Essay for History Minor, 2025-2026
- Credits:
- 1 ECTS credits
- Location:
- -
- Continuous learning category:
- History and culture
- Teaching format:
- Independent learning, Distance teaching
- Price:
- 20 € (VAT 0%)
Content: The course offers an introduction to the concept of history as a science, to (limitations of) the historical method, and to still topical questions, such as, why we should study history and what is historical truth.
Learning outcomes: The student
• can criticially assess different cultural and scientific motivations to study history
• is familiar with concrete results and interpretations of history research
• gets an overview of the starting points, materials, methods and perspectives of historical research
Target group: Those interested in the subject/study of history. The course is well suited as a first course in history.
Modes of study: The evaluation of this course is based on an essay of 1200 to 1500 words in which the student reflects on the following questions (by taking inspiration from the required reading):
1) Why should we as historians study the past today and what is your individual motivation to do so?;
2) To what extent is the historical method unique or not? What makes it scientific or not? And what are its limitations?
Learning material: John Lewis Gaddis, The landscape of history: how historians map the past (Oxford: University Press 2002). The book is available as an Ebook in the university's library.
Teaching methods: Independent studying (15 h), independent writing (10 h) and a common feedback lecture online (2 h).
Teacher: Pieter Dhondt
The course is available between Sep 1st, 2025 and Jun 12th, 2026. The course can be completed by returning the essay before one of the following dates: Sep 15th, Nov 15th, Jan 15th, Mar 15th or May 15th. Students receive the evaluation of their essay within three weeks after the submission deadline in a common feedback lecture. They will be informed about this lecture upon the submission of their essay. Participating in the feedback lecture is a mandatory part of completing the course. Students are allowed to submit a revised version of their essay during the two weeks after having received the evaluation. You can find the dates of the feedback lectures in the Peppi study guide.
Study units cost 20 € / ECTS credit. This price holds for the academic year 2025-2026.
For more information on study fees and payment and cancellation terms, please see: Registration, study fees and right to study | University of Eastern Finland (uef.fi).
Right to study will cover the lessons and exams.
Fees for purchasing/lending literature are not included in the study fee.
If you can’t identify yourself using the Suomi.fi service or your employer pays for your studies, please contact our student affairs secretary; their contact information is below.
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