The making of Welsh history

What you will study

The first half of this module provides an introduction to Welsh history from the twelfth to the twenty-first century. The second part then gives you the chance to research and write a dissertation on a Welsh history topic of your own choosing.

Throughout this module, the issue of national identity will be a major theme (and a topical one in the wake of devolution and Brexit). Some of the key questions it seeks to address include:

• What factors led to the formation of a distinct group of people who thought of themselves as Welsh?
• By what stages and to what degree in different periods did that formation of a Welsh identity occur?

In order to explore these issues and lay the groundwork for the dissertation, the first part of the module consists of the following five study blocks:

• Block 1: Conflict and coexistence in medieval Wales
• Block 2: Religion and society in early modern Wales
• Block 3: Wales in flux: industrialisation and migration
• Block 4: Class, protest and new identities
• Block 5: Making identities in modern Wales

National identity is the theme that ties the module together, but it also acts as a jumping-off point for a much broader engagement with the past. You will be looking at some of the events, trends and movements that have shaped the history, not just of Wales but of Britain and, in some cases, of Western Europe as a whole. Indeed, a central question that this module asks is the extent to which Wales constitutes a microcosm for those wider issues. So, while this module is focused on Welsh history, it also serves as a case study for examining bigger issues.

The five topics listed above do not represent a full coverage of Welsh history. Instead, they are intended to provide opportunities to explore how Welsh identity has changed over time whilst simultaneously giving you a springboard for your own research. This is a really important point because, in the second half of the module, you'll be researching and writing a dissertation on a question of your own choosing.

Examples of dissertations written by previous students can be seen on Open Research Online.

You will learn

By studying this module, you will gain:

• a broad knowledge of selected aspects of Welsh history between the thirteenth and the twenty-first centuries supported by the use of relevant sources, concepts and theories
• an informed understanding of historical research methods and approaches, and from that, an appreciation of history as a systematic and reflective discipline producing bodies of knowledge which are constantly subject to debate and refinement.

You will develop the ability to:

• critically evaluate a range of historical sources (whether textual, visual, or audio-visual) as well as the work of other historians
• summarise, analyse and synthesise historical knowledge and arguments obtained from a wide variety of primary and secondary sources, and from that, develop lines of extended argument
• study and learn independently, including planning, structuring and executing an extended piece of historical writing
• discuss a complex subject in an appropriate manner, articulating your knowledge in clear prose using the language and concepts associated with the discipline
• improve your work by building on feedback from tutors, tutorials and fellow students, both by reflecting on your performance and by acting appropriately on advice
• identify, access, use and critically assess a range of relevant sources, including those accessed from internal and external online resources, and reference them appropriately in writing
• work effectively with others in order to improve your own work and that of others through peer support mechanisms and constructive commentaries on other students' work.

Entry

This is an OU level 3 module, which builds on study skills and subject knowledge acquired from previous modules at OU levels 1 and 2. This module is intended for students who have already studied history or classics at OU levels 2 or 3, and who wish to conduct an extended piece of independent research.

Knowledge of the Welsh language is not required.

If you have any doubt about the suitability of the module, please speak to an adviser.

Preparatory work

Students are not required to do any formal preparatory work before the module starts. However, we recommend reading Geraint Jenkins' A Concise History of Wales (2007), which offers a scholarly yet highly readable introduction to the history of Wales from before the Romans to the present day. If you have the time, you could also read John Davies' A History of Wales (1994 or 2007), which traces the political, social and cultural history of Wales from prehistoric times to the modern era.

Both are available from most booksellers, and Geraint Jenkins' A Concise History of Wales can also be accessed as an ebook via The Open University library.

In addition, you may already have some ideas about which areas of Welsh history you would like to focus on in your dissertation. Please feel free to start reading up on them (remembering that your dissertation needs to relate in some way to one of the five module blocks).

Study materials

What's included

This module is entirely online. It centres on a module website which will take you step-by-step through the module, give you access to a large number of online resources, and enable you to work closely with your fellow students. The website includes:

• a week-by-week study planner
• module materials and resources
• audio and visual content
• assessment and dissertation guides
• online tutorials and forums

Computing requirements

• Primary device – A desktop or laptop computer. It's possible to access some materials on a mobile phone, tablet or Chromebook; however, they will not be suitable as your primary device.
• Peripheral device – Headphones/earphones with a built-in microphone for online tutorials.
• Our OU Study app operates on supported versions of Android and iOS.
• Operating systems – Windows 11 or latest supported macOS. Microsoft will no longer support Windows 10 as of 14 October 2025.
• Internet access – Broadband or mobile connection.
• Browser – Google Chrome and Microsoft Edge are recommended. Mozilla Firefox and Safari may be suitable.

Teaching and assessment

Support from your tutor

You'll get help and support from an assigned tutor throughout your module.

They'll help by:

• marking your assignments and offering detailed feedback to help you improve
• providing individual guidance, whether that's for general study skills or specific module content
• guiding you to additional learning resources
• facilitating online discussions between your fellow students in the dedicated module and tutor group forums.

Online tutorials run throughout the module. Where possible, we'll make recordings available. While they're not compulsory, we strongly encourage you to participate.

Assessment

The assessment details for this module can be found in the facts box.

If you have a disability

The OU strives to make all aspects of study accessible to everyone. The Accessibility Statement below outlines what studying this module involves. You should use this information to inform your study preparations and any discussions with us about how we can meet your needs.