Course Details in 2026/27 Session

Module Title	LH Advanced Option: From the OSS to Snowden: A History of American Intelligence Agencies since 1945
School	History and Cultures
Department	History
Module Code	09 38745
Module Lead	Dr Steve Hewitt
Level	Honours Level
Credits	20
Semester	Semester 1
Pre-requisites
Co-requisites
Restrictions	None
Contact Hours	Lecture-10 hours Seminar-20 hours Guided independent study-170 hours Total: 200 hours
Exclusions
Description	'I remember a senator once asked me. When we talk about \"CIA\" why we never use the word \"the\" in front of it. And I asked him, do you put the word \"the\" in front of \"God\"?' -The Good Shepherd (2006) Spy agencies garner occupy a special place in the popular imagination. The most famous of these, the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), has made numerous appearances in popular culture over the years. But what is the real history behind the CIA and its partner agencies in the American intelligence community? This module will examine that history from World War Two and the first US foreign intelligence service, the Office of Strategic Services (OSS), the birth of the CIA and the national security state in 1947, its central position as an instrument of American foreign policy during the Cold War, its relationship with various US presidents, its struggles after the end of the Cold War, and its new purpose as the chief tool of American counter-terrorism in the aftermath of 9/11. Along the way, we will look at historical writing about the CIA, the nature of intelligence as a practice, and the records of the CIA itself.
Learning Outcomes	By the end of the module students should be able to: analyse and explain key events and historical processes relevant to the subject under scrutiny, analyse and explain reasons for and implications of these events and processes (including analysis of primary evidence where appropriate) compare and evaluate the main scholarly views on the subject under investigation, critically evaluate the historiographical context and trends of the subject under exploration work with an appropriate degree of learner independence to explain and analyse the material under scrutiny summarise, analyse and evaluate the subject material clearly and effectively in writing, synthesise and evaluate themes across a wide range of diverse material
Assessment	38745-01 : 3,000 word essay : Coursework (100%)
Assessment Methods & Exceptions	Assessment: S1 = 1 x 3,000 word essay (100%)
Other
Reading List