| Unit name | Critical Perspectives on Cultural Heritage |
|---|---|
| Unit code | HUMSM0021 |
| Credit points | 20 |
| Level of study | M/7 |
| Teaching block(s) |
Teaching Block 1 (weeks 1 - 12) |
| Unit director | Dr. Kelly |
| 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, Law and Social Sciences |
Why is this unit important?
This unit will offer a wide-ranging introduction to the field of cultural heritage. You will be encouraged to engage critically with questions that pertain to the management and care of heritage institutions and collections, such as: who decides what constitutes heritage and what should be done with it? How should we present the past to the public? Why does heritage matter? Throughout, the emphasis will be on linking theory with practice across a variety of global and situational contexts, and equipping you to think critically about the care, management and interpretation of cultural heritage. Some of the seminars will be taught in collaboration with heritage experts currently working in the field and site visits to heritage institutions will allow you to develop a comprehensive understanding of the challenges and needs faced by varying types of cultural heritage sites.
How does this unit fit into your programme of study
This unit exposes you to key conceptual, historiographical, and methodological issues relating to the field of cultural heritage. It will show you how particular collections and contexts give rise to a variety of different research questions as well as providing you with an introduction to the approaches that scholars use in order to answer such questions. As the core unit for the programme, it provides a deep foundation for your development in relation to the other units you select and paves the way to developing your own dissertation project.
An overview of content
This unit will introduce students to emerging critical approaches in cultural heritage studies. Through a combination of seminar teaching and site visits, students will gain a comprehensive understanding of the major debates and challenges in this rapidly developing field. To enhance the real-world emphasis of this unit, some of the seminars will be taught in collaboration with heritage experts currently working in the field, including colleagues from our Culture and Collections team at the University. Ultimately, this unit will lay the groundwork for subsequent teaching by introducing students to the key concepts relevant to working in the field of cultural heritage and exposing them to the practice of professionals with experience in these environments.
How will students, personally, be different as a result of the unit
Students will have acquired detailed knowledge of the major challenges facing the cultural heritage sector, and the ways professionals and institutions are working to meet these challenges. They will have reflected on the affordances and limitations of the interdisciplinary research methods that characterise the field, and will be able to articulate critiques of scholarship in the area. They will have gained confidence in group work and in testing out new ideas and adapting them in response to feedback from tutors and peers.
Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of this unit, you will be able to:
This unit will be taught through a combination of seminars and site visits, with an emphasis on problem-based learning. The seminars will also include contributions from non-academic professionals and community organisations working in related areas, and field trips to cultural heritage sites. W
Tasks which count towards your unit mark (summative):
Annotated bibliography (20%) [ILOs 1-4]
Heritage Site Review (80%) [ILOs 1-5]
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. HUMSM0021).
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.
