Modern History

• Current understanding of the political, social and cultural history of the modern world from approx. 1750 to the present day.
  

• Critical perspectives on the claims of ‘modernity’ and ‘progress’, including aspects of environmental history; class, race and gender; history in popular culture.
  

• Creative opportunities to take History work placements at museums, heritage sites, and in schools.

• Read Modern History course information (PDF, file size: 321.32KB)

The Modern History degree gives you an up-to-date and stimulating understanding of the history of the modern world from c.1750 to the present day.
The focus is on British, European and South Asian History with scope for broader perspectives on wider areas and processes. Themes include industrialisation, nationalism, imperialism, revolution, fascism, war and social change, migration, consumption, terrorism, environment, cultural memory. Our History Work Placement opportunities provide employability experience in museums, heritage sites, and schools.

The way we present Modern History at Staffordshire University is not just about ‘when’; rather we involve you in profound questions and investigations into ‘who’, ‘how’, and above all ‘why’ events happened in the way they did. We provide up-to-date and relevant approaches to modern history. An understanding of history is essential for making sense of a fast-changing modern world and to explain the causes and consequences of processes of ‘globalisation’.

We train you to be able to research, interpret, argue and present historical themes and approaches, and to be become advocates for ‘Why History Matters’, the title of a recent and recommended book by John Tosh. We welcome a lively culture of debate and student choice, and our students run their own History Society.

In Level 4 there are two core modules.
Making History I introduces you to important study and research skills, and highlights the importance of historical events and processes.
In Making History II you undertake a project topic of your own choosing to apply those skills to link an aspect of the local area to wider themes. The project can be in written form or as a short film or website.

The Level 5 core module is ‘Interrogating the Modern’ that helps you develop critical perspectives on the modern world and its history, including environmental history. As a single honours student you also take the core ‘Dissertation Preparation Plan’ module (optional for joint degree students).

At Level 6 as a single honours student you take as core the 10,000 word Modern History Dissertation (optional for joints).

In addition, at all three levels you choose award specific options in modern history. For example these can include study of the Enlightenment and the French Revolution; War, social change and cultural memory; the Third Reich and the Holocaust. A particular feature of the modern history degree at Staffordshire is the opportunity for History work placements with local museums, heritage sites, and primary and secondary schools.

Modern History is a discipline well recognised by employers for its rigorous development of advanced core skills of research, analysis, argument and communication. With work profiles changing rapidly employers like to take these core skills as the basis for training you for particular roles.

A Modern History degree can prepare you for employment in the public sector (for example teaching, local government, museums and archives), in the private sector (management and international companies), in the media (programme and feature research), in the developing regeneration and heritage sectors (community research and consultation, education interpretation at heritage sites).

Our History work placement opportunities help you stand out when applying for graduate jobs or further professional study. Undertaking a 10,000 word History Dissertation is also an excellent ‘showcase’ for demonstrating independent study capability, time management, research and presentation skills, organisational skills and professionalism. Through our range of assessments and group work you can develop strong communication and multi-media skills and team-working abilities.

We can put you in touch with some of our graduates who have entered different fields so that you can gain insights and advice from them. We can also advise on further postgraduate study. More general guidance is available from Prospects.

• BA(Hons) Modern History Programme Specification (PDF, file size: 109KB)

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