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HIS31250

Academic Year 2026/2027

Old Germany (HIS31250)

Subject:
History
College:
Arts & Humanities
School:
History
Level:
3 (Degree)
Credits:
10
Module Coordinator:
Dr Declan Downey
Trimester:
Spring
Mode of Delivery:
On Campus
Internship Module:
No
How will I be graded?
Letter grades

Curricular information is subject to change.

It is not without significance that after 1945 the founding fathers of the movement for European Union looked to the supra-national federative structures and institutions of the Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation for inspiration as a role model or precursor. This module will examine the constitutional, political and cultural natures of the Empire and the historiographical debates concerning its viability. Within this context, the module will analyse the rise of ‘imperial patriotism’ and early German national consciousness, the emergence of the ‘balance of power‘ in International Relations after 1648, the German Enlightenment and Cultural Renaissance in the princely courts, the rise of Brandenburg-Prussia, the evolution of Austro-Prussian Dualism and the bi-polarisation of the German world between Vienna and Berlin.

About this Module

Learning Outcomes:

On completion of this module students should be able to:

Demonstrate knowledge and critical understanding of the History of Habsburg dynastic power and strategy in early modern Europe with specific reference to Austria, Spain, Flanders and Germany.

Assess individual aspects of Habsburg European History and Culture in their broader context

Present aspects of the historical debates on the political, cultural and military-strategic aspirations of the Austrian and Spanish branches of the Habsburg dynasty and their mutual vision for mastery of Europe and for universal monarchy.

Write a scholarly end-of-term essay, without recourse to AI, appropriate for a Level Three student of History.



Indicative Module Content:

The Module Handbook contains all the necessary information pertaining to the content and teaching for this course, and the expectations concerning student participation and learning for this module.

UNESCO highlights a set of key competencies that support individuals in their development and support society in achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). UCD has adapted these competencies and is combining them with others to form a general framework of learning competencies. This module will help you develop the competencies below to the levels specified. 
Learning Competency Additional Information Level

Collaboration

 The ability to learn from others; to understand and respect the needs, perspectives and actions of others (empathy); to understand, relate to and be sensitive to others (empathic leadership); to deal with conflicts in a group; and to facilitate collaborative and participatory problem solving. Competent

Critical Thinking

 The ability to question norms, practices and opinions; to reflect on one’s own values, perceptions and actions. Competent

Systems Thinking

 The ability to recognize and understand relationships; to analyse complex systems; to think of how systems are embedded within different domains and different scales; and to deal with uncertainty. Advanced Beginner

Strategic

 The ability to collectively develop and implement innovative actions that further sustainability at the local level and further afield. Advanced Beginner

Integrated Problem Solving

 The overarching ability to apply different problem-solving frameworks to complex sustainability problems and develop viable, inclusive and equitable solution options that promote sustainable development, integrating the competencies in this list. Advanced Beginner

Self-awareness

 The ability to reflect on one’s own role in the local community and (global) society; to continually evaluate and further motivate one’s actions; and to deal with one’s feelings and desires. Competent

Normative

 The ability to understand and reflect on the norms and values that underlie one’s actions; and to negotiate values, principles, goals, and targets, in a context of conflicts of interest and trade-offs, uncertain knowledge and contradictions. Competent

Anticipatory

 The ability to understand and evaluate multiple scenarios for the future – possible, probable and desirable; to create one’s own visions for the future; to apply the precautionary principle; to assess the consequences of actions; and to deal with risks and changes. Advanced Beginner

Digital Literacy and Judgement

 The ability to access, evaluate, create and communicate information in digital environments; to engage critically, ethically and responsibly with digital technologies and digital information; to understand their opportunities, limitations, risks and impact on individual’s digital identities; and to exercise informed judgement in digital participation and decision-making. Competent

AI Literacy & Agency

 The ability to understand, critically evaluate and responsibly engage with artificial intelligence; to recognise how AI systems are shaped by human values; to assess their ethical, social and environmental implications; and to exercise human judgement, agency and accountability in AI-related contexts. Competent

Wellbeing

 Wellbeing is having the resources and skills to meet life's challenges, including attributes such as personal development skills, resilience, stress management, strengths, lifestyle skills, nutrition, physical activity, sleep, alcohol/substance use, academic skills, time management, goal setting, interpersonal skills, group work, communication. Competent

The United Nations identified seventeen Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as core to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, and UCD contributes in general to SDG 4 Quality Education. Further SDGs explored within this module if relevant are listed below. A scale of 1 - 5 indicates the extent to which the SDG is covered.


Goal Name Description Coverage

Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all 1
 

Student Effort Hours:
Student Effort Type Hours
Lectures

11
Seminar (or Webinar)

22
Specified Learning Activities

95
Autonomous Student Learning

95
Total

223

Approaches to Teaching and Learning:
This module will be delivered in lectures and seminars. Students will be advised on the recommended reading for each topic, and on how to use the Module Handbook and its extensive bibliography to assist them in their engagement with this course.

The use of Generative AI (Artificial Intelligence) IS NOT PERMITTED for any assessment in this module.

A proportion of written assignments is subject to moderation / review by another grader. This may include oral moderation meetings where the student is invited for a meeting with the module coordinator to discuss the assignment.

Requirements, Exclusions and Recommendations

Not applicable to this module.


Module Requisites and Incompatibles
Not applicable to this module.
 

Assessment Strategy
Description Timing Component Scale Must Pass Component % of Final Grade In Module Component Repeat Offered
Assignment(Including Essay): The mid-term assignment is an oral-presentation, of ten minutes duration, and its notes/slides must be submitted after delivery of the presentation. Week 6, Week 7 Graded No
20
 No
Exam (In-person): 2 hour examination End of trimester
Duration:
2 hr(s)
 Graded No
60
 No
Participation in Learning Activities: Students are expected to participate actively in all seminar discussions, and to be well-informed and capable of engaging in intelligent and interesting arguments concerning the seminar topics. Week 1, Week 2, Week 3, Week 4, Week 5, Week 6, Week 7, Week 8, Week 9, Week 10, Week 11, Week 12 Graded No
20
 No

As part of UCD's student support, under the Additional Consideration policy, extensions may be available for the following assessments in the module: Assignment (including essay/poster), Portfolio, Reflective Assignment, Report(s), and Individual Project.


Carry forward of passed components
No
 

Resit In Terminal Exam
Autumn No
Please see Student Jargon Buster for more information about remediation types and timing. 

Feedback Strategy/Strategies

• Feedback individually to students, on an activity or draft prior to summative assessment
• Feedback individually to students, post-assessment

How will my Feedback be Delivered?

Students may obtain my advice by appointment regarding the research and drafting of their mid-term essays, feedback on their mid-term assessments, as well as revision for their examinations. Post-Examination feedback will be provided to students on request.

A detailed recommended reading list is provided in the bibliography of the Module Handbook which will be distributed to all students who are registered for this module.

Timetabling information is displayed only for guidance purposes, relates to the current Academic Year only and is subject to change.
Spring Seminar Offering 1 Week(s) - 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33 Thurs 09:00 - 10:50
Spring Lecture Offering 1 Week(s) - 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33 Wed 15:00 - 15:50
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