Unit information: Black Lives Matter: The African American Freedom Struggle (1945-Present) in 2021/22

Unit name	Black Lives Matter: The African American Freedom Struggle (1945-Present)
Unit code	HIST30095
Credit points	20
Level of study	H/6
Teaching block(s)	Teaching Block 1 (weeks 1 - 12)
Unit director	Dr. Saima Nasar
Open unit status	Not open
Pre-requisites	None
Co-requisites	None
School/department	Department of History (Historical Studies)
Faculty	Faculty of Arts

Description including Unit Aims

This unit explores the history of the African American freedom struggle from 1945 to the present day. We will set out to examine the goals, strategies and history of the civil rights movement and assess its importance to contemporary African American experiences. The unit will cover the role of key figures, such as Martin Luther King Jr and Malcolm X, as well as key events and organisations, such as the SNCC, Black Power and Black Lives Matter. By the end of the course, students will be able to critically research and discuss key concepts in African-American history since 1945.

Intended Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of the unit, successful students will be able to:

1. Identify and analyse key themes and contexts in the modern African American freedom struggle.
2. Discuss and evaluate the key historiographical debates that surround the topic
3. Critically assess and interpret primary sources and select pertinent evidence in order to illustrate specific and more general historical points
4. Present their research and judgements in written forms and styles appropriate to the discipline and to level H/6

Teaching Information

1 x two-hour interactive lecture

1 x one-hour workshop

Assessment Information

One 3,500-word summative essay (50%) [ILOs 1-4]

One two-hour exam (50%) [ILOs 1-4]

Resources

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. HIST30095).

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 Faculty 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. If you have self-certificated your absence from an assessment, you will normally be required to complete it the next time it runs (this is usually in the next assessment period).
The Board of Examiners will take into account any extenuating circumstances and operates within the Regulations and Code of Practice for Taught Programmes.