MA History (First World War)

The  objective of this module is to introduce students to some of the key historical debates associated with politics and strategy in the First World War. At the end of the module students should be able critically to evaluate historians' contributions to these debates. Moreover, the module aims to provide the students with the methodological skills that they will need successfully to complete this Masters programme. Through a mixture of lectures, student-led presentations, and practical exercises, by the end of the module students should be equipped to handle the methodological and practical challenges they will encounter during their studies. In particular, students will be well versed in historiography, analysis and use of primary and secondary sources, using a library, and using the Internet as a research tool.

The objective of this module is to provide the students with a thorough understanding of the strategic and military issues involved in the British Empire’s war between 1914  and 1918.  By the end of the module students should be capable of demonstrating a clear understanding of these issues and to be able to critically evaluate the historiography of the subject.  The module also aims to introduce students to a wide range of historical interpretations, thereby providing a broad knowledge of the various schools of thought on the subject.  Students will critically analyse these differing interpretations and draw their own conclusions which will be presented in the form of oral presentations and a final essay. The ability to evaluate differing interpretations and synthesize a conclusion is particularly relevant to students planning a career in academia, professional analysis, or research in an applied setting.

The objective of this module is to provide the students with a thorough understanding of the strategic and military problems that shaped operations on the Western Front 1914 - 1918.  By the end of the module students should be capable of demonstrating a clear understanding of the nature of the Western Front and to be able to critically evaluate the historiography around the subject.  The module also aims to introduce students to a wide range of historical interpretations, thereby providing a broad knowledge of the various schools of thought on the subject.  Students will critically analyse these differing interpretations and draw their own conclusions which will be presented in the form of oral presentations and a final essay. The ability to evaluate differing interpretations and synthesize a conclusion is particularly relevant to students planning a career in academia, professional analysis, or research in an applied setting.

The objective of this module is to provide the students with a thorough understanding of the evolving nature of warfare on the Western Front between 1914-18. By the end of the module students should be capable of demonstrating a clear understanding of how and why warfare changed on the Western Front between 1914 and 1918, and to be able to critically evaluate the historiography around the subject. The module also aims to introduce students to a wide range of historical interpretations, thereby providing a broad knowledge of the various schools of thought on the subject. Students will critically analyse these differing interpretations and draw their own conclusions which will be presented in the form of oral presentations and a final essay. The ability to evaluate differing interpretations and synthesize a conclusion is particularly relevant to students planning a career in academia, professional analysis, or research in an applied setting.

This module considers wider aspects of warfare in the 1914-18 period, including the war in the air, the importance of technology and training, and the development of the British Army in the conflict as a whole. By the end of the module students should be capable of demonstrating a clear understanding of the importance of these aspects of the conflict have a strong grasp of the historiography around the subject. The module also aims to introduce students to a wide range of historical interpretations, thereby providing a broad knowledge of the various schools of thought on the subject. Students will analyse these differing interpretations and draw their own conclusions which will be presented in the form of a final essay. The ability to evaluate differing interpretations and synthesize a conclusion is particularly relevant to students planning a career in academia, professional analysis, or research in an applied setting.

The objective of this module is to provide the students with a nuanced understanding of what 'total war' meant for nations and people during the First World War., focusing on social and political life on the home front, the raising of a mass army, and writing upon the war. By the end of the module students should be capable of demonstrating a clear understanding of these topics and also have a strong grasp of the historiography of the subject.  The module also aims to introduce students to a wide range of historical interpretations, thereby providing a broad knowledge of the various schools of thought on the subject.  Students will analyse these differing interpretations and draw their own conclusions which will be presented in the form of oral presentations and a final essay. The ability to critically evaluate differing interpretations and synthesize a conclusion is particularly relevant to students planning a career in academia, professional analysis, or research in an applied setting.