i) To improve students’ knowledge of methodological procedures applied to research in contemporary history. ii) To develop a research project and describe all the methodological steps essential to its development.

i) To improve students’ knowledge of various research issues in contemporary history.

ii) to problematize research areas developed by students.

iii) to encourage comparative approaches in various research areas.

This course unit is designed for students to: i) gain thorough knowledge of the several different dimensions of Portuguese contemporary history; ii) question the research topics in Portuguese contemporary history to be developed by the students.

1. Further develop the ability to characterize and interpret the social, economic and political events, phenomena and dynamics in the contemporary period; 2. Develop scientific skills for the study of the contemporary period, through bibliographic research and critical reading, and by selecting, analyzing and interpreting primary sources; 3. Develop a comparative analysis of historical phenomena in the contemporary period, by integrating the Portuguese reality with the peninsular, European and global contexts; 4. Plan and develop a research project in contemporary history.

Transmit to the students the means to acquire the capacities of writing a a dissertation with scientific accuracy and development of a specific and original theme.