Unit Outline

'When Alexander saw the breadth of his domain, he wept, for there were no more worlds to conquer.’ Thus Hans Gruber (Die Hard, 1988) misquotes the ancient author Plutarch, who in turn was crafting an Alexander to suit his own narrative many years after Alexander’s death. Alexander’s impact on the world is undeniable; he is widely remembered as a compelling leader and military genius who facilitated cultural exchange across three continents. But the reality is more complex than this idealised portrait, and the figure of Alexander and his reign has been distorted through many lenses and appropriated for many ends.

In this unit we will explore the complexities of the history of Alexander and his impact by analysing the perspectives of ancient writers across diverse genres and time periods. We will also examine how the myth of Alexander has evolved in the modern era, and how it has been marshalled to legitimise claims to political authority. We will delve into ongoing scholarly debates about Alexander: was he a charismatic king or cruel megalomaniac? Was he a divine conqueror with a vision or an inebriated adolescent with an army? To this day, scholarly opinion is divided concerning the nature of Alexander and his achievements.

You will engage with a diverse range of sources to understand Alexander as a historical person and a subject of myth and propaganda. We will explore interdisciplinary themes of politics, leadership, and statecraft as we situate Alexander’s extraordinary career in its historical context and trace the evolution of its reception into the modern age. You will be equipped to question the narratives that surround Alexander and the so-called ‘glory of conquest’ and evaluate the reasons why Alexander continues to capture the imagination of scholars, politicians, and creative professionals

Intended Learning Outcomes

As per the Assessment and Results Policy 1.3, your results will reflect your achievement against specified learning outcomes.

On completion of this unit, you will be able to:


1	Critique ancient and modern narratives about Alexander the Great and his impact in antiquity and today
2	Analyse primary and secondary sources about Alexander the Great and the Hellenistic age using appropriate methodologies
3	Communicate evidence-based arguments about Alexander the Great and his impact in oral and written form

Requisites


REQUISITE TYPE	REQUISITES
Pre-requisite	25 credit points at Introductory level or above

Alterations as a result of student feedback

This is the first time the unit will run.

We have included: additional resources and content pages to support student learning (for example, information about the key sources and individuals); weekly padlets for students to share their learning and experiences

How will I be Assessed?

For more detailed assessment information please see MyLO.

Assessment schedule


ASSESSMENT TASK #	ASSESSMENT TASK NAME	DATE DUE	WEIGHT	LINKS TO INTENDED LEARNING OUTCOMES
Assessment Task 1:	Primary Source Analysis	Week 5	25 %	LO1, LO2
Assessment Task 2:	AI Output Evaluation	Week 9	20 %	LO1, LO2, LO3
Assessment Task 3:	Padlet Reflections and Responses	Refer to Assessment Description	15 %	LO1, LO2, LO3
Assessment Task 4:	Presentation with critical explanation	Refer to Assessment Description	40 %	LO2, LO3

Assessment details

Assessment Task 1: Primary Source Analysis

Task Description:

You will be given two primary sources and a prompt. You will critically analyse the provided primary sources in response to the prompt.

Task Length:

800 words

Due Date:

Week 5

Weight:

25 %

CRITERION #

CRITERION

MEASURES INTENDED

LEARNING OUTCOME(S)


1	Interpret the content of the sources in response to the prompt	LO2
2	Demonstrate awareness of the historical and cultural contexts of the sources being analysed	LO2
3	Critique ancient narratives presented by the sources	LO1

Assessment Task 2: AI Output Evaluation

Task Description:

You will be provided with an AI-generated output about Alexander the Great. You will apply your knowledge of primary sources and scholarly debates to evaluate the content and perspective of the AI-generated output about Alexander.

Task Length:

500 words

Due Date:

Week 9

Weight:

20 %

CRITERION #

CRITERION

MEASURES INTENDED

LEARNING OUTCOME(S)


1	Critique AI-generated narratives about Alexander and his impact	LO1, LO3
2	Demonstrate awareness of scholarly debates pertaining to Alexander and his impact	LO2

Assessment Task 3: Padlet Reflections and Responses

Task Description:

At the end of each of the first three modules, you will provide a critical reflection on the source material, themes, and scholarship encountered in that module on a Padlet and respond to another student’s reflection.

Task Length:

900 words (200 words for each reflection and 100 words for each response)

Due Date:

Refer to Assessment Description

Weight:

15 %

CRITERION #

CRITERION

MEASURES INTENDED

LEARNING OUTCOME(S)


1	Analyse sources and themes encountered in the unit.	LO2
2	Evaluate scholarly arguments about Alexander the Great and his impact	LO1, LO3

Assessment Task 4: Presentation with critical explanation

Task Description:

You will deliver an 8-minute oral presentation with slides responding to a prompt. You will also submit a written, critical explanation of your presentation’s response to the prompt, using primary sources to support your position and engaging with relevant scholarship.

Task Length:

8-minute presentation and 1000 word critical explanation

Due Date:

Refer to Assessment Description

Weight:

40 %

CRITERION #

CRITERION

MEASURES INTENDED

LEARNING OUTCOME(S)


1	Present and evaluate primary and secondary sources to support your position in response to the prompt	LO2
2	Communicate evidence-based arguments about Alexander the Great and his impact in oral and written form	LO3

How your final result is determined

To pass this unit, you need to demonstrate your attainment of each of the Intended Learning Outcomes, achieve a final unit grade of 50% or greater, and pass any hurdle tasks.

Academic progress review

The results for this unit may be included in a review of your academic progress. For information about progress reviews and what they mean for all students, see Academic Progress Review in the Student Portal.

Submission of assignments

Where practicable, assignments should be submitted to an assignment submission folder in MYLO. You must submit assignments by the due date or receive a penalty (unless an extension of time has been approved by the Unit Coordinator). Students submitting any assignment in hard copy, or because of a practicum finalisation, must attach a student cover sheet and signed declaration for the submission to be accepted for marking.

Academic integrity

Academic integrity is about acting responsibly, honestly, ethically, and collegially when using, producing, and communicating information with other students and staff members.

In written work, you must correctly reference the work of others to maintain academic integrity. To find out the referencing style for this unit, see the assessment information in the MyLO site, or contact your teaching staff. For more detail about Academic Integrity, see Important Guidelines & Support.

Requests for extensions

If you are unable to submit an assessment task by the due date, you should apply for an extension.

A request for an extension should first be discussed with your Unit Coordinator or teaching support team where possible. A request for an extension must be submitted by the assessment due date, except where you can provide evidence it was not possible to do so. Typically, an application for an extension will be supported by documentary evidence: however, where it is not possible for you to provide evidence please contact your Unit Coordinator.

The Unit Coordinator must notify you of the outcome of an extension request within 3 working days of receiving the request.

Late penalties

Assignments submitted after the deadline will receive a late penalty of 5% of the original available mark for each calendar day (or part day) that the assignment is late. Late submissions will not be accepted more than 10 calendar days after the due date, or after assignments have been returned to other students on a scheduled date, whichever occurs first. Further information on Late Penalties can be found on the Assessments and Results Procedure.