History

The History major at UOW offers students the opportunity to examine a wide range of periods, places and people. The History major is one of the most popular in the School of Humanities and Social Inquiry. Our teaching and research consistently attracts very high ratings. Our subjects offer students exceptional opportunities to examine themes that link Australia to international history. Our themes may be traced in a variety of settings: in broad histories of specific Australian, Asian and European societies; in more specific historical examinations of empires, the political and social impacts of wars, and the development of the State.

In your first year you will study a broad range of historical periods that use a variety of historical approaches. In your second and third years you will be able to specialise and study topics in greater depth. Throughout your major you will be refining and extending your use of historical evidence ranging from traditional archives to social and digital media.

Studying History is also about learning what it is to be a historian, with each subject contributing to developing a sophisticated and critical appreciation of contemporary approaches to historical theories, methods, interpretation, argument, and uses of evidence.

Major Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this major students will be able to:

1. Evaluate historical processes using examples from a variety of periods and places;
2. Appraise present-day global affairs from an historical perspective;
3. Utilise different types of evidence to demonstrate an understanding of historical change;
4. Critically review how Historians produce different interpretations of the past.

Subjects Required for Major Study

The History major will consist of 52 credit points with 24 credit points being at 300-level. The History major provides a coherent course of study, allowing students to develop specific skills. Each subject in the major is intended to provide an understanding of a topic, area or theme, which can be developed in subsequent years of study.

100-level subjects require no special knowledge and are best described as survey courses. They provide students with a general introduction to a wide range of times, places and themes.

Students will also learn many valuable basic skills to help them build a strong foundation for their major. In these subjects students will learn how to:

• Identify the causes and effects of historical change;
• Summarise the main points of a historical work;
• Identify the thesis or central argument of a historical work;
• Describe the historical context of a work;
• Identify different types of historical evidence;
• See how historians produce different accounts of the same event; and
• Begin the use of primary source material to produce and defend arguments.

200-level subjects will refine and extend both skills and historical knowledge. They offer study in greater depth than the survey courses, and will take a closer look at events and places.

300-level subjects take a detailed approach to major historical problems, and unlike earlier studies, students will use a wide range of primary sources to investigate topics. These may include film, radio, television, archival manuscript, oral interviews, literature, newspapers, parliamentary records, photographs, diaries and/or company documents

Note: students who would like to continue on to Honours studies must complete HIST355.

Students who take HIST274 as a core subject may still take HIST355 as an elective.

To fulfil the requirements of the History Major students can elect subjects from the list of electives below.

Note: Students who have not elected to study HIST355 in the core will need to complete three (3) subjects from the list of electives at 300-level. Students who enrolled in a History major in 2014 will be eligible to follow the rules of the major applicable from 2015.

Subjects Required for Minor Study

A minor in History will consist of at least 28 credit points in subjects from the schedule of the history major. Students may not take more than two subjects at 100-level.

Honours

See Bachelor of Arts (Honours).

Credit Arrangements

Credit and articulation arrangements are available from the Course Finder. Refer to UOW's credit arrangements for information on how to apply for credit.

Other Information

Further information is available at:
UOW Course Finder
Email: lha-enquiries@uow.edu.au