Catalogue - Subjects - University of 58吃瓜

IE0155 Foundation History of Britain鈥檚 Empire: Formation, Expansion, Decline and Legacy

2026 to 2027 Semester 1

Curricular information may be subject to change

Further information on which modules are specific to your programme.

Key module information

SCOTCAT credits

The Scottish Credit Accumulation and Transfer (SCOTCAT) system allows credits gained in Scotland to be transferred between institutions. The number of credits associated with a module gives an indication of the amount of learning effort required by the learner. European Credit Transfer System (ECTS) credits are half the value of SCOTCAT credits.

SCQF level

SCQF level 6

The Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework (SCQF) provides an indication of the complexity of award qualifications and associated learning and operates on an ascending numeric scale from Levels 1-12 with SCQF Level 10 equating to a Scottish undergraduate Honours degree.

Availability restrictions

This module is only available to students enrolled on the International Foundation Programme Social Sciences and Humanities (International Year Zero)

Planned timetable

To be arranged

This information is given as indicative. Timetable may change at short notice depending on room availability.

Module coordinator

Dr N M Cott

This information is given as indicative. Staff involved in a module may change at short notice depending on availability and circumstances.

Module Staff

Dr Nicholas Cott

This information is given as indicative. Staff involved in a module may change at short notice depending on availability and circumstances.

Module description

This survey course covers the period from medieval times to the present. It starts with the early origins of the British empire and then goes on to examine the empire鈥檚 expansion and sources of power, and then on to consider its decline and legacies. Topics covered will include the reasons for the development of the British Empire, assessment of the sinews of power (including economic, military, political and cultural power), the lives and experiences of the empire by ordinary people in Britain and in the colonies, and reasons for the end of the empire and decolonisation. It will consider the legacies of the empire in the present time. Students will engage with case studies to help exemplify social structures, including gender categories and race within the empire. Students will engage with primary and secondary sources and develop skills in how to critically analyse historical sources as a foundation for further study and to build transferrable general critical reasoning skills.

Assessment pattern

Coursework = 100%

Re-assessment