Offered By	ANU College of Arts and Social Sciences
Academic Contact	Dr Alex Cook
Areas of Interest	History

History encompasses all aspects of human experience. History courses offered in the School of Social Sciences explore that experience, help students to develop critical and analytical skills, and encourage them to ask questions which lead to an understanding of past and present societies.

Within these courses it is possible for students to pursue their particular interests, for example in society, politics, economics, philosophy, and religion. Our courses also explore the historical significance of ideas, gender, race, technologies, and cultures. Some courses cover broad themes across national boundaries, while others explore the theories and values that underlie all historical explanations. There are courses that investigate Australian society, and others which examine aspects of Western societies and cultures in Europe and North America and empires and colonialism. Students can include in their History major courses on aspects of Asian History offered by the Faculty of Asian Studies.

History is a central discipline within an Arts degree, and within the various combined degrees (eg Arts/Law, Arts/Science, Arts/ Economics). History courses are also included in many of the majors offered within the Faculty of Arts, notably Australian Studies, American Studies, Gender, Sexuality and Culture, Indigenous Australian Studies, International Relations and Religious Studies.

While students who have studied history before coming to University will be able to extend their knowledge and interest, no prior grounding in history is required to take first year courses.

All courses are of one semester's duration, and are worth 6 units.

Prerequisites

For all later-year courses forming part of a History major the prerequisites are any first-year courses to the value of twelve units offered by History, unless otherwise specified.

Requirements

Apart from Faculty requirements there is no limit on the number of History courses that may be included in the pass degree course.

A History major consists of a minimum of 42 units, made up of a maximum of twelve units in first-year History courses, with a minimum of 30 units in later-year courses offered or approved for the major.

Alternatively the History pass major may consist of 42 units from later-year courses offered or approved for the major where the first-year History courses are counted as part of another major or where exemption from the first-year History courses has been granted by the Convenor. At least 30 units must be in History courses taught in the School of Social Sciences. Courses that are jointly taught will count as History courses if they are listed as such.

Students may include in the History major, up to a maximum of 12 units, courses from the list of designated courses.

Warning: Students should note that although courses from other Faculties are included in this major, they are not classified as "Arts" courses and you may not be able to include them in your degree. 

For students enrolled in a single BA the Program Rules allow for a maximum of 48 units (8 courses) out-of-faculty. 

For BA students enrolled in a combined degree, enrolment is restricted to Arts courses only, therefore you may not include out-of-faculty courses. 

For a list of courses that are approved to count as "Arts" courses in the BA please see the Bachelor of Arts Course Listing at the end of the College of Arts & Social Sciences entry in the Undergraduate Handbook or see the Undergraduate Courses offered by the ANU College of Arts & Social Sciences. 

Assessment

In all History courses students will be required to submit written work by the due dates, attend lectures, attend tutorial classes and present prescribed tutorial exercises. Tutorial attendance is compulsory even if specific marks are not allotted for tutorial participation, and students who miss more than three tutorials in any semester in any particular History course may be excluded from assessment in that course. Students are expected to possess prescribed text-books and course readings and will be expected to use them in tutorials and, in some instances, in examinations.

Methods of assessment will be discussed with students early in each semester. A student's final grade in a course will usually take into account some or all of the following elements: essays and other exercises undertaken in the course; contributions to tutorials; a final examination or, alternatively, a synoptic essay. In first-year courses the final examination is compulsory; in later-year courses there is normally a choice between a final examination and a synoptic essay.

For information on Honours in History click here.

The information published on the Study at ANU 2010 website applies to the 2010 academic year only. All information provided on this website replaces the information contained in the Study at ANU 2009 website.