HIST 1108 - Empires in World History

North Terrace Campus - Semester 1 - 2020

From the beginning of recorded history to the twentieth century, the world has been shaped by the rise and fall of empires. The purpose of this course is to explore how and why empires were constructed, how they were kept together, how rulers and ruled interacted, and how and why empires disintegrated. Focusing on a series of studies, we shall draw wider conclusions about the nature of empires in world history. The scope of the course is global because we shall look at representative examples of European empires, Asian empires, and empires of the western hemisphere (such as Aztec). Not only will the course explore the political history of the empires, it will also deal with issues such as the role of women, and the impact of empire on language, art, culture, religion, the economy, the environment. The course has three main objectives. Firstly, it provides an introduction to the study of history at university level. Students will receive training in the practice of history, for example, how to use primary and secondary sources and how to frame an historical argument. Secondly, the course furnishes students with an overview of the 'big picture' of world history across the last 1,500 years. Students will acquire essential contextual knowledge which will enrich their understanding of almost any subsequent course they take in history or the humanities. Thirdly, the course introduces students to civilisations that are quite different and in some ways alien to our own, and yet which in many ways are similar. In our interconnected world, an understanding of the historical roots of different cultures is a prerequisite for global citizenship.

  • General Course Information
    Course Details
    Course Code HIST 1108
    Course Empires in World History
    Coordinating Unit Historical and Classical Studies
    Term Semester 1
    Level Undergraduate
    Location/s North Terrace Campus
    Units 3
    Contact 3 hours per week
    Available for Study Abroad and Exchange Y
    Course Description From the beginning of recorded history to the twentieth century, the world has been shaped by the rise and fall of empires. The purpose of this course is to explore how and why empires were constructed, how they were kept together, how rulers and ruled interacted, and how and why empires disintegrated. Focusing on a series of studies, we shall draw wider conclusions about the nature of empires in world history. The scope of the course is global because we shall look at representative examples of European empires, Asian empires, and empires of the western hemisphere (such as Aztec). Not only will the course explore the political history of the empires, it will also deal with issues such as the role of women, and the impact of empire on language, art, culture, religion, the economy, the environment.

    The course has three main objectives. Firstly, it provides an introduction to the study of history at university level. Students will receive training in the practice of history, for example, how to use primary and secondary sources and how to frame an historical argument. Secondly, the course furnishes students with an overview of the 'big picture' of world history across the last 1,500 years. Students will acquire essential contextual knowledge which will enrich their understanding of almost any subsequent course they take in history or the humanities. Thirdly, the course introduces students to civilisations that are quite different and in some ways alien to our own, and yet which in many ways are similar. In our interconnected world, an understanding of the historical roots of different cultures is a prerequisite for global citizenship.
    Course Staff

    Course Coordinator: Dr Jenni Caruso

    Course Timetable

    The full timetable of all activities for this course can be accessed from Course Planner.

     This course will consist of 2 x 1-hour lectures and 1 x 1-hour tutorial per week.

    The full timetable of all activities for this course can be accessed from the Course Planner at https://access.adelaide.edu.au/courses/details.asp?year=2018&course=107189+1+3810+1

  • Learning Outcomes
    Course Learning Outcomes
    On successful completion of this course, students will be able to demonstrate:
    1 Demonstrate a deep historical knowledge ranging over time, space, and cultures, that includes an understanding of change and continuity over time.
    2 Use critical-thinking and problem-solving skills to identify, access and analyse a wide variety of primary, secondary, textual and visual sources.
    3 Use critical-thinking and problem-solving skills to evaluate and generate ideas and to construct evidence-based arguments in various formats in a planned and timely manner.
    4 Exchange and explore historical ideas in small-group discussions by using team-work and communication skills which draw particularly on emotional intelligence and self-awareness.
    5 Demonstrate an appreciation of, and sensitivity to, the diversity of historical and visual cultures.
    6 Examine historical issues according to the scholarly and ethical conventions of the discipline of history.
    7 Relate developments and concepts from the history of empires to an ethical understanding of social, cultural and political circumstances in the contemporary and intercultural world.
    8 Demonstrate historical skills conducive to career readiness, including: information technology skills to manage data and to communicate, skills in collaborative and self-directed problem-solving, and sensitivity to intercultural and ethical issues.
    University Graduate Attributes

    This course will provide students with an opportunity to develop the Graduate Attribute(s) specified below:

    University Graduate Attribute Course Learning Outcome(s)
    Deep discipline knowledge
    • informed and infused by cutting edge research, scaffolded throughout their program of studies
    • acquired from personal interaction with research active educators, from year 1
    • accredited or validated against national or international standards (for relevant programs)
    1
    Critical thinking and problem solving
    • steeped in research methods and rigor
    • based on empirical evidence and the scientific approach to knowledge development
    • demonstrated through appropriate and relevant assessment
    2, 3, 4
    Teamwork and communication skills
    • developed from, with, and via the SGDE
    • honed through assessment and practice throughout the program of studies
    • encouraged and valued in all aspects of learning
    4
    Career and leadership readiness
    • technology savvy
    • professional and, where relevant, fully accredited
    • forward thinking and well informed
    • tested and validated by work based experiences
    8
    Intercultural and ethical competency
    • adept at operating in other cultures
    • comfortable with different nationalities and social contexts
    • able to determine and contribute to desirable social outcomes
    • demonstrated by study abroad or with an understanding of indigenous knowledges
    7
    Self-awareness and emotional intelligence
    • a capacity for self-reflection and a willingness to engage in self-appraisal
    • open to objective and constructive feedback from supervisors and peers
    • able to negotiate difficult social situations, defuse conflict and engage positively in purposeful debate
    3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8
  • Learning Resources
    Required Resources
    • The Course Guide will be available for download via MyUni at the beggining of the course. Among other items, it contains further information about assessment tasks, lecture times, and reading lists.
    Recommended Resources
    The Barr Smith Library has a rich collection of books on our subject. It is essential that you familiarise yourself with the resources guide for this course. The resources guide also provides critical information on accessing materials in hard copy and electronically through the Library.
    Online Learning
    Additional course-related material will be available through MyUni:
    • The site will contain the Course Guide and further information on assessment tasks.
    • It will contain electronic lecture recordings, lecture notes, handouts and worksheets. 
    • Regular announcements and updates will be posted via MyUni.
    • You will be expected to check your emails and the website regularly for updates and other information relating to the course.
  • Learning & Teaching Activities
    Learning & Teaching Modes
    Lectures

    Lectures are scheduled to begin in Week 1 of semester. There will be two lectures each week, which will provide students with a
    basic core of factual knowledge about the empires that we cover in the course. These sessions will also identify key analytical problems that will be discussed in tutorials and addressed in the course assessments. 

    Tutorials

    Tutorials begin in Week 2. Each student will attend one tutorial per week. In tutorials students will participate in activities designed to develop the skills essential to the discipline of history. Tutorials are also a forum in which the class can exchange ideas about the key themes of the course and hone their oral communication skills. The materials indicated in the course guide and the lectures provide you with the necessary background to participate in tutorials and to contribute to discussion. Tutorials comprise an essential component of the course with the primary purpose of developing key graduate attributes as listed above. As a result tutorial attendance is a requirement of this course. See the Course Guide for further instructions on tutorial participation.

    Student Support and Research Skills

    This course is designed as an introduction to the study of history at university level. There will be a strong emphasis on developing research skills. We work closely with the relevant staff in the library to provide hands-on training in the use of library resources. Various small exercises in the large-group sessions and tutorials, and on Canvas, will also familiarise students with the basic skills they need to research and write their assessments.
    Workload

    The information below is provided as a guide to assist students in engaging appropriately with the course requirements.

    Lectures: 24 hours
    Tutorials: 12 hours
    Preparation for tutorials: 12 hours
    General reading (e.g. of course key reading and general reading): 28 hours
    Researching and writing assessments: 80 hours

    Total: 156 hours
    Learning Activities Summary
    The main focus on this course is provide broad knowledge of historical change and sensitivity to diverse experiences in history. It also provides an introduction to the basic skills necessary to undertake historical study at an advanced level.

    Since this is a modular course that is team taught, the precise content and learning activities will vary from year to year. A Course Guide containing details of content and activities will be available at the beginning of semester. In general, 2-3 weeks will be spent examining each empire in the course. The following may be examined: the Aztec Empire, the British Empire, the American Empire, and the Japanese Empire.
    Specific Course Requirements
    Tutorial attendance and participation is a requirement of this course. Only students who attend at least 80% of tutorials will qualify to pass the course unless documentation of a medical condition can be supplied. There will be opportunities to attend 'make up' tutorials (i.e. other tutorials scheduled in the week) if a class is missed.
    Small Group Discovery Experience
    The tutorials in this course function as a small group discovery experience, where students will collectively investigate texts, and discuss research skills, in a collaborative environment.
  • Assessment

    The University's policy on Assessment for Coursework Programs is based on the following four principles:

    1. Assessment must encourage and reinforce learning.
    2. Assessment must enable robust and fair judgements about student performance.
    3. Assessment practices must be fair and equitable to students and give them the opportunity to demonstrate what they have learned.
    4. Assessment must maintain academic standards.

    Assessment Summary
    Assessment tasks will relate directly to the specific empires studied throughout semester. Tasks for this course include:

    1) 2000-word essay (40%)
    2) 800-word primary source analysis (30%)
    3) Online quizzes (20%)
    4) Tutorial participation (10%)

    Due to the current COVID-19 situation modified arrangements have been made to assessments to facilitate remote learning and teaching. Assessment details provided here reflect recent updates.

    To support the changes to teaching, the following revisions to assessment have been made:-
    1. Online Quizzes x 4/ (10-multiple choice Qs)/20% (5% each)/Various Dates: Week 4, 7, 9, 12.
    2. Primary Source Analysis (800 words)/ 30% /Week 6: Friday, 10 April at midnight.
    3. Research Essay (2000 words) / 40%/ Week 11: Friday, 29 May at midnight.
    4. Discussion and Engagement: includes: *Discussion Board at individually scheduled tutorial time

    *200/250 word write up responding to the questions for each individual week. These are to be sent to your tutor by email on word doc each week. / 10% / End of semester:
    Assessment Related Requirements
    • Tutorial attendance and participation is a requirement of this course. Only students who attend at least 80% of tutorials will qualify to pass the course unless official documentation for a legitimate absence can be supplied. There will be opportunities to attend 'make up' tutorials (i.e. classes scheduled later in the week) if a class is missed.
    • Students must satisfactorily complete all of the assigned work in order to pass this course.
    • All written work must be submitted electronically through MyUni.
    Assessment Detail
    1) 2000-word essay (40%)

    Students will be required to write an extended research essay on one of the empires covered in the course. It intends to assess written communcation skills, analytical ability, critical thinking and reading - all fundemental skills in the discipline of history.

    2) 800-word primary source analysis (30%)

    Students will be required to analyse a primary source related to one of the empires covered in the course. Primary sources are the building blocks of history and students will learn how to critically evaluate them quickly and efficiently.

    3) Online quizzes (20%)

    Throughout the course students will be required to complete 4 seperate online quizzes about each of the empires studied in the course. Each quiz (worth 5% each) will test the student's attentiveness in lectures and ability to retain information for use in tutorial discussions.

    4) Tutorial participation (10%)

    Students participation in tutorials will be based on their willingness to be involved in large and small group discussions, knowledge of the readings, and use of the tutorial discussion board (as directed by the individual tutor).
    Submission
    All assignments are to be submitted electronically via MyUni. Further submission details will be included in the Course Guide.

    Students wishing to apply for an extension need to submit the relevant forms via the School Office well in advance of the due date.
    Course Grading

    Grades for your performance in this course will be awarded in accordance with the following scheme:

    M10 (Coursework Mark Scheme)
    Grade Mark Description
    FNS   Fail No Submission
    F 1-49 Fail
    P 50-64 Pass
    C 65-74 Credit
    D 75-84 Distinction
    HD 85-100 High Distinction
    CN   Continuing
    NFE   No Formal Examination
    RP   Result Pending

    Further details of the grades/results can be obtained from Examinations.

    Grade Descriptors are available which provide a general guide to the standard of work that is expected at each grade level. More information at Assessment for Coursework Programs.

    This course will follow the standard marking scheme. Further details will be given to you at the beginning of the course.

    Final results for this course will be made available through Access Adelaide.

    Final results for this course will be made available through Access Adelaide.
  • Student Feedback

    The University places a high priority on approaches to learning and teaching that enhance the student experience. Feedback is sought from students in a variety of ways including on-going engagement with staff, the use of online discussion boards and the use of Student Experience of Learning and Teaching (SELT) surveys as well as GOS surveys and Program reviews.

    SELTs are an important source of information to inform individual teaching practice, decisions about teaching duties, and course and program curriculum design. They enable the University to assess how effectively its learning environments and teaching practices facilitate student engagement and learning outcomes. Under the current SELT Policy (http://www.adelaide.edu.au/policies/101/) course SELTs are mandated and must be conducted at the conclusion of each term/semester/trimester for every course offering. Feedback on issues raised through course SELT surveys is made available to enrolled students through various resources (e.g. MyUni). In addition aggregated course SELT data is available.

    Students will be given an opportunity to give feedback through SELTs in this course.
  • Student Support
  • Policies & Guidelines

    This section contains links to relevant assessment-related policies and guidelines - all university policies.

    These policies are important for understanding the institutional context for this course.

    The School of Humanities is committed to upholding the University's Policy on Occupational Health & Safety (OH&S). All staff and students have a legal responsibility to act in the interests  of themselves and others with respect to OH&S. For information on the School's contingency plan and emergency procedures, please see the OH&S section on the school website.

  • Fraud Awareness

    Students are reminded that in order to maintain the academic integrity of all programs and courses, the university has a zero-tolerance approach to students offering money or significant value goods or services to any staff member who is involved in their teaching or assessment. Students offering lecturers or tutors or professional staff anything more than a small token of appreciation is totally unacceptable, in any circumstances. Staff members are obliged to report all such incidents to their supervisor/manager, who will refer them for action under the university's student’s disciplinary procedures.

The University of Adelaide is committed to regular reviews of the courses and programs it offers to students. The University of Adelaide therefore reserves the right to discontinue or vary programs and courses without notice. Please read the important information contained in the disclaimer.