The Writing of Australian History

Subject HIST90023 (2016)

Note: This is an archived Handbook entry from 2016.

Credit Points: 12.5
Level: 9 (Graduate/Postgraduate)
Dates & Locations:

This subject has the following teaching availabilities in 2016:

Semester 1, Parkville - Taught on campus.
Pre-teaching Period Start not applicable
Teaching Period 29-Feb-2016 to 29-May-2016
Assessment Period End 24-Jun-2016
Last date to Self-Enrol 11-Mar-2016
Census Date 31-Mar-2016
Last date to Withdraw without fail 06-May-2016


Timetable can be viewed here. For information about these dates, click here.
Time Commitment: Contact Hours: 24 hours - 12 x 2 hour seminars
Total Time Commitment:

170 hours

Prerequisites:

Admission to fourth-year honours in history or the Graduate Diploma in Arts (Advanced) or enrolment in a relevant coursework Masters program

Corequisites: None
Recommended Background Knowledge: None
Non Allowed Subjects: None
Core Participation Requirements:

For the purposes of considering request for Reasonable Adjustments under the Disability Standards for Education (Cwth 2005), and Student Support and Engagement Policy, academic requirements for this subject are articulated in the Subject Overview, Learning Outcomes, Assessment and Generic Skills sections of this entry.

It is University policy to take all reasonable steps to minimise the impact of disability upon academic study, and reasonable adjustments will be made to enhance a student's participation in the University's programs. Students who feel their disability may impact on meeting the requirements of this subject are encouraged to discuss this matter with a Faculty Student Adviser and Student Equity and Disability Support: http://services.unimelb.edu.au/disability

Coordinator

Dr Jackie Dickenson, Prof Stuart Macintyre

Contact

Stuart MacIntyre s.macintyre@unimelb.edu.au

Jackie Dickenson jackied@unimelb.edu.au

Subject Overview:

This seminar will explore the ways in which Australian history has been written. It will consider the principal forms of the literature and the chief schools of interpretation, from the establishment of Australian history as an academic discipline to the present. It will engage with some of the principal publications of leading historians, from Brian Fitzpatrick and Manning Clark through to present-day historians. Their work will be read in its cultural, intellectual and political context to explore the materials they employed and the methods they used. Particular attention will be given to the critical assessment of historical argument, so that the seminar will consider examples of historical debate and students will undertake their own appraisal of historical literature. Students will extend their knowledge of the patterns of Australian historical scholarship and develop a capacity for historiographical analysis. They will apply these skills to case studies of leading Australian historians, and to their own historical scholarship.

Learning Outcomes:

Students who successfully complete this subject should:

  • be familiar with the development of Australian historical scholarship and the principal schools of interpretation; and
  • be able to undertake a critical reading of different forms of historical literature and demonstrate textual and contextual skills of historical evaluation and be able to synthesise a body of historical literature.
Assessment:
  • A 1000 word book review due during the semester (20%)
  • A 1000 word short paper due during the semester (20%)
  • A 3000 word histiographical essay due at the end of semester (60%)

Hurdle requirement: Students are required to attend a minimum of 80% of classes in order to pass this subject.



Prescribed Texts:

A subject reader will be available.

Breadth Options:

This subject is not available as a breadth subject.

Fees Information: Subject EFTSL, Level, Discipline & Census Date
Links to further information: http://shaps.unimelb.edu.au/history
Related Majors/Minors/Specialisations: Graduate Certificate in Arts (Advanced) - History
Graduate Certificate in Arts - History
Graduate Diploma in Arts (Advanced) - History
History
MA (AS&&ST) Australian Studies
MA (AS&&ST) History
PC-ARTS History
PD-ARTS History

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