| Unit name | Environment and History |
|---|---|
| Unit code | HISTM0078 |
| Credit points | 20 |
| Level of study | M/7 |
| Teaching block(s) |
Teaching Block 1 (weeks 1 - 12) |
| Unit director | Dr. Would |
| Open unit status | Not open |
| Units you must take before you take this one (pre-requisite units) |
None |
| Units you must take alongside this one (co-requisite units) |
None |
| Units you may not take alongside this one |
None |
| School/department | Department of History (Historical Studies) |
| Faculty | Faculty of Arts |
Thematic options give students a chance to enhance their knowledge of both well-established and emerging topics of historical enquiry. They prepare students to specialise in TB2 by developing their ability to critique the work of other scholars, and to assess how, when, and why historians' have chosen to ask certain types of questions, and study certain types of topics. The aim is to provide all MA students with the core competencies required for their dissertation by developing their ability to identify, analyse and ultimately situate themselves within a chosen sub-field or topic area.
An overview of content
What is Environmental History? When and why did the field emerge? How has it changed over time? In what ways is it practiced differently in different parts of the world and by historians of different time periods? These are some of the central questions that will be addressed in this unit on the historiography of environmental history. It will pay particular attention to debates that have taken place among environmental historians and will consider some of the different methods and approaches that have been used. The unit also addresses questions about the relationship of environmental history to other areas of historical research and to other academic fields, thinking about the challenges of collaborative research. Through extensive reading and seminar discussions the unit will provide a strong grounding in the field of environmental history and demonstrate the numerous opportunities that exist for bringing ‘the environment’ into our understanding of change over time.
How will students, personally, be different as a result of the unit
This unit aims to introduce you to topics, themes and debates within several fields of historical thought, such as histories of animals, energy, colonialism, and environmental justice. It is intended to inspire new areas of interest, or to enhance existing curiosities that will ultimately provide a foundation for further specialist study in TB2.
Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of this unit students will be able to:
This unit will be taught through a combination of weekly seminars and asynchronous activity designed to help support your learning and assessment. The seminar will be based around discussion of key texts, historiographical debates and themes and how these have been shaped by historians' approaches to sources and methodology.
This will serve both to increase your knowledge of this topic and to build your confidence in critically engaging with the work of other scholars, whether in short assignments (up to 1000 words) or medium-length essays (2500 words).
The asynchronous activity will help develop your skills in reading and analysing existing academic scholarship, communicating your ideas in written form, and developing historiographical arguments in short- and medium-length assignments.
Tasks which count towards your unit mark (summative):
Assignment 1000-word (ILOs 104) [33%]. TB1 Week 5.
Essay 2500-word (ILOs 1-4) [67%]. TB1 Week 12.
When assessment does not go to plan
When required by the Board of Examiners, you will normally complete reassessments in the same formats as those outlined above. However, the Board reserves the right to modify the form or number of reassessments required. Details of reassessments are normally confirmed by the School shortly after the notification of your results at the end of the academic year.
If this unit has a Resource List, you will normally find a link to it in the Blackboard area for the unit. Sometimes there will be a separate link for each weekly topic.
If you are unable to access a list through Blackboard, you can also find it via the Resource Lists homepage. Search for the list by the unit name or code (e.g. HISTM0078).
How much time the unit requires
Each credit equates to 10 hours of total student input. For example a 20 credit unit will take you 200 hours
of study to complete. Your total learning time is made up of contact time, directed learning tasks,
independent learning and assessment activity.
See the University Workload statement relating to this unit for more information.
Assessment
The Board of Examiners will consider all cases where students have failed or not completed the assessments required for credit.
The Board considers each student's outcomes across all the units which contribute to each year's programme of study. For appropriate assessments, if you have self-certificated your absence, you will normally be required to complete it the next time it runs (for assessments at the end of TB1 and TB2 this is usually in the next re-assessment period).
The Board of Examiners will take into account any exceptional circumstances and operates
within the Regulations and Code of Practice for Taught Programmes.
