EUB451 Australia, Britain and America

Unit Outline: Semester 1 2025, Kelvin Grove, Internal

Overview

This unit focuses on British and American social and political influences on Australian foreign policy and social attitudes since 1900. It investigates Australia's, America's and Britain's relationship. The content examines World War 1, the interwar-years, World War 2 and the post-World War 2 period. A secondary objective is to examine the fight for independence and democracy, particularly in a number of former colonial countries. Before World War 2, reverence for the British Empire and appreciation of its protection influenced Australian attitudes and governmental decision-making. Most Australians seldom questioned this close relationship. During and after World War 2, America became Australia's great and powerful friend - and the influence of Britain diminished. Nevertheless, public affection for the mother country did not dissipate so quickly.

Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this unit you will be able to:

1. Analyse, Synthesise and evaluate information from numerous primary and secondary sources.
2. Demonstrate effective communication skills to analyse, generate and transmit knowledge, skills and ideas to others.
3. Show how history and historians shape the present and the future.
4. Devise a hypothesis from self-initiated research.
5. Construct an evidence-based argument in written form.

Content

Learning Approaches

In this unit you will learn by engaging in the following:

• Lecturer- provided information
• Tutorial-based debate
• Student-centred discussion through carefully chosen media
• Activities designed to promote understanding, the exercise of higher order thinking and the formulation of original hypotheses and stances. 

Activities will involve you demonstrating an understanding of content; gaining an appreciation of the variety of approaches to interpretations of the past; showing how history and historians shape the present and the future; identifying and interpreting secondary and primary sources; undertaking research according to methodological and ethical conventions of the discipline including being aware of the consequences of plagarism; analysing historical evidence and representations of the past; constructing evidence-based arguments and identifying and reflecting critically on knowledge and skills.

Feedback on Learning and Assessment

• Formative feedback will be provided for independent research presented during tutorials.
• Formal feedback will be provided for assessment, based on structured criteria.
• Examination - The lecturer evaluates the essays (written under examination conditions) using set criteria that offers students a full understanding of areas that need improvement as well as areas of competency or excellence.

Assessment

Overview

The summative assessment consists of: 

1.  Research portfolio presentation. You will research and develop a research question and resource list utilising primary, secondary and historiographic sources. This task requires sustained analysis, synthesis and evaluation of the stimulus material through in class discussion of a research proposal and its development into a rigorous one page stimulus for Assessment 2. This supports a collective, student-generated interpretation of the historical narrative.
2. A Multiple Choice and Essay Examination involving unseen questions of the topics studied in each session . You respond to Multiple Choice questions based on the lecture content. You will also respond to an essay question using the primary, secondary and historiographical sources gathered during Assessment 1. Your Research Portfolio will act as notes permitted during the examination.

Unit Grading Scheme

7- point scale

Assessment Tasks

Assessment: Research Portfolio

Research portfolio presentation. You will research and develop a research question and resource list utilising primary, secondary and historiographic sources. This task requires sustained analysis, synthesis and evaluation of the stimulus material through in class discussion and peer feedback of a research proposal and its development into a rigorous one page stimulus for Assessment 2. This supports a collective, student-generated interpretation of the historical narrative.

Assessment: Multiple Choice and Essay Examination

A Multiple Choice and Essay Examination involving unseen questions of the topics studied in each session . You respond to Multiple Choice questions based on the lecture content. You will also respond to an essay question using the primary, secondary and historiographical sources gathered during Assessment 1. Your Research Portfolio will act as notes permitted during the examination.

Academic Integrity

Academic integrity is a commitment to undertaking academic work and assessment in a manner that is ethical, fair, honest, respectful and accountable.

The Academic Integrity Policy sets out the range of conduct that can be a failure to maintain the standards of academic integrity. This includes, cheating in exams, plagiarism, self-plagiarism, collusion and contract cheating. It also includes providing fraudulent or altered documentation in support of an academic concession application, for example an assignment extension or a deferred exam.

You are encouraged to make use of QUT’s learning support services, resources and tools to assure the academic integrity of your assessment. This includes the use of text matching software that may be available to assist with self-assessing your academic integrity as part of the assessment submission process.

Breaching QUT’s Academic Integrity Policy or engaging in conduct that may defeat or compromise the purpose of assessment can lead to a finding of student misconduct (Code of Conduct – Student) and result in the imposition of penalties under the Management of Student Misconduct Policy, ranging from a grade reduction to exclusion from QUT.

Resources

Risk Assessment Statement

There are no out-of-the-ordinary risks associated with general participation in this unit. Workplace Health and Safety protocols associated with computer use will apply.