History

History aims to understand and interpret the past. It is the subject that brings the past into the present. History is a dynamic discipline, since each generation returns to the past with different questions, based on their own experiences and concerns. Historical analysis brings together both facts and moral judgements to analyse the background to contemporary conditions. Perhaps more importantly, History can also help us to imagine the kinds of futures we want to live.

As an interpretive discipline, History helps to sharpen the skills needed in a broad range of occupations. It teaches us to research information, to critically evaluate debates, and to communicate our arguments and beliefs clearly and effectively. It enriches our experience of the world by offering ways to understand the broad scope of human experiences - from our everyday lives, to larger global processes.

Wollongong's History Program focuses upon themes that link Australian and international history. These themes include culture, environment, gender, globalisation, historiography, labour, war and regional development. These themes may be traced in a variety of settings, whether in broad histories of specific Australian, Asian and European societies; in more specific historical examinations of empires, the political and social impacts of wars, and the development of the State; or in themes as diverse as the history of water, commodification history or the history of sickness and death.

Studying History at Wollongong is also about learning what it is to be a historian with each subject containing steps towards developing a sophisticated critical appreciation of contemporary approaches to historical theories, methods, interpretation, argument, and uses of evidence.

Career Opportunities

History graduates follow many employment paths. They work in Federal and State government departments, in private enterprise, as researchers, in the media, in travel, marketing and tourism, as teachers at primary and secondary schools, institutes of technology and universities, as well as finance and service industries.

The History course builds a solid foundation for future study through developing the students' capacity to inquire, analyse and communicate information, ideas, and concepts. This is extremely helpful to the graduate in terms of taking postgraduate courses.

Major Study

The History major is the central core of study in a History students' undergraduate Bachelor of Arts degree. It will consist of 52 credit points out of at least 144 credit points, with 24 credit points being at 300-level. The purpose of a major is to provide a specific and coherent course of study which will allow students to develop skills. Each subject in the major is intended to provide an understanding of a topic, area or theme, which will develop and enhance skills so as progress to other subjects can take place.

100-level subjects require no special knowledge and are best described as survey courses. They will however, provide students with a general introduction to a particular time, place, or theme. Students will learn and be introduced to many valuable basic skills to help them build a strong foundation for their major. In these subjects students will learn how to:

− identify the causes and effects of historical change;

− summarise the main points of a historical work;

− identify the thesis or central argument of a historical work;

− describe the historical context of a work;

− identify different types of historical evidence;

− see how historians produce different accounts of the same of the event; and

− to begin the use of primary source material to produce and defend arguments.

200-level subjects will refine and extend both skills and historical knowledge. They offer study in greater depth than the survey courses, and will take a closer look at events and places. 300-level subjects take a detailed approach to major historical problems, and unlike earlier studies, students will use a wide range of primary sources to investigate topics. These may include film, radio, television, archival manuscript, oral interviews, literature, newspapers, parliamentary records, photographs, diaries and/or company documents.

Students taking a major in History can count up to 16 credit points from the following: ABST150, ABST200, FREN210, and STS238, as well as the Politics subjects listed in the table below. Note: students enrolled in a double major may only cross-count one subject.

Minor Study

A minor in History will consist of at least 28 credit points in subjects from the schedule of the History major. Students may not take more than two subjects at 100-level, and may not cross-count any subjects from the minor in any other minor or major study.

Honours

See Bachelor of Arts (Honours)

Study Program

Last reviewed: 6 November, 2007