The American 1960s were marked by prosperity, a losing war, civil rights movements and an explosion of youth culture. In the process it became one of the most documented, celebrated and condemned decades of the twentieth century. This course examines the United States’ 1960s to raise questions about the significance of the Vietnam War, the War against Poverty, Civil Rights and the counter culture for American society and values. Along the way we can also explore the usefulness of decades as units of historical time and the parallels and contrasts between the experiences of other nations during these years.
Learning Outcomes
Upon successful completion, students will have the knowledge and skills to:
Upon successful completion of this course, students will have the knowledge and skills to:- Demonstrate an in-depth knowledge of the key events, movements and ideas of the period 1956-1972 in the United States;
- Evaluate the historical significance of those events, movements and ideas;
- Demonstrate strong research, writing and analytical skills;
- Understand the American 1960s in comparison to that decade in Australia and Europe;
- Critically reflect upon the insights provided by different sources, for example music, movies and literature, to our understanding of the meanings and significances of the 1960s; and,
- Understand and demonstrate the significance of the subject matter for the subsequent development of the United States.
Other Information
This course can be counted towards a History or American Studies major.
Indicative Assessment
The assessment package includes:
- A short document exercise of 1000 words (worth 20% of the final mark) [assesses learning outcomes 2, 3, 5, 6]
- A research essay of 2,500 words (worth 40 % of the final mark) [assesses Learning Outcomes 1, 2, 3, 5, 6]
- Tutorial participation (worth 10% of the final mark) [assesses Learning Outcomes 1, 2, 4, 5, 6]
- Final examination (worth 30 % of the final mark) [assesses Learning Outcomes 1, 2, 5, 6]
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
130 hours of total student learning time made up from:a) 30 hours of contact over 12 weeks: 18 hours of lectures and 12 hours of tutorials; and
b) 100 hours of independent student research, reading and writing.
Requisite and Incompatibility
Preliminary Reading
Chalmers, D, And the Crooked Placed Made Straight, John Hopkins, UP.
Fees
Tuition fees are for the academic year indicated at the top of the page.
Commonwealth Support (CSP) Students
If you 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). More information about your student contribution amount for each course at Fees.
- Student Contribution Band:
- 14
- Unit value:
- 6 units
If you are a domestic graduate coursework student with a Domestic Tuition Fee (DTF) place or international student you will be required to pay course tuition fees (see below). Course tuition fees are indexed annually. Further information for domestic and international students about tuition and other fees can be found 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 |
|---|---|
| 2022 | $3840 |
- International fee paying students
| Year | Fee |
|---|---|
| 2022 | $4980 |
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.
