Scotland at War

This 20-credit Masters module relates directly to the teaching and learning objectives of the Higher History Paper Two (The Impact of the Great War), and reinforces best practice in developing responsible citizenship – a core capacity in the Curriculum for Excellence.

Taught exclusively on-line over 12 weeks this is the first online programme of its type in the West of Scotland.  It offers teachers a flexible development opportunity, a
credit-bearing programme of study and access to a wealth of sources and expertise not readily available elsewhere.

Professor Elaine McFarland – an expert on Scotland’s modern military tradition - is the module leader, and will guide students through the six core blocks that compose the module, namely:

Block One: The Roots of Scotland’s Military Tradition.

This block will critically examine the roots of the Scottish military tradition, in particular considering the role of the Highlands as a manpower reservoir.

Block Two: The Imperial Warrior.

This block will examine the Scottish soldier as imperial warrior (c.1815-c.1914), including the soldier’s life and the soldier in popular culture and selfrepresentation.

Block Three: Citizen Soldiers.

This is a short block, but it forms a necessary bridge between the Scottish military identity in the Victorian period and its exposure to the modern warfare of the twentieth century. Its focus is the South African War (1899-1902).

Block Four: Tested by War.

This block examines how the Scottish military tradition was further tested by modern warfare in 1914-18. It covers volunteering, war service and the home front in the Great War.

Block Five: Memory and Identity.

This block of the module examines how the Great War was commemorated in the interwar period, and how Scottish military identity contributed to this process.

Block Six: Martial Races and Total War.

This block of examines the challenges faced by the Scottish military tradition in WWII and beyond.

Assessment

The assessment demands of this module require learners to submit two short critical reflections of primary source material (750 words each), a mini-project of 1,500 words, and a literature/sources review of 2,000 words.

Costs/conditions

This programme of study is competitively priced at £600 and is open to anyone with an Hons degree (normally 2.1 and above) in History or a related subject. Teaching will commence in Jan/Feb 2011 and last for 12 weeks.

Note: The 20 credits earned on successful completion of this module can be used to contribute to your study of our on-line MSc History (Modern Scottish History).

Contact details

Dr Catriona M M Macdonald
T: +44 (0) 141 331 3253
E: c.macdonald5@gcu.ac.uk

Hazel Ruxton
T: +44 (0) 141 331 3090
E: scottishhistory@gcu.ac.uk