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