| Unit name | The Public Role of the Humanities |
|---|---|
| Unit code | HUMSM0002 |
| Credit points | 20 |
| Level of study | M/7 |
| Teaching block(s) |
Teaching Block 2 (weeks 13 - 24) |
| Unit director | Dr. Cleo Hanaway-Oakley |
| 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?
This unit develops awareness of theoretical and applied perspectives on the ‘public role’ of the arts and humanities, both historical and contemporary. You will contextualize your own interdisciplinary degree or disciplinary specialism in light of these debates and consider the implications of what you have learned during your degree for life beyond it. You will interrogate a range of case studies which apply an arts and humanities lens in contexts beyond the academy and will consider issues such as engaging with external partners and communicating with different audiences and stakeholders. As well as considering these issues within the seminar room, you will be required to undertake some practical work in the community as part of the unit.
How does this unit fit into your programme of study?
This unit therefore aims to help you to frame the specific knowledge, understanding and critical skills that you have developed on your degree in a wider public context. It aims to enhance employability by providing opportunities to develop and to practice a range of practical skills that are immediately transferable to the workplace, such as: effective communication, presentation, negotiation, teamwork, and leadership.
An overview of content
There are three components to this unit. First, a series of guest speakers will introduce their work as case studies to deepen understanding. We will consider the impact of a range of arts and humanities approaches and collaborations with other disciplines that engage different publics. Second, you will read, watch, and listen to materials from our rich resource list that comprises general literature about the social and civic role of arts and humanities as well as topic-specific sources. Third, you will find a placement, which should relate to this unit in a way that makes sense to you and accumulate 20-30 hours in your placement over the course of the teaching block.
How will students, personally, be different as a result of the unit?
This unit will teach students about the opportunities, as well as the potential challenges, in engaging diverse publics in arts and humanities initiatives. Students will learn how to use critical and creative lenses to develop knowledge and understanding in social contexts beyond the academy.
On successful completion of this unit, students will be able to:
Teaching will be delivered through a combination of in-person sessions and asynchronous tasks, including guest talks, group seminar-style discussion and self-directed exercises.
Tasks which count towards your unit mark (summative):
Podcast, 20 mins plus 2000 words show notes [100%]
When assessment does not go to plan
When required by the Board of Examiners, you will normally complete reassessments in the same formats as those outlined above. However, the Board reserves the right to modify the form or number of reassessments required. Details of reassessments are normally confirmed by the School shortly after the notification of your results at the end of the academic year.
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. HUMSM0002).
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.
