IE0153 Foundation Modern History

Academic year

2025 to 2026 Semester 1

Further information on which modules are specific to your programme.

Key module information

SCOTCAT credits

5

The Scottish Credit Accumulation and Transfer (SCOTCAT) system allows credits gained in Scotland to be transferred between institutions. The number of credits associated with a module gives an indication of the amount of learning effort required by the learner. European Credit Transfer System (ECTS) credits are half the value of SCOTCAT credits.

SCQF level

SCQF level 6

The Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework (SCQF) provides an indication of the complexity of award qualifications and associated learning and operates on an ascending numeric scale from Levels 1-12 with SCQF Level 10 equating to a Scottish undergraduate Honours degree.

Availability restrictions

Only be available to students on the IE International Year Zero (September): Social Sciences & Humanities.

Planned timetable

To be arranged

This information is given as indicative. Timetable may change at short notice depending on room availability.

Module coordinator

Dr N M Cott

Dr N M Cott
This information is given as indicative. Staff involved in a module may change at short notice depending on availability and circumstances.

Module Staff

Dr Nicholas Cott

This information is given as indicative. Staff involved in a module may change at short notice depending on availability and circumstances.

Module description

This course examines the period of the British Empire during the eighteenth, nineteenth, and early twentieth centuries, and then the legacy left by the British Empire thereafter. Topics covered include the reasons for the development of the British Empire, assessment of the sinews of power (including economic, military, political and cultural power), the lives and experiences of the empire by ordinary people in Britain and in the colonies, and reasons for the end of the empire and decolonisation. Students will engage with case studies to help exemplify an understanding of gender categories and race within the empire. Students will engage with primary and secondary sources and develop skills in how to critically analyse historical sources as a foundation for further study and to build transferrable general critical reasoning skills.

Assessment pattern

Coursework = 100%

Re-assessment

Coursework = 100%

Learning and teaching methods and delivery

Weekly contact

2 lectures (x 5 weeks), 1 tutorial (x 5 weeks) 1.5 hours of scheduled revision sessions.

Scheduled learning hours

16

The number of compulsory student:staff contact hours over the period of the module.

Guided independent study hours

33

The number of hours that students are expected to invest in independent study over the period of the module.

Intended learning outcomes

  • Identify and explain some of the key events and themes of the Modern History in oral and/or written form (SCQF7.1; SCQF7.2; CEFR B2)
  • Demonstrate ability to use language fluently and spontaneously, including using terminology relevant to the discipline of history (CEFR B2)
  • Critically evaluate secondary source material (SCQF7.4; CEFR B2)
  • Analyse how a primary source reflects its historical context (SCQF7.2; SCQF7.3)
  • Construct a clear, coherent, well-supported argument based on primary and secondary sources (CEFR B2; SCQF6.4)