Module Information
Course Delivery
Assessment
| Assessment Type | Assessment length / details | Proportion |
|---|---|---|
| Semester Assessment | Essay 1 (2500 words) | 50% |
| Semester Assessment | Essay 2 (2500 words) | 50% |
| Supplementary Assessment | Essay 1 (2500 words) | 50% |
| Supplementary Assessment | Essay 2 (2500 words) | 50% |
Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of this module students should be able to:
1. Demonstrate a sophisticated understanding of the evolving role of the Superpowers as well as longer-term historical questions about global power during this period (c.1890 - 2000).
2. Demonstrate detailed knowledge of major historiographical debates pertaining to the study of the Cold War and contemporary international history.
3. Display a critical understanding of key Cold War characteristics, processes and events.
4. Demonstrate advanced skills appropriate to the study of contemporary international history and produce work in a professional manner.
Brief description
The module focuses upon the United States and Russia/the Soviet Union and the way in which these two powers and the relationship between them increasingly shaped international history from the late nineteenth century until the end of the twentieth century. It further explores the debates about the origins, dynamics and end of the Cold War. Understanding the dynamics of the Cold War provides students and scholars with a greater understanding of how ideology shapes war and peace, how the Cold War superpowers and their allies engaged in different forms of ideological, political and military conflict in ways that shaped the late 20th and early 21st century worlds.
Content
1.The United States as a Rising Power: from the 19th Century through the Interwar years
2.The creation of the Soviet Union and its international role before World War 2
3. The transition from wartime “Grand Alliance” to Cold War hostility.
4. Historiographical debates about the Origins of the Cold War
5. The global scale of the Cold War
6. The ideological, political and military dynamics of the Cold War
7. Cold War Science and Technology in the Nuclear Age
8. Unconventional aspects of the Cold War: Intelligence, Subversion and Propaganda
9. Detente and the Second Cold War
10. The Gorbachev Era and the End of the Cold War
11. Legacies: the Cold War and the 21st Century World
Module Skills
| Skills Type | Skills details |
|---|---|
| Application of Number | n/a |
| Communication | Students will learn how to present their ideas both verbally and in writing and how to how to present their arguments most effectively. They will learn the importance of information and clear communication and how to exploit these. They will know how to use the many sources of information available and how to use the most appropriate form of communication to best advantage. They will learn to be clear in their writing and speaking and to be direct about aims and objectives. They will learn to consider only that which is relevant to the topic, focus and objectives of their argument or discussion. The presentation of work should reflect effective expression of ideas and good use of language skills in order to ensure clarity, coherence and effective communication. |
| Improving own Learning and Performance | The module aims to promote self-management but within a context in which support and assistance is available from both the convenor and fellow students alike. Students will be expected to improve their own learning and performance by undertaking their own research and exercising their own initiative, including searching for sources and deciding (under guidance) the direction of their coursework and seminar discussion topics. The need to meet coursework deadlines will focus students’ attention on the need to manage their time. |
| Information Technology | Students will be expected to submit their work electronically through the Blackboard VLE. Also, students will be encouraged to search for sources of information on the web. Students will also be expected to make use of the resources that will be available on the Blackboard VLE. |
| Personal Development and Career planning | This module is designed to hone and test skills of use to students in their working lives, particularly in speaking to small groups, listening, thinking and responding to the statement of others. Moreover, the written work includes writing clearly and concisely, which is a common task in the workplace. Students will be encouraged throughout to reflect on their performance and to consider lessons for future application. |
| Problem solving | Independent project work and problem solving will be one central goal of the module; the submission of an essay and preparation for seminar discussions will require that students develop independent research skills as well as problem solving skills. The ability of students to solve problems will be developed and assessed by asking them to: adopt differing points of view; organize data and estimate an answer to the problem; consider extreme cases; reason logically; construct theoretical models; consider similar cases; look for patterns; divide issues into smaller problems. |
| Research skills | Students will be required to undertake independent research for all elements of the assessed work. This will involve utilizing media and web sources, as well as more conventional academic texts. Students will in part be assessed on their ability to gather appropriate and interesting resources and materials. |
| Subject Specific Skills | Independent project work and problem solving will be one central goal of the module; the submission of an essay and preparation for seminar discussions will require that students develop independent research skills as well as problem solving skills. The ability of students to solve problems will be developed and assessed by asking them to: adopt differing points of view; organize data and estimate an answer to the problem; consider extreme cases; reason logically; construct theoretical models; consider similar cases; look for patterns; divide issues into smaller problems. |
| Team work | Students will undertake team exercises in the seminars and workshops. Use of Blackboard facilities such as message boards and forums will be encouraged. |
Notes
This module is at CQFW Level 6