The course develops a critical understanding of the past, through the acquisition of a body of historical knowledge. Students have an opportunity to study a variety of periods and topics in English, European, American and South African history. These offer the opportunity to study history in length and breadth as well as depth, to develop expertise in various skills (general as well as historical) and to acquire and demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the periods studied. The underlying emphasis across the whole of the two years is in identifying the mechanisms responsible for historical events, conflicts and change.