Past Courses

Modern Armenian History: The Nineteenth and Twentieth Centuries 

This course will deal with Armenian History and focus on its modern history from the beginning of the nineteenth century, when Armenia became a part of the Romanov Empire, to its declared independence from the Soviet Union in 1991. 

First taught: 1995

Note: This was UC Berkeley's first Armenian History course. You can read more about it here. 

Instructor: 

Richard Hovannisian

Armenian Film

First taught: 1996

Instructor: 

Dickran Kouymjian

William Saroyan

First taught: 1996

Instructor: 

Dickran Kouymjian

Armenian Culture and Identity in the Changing World

First taught: 1997 

Instructor:

Levon Abrahamian

Modern Diasporas: Transnational Identity and Politics

First taught: 1999

Instructor:

Stephan Astourian

Armenian History from Prehistory to the Present

First taught: 1999

Instructor:

Stephan Astourian

Armenia: Armenia from Ethnogenesis to the Dark Ages

Note: HISTORY 177A has been renamed to "Armenia and Armenians from Ancient to Medieval Eras."

Instructor:

Stephan Astourian

Armenia: From Pre-modern Empires to the Present

Note: HISTORY 177B has been renamed to "Armenia and Armenians from 1500s to the Present."

Instructor:

Stephan Astourian

Proseminar: Problems in Interpretation in the Several Fields of History: Europe
The Caucasus in the Modern Era: "Ethnicities, Empires, and Nations"

Instructor:

Stephan Astourian

Proseminar: Problems in Interpretation in the Several Fields of History: Europe
Colonialism and the Russian and Ottoman Empires

Instructor:

Dzovinar Derderian

Proseminar: Problems in Interpretation in the Several Fields of History: Europe
From Empire to Nation-States: The Nagorno-Karabakh/Artsakh Conflict

Instructor: 

Dzovinar Derderian

Proseminar: Problems in Interpretation in the Several Fields of History: Studies in Comparative History
Comparative Genocides

Instructor: 

Stephan Astourian

Advanced Studies: Sources/General Literature of the Several Fields: Studies in Comparative History
Comparative Genocides

Note: This was a Graduate Seminar. 

Instructor: 

Stephan Astourian

Modern Discourse on Armenian Identity

First taught: 2015

Instructor:

Levon Abrahamian

Directed Group Study - Student-Run DeCal Course
Armenian Music in Practice and History

Class Description: 

The course consisted of two parts: a historical overview of developments in Armenian music and participation in the Berkeley Armenian choir, Ardzagank. Students could enroll in one or both components of the course. The history component introduced students to Armenian music, starting with its ancient roots, but focusing on twentieth-century composers and music arrangers. Students also gained familiarity with Armenian musical instruments, genres, and the historical processes of composition and collection. Students enrolled in the choir portion of the course learned to sight-read basic music and sing a repertoire of songs, which they performed at a concert on campus in March.

First taught: 2017

Instructors:

Myrna Douzjian

Talin Mardirossian

Alexa Arejian

Lori Horhor

Marina Hovhannisyan

Supervised Group Study for Undergraduates 

Medieval Armenian Literature

Class Description: 

This group study presents a mini survey of topics in medieval Armenian literature. The course will feature four guest speakers, each of whom will deliver a lecture on the literature of the period and conduct a seminar on a medieval text. Some of the authors or works covered will include Grigor Narekatsi, Nerses Shnorhali, and Daredevils of Sasun.

To learn more about this course, read our Spring 2025 Newsletter. 

First taught: 2025

Instructors:

Myrna Douzjian

Dzovinar Derderian

Reading and Writing about Visual Experience
Monuments and Cultural Memory in Medieval Armenia

Class Description: 

How do monuments construct, reflect, and preserve political, religious, and cultural identity? Medieval Armenia was at the crossroads of empires and its monuments remain visual documents of cultural memory and identity. From the early Christian period to the 14th century, architecture in the region reflects shifting political boundaries and cultural interactions. In this course, we will focus on major sites such as Ani, the Kingdom of Cilicia, and Artsakh, examining specific monuments like Akhtamar and Gandzasar to trace the evolution of architectural form and meaning over time. By close examination of monuments and sculptural decorations, you will develop methods of visual analysis. With critical writing–including visual analysis and comparisons–that situates medieval Armenian architecture within broader historical contexts, you will reflect on the relationship between architecture, memory, and identity.

Throughout the course, we will consider questions such as: How does architecture function as a site of cultural memory? In other words, what stories or histories does the architecture preserve and present? What happens to monuments when their original functions change, or when they are no longer in the care of the communities that built them? What are the implications of these shifts for preservation and cultural heritage today?

First taught: 2025