| Unit name | Medieval Studies Summer School Programme |
|---|---|
| Unit code | HUMS10018 |
| Credit points | 10 |
| Level of study | C/4 |
| Teaching block(s) |
Academic Year (weeks 1 - 52) |
| Unit director | Dr. Costantini |
| Open unit status | Not open |
| Units you must take before you take this one (pre-requisite units) |
none |
| Units you must take alongside this one (co-requisite units) |
none |
| Units you may not take alongside this one |
none |
| School/department | School of Humanities |
| Faculty | Faculty of Arts |
Why is this unit important?
Bristol boasts a status as one of the largest and leading cities in medieval England and a gateway to Europe. This and the unique historical sites and resources available in the Southwest of England make Bristol the ideal location for our three-week Medieval Studies Summer School programme. Our unique interdisciplinary course will introduce students to working with primary medieval sources, particularly, but not exclusively, written ones. Students will be exposed to current medieval studies debates and will gain the necessary research skills to explore manuscript evidence from the medieval period, working with leading medieval experts in History, English, Theology, History of Art, French, and beyond based at the Bristol Centre for Medieval Studies. This is one of the largest communities of academic medievalists in the UK, and during the course students will become part of it, therefore gaining a unique opportunity for networking and academic development.
How does this unit fit into your programme of study?
This intensive course is aimed at undergraduates who want a foundation in the methodologies required to examine primary medieval sources and to explore a key region for shaping the medieval history of Western Europe. The course is also aimed at recent graduates, and postgraduates who want to study this as a new subject at UG level.
An overview of content
During this three-week programme, students will work with world-leading medievalists, partners at different locations in the Southwest of England, and each other, while learning key methodologies to critically and independently examine medieval written sources. The course will place a strong emphasis on how to read and examine manuscripts and vernacular literature. Students will be introduced to the following specialist skills, drawing on the expertise of the Centre for Medieval Studies staff: palaeography and codicology, textual editing, diplomatic (working with charters), art and decoration, and acquiring an understanding of medieval buildings. In addition to this, students will also be introduced to the main approaches to medieval vernacular literature, history, society and culture, and religion. Weekly field trips to our partner centres and locations in the Southwest of England will enable students to apply the skills gained outside the classroom.
How will students, personally, be different as a result of the unit?
Students will become familiar with a range of concepts and methods central to exploring medieval manuscripts, vernacular sources and literature, ultimately acquiring a better understanding of medieval history and society. They will be able to engage critically with a variety of sources, from books and charters to visual art, and have explored different medieval literary genres and their socio-cultural backgrounds. They will be able to work within humanities-based disciplines and communicate and illustrate the significance of medieval studies.
Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of this unit, students will be able to:
Seminars, small group discussions, individual exercises, field trips facilitated by external partners, virtual learning environment (Blackboard) for a total of 100hrs (75 hrs of teaching + 25hrs of self-study and preparation).
Tasks which count towards your unit mark (summative):
Individual oral presentation, 10 minutes with 5 minutes for questions (100%) [ILOs 1–4]
When assessment does not go to plan
Reassessments are not offered within the summer programme.
If this unit has a Resource List, you will normally find a link to it in the Blackboard area for the unit. Sometimes there will be a separate link for each weekly topic.
If you are unable to access a list through Blackboard, you can also find it via the Resource Lists homepage. Search for the list by the unit name or code (e.g. HUMS10018).
How much time the unit requires
Each credit equates to 10 hours of total student input. For example a 20 credit unit will take you 200 hours
of study to complete. Your total learning time is made up of contact time, directed learning tasks,
independent learning and assessment activity.
See the University Workload statement relating to this unit for more information.
Assessment
The assessment methods listed in this unit specification are designed to enable students to demonstrate the named learning outcomes (LOs). Where a disability prevents a student from undertaking a specific method of assessment, schools will make reasonable adjustments to support a student to demonstrate the LO by an alternative method or with additional resources.
The Board of Examiners will consider all cases where students have failed or not completed the assessments required for credit.
The Board considers each student's outcomes across all the units which contribute to each year's programme of study. For appropriate assessments, if you have self-certificated your absence, you will normally be required to complete it the next time it runs (for assessments at the end of TB1 and TB2 this is usually in the next re-assessment period).
The Board of Examiners will take into account any exceptional circumstances and operates
within the Regulations and Code of Practice for Taught Programmes.
