Unit information: History in the Middle Ages in 2020/21

Unit name	History in the Middle Ages
Unit code	HIST30127
Credit points	20
Level of study	H/6
Teaching block(s)	Teaching Block 1 (weeks 1 - 12)
Unit director	Dr. Pohl
Open unit status	Not open
Pre-requisites	none
Co-requisites	none
School/department	Department of History (Historical Studies)
Faculty	Faculty of Arts

Description including Unit Aims

This Unit explores the way in which people in the Middle Ages conceptualized the world and their Past. We will examine different types of historical writing and the different approaches they took in, for example, Chronicles, Histories, Annals, Biographies, and Gestae (Deeds). For example, what were the models for writing history? Did the future have a place in the writing of history? Why did some people write world chronicles and others national chronicles? What was the place of biography? We will explore these and other questions focused on material mostly from Western Europe to c. 1250.

Intended Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this unit students will be able to:

1. demonstrate a broad understanding of the development of history writing in the Middle Ages.
2. Demonstrate the ability to analyse and generalise about how and why approaches to the writing of history evolved in the way they did;
3. Demonstrate the ability to identify a particular academic interpretation, evaluate it critically, and form an individual viewpoint.
4. Critically assess and interpret primary sources and select pertinent evidence in order to illustrate specific and more general historical points
5. Present their research and judgements in written forms and styles appropriate to the discipline and to level H/6

Teaching Information

1 x 2-hour seminar

1 x 1-hour seminar

Assessment Information

One 3500-word summative essay (50%): (ILOs 1-5)

One 2-hour examination (50%): (ILOs 1-5)

Reading and References

For reading and reference information, please see Blackboard