History: Current Undergraduate Modules

Year 1

Family, Sex, and Marriage in Tudor and Stuart England

For most of us the attempt to see the world through the eyes of early modern men and women requires a great leap of imagination. For historians, the truth about the past is seldom neither simply reassuring nor straightforward. Yet there are enormous problems in trying to recover their ways of thinking and behaving. Historians have tried, by adopting very different approaches, to reconstruct and reinterpret the patterns and mentalities of life in pre industrial times. This module, then examines the lives, the hopes and fears of 'ordinary' men and women and, not least, what that tells us about ourselves.

Age of the People

This module explores twentieth-century European political history through the experience of 'the people'. The two world wars are examined as 'total wars' involving entire populations rather than mere military conflicts, while emphasis is also placed on such manifestations of popular politics as Nationalism, Communism and Fascism.

Medieval Worlds

The Middle Ages constitute one of the most seductive and mysterious of all periods of history. Medieval Europe was unified by Christianity, by the use of Latin and by hierarchical forms of government dependent on kingship to a degree unparalleled in the modern world. This module examines, critically, primary and secondary sources in an attempt to discover just what the complex of Medieval worlds contributed to our common past.

The Making of America

The module, while giving a brief background of the colonisation of North America following the Age of Discovery, focuses on the birth of modern USA. It thus provides a foundation module in American history from the peopling of North America to the US Civil War and covers the various political and social developments of the youthful United States.

The Dream Machine, Film and Society in the 20th Century

The key themes in the history of cinema are identified and explored in this module, by focusing on the development of the cinema in Britain, the United States and the Soviet Union and Japan. It considers cinema as an entertainment industry, as an art form, and as an instrument of propaganda.

Changing Histories (Compulsory Module)

This module is the core key skills module for all first year history students. By focusing on the history of London from the Restoration through to the death of Queen Victoria this module will allow students to become familiar with many of the most important ideas, themes and developments in history. It will engage students in a wide variety of historical sources and interpretations and will introduce them to a range of historical approaches and methods. By using London as the lens this module will introduce students to both public and academic history, popular culture and propaganda, the use of a range of visual sources in the study of history and the use of the media as an historical source.

Conquest, Famine and Cultural Revival in Ireland

This module offers a broad survey of the troubled history of Ireland from the Cromwellian conquest of the 1660s to the Easter Rising of 1916. The emphasis is on the frequently 'tetchy' relationship between Irish Protestants and Catholics on the one hand, and between Ireland and Britain on the other.

An Unruly Lot: Women, Power and Social Change in Britain and North America

Exploring the ways in which women have influenced their own history, this module compares the experiences and lives of women in Britain and North America since the end of the eighteenth century. It considers the changing nature of women's employment, the development of women's education, the role of women in political movements, the treatment of women by the state and the construction and influence of views of femininity and feminism.

Popular Music

Popular music was one of the most important engines of change in the 20th Century. It has inspired the rebellion of youth against its elders. It has challenged racial divisions and has been instrumental (forgive the pun) in Sexual liberation! But Pop music is also big business - it has made some rich, others poor. Some politicians have tried to use it, other politicians to destroy it. Simply, it is a microcosm of our society. The history of Popular Music is first and foremost about the music: revolutionary, hedonistic, innovative, foot-tapping but also corporate, formulaic, bland and (allegedly) satanic. Follow the development of Popular music from its roots in Country and the Blues, through Rock'n'Roll, Beatlemania, Hard Rock, Funk, Punk, Electronica and Hip-Hop through to the Rise and Fall of Brit Pop in the 1990s.
 

History and Heritage

This module explores the relationship between history and heritage, in an attempt to deal with the nature and purpose of both. The
module will place the development of heritage in its historical context, and attempt to see how, and if, it might differ as a form of knowledge from "history". It will explore the nature of the ideas of contemporary heritage, engaging in a dialogue as to how heritage functions in context. This being British society in particular, what type of stories it relays, what sort of audience it assumes, and what type of politics it embodies. Various idea of heritage will be explored through the media, Undergraduate modules Bath Spa University
School of Historical and Cultural Studies History modules books and journals, as well as TV programmes and by visits to various
heritage sites from the Royal Crescent to Stonehenge.

Year 2

Making History (Compulsory Module)

This module has three main elements. Students will explore the nature and methods of history as a discipline, the philosophy, debates
and developments within history from its origins to the present day, and some of the practical research techniques and methods that are
necessary to undertake the dissertation module in the single honours History programme. As such the module examines varied
questions dealing with the nature of history, the origin of the subject as an academic discipline, the milieu and work of the historical archive, the use of philosophical and postmodernist concepts in the Annales School, feminist historians, Whig history, revisionism and concepts of post-modernism and new historicism will also be explored. In addition this module will lead single honours History students directly into their work upon the dissertation (HY3030) by exploring research methods used by the School's historians in a number of historical periods.
 

Local History Study

This is an independent study module that allows students the opportunity to research a local subject, either local to the south-west or to the student's own area. The emphasis is on working with primary sources where possible studied in the context of the relevant secondary literature. Students are encouraged to consider a small-scale study that is manageable with the available material identified.

Victorian Britain

This is a module on the social history of Victorian Britain. The course programme examines themes of social class, the changing role of women, and the role of religion in Victorian society. Other important topics studied include industrialization and the growth of towns, the decline of the countryside, and issues of contemporary debate such as crime, poverty and the role of the British Empire. Students have the opportunity to research contemporary documents and to work on a range of seminar topics that focus on outstanding Victorians such as Josephine Butler or Charles Dickens and extraordinary events such as the Great Exhibition in 1851 and the 'Jack the Ripper' murders.

Georgian Bath

Situated as BSU is in the world heritage city of Bath, the 'queen of the spas' in the eighteenth century and a leading centre for art, architecture, health, fashion, display, and decadence, this module uses this vital Georgian city as a focal point for an introduction to the social and cultural history of the Georgian age itself.

The Emergence of Modern Asia

This module is devoted to significant and multiple developments in the three vital regions in Asia. Following brief accounts on their past histories, the course focuses on the politics, societies and international relations of India, China and Japan, whose careers have been so closely intertwined with Britain and North Atlantic regions over the past several centuries.

Britain Between the Wars

This module examines British politics and the pattern of social, cultural and economic change in Britain in the first half of the twentieth century. It examines the rise of the Labour Party and the decline of Liberalism, the General Strike and the triumph of British Conservatism. It looks at debates and controversies with regard to the economy and society, with regard to unemployment and poverty and to the new consumerism. It examines the position of women and the development of cinema. The module also considers Britain as a great power, both with reference to the Empire and to the policy of appeasement. It examines the impact of World War II on British politics and society.

Perspectives on War

This is essentially a module about war and popular culture. We explore the changing depiction of war in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries through a wide range of media and artefacts: paintings, war novels, poetry, films, war memorials, and official and unofficial propaganda of various kinds.

The European Reformation

This module is concerned to explore the European schism in the Christian churches of the 16th century. That the history of the Reformations is complex is without doubt and anyone working on the records of the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries will be conscious of the extraordinary change of mental attitude taking shape. In this context The European Reformations examines the collapse of the ideology of a universal church; the problems of the Papacy; Martin Luther and the German problem; the establishment and splintering of Protestant churches and the counter-reformation of the Church of Rome. In addition it has a specific focus on the impact of the Reformation in Spain and England

The Irish in Britain since 1815

This module examines the experience and impact of the influx of Irish migrants to Britain during the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. It traces the story of high urban settlement discrimination and the diversity of the Irish migrant experience The contribution and changing experiences of the Irish in Britain in the twentieth century include such subjects as employment patterns, the Irish in the armed forces, and the impact of the Northern Ireland 'Troubles' for the Irish in Britain. The course culminates with an assessment of the 'success' of Irish immigration to Britain.

Plots and Propaganda: Early Modern Monarchy

This module will examine the ideas of early modern monarchy during the fifty-two years preceding the outbreak of civil war in England,
through a study of the reigns of Elizabeth I, James VI and I and Charles I. It will assess the reigns of these three monarchs by investigating various important political, religious, diplomatic and cultural events which helped shape the period. The module will, furthermore, examine foreign policy with special emphasis on relations with Spain and France. The module will chart the many plots and crisis facing the monarchy during that time and will examine how these impacted on the institution of the monarchy. Lastly the module will examine the impact of the civil war on the structure of the government of the 1640s.
 

Sex, Politics and Corruption

Corruption - sexual, political, or fiscal - like the poor is always with us. This module challenges students to historicize the concept of
corruption and think critically about what it means and what it can tell us about the changing boundaries between the licit and illicit in society, politics and culture. By shifting back to England in the long 18th century (1688-1832), when corruption formed a leitmotif in contemporary thinking and a number of increasingly high publicised corruption scandals captured the attention of the press and popular
imagination, this module examines both the multi-layered meaning of corruption (and, obversely, of reform) and the role of an increasingly powerful and diverse print culture in shaping popular opinion. Students will engage with these themes through a number of case studies taken from some of the most significant sexual, political and fiscal corruption scandals of the century.

Back to the Future: Science Fiction and Society

This module examines the history of science fiction in Britain and the USA since the 1890s with special emphasis on the post-world War II period. It puts the development of the genre in its historical, social, political and cultural context, and examines the works from H.G.Wells to Edgar Rice Burroughs and Tolkien, the relationship of science fiction to the Cold War and the Vietnam War, and the rise of feminist science fiction. It also examines the history of science fiction films and of science fiction comics.

Sport and the Modern World, c.1860-c.1980

After taking this module, you will be able to nod knowingly when you hear someone utter the cliche about sport being 'more than a game'! In this module we explore the Victorian 'invention' of modern sport and its development in a wide range of political and cultural contexts, including the Olympics and sport's role in bolstering various twentieth-century totalitarian regimes.

The Third Reich

This module examines the history of Nazism in Germany from the end of the First World War to the end of the Second World War. It looks at the impact of the First World War on German society, the nature of the German Revolution of 1918 and the problems that confronted the Weimar Republic. The course will examine the development of the Nazi party, the nature of Nazi ideology and Hitler's part in carrying the Nazis into power. The nature of Nazi rule will be studied with special attention to their economic, social and racial policies. The position of women in Nazi Germany will be examined. The course will look at Nazi foreign policy and consider Germany's performance in the Second World War. It will look at Nazi propaganda. The course will examine academic controversies surrounding the Holocaust.

The End of the British Empire

The course examines the causes and consequences of the end of the British Empire. It begins with the post-war crisis of 1918-21 that saw the Empire reach its greatest extent, looking in particular at India and the Middle-East. It goes on to examine inter-war developments, particularly in the Middle East and India. It looks at the impact of the Second World War on the empire. The course looks at the process of decolonisation in Asia, Africa and the Middle East. The Suez Crisis will be considered as will subsequent developments in the relations between Britain and the United States. The course will examine the controversies that have accompanied the end of the Empire. It will consider its impact on Britain in terms of politics and culture.

Heritage in Practice

Heritage in Practice will provide students with the possibility of developing their historical and employability skills in a practical way. Students will work in Seminar groups of no more than 15 each. The group will research and identify a worthwhile historic event or subject area to commemorate with an exhibition, in-house publication, a website, an education programme or a symposium. A historical essay will be produced by each student on a historical aspect of the background to their potential exhibition. Students will also apply the appropriate practical and academic skills together with the tutor and assign responsibilities and jobs to each other that will be required for the successful completion of the exhibition project. Each student will be part of a small group within their general project team (no student will have sole responsibility for a specific post, just tasks within that post). Together with the tutor they will write their own job description and will then proceed forward when everyone's duties have been agreed. This aspect of the module will allow students the chance to specialise and develop key employment and historical skills that interest them (research, interpretation, design, marketing, publicity etc.) as well as providing a benchmark for assessment both by their peers and tutor. They will identify a historical event that could provide a basis for a successful heritage event (something that fulfils government guidelines on cultural practice, provides lifelong learning opportunities and will prove popular with the public.

The Great War: Conflict and Society

This module explores the key political, military, economic and social aspects of the First World War. The main causes of the war, its
course and its main consequences (both during the war itself and in the ensuing peace treaties) are investigated through a focus on
home front and military experiences of the main protagonists in the conflict - Britain, Germany, France, Austria-Hungary, Russia, Italy, the
Ottoman Empire, the United States and the colonies of the principal belligerent states. This multifaceted approach is geared towards
demonstrating the many ways in which the Great War was the world's first global "total" war. Year 3

Year Three

Rex Pacificus: England and Spain 1603 - 1625

This module will examine the reign of the first king of Great Britain. It will look especially at the interaction between Protestant England and Catholic Spain and at the ways in which James VI & I attempted to straddle the great confessional divide between the two. This module will also examine the diplomatic tools used to maintain peace between England and Spain by a study of the public and private agendas of the men sent from Spain to deal with the proposed Spanish Match for Charles, Prince of Wales.

Consensus Conflict and Social Change

This module is concerned with the political, economic and social development of Britain since 1945. In particular it focuses upon the themes of consensus and conflict in examining the changing landscape of recent British history.

The Muslim World in the 20th Century

This course aims at investigating the evolution of Islam as a religion about fourteen centuries back and its subsequent close and often complex relationship with the West. Themes including the British interaction with the Muslim world, Muslim Spain, Diaspora, issues of gender, Middle Eastern politics, Afghanistan, political Islam and the Balkans feature in this course which certainly offers a well-needed grounding in international relations.

Politics and Literature: George Orwell

This module examines the relationship between politics and literature in the context of 1930s and 1940s Britain, taking George Orwell as the subject for analysis and discussion. It will look at the development of his political ideas in relation to the British Empire, the Spanish Civil War, the Second World War and the Soviet Union, the development of his fiction and of his prose style, and at his ideas with regard to popular culture and Englishness. The module will also consider the development of his reputation.

Crime and Punishment

This is a module which examines crime and punishment in the broader context of the industrial revolution and political ferment of the era and includes a comparative approach in Britain and Ireland. It is concerned to place crime in its social, legal and historiographical context. It will examine the nature of policing, punishment and imprisonment in the eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries. In addition it will explore the concept of `political crime', the influence of radical thought and the changing boundaries of the legal system.

Court Culture in Restoration England

This module is concerned with exploring the court and culture of the later Stuart Kings. It will examine the politics as well as the emergence of faction within the court, concepts of patronage and clientage; Restoration court style and the personalities, of monarchs, ministers and mistresses. It will also investigate the cultural output of this period of court government through its use of iconography, painting, science, poetry and the dramatic arts.

Dissertation

The dissertation aims to provide students with the opportunity to develop the skills of historical research and sustained writing on a clearly-defined topic. A handbook on the requirements of a dissertation is provided for students, together with a `dissertation log' which charts the student's supervision and progress on the module.

Women, Culture and Society in the Eighteenth |Century

A golden age for women or a time of increasing oppression and constraint? By concentrating on eighteenth-century documents, instructions and individuals, this module explores the rhetoric and the reality that shaped women's lives, and the social, economic, political and intellectual culture in which they lived.

Leisure, Pleasure and Consumption in Britain

This module explores the history of the consumption of a range of goods and activities and considers issues such as gambling, drinking, sport, prostitution, shopping and material culture. It traces the social and cultural development of leisure, pleasure and consumption from the introduction the coffee houses of the eighteenth century through to the emergence of a consumer culture in the nineteenth century and consumerism by the mid-twentieth century.

Bittersweet Liberty

The module begins with the concept of the Irish diaspora and how recent studies have begun to make comparisons between the way the story of the Irish in America compares with the Irish experience in Canada and Australia. The relationship between economic conditions, government policies and emigrant flows provides an explanatory framework for the timing and pattern of migration. The module concludes with an assessment of the historic significance of the Irish diaspora, for Ireland, for the countries the Irish settled in and for the emigrants themselves, was it a `bittersweet liberty'?

A Troubled History: Northern Ireland since 1922

This module analyses the political, cultural, religious and economic origins of the 'Troubles' in Northern Ireland. Considerable emphasis is placed on trying to understand central controversial issues from the perspectives of the key 'players' in the conflict, through seminar discussion of newspapers, memoirs, propaganda and videos.

The American West

This module explores the theme of history and myth in relation to the exploration and settlement of the American West. Topics include the Lewis and Clark expedition, the conflict with Mexico over the south-west border, the growth of the cattle ranching industry, the treatment of Native American Indians, the story of the wagon trains moving west, the West and the Civil War, and a focus on such groups as mountain men, miners, lawmen and outlaws, and Hollywood treatment of the West. There is a strong emphasis on student research with opportunities to explore myths surrounding the many colourful western characters: Buffalo Bill, Wyatt Earp, Geronimo, and General Custer.

The Sixties, People, Revolution and Counter Revolution

This module is a comparative study of the social, cultural and political experience of the 'Sixties'. It takes a global perspective of this era incorporating Western and Eastern Europe, the United State and Asia. The module considers the political changes taking place in the 1960s, as well as the considerable cultural, social, and sexual changes which seem ubiquitous across the globe during the period and illuminate the 'legend of the sixties' , which has either elevated, or dammed, the epoch, by examining the art, music, and literature of this particular decade; the revolution of 1968, the impact of the Vietnam war and the technological change that emerged in the decade.

The English Republic

The history of the 1650s is one of conflict; the killing of king Charles I led to the establishment of a republican government for the first
time in British history. This module details the events from 1640-1660 and the consequences of the political turmoil of the period. In addition it seeks to explore the relationship with the constituent parts of the British archipelago, particularly those of England and Ireland as well as explore the nature of the protectorate government and the character of men such as Oliver Cromwell and Charles II. Other themes include the royalist exile and the literature of the day. It will use the resources of EEBO to explore the vivid print culture of the day and examine the poetry and prose as well as political theory of classical republicanism and leveller ideas that underpinned the events of the 1650s. It will examine the character and activities of the Lord Protector Oliver Cromwell, as well as the men surrounding him.