This course will help you to become a better historian and a better analyst of historical writing. It examines the principles, strategies and assumptions underlying different forms of history. It also introduces current debates about the discipline. The course will consider key developments in historical thought and method, from the classical period to the present day. It will invite you to consider the social functions of historical writing, as well as to critically assess the methods and models employed by different schools and traditions of historical thought.
Learning Outcomes
Upon successful completion, students will have the knowledge and skills to:
Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to:
1) Comprehend and constructively debate key philosophical and methodological issues central to the study of history and important to other disciplines in the humanities and social sciences.
2) Critically analyse the methods which have been employed by different historians and schools of historical thought in their efforts to understand and write about the past
3) Detect the underlying premises and assumptions embedded in specific pieces of historical writing and/or other forms of historical media
4) Construct sustained arguments concerning the strengths and weaknesses of different approaches to the study of the past
5) Reflect on theoretical issues relevant to the practice of different forms of history and their implications for students’ own work
Indicative Assessment
1st Essay 1500 words (35%) [Learning Outcomes 1-4]
2nd Essay 3000 words (55%) [Learning Outcomes 1-5]
Oral and/or written contribution to class activities (10%) [Learning Outcomes 1, 2, 3, 5]
The ANU uses Turnitin to enhance student citation and referencing techniques, and to assess assignment submissions as a component of the University's approach to managing Academic Integrity. While the use of Turnitin is not mandatory, the ANU highly recommends Turnitin is used by both teaching staff and students. For additional information regarding Turnitin please visit the ANU Online website.
Workload
One lecture (1.5 hours) and one tutorial (1 hour) per week for thirteen weeks. Students are expected to commit up to 7.5 hours of independent study per week. Lectures will be recorded.
Requisite and Incompatibility
Preliminary Reading
Prescribed tutorial readings will be made available to students via Wattle. Students seeking to prepare via preliminary reading may like to consult texts such as:J. Appleby, L. Hunt & M. Jacob, Telling the Truth about History (N.Y.: Norton, 1995)
J.Burrow, A History of Histories (London: Allen Lane, 2007)
A. Curthoys and J. Docker Is History Fiction? (Sydney: UNSW Press, 2005).
Majors
Minors
Fees
Tuition fees are for the academic year indicated at the top of the page.
If you are a domestic graduate coursework or international student you will be required to pay tuition fees. Tuition fees are indexed annually. Further information for domestic and international students about tuition and other fees can be found at Fees.
- Student Contribution Band:
- 1
- Unit value:
- 6 units
If you are an undergraduate student and have been offered a Commonwealth supported place, your fees are set by the Australian Government for each course. At ANU 1 EFTSL is 48 units (normally 8 x 6-unit courses). You can find your student contribution amount for each course at Fees. Where there is a unit range displayed for this course, not all unit options below may be available.
| Units | EFTSL |
|---|---|
| 6.00 | 0.12500 |
Course fees
- Domestic fee paying students
| Year | Fee |
|---|---|
| 2015 | $2604 |
- International fee paying students
| Year | Fee |
|---|---|
| 2015 | $3576 |
Offerings, Dates and Class Summary Links
ANU utilises MyTimetable to enable students to view the timetable for their enrolled courses, browse, then self-allocate to small teaching activities / tutorials so they can better plan their time. Find out more on the Timetable webpage.
Class summaries, if available, can be accessed by clicking on the View link for the relevant class number.
First Semester
| Class number | Class start date | Last day to enrol | Census date | Class end date | Mode Of Delivery | Class Summary |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1066 | 16 Feb 2015 | 06 Mar 2015 | 31 Mar 2015 | 29 May 2015 | In Person | N/A |
