Skip to main content

Unit information: Black Lives Matter: The African American Freedom Struggle (1945-Present) in 2022/23

Please note: you are viewing unit and programme information for a past academic year. Please see the current academic year for up to date information.

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
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

Unit Information

This unit explores the history of the African American freedom struggle from 1945 to the present day. We will 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.

Your learning on this unit

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

How you will learn

1 x two-hour interactive lecture

1 x one-hour workshop

How you will be assessed

Tasks which count towards your unit mark (summative):

One 3500-word essay (50%) [ILOs 1-4]. Timed Assessment (50%) [ILOs 1-4].

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 format or number of reassessments required. Details of reassessments are confirmed by the School/Centre shortly after the notification of your results at the end of the year. 

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.

Feedback