Teaching and assessment for History and International Relations MA (Hons)

This module is the introduction to studying politics taken in the first semester of first year. In it, we consider the key themes and concepts in politics in the context of contemporary Britain.

Examine two interrelated sets of challenges to the global order: the contemporary ideational debates taking place throughout the world and the main material problems that stand in the way of ensuring a sustainable standard of living for the world population.

In this module you will view films hailing from the birth of cinema to the present day, exploring key techniques and issues in Film Studies.

This module explores the strengths and weaknesses of differing theories of literary interpretation. You will read poems, plays, and novels from a variety of historical periods together with works of literary theory while exploring weekly topics e.g. Beginnings, Character, Satire, Love and Desire, Secrets, The Body, and Fear and Terror.

Revolutions is a key concept in modern political and intellectual history. But why do we refer to particular political event as 'revolutions'? How does the label 'revolution' affect how political ideologists and historians have interpreted the significance, the causes and consequences of highly complex and turbulent events in modern history.

This module studies the exchange of goods, people, and ideas that tied together Europe, Africa, and the Americas.

It explores the origins of globalization and provides a comparative understanding of the development of European empires in Africa and the Americas.

You will develop basic linguistic knowledge. You will learn cultural awareness and transferable communication skills. These will be of use to you in your personal and professional life.

You will work within the level of A1 of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR).

You will develop linguistic knowledge, cultural awareness, and transferable communication skills. This will be of use to you in your personal and professional life.

You will work within the level of A2-B1 of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) in all skill areas.

Develop basic linguistic knowledge, cultural awareness, and transferable communication skills. These will be of use to you in your personal and professional life.

You will work within the level of A1 of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages in all skill areas and selected skill areas of A2

You will develop linguistic knowledge, cultural awareness, and transferable communication skills. This will be of use to you in your personal and professional lives.

You will work within the level of B1 to B2 of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) in all skill areas.

You will develop basic linguistic knowledge. You will learn cultural awareness and transferable communication skills. These will be of use to you in your personal and professional life.

You will work within the level of A1 of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR).

You will develop linguistic knowledge, cultural awareness, and transferable communication skills which will be of use to you in your personal and professional life. You will work within the level of A2-B1 of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) in all skills areas.

Develop basic linguistic knowledge, cultural awareness, and transferable communication skills which will be of use to you in your personal and professional life. You will work within the level of A1 of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages in all skills areas and selected skill areas of A2

You will develop linguistic knowledge, cultural awareness, and transferable communication skills which will be of use to you in your personal and professional lives. You will work within the level of B1 to B2 of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) in all skill areas.

This module is designed to introduce students to the methodology and practice of comparative politics.

It achieves this by systematically examining key thematic and methodological issues in the comparative study of contemporary political systems.

This module will provide work experience alongside university study to further enhance employability and help you plan for your future.

It will suit students who can bring a professional attitude to their internship and are keen to take practical steps towards developing transferable skills for their future.

This module introduces important concepts about gender and sexuality and shows how these concepts have changed over time.

Lecturers from English Literature, Philosophy, History, Creative Writing, Film, and Languages offer influential ideas from their disciplines, and help you recognise how sex-gender systems have real and physical consequences in individuals' lives.

Covering the period 1603-c.1939, this module explores Scotland's interactions with the outside world.

Organised around cross-cutting themes like emigration, empire, trade, warfare, religion, and identity, the module's primary aim is to understand how Scotland fitted into the broader British, European, imperial, and global contexts.

This module explores important issues in contemporary America by examining its historical and cultural background. It also places the United States within a broader global context by making specific comparisons with the history of South Africa. This module focuses particularly on issues such as race, gender, violence, and colonialism.

A hands-on, interactive module about analysing and interpreting historical evidence, using sources from seventeenth-century Scotland, both in print and as digitised images of original manuscripts. It's about learning how to be a historian by thinking directly about how historians approach the challenges of interpretation presented by original sources.

This module will cover how History is studied and applied in current times. It explores the nature of History as a subject, as well as current trends and themes in historical studies.

The module will also give you a greater awareness of different approaches to communicating and consuming historical information.

Understanding indigenous peoples' responses to European colonisation helps us to understand some of the most powerful forces that shaped the modern world. This module examines how Native Americans responded to European colonisation. It examines the transformation of Native society through forces such as trade, disease, warfare, and missionary activity.

This module explores the historical and contemporary significance of Atlantic slavery. You will gain an understanding of historical debates over slavery, how it is (mis)remembered, as well as current moves to repair its economic, social and cultural legacies.

The module covers key historic developments across the African continent during the twentieth century. You will analyse enormous global changes from non-Western perspectives, including decolonisation, liberation movements, Cold War conflicts, state formation, and post-colonial governance through a range of case-studies.

You will learn about the United Nations' place in contemporary international relations.

You will also explore both the impact and the limitations of the UN in the post-1945 international system.

This module offers both theoretical insights and practical perspectives on the phenomenon of nationalism.

Students will develop a robust understanding of prominent theories of nationalism, as well as explore associated topics including conflict, self-determination, minorities, citizenship, ethnicity, gender, and globalisation.

You will focus on normative debates within contemporary political theory. This means you will explore arguments about the way the world ought to be structured. This is rather than analysing how it currently is structured.

Questions will focus on justice within the nation-state and in the global setting.

This module aims to engage with the research and institutions of British politics in the post-1945 era.

You will take part in a comprehensive exploration of Russia's political transformation. This will cover from the late Soviet era to the present day.

You will gain critical insights into key historical events, political developments, and policy trends. You will see how these have shaped Russia's trajectory over four decades.

You will learn about research design for dissertations in International Relations and Politics.

You will create a research design proposal tailored to your topic. You will also develop essential skills in research methodology through guided readings

While studying the major political events in the revolutionary decade, we will also learn how history is constructed in response to contemporary events. Ending in 1923, is the so-called Irish revolution emerging in the literature in the 1970s was partly a response to the post-1968 ‘Troubles’ in Northern Ireland.

This module covers the history of Russia from the outbreak of the First World War in 1914 to the formation of the Soviet Union in 1922.

The question of power is explored – how it is lost, contested, and regained, and what happens to society and culture in such circumstances.

This module explores the political development of Scotland in its final phase as an independent kingdom, from the Restoration of Charles II in 1660 to the passage of the Treaty of Union in 1707.

It covers the dynamics of Scottish politics and Scotland's place within the British conglomerate monarchy.

This course considers the origins and development of the African American Freedom Struggle and seeks to impart an appreciation of the many complexities and contradictions within this history. Students will study civil rights leaders, their organisations and legal strategies, and alternative approaches to the “American dilemma” of discrimination and racism.

What does the history of Scottish nationalism tell us about the 'idea of Britain'? Who are the Scots and who are the British? What historical events led the people of Scotland in 2014 - for the first time in their history - to cast their vote on the 1707 Union? 

A dissertation is an intensive academic investigation of a specific topic of your own choosing. This module aims to give you an opportunity to focus on a specific problem/question in an area of interest to you in greater depth than a regular module would allow.

You will take a closer look at how global and regional politics interact in the Middle East. This will allow you to develop a clear understanding of the intricate dynamics at play in this diverse tapestry.

This module will engage you in analysing the development of Scottish political policies and institutions in the post-devolution era. You will engage with the key debates in Scottish policy-making and learn how to write and analyse your own policy-reports covering contemporary Scottish issues.

Gain a practical and grounded experience of politics, negotiation and policy-making in the European Union.

The module begins with introductory lectures which are then followed by a series of role-play sessions where negotiations within the Council of Ministers of the EU and the European Council are simulated.

The module combines theory and practice to introduce you to theoretical debates and controversies in human rights advocacy and real-world experience of running an advocacy campaign.

The aim of the module is to help you to learn by reading, reflecting, and doing.