Historians in Society - Theory and Practice

In this module, the students, are given a work placement. They will become familiar with the school as workplace and tasks that are relevant to teaching history.. The tasks can for example involve developing new history teaching models at primary or secondary level, etc.

The module involves reading a limited academic literature (about 450 pages), which concerns history didactics and how the subject is utilised in differing contexts, in institutions such as archives and museums, as well as in politics and society in general. Each student will also read an individually chosen literature (about 250 pages) which relates to the work the student undertakes.

Academic supervision of students will be conducted by the historians at FSV in cooperation with the relevant partners. A contract will be drawn up between the History Department, the student and the external partner. The contract must be concluded and signed at the beginning of the semester. During the first month of the semester in which the course is undertaken, the project description, including a plan of the work and work schedule, and proposed theme and research question for the concluding project assignment which shall be submitted as written exam. An approved project description must be attached to the contract.

The work placement is to be documented through the placement report and the product of the work undertaken (ie a written documentation of the historical work). These documents constitute and form the basis for the written portion of the exam (project assignment).

There are recommended standard forms for the project description, placement reports and the final project assignment (exam).

The module will provide valuable experience in regard to students' future practice as historians. The subject chosen in this module may form the basis for the subsequent, more comprehensive, thesis.