History

The Early Modern World

Module code: V1227
Level 4
30 credits in autumn semester
Teaching method: Seminar, Lecture
Assessment modes: Essay

This module introduces you to key events and processes in the early modern world (1450-1800). We will concentrate on a number of different subjects, including gender, politics, colonialism, religion, science, and empire, and aim to show how many of these themes are interconnected. We will touch on topics and events including the Renaissance, the Reformation, witch hunts, the Scientific Revolution and Enlightenment, all with an eye to a global perspective. Through lectures, seminars and the practice of writing essays, you will acquire the ability to analyse the past in a critical fashion, taking into account not merely what other historians have said but also primary materials.

Module learning outcomes

• Demonstrate knowledge of key themes and controversies in history, 1500-1800.
• Demonstrate a critical familiarity with key historians’ contributions and key debates, and contrast and evaluate varied historiographical approaches to these topics.
• Construct arguments based on the critical comparison of secondary sources.
• Research a range of topics using printed and digital resources.
• Communicate ideas effectively in writing.