The Making of Britain, 1688-1815



Overview

British history from 1688-1815 was a crucial period in the formation of British national identity, which featured political union and a growing range of social divisions in the British Isles as well as intense rivalry with France and dramatic imperial expansion.        

We will study political, economic and social developments during this period of apparent contradictions. Success in a series of major wars and the establishment of the world's most dominant empire, combined with the expansion of the economy within Britain, re-defined Britain's place in the world. Although Britain's rise was spectacular, there were serious rebellions in Scotland, Ireland and the American colonies. 

While Britons enjoyed more political and personal liberty than their European neighbours, there were also increasing calls for social reform in the latter part of the period, particularly in Britain's rapidly growing cities. This course will be of interest to those curious about this vital period, whose issues continue to resonate in modern Britain. No prior knowledge of the subject is required. 

Image credit: An Incident in the Rebellion of 1745, David Morier

Programme details

Course starts: 21 Jan 2026

Week 1:   The Glorious Revolution

Week 2:   The Creation of the British State

Week 3:   The Whig Oligarchy

Week 4:   Economic Development

Week 5:   Population and Society

Week 6:   Poverty, Crime, Health and Education

Week 7:   The Growth and Impact of Empire

Week 8:   Religion and Political Ideology

Week 9:   War and Popular Politics

Week 10:  The Creation of a National Identity

Certification

Credit Accumulation Transfer Scheme (CATS) Points

Only those who have registered for assessment and accreditation will be awarded CATS points for completing work to the required standard. Please note that assignments are not graded but are marked either pass or fail. Please follow this link for more information on Credit Accumulation Transfer Scheme (CATS) points

Digital Certificate of Completion 

Students who are registered for assessment and accreditation and pass their final assignment will also be eligible for a digital Certificate of Completion. Information on how to access the digital certificate will be emailed to you after the end of the course. The certificate will show your name, the course title and the dates of the course attended. You will be able to download the certificate and share it on social media if you choose to do so.

Please note students who do not register for assessment and accreditation during the enrolment process will not be able to do so after the course has begun.

Fees

Description Costs
Course fee (with no assessment) £300.00
Assessment and Accreditation fee £60.00

Funding

If you are in receipt of a UK state benefit, you are a full-time student in the UK or a student on a low income, you may be eligible for a reduction of up to 50% of tuition fees. Please see the below link for full details:

Concessionary fees for short courses

Tutor

Dr Mike Wagner

Following a career in business, Mike Wagner received his doctorate in History from the University of Oxford.  His research interests concern British and world history in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. His first book is entitled The English Chartered Trading Companies, 1688-1763:  Guns, Money and Lawyers.

Course aims

  • To provide students with an understanding of the major social, political and economic developments within Britain during the' long 18th century'.
  • To learn about key political developments from the Glorious Revolution to the Napoleonic Wars.
  • To examine the growth of the economy, both within Britain and the empire.
  • To consider the social impact of major changes in politics and the economy.

Teaching methods

The basic format of each class will be a lecture interspersed with discussions focussing on the key issues for that week.  Students will be assigned weekly reading, mainly based on primary sources available for free on the Internet. Where students elect to make a presentation rather than write an essay, such presentations will be scheduled in a class.

Learning outcomes

By the end of the course students will be expected to:

1. Understand the major political, economic and social developments in 18th-century British history.

2. To gain an appreciation of how political, economic and social developments are inter-related.

3. Be able to better articulate their own views on the development of Great Britain during this period, both informally through discussion and formally through written work.

Assessment methods

Students will be given the option of doing a 15 minute in-class presentation or writing a 1500 word essay. They will also be able to submit a 500 word formative assignment during the course.

Only those students who have registered for assessment and accreditation will submit coursework.

 

Application

To be able to submit coursework and to earn credit (CATS points) for your course you will need to register and pay an additional £60 fee per course. You can do this by ticking the relevant box at the bottom of the enrolment form or when enrolling online. Please use the 'Book now' button on this page. Alternatively, please complete an Enrolment form for short courses | Oxford University Department for Continuing Education

Students who do not register for assessment and credit during the enrolment process will not be able to do so after the course has begun. If you are enrolled on the Certificate of Higher Education you need to indicate this on the enrolment form but there is no additional registration fee.

Level and demands

The Department's Weekly Classes are taught at FHEQ Level 4, i.e. first year undergraduate level, and you will be expected to engage in a significant amount of private study in preparation for the classes. This may take the form, for instance, of reading and analysing set texts, responding to questions or tasks, or preparing work to present in class.

Terms & conditions for applicants and students

Information on financial support