Course Catalogue

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This course explores key topics in medieval history with global scope, paying attention to connections and change in the middle ages and challenging popular understandings of medieval Europe as a uniform and isolated space. Reflecting the latest historical research, sample topics include cross-cultural interactions, religious conversion and women and gender. Core skills in analysing sources and making effective arguments will be developed through seminars centred on group discussion of primary sources. Topical units will encourage an awareness of historical contestation and silences in the archives while introducing technical skills, such as reading against the grain and working with translated sources.

Three lectures per week on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays at 10-11am or 4-5pm

Six one-hour seminars (choice of times on MyCampus)

None

HIST1008 History 1A: Scotland's Millenium

HIST1020 History 1B: A Medieval Mosaic

The standard assessments for this course are:

■ Essay (1800 words) 60%

■ Unit tests (best 4 out of 6) 40%

If required, for instance where a disability prevents a student from undertaking a specific method of assessment, the following alternatives are available:

■ There is no alternative to the essay or unit tests, but extensions to the deadlines/extra time can be offered as reasonable adjustment (students should follow the usual process for extensions).

Further reasonable adjustments may be provided where necessary. Students are encouraged to consult with the course convenor.

This course aims to:

■ Explore key topics in medieval history from the end of the Western Roman Empire to the transformations at the end of the Middle Ages from a global perspective, shaped by recent research developments, the teaching team's special expertise and resources from UoG archives and museums.

■ Encourage an awareness of historical contestation and silences in the archives and introduce technical skills such as reading against the grain.

■ Support students in transitioning from school to Honours study and enhance employability by developing core skills in library research, source analysis, ethical use of technology, persuasive communications and time management through independent work and collaborative discussion.

By the end of this course students will be able to:

■ Contextualise, critically assess and synthesise primary and secondary sources to address questions in medieval history, showing an awareness of debate in historical interpretation.

■ Find, select and accurately cite appropriate primary and secondary sources, including texts, images and artefacts.

■ Formulate fluent, well-evidenced and convincing historical arguments.

■ Reflect on the process of historical research and academic writing, including ethical use of technology.

■ Manage seminar preparation and assessment tasks to deadlines (subject to extenuating circumstances and disability provisions).