The Rise and Fall of the West
UndergraduateMUR-HIS1022025
Course information for 2025 intake View information for 2024 course intake
Explore major moments of colonial rebellion. You’ll focus on the reach of Great Britain, Spain and the United States—and the local people’s reaction spanning upheavals to guerrilla warfare. Delve into significant historical turns in imperialism.
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- Study method
- 100% online
- Assessments
- Subject may require attendance
- Enrol by
- 20 July 2025
- Entry requirements
- No ATAR needed, No prior study
- Duration
- 13 weeks
- Price from
- $2,125
- Upfront cost
- $0
- Loan available
- HECS-HELP and FEE-HELP available
The Rise and Fall of the West
About this subject
On successful completion of the subject you should be able to:
- Demonstrate an understanding of key ideologies, themes, cultures and experiences of imperialism in the modern world and their enduring importance.
- Identify, interpret and use appropriate primary and secondary sources in the completion of a research project.
- Critically analyse historical evidence and scholarship, demonstrating an awareness of different conceptual approaches and how interpretations of the past might differ.
- Demonstrate articulate communication skills by constructing evidence-based arguments in an audio, digital, oral and/or written form.
- This unit traces major moments of colonial rebellion in the modern world. Students will learn about experiences of dramatic political upheaval, guerrilla warfare, and social and ideological movements that have reverberated through the decades.
The world of nation-states today still wrestles with the legacy of imperialism and colonialism. Beginning in the late 15th century, a few European states expanded their commercial reach in the Americas and Asia and commenced a political struggle in regions far away from Europe. Gradually, other Western powers joined the race for overseas possessions, until by the late nineteenth century most of the Global South was governed by the West. There were many non-Western empires in the world during these centuries, however, and the resulting conflicts marked the entire course of modern history. This unit explains the encounters between the West and the Rest, and examines empires in Western Europe, Asia, the Americas, and the Middle East. The unit also looks at ways that imperialism continues to shape the world.
Please Note: All students studying at Murdoch University will need to complete the compulsory unit, Murdoch Academic Passport (MAP100), which only takes 2-3 hours to complete online. Find out more: http://goto.murdoch.edu.au/MurdochAcademicPassport.
- Discussion and Engagement (10%)
- Final Invigilated Exam (35%)
- Research Paper (35%)
- Weekly quizzes (20%)
For textbook details check your university's handbook, website or learning management system (LMS).
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Entry requirements
No entry requirements
Study load
- 0.125 EFTSL
- This is in the range of 10 to 12 hours of study each week.
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