Course Structure

Introduction

The Joint Honours History and Sociology degree comprises compulsory courses together with optional courses. Students will choose 3 courses from each subject totalling 6 courses for the year.

The Sociology team’s diverse research interests translate into an exciting and dynamic programme, with opportunities to study a diverse range of subjects, such as:
• Intimacy, families and gender
• Conflict, deviance, violence and peace building
• Emotions and Politics, from Trump to Brexit
• Inequalities, poverty and social exclusion
• Religion and extremism
• Ethnicity, Race and racism
• Research methods and data skills (quantitative and qualitative)

Historians seek to understand the world around us by analysing the past. What is gender, race, class, religion, the state, empire, capitalism? What is the USA, China, the United Kingdom, Ireland? What is NATO and the EU? Our historians explain the modern world by reaching back to the Roman empire, the Middle Ages, the Renaissance, the Reformation and the great modern revolutions across all of Europe, North America, Africa, and Asia. From their first year, we trust our students to make choices and range widely across all these histories to understand where we have come from. And from the beginning of your degree you will be taught in small groups by expert historians. Our range in time and space, our trust in you to explore and make good choices, and our small group teaching from the first year of the degree, mark us out among our peer universities.

Stage 1

History
Courses at Stage 1 offer a systematic introduction to the discipline of History, partly by sampling some of the many different approaches that historians take in studying the past, and partly by an exploration of some of the major questions of theory and method with which they are concerned.

Sociology
In first year, you will learn to think sociologically and explore the sociological imagination using up-to-date research, from studies on racism in Britain to 'hoods' in Belfast.

Stage 2

History
Courses at Stage 2 are generally survey modules seeking to convey a sense of the principal events, trends and developments in a particular country or region over a fairly long time span.

Sociology
In second year, you will be introduced to classical and contemporary theories, and develop proficiency in quantitative and qualitative research methods. You will gain skills in using the most widely used software, for example, SPSS and NVivo. We take advantage of ARK, a key resource situated in the School, and use their wide range of attitudinal surveys, often commissioned by government and key NI organisations. This allows students to apply their research skills training to contemporary issues, using the latest survey data.

In addition to the core elements, which also includes a comprehensive introduction to the study of inequality, from historical development to contemporary debates, you will also be able to choose from a variety of courses.

Stage 3

History
Taught courses at Stage 3 are more specialised, offering the opportunity to study a short period or a particular theme or problem in detail, working from documents as well as secondary sources. In addition, Joint Honours students at Stage 3 can choose to complete a double course dissertation in one of the subjects based on an individually assigned research topic chosen in consultation with a supervisor. Some courses, especially surveys, use lectures and tutorials; others are taught through seminars, in which students are expected to come prepared to fully engage in and sometimes lead group discussions. There is also increasing use of web based learning.

Sociology
A key aspect of final year is the ability to choose from the specialist Sociology options, reflecting the team’s research interests.

Contact Teaching Hours

Personal Study

30 (hours maximum)
Typically, 10 hours per module (30 hours per week), reading in your own time

Medium Group Teaching

9 (hours maximum)
In a typical week, you may have up to 9 hours of practical classes, workshops or seminars, depending on the level of study.

Large Group Teaching

6 (hours maximum)
In a typical week you may have up to 6 hours of lectures, depending on the level of study

Small Group Teaching/Personal Tutorial

6 (hours maximum)
In a typical week, you will have 3-6 hours of tutorials (or later, project supervision).

Teaching Times

Face-to-face, live teaching generally takes place between the hours of 10am and 4pm on weekdays, but this is subject to change and special teaching events may take place outside these hours.

Learning and Teaching

Examples of the opportunities provided for learning on this course are:

• Computer-Based Practicals

  Practicals provide students with the opportunity to develop technical skills and apply theoretical principles to real-life contexts. For example, using recent survey data to address topical research issues, from attitudes to ageing to immigration. Specialist computer software includes SPSS (statistical package), ARCGIS (mapping and spatial analysis) and NVivo (qualitative data analysis software).

• E-Learning technologies

  Information associated with lectures and assignments is often communicated via a Virtual Learning Environment (VLE). A range of e-learning experiences are also embedded in the degree programme including the use of interactive support materials.

• Lectures

  Lectures are normally delivered in large groups and provide important introductions to significant concepts, debates and theories. They also provide opportunities to ask questions and seek clarification on key issues as well as gain feedback and advice on assessments. In sociology we often invite guest speakers from key organisations and civil society groups.

• Self-directed study

  This is an essential part of life as a Queen’s student and includes private reading, engagement with e-learning resources, and reflection on feedback and assignment preparation.

• Seminars/tutorials

  A significant amount of teaching is carried out in small groups. These sessions are designed to explore, in more depth, the information that has been presented in the lectures. This provides students with the opportunity to engage closely with academic staff who have specialist knowledge of the topic, to ask questions and to assess their own progress and understanding with the support of their peers. During these classes, students will sometimes be expected to present their work to academic staff and their peers.

• Work-based learning opportunities

  You will have the opportunity to gain valuable work experience with one of the many employers who are keen to benefit from the important skills you develop through your degree pathway. These opportunities can range from extra-curricular summer work placements, accredited by Degree Plus, through to working with community sector organisations on a research project in your final year.

Assessment

Assessments associated with this course are outlined below:

• Modules are typically assessed by a combination of continuous assessment, assignments and/or final written examination. Examples of continuous assessment include:
  
  Small Group Projects/Presentations – usually on a topic of students’ own choosing.
  Written assignments – including essays, book reviews and critical commentaries.
  Research-based assignments – for example, research proposals, questionnaire design, face-to-face interviews, reflective research diaries, analysis of statistical data and independent research projects.
  
  Details of how each module is assessed are shown in the Student Handbook and module guides which are provided to all students. Following each element of assessed coursework, students are provided with detailed feedback on the quality of their written work and how they can improve future assignment.

Feedback

Students receive general and specific feedback about their work from a variety of sources including lecturers, module co-ordinators, placement employers, personal tutors, advisers of study and peers. As a university student, you will be expected to take a greater role in reflecting on this and taking the initiative in continuously improving the quality of your work. Feedback may be provided in a variety of forms including:

• Feedback provided via formal written comments and marks relating to work that you, as an individual or as part of a group, have submitted
• Face to face comments. This may include occasions when you make use of the lecturers’ advertised “office hours” to help you to address a specific query.
• Online or emailed comments
• General comments or question and answer opportunities at the end of a lecture, seminar or tutorial
• Pre-submission advice regarding the standards you should aim for and common pitfalls to avoid. In some instances, this may be provided in the form of model answers or exemplars which you can review in your own time.
• Feedback and outcomes from practical classes
• Placement employer comments or references
• Comment and guidance provided by staff from specialist support services such as, Careers, Employability and Skills or the Learning Development Service
• Once you have reviewed your feedback, you will be encouraged to identify and implement further improvements to the quality of your work.

Facilities

Sociology is located in a recently renovated building, with state-of-the-art learning facilities. There is also a dedicated student common room in both Schools which students can use freely between 9am – 5pm Monday to Friday. The common room has seating, basic kitchen facilities and computer access

Modules

• Year 1

  Core Modules

  The Sociological Imagination (20 credits)

  ×

  The Sociological Imagination

  Overview

  This module aims to provide a general introduction to doing sociological research, through a critical engagement with landmark studies. C. Wright Mills’ idea of a ‘sociological imagination’ provides the framework for evaluating the quality of key pieces of research, exploring the connections between how they are defined, carried out and written up. The module covers a range of research methods, as they are employed in studies of important aspects of social life, such as racism, drugs and urban life, love and technology, social networking, education and masculinity and violence. The module also provides an in-depth introduction to the theoretical character of sociology by introducing classic perspectives shaping the discipline.

  Learning Outcomes

  Provide a general introduction to the practice of sociology and the evaluation of sociological research; a background for entry into second year sociology; and knowledge about inequality in society.

  Skills

  Critical evaluation of sociological studies; introduction to sociological analysis; public speaking and writing skills

  Coursework

  0%

  Examination

  0%

  Practical

  100%

  Credits

  20

  Module Code

  SOC1002

  Teaching Period

  Spring

  Duration

  12 weeks

  Pre-requisite

  No

  Core/Optional

  Core

  Exploring History 1 (20 credits)

  ×

  Exploring History 1

  Overview

  This module allows students to study a closely-defined area of history. They will choose from a range of courses offered by History staff and will study one topic in detail. Each course is designed as a significant area of study in its own right, and as a means of developing in depth some of the issues of historiography and method that students will encounter over their course of studies in History at Queen's. Particular emphasis is placed on essay writing at university level.

  Learning Outcomes

  On completion of this module, students should be aware of the range of approaches that have been used to study the past. They should be able to demonstrate knowledge of a particular historical case study and how it has been debated amongst historians. They should also be aware of the links between historical research and methodological/theoretical frameworks.

  Skills

  Ability to think critically, reason logically, and evaluate evidence; develop communication skills, both written and oral; an ability to work independently; the ability to use and interpret a range of sources.

  Coursework

  90%

  Examination

  0%

  Practical

  10%

  Credits

  20

  Module Code

  HIS1003

  Teaching Period

  Autumn

  Duration

  12 weeks

  Pre-requisite

  No

  Core/Optional

  Core

  Rethinking Society (20 credits)

  ×

  Rethinking Society

  Overview

  This module offers a general introduction to the discipline of sociology for those with no experience of studying sociology before. Its primary objective is to initiate students to sociological thinking. Sociology does not rely on our subjective experience and general ideas commonly shared withing the society (beliefs, customs, traditions, values, norms); its critical way of thinking and its methods allow us to discover aspects of social life that most people are unaware of. This will be done through a diversity of topics such as social class, suicide, race, gender, disability, globalisation, violence and other social phenomena. The module will provide a background for those intending to study sociology in the second and third years, but also acts as a stand-alone sociology course for those who do not intend to study it further

  Learning Outcomes

  By the end of the module you should be able to:
  Have a general understanding of the cncepts, approaches and theories available within the discipine of sociology.
  Understand the effect of social norms and common sense on our perception of social life.
  Apply a sociological way of thinking on a diversity of topics.
  Effectively gather, retrieve and synthesise information to evaluate the key aspects of social life.

  Skills

  - To develop analytical and oral skills through participation in lectures and tutorials.
  - To develop an ability to write in a clear, structured and critical manner utilising a wide range of source material.
  - To be able to use information technology to gather, organise and evaluate information.

  Coursework

  100%

  Examination

  0%

  Practical

  0%

  Credits

  20

  Module Code

  SOC1001

  Teaching Period

  Autumn

  Duration

  12 weeks

  Pre-requisite

  No

  Core/Optional

  Core

  Exploring History 2 (20 credits)

  ×

  Exploring History 2

  Overview

  This module allows students the chance to enrich their understanding of historical methods, theories and themes via a closely defined case study. Students will choose from a range of course offered by History staff and will study one topic in detail. Each course is designed as a significant area of study in its own right, and as a means of developing in depth some of the issues of historiography and method that students will encounter over their course of studies in History at Queen's.

  Learning Outcomes

  On completion of this module, students should be aware of the range of approaches that have been used to study the past. They should be able to demonstrate knowledge of a particular historical case study and how it has been debated amongst historians. They should also be aware of the links between historical research and methodological/theoretical frameworks.

  Skills

  Ability to think critically, reason logically, and evaluate evidence; develop communication skills, both written and oral; an ability to work independently; the ability to use and interpret a range of sources.

  Coursework

  100%

  Examination

  0%

  Practical

  0%

  Credits

  20

  Module Code

  HIS1002

  Teaching Period

  Spring

  Duration

  12 weeks

  Pre-requisite

  No

  Core/Optional

  Core

  Introducing Social Policy (20 credits)

  ×

  Introducing Social Policy

  Overview

  The module offers a general introduction to Social Policy as an applied academic subject. Students will be encouraged to take a broad perspective on how social policies are implemented by examining political, economic and social perspectives on human needs and wants. The second half of the course introduces social security, taxes, benefits and their implications for citizenship. The course offers a useful entry point to Social Policy; piquing students’ interest in core theories and principles which they will explore in more detail in second and third year social policy modules.

  Learning Outcomes

  • To introduce students to theories, concepts and principles underpinning social policy.
  • To provide an applied understanding of the implications of tax and benefits systems for human well-being.

  Skills

  Development of analytical and evaluative skills; independent learning skills and academic writing skills.

  Coursework

  100%

  Examination

  0%

  Practical

  0%

  Credits

  20

  Module Code

  SPY1004

  Teaching Period

  Autumn

  Duration

  12 weeks

  Pre-requisite

  No

  Core/Optional

  Core

  Optional Modules

  Revolutions (20 credits)

  ×

  Revolutions

  Overview

  The aim of the module is to introduce level 1 students to the concept and the scholarly debates that surround the term revolution. It does so by examining four examples of revolutions, which may include the Consumer Revolution, the Industrial Revolution, the French Revolution, and the Revolution of the 1960s. By doing so, it will raise broader questions about what causes historical change, the interplay between long-term trends and short-term turning points, and the role of individuals. The module will also introduce students to the importance of small group teaching at university and the importance of individual contribution to tutorials. This will be done through an individual presentation, a structured response to presentations from other students, and a short student reflection on the theory and practice of small-group teaching.

  Learning Outcomes

  An understanding of the concept and the scholarly debates that surround the term revolution; An ability to engage with the most important historiographical debates relating to the subject-matter of the module; Effective presentation and oral communication skills; The ability to contribute effectively and courteously to class debates and discussions; An ability to write an informed analysis of historical problems discussed in the module; Enhanced ability to think critically, reason logically, and evaluate evidence; An ability to reflect on learning experience.

  Skills

  None.

  Coursework

  0%

  Examination

  0%

  Practical

  100%

  Credits

  20

  Module Code

  HIS1004

  Teaching Period

  Spring

  Duration

  12 weeks

  Pre-requisite

  No

  Core/Optional

  Optional

  The Long Road to Black Lives Matter (20 credits)

  ×

  The Long Road to Black Lives Matter

  Overview

  A systematic introduction to ways in which history is used outside the university campus, including in museums and exhibitions, film, memorials and political discussion. The course will involve visits to local museums and students will get a chance to work together to pitch a new public history project. Previous projects have included public exhibitions, new museums or digital apps. The module focuses on the history of race, ethnicity, slavery, colonialism and anti-colonialism and their representations in pubic history.

  Learning Outcomes

  Students who successfully complete the module should • Be able to demonstrate an understanding of the role of academic history within society; • Be able to present historical information systematically and in accordance with normal
  
  academic practice; • Be able to demonstrate an understanding of the requirements of effective group work • Have identified a dissertation topic and be able to demonstrate an ability to place it in its broad historiographical context.

  Skills

  Working in groups; oral communication skills, public history theory.

  Coursework

  60%

  Examination

  0%

  Practical

  40%

  Credits

  20

  Module Code

  HIS1005

  Teaching Period

  Spring

  Duration

  12 weeks

  Pre-requisite

  No

  Core/Optional

  Optional

• Year 2

  Core Modules

  The Power of Social Theory (20 credits)

  ×

  The Power of Social Theory

  Overview

  This module provides an introduction to social theory. The development of sociological thought is traced from initial forumulations in the late 18th c. through to the work of contemporary theorists. As well as explaining the nature of various sociological perspectives, the module will show how these can be used to help us understand particular events and problems that occur in the social world.

  Learning Outcomes

  To provide students with a grounding in classical social theory. To introduce students to the central theoretical problems that sociologists face.

  Skills

  Demonstrate competence in evaluating sociological arguments. Display ability to write informed and literate essays.

  Coursework

  100%

  Examination

  0%

  Practical

  0%

  Credits

  20

  Module Code

  SOC2001

  Teaching Period

  Autumn

  Duration

  12 weeks

  Pre-requisite

  No

  Core/Optional

  Core

  Social Inequalities and Diversity (20 credits)

  ×

  Social Inequalities and Diversity

  Overview

  This module will critically examine key sociological debates about the character and dynamics of contemporary society from the point of view of social inequalities. It provides an introduction to key concepts, current research findings, and theories of social inequality. The objective is to discuss how social inequality impinges on virtually all facets of individual and social life and how it is created and maintained.

  Learning Outcomes

  • Gain an understanding of debates in sociology concerning the character and dynamics of social inequality in contemporary society
  • Develop a capacity for critical reflection on taken-for-granted assumptions about social inequality in contemporary society
  • Appreciate the value of comparative and systematic study of social inequality
  • Provide an analytical account of social inequality, its causes, and its effects

  Skills

  - Retrieve and select relevant information from print and electronic sources;
  - Select, utilise and interpret material to address a particular issue or problem;
  - Present information and communicate ideas in a coherent and appropriate manner and format;
  - Analyse, evaluate and interpret information in relation to social inequality;
  - Develop and defend reasoned opinions;
  - Develop and demonstrate independent thinking;
  - Develop oral skills through participation in lectures and tutorials, and group discussions;
  - Develop an ability to write in a clear, structured and critical manner utilising a wide range of source material.

  Coursework

  60%

  Examination

  0%

  Practical

  40%

  Credits

  20

  Module Code

  SOC2002

  Teaching Period

  Spring

  Duration

  12 weeks

  Pre-requisite

  No

  Core/Optional

  Core

  Optional Modules

  Uniting Kingdoms (20 credits)

  ×

  Uniting Kingdoms

  Overview

  The aim of this module is to examine the interrelationships between the kingdoms of England, Scotland, and Ireland from 1603 to 1815 and the factors contributing to the formation of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland in 1801. It will provide an overview of the principal events and developments following the union of the Crowns in 1603, including the attempts by the Stuart monarchy to promote uniformity, the wars of religion of the mid seventeenth century, Cromwellian rule, the Williamite revolutions in each of the three kingdoms, the Anglo-Scottish Union, church-state relations, Jacobite rebellions, the age of revolutions, and the British-Irish Union.

  Learning Outcomes

  An understanding of the various relationships between England, Ireland, and Scotland and the forces that encouraged the creation of the United Kingdom
  An ability to engage with the most important historiographical debates relating to the subject-matter of the module

  Skills

  Enhanced ability to think critically, reason logically, and evaluate evidence
  Further develop communication skills, both written and oral
  Critical appraisal of, engagement with, and effective use of a variety of sources.

  Coursework

  90%

  Examination

  0%

  Practical

  10%

  Credits

  20

  Module Code

  HIS2064

  Teaching Period

  Autumn

  Duration

  12 weeks

  Pre-requisite

  No

  Core/Optional

  Optional

  Northern Ireland: Identities, Ideologies & Futures (20 credits)

  ×

  Northern Ireland: Identities, Ideologies & Futures

  Overview

  This module introduces students to sociological approaches to identity, peace and conflict in Northern Ireland. The nature of Northern Ireland’s peace process is analysed in relation to contemporary local evidence as well as to scholarly debates about conflict transformation.

  Learning Outcomes

  To promote a critical understanding of the nature of conflict and peace in Northern Ireland. To use sociological approaches to identity and conflict in Northern Ireland. To connect empirical observations of the society around us to scholarly analyses of the nature of conflict transformation in Northern Ireland.

  Skills

  Presentation and writing skills. Critical evaluation of evidence. Logical argument in written work and seminar presentation. Demonstration of competence in understanding sociological concepts. Literature review and searches.

  Coursework

  75%

  Examination

  0%

  Practical

  25%

  Credits

  20

  Module Code

  SOC2032

  Teaching Period

  Autumn

  Duration

  12 weeks

  Pre-requisite

  No

  Core/Optional

  Optional

  Recording History (20 credits)

  ×

  Recording History

  Overview

  Students should develop knowledge of twentieth-century social history through a case-study of Belfast. By conducting their own interview, and analysing those conducted by the other members of the group, students should develop a working knowledge of the strengths and weaknesses of oral history as a research method and thus enhance their understanding of the broader methodological issues posed by research in modern social history. They should develop team-working skills (through collaborative research on their chosen topic), as well as their capacity for independent learning (through the conduct of one-to-one interviews and the transcription and analysis of those interviews). Oral presentational skills will be developed through reporting on work-in-progress in seminars. The module will, therefore, significantly enhance many of the skills related to the types of employment to which history graduates aspire, i.e. team-working, interpersonal skills, the ability to synthesize large bodies of information, and the compilation of written reports.

  Learning Outcomes

  On completion of this module, students should have acquired the following skills:
  
  Team-working (through collaborative research on your chosen topic)
  A capacity for independent learning (through the conduct of one-to-one interviews and the transcription and analysis of those interviews).
  Oral presentational and interpersonal skills will be developed through reporting on work-in-progress in seminars and by carrying interviewing.
  The ability to synthesize large bodies of information
  The ability to compile professionally prepared written reports.

  Skills

  Taking Recording History should enable students to:
  
  develop skills in the collection and analysis of primary sources
  gain experience of project management
  develop research skills
  gain experience of pitching project ideas in a non-academic context
  develop experience of the professional compilation and presentation of research results, including footnoting, referencing

  Coursework

  90%

  Examination

  0%

  Practical

  10%

  Credits

  20

  Module Code

  HIS2063

  Teaching Period

  Spring

  Duration

  12 weeks

  Pre-requisite

  No

  Core/Optional

  Optional

  The American South, 1865-1980 (20 credits)

  ×

  The American South, 1865-1980

  Overview

  The outcome of the Civil War sealed the destruction of slavery and raised hopes among African Americans and others of a new,more egalitarian social order in the American South. After a promising start in the immediate aftermath of the War,those hopes were crushed beneath the weight of racial reaction and the demands of the region's new industrial order,leaving ordinary southerners of both races languishing amidst intense poverty and racial violence. In this module we will attempt to understand both the remarkable resilience of racial divisions in the American South and the periodic attempts on the part of black and white southerners to challenge regional "tradition".

  Learning Outcomes

  To explore and understand the consequences of the ending of slavery in the American South.

  Skills

  An ability to analyse orally and on paper, the complex issues of race in the context of the American South.

  Coursework

  90%

  Examination

  0%

  Practical

  10%

  Credits

  20

  Module Code

  HIS2029

  Teaching Period

  Spring

  Duration

  12 weeks

  Pre-requisite

  No

  Core/Optional

  Optional

  Apocalypse: Cultures, communities, and the end of the world (20 credits)

  ×

  Apocalypse: Cultures, communities, and the end of the world

  Overview

  The aim of the course is to introduce students to historical and anthropological reflection on millennial / millenarian beliefs and movements across space and time. Taking a long view of historical events and using case studies of present-day groups that attend to ideas about the end of the world, taking advantage of the interdisciplinary character of the School, and using a wide range of primary sources, including novels, film, websites, and ethnographic case studies and film, this course will invite students to consider the ancient roots of millennial theory; its foundational texts, exponents / prophets and movements; examples of well-known failed and successful millennial claims and movements, including the Crusades, radical puritans, Mormons, Jewish Zionists, American evangelicals, new religious movements, including UFO and suicide cults, and radical Islamists; the use of millennial theory as presentist critique; the development of millennial majorities, and the social, cultural and political implications of their dominance; millennialism’s place in utopian theory; and a final consideration of theoretical rejoinders, in which the course leaders encourage students to consider whether millennial claims might be right – for example, in terms of global warming – and whether that might change the way in which historians and anthropologists should approach the subject.

  Learning Outcomes

  An understanding of the broad history and anthropology of millennial movements across space and time; An ability to discuss millennial ideas and movements using heuristic tools from history and anthropology; An ability to use electronic resources and to develop key research skills; Effective communication skills; An ability to write an informed analysis of historical problems discussed in the module; An ability to work independently.

  Skills

  Enhanced ability to think critically, reason logically, and evaluate evidence; Further develop communication skills, both written and oral; Critical appraisal of, engagement with, and effective use of a variety of historical and anthropological sources.

  Coursework

  90%

  Examination

  0%

  Practical

  10%

  Credits

  20

  Module Code

  HAP2065

  Teaching Period

  Autumn

  Duration

  12 weeks

  Pre-requisite

  No

  Core/Optional

  Optional

  Europe between the Wars, 1919-1939 (20 credits)

  ×

  Europe between the Wars, 1919-1939

  Overview

  The history of the interwar period in Europe is a familiar story to many, with the rise of Stalin and Hitler forming the central pillars of the narrative. This module offers a new perspective on this period, exploring issues that enable comparisons, as well as highlight contrasts, between the histories of various European states and peoples. It is:
  
  - thematic, not chronological, in structure, though it clearly has a first part focused on the 1920s, and a second on the 1930s
  - geographically de-centred – we are as likely to discuss Italy and Spain, as Germany and Russia
  - organised in a way that suggests the Spanish Civil War was both the central epic of our period but also the culmination of interwar social, political and cultural struggles
  - focused on social and cultural aspects of the period, as much as political and economic – we are as likely to discuss gender and art, as fascism and communism
  - based on wide-ranging and in-depth reading, including fictional works and films read as texts
  - aimed at those who want to go beyond men with moustaches, who enjoy the unusual and the quirky and like to go off the beaten track in their history studies

  Learning Outcomes

  By the end of this course, you should be able to demonstrate:
  - a good knowledge of the political regimes and their ideologies which were established in Europe during this period
  - an understanding of the economic forces at work between 1919 and 1939 and their implications for various European societies
  - an understanding of the outlook and experiences of various sectors of European society, including ethnic minorities and women
  - familiarity with primary sources from this period and with relevant secondary materials and historiographical debates
  - the ability to identify and select information relevant to the topic area from a variety of sources
  - the ability to analyse and evaluate evidence and argument
  - the ability to present your own arguments in essays, using appropriate evidence to support your views
  - the ability to work effectively within a group, making appropriate contributions to discussions, debates and tasks, as well as contributing and presenting a group presentation

  Skills

  - to provide students with an understanding of European history between 1918 and 1939, in the context of previous and later historical developments
  - to acquaint students with a variety of historical sources from this period including official documents and the press, films and images, as well as with secondary materials and historiographical debates
  - to promote the development of key skills required to study history effectively

  Coursework

  90%

  Examination

  0%

  Practical

  10%

  Credits

  20

  Module Code

  HIS2050

  Teaching Period

  Autumn

  Duration

  12 weeks

  Pre-requisite

  No

  Core/Optional

  Optional

  Politics and Society in 20th Century Ireland (20 credits)

  ×

  Politics and Society in 20th Century Ireland

  Overview

  Home Rule or Union?; Social and economic change; Gaelic revival and parliamentary politics; separatism; the Home Rule/Ulster crisis, 1912-14; war, rebellion and revolution; partition, independence and devolution.

  Learning Outcomes

  To understand the course of Irish development during the remaining years of the Union; partition, independence and devolution in Northern Ireland.

  Skills

  The acquisition and analysis of information; prioritisation and interpretation; effective presentation of written and oral reports.

  Coursework

  90%

  Examination

  0%

  Practical

  10%

  Credits

  20

  Module Code

  HIS2012

  Teaching Period

  Spring

  Duration

  12 weeks

  Pre-requisite

  No

  Core/Optional

  Optional

  Questions for an Ageing World (20 credits)

  ×

  Questions for an Ageing World

  Overview

  This course provides a critical understanding of how social policy shapes a person’s life trajectory. The course takes a life course perspective, immersing students in a range of social science literature including social gerontology, social policy and life course sociology. Key issues and themes covered include human rights (including children’s rights), disability, old age, birth and death. The role of public information and education in developing human agency is explored through the examination of contentious issues in social policy such as birth practices and our experience of death and dying. In 2020/2021 There will be a fortnightly on-line quiz via Canvas and a virtual field-trip to The Victoria & Albert museum.

  Learning Outcomes

  • To introduce students to theories, concepts and policies relevant to ageing and the life course.
  • To provide an applied understanding of the implications of social policy for the lived experience of ageing, from birth to death.

  Skills

  Development of analytical and evaluative skills; independent learning skills; Oral and written communication and presentation skills; teamwork skills.

  Coursework

  70%

  Examination

  0%

  Practical

  30%

  Credits

  20

  Module Code

  SPY2009

  Teaching Period

  Spring

  Duration

  12 weeks

  Pre-requisite

  No

  Core/Optional

  Optional

  The American South 1619-1865 (20 credits)

  ×

  The American South 1619-1865

  Overview

  In a nation which would later commit itself to upholding the ideals of freedom and democracy, the early American South developed a distinct social order based on the enslavement and subordination of Africans and their descendants. This course will explore the development of southern distinctiveness over two centuries, from the evolution of racial ideology in the early Chesapeake to the armed defence of the South's "peculiar institution" in the Civil War.

  Learning Outcomes

  To explore and understand the unique development and problems of the American South.

  Skills

  The ability to analyse and explain orally and on paper, the complex issues relating to the topic.

  Coursework

  90%

  Examination

  0%

  Practical

  10%

  Credits

  20

  Module Code

  HIS2028

  Teaching Period

  Autumn

  Duration

  12 weeks

  Pre-requisite

  No

  Core/Optional

  Optional

  Alexander The Great and the Creation of the Hellenistic World (20 credits)

  ×

  Alexander The Great and the Creation of the Hellenistic World

  Overview

  An analytical survey of ancient Mediterranean and Near Eastern history from the conquest of the whole of Balkan Greece by Philip II of Macedon, father of Alexander the Great, to the emergence of successor kingdoms within Alexander’s conquered territories after his death in 323 BC. After an introduction on sources and methodology, the course proceeds chronologically. Topics receiving special emphasis include: the rise, and the ultimate triumph, of Macedon over the Greek city-states; Alexander’s war against Persia and subsequent conquests; the fragmentation of Alexander’s empire after his death; and events in Sicily and the West (including the expansion of Rome in Italy).

  Learning Outcomes

  To apply objective historical methodology to a period of alleged decline in Greek history.

  Skills

  Skills of analysis and evaluation, in particular the organization and interpretation of widely scattered and fragmentary source material.

  Coursework

  60%

  Examination

  0%

  Practical

  40%

  Credits

  20

  Module Code

  HIS2020

  Teaching Period

  Spring

  Duration

  12 weeks

  Pre-requisite

  No

  Core/Optional

  Optional

  Politics and Society in 19th Century Ireland (20 credits)

  ×

  Politics and Society in 19th Century Ireland

  Overview

  The union and post-union government of Ireland; the development of nationalism and unionism in their different forms; the relationship between religion, politics and society; economic and social development, the famine and emigration; gender relations and the family; the land question and attempts to resolve it; Home Rule and resistance to it; Ireland’s relations with the British empire.

  Learning Outcomes

  Students should understand the key developments in Ireland’s political and social history over the course of the nineteenth century, in terms of continuities and changes.

  Skills

  The acquisition, weighing and assessment of historical information and interpretation. Analytical skills in interpreting and critiquing primary sources. Development of presentation skills involving the analysis and interpretation of material and articulation of evidence-based argument.

  Coursework

  90%

  Examination

  0%

  Practical

  10%

  Credits

  20

  Module Code

  HIS2011

  Teaching Period

  Autumn

  Duration

  12 weeks

  Pre-requisite

  No

  Core/Optional

  Optional

  The Northern Ireland Conflict and paths to peace (20 credits)

  ×

  The Northern Ireland Conflict and paths to peace

  Overview

  Northern Ireland’s peace process, the legacy of conflict and enduring divisions present a range of ongoing challenges for politics and society. Drawing on expertise from across the School of History, Anthropology, Philosophy and Politics – combined with that of relevant practitioners, where possible – this interdisciplinary, team-taught module will examine a range of thematic challenges with respect to conflict, conflict transformation, peacebuilding, community relations, public representations of the past, and democratic governance. Rooted in the case of Northern Ireland, the module will also routinely consider broader comparisons with other cases and possible generalisation to other cases. It will be structured into three main parts. First, it will critically engage with Northern Ireland’s past. What were the underlying sources of division, and what can we learn about the complexities and nuances of identity over time? Second, it will explore how the past continues to interact with contemporary Northern Ireland. How is this past represented and understood in today’s public history landscape? Is it possible for Northern Ireland’s contested past to be publicly represented in ways that promote mutual understanding? Can Northern Ireland now be characterised as a ‘post-conflict’ region? Finally, the module will look ahead. Does the current political settlement represent a sustainable form of governance for the region? What do internal developments, such as demographic change, and external challenges, such as climate change, mean for Northern Ireland’s future? By critically engaging with these interrelated themes through relevant disciplinary perspectives, this module ultimately seeks to better understand contemporary Northern Ireland, the history that has shaped it, and the future directions that are possible.

  Learning Outcomes

  By the end of this module the successful student should be able to demonstrate in assessed essays, coursework and tutorial contributions:
  - A familiarity with a range of topical issues and debates in Northern Ireland, including their historical roots, their contemporary political significance, and their relevance for the region’s future;
  - An understanding of the Northern Ireland conflict and the peace process, including the factors that contributed to both;
  - A critical appreciation of the challenges associated with conflict transformation, peacebuilding, community relations, public representations of the past, and democratic governance in a divided society from a variety of disciplinary perspectives in the humanities and social sciences;
  - Awareness of the role that arts, culture, heritage and public engagement with the past can play in reducing political and social divisions;
  - A heightened sense of the complexity of identity, politics and place in Northern Ireland.

  Skills

  Intellectual skills
  • Managing & Prioritizing Knowledge: identify relevant and subject-specific knowledge; manage such information in an independent manner;
  • Analytical Thinking: identify, understand, interpret and evaluate relevant subject-specific arguments made by others; construct independent arguments;
  • Critical & Independent Thinking: ability to think critically and construct one’s own position in relation to existing and ongoing debates in the field.
  Professional and career development skills
  • Communication Skills: ability to communicate clearly with others, both orally and in writing;
  • Teamwork: ability to work with others in a team, negotiate conflicts and recognize different ways of learning;
  • Diversity: ability to acknowledge and be sensitive to the range of cultural differences present in the learning environment;
  • Self-Reflexivity: ability to reflect on one’s own progress and identify and act upon ones own development needs with respect to life-long learning and career development;
  • Time Management: ability to negotiate diverse and competing pressures; cope with stress; and achieve a work / life balance .
  Technical and practical skills
  • Information Technology: demonstrate the knowledge and ability to use contemporary and relevant ICT.
  
  Organizational skills
  • Efficient and effective work practice: demonstrate ability to work efficiently to deadlines;
  • Clear organisation of information: show efficiency in the organisation of large amounts of complex information and the ability to identify, describe and analyse the key features of the information;
  • Organisation and communication: demonstrate ability to use evidence to develop logical and clear argument; show aptitude for the effective use of information in a direct and appropriate way;
  • Enterprising thinking: Demonstrate ability to think and argue in novel and enterprising ways, to display originality of thought and argument and the ability to clearly support arguments in innovative ways.

  Coursework

  90%

  Examination

  0%

  Practical

  10%

  Credits

  20

  Module Code

  HAP2001

  Teaching Period

  Autumn

  Duration

  12 weeks

  Pre-requisite

  No

  Core/Optional

  Optional

  Revolutionary Europe, 1500-1789 (20 credits)

  ×

  Revolutionary Europe, 1500-1789

  Overview

  The module will examine the revolutionary developments in Europe from the age of the high Renaissance around 1500 to the outbreak of the French Revolution in 1789 and its aftermath. Although the course content will be structured and delivered chronologically, the main focus of the module will be on those specific events and developments that historians have labelled ‘revolutionary’. Included in the analysis will be the cultural innovations brought on by the Renaissance, the upheavals in the religious world effected by the Reformation, the social and political changes associated with the rise of the state, and the revolution in forms of thought (from the scientific to the political) that emerged during the Age of Enlightenment. The module will end with a close study of the French Revolution, which was in many ways the culmination of the events and developments that make up the content of the module.

  Learning Outcomes

  Students should acquire knowledge of the main historical developments of early modern European history and the extent to which the various revolutionary aspects of the age (from the religious and the cultural to the social and political) led to a fundamental reshaping of society and provided the foundations for the making of the modern age. The student should acquire knowledge and understanding of these historical developments in historical context, by which is meant they should acquire an understanding of the cause, consequences, and basic histories of developments such as the Renaissance, Reformation, state formation, and the rise of political revolution. They should also be able to place the specific developments within the broader dynamic of early modern history, thus acquiring a knowledge of how the various revolutions during this period influenced each other.

  Skills

  The module should enable the student to develop the following skills:
  
  Analytical Thinking: the ability to identify, understand, interpret and evaluate relevant subject-specific arguments made by others; to construct independent arguments;
  Critical & Independent Thinking: the ability to think critically and construct one’s own position in relation to existing and ongoing debates in the field;
  Communication Skills: ability to communicate clearly with others, both orally and in writing;
  Efficient and Effective Work Practice: demonstrate the ability to work efficiently to deadlines for both written work and tutorial presentations;
  Clear Organisation of Information: show efficiency in the organisation of large amounts of complex information and the ability to identify, describe and analyse the key features of the information.

  Coursework

  90%

  Examination

  0%

  Practical

  10%

  Credits

  20

  Module Code

  HIS2057

  Teaching Period

  Spring

  Duration

  12 weeks

  Pre-requisite

  No

  Core/Optional

  Optional

  The Expansion of Medieval Europe, 1000-1300 (20 credits)

  ×

  The Expansion of Medieval Europe, 1000-1300

  Overview

  A dramatic expansion of medieval Europe occurred between about 1000-1300. This module will explore the growth of kingship and state formation, but will cover not only political history, but also economic and social, religious and cultural change. The main historical themes that dominated and shaped the history of Europe in the central Middle Ages will be explored with a focus on those institutions that laid the foundations for the formation of modern Europe.

  Learning Outcomes

  Students should acquire knowledge of the history of medieval Europe and be able to recognize and evaluate historical debates relating to the content of the module; be able to engage with historical interpretations and to judge between them; be able to evaluate the strengths and limitations of the principal primary sources relating to the module; be able to write informed and critical analysis of the historical issues and problems explored in the module.

  Skills

  Development of skills in critically analysing, contextualising and evaluating different types of written evidence; development of a critical understanding and appraisal of different types of historical writing and of approaches and concepts used by historians;; development of writing skills through formative and assessed coursework and a timed examination; development of oral communicative skills through tutorial presentation.

  Coursework

  90%

  Examination

  0%

  Practical

  10%

  Credits

  20

  Module Code

  HIS2047

  Teaching Period

  Spring

  Duration

  12 weeks

  Pre-requisite

  No

  Core/Optional

  Optional

  Understanding Gender and Migration (20 credits)

  ×

  Understanding Gender and Migration

  Overview

  This module is an undergraduate elective module. It will address contemporary debates on migration and gender while contextualising migration as individual and collective cross-border movement, internationally. It focuses on the gendered dynamics of (im)migration while differentiating agency of men and women, problematising the notions of femininity and masculinity, speaking about LGTB people, and also looking at nation state power formations (e.g. pull/ push factors) that trigger and shape migration movements, historically. Students will be introduced to a range of relevant sociological and feminist theories advancing our understanding of gendered migration, and they will learn how state regulated (e.g. nation states as defining what is ‘legal’) migration changes across time. Topics include among others labour migration (e.g. immigration law; gendered citizenship and EU trans-border mobility), but also forced migration (e.g. gendered causes and experiences of asylum seekers/ and refugees).

  Learning Outcomes

  * To develop students’ understanding of the feminist critique of Migration Studies and the ways Gender (& Ethnic) Studies influence this field of academic study and practice, especially since the 1970s.
  * To understand the heterogeneity of gendered experiences of migration, including the contexts of individual, family-based and mass movements, and those in particular social spaces, for example, regional, rural and urban contexts.
  * To understand the gendered implications of different ways of representing and responding to immigration.
  * To engage critically with key debates regarding the gendered dimensions of concepts such as nation, agency, rights and belonging.

  Skills

  By the end of this course, students will have acquired the capacity to:
  Understand and evaluate different conceptual approaches to the phenomenon of migration;
  understand discourses on migration as historically situated and embedded in nation-state politics;
  reflect sociologically on legal, political and social structure framing migration discourses in and beyond Europe;
  understand the specific dynamics of gendered migration;
  develop oral and written communication skills in presenting arguments on migration policy and debates with respect to different countries;
  apply knowledge of gender and migration to various country case studies;
  apply communication skills in order to disseminate research results effectively;
  design and write up an essay on the topic of current gender & migration debates.

  Coursework

  60%

  Examination

  0%

  Practical

  40%

  Credits

  20

  Module Code

  SOC2051

  Teaching Period

  Autumn

  Duration

  12 weeks

  Pre-requisite

  No

  Core/Optional

  Optional

  Sociology of Conflict and Peace Processes (20 credits)

  ×

  Sociology of Conflict and Peace Processes

  Overview

  This module introduces students to sociological approaches to conflict and peace processes. It presents theoretical approaches to conflict and peace, as well as comparative analyses of particular cases, such as Northern Ireland, Rwanda, South Africa, Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe. Topics include theoretical approaches to conflict management, resolution and transformation; the role of civil society in conflict/peace processes, militarism and military masculinities, the role of religion, the role of women, the role of ex-combatants, and victims/dealing with the past.

  Learning Outcomes

  Understand theoretical approaches to conflict management, resolution and transformation, including sociology’s distinctive contributions to these theoretical debates.
  
  Understand and critically evaluate the concepts of ‘civil society’ and ‘social peace processes’.
  
  Critically analyse and compare the sociology of conflict and peace processes in different contexts.
  
  Identify key actors within social peace processes and critically evaluate their role, including religious actors, women, ex-combatants and victims.

  Skills

  Intellectual Skills
  * An ability to critically read and evaluate sociological literature and non-academic/media material on conflict and peace processes.
  * An ability to collect and interpret evidence about conflict and peace processes.
  * An ability to demonstrate evidence of independent thinking and to compose reasoned opinions based on development of thought and knowledge
  
  Practical/study skills
  * An ability to write in a clear, structured and critical manner using a range of source material
  * An ability to present information in spoken form and to contribute to discussions
  * An ability to retrieve and synthesise primary and secondary, quantitative and qualitative, sources of (print and electronic) information
  * An ability to use information technology to gather, organise and evaluate material
  
  Employability skills
  * Organisation: planning and managing your learning, working on your own initiative
  * Communication skills: written and oral
  * Problem-solving: research, analysis, handling different types of data

  Coursework

  90%

  Examination

  0%

  Practical

  10%

  Credits

  20

  Module Code

  SOC2052

  Teaching Period

  Spring

  Duration

  12 weeks

  Pre-requisite

  No

  Core/Optional

  Optional

  The making of contemporary Britain: 1914 to the present (20 credits)

  ×

  The making of contemporary Britain: 1914 to the present

  Overview

  The course examines key debates in British history between 1914 and the present and complements "The making of modern Britain". It charts political, economic and social change in twentieth century Britain, including decolonisation and the loss of empire.

  Learning Outcomes

  At the end of the module, students should have developed an increased ability to demonstrate knowledge and understanding of contemporary British history as well as an enhanced ability to critically evaluate historical issues and problems in this field. Increased ability to discuss key historiographical debates relating to contemporary Britain. Students should also have enhanced ability to prepare written analyses of a primary source that draws upon key secondary literature. Increased ability to gather and synthesise material.

  Skills

  Students should develop an enhanced ability to think critically, reason logically and evaluate evidence, as well as to have further developed written and communication skills. They should also have an increased critical appraisal of and engagement with historical sources. Enhanced ability to make effective use of a range of sources.

  Coursework

  90%

  Examination

  0%

  Practical

  10%

  Credits

  20

  Module Code

  HIS2018

  Teaching Period

  Autumn

  Duration

  12 weeks

  Pre-requisite

  No

  Core/Optional

  Optional

  The Roman Origins of the East and West; From Augustus to Charlemagne (20 credits)

  ×

  The Roman Origins of the East and West; From Augustus to Charlemagne

  Overview

  This course focuses on one of the most exciting periods in the formation of the East and West, namely, the transition between the ancient and medieval worlds. Invasions of ‘barbarian’ hordes across the Rhine and Danube frontiers in the fifth and sixth centuries ended a stable system; in the seventh and eighth centuries, the invasions came from the south, as the forces of Islam exploded from Arabia and changed the Mediterranean Sea from a Roman lake to a contested frontier. In response to these political changes, individuals such as Augustine, Jerome, Basil of Caesarea, Gregory Nazianzos, Basil of Nyssa and John Chrysostom sought to incorporate the Classical heritage into the Christian life. Beginning with the Emperor Augustus, this course charts the development of the Roman empire and surveys its major institutions and culture, from the mechanics of autocracy to the character of polytheism. The success of Christianity within this empire is examined, particularly in relation to persecution and the ways in which the triumphant Christian church shaped ‘late antiquity’ are explored. This world, however, became subject to forces of change that transformed it dramatically. The course proceeds to highlight the significance of Theoderic, King of the Ostrogoths, who strove to unify Roman and barbarian cultures. It also examines Justinian the Great, the Byzantine emperor, whose attempt to reunite the Roman world ultimately failed. This course looks at Rome’s successor states in the East and West, namely medieval Byzantium, Frankish Gaul, Ostrogothic Italy and Visigothic Spain. The emphasis is on the theme of continuity and change. We look at how the Franks, having conquered Gaul, drew on Roman imperial and Christian ideology to legitimise their authority; how the Visigoths, having established their authority in Spain, produced a remarkably rich Roman-based culture; how the Romans of Byzantium, under hammer blows of Gothic, Hunnic and Muslim invasions, forged an enduring Byzantine culture combining Roman polity, Greek civilisation and Christian religion.

  Learning Outcomes

  • Help students think critically, reason logically and evaluate evidence.
  • Develop students’ written and communication skills.
  • Encourage critical appraisal of historical sources.
  • Enable students make effective use of electronic sources

  Skills

  • Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of Late Roman and early medieval history.
  • Make conceptual links between different historical periods and places.
  • Trace concepts and ideas over time.
  • Critically evaluate historical issues and problems in this field.
  • Write essays and develop arguments, making extensive use of both primary and secondary literature in the field

  Coursework

  90%

  Examination

  0%

  Practical

  10%

  Credits

  20

  Module Code

  HIS2049

  Teaching Period

  Autumn

  Duration

  12 weeks

  Pre-requisite

  No

  Core/Optional

  Optional

  Cabinets of Curiosity: Museums Past and Present (20 credits)

  ×

  Cabinets of Curiosity: Museums Past and Present

  Overview

  This module will focus on museums from the Renaissance to the modern day, charting the transition from private collecting to public display. It will consider the shifting roles of museums across time and will provide students with an understanding of how and why museums’ aims, purposes and functions continue to change. Students will engage with debates about object collection, preservation, repatriation and display, and will explore some of the current issues facing museums. They will also consider diverse museum audiences, including the elite and wealthy audiences of the eighteenth century and international audiences served by twenty-first-century online museums. Through their reading, research and museum visits, students will also begin to appreciate the different roles of museum staff and through their object engagement project, will gain vital skills that could be useful for their own future employment.

  Learning Outcomes

  On completion of this module, the successful student should be able to
  - Discuss the history of museums
  - Understand debates about the purpose, aims and roles of museums in society
  - Explain how and why the function of museums and their target audiences have changed over time
  - Identify current issues facing museums, particularly in Northern Ireland
  - produce object labels or object biographies for a wide audience

  Skills

  - Analytical skills
  - Research skills
  - Object appreciation skills
  - Written, oral and visual communication skills
  - Debating skills
  - Computer/multimedia skills
  - Group work skills

  Coursework

  90%

  Examination

  0%

  Practical

  10%

  Credits

  20

  Module Code

  HIS2067

  Teaching Period

  Spring

  Duration

  12 weeks

  Pre-requisite

  No

  Core/Optional

  Optional

• Year 3

  Core Modules

  Dissertation (40 credits)

  ×

  Dissertation

  Overview

  Students will research and write a dissertation of 10,000-12,000 words on an appropriate subject negotiated with a member of staff.

  Learning Outcomes

  Students will have gained a detailed knowledge of the secondary literature and primary sources relating to a specific historical problem, and will have acquired first hand experience of the processes involved in producing a piece of historical writing based on primary sources.

  Skills

  Students will acquire skills in identifying, locating, and gathering information from a variety of sources, in analysing evidence and formulating reasoned conclusions, and in presenting the results of research and analysis in an appropriate format.

  Coursework

  90%

  Examination

  0%

  Practical

  10%

  Credits

  40

  Module Code

  HIS3077

  Teaching Period

  Spring

  Duration

  24 weeks

  Pre-requisite

  Yes

  Core/Optional

  Core

  Optional Modules

  Issues in Contemporary Irish Society (20 credits)

  ×

  Issues in Contemporary Irish Society

  Overview

  The module aims to develop a sociological understanding of the dramatic social change which has occurred in recent times on the island of Ireland (particularly Northern Ireland). This will be accomplished by focusing on a series of key issues which help to illustrate both the scale and the nature of the transformations involved.

  Learning Outcomes

  By the end of this module, student will be:
  - Familiar with contemporary sociological debates within, and applied to, contemporary Irish Society
  - Able to analyse, evaluate and interpret information in relation to society and social life on the island of Ireland
  - Capable of developing and defending independent thinking, reasoned opinions and argument
  - Able to engage in systematic and critical reasoning about contemporary issues in Irish society
  - Confident in using and comparing different types of evidenceand experience from across Irish society, north and south, and from a variety of case studies

  Skills

  The course aims to enable students to develop the following skills:
  - Retrieve and select relevant information from print and electronic sources
  -Select, utilize and interpret material to address a particular issue or problem
  - Present information and communicate ideas in a coherent and appropriate manner and format.
  - Develop oral skills through participation in lectures and tutorials, presentations in class and group discussions
  - Develop an ability to write in a clear, structured and critical manner utilising a wide range of source material

  Coursework

  90%

  Examination

  0%

  Practical

  10%

  Credits

  20

  Module Code

  SOC3005

  Teaching Period

  Spring

  Duration

  12 weeks

  Pre-requisite

  No

  Core/Optional

  Optional

  Diaspora: Irish 19th-century migration (20 credits)

  ×

  Diaspora: Irish 19th-century migration

  Overview

  This module investigates the making of the Irish diaspora; explores factors that led unprecedented numbers of Irish migrants to permanently leave the country of their birth in the course of the 19th century and comparatively assesses the often challenging experiences of Irish migrants in the leading host societies of Britain, the United States and Australia. It also assesses the Irish migrant outflow against the backdrop of European migration to ascertain the distinctive features of Irish 19th-century migration. Course contents: Week 1 Introduction to migration history Week 2 The Scattering: the Irish case study Week 3 The key features of a diaspora Week 4 Pre-famine migratory patterns Week 5 Famine migration Week 6 Post-famine migration Week 7 Women and Irish migration Week 8 Host society analysis I: Britain Week 9 Host society analysis II: The United States Week 10 Host society analysis III: Australia - convict migration Week 11 Host society analysis IV: Australia - free settler migration

  Learning Outcomes

  On successful completion of this module, students will:
  
  In Understand the social and economic conditions in Ireland, and in recipient countries over the course of a century; Comprehend why people leave their country of birth; the difficulties and prejudices they often face in their new homelands; and the impact of migration on the place of birth and to the place of destination; Develop a wider and deeper understanding of the experience of Irish migration and the historical debates that surround the Irish diaspora; Understand the occupational and residential distribution of Irish migrants, paying particular attention to regional diversity and gender difference; An Be aware of the comparative aspect of migration studies; AN Be able to investigate migration in a rigorous academic manner Co Communicate historical arguments effectively both orally and in writing Have knowledge of Irish immigrants’ political, cultural and religious affiliation and the complex and problematic questions of ethnic identity, ethnic fade and attitudes to migrant populations which are issues of considerable contemporary resonance.

  Skills

  Managing and Prioritising Knowledge: identify relevant and subject-specific knowledge, sources and data; manage such information in an independent manner Analytical Thinking: identify, understand, interpret and evaluate relevant subject-specific arguments made by others; construct independent arguments Critical and Independent Thinking: ability to think critically and construct one’s own position in relation to existing and ongoing debates in the field professional and career development skills Communication Skills: ability to communicate clearly with others, both orally and in writing Diversity: ability to acknowledge and be sensitive to the range of cultural differences present in the learning environment Self-Reflexivity: ability to reflect on one’s own progress and identify and act upon one’s own development needs with respect to life-long learning and career development Time Management: ability to negotiate diverse and competing pressures; cope with stress; and achieve a work / life balance Practical and technical skills: demonstrate the knowledge and ability to use contemporary and relevant ICT/historical databases/online archival resources. Organisational skills: Efficient and effective work practice: demonstrate ability to work efficiently to deadlines Clear organisation of information: show efficiency in the organisation of large amounts of complex information and the ability to identify, describe and analyse the key features of the information Organisation and communication: demonstrate ability to use evidence to develop logical and clear arguments; show ability for the effective use of information in a direct and appropriate way Enterprising thinking: Demonstrate ability to think and argue in novel and enterprising ways, to display originality of thought and argument and the ability to clearly support arguments by the use of historical evidence

  Coursework

  90%

  Examination

  0%

  Practical

  10%

  Credits

  20

  Module Code

  HIS3137

  Teaching Period

  Spring

  Duration

  12 weeks

  Pre-requisite

  No

  Core/Optional

  Optional

  Norms and Social Change (20 credits)

  ×

  Norms and Social Change

  Overview

  This module explores some of the central concerns of sociology, namely the interplay between social norms, institutionally anchored social roles, and complex and contested identities. The focus is on theoretical approaches and debates as they address a number of social phenomena, including the dynamics of social stigma, gender, family life, work, collective/cultural identities, honour codes and rationales for punishment (the precise range of topics may vary from year to year).

  Learning Outcomes

  Students taking this course will have the opportunity to:
  • gain an understanding of key sociological debates concerning the significance of norms in social life;
  • develop an understanding of debates on the consequences of modernity for identities and role inhabitance;
  • develop a capacity for critical reflection on taken-for-granted assumptions about the connections between social institutions and agency.

  Skills

  Students will have the opportunity to develop the following skills:\n1. Intellectual skills\n Analyse, evaluate and interpret information \n Develop and defend reasoned opinions\n Develop and demonstrate independent thinking \n\n2. Employability Skills (Practical skills transferable into employment):\na) Communication\nUsing the spoken word - participating in discussions\nUsing the written word\n \nb) Information and communication technology:\nSearching and obtaining information\nEntering and processing data\nPresenting information\n\nc) Improving own learning & performance\nDemonstrating a degree of independence while learning\nReviewing progress and achievements\n\nd) Problem solving\nIdentifying a problem\nExploring options\nSelecting an appropriate solution\nUse of appropriate resources\nSynthesis, critical analysis, and interpretation of information

  Coursework

  90%

  Examination

  0%

  Practical

  10%

  Credits

  20

  Module Code

  SOC3050

  Teaching Period

  Autumn

  Duration

  12 weeks

  Pre-requisite

  No

  Core/Optional

  Optional

  Popular Culture in England 1500-1700 (20 credits)

  ×

  Popular Culture in England 1500-1700

  Overview

  Exploration of the cultural world of ordinary people in early modern Europe; the forms of popular culture; the relationship between elite and popular culture; the methodology historians have developed in order to study popular culture.

  Learning Outcomes

  To generate interest in early modern popular culture in Europe; to encourage critical thought.

  Skills

  Absorbing and evaluating various forms of evidence; constructing arguments in written form.

  Coursework

  90%

  Examination

  0%

  Practical

  10%

  Credits

  20

  Module Code

  HIS3018

  Teaching Period

  Autumn

  Duration

  12 weeks

  Pre-requisite

  No

  Core/Optional

  Optional

  The Ancient City (20 credits)

  ×

  The Ancient City

  Overview

  This module considers the ancient Greco-Roman city as a dynamic form of settlement, from its origins in archaic Greece to its demise (or transformation) in the late antique West. Our readings will include ancient discussions of the political and economic roles of cities and of urban architecture and design, as well as depictions in prose and poetry of everyday life in imperial Rome and classical Athens. We will also examine the material remains of these two ancient “mega-cities” and of the smaller but well-preserved cities of Pompeii and Herculaneum. We will attempt to formulate our own definition(s) of the ancient city, and we will trace changes in the organization and uses of urban space, and in ancient writers’ conceptions of the political, social, economic, and religious roles of cities, over the course of classical antiquity.

  Learning Outcomes

  - An understanding of the historical and geographical diversity of ancient Mediterranean urbanism.
  - An ability to recognize and evaluate historical debates (both ancient and modern) relating to the development of the Greco-Roman city.
  - An ability to evaluate the wide range of textual and material-cultural evidence pertaining to the Greco-Roman city.

  Skills

  - The ability to engage with historical interpretations and to judge between them, both orally and in written form.
  - The ability to evaluate the strengths and limitations of diverse primary and secondary sources.
  - The ability to locate relevant sources and to construct a consistent written argument from them.
  - The confidence to discuss, present and articulate arguments to peers.

  Coursework

  90%

  Examination

  0%

  Practical

  10%

  Credits

  20

  Module Code

  HIS3129

  Teaching Period

  Spring

  Duration

  12 weeks

  Pre-requisite

  No

  Core/Optional

  Optional

  The Origins of Protestantism (20 credits)

  ×

  The Origins of Protestantism

  Overview

  The module will examine the rise of Protestantism in the early modern period (1517-1740), from the onset of the Reformation in Germany and Switzerland to the spread of the movement throughout Europe and America to the eve of the mainstream Enlightenment.

  Learning Outcomes

  To introduce students to history of confessional development in Europe; to encourage critical thought.

  Skills

  Analysis of textual evidence (primary and secondary) and the ability to formulate arguments in written and oral form.

  Coursework

  90%

  Examination

  0%

  Practical

  10%

  Credits

  20

  Module Code

  HIS3022

  Teaching Period

  Spring

  Duration

  12 weeks

  Pre-requisite

  No

  Core/Optional

  Optional

  The Rise of Christianity 2: The Conversion of the Roman Empire (20 credits)

  ×

  The Rise of Christianity 2: The Conversion of the Roman Empire

  Overview

  A study of the growth of the Christian community within the Roman world from the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem (AD 70) to the death of Constantine the Great (AD 337). Students will assess the variety and character of early Christian teaching; the appearance and definition of heresies; the literary interaction between the upholders of Roman religio and Christians; the nature and extent of persecution within the Roman empire; the conversion of Constantine the Great (c. AD 312) and its significance for the Roman empire.

  Learning Outcomes

  To understand the methods used for the resconstruction of an historical topic and acquire advanced perspectives of early Christianity in its Roman context.

  Skills

  Advanced development of skills of analysis and evaluation, in particular the organization and interpretation of widely scattered and frequently fragmentary source material.

  Coursework

  90%

  Examination

  0%

  Practical

  10%

  Credits

  20

  Module Code

  HIS3071

  Teaching Period

  Autumn

  Duration

  12 weeks

  Pre-requisite

  No

  Core/Optional

  Optional

  War, Politics, and Identity in Late Medieval Ireland, c.1166-c.1521 (20 credits)

  ×

  War, Politics, and Identity in Late Medieval Ireland, c.1166-c.1521

  Overview

  This module explores the politics and culture of Ireland during the later medieval period. The module begins by assessing the state of Irish politics on the eve of the Anglo-Norman (or English) invasion of 1169. The course then charts the expansion and consolidation of English power during the later twelfth and thirteenth centuries before investigating the political and military recovery of the Gaelic Irish aristocracy during the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries. The module pays close attention to the themes of ethnicity and identity formation. It examines how growing interaction between the Irish and English (as well as interactions with the Scots and Welsh) shaped attitudes towards being ‘Irish’ and being ‘English’ in late medieval Ireland. Students will also consider key events such as King John’s expedition of 1210, the Bruce invasions, the Black Death, Richard II’s expedition, the Wars of the Roses, and the impact of the Renaissance. The module concludes by examining the advent of the Tudors and the beginning of early modernity in Ireland. During the course, students will engage with a range of debates on the history and culture of late medieval Ireland. They will also be introduced to a rich meld of primary source material including Irish annals, bardic poetry, genealogical material, as well as English sources such as governmental records and chronicles.

  Learning Outcomes

  Upon successful completion of this module, students should be able to:
  • Demonstrate a detailed knowledge of how Irish politics evolved c.1166-1521
  • Discuss how scholarship has evolved on medieval Irish history
  • Think critically about some of the main political, economic, social, and environmental factors shaping Irish history in this period
  • Communicate ideas to others in a clear and concise manner, in both oral and written form

  Skills

  Upon successful completion of this module students will have:
  • Enhanced their critical and analytical skills through close readings of primary sources.
  • Completed a detailed literature review of the main debates in the secondary literature.
  • Employed library skills to prepare assignments and research.
  • Developed a greater degree of self-directed learning.
  • Enhanced their oral and written presentation skills.

  Coursework

  90%

  Examination

  0%

  Practical

  10%

  Credits

  20

  Module Code

  HIS3143

  Teaching Period

  Autumn

  Duration

  12 weeks

  Pre-requisite

  No

  Core/Optional

  Optional

  Paths to Independence and Decolonisation in India and East Africa (20 credits)

  ×

  Paths to Independence and Decolonisation in India and East Africa

  Overview

  This module explores different, yet interconnected, paths towards independence in India and East Africa. On the surface the Independence movements in India, Kenya and Tanzania have little in common. India became independent in 1947, Tanzania in 1961 and Kenya in 1963. Leaving aside the partition of British India into what is today India, Pakistan and Bangladesh, independence for the subcontinent was already being discussed since about the First World War, whereas Kenya saw the emergence of a strong majority national movement only after the Second World War. However, there existed cultural and political connections between the Indian Subcontinent and East Africa which played a significant role in the struggle for independence in these regions. This course aims at illuminating the circulation of political ideas and the way in which they acquired specific meaning in local contexts. Moreover, the course highlights the importance of South-South connections in the making of the modern nation-state in Asia and Africa. Students will be expected to engage with a range of interdisciplinary sources such as governmental reports, political tracts, film documentaries, oral testimony and fiction.

  Learning Outcomes

  On successful completion of this module, students should be able to:
  Acquired knowledge and informed understanding of nationalist movements in Asia and Africa, their specific characteristics, and the connections and links between the countries studied.
  Analyzed and discussed a wide range of source materials.
  Confidently evaluate a range of relevant historiographical debates and approaches.
  Analyse a multiplicity of primary sources.
  Evaluate evidence for continuity and change across the period, and compare regional variations.

  Skills

  Students will improve their ability to engage with and critique a variety of historical interpretations.
  Students will develop their ability to identify and locate primary and secondary sources and to exploit them in constructing sustained and coherent arguments.
  Students will enhance their self-confidence, team-working and oral and written communication skills by engaging in group discussions, making presentations, and submitting written work.

  Coursework

  90%

  Examination

  0%

  Practical

  10%

  Credits

  20

  Module Code

  HIS3133

  Teaching Period

  Spring

  Duration

  12 weeks

  Pre-requisite

  No

  Core/Optional

  Optional

  Emotion, Power, and Politics: The Political Sociology of Emotions, Trump, Brexit, and Populism (20 credits)

  ×

  Emotion, Power, and Politics: The Political Sociology of Emotions, Trump, Brexit, and Populism

  Overview

  The module will introduce and give students a firm understanding of a new, and increasingly important, sub-field that operates at the intersection of political sociology, and the sociology of emotion: the political sociology of emotion. The approach is interdisciplinary, deploying concepts and literature from various areas across the social sciences, including social and political theory, sociology and the sociology of emotion, political psychology, and political science. The module examines the ‘politics-emotion nexus’ in various ways, and shows how an understanding of emotion has become increasingly salient in and vital for the explanation of the contemporary world. There will be seminars addressing the relationships between emotions and: social movements; nationalism; affective and/or emotional citizenship; war and conflict; the emotional state; the increasing importance of emotions in and for party politics; the rise of populism, Trump, and Brexit; and emotions in post-conflict and divided societies. This is a research-led module, arguing for the importance and distinctiveness of the sociological approach to understanding and explaining these issues, and introducing work and case studies at the very cutting edge of the discipline. Teaching will combine a lecture and seminar/discussion format.

  Learning Outcomes

  By the end of this module students will:
  
  • Gain an understanding of key theoretical concepts debates about emotions and power in social and political life from sociology and other social science disciplines;
  • Evaluate a range of perspectives on the relationship(s) between emotions, power, and politics;
  • Develop a capacity for critical analysis of emotions and power in the field of politics, using case studies and examples.

  Skills

  This module will provide practice in:
  • Analyzing, evaluating and interpreting information
  • Developing and defending reasoned opinions
  • Developing and demonstrating independent thinking
  • Employability Skills
  This module will provide experience in:
  • Communication
  • Using the spoken word - participating in discussions
  • Using the written word
  Information and communication technology:
  • Searching and obtaining information Entering and processing data
  • Presenting information
  • Improving own learning and performance
  • Demonstrating a degree of independence while learning
  • Reviewing progress and achievements
  • Problem solving Identifying a problem Exploring options
  • Selecting an appropriate solution
  • Use of appropriate resources
  • Synthesis, critical analysis, and interpretation of information

  Coursework

  100%

  Examination

  0%

  Practical

  0%

  Credits

  20

  Module Code

  SOC3053

  Teaching Period

  Autumn

  Duration

  12 weeks

  Pre-requisite

  No

  Core/Optional

  Optional

  Surviving the Victorian city: poverty, welfare and public health in nineteenth-century Belfast (20 credits)

  ×

  Surviving the Victorian city: poverty, welfare and public health in nineteenth-century Belfast

  Overview

  Using Belfast as a case study, this module will explore the dichotomy between industrial and economic growth and the poverty and disease that accompanied it with the emergence of the industrial city in nineteenth-century Ireland and Britain. We will examine the social conditions that accompanied industrialisation and urbanisation and the experiences of the poorest in society as they sought to survive the city. We will seek to understand the various factors that led families into destitution, the ways in which they sought to get by, and how they engaged with welfare authorities and the workhouse as a last resort. We will also examine societal attitudes towards poverty and disease and explore the attempts by welfare and civic authorities to tackle these. There will be an emphasis on the role of the poor law in health and welfare in the latter half of the century, and a focus on the experience of specific groups such as women, children, and the sick.

  Learning Outcomes

  Students will identify the main factors that drove Belfast’s urban and industrial growth during the nineteenth century and will be able to place this in the wider context of both Ireland and Britain. They will understand the social consequences of rapid urbanisation and the challenges around poverty and public health that this presented, and will engage with historiographical debates around poverty and welfare in the nineteenth-century city. They will develop a clear understanding of the poor law and how it operated in the nineteenth-century city.
  
  They will critically examine a range of primary sources, examining how these can be approached in order to uncover attitudes towards poverty and the poor and the ways in which society sought to address poverty, destitution and disease. In particular students will become familiar with the types of sources that can help uncover the lived experiences of the poorest in society.

  Skills

  Students will improve their critical skills and their ability to engage with historiographical debates. They will develop their ability to locate and use a range of primary sources and to apply these appropriately to independent historical research Students will develop their communication skills, understanding and articulating complex ideas in a variety of written forms, and engaging in discussion and debate over a range of issues.

  Coursework

  90%

  Examination

  0%

  Practical

  10%

  Credits

  20

  Module Code

  HIS3140

  Teaching Period

  Autumn

  Duration

  12 weeks

  Pre-requisite

  No

  Core/Optional

  Optional

  Modern Families: Intimate and Personal Relationships (20 credits)

  ×

  Modern Families: Intimate and Personal Relationships

  Overview

  This module will focus on the sociological theory and research on the family and it will do so by examining both the scholarship on the family and the place of the family in different European societies. The history and current state of the family in Northern Ireland will be examined in the immediate context of family studies in both the UK and Ireland and in the broader context of other European societies. Both theoretical and empirical work will be considered.

  Learning Outcomes

  (1) To make students familiar with the literature on the sociology of the family. (2) To give students a knowledge of the different approaches to understanding and studying the family. (3) To make links between this literature on the family and the main sociological theories more broadly. (4) To identify the significant feature of the family in Northern Irish society and how the family has functioned in this society as compared with others. (5) To give students an appreciation of comparative studies and the comparative method.

  Skills

  Acquisition of information, literature review, reproduction of information in essay and examination. Critical evaluation of evidence. Presentation skills.

  Coursework

  50%

  Examination

  50%

  Practical

  0%

  Credits

  20

  Module Code

  SOC3028

  Teaching Period

  Spring

  Duration

  12 weeks

  Pre-requisite

  No

  Core/Optional

  Optional

  The Irish Revolution, 1917-1921 (20 credits)

  ×

  The Irish Revolution, 1917-1921

  Overview

  The module will explore revolutionary politics in Ireland between 1916 and 1921. Key themes will include the rise of Sinn Fein following the Easter Rising, the establishment of Dail Eireann, the Irish Volunteers' military campaign and the British government's response to these political and military challenges. The course will make use of a wide range of local and thematic studies to investigate controversial questions relating to the Irish revolution: what factors motivated republicans, how important was sectarianism in revolutionary violence, why did some areas of the country see little fighting and how important a factor was the north?

  Learning Outcomes

  An ability to identify the key issues and themes of this period. An understanding of the importance of the economic, social and cultural forces which contributed to the political events of this period. An ability to assess and evaluate a range of approaches to the key controversies relating to the Irish revolution. An understanding of the historiography of the Irish Revolution.

  Skills

  The ability to demonstrate an argument based on study of documents and secondary readings in a written essay and examination paper. Oral participation in tutorials through debate and presentations. Assessing and evaluating conflicting arguments in the secondary literature.

  Coursework

  90%

  Examination

  0%

  Practical

  10%

  Credits

  20

  Module Code

  HIS3073

  Teaching Period

  Autumn

  Duration

  12 weeks

  Pre-requisite

  No

  Core/Optional

  Optional

  Religion and Empire: Christian Missions ro Africa, Asia and Middle East (20 credits)

  ×

  Religion and Empire: Christian Missions ro Africa, Asia and Middle East

  Overview

  Christian missions are often seen as old fashioned, but for long they were at the forefront of modernity. They carried modernity overseas and brought back fresh ideas which helped shape new societies. This course investigates when and how Christian overseas expansion happened; how missionaries related to empire and indigenous peoples; why and how Africans or Asians chose to convert; what they did with the Christianitywith which they were confronted; and how missionary activities contributed to the elaboration of new ideas of race, class and scientific knowledge at home.

  Learning Outcomes

  Students who successfully complete the module should
  • Be able to demonstrate an understanding of the history of Christian expansion in the 19th and 20th centuries;
  • Be able to develop critical arguments about religion and modernity in the West and in the rest of the world;
  • Be able to engage successfully with archival material;
  • Be able to demonstrate an understanding of the requirements of essay writing, bibliographic work, and oral presentation.

  Skills

  Critical writing; archival research; oral presentation.
  Archival research will be kept to a minimum, in an archive in Belfast or online. The oral presentation will be a presentation of archival material to be used for the second (major) essay.

  Coursework

  90%

  Examination

  0%

  Practical

  10%

  Credits

  20

  Module Code

  HIS3099

  Teaching Period

  Autumn

  Duration

  12 weeks

  Pre-requisite

  No

  Core/Optional

  Optional

  Extermination: History and Memory of the Murdered Jews of Europe (20 credits)

  ×

  Extermination: History and Memory of the Murdered Jews of Europe

  Overview

  This is a final-year UG taught module devoted to the destruction of European Jewry during the Second World War. The module will treat separately the following components of the history and memory of an event often referred to as the Holocaust or Shoah, but here called “the Extermination”: 1. The origins of the Jewish peoples some 5,000 years ago and their eventual settlement in North Africa and Europe near the end of the Ancient period. 2. The flowering of Jewish culture in the Middle Ages and Early Modern periods. 3. The growth of antisemitism and anti-Jewish pogroms across Europe from the late 19th C., spawning successive waves of emigration. 4. The peculiar qualities of Nazified antisemitism in Germany from 1933, included the piecemeal and soon wholesale denial of civil rights for German Jews. 5. Wartime escalation of the persecution of Jews, both in Germany and across occupied Europe. 6. The transition to ghettoization, and then extermination, resulting in the murder of six million Jewish persons by spring 1945. 7. The implication in the Extermination of a wide array of collaborators beyond Nazi Germans, including bystanders, neighbors, neutral governments and the Allies. 8. Post-1945 memory wars, stalled attempts at reparations and restitutions, and the creation of public history research centers and memorials. 9. The struggles to represent the Extermination, on the stage, in the cinema, on the page and in other media. 10. The more recent biological imperative for historians to reinvent Holocaust Studies as the last wartime survivors and eyewitnesses die out.

  Learning Outcomes

  * an understanding of the destruction of the Jews of Europe between 1939 and 1945, in the context of previous and later historical developments * knowledge of a variety of historical sources from this period, including official documents and the press, memoirs, novels, films and images, as well as with secondary materials and historiographical debates appearing books and articles * knowledge of the wartime European political regimes and their ideologies that gave rise to exterminationist antisemitism * an understanding of the outlook and experiences of various sectors of Jewish society over the course of WWII, including women and children * an understanding of the post-war emergence of Holocaust studies and the various ways that the Extermination was remembered, memorialised, but also trivialised and falsified * an appreciation of the depths of the problems of representation, on the screen and on the page, as well as in other forms of representation * an understanding of the key role of survivor testimonies in creating narratives of the Extermination, and the current crises of transition to a post-survivor re-invention of Holocaust studies.

  Skills

  * to promote the development of key skills required to study history effectively * the ability to identify and select information relevant to the topic area from a variety of sources * the ability to analyse and evaluate evidence and argument * the ability to present your own arguments in essays, using appropriate evidence to support your views * the ability to work effectively within a group, making appropriate contributions to discussions, debates and tasks, as well as contributing and presenting a small group presentation * to hone public speaking skills and confidence, through discussions, debates and presentations

  Coursework

  90%

  Examination

  0%

  Practical

  10%

  Credits

  20

  Module Code

  HIS3139

  Teaching Period

  Autumn

  Duration

  12 weeks

  Pre-requisite

  No

  Core/Optional

  Optional

  Kings, courts and culture in Carolingian Europe (20 credits)

  ×

  Kings, courts and culture in Carolingian Europe

  Overview

  This module focuses on the pivotal role played by the Carolingians in the intellectual and cultural formation of Europe. To this period, historians traditionally ascribe the following developments: the growth in the production of manuscripts, proliferation of scriptoria and preservation of classical writings. Key topics will be the royal patronage of artistic and literary activity; the vigorous use of Roman and Christian ideology, ritual and imagery; the growing interest in logic in the Carolingian schools; and the appearance of important scholars, philosophers and poets, most famously John Scottus Eriugena.

  Learning Outcomes

  On completion of this module, students should be able to demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the following areas: Carolingian intellectual history, critical evaluation of historical issues and problems in this field, the historiographical debates relating to the Carolingian period, both primary and secondary literature in the field, how to gather and synthesise material relating to ninth-century Carolingian history

  Skills

  This module should help students develop their skills in the following areas: 1) Critical thinking and logical reasoning 2) Evaluation of evidence 3) Analysis of arguments 4)Construction of an argument 5)Oral communication 6)Written communication 7)Use of primary sources

  Coursework

  70%

  Examination

  0%

  Practical

  30%

  Credits

  20

  Module Code

  HIS3079

  Teaching Period

  Autumn

  Duration

  12 weeks

  Pre-requisite

  No

  Core/Optional

  Optional

  The cultural politics of memory in a global perspective (20 credits)

  ×

  The cultural politics of memory in a global perspective

  Overview

  This module provides students with an in-depth understanding of memory studies as an interdisciplinary field through a discussion of contemporary theoretical debates and case studies from across the globe. The module will cover key themes such as: memorial sites and commemorative objects; national memory and national identity; long-term impacts of conflict, terrorism, war, and genocide; transnational and diasporic
  memories, and contemporary legacies of Empire and colonialism. The module is designed to equip students with theoretical and methodological tools for undertaking data collection and analysis of social processes surrounding memory and commemoration.

  Learning Outcomes

  Students will develop an understanding of the historical and contemporary debates surrounding collective memory and the cultural and political struggles over the social remembrance of the past. By the end of this module, students will be able to:
  * understand contemporary debates in memory studies as an interdisciplinary field.
  * analyse and critique the concept of ‘collective memory’ and its theoretical and practical implications.
  * critically appraise different methods for studying commemorative processes.
  * understand how memory and collective identity shape social relations, especially in post-conflict and post-colonial societies around the world.
  * systematically compare and contrast different case studies through reasoned analysis

  Skills

  This module will provide practice in:
  
  * Critically analysing and appraising strengths and weaknesses of different theoretical and methodological approaches in collective memory.
  * Reflecting on suitable research methods for studying various aspects of memory and commemoration.
  * Forming, developing, and defending arguments based on empirical evidence from a range of sources.
  * Making comparisons of empirical case studies through reasoned analysis.
  
  This module will provide experience in:
  • Communication
  • Using the spoken word - participating in discussions
  • Using the written word Information and communication technology:
  • Searching and obtaining information Entering and processing data
  • Presenting information
  • Improving own learning and performance
  • Demonstrating a degree of independence while learning
  • Reviewing progress and achievements
  • Problem solving Identifying a problem Exploring options
  • Selecting an appropriate solution
  • Use of appropriate resources
  • Synthesis, critical analysis, and interpretation of information

  Coursework

  90%

  Examination

  0%

  Practical

  10%

  Credits

  20

  Module Code

  SOC3054

  Teaching Period

  Spring

  Duration

  12 weeks

  Pre-requisite

  No

  Core/Optional

  Optional

  The sociology of protest and revolution (20 credits)

  ×

  The sociology of protest and revolution

  Overview

  This module covers the sociology of revolution and protest. It encourages students to examine the structural causes of protest and revolution and the agential factors involved in carrying out dissent and revolutionary change around the world. The module will be concerned with a range of historical and contemporary case studies internationally. Students will be stimulated to engage with a wide range of conceptual frameworks and social theories in relation to revolution and protest.
  
  The course will additionally seek to outline approaches to measuring and understanding the effects of protest and revolution. Students will further examine forms of counter-protest and counter-revolutionary action, such as the policing of dissent. Case studies will include the Arab Spring, decolonisation, LGBTQ rights. African American Civil Rights, the Peasants Revolt, the French Revolution. The course will further encourage students to consider a wide range of forms through which dissent is expressed: e.g. street demonstrations, violence, art and culture, and political mobilisation.

  Learning Outcomes

  Students will develop an understanding of the main causes of protest and revolutionary action. They will also be able to analyse activism, social movements, and social change By the end of this module, students will be able to:
  * understand classical and contemporary theories on protest, social movements and revolution
  * identify and analyse the main causes of protest and revolution
  * understand a range of historical and contemporary case studies
  * analyse the effects of protest and social movements on our societies.
  * systematically compare and contrast different case studies through analysis
  * apply interdisciplinary approaches to analysing protest/revolution
  * use various methodological approaches to researching protest/revolution

  Skills

  This module will provide practice in:
  
  * Critical analysis of the structural forces the drive protest and revolution
  * To engage in various methodological approaches to measuring the outcomes of protest and revolution
  * Critically analysing and appraising strengths and weaknesses of different theoretical and methodological approaches in protest and revolution.
  * Forming, developing, and defending arguments based on empirical evidence from a range of sources.
  * Making comparisons of empirical case studies through reasoned analysis.
  * Interdisciplinarity in terms of using sociological, criminological, historical and political science approaches to protest and revolution
  * To understand comparative sociology
  
  This module will provide experience in:
  • Communication
  • Using the spoken word - participating in discussions
  • Using the written word Information and communication technology:
  • Searching and obtaining information Entering and processing data
  • Presenting information
  • Improving own learning and performance
  • Demonstrating a degree of independence while learning
  • Reviewing progress and achievements
  • Problem solving Identifying a problem Exploring options
  • Selecting an appropriate solution
  • Use of appropriate resources
  • Synthesis, critical analysis, and interpretation of information

  Coursework

  90%

  Examination

  0%

  Practical

  10%

  Credits

  20

  Module Code

  SOC3055

  Teaching Period

  Autumn

  Duration

  12 weeks

  Pre-requisite

  No

  Core/Optional

  Optional

  Religion: Death or Revival? (20 credits)

  ×

  Religion: Death or Revival?

  Overview

  This module presents theoretical approaches to and empirical studies of religion, concentrating on religion and modernity. Specific topics iclude sociological definitions of and approaches towards religion, debates on secularisation theories, modern religious expressions (new religious movements, spirituality, fundamentalism), rational choice approaches to the study of religion, the globalisation of religion and political responses to religious diversity.

  Learning Outcomes

  - To understand the non-normative character of the sociological study of religion.
  - To acquire a knowledge of some key contributions, both classic and recent, in the sociological analysis of religion.
  - To become aware of the existence of debates within the subject and to learn to use evidence to critically evaluate competing claims.
  - To become more aware of the interplay of religion with other social processes (eg modernity, globalisation).
  - To address, through the consideration of evidence and through discussion, our preconceptions about some contentious issues pertaining to religion.

  Skills

  - Using the written word - essay writing.
  - Using the spoken word - Participating in group discussions.
  - Developing reading skills.
  - Searching for and obtaining information.
  - Evaluating , synthesizing and interpreting information.
  - Increasing your awareness of religious diversity in contemporary societies.
  - Using evidence to critically evaluate competing claims
  - Developing and defending reasoned opinions
  - Developing and demonstrating independent thinking

  Coursework

  90%

  Examination

  0%

  Practical

  10%

  Credits

  20

  Module Code

  SOC3052

  Teaching Period

  Autumn

  Duration

  12 weeks

  Pre-requisite

  No

  Core/Optional

  Optional

  Wolf Children and Baby Boomers: The Family in European History 1945-1970s (20 credits)

  ×

  Wolf Children and Baby Boomers: The Family in European History 1945-1970s

  Overview

  The Second World War caused enormous upheaval to families across Europe, separating parents and children as well as couples and resulting in an estimated 11 million children having lost one or more parents by 1945. The project of the reconstruction of post-war Western European society placed a huge emphasis on reuniting families, where possible, and reconstructing the so-called traditional family. As the Cold War took hold, the idea of the ‘traditional’ – nuclear, Christian – family also came to be seen as a bulwark against the threat of Communism. However the return to traditional family life after 1945 was in large part an illusion, since the impact of war was so deep that there could be no return to normal. The long separation of war put enormous strain on the couples and families who were reunited, while aerial bombardment meant that millions had lost their homes: separation, divorce and single mothers were common features of the late 1940s. The war also changed how psychologists thought about parents and children: witnessing the trauma of children in war sparked a new focus on children and childhood in psychoanalysis.
  
  By the 1950s, Western European society was also being transformed in new ways: migration was transforming European cities into modern, multicultural spaces, while villages and farmlands across Europe were being emptied of people. The scale of social change meant that political and religious authorities also felt the so-called traditional family to be under threat, prompting moral panics about women and youth. By the late 1960s, it was clear that the ‘traditional family’ of conservative, Christian rhetoric was deeply out of touch with reality. The ‘sexual revolution’ of the 1960s gave way to wide-scale youth revolt by the end of the decade. The 1968 protests which erupted across schools and universities in France, Italy, West Germany and beyond, were above all a generational rebellion. The second-wave feminist and gay liberation movements of the 1970s continued their radical critique of the family, suggesting new communal forms of living were the answer.
  
  This module will examine the political importance of the family in the post-war reconstruction and the Cold War, setting the rhetoric of political and religious leaders against the reality of changing family life, while exploring how new ideas of family life emerged in the 1960s and 1970s. We will draw on the history of the emotions to discuss changing family relationships. We will also examine how ideas about children, childhood and adolescence changed over the late twentieth century from the fears about feral ‘wolf children’ playing in the rubble of bombed cities to the emergence of the teenager in the 1960s. While the focus will be on Western Europe, with case studies drawn from France, Britain, Italy and West Germany, we will also examine the alternative ways of thinking about the family that emerged from communism. Tutorials will focus on source analysis and discussion: primary sources will be drawn from newspapers, political posters, novels, memoirs and films as well as manifestos and oral history interviews.
  
  Weekly topics may include:
  
  Displaced children after 1945
  Returning veterans and post-war families
  The family as Cold War propaganda
  Moral panics about 1950s youth
  Race, migration and multiculturalism in Britain and France
  Migration and the family in southern Europe
  Radical ideas about family in 1960s Italy and West Germany

  Learning Outcomes

  Aims
  
  • Explore a variety of approaches to the history of the family, as they apply to late twentieth-century Europe.
  • Examine the history of family life in late twentieth-century Europe as it intersects with cultural, social and political developments in history from the impact of World War II, the rise of consumer society, developments in medicine and technology to the rise of youth cultures, counter cultures and protest movements.
  • Prompt reflection and debate about how and why the private, intimate sphere of family life can become the subject of political and religious concern.
  
  Objectives
  
  Having successfully completed the module, you should be able to:
  
  • Understand the different methodological approaches to the modern history of the family.
  • Demonstrate familiarity with a variety of different types of primary sources including personal testimonies, manifestos, fiction and mass media sources such as film, magazines and documentaries.
  • Discuss how commercial, religious and political forces have shaped people’s attitudes to family life, emotions and relationships over the course of the late twentieth century.
  • Be able to draw connections and comparisons across time and space, using the case studies covered in the module.

  Skills

  In completing this module you will develop the following skills:
  
  • Analysing and discussing a range of primary sources in textual, visual and audio-visual forms
  • Working individually and as part of a group to analyse sources and readings, and to present historical arguments
  • Examining and evaluating the arguments of other historians
  • Presenting your arguments and analyses in written form

  Coursework

  90%

  Examination

  0%

  Practical

  10%

  Credits

  20

  Module Code

  HIS3023

  Teaching Period

  Spring

  Duration

  12 weeks

  Pre-requisite

  No

  Core/Optional

  Optional

  The Soviet Union 1921-1991 (20 credits)

  ×

  The Soviet Union 1921-1991

  Overview

  The political, social, economic and international conditions leading to Bolshevik success after 1917; the nature of the Soviet state as evolving under Lenin ; the evolution of Stalin's personal rule and the Stalinist system; the nature and limits of de-stalinization under Kruschchev.

  Learning Outcomes

  To understand the Bolshevik takeover of Russia, the adaption of Marxism to Russian conditions and the adjustment of the peoples of Russia to such circumstances.

  Skills

  To discover, assess and select evidence mainly from secondary sources, to interpret and evaluate this material, to envisage the ways of thinking in a very different environment.

  Coursework

  90%

  Examination

  0%

  Practical

  10%

  Credits

  20

  Module Code

  HIS3039

  Teaching Period

  Autumn

  Duration

  12 weeks

  Pre-requisite

  No

  Core/Optional

  Optional

  The War of Ideas in Seventeenth-Century Ireland (20 credits)

  ×

  The War of Ideas in Seventeenth-Century Ireland

  Overview

  Seventeenth-Century Irish Catholics and Irish Protestants employed political ideologies and philosophies to understand and shape the world in which they lived. Students will tackle a series of primary sources concerned with the nature of civility and barbarism, positive law and natural law, the divine right of kings, holy war, popular political action, the early science of statistics, and the early Enlightenment. These seventeenth-century people were trying to solve problems in society and government by employing tools which they had learned in grammar schools and universities, law courts and parliaments. By examining the ideas they employed we can better understand the revolutions through which they lived.

  Learning Outcomes

  On completion of this module students should be able to understand; the basic political theories employed in seventeenth-century Ireland; how these formal theories were embedded in wider political culture; how these theories and that culture changed over the century; how all these Irish phenomena related to wider changes throughout Europe.

  Skills

  An ability to relate political theory and political practice by focusing on political discourse.
  An ability to analyse primary sources written in sixteenth and seventeenth-century English, including an ability to place these sources in context.
  An ability to evaluate secondary literature in light of what they have learned from primary sources.
  An ability to write an analysis of major historical problems informed by these primary and secondary source skills.

  Coursework

  90%

  Examination

  0%

  Practical

  10%

  Credits

  20

  Module Code

  HIS3121

  Teaching Period

  Autumn

  Duration

  12 weeks

  Pre-requisite

  No

  Core/Optional

  Optional

  Twentieth-Century China (20 credits)

  ×

  Twentieth-Century China

  Overview

  This module examines the last century for the most populous country in the world. During that period China experienced far-reaching changes and after a long submission period to the Western powers reaffirmed its central role on the global stage. In terms of political structures, there was a move from empire to republic, and then from a right wing to a left wing mono party rule. In that regard, the century can be split into before and after World War Two, when the leadership of the country was first in the hands of the Chinese Nationalist Party led by Sun Yatsen and then Chiang Kaishek, and since 1949 by the Chinese Communist Party led by Mao Zedong, then Deng Xiaoping and his successors. The twentieth century for China also witnessed epochal changes regarding society and culture, including the New Cultural Movement, the May Four Movement, the emancipation of women, and opposition to Confucian values. The course also presents the intricate foreign policy, which passed from a tributary system, to Japanese occupation, to a central player of the Cold War in Asia, and to a central player in the globalized world of today.

  Learning Outcomes

  On successful completion of this module, students should be able to:
  • Demonstrate detailed knowledge and understanding of the political and social changes of twentieth-century Chinese history.
  • Confidently evaluate a range of relevant historiographical debates and approaches.
  • Analyse and evaluate in translation a variety of primary sources drawn from across the period.
  • Evaluate evidence for continuity and change across the period, and compare regional variations.

  Skills

  • Students will improve their ability to engage with and critique a variety of historical interpretations.
  • Students will develop their ability to identify and locate primary and secondary sources and to exploit them in constructing sustained and coherent arguments.
  • Students will enhance their self-confidence, team-working and oral and written communication skills by engaging in group discussions, making presentations, and submitting written work.

  Coursework

  90%

  Examination

  0%

  Practical

  10%

  Credits

  20

  Module Code

  HIS3132

  Teaching Period

  Spring

  Duration

  12 weeks

  Pre-requisite

  No

  Core/Optional

  Optional

  That Vast Catastrophe: The Great Irish Famine (20 credits)

  ×

  That Vast Catastrophe: The Great Irish Famine

  Overview

  To understand the most terrible historical moment in modern Irish history. This single-semester module is concerned with one of the great climacteric episodes in Irish history. The demographic, economic, social and political events of the period 1845-49 will be studied in detail. Considerable attention will also be paid to the decades preceding the Great Famine, in an attempt to answer the question: "was the Great Famine inevitable?" Similarly, consideration will be given to the longer-term economic, social and political consequences of the Great Famine. This is a tutorial-led module and will employ a purpose-designed tutorial handbook.

  Learning Outcomes

  To understand the most terrible historical moment in modern Irish history.

  Skills

  The analysis of historical problems; critical evaluation of facts and arguments; the interpretation of primary historical evidence; practice in constructing and writing informed and literate essays; verbal presentation and group work.

  Coursework

  90%

  Examination

  0%

  Practical

  10%

  Credits

  20

  Module Code

  HIS3033

  Teaching Period

  Spring

  Duration

  12 weeks

  Pre-requisite

  No

  Core/Optional

  Optional

  The Exceptional Origins of the American Republic (20 credits)

  ×

  The Exceptional Origins of the American Republic

  Overview

  The Italian Renaissance statesman, political philosopher and historian Niccolò Machiavelli is best known for his treatise The Prince. Machiavelli’s creation of the archetype of the autocratic ruler has been admired by countless statesmen, historians and political scientists ever since.
  
  It may therefore come as a surprise that the righteous “New World” Founders of the American Republic were almost without exception devoted followers of the “Old World” Machiavellian Prince. John Adams, for one, confessed that he was a keen “student” of Machiavelli, dubbing him “the restorer of true politics,” and a man who had brought about a “revival of reason in matters of government.” Needless to say, this poses some awkward questions around what Adams lovingly described as “Our pure, virtuous, public spirited federative Republick.”
  
  But Machiavelli was not the only political thinker the American Founders turned to for ideas about how to build a new Republic that would withstand the test of time. In fact, they read just about every author who had written on the rise and fall of states. This poses a range of intriguing historical, political and constitutional questions. For if the nation state that the Americans cobbled together from examples they had found in previous philosophers, political historians and other writers, then how did they come up with the idea for an America that was ‘exceptional’ and hence unique among modern nations?
  
  In this module we will be exploring America’s supposedly “exceptional” liberal tradition, destined by God himself to thrive for ever in a Republic beyond the reach of despotism, in which governments exists solely because they derive “their just powers from the consent of the governed.” And yet for many outside America, it is a nation that is socially, racially, economically, politically, ecologically, and morally broken. That said, America put humans on the moon (surely for some good reason) and relieved the world of many a dictator (though often not for legitimate reasons). And those who like to take aim at America’s social deprivation and capitalist greed, need to explain why socialism never even came close to getting a foothold in the country.
  
  In this module we will be looking at how the nation that arose from the American Revolution and subsequently put its undisputable mark on the course of history (for better or for worse), comes across to many non-Americans as a phenomenon that is self-contradictory, if not wholly irrational. For that reason, this module sits at the confluence of political idealism and historical experience. Methodologically, the topic is wedged between the history of ideas and what may be described the history of fact or event.

  Learning Outcomes

  On successful completion of this module, students will:
  
  
  • Be able to integrate the history and politics of the US within world historical, political and cultural developments, particularly within a transatlantic context
  • Be able to recognize recognize the key social and political events that marked the settlement of the Americas and the creation of the United States
  • have gained an understanding of the processes of colonization, nationhood, and identity formation in the context of the America
  • will be able to negotiate the different disciplinary aims and methodologies of the history of ideas and history proper
  • will have an understanding of the interdependent relation between a nation’s—notably America—ideas and ideologies on the one hand, and historical event and experience on the other

  Skills

  • are able to use primary sources in fashioning arguments
  • are able to analyze and interpret historiographical, literary, sociopolitical and philosophical sources as well as cultural artefacts
  • can make constructive contributions to class discussions and reproduce relevant material under exam conditions
  • have some grasp of how to situate their own interpretations of this period in a broader historiographical fabric have improved oral and writing skills
  • Students will learn to build these sources first into their essay, and then into their take-home exam essays.

  Coursework

  90%

  Examination

  0%

  Practical

  10%

  Credits

  20

  Module Code

  HIS3142

  Teaching Period

  Autumn

  Duration

  12 weeks

  Pre-requisite

  No

  Core/Optional

  Optional

Entrance requirements

A level requirements

BBB

A maximum of one BTEC/OCR Single Award or AQA Extended Certificate will be accepted as part of an applicant's portfolio of qualifications with a Distinction* being equated to grade A at A-Level and a Distinction being equated to a grade B at A-level.

Irish leaving certificate requirements

H3H3H3H3H4H4/H3H3H3H3H3

Access Course

Successful completion of Access Course with an average of 65%.

International Baccalaureate Diploma

32 points overall, including 6,5,5 at Higher Level

BTEC Level 3 Extended/National Extended Diploma

QCF BTEC Extended Diploma (180 credits at Level 3) with overall grades DDD

RQF BTEC National Extended Diploma (1080 GLH at Level 3) with overall grades DDD

Graduate

A minimum of a 2:2 Honours Degree

Note

All applicants must have GCSE English Language grade C/4 or an equivalent qualification acceptable to the University.

There are no specific Level 3 subject requirements to study History and Sociology.

How we choose our students

Applications are dealt with centrally by the Admissions and Access Service rather than by individual University Schools. Once your on-line form has been processed by UCAS and forwarded to Queen's, an acknowledgement is normally sent within two weeks of its receipt at the University.

Selection is on the basis of the information provided on your UCAS form. Decisions are made on an ongoing basis and will be notified to you via UCAS.

For entry last year, applicants for this degree offering A-Level/ BTEC Level 3 qualifications or equivalent must have had, or been able to achieve, a minimum of 5 GCSE passes at grade C/4 or better (to include English Language). The Selector will check that any specific entry requirements in terms of GCSE and/or A-level subjects can be fulfilled.

Offers are normally made on the basis of 3 A-levels. Two subjects at A-level plus two at AS would also be considered. The offer for repeat applicants is set in terms of 3 A-levels and may be one grade higher than that asked from first time applicants. Grades may be held from the previous year.

Applicants offering two A-levels and one BTEC Subsidiary Diploma/National Extended Certificate (or equivalent qualification), or one A-level and a BTEC Diploma/National Diploma (or equivalent qualification) will also be considered. Offers will be made in terms of the overall BTEC grade(s) awarded. Please note that a maximum of one BTEC Subsidiary Diploma/National Extended Certificate (or equivalent) will be counted as part of an applicant’s portfolio of qualifications. The normal GCSE profile will be expected.

For applicants offering Irish Leaving Certificate, please note that performance at Irish Junior Certificate is taken into account. Applicants must have a minimum of 5 IJC grades C/ Merit. The Selector also checks that any specific entry requirements in terms of Leaving Certificate subjects can be satisfied.

For applicants offering a HNC, the current requirements are successful completion of the HNC with 8 Merits. For those offering a Higher National Diploma, some flexibility may be allowed in terms of GCSE profile but, to be eligible for an offer, the grades obtained in the first year of the HND must allow the overall offer to be achievable. The current entrance requirements are successful completion of the HND with 9 Merits and 7 Passes overall. Any consideration would be for Stage 1 entry only.

The information provided in the personal statement section and the academic reference together with predicted grades are noted but, in the case of BA degrees, these are not the final deciding factors in whether or not a conditional offer can be made. However, they may be reconsidered in a tie break situation in August.

A-level General Studies and A-level Critical Thinking would not normally be considered as part of a three A-level offer and, although they may be excluded where an applicant is taking 4 A-level subjects, the grade achieved could be taken into account if necessary in August/September.

Applicants are not normally asked to attend for interview, though there are some exceptions and specific information is provided with the relevant subject areas.

If you are made an offer then you may be invited to a Faculty/School Open Day, which is usually held in the second semester. This will allow you the opportunity to visit the University and to find out more about the degree programme of your choice and the facilities on offer. It also gives you a flavour of the academic and social life at Queen's.

If you cannot find the information you need here, please contact the University Admissions Service (admissions@qub.ac.uk), giving full details of your qualifications and educational background.

International Students

Our country/region pages include information on entry requirements, tuition fees, scholarships, student profiles, upcoming events and contacts for your country/region. Use the dropdown list below for specific information for your country/region.

Please Select Your Country/Region Please Select Your Country/Region Afghanistan Albania Algeria Angola Argentina Armenia Australia Austria Azerbaijan Bahrain Bangladesh Barbados Belarus Belgium Belize Benin Bolivia Bosnia And Herzegovina Botswana Brazil Brunei Bulgaria Cambodia Cameroon Canada Chile China Mainland Colombia Costa Rica Croatia Cuba Cyprus Czech Republic Denmark Djibouti Ecuador Egypt Eritrea Estonia Ethiopia Fiji Finland France Georgia Germany Ghana Greece Guyana Haiti Honduras Hong Kong (SAR) Hungary Iceland India Indonesia Iran Iraq Ireland Israel Italy Ivory Coast Jamaica Japan Jordan Kazakhstan Kenya Kosovo Kuwait Kyrgyzstan Lativa Lebanon Liberia Libya Lithuania Luxembourg Macau (SAR) Madagascar Malawi Malaysia Malta Mauritius Mexico Mongolia Morocco Mozambique Myanmar Namibia Nepal Netherlands New Zealand Nigeria Norway Oman Pakistan Palestine Panama Paraguay Peru Philippines Poland Portugal Puerto Rico Qatar Romania Russia Rwanda Saudi Arabia Sierra Leone Singapore Slovakia Slovenia South Africa South Korea Spain Sri Lanka St Vincent And The Grenadines Sudan Sweden Switzerland Syria Taiwan Tajikistan Tanzania Thailand Trinidad and Tobago Tunisia Turkey Uganda Ukraine United Arab Emirates Uruguay USA Uzbekistan Venezuela Vietnam Yemen Zambia Zimbabwe

English Language Requirements

An IELTS score of 6.5 with a minimum of 5.5 in each test component or an equivalent acceptable qualification, details of which are available at: http://go.qub.ac.uk/EnglishLanguageReqs

Career Prospects

Introduction

This degree at Queen's will assist you in developing the core skills and employment-related experiences that are valued by employers, professional organisations and academic institutions. Graduates are found in a range of occupations, including management, communication, marketing, careers in the media and publishing, charities and the voluntary sector, healthcare, social services and education. They are particularly suited to careers with a high level of public interaction, social engagement and cultural awareness. Sociology develops the ability to gather and evaluate evidence, to understand complex situations, as well as human behaviours and organisations. Graduates are equipped with a comprehensive skills in Research methods, which are highly transferable and marketable and needed across a range of sectors – academia, government, charities and business. While some graduates enter in a wide range of careers, others build on the degree and opt for studies at the post graduate level, for instance by choosing from a range of master programmes within Queen’s University.

Employment after the Course

Typical career destinations of graduates include:

Administration
Skills from a social science degree centre on the ability to locate, interpret and apply complex data. The degrees we offer in our School provide particular skills in data analysis that are rare among other social science graduates. These types of skills, combined with an ability to communicate clearly and solve problems, mean that our graduates do well in advanced positions of administration and management. Many such jobs can be found in spheres relating to local administration and public policy.

Business
Social scientists and historians are capable of explaining processes of wider social change; they are also equipped to research consumer trends in detail. The ability to analyse evolving customer needs and opportunities and to critically understand consumer culture is one that is valued by businesses. A career in the private sector can also include roles in human resources or in equality offices, drawing on social scientist’s training in cultural sensitivity and social inequalities.

Education
Teachers and educators with social science and historical training are aware of the factors that shape a young person’s environment and, therefore, behaviour. They are aware of how social disadvantage can effect a pupil’s educational attainment. Social science graduates understand the social context of teaching and are uniquely placed to promote equal opportunities. This gives them the tools and confidence to help overcome many of the unique challenges faced in education institutions today.

Journalism
History and Sociology graduates are interested in the world around them – in the global trends, the national shifts, the local changes. Newspapers and media outlets employ our graduates to help understand the kinds of stories that engage readers, viewers and listeners. Graduates are trained to get a more rounded, thorough and critical perspective on stories that helps shape the best type of reporting.

Public relations
By reviewing market research data and understanding historic trends, social science graduates who truly understand the motivations of customers can effectively diffuse problems by responding to the public’s concerns with carefully composed solutions. Public Relations Officers seek to manage and enhance the public image of their client(s) through understanding the marketplace in which their clients operate. A grounding in social science provides public relations professionals with a unique understanding of the social world and its organisations leaving them well placed to represent their clients effectively.

Research
Most government agencies, non-profit institutions and outreach organisations increasingly rely on up-to-date knowledge and evidence to inform and support their work. Some social science and history graduates, particularly those with postgraduate degrees, carve out careers as independent research consultants, examining trends in human behaviour. Alternatively, organisations will recruit in-house policy and research professionals to communicate key message to the public and other key stake holders.

Prizes and Awards

Students on the BA Sociology programme have won the Global Undergraduate Awards (2017, 2012, 2011). This is the leading international award, recognising the best undergraduate work from students across the globe.

Top performing students are regularly awarded prizes and scholarships, such as the Athena SWAN Prize for the best piece of work on Gender, Foundation Scholarships and the Lockheed Foundation prizes.

Degree Plus/Future Ready Award for extra-curricular skills

In addition to your degree programme, at Queen's you can have the opportunity to gain wider life, academic and employability skills. For example, placements, voluntary work, clubs, societies, sports and lots more. So not only do you graduate with a degree recognised from a world leading university, you'll have practical national and international experience plus a wider exposure to life overall. We call this Degree Plus/Future Ready Award. It's what makes studying at Queen's University Belfast special.

Tuition Fees

Northern Ireland (NI) 1	£4,750
Republic of Ireland (ROI) 2	£4,750
England, Scotland or Wales (GB) 1	£9,250
EU Other 3	£20,800
International	£20,800

¹EU citizens in the EU Settlement Scheme, with settled status, will be charged the NI or GB tuition fee based on where they are ordinarily resident. Students who are ROI nationals resident in GB will be charged the GB fee.

² EU students who are ROI nationals resident in ROI are eligible for NI tuition fees.

³ EU Other students (excludes Republic of Ireland nationals living in GB, NI or ROI) are charged tuition fees in line with international fees.

The tuition fees quoted above are for the 2024/25 academic year and are a guide only. In addition, all tuition fees will be subject to an annual inflationary increase in each year of the course. Fees quoted relate to a single year of study unless explicitly stated otherwise.

Tuition fee rates are calculated based on a student’s tuition fee status and generally increase annually by inflation. How tuition fees are determined is set out in the Student Finance Framework.

Additional course costs

In Year 2 students can apply for a number of optional history exchanges with institutions in the USA. The cost will vary depending on the institution and length of exchange and can range from £500 - £6,000. Students are responsible for funding travel, accommodation and subsistence costs.

All Students

Depending on the programme of study, there may be extra costs which are not covered by tuition fees, which students will need to consider when planning their studies.

Students can borrow books and access online learning resources from any Queen's library. If students wish to purchase recommended texts, rather than borrow them from the University Library, prices per text can range from £30 to £100. Students should also budget between £30 to £75 per year for photocopying, memory sticks and printing charges.

Students undertaking a period of work placement or study abroad, as either a compulsory or optional part of their programme, should be aware that they will have to fund additional travel and living costs.

If a programme includes a major project or dissertation, there may be costs associated with transport, accommodation and/or materials. The amount will depend on the project chosen. There may also be additional costs for printing and binding.

Students may wish to consider purchasing an electronic device; costs will vary depending on the specification of the model chosen.

There are also additional charges for graduation ceremonies, examination resits and library fines.

Scholarships

Each year, we offer a range of scholarships and prizes for new students. Information on scholarships available.

How to Apply

Application for admission to full-time undergraduate and sandwich courses at the University should normally be made through the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS). Full information can be obtained from the UCAS website at: www.ucas.com/students.

When to Apply

UCAS will start processing applications for entry in autumn 2025 from early September 2024.

The advisory closing date for the receipt of applications for entry in 2025 is still to be confirmed by UCAS but is normally in late January (18:00). This is the 'equal consideration' deadline for this course.

Applications from UK and EU (Republic of Ireland) students after this date are, in practice, considered by Queen’s for entry to this course throughout the remainder of the application cycle (30 June 2025) subject to the availability of places. If you apply for 2025 entry after this deadline, you will automatically be entered into Clearing.

Applications from International and EU (Other) students are normally considered by Queen's for entry to this course until 30 June 2025. If you apply for 2025 entry after this deadline, you will automatically be entered into Clearing.

Applicants are encouraged to apply as early as is consistent with having made a careful and considered choice of institutions and courses.

The Institution code name for Queen's is QBELF and the institution code is Q75.

Further information on applying to study at Queen's is available at: www.qub.ac.uk/Study/Undergraduate/How-to-apply/

Apply via UCAS

Terms and Conditions

The terms and conditions that apply when you accept an offer of a place at the University on a taught programme of study. Queen's University Belfast Terms and Conditions.

Additional Information for International (non-EU) Students

1. Applying through UCAS
   Most students make their applications through UCAS (Universities and Colleges Admissions Service) for full-time undergraduate degree programmes at Queen's. The UCAS application deadline for international students is 30 June 2025.
2. Applying direct
   The Direct Entry Application form is to be used by international applicants who wish to apply directly, and only, to Queen's or who have been asked to provide information in advance of submitting a formal UCAS application. Find out more.
3. Applying through agents and partners
   The University’s in-country representatives can assist you to submit a UCAS application or a direct application. Please consult the Agent List to find an agent in your country who will help you with your application to Queen’s University.

Download Undergraduate Prospectus