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Undergraduate Handbook

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The Big Picture: An Introduction to History - ARTS1270
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Campus: Kensington Campus
 
 
Career: Undergraduate
 
 
Units of Credit: 6
 
 
EFTSL: 0.12500 (more info)
 
 
Indicative Contact Hours per Week: 3
 
 
Excluded: ASIA1000, HIST1016, HIST1017, INST1000, INST1100
 
 
Fee Band: 1 (more info)
 
 
Further Information: See Class Timetable
 
  

Description

This history gateway course traces the key themes of world history from the Palaeolithic to dawn of the modern era. This course makes humanity, rather than an individual state or nation, the subject of history. This course explores the economic, social, cultural, political and ecological factors that have shaped human societies. Topics include hunter-gatherer, agricultural, and pastoral communities, the origins of states and empires, the rise of world religions such as Islam, the European conquest of the Americas, the emergence of capitalism, the origins of the nation state, political and scientific revolutions, and the beginnings of Western global domination. The course provides a narrative, placing emphasises on key themes that build a coherent picture of the human community as it has emerged through time. As a gateway to the history major, it also provides the basis for further studies in the history curriculum. Students will learn what history is, and what historians do. They will train in the interpretation of primary and secondary sources and the composition of historical arguments, as well as explore historiographical controversies and methods, and theories.

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© The University of New South Wales (CRICOS Provider No.: 00098G), 2004-2011. The information contained in this Handbook is indicative only. While every effort is made to keep this information up-to-date, the University reserves the right to discontinue or vary arrangements, programs and courses at any time without notice and at its discretion. While the University will try to avoid or minimise any inconvenience, changes may also be made to programs, courses and staff after enrolment. The University may also set limits on the number of students in a course.