pp. 80-113. |
| 6 | The Classical World: The world in 700BCE-600CE cont. | Textbook: pp. 114-131. |
| 7 | The Medieval World: The world in 600-1450. | Textbook: pp. 132-161. |
| 8 | Midterm Exam | |
| 9 | The Medieval World: The world in 600-1450 cont. | Textbook: pp.162-189. |
| 10 | The Early Modern World: The world in 1450-1750. | Textbook: pp.190-231. |
| 11 | The World of Empires: The world in 1750-1914. | Textbook: pp. 232-263. |
| 12 | QUIZ & The World of Empires: The world in 1750-1914 cont. | Textbook: pp. 264-285. |
| 13 | The Modern World: World War I & II | Textbook: pp. 286-335. |
| 14 | The Modern World: The Aftermath of World War II | Textbook: pp. 336-381. |
| 15 | New Challenges and Revision | Textbook: pp. 382-399. |
Course Schedule (All Sections)
| Section | Type | Day 1 | Venue 1 | Day 2 | Venue 2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SPS150.1 | Course | Thursday 09:00 - 11:50 | A F2.14 - Amphitheater II | - | - |
Office Hours & Room
| Day | Time | Office | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monday | 12:00 - 17:00 | B F1.7 |
Assessment Methods and Criteria
Assessment Components
Final Exam
AI: Not AllowedAlignment with Learning Outcomes : 1 2 3 4 5 6
Midterm Exam
AI: Not AllowedAlignment with Learning Outcomes : 2 3 4
Quiz
AI: Not AllowedAlignment with Learning Outcomes : 1 3 4 5
Participation/Attendance
AI: Not AllowedAlignment with Learning Outcomes : 2 3 5
IUS Grading System
| Grading Scale | IUS Grading System | IUS Coeff. | Letter (B&H) | Numerical (B&H) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 - 44 | F | 0 | F | 5 |
| 45 - 54 | E | 1 | ||
| 55 - 64 | C | 2 | E | 6 |
| 65 - 69 | C+ | 2.3 | D | 7 |
| 70 -74 | B- | 2.7 | ||
| 75 - 79 | B | 3 | C | 8 |
| 80 - 84 | B+ | 3.3 | ||
| 85 - 94 | A- | 3.7 | B | 9 |
| 95 - 100 | A | 4 | A | 10 |
Late Work Policy
Information about late submission policies will be shared during class and posted in this section. Please check back for official guidelines.
ECTS Credit Calculation
📚 Student Workload
This 6 ECTS credit course corresponds to 150 hours of total student workload, distributed as follows:
Lecture Hours
45 hours ⏳ (15 week × 3 h)
Quiz
10 hours ⏳ (2 week × 5 h)
Written Assignment
20 hours ⏳ (10 week × 2 h)
Home Study
42 hours ⏳ (14 week × 3 h)
Midterm Exam Study
13 hours ⏳ (1 week × 13 h)
Final Exam Study
15 hours ⏳ (1 week × 15 h)
Group Presentations
5 hours ⏳ (1 week × 5 h)
150 Total Workload Hours
6 ECTS Credits
Course Policies
Academic Integrity
All work submitted must be your own. Plagiarism, cheating, or any form of academic dishonesty will result in disciplinary action according to university policies. When in doubt about citation practices, consult the instructor.
Attendance Policy
Students are expected to adhere to the attendance requirements as outlined in the International University of Sarajevo Study Rules and Regulations. Excessive absences, whether excused or unexcused, may impact academic performance and eligibility for assessment. Mandatory sessions (e.g., labs, workshops) require attendance unless formally exempted. For detailed policies on absences, documentation, and penalties, please refer to the official university regulations.
Technology & AI Policy
Laptops/tablets may be used for note-taking only during lectures. Phones should be silenced and put away during all class sessions. Audio/video recording requires prior permission from the instructor.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) Usage: The use of AI tools (e.g., ChatGPT, Copilot, Gemini) varies by assessment component. Please refer to the AI usage indicator next to each assessment item in the Assessment Methods and Criteria section above. Submitting AI-generated content as your own work, where AI is not explicitly allowed, constitutes an academic integrity violation.
Communication Policy
All course-related communication should occur through official university channels (institutional email or SIS). Emails should include [SPS150] in the subject line.
Academic Quality Assurance Policy
Course Academic Quality Assurance is achieved through Semester Student Survey. At the end of each academic year, the institution of higher education is obliged to evaluate work of the academic staff, or the success of realization of the curricula.
Learning Tips
Be prepared to contribute thoughtfully during class discussions, labs, or collaborative work. Active participation deepens understanding and encourages critical thinking.
Complete assigned readings or prep materials before class. Take notes, highlight key ideas, and jot down questions. Aim to grasp core concepts and their applications—not just facts.
Use course frameworks or methodologies to analyze problems, case studies, or projects. Begin early to allow time for reflection and refinement. Seek feedback to improve your work.
Don’t hesitate to reach out when something is unclear. Use office hours, discussion boards, or peer networks to clarify concepts and stay on track.
Syllabus Last Updated on Mar 03, 2026 | International University of Sarajevo
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Referencing Curricula Print this page
| Course Code | Course Title | Weekly Hours* | ECTS | Weekly Class Schedule | ||||||
| T | P | |||||||||
| SPS150 | World History | 3 | 0 | 6 | Thursday 09:00-11:50 | |||||
| Prerequisite | None | It is a prerequisite to | - | |||||||
| Lecturer | Jahja Muhasilović | Office Hours / Room / Phone | Monday: 12:00-17:00 |
|||||||
| jmuhasilovic@ius.edu.ba | ||||||||||
| Assistant | Assistant E-mail | |||||||||
| Course Objectives | This course surveys the birth and diffusion of world history and major cultural, religious, social, economic, and political trends. The course provides an analysis of the development of civilizations, global historical interactions, and interrelationships among various civilizations. The diversity of human civilizations will be traced in terms of their historical, cultural, political, and economic formation with a focus on their interactions, similarities, and differences. Examining the broad patterns of change and continuity, as well as the turning points in world history, students will develop a greater understanding of today`s global environment. | |||||||||
| Textbook | Parker, Philip. (2017). World History: From the Ancient World to the Information Age. London: Dorling Kindersley Limited. | |||||||||
| Additional Literature |
|
|||||||||
| Learning Outcomes | After successful completion of the course, the student will be able to: | |||||||||
|
||||||||||
| Teaching Methods | This course employs a range of teaching and learning methods such as lecturing, written assignments, student presentations, take-away essays, quizzes, group debates, and screenings. | |||||||||
| Teaching Method Delivery | Face-to-face | Teaching Method Delivery Notes | ||||||||
| WEEK | TOPIC | REFERENCE | ||||||||
| Week 1 | Introduction | |||||||||
| Week 2 | What is History? | Textbook: pp. 12-25. | ||||||||
| Week 3 | The Prehistoric World | Textbook: pp. 26-49. | ||||||||
| Week 4 | The Ancient World | Textbook: pp. 50-79. | ||||||||
| Week 5 | The Classical World: The world in 700BCE-600CE. | Textbook: pp. 80-113. | ||||||||
| Week 6 | The Classical World: The world in 700BCE-600CE cont. | Textbook: pp. 114-131. | ||||||||
| Week 7 | The Medieval World: The world in 600-1450. | Textbook: pp. 132-161. | ||||||||
| Week 8 | Midterm Exam | |||||||||
| Week 9 | The Medieval World: The world in 600-1450 cont. | Textbook: pp.162-189. | ||||||||
| Week 10 | The Early Modern World: The world in 1450-1750. | Textbook: pp.190-231. | ||||||||
| Week 11 | The World of Empires: The world in 1750-1914. | Textbook: pp. 232-263. | ||||||||
| Week 12 | QUIZ & The World of Empires: The world in 1750-1914 cont. | Textbook: pp. 264-285. | ||||||||
| Week 13 | The Modern World: World War I & II | Textbook: pp. 286-335. | ||||||||
| Week 14 | The Modern World: The Aftermath of World War II | Textbook: pp. 336-381. | ||||||||
| Week 15 | New Challenges and Revision | Textbook: pp. 382-399. | ||||||||
| Assessment Methods and Criteria | Evaluation Tool | Quantity | Weight | Alignment with LOs | AI Usage |
| Final Exam | 1 | 40 | 1,2,3,4,5,6 | Not Allowed | |
| Semester Evaluation Components | |||||
| Midterm Exam | 2 | 30 | 2,3,4 | Not Allowed | |
| Quiz | 1 | 20 | 1,3,4,5 | Not Allowed | |
| Participation/Attendance | 1 | 10 | 2,3,5 | Not Allowed | |
| *** ECTS Credit Calculation *** | |||||
| Activity | Hours | Weeks | Student Workload Hours | Activity | Hours | Weeks | Student Workload Hours | |||
| Lecture Hours | 3 | 15 | 45 | Quiz | 5 | 2 | 10 | |||
| Written Assignment | 2 | 10 | 20 | Home Study | 3 | 14 | 42 | |||
| Midterm Exam Study | 13 | 1 | 13 | Final Exam Study | 15 | 1 | 15 | |||
| Group Presentations | 5 | 1 | 5 | |||||||
| Total Workload Hours = | 150 | |||||||||
| *T= Teaching, P= Practice | ECTS Credit = | 6 | ||||||||
| Course Academic Quality Assurance: Semester Student Survey | Last Update Date: 27/03/2026 | |||||||||