History

Does anything exist outside our minds? Do morals come from within us, or from society?

Philosophers have been asking these questions, and others about human existence, for centuries. But if philosophers are also products of their time, are their ideas simply a result of the society they lived in?

In this module, you’ll take a whirlwind tour in the history of ideas - from ancient times to today. You’ll get to know the core ideas of philosophy in Western history. And you’ll become familiar with the questions and ideas of:

• Plato and Aristotle in Ancient Greece
• Rousseau and Voltaire during the Enlightenment of the 18th century
• Marx during the “age of the masses” in the 19th century
• Nietszche, Sartre and the Existentialists of the 20th century

You’ll also dig into the relationship between philosophy, science and faith from the Middle Ages onwards.

Why are people willing to die for their religion? Why do they travel the world converting or killing others for the sake of belief?

From Goa to Geneva, Paris to Prague, cities and their people were transformed by faith, conversion and religious violence between 1500 and 1648. In this module, you’ll use architecture and space, text and image, as you investigate efforts to construct a universal Christian church in Britain, Europe, Asia and the Americas. And you’ll explore why rulers change the religion of their country.

What causes people to commit crimes? And how have we punished criminals in the past? In this module, you’ll gain a fascinating insight into crime in the British Isles, as you examine:

• gendered criminality
• property crime
• the history of violence
• attempts to regulate morality. 

You’ll explore: 

• the birth of the prison
• social crimes and social justice
• moral and anti-social crimes
• theories of punishment.

You’ll also look at the substantial changes in law enforcement that occurred in early modern Britain, giving you the key critical knowledge to study crime history. 

What can sex and gender teach us about history? In this module, you’ll explore the relationship between the body and sexuality, and medicine and culture. We’ll observe how our perspectives on bodies, gender, and sexuality change according to social and historical contexts. And you’ll develop excellent critical skills, as you analyse primary sources, and dive into debates on the body and sexuality. You’ll investigate 

• contraception practices 
• treatment of STIs
• regulation of sexual behaviours
• transgender debates through time

How did Jack the Ripper - the mass murderer of vulnerable women - shape Victorian culture? And how did Victorian Britain create the Jack the Ripper phenomenon? In this module, you’ll dive into the criminal underworld of the nineteenth century. You’ll investigate a time where public ideas on crime clashed with those of the authorities. You’ll explore:

• attitudes towards the morality and immorality 
• the origins of the concept of the criminal class
• the introduction of policing
• the development of punishment.

And you’ll ask who the real Jack the Ripper was, exploring suspects and theories.

What are taxes for? How are armies financed? When should people take arms against their governments?  This module, you’ll explore the development of bureaucracy, courts and military might during early modern times in Britain, Europe and the Americas. You’ll gain useful critical skills as you analyse key political texts of the period. And you’ll get to know the theories of power and rule as you consider:   

• Gender and politics
• Church and state
• Governing empires
• The meaning and impact of civil wars

How did the United States become the global superpower it is today? In this module, you’ll trace the transformation of America from a British colony at war with itself, to the most wealthy and powerful nation on the planet. You’ll examine the political history behind the rise of the United States, and America’s growing actions and ambitions on the world stage, from the American Civil War through to World War Two.

In this module, you’ll have the chance to do some work experience closely linked to your History course. You’ll have help to find a placement that will support your goals. Past placements have included:

• The Ashmolean Museum
• The Oxford Preservation Trust
• The Royal Air Force Museum.

The time spent in the placement will be about ten working days. After your placement, you’ll reflect on what you’ve learned. You’ll produce a review of achievements and deliver a poster presentation. You’ll also gain practical experience - from crafting a CV to the specific responsibilities involved in your working role - that will help kickstart your career after Oxford Brookes.

This module gives you the chance to research a topic that fascinates you. With support from a supervisor, you’ll choose, plan and carry out your independent research, gaining in-depth knowledge of your subject. You’ll also build great project management and research skills, which will help you in your future career.

This module gives you the chance to research a topic that fascinates you. With support from a supervisor, you’ll choose, plan and carry out your independent research, gaining in-depth knowledge of your subject. You’ll also build great project management and research skills, which will help you in your future career.

This module offers the opportunity to study abroad, experience a new culture, and apply your skills in different contexts to enhance your employability. It will help you develop self-management, cross-cultural communication, and interpersonal skills.

You’ll receive support to secure a place at a partner institution abroad, where you can choose modules related to your degree or explore new areas that complement your studies.

Studying at an international university will help you enhance your interpersonal skills through cross-cultural communication with students and tutors, allowing you to build lasting relationships. You'll also improve your study skills by focusing on your chosen areas of interest, gaining valuable international experience that will strengthen your CV.

This year abroad module lasts for one academic year and is taken after the conclusion of your second year of study, once you’ve completed all your level 5 studies. Your year abroad is not credit-bearing.
 

This module gives you the chance to research an advanced historical topic that fascinates you and is not covered by the History course. You'll have support from a supervisor. You'll also further develop your independent working skills to an advanced level. You’ll choose, plan and carry out your independent research. Gaining a deep knowledge of your subject while improving your history research skills. 

Why was Russia ripe for revolution in 1917? And how did a small group of revolutionaries manage to overthrow the Tsar and his regime?
 
The Russian Revolution was one of the biggest upheavals of the 20th century. But the story of the revolution is much more than the story of Lenin and the Bolsheviks. In this module you’ll learn about the causes of Russia’s revolution. 

You’ll explore:

• the impact of the First World War on the Russian monarchy
• the ‘Red Terror’ and the civil war that consumed Russia after 1917
• what happened to national and ethnic minorities in the Soviet Union
• how the revolution changed popular culture and family life
• the rise of Stalin in the 1930s.

You'll also learn about power struggles, and the paranoia and brutal purges of Stalin’s early years as the Soviet leader.

This module option is subject to availability in any given academic year.

What does it mean to be an 'island nation'? And how does the sea affect areas like travel, immigration, economy and socialising? In this module, you'll examine Britain as an island nation. And you'll consider how this impacts Britons' lives - from gender and sexual identity, to trade and consumerism. You'll question topics like:

• piracy and smuggling
• the Royal Navy
• trade and the British Empire
• the seaside holiday.

This module is subject to availability in any given year.

What led to the downfall of the Russian monarchy in 1917? How did reforms by the Tsar bring about decades of turmoil and change? This module charts the path to the Russian Revolution. You'll explore exciting themes like:

• the troubled emancipation of the Russian serfs
• the industrialisation and modernisation of the Russian economy 
• the revolutionary underground and the birth of modern terrorism
• the flourishing of Russian culture and cultural politics
• the rise of Russian nationalism and imperialism.

This module is subject to availability in any given year.

How did the Tudors bring about dramatic and enduring societal change? And how did people react to Tudor reforms during this turbulent period? 

In this module you'll explore the religious and political upheavals of the Tudor era. You'll investigate the origins of the Church of England. You'll dig into the dissolution of the monasteries. You'll examine popular protest and rebellion against the Tudors. And you'll discover how the reign of Elizabeth I brought an end to decades of religious tumult.

You'll explore:

• the rise of Protestant ideas
• religious reform in parliament
• rebellion and resistance to change
• persecution and execution of heretics
• worship and changing religious beliefs
• the Elizabethan settlement.

This module option is subject to availability in any given academic year.

Who was marginalised in early modern England? How did factors like ethnicity, sexual identity and nationality affect social standing? And how did the religious and political upheavals of the time impact minority groups? 

In this module you'll explore:

• the restriction and persecution of immigrants and minorities 
• early modern prostitution, sexual minorities and 'deviant' behaviour
• the re-establishment of the Jewish population, and the rising black population
• the understanding of ethnicity, nationality and sexual identity in the early modern period.

This module option is subject to availability in any given academic year.

What was life like for ordinary people in Renaissance Florence, Venice and Rome? Millions of tourists flock to these cities every year. But in this module, you'll explore beyond the piazzas and palaces. You'll  discover what life in 15th and 16th century Italy was really like. You'll examine:

• how age, gender and ethnicity affected urban life
• the impact of warfare, disease, natural disasters and climate change
• the stories of people on the margins - like sex workers and the homeless.

You'll emerge understanding the rich and complex history of this fascinating period.

This module option is subject to availability in any given academic year.

How does belief in magic affect our everyday lives? And how can religious beliefs shape our ideas and opinions? In this module, you'll explore beliefs - beyond the boundaries of religious institutions. You'll delve into the rituals, superstitions - and even cults - that have shaped our world view from the Middle Ages to the 19th Century. You'll examine:

• the cult of saints and relics
• angels and demons
• ghosts and fairies
• vampires
• folk magic and divination
• witchcraft and witch hunts.

This module is subject to availability in any given year.

Is it true that you are what you eat? And how does your experience of food shape who you are?

This module puts history on a plate. You'll reflect on diet, food habits and material culture - and what this tells us about society. You'll explore how food has been used as a political tool, and as a political control. And you'll examine how food relates to our identities and how we socialise.  You'll never look at what you eat the same way again! 

You'll consider topics like:

• Food and famine
• Migration and globalisation
• Food as culture
• Material culture
• Gender and the body.

This module is subject to availability in any given year.

How does medicine impact war? And can medical treatment influence whether wars are won or lost? This module explores the close relationship between war and medicine. You'll look at the growth of:

• surgery
• hospitals
• battlefield and naval medicine,
• neuro-psychiatry
• nursing
• civilian medicine
• ethics and medical ethics.

You'll examine how medicine has changed how wars were fought. And you'll explore lessons we've learned (and forgotten) related to war and medicine. 
 

This module is subject to availability in any given year.

How have doctors contributed to crime history? And what's the relationship between medicine, society and the law? In this module, you'll examine the history of forensic medicine. You'll explore how medical knowledge can influence attitudes toward crime. And you'll consider how medicine has affected criminal investigations. You'll look at examples from the Medieval period through to the 20th century. And you'll delve into:

• death investigations
• 'expertise' and the role of witnesses
• forensic science
• mental health and crime
• crimes of sex and sexuality.

This module option is subject to availability in any given academic year.

How did the population of early modern Europe come to believe that there were evil witches in their midst? And what's the relationship between popular belief about evil, society, and the law? In this module, you'll examine the history of witchcraft in early modern Europe until its relative demise in the middle of the 18th century. You'll explore who was accused of witchcraft and why, as well as what happened to them. You'll consider how contemporaries thought about and dealt with witches in England, Scotland, Europe and North America. You'll delve into:

• Witchcraft beliefs
• Trials of witches and individual witch hunts
• The theories offered by historians as to why this happened
• The rise and fall of witchcraft in the early modern world
• The enduring place of the witch in popular culture

This module option is subject to availability in any given academic year.

Why does violence intrigue us? And why are we captivated by stories of crime and criminals? In the twentieth century, crime came under the spotlight in Britain and America. In this module, you'll examine murder and mayhem in modern British and American life. You'll explore:

• The rise of serial murder and its perpetrators
• The cult of the gangster and those who became Public Enemy #1
• The ways in which crime came to be fought in the modern era
• The debate over the death penalty.

And you'll come to understand how violence influences our beliefs on crime and criminals today.
 
This module is subject to availability in any given year.

What was behind the Vietnam war? What transformed America from a disinterested observer to an active combatant, with over 500,000 soldiers in deadly conflict? In this module you’ll examine America’s role in Vietnam. You’ll consider the decisions of multiple presidents - and how these steadily escalated America’s involvement in Vietnam. You’ll examine the military side of the conflict - and unpick key debates on military strategy. You’ll also explore the consequences of the war, and how the conflict impacted America at home.

This module option is subject to availability in any given academic year.

Why is the American Civil War so controversial? Both when it was fought in the 1860s, and now, over 150 years later? In this module you’ll explore the origins of the conflict. You’ll uncover the aims of both the Union and the Confederacy. You’ll investigate the strategies and tactics they employed. And you’ll consider the international impacts of the conflict.

This module option is subject to availability in any given academic year.

What meaning does the concept of “evil” have in an age when religion is in decline and science is on the rise? In this module you will study case studies labelled by contemporaries as “evil” - from natural disasters to political repression to mass murder - and explore how intellectuals from a variety of backgrounds struggled to understand and come to terms these events and phenomena in the modern world of reason, rationality and science.

This module option is subject to availability in any given academic year.

What is race? The concept of race, of course, has a history, and in this module you’ll trace the development of the concept across three centuries, right up to the present day. The module will take a global perspective, introducing you to alternative understandings of race and the development of racism. We will examine the treatment and influence of race in

• science
• the study of history
• the rise of imperialism
• in former colonial territories.

This module option is subject to availability in any given academic year.