Module Catalogue 2024/25

HIS2323 : A History of Contemporary Britain

HIS2323 : A History of Contemporary Britain

  • Offered for Year: 2024/25
  • Module Leader(s): Dr Martin Farr
  • Lecturer: Professor Annie Tindley
  • Teaching Assistant: Mr Ryan Jay Fallon Fallon
  • Owning School: History, Classics and Archaeology
  • Teaching Location: Newcastle City Campus
Semesters

Your programme is made up of credits, the total differs on programme to programme.

Semester 2 Credit Value: 20
ECTS Credits: 10.0
European Credit Transfer System
Pre-requisite

Modules you must have done previously to study this module

Pre Requisite Comment

N/A

Co-Requisite

Modules you need to take at the same time

Co Requisite Comment

N/A

Aims

This module practises contemporary history: the history of the present. It will consider all aspects of life in Britain, and Britain's relations with the wider world.

It will

1. introduce and immerse the students in critical reflection around the social, cultural, economic, and political aspects of contemporary British history.

2. support students to better identify then develop their skills, including those traditionally associated with history teaching (independent research and study; critical and reflective thinking; information literacy; written expression), as well as broader skills.

Both aims are addressed in the teaching content and methods and in the assessment types. The module also aims to support the wider progression of the students and what is expected from them at Stage 2, building on their foundational Stage 1 year and preparing them for Stage 3. The wealth of primary material makes this area highly suitable for dissertations.

Outline Of Syllabus

Subjects covered may include politics, social attitudes, the economy, the nations, culture, media, foreign affairs, defence policy, education, gender, and sexuality.

Learning Outcomes

Intended Knowledge Outcomes

A rounded understanding of the history of contemporary Britain achieved through the widest variety of sources.

1. That students should be able to use multiple types of sources and media to understand the complexities of contemporary Britain including official publications, government records, fiction and poetry, art, business records, newspapers, social media, cinema and TV.

2. That students should be able to understand the key patterns of social, economic, cultural and political aspects of Britain. That students should be able to think critically about the issues and legacies presented by the study of contemporary history.

Intended Skill Outcomes

Overall this module aims to ensure a defined progression for students from Stage 1 to Stage 2 and to prepare them for Stage 3. This is driven primarily to defined work on key skills (outlined below), as well as the content and approaches taken in the teaching and independent study elements of the module described above.

Practical skills

•       to use and critically evaluate primary sources
•       to identify and retrieve information from a wide variety of sources

Key skills

•       to achieve effective oral and written communication
•       to show initiative, self-discipline and self-direction in learning
•       to improve performance through reflection, self-assessment and using feedback effectively

Cognitive (thinking) skills

•       To critically evaluate, analyse and discuss a wide range of source materials.
•       To construct extended written assessments supported by relevant historical evidence.

Teaching Methods

Teaching Activities
Category Activity Number Length Student Hours Comment
Scheduled Learning And Teaching ActivitiesLecture112:0022:00Lectures, one per week
Guided Independent StudyAssessment preparation and completion671:0067:00Preparation time for assessment components
Scheduled Learning And Teaching ActivitiesSmall group teaching111:0011:00Seminars, one per week
Structured Guided LearningStructured research and reading activities501:0050:00Structured research and reading activities
Guided Independent StudyIndependent study501:0050:00General consolidation activities
Total200:00
Teaching Rationale And Relationship

Lectures will introduce topics and provide expert orientation and exposition on a broad range of themes and issues, supplemented by the module reading list.

Seminars will also consolidate the learning progress from lectures, and weekly readings by enabling students to focus on connected issues and material in greater depth.

Both lecturers and Seminars will often led by ongoing events which allows for the exposition and appreciation of historical context.

Reading Lists

Assessment Methods

The format of resits will be determined by the Board of Examiners

Other Assessment
Description Semester When Set Percentage Comment
Written exercise2M20500-word written exercise which feedback will feed through into final research essay.
Essay2A803000-word research essay
Assessment Rationale And Relationship

Work submitted during the delivery of the module forms a means of determining student progress. Submitted work tests intended knowledge and skills outcomes, develops key skills in research, reading and writing. The written exercise is intended to offer the chance for feedback and understanding writing technique which the research essay will build upon.

The research essay is an extended piece of writing based on primary materials, intended to prepare students for their stage 3, including dissertations.

Students will be able to choose freely from a wide variety of questions and topics.

Timetable

Past Exam Papers

General Notes

N/A

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Disclaimer

The information contained within the Module Catalogue relates to the 2024 academic year.

In accordance with University Terms and Conditions, the University makes all reasonable efforts to deliver the modules as described.

Modules may be amended on an annual basis to take account of changing staff expertise, developments in the discipline, the requirements of external bodies and partners, and student feedback. Module information for the 2025/26 entry will be published here in early-April 2025. Queries about information in the Module Catalogue should in the first instance be addressed to your School Office.