BA International History and Politics

Year 2

(Award available for year: Diploma of Higher Education)

Learning outcomes

On completion of the year/programme students should have provided evidence of being able to:

1. Demonstrate, especially through work on option modules, a broad understanding of:
- continuities and change in international politics from the late nineteenth century to the present (hbp #16)
- how decision makers have acted and thought in a range of historical circumstances, regimes and cultures (hbp #12.1 and 17)
- techniques for close work on sources, both primary and secondary (hbp #18).

2. Apply generic and subject specific intellectual qualities, such as those listed below, to a further range of historical periods and problems:
- critical and empathetic reading and use of texts or other source materials (hbp 12.2)
- appreciation of the complexity and diversity of past cultures (hbp 12.3)
- appreciation of the problematic nature of historical interpretation and evidence (hbp 12.4)
- critical evaluation of historical evidence (hbp 12.5)
- intellectual independence (hbp 12.6)
- marshalling and communicating of argument, both oral and written (hbp 12.7).

3. Appreciate, employ and critically evaluate the main sources and approaches to international history, especially through the training and personal experience provided by the Long Essay module. (hbp #20)

4. Use a range of techniques and approaches to analyse data and information.

5. Understand and reflect upon the nature of history and the limitations of historical evidence. (hbp #19)

6. Effectively communicate information, arguments and analysis in a variety of forms, including an independently researched long essay.

Transferable (key) skills

Students will have had the opportunity to acquire, as defined in the modules specified for the programme:

1. Qualities and transferable skills necessary for employment, such as independence of mind, initiative, group work, locating and handling information, analytical ability, problem-solving, oral and written communication, intellectual integrity, empathy (hbp #14)
2. Skills necessary for exercising of personal responsibility, including self-discipline and self-direction (hbp #14)
3. Decision-making.

Assessment

Achievement will be assessed by a variety of methods in accordance with the learning outcomes of the modules specified for the year/programme and will include:

- oral assessment
- essay writing
- an extended piece of historical writing (long essay)
- examinations.

To demonstrate:

- Ability to apply a broad range of aspects / competencies of the discipline to standard historical problems
- Ability to produce work that draws on a wide variety of material
- Ability to evaluate and criticise received historical opinion
- Basic historical research competency, through the production of a sustained piece of writing (long essay).