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History and Global Sustainable Development BASc (V1L8)

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Explore our History and Global Sustainable Development degree at Warwick

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GSD (Single Honours and Joint Courses)

88.6% Overall satisfaction for Global Sustainable Development students at Warwick (The National Student Survey 2021)

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We have revised the information on this page since publication. See the edits we have made and content history.

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V1L8

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Bachelor of Arts and Sciences (BASc)

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3 years full-time or 4 years full-time with intercalated year

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26 September 2022

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Global Sustainable Development

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University of Warwick

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On our BASc History and Global Sustainable Development (GSD) degree you will apply your passion for History to answering the Big Questions of our time by studying it in combination with GSD.

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Why is wealth distributed unequally throughout the world? How has the movement of people, resources, capital, and ideas shaped the global challenges of today? What role did the colonial empires play in this? To study History and GSD is to ask these questions.

You will investigate and interpret the past, focusing your interests on Early Modern (between 1500 and 1750) and Modern history (1750 onwards). Meanwhile, you will apply the skills and content of your historical analysis to the present-day challenges of climate change, social justice, and food security.

This transdisciplinary approach encourages you to consider issues from a diverse array of perspectives, to think creatively and to embrace new opinions from your peers.

You can enhance your skills and studies through optional work placements, study abroad, and certificates.

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Teaching on this course is equally split between the GSD Department and the History Department.

In the first year, you will study core GSD modules designed to provide a critical understanding of the 'three pillars of sustainable development':

You will also study the core Global Sustainable Development Project module, giving you the chance to see how the principles of GSD apply to a real case affecting a local community.

The History half of the workload will consist of one core module: Making of the Modern World. You will also study a first-year optional module offered by the History Department, based on your interests.

In the second year, in GSD you will have the opportunity to engage with a key issue in sustainability, studying one optional core module from the following:

You will also choose optional modules with a GSD focus from within GSD or from other departments across the University.

The History half of the workload will consist of second-year optional modules offered by the History Department. Some of these modules must be from the 'Early Modern History' stream.

You may choose to study abroad for part of your second year at Monash University. In Term One at Warwick you will study an optional core GSD module, an optional module with a GSD focus, and optional modules offered by the History Department. The remaining study will consist of pre-approved modules at Monash University.

In the final year, you will take the core GSD Dissertation module. You will also take optional modules with a GSD focus from within or outside of the School for Cross-faculty Studies. You will choose from a selection of final-year optional modules offered by the History Department.

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In the GSD Department you will be taught by a range of academics from different disciplines. They will communicate their expertise on a specific issue and describe their methodology for addressing it. We expect you to bring together these various approaches and to develop your own informed stance on each issue.

Throughout the course you will:

Attend lectures and take part in seminars, workshops and tutorials.
Work with other students in teams on topical problems that pose significant sustainable development questions.
Undertake fieldwork, archival research and engage in peer discussion to propose alternative solutions.
Review the work of other students.

Discover how you will learn in GSD modules

In the History Department, teaching is delivered through lectures, seminars and tutorials, web forums, podcasts, workshops, presentations, film analysis, group work and field trips.

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In the first year, the core History module is taught through lectures, seminars, tutorials, and practical classes. Teaching sessions in the optional modules offered by the History Department may take the form of lectures, seminars, tutorials, workshops, or practical classes.

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First-year core GSD modules have between 20 and 25 hours of contact time. Each module consists of lectures, workshops and, for the 'Global Sustainable Development Project' module, group supervision sessions. Second-year optional core GSD modules have up to 45 and 50 contact hours. The final-year core GSD dissertation module currently involves eight lectures and eight supervision sessions across three terms.

Optional modules in the GSD Department are available with between 25 and 50 hours for scheduled contact time, depending on the module. Some modules have lectures, workshops, film screenings and research supervision, whereas others only have lectures and workshops. Some modules may also include field trips.

Module offerings in other departments may involve more or less formal teaching time per week than the GSD modules.

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History

Modules in History are assessed by a combination of coursework and examination. In the first year there is one core module which currently has an examination worth 20% of the module’s assessment. The remaining 80% is assessed by coursework, including an essay, a group presentation, and a project.

In your second and final years, there are no core History modules and you are able to choose options from a range of modules offered by the History Department.

These options will have varying assessment patterns, so the assessment methods depend on your module choices.

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A level typical offer

AAA to include History. You will also need grade B or grade 6 in English and Mathematics at GCSE.

We make differential offers to students in a number of circumstances at AAB including grade A in History, plus grade B or grade 6 in English and Mathematics at GCSE.

A level contextual offer

General GCSE requirements

Unless specified differently above, you will also need a minimum of GCSE grade 4 or C (or an equivalent qualification) in English Language and either Mathematics or a Science subject. Find out more about our entry requirements and the qualifications we accept. We advise that you also check the English Language requirements for your course which may specify a higher GCSE English requirement. Please find the information about this below.

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IB typical offer

38 to include History (at Higher Level 6), Mathematics and English.

IB contextual offer

We welcome applications from candidates who meet the contextual eligibility criteria and whose predicted grades are close to, or slightly below, the contextual offer level. The typical contextual offer is 36 including 6 in Higher Level History. If you do not have a grade B in GCSE Mathematics, you will need a grade 5 in Higher Level Mathematics or 6 in Standard Level Mathematics. See if you're eligible.

General GCSE requirements

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We welcome applications from students taking BTECs alongside one or two A levels, including A level History.

You will also need grade B or grade 6 in English and Mathematics at GCSE.

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Year One

Economic Principles of Global Sustainable Development

This module aims to introduce you to various economic concepts and perspectives related to global sustainable development. In particular, you will consider the relationship between economics and policy, and you will become familiar with the way in which economists address real-world dilemmas.

Environmental Principles of Global Sustainable Development

This module allows you to investigate a range of perspectives on Sustainable Development from the perspective of interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary Environmental Studies. It aims to equip you with the capacity to engage in academically-grounded and critical discussion of the world’s most pressing environmental issues, as well as associated policy responses at a range of geographical scales. Furthermore, it aims to establish skills for the creation and the persuasive presentation of environmental policy to key decision makers specifically through the creation of a Policy Briefing paper and a Policy Pitch.

Social Principles of Global Sustainable Development

This module addresses the social and political principles of GSD. Its teaching methods range from Stimulus to Simulation in order to allow students to engage with theoretically complex concepts through practical activities. It is taught in a combination of lectures and seminars and involves group activities as well as online collaboration.

Global Sustainable Development Project

This module requires students to engage actively in understanding the real-life application of the theories they studied in their first year modules. The problem we investigate is sustainable transport: this is obviously a broad area of study, and one that has a wealth of qualitative and quantitative data to be examined / critiqued. The module aims to provide students with opportunities to examine the Economic, Environmental and Social arguments that have been advanced in relation to the case.

Making of the Modern World

We live in the here and now. But what got us here? This module studies the string of major social, political, and cultural developments that established our modern world. Radical (and not so radical) ideas from the Enlightenment, the industrial revolution’s structural transformations of how we work, build and buy things, and the struggles and stumbles of imperialism, capitalism and globalisation have gone far to set terms of life in the twenty-first century. The module will also help you develop your critical voice as a historian while asking comparative questions about historical difference across the world.

Year Two

Choose one of the following:

Health and Sustainable Development

Viable and equitable solutions in health and sustainable development require interdisciplinary and critical thinking. The first part of the module will introduce you to fundamental concepts of global health governance and health systems, and acquaint you with key global health priorities like drug resistance and mental health from the perspective of GSD. The second part of the module will focus on issues that relate to policies and behavioural change, and are also applicable beyond health, for example in areas like education or technology transfer. Alongside the module content, you’ll have the opportunity to develop your analytical skills to make independent, critical, and constructive contributions to Health and Sustainable Development.

Security, Sovereignty and Sustainability in the Global Food System

The UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), agreed in 2015, commit the international community to a set of 17 goals to end poverty, protect the planet, and ensure prosperity. Of these, Goal 2 specifically aims to end hunger, end all forms of malnutrition, and ensure sustainable food production systems by 2030.

The pressing need for such initiatives is stark: we inhabit a world where at least 800 million people are chronically undernourished. The world population is projected to increase to a staggering 10 billion people by 2050, yet who will be responsible for ensuring all these mouths are fed? And can we ever produce and consume food for so many people without causing an unsustainable impact on our environment?

Food security, sustainability and sovereignty are thus crucial issues confronting the world today, and it is these issues which this module seeks to introduce and evaluate. The module is taught in collaboration with active researchers from across various disciplines at Warwick, especially those involved in the University’s Global Research Priority on Food.

Inequalities and Sustainable Development: Inclusion and Dignity for All

This module focuses on how inequalities shape our societies, economies, environments and politics. Starting with the question ‘does inequality matter?’, you'll critically reflect on the UN's decision to integrate inequalities into the Sustainable Development Agenda. You’ll then explore six different dimensions of inequalities (work, politics, environmental justice, societal discrimination, automation and globalisation, opportunities and empowerment) and gain an understanding of the complexities of these problems. Finally, you’ll appreciate the challenges faced by today’s policy makers who aim to address issues of inequalities while taking into consideration all three pillars of sustainable development.

Early Modern History option

Final Year

GSD Dissertation/Long Project

In this final-year module you’ll bring together all of your learning and experiences on the course – the theoretical concepts and principles and your practical know-how – in order to address a specific sustainable development problem of your own choosing. This will be a problem that concerns you most and which you’d like to tackle.

You’ll be supported by an academic supervisor to devise a suitable project and to undertake research to explore the issue, taking a transdisciplinary approach to your investigation in order to produce an original research output. This may be a concept paper, a practical project, a film production, a long essay, an advocacy campaign etc. – use your creativity!

You’ll design a strategy for disseminating your findings (for example at a conference presentation, via online publication or an article in a journal or at a public meeting that you’ve arranged). This provides you with an opportunity to get your voice heard in a forum where it matters and could have lasting impact.

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Optional modules can vary from year to year. Example optional modules include:

GSD

Please see here for a full list of optional modules offered by the GSD Department.

Department of History

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