History

Course summary

History is about understanding the world in which we live by gaining insights into how and why it came about. As such, our focus on the concepts of communism, democracy, protest and people are as relevant today as ever, providing a solid foundation to interpret political, economic and social debates about the kind of world we want to live in. By studying History, you develop skills prized by universities and employers, such as explanation and evaluation, critical analysis of evidence and interpretations, as well as strong written and oral communication. As such, you will have the potential to contribute to society through different career routes, such as charity and community work, law, policing and forensics, advertising, journalism, the media and the Civil Service, as well as through further academic work. In Paper 1 you will study “Russia: From Lenin to Yeltsin, 1917-1991” covering the rise and ultimate collapse of the world’s largest Communist country, highlighting the challenges of securing and maintaining power, as well as the impact of Communist ideology on the lives of the citizens of the USSR. In Paper 2 you will study a depth study of “Mao’s China: 1949-1976”. This paper includes the dramatic and extremely rapid transformation of China from a peasant economy to a nuclear power; the rebuilding of the nation after a bloody civil war; and ultimately, Mao’s attempt to instigate permanent revolution. In Paper 3 you will study “Protest, agitation and parliamentary reform in Britain, c1780–1928” which investigates the diminishing power of the aristocracy over time and the expanding role of the working classes in the British parliamentary system. The final element of the course is a centre-designed coursework entitled “The impact of the New Deal in America, 1933-41”. This explores the historical debate over the impact of the New Deal which sought to undo the dramatic social and economic collapse caused by the Great Depression.