World history/WHME102/Course aims

Aims

World History: Imperialism and War is a free micro Open Online Course (mOOC) designed for students who would like to learn more about the forces that shaped the modern world. This course will help you to:

1. Learn about imperialism in the long nineteenth century
2. Explore the ideological justifications for imperialism
3. Examine the impacts of imperialism on subject peoples, and resistance to imperialism
4. Understand the causes of World War One
5. Learn about the key events and battles of World War One
6. Reflect on the impact of World War One in Europe and globally
7. Examine the Russian Revolution
8. Learn about the Great Depression
9. Explore the rise of totalitarian states

Learning objectives

Upon successful completion of this course, you will be able to:

1. Understand the major factors that shaped world history during the long nineteenth century.
2. Understand the causes and impacts of World War One.
3. Think critically about the ideologies that were used to justify imperialism and war.
4. Identify the forces that drove new imperialism
5. Assess the role of new technologies in facilitating imperialism and war
6. Reflect on the origins of the Great Depression and its impact on people's lives around the world
7. Consider the factors that led to the rise of totalitarianism in Russia, Italy, Germany and Japan