The Short Twentieth Century and Beyond (L2005)

15 credits, Level 4

Spring teaching

On this module, you’ll explore the major events and key themes of the 20th century, a period marked by upheaval and change.

You’ll examine how two world wars shaped the first half of the century, while the European colonial empires reached their peak in the 1920s before being dismantled by anti-colonial movements by the 1970s.

You’ll also learn about the 1917 Russian Revolution, the rise of the Soviet Union, its Cold War rivalry with the United States that nearly led to nuclear disaster in 1962, and its eventual collapse in 1991. 

By the end of this module, you’ll have a strong understanding of the dramatic events that shaped global politics and power dynamics in the 2020s.

Contact hours and workload

This module is approximately 150 hours of work. This breaks down into about 22 hours of contact time and about 128 hours of independent study. The University may make minor variations to the contact hours for operational reasons, including timetabling requirements.

We regularly review our modules to incorporate student feedback, staff expertise, as well as the latest research and teaching methodology. We’re planning to run these modules in the academic year 2025/26. However, there may be changes to these modules in response to feedback, staff availability, student demand or updates to our curriculum.

We’ll make sure to let you know of any material changes to modules at the earliest opportunity.