The Department of History has as its two main objectives:
* to have undergraduate students understand how to `think historically', that is how to equip themselves technically and methodologically to understand, and in some cases to practise, the discipline of history;
* to have students acquire a good general knowledge of several (preferably different) periods and areas of history, and of how different societies function and change.
Such understanding requires them to be able not only to criticise but also to construct for themselves an historical argument and, more generally, to undertake an analysis of a problem, issue or period in the past. Students are led, from first-year tutorials onwards, to deal with source criticism (the close reading and evaluation of primary documentary sources), the activity which has been the bedrock of historical method since the discipline emerged in the early sixteenth-century humanist scholarship of western Europe. Such source criticism, properly understood, instead of encouraging students to believe that `facts are facts' and that there is an `objective' historical truth, rather leads them to approach sceptically all data, historical or otherwise. It also encourages them to read between (and behind) the lines of a text, and to be aware of how different ideas and values are not only in competition in a given period, and between cultures, but how they change radically over time and place.
While `method', in this sense, is quite self-consciously integrated with the learning of `content' throughout the history degree at Monash, third-year students are offered the subject `Making histories', which explicitly examines recent trends in historiography and in `new knowledges' in the humanities. Our department (unlike history departments at some other universities) still encourages senior undergraduates to take such a subject. Satisfactory performance in this subject is a requirement for all fourth-year honours students, who are also asked to take at least one other methodological unit.
Teaching in the department includes lectures and small discussion groups, which encourage habits of inquiry and debate. The writing of exercises and essays reinforces this training, and teaches reflective, analytical and rhetorical skills which are both specific to the discipline and more generic to an arts degree. Oral presentation is also an important element.
Although the department does not insist that students take a compulsory core course or courses, it encourages them to include in their history degree subjects devoted both to Australian history and to the history of other places and cultures, and to themes such as sexuality, religious history, world history, historical methodology, women's history, and so on. Since the department deliberately offers a broad spectrum of subjects, students have (and use) the opportunity so to expose themselves to the histories of diverse cultures and themes, all of them informed by the methodological concerns mentioned earlier.
As well, history is and should be responsive to the wider community's interest in, and demand for, historical expertise and understanding. Hence this department offers a well-known public history program, and makes many other contributions to the community through teaching and research.
The Department of History expects certain skills, attitudes and knowledge of students at different stages of their degree. The student with a minor in history should have imbibed a firm sense of how historians think and argue and on what methodological basis. The students will have studied several different periods of history and various historical themes. A major in history will have a more advanced and self-conscious understanding of the methodological and epistemological bases of the subject, and a wider knowledge of a number of historical fields and themes. The student will have begun to practise writing history as well as studying it, because third-year students must undertake intensive research, based on documentary sources. Fourth-year honours students undertake research of their own choice, using primary sources, and complete a thesis of some 15,000 words. The thesis is expected to be original and to have applied a sophisticated understanding of methodological and historiographical questions to the research undertaken.
Courses
The Department of History offers courses in the history of Europe, Asia, Australia and the United States. Major sequences may be taken in European, Asian and Australian history or in a combination of these. First-year courses introduce students to the methods of historical enquiry through a choice of twelve units arranged in sequential pairs.
* Medieval and Renaissance history studies one of the most formative periods of Western civilisation.
* Contemporary Europe examines the historical roots of the emergence of Europe as a political and economic force.
* Asian civilisations looks at major themes in the history of Australia's regional neighbours.
* Australia: immigrant nation and Land, people and power provide historical insight into the immigrant experience, the shaping of national identity and other issues of significance in contemporary Australian society.
* World War II: the rise of fascism and the crushing of the Axis looks at the global conflict in both its European and Pacific theatres.
Students are advised to follow a sequence of related units, although it is possible to combine them in other ways. All first-year courses aim to develop not only a grasp of particular topics, but also an understanding of the methods and aim of the historical discipline.
At second and third-year levels, courses cover the history of Southeast Asia, traditional and contemporary China and Japan, Renaissance and modern Europe, pre-modern Asian civilisations, Jewish civilisation, the United States, Australia, England, Germany and France.
No previous study of history is required for any first-year course. In all courses attendance at tutorials is compulsory and repeated absence without good reason may result in the student being failed. Attendance at lectures is strongly encouraged, but is not compulsory.
The Department of History is planning to offer second and third-year level subjects at Peninsula campus in 1995. Students should contact the department for details.
First year
Students may enrol in from one to four first-year units. These subjects may be chosen from:
* HSY1010/1020 Medieval and Renaissance Europe
* HSY1030/1040 Australia: immigrant nation and contemporary Australian history
* HSY1050/1060 Asian civilisations
* HSY1070/1080 Contemporary Europe
* HSY1090 Modern East Asian capitalism
* HSY1150/1160 World War II
Minor sequence
A minor sequence in history consists of a first-year level sequence followed by second-year level subjects to the value of at least sixteen points.
Major sequence
Students who wish to follow a major sequence in history must, in their second year, take second-year level history to the value of at least sixteen points, and in their third year take third-year level history subjects to the value of at least sixteen but preferably twenty-four points. The number of points taken at second and third year must total at least forty, and the department strongly recommends that students take three third-year subjects. Students taking a major in history are strongly recommended to take HSY3010 or HSY3020 (Making histories) as one of their three eight-point units at third year. Most second-year subjects offered are also available at third-year level.
Students may construct a major sequence in history by selecting courses spread across the fields of Asian, European, Australian and American history or by following a more specialised sequence based upon a particular subject, field or theme. Some examples of courses constructed within particular fields are:
First Second Third
year year year
Asian
First HSY1050 HSY2170 HSY3710
semester
Second HSY1060 HSY2120 HSY3720
semester
Australian
First HSY1030 HSY2740 HSY3430
semester
Second HSY1040 HSY2290 HSY3260
semester
Modern
European
First HSY1070 HSY2270 HSY3510
semester plus
HSY3010
or
HSY3020
Second HSY1080 HSY2280 HSY3520
semester
Some
examples
of majors
constructed
to follow
certain
themes are:
Cultural/so
cial
history
First HSY1010 HSY2090 HSY3630
semester plus
HSY3010
or
HSY3020
Second HSY1020 HSY2100 HSY3350
semester
Contemporar
y history
First HSY1150 HSY2430 HSY3370
semester plus
HSY3010
or
HSY3020
Second HSY1160 HSY2290 HSY3350
semester
These
combinations are suggestions only; students are advised to seek further
information from Department of History course advisers during enrolment.Combined honours in history and politics
Students taking a combined major in history and politics must take a minimum of fifty-two points in each discipline, spread across three years. Students may choose any history and any politics subjects, but the History department recommends the following structure and subjects:
First year
Two of the following:
* HSY1070 Contemporary Europe I
* HSY1080 Contemporary Europe II
* HSY1030 Australia: immigrant nation
* HSY1040 Land, people and power: contemporary Australian history
* HSY1150 World War II: the rise of fascism
* HSY1160 World War II: the crushing of the Axis
plus a first-year politics sequence
plus two other first-year sequences
Second year
Two of the following at second-year level
* HSY2360 Contemporary America: 1940-1992
* HSY2370 Dissent in American society
* HSY2270 The enlightenment and the origins of the French Revolution
* HSY2280 Revolutionary France
* HSY2510 Germany 1815-1918: politics, ideas and society
* HSY2520 Democracy and dictatorship: German history since 1918
* HSY2120 Modern China
* HSY2290 Twentieth-century Australia: nation and identity
plus two second-year politics units
plus two other second-year units
Third year
* HSY3010/3020 Making histories
plus two of the following at third-year level plus three third-year politics units:
* HSY3360 Contemporary America 1940-1992
* HSY3370 Dissent in American society
* HSY3270 The Enlightenment and the origin of the French Revolution
* HSY3280 Revolutionary France
* HSY3510 Germany 1815-1918: politics, ideas and society
* HSY3520 Democracy and dictatorship: German history since 1918
* HSY3120 Modern China
* HSY3290 Twentieth century Australia: nation and identity
plus three third-year politics units
Combined/double major studies in history and other disciplines
* For students wishing to undertake combined major studies in history and other discplines, the department recommends following a structure similar to that for history/politics described above. Students should seek enrolment advice and permission from the respective departments.
Honours courses
A fourth or honours year offers an opportunity for more specialised, advanced work in history and leads to the degree of BA (Hons). The Faculty of Arts requires intending honours students to have achieved credit grades in at least twenty-four points of history at second and third-year levels, of which at least sixteen points must be at the third-year level. The department suggests that students may encounter some difficulty in attempting fourth-year study in history unless they have achieved at least eight points of second or third-year history at distinction level. The completion of a first-year or later-year language, when it is appropriate to the student's studies, is also considered an advantage.
Third-year students contemplating honours should take HSY3010 or 3020 (Making histories), a subject designed to link reflection on the purposes of history with the application of historical skills in the public domain.
In the honours year students normally take three coursework units, at least one of which must be a historiography subject, attend a general seminar, and present a written dissertation of between 12,000 and 15,000 words. Full details are provided in a booklet, `Handbook for third-year students who intend taking fourth-year honours', which is available from the department.
Subjects which may be taken in other departments
Students proposing to follow a major in history are encouraged to study foreign languages in fields relevant to their historical interests. Several of the language departments offer introductory courses.
Students may take certain subjects as part of a history major or minor sequence provided that a major sequence includes at least thirty-six points or a minor sequence at least sixteen points in subjects taught in the Department of History. The following subjects are available in 1995:
In ancient history and archaeology:
* ARY1020 Pioneers of Mediterranean archaeology
* AHY1030 The age of Athens
* AHY1040 Rome: from Etruscan satellite to world state
* AHY2210/3210 From Republic to Empire
* ARY3550 Coins, the archaeologist and the ancient historian
* ARY2970/3970 The archaeology and history of Ancient Egypt: 6000-1500 BC
* ARY2990/3990 The archaeology and history Ancient Egypt: 1550-30 BC
* AHY3730 Orality and literacy
For details see the entry for Greek, Roman and Egyptian studies
In economic history:
* ECO1510 Economic history: world economic leadership
* ECO2510 Australian economic history
* ECO2560 European economic history
For details see the entry for economic history
In European studies:
* EUR1010/1020 Contemporary Europe
* EUR3430 European cultural history: the Spanish Civil War
In religion and theology:
* RLT3090 The authority of the text: the hermeneutical question
In Japanese:
* JPS2210/3210 History of Japanese science and technology (next offered in 1996)
* JPS2710/3710 History of Australia-Japan relations
General
The following list of books includes titles which all history students (and future history teachers) will find generally valuable. They will therefore also be helpful for any particular course students decide to study. Most of these books may be read in the Department of History library.
Barzun J and Graff H The modern researcher rev. edn, Harcourt Brace
Carr E H What is history? Pelican
Clanchy J and Ballard B Essay writing for students Longman Cheshire
Cook C Dictionary of historical terms Macmillan
Darby H C (ed.) The new Cambridge modern history atlas CUP
A dictionary of modern history Pelican
Guinsburg T N (ed.) The dimensions of history Rand McNally
The Penguin atlas of world history 2 vols, Penguin or
Palmer R R (ed.) Historical atlas of the world
Shepherd's historical atlas 9th edn, Barnes and Noble
Taylor G The student's writing guide for the arts and social sciences CUP
First-year level
The department offers ten first-year subjects, five in each semester. Each subject is valued at six points. All first-year subjects may be taken without prerequisites. Students may enrol in a suggested pair of subjects, one in first semester and one in second semester, to form a first-year sequence in history. Please note that all first-year units are discrete and may be taken as a pair or independently. Suggested first-year sequences in history are:
* HSY1010 Medieval Europe and HSY1020 Renaissance Europe or
* HSY1030 Australia: immigrant nation and HSY1040 Land, people and power: contemporary Australian history or
* HSY1050 Asian civilisations: an historical introduction and HSY1060 The transformation of Asia, c. 1800 to the present day or
* HSY1070 Contemporary Europe I: origins and HSY1080 Contemporary Europe II: East and West
* HSY1150 World War II: the rise of fascism and HSY1160 World War II: the crushing of the Axis
Subjects offered
* HSY1010 Medieval Europe
* HSY1020 Renaissance Europe
* HSY1030 Australian: immigrant nation
* HSY1040 Land, people and power: contemporary Australian history
* HSY1050 Asian civilisations: an historical introduction
* HSY1060 The transformation of Asia, c. 1800 to the present day
* HSY1070 Contemporary Europe: origins
* HSY1080 Contemporary Europe: East and West
* HSY1090 Enter the dragons: the roots of modern East Asian capitalism
* HSY1150 World War II: the rise of fascism
* HSY1160 World War II: the crushing of the Axis
Second-year level
Prerequisite
Any first-year level history sequence carrying a total of at least twelve points. Whereas all second and third-year history units may be taken independently of each other, students are advised to select them according to a coherent plan of study which should take into account the value of following paired sequences of units in particular subject areas.
Subjects offered
The following subjects, available at second-year level, will be offered in 1995:
* HSY2030 A short history of the world
* HSY2040 Revolution and dissent: changing the world
* HSY2090 Britain in the age of revolutions
* HSY2100 The Victorian Age: state and society in Britain before the Great War
* HSY2120 Modern China
* HSY2170 Traditional China
* HSY2190 Indonesia in the twentieth century
* HSY2210 Japan: origins to 1800
* HSY2220 Japan: 1800 to the present
* HSY2230 Early America: the American people and the United States, 1492-1877
* HSY2260 Australian Aboriginal history
* HSY2270 The enlightenment and the origins of the French Revolution
* HSY2280 Revolutionary France
* HSY2290 Twentieth century Australia: nation and identity
* HSY2310 The British Empire and Australia, 1642-1852
* HSY2340 Australia and the British Empire, 1852-1992
* HSY2360 Contemporary America
* HSY2370 Dissent in American society
* HSY2410 History of sexuality 1800 - present
* HSY2430 Melbourne: short history of a great city
* HSY2460 Cambodia, Thailand and Vietnam
* HSY2470 The religious quest: Judaism, Christianity and Islam
* HSY2480 The religious quest: Eastern faith and illumination
* HSY2510 Germany 1815-1918: politics, ideas and society
* HSY2520 Democracy and dictatorship: German history since 1918
* HSY2540 Modern Russia: the rise and fall of Soviet power
* HSY2560 Modern Jewish history
* HSY2580 The Holocaust
* HSY2590 Alexandria-Jerusalem-Rome: connections and conflict
* HSY2630 Renaissance Florence
* HSY2640 The twelfth century renaissance: culture and society
* HSY2670 The emergence of modern India I: Mughal India, 1526-1858
* HSY2680 The emergence of modern India II: British India, 1858-1947
* HSY2710 Southeast Asia: the early modern era to c.1900
* HSY2720 Tradition and transformation in Southeast Asia
* HSY2740 Culture and society in Australia
* HSY2810 Gender and sexuality in Victorian Britain
Third-year level
Prerequisite
Any second-year history subjects carrying a total of at least sixteen points. Whereas all third-year history units may be taken independently of each other, students are advised to select them according to a coherent plan of study which should take into account the value of following paired sequences of units in particular subject areas.
Subjects offered
The following subjects will be offered at third-year level in 1995. Where the same subject is also offered at second year, the syllabus for the third-year subject will be the same in each case as for the corresponding second-year level subject, except that in third year students will be required to undertake work of a different and more advanced kind. To achieve a history major students are required to complete successfully at least forty points of history at second and third-year levels, with at least two eight point subjects at each level. The Department of History strongly recommends that three units be taken at the third-year level. As part of their third-year study students are strongly encouraged to take either HSY3010 or HSY3020 (Making histories), a course designed to link reflection on the purposes of history with the application of historical skills in the public domain.
It is required that students contemplating honours enrol in HSY3010/3020, which will prepare them for fourth-year study.
* HSY3010 Making histories
* HSY3020 Making histories
* HSY3030 A short history of the world
* HSY3040 Revolution and dissent: changing the world
* HSY3090 Britain in the age of revolutions
* HSY3100 The Victorian Age: state and society in Britain before the Great War
* HSY3120 Modern China
* HSY3170 Traditional China
* HSY3190 Indonesia in the twentieth century
* HSY3210 Japan: origins to 1800
* HSY3220 Japan: 1800 to present
* HSY3230 Early America: the American people and the United States 1492-1877
* HSY3260 Australian Aboriginal history
* HSY3270 The enlightenment and the origins of the French Revolution
* HSY3280 Revolutionary France
* HSY3290 Twentieth century Australia: nation and identity
* HSY3310 The British Empire and Australia, 1642-1852
* HSY3340 Australia and the British Empire, 1852-1992
* HSY3350 Contemporary America
* HSY3370 Dissent in American society
* HSY3410 History of sexuality 1800-present
* HSY3430 Melbourne: short history of a great city
* HSY3460 Cambodia, Thailand and Vietnam
* HSY3470 The religious quest: Judaism, Christianity and Islam
* HSY3480 The religious quest: Eastern faith and illumination
* HSY3510 Democracy and dictatorship: German history since 1918
* HSY3520 Germany 1815-1918: politics, ideas and society
* HSY3540 Modern Russia: the rise and fall of Soviet power
* HSY3560 Modern Jewish history
* HSY3580 The holocaust
* HSY3590 Alexandria-Jerusalem-Rome: connections and conflict
* HSY3630 Renaissance Florence
* HSY3640 The twelfth century renaissance: culture and society
* HSY3670 The emergence of modern India I: Mughal India, 1526-1858
* HSY3680 The emergence of modern India II: British India 1858-1947
* HSY3710 Southeast Asia: the early modern era to c.1900
* HSY3720 Tradition and transformation in Southeast Asia
* HSY3740 Culture and society in Australia
* HSY3810 Gender and sexuality in Victorian Britain
* HSY3830 Making of modern Paris
* HSY3870 Social theory and social history
* HSY3900 Biography and the historian's craft
Fourth-year level
In addition to writing a dissertation on an approved topic and attending the general seminar, honours students are required to take three eight-point units. A student who has not previously taken a third-year introduction to honours or methodology unit will be required to take HSY4010 (Making histories) as a compulsory eight-point subject in first semester. Students who have completed HSY3790/3800 (Historical method) or HSY3010/3020 (Making Histories) may study either two units of historiography and method and one special subject or two special subjects (each from a different subject area), and one unit of historiography and method.
Subjects offered
* HSY4010 Making histories
* HSY4050 Special subject
* HSY4060 Special subject
* HSY4070 Special subject
* HSY4080 Special subject
* HSY4870 Social theory and social history
* HSY4900 Biography and the historian's craft
* HSY4920 Using the past: three traditions
* HSY4970 General seminar
* HSY4990 Dissertation
Enrolment advice
Students seeking advice on their selection of courses should obtain an appointment with one of the following, by contacting the Department of History office, room 510, telephone 905 2172.
During 1994:
David Garrioch, room 610, telephone 905 2175 or
Val Campbell, room 508, telephone 905 2199.
During 1995:
Andrew Markus, room 523, telephone 905 2200 or
Val Campbell, room 508, telephone 905 2199.
Fourth-year coordinator: Ian Copland, room 605, telephone 905 2201.
Combined honours in history and politics
In second and third years students will take subjects to complete major sequences in both history and politics and an appropriate course in historiography.
In fourth year, students follow a course of study approved by the heads of both departments.
Combined honours in history and sociology
In fourth year, students follow a course of study approved by the heads of both departments.
Combined honours in history and other disciplines
Combined honours in history and other disciplines are possible with the approval of the heads of both departments.