Course overview
This is History's capstone course. It is a required unit for students completing their major in History. The course has therefore been designed to round out undergraduate studies in History. It involves reading about and discussing the different ways historians work, as well as their motivation and their goals. More than that, students will also be conducting original research and 'doing history' at an advanced level. Additional components of the course will include a discussion of ethics in working with sensitive historical sources and producing historical writing for a range of audiences. Assessment tasks include a literature survey and research plan and a source methodology essay both of which bear on the research project and the final research paper. The attributes you will build in this course are not simply relevant to historians or history teachers. The critical evaluation of evidence of all kinds is central to any number of careers and it is an essential skill for informed and engaged citizens. Moreover, it is also an essential life skill: the ability to 'read between the lines', to recognise and then assess the strengths and weaknesses of views or opinions based on the evidence underpinning them is the key to dealing with many of the problems we face daily, individually and collectively.
Course learning outcomes
- Locate, identify and analyse relevant primary and secondary sources in order to construct evidence-based arguments.
- Think independently and critically, using appropriate methodologies and technologies, to engage with historical problems.
- Communicate effectively, in a range of spoken and written formats, within the conventions of the discipline of history
- Demonstrate a proficiency in the appropriate use of contemporary technologies both to communicate results and to communicate with others
- Demonstrate the skills of an historian which are appropriate for performing a range of professional roles, undertaking leadership positions, and sustaining lifelong learning, including: information technology skills to manage data and to communicate, skills in collaborative and self-directed problem-solving, a habit of academic rigour, and sensitivity to intercultural and ethical issues
- Show a sensitivity to the diversity of historical cultures and the ethical implications of historical enquiry within a global context
- Demonstrate a critical, self-reflective approach to the study of history, based on respect and mutual responsibility
Availability
Class details
Adelaide City Campus East
Class number 23617
Section SE02
Size 35
Available 35
Class number 23618
Section SE03
Size 35
Available 35
Class number 23125
Section SE04
Size 35
Available 35
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The Student Contribution amount displayed below is for students commencing a new program from 2021 onwards. If you are continuing in a program you commenced prior to 1 January 2021, or are commencing an Honours degree relating to an undergraduate degree you commenced prior to 1 January 2021, you may be charged a different Student Contribution amount from the amount displayed below. Please check the Student Contribution bands for continuing students here. If you are an international student, or a domestic student studying in a full fee paying place, and are continuing study that you commenced in 2025 or earlier, your fees will be available here before enrolments open for 2026.