T2G: Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences
If you are coming to study any of the subjects in Arts & Humanities and Social Sciences, you’ll be enrolled onto the Arts & Humanities and Social Sciences T2G course. This will mean you’ll be completing your T2G course with other students from similar subject backgrounds, and you’ll get to pick from a range of electives that cover the broad range of Arts & Humanities and Social Sciences subjects taught at UofG.
The T2G Arts & Humanities and Social Sciences course will allow you to take part in large lectures that cover some of the core elements of studying in our subjects.
In your electives, you’ll be able to select two courses that most interest you. In other words, you’ll be able to create the course that’s most suited to what you want to study. You’re free to pick any of the available electives – it doesn’t matter what you’re going onto study. Pick whatever you want to look at!
Your T2G course will then have three parts: a core module, two electives, and one assignment. Your core module will run on Mondays and Fridays; your electives will run on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays of each week.
Elective choices
You'll be able to choose your Elective Courses when you enrol in August - here's some of the courses that'll run the this year.
T2G Elective: History of Argument
Have you ever had an imaginary argument with your Nemesis in the shower or come up with the perfect response to a point after the debate has finished? This elective will teach you some of the ways in which we build up effective, powerful arguments. We’ll do this by looking at Classical and modern models of rhetoric, and then applying these models to various important texts through time.
You’ll get the opportunity to learn about topics ranging from the American Declaration of Independence and the Indians of All Tribes Proclamation at Alcatraz in San Francisco to one of the most important books on gender/sex relations and how modern politicians frame arguments to win/lose points (think: Donald Trump and Boris Johnson).
Argumentation is all around us and is an art form. This elective will allow you to learn from the best – and go on to debate and argue with the best!
Elective tutor: Dr Andrew Struan
Andrew is the Director of Academic Services at the University of Glasgow, and was formerly the Head of Student Learning Development (SLD). Andrew’s research is in political history; he looks at the ways in which language and political debate shape our conceptions of ideas/peoples/practices, and how this changes over time. Andrew has spoken and published widely on student learning, student writing and British politics. His PhD was in networks of political knowledge at the time of the American Revolution.
T2G Elective: ‘The Medium is the Message’: An Introduction to Critical Media Studies
Beginning with Marshall McLuhan’s pivotal proposition that ‘the medium is the message’ – that is, the medium (mode/platform/style of delivery) of any message is just as important (if not more so!) than the content of the message and requires just as much critical attention – this elective introduces the key tenets of media studies.
In the current context, where we are constantly bombarded by information from various sources and with differing agendas, it perhaps more important than ever that we are sceptical about the content we consume and recognise the role the medium plays in how we consume it.
Regardless of which subject you study, being able to critically analyse content across a range of sources is one of the primary intended learning outcomes of University education.
Elective tutor: Dr Stuart Purcell
Stuart Purcell is the Transitions Manager within SLD. His PhD is in English Literature and Media Studies at the University, with his thesis addressing (very) contemporary literary practice and Twitter as ‘a future’ of the novel. He has published and presented internationally on literature, media studies, and experimental methods in the Humanities.
T2G Elective: The Power of Language
How does the language we use hold the power to change the way we see the world? Does talking about cancer as a ‘battle’ impact our experience of the disease? How can a scientific article manifest as click-bait in the media? What has Ancient Greece got to do with how politicians give speeches? Why does it matter if a Jaffa Cake is a cake or a biscuit? These are just some of the important questions we will be tackling during this course. We will be considering the power of language across five key areas: Science, Health, Politics, News Media, and Law. Each week you will be introduced to a different aspect of English Language & Linguistics, which we will use as a lens to discuss the material. For example, during the ‘Health’ week we will be thinking about the impact of metaphors. Taking this course will make you think twice about the language you encounter daily, making you more aware of the influence that even a single word can have. Nobody can resist the pervasive influence of language, but this course will enable you to encounter language with a deeper understanding of how it’s being used, and why.
Course tutor: Amber Hinde
Amber is one of the Effective Learning Advisers for International Students within SLD, and a PhD researcher in English Language & Linguistics, exploring the rhetoric of health and wellness in late nineteenth and early twentieth century Britain. Amber spend lots of her time in archives getting excited about old bread advertisements and menus for vegetarian restaurants. When she's not busy researching and teaching, she's usually lost in a good book or on a long walk with her Japanese Shiba Inu puppy, who is aptly named Meeko after the cheeky raccoon in Pocahontas!
T2G Elective: Discarding the 'Dark Ages'
The ' Dark Ages' are frequently referenced as source material in the modern day: from film and TV (both historical and fantasy) to political rhetoric. But how accurate is our understanding of the period? In this elective, you will meet four figures from the medieval period and discuss some of the key issues their lives embodied - power, conflict, belief, and gender. You will gain a sense of the true breadth and complexity of the middle ages, learn how to critically analyse historical sources, and think about the relationship between Western history and contemporary culture.
Jennifer is the Head of SLD. Her PhD is in early medieval history. Her research focuses on religious change in late sixth and early seventh century Francia, reassessing documentary and archaeological evidence, and employing alternative theoretical models to understand how and why religious beliefs and behaviour changed.
Joanna is the Researcher Development Manager, overseeing the skills programme for PhD students at the University of Glasgow. Joanna came to Glasgow as an undergraduate and decided she never wanted to leave, ultimately staying for her doctoral research. Her PhD examined what was valued, normative, and recognisable in the visionary landscape of women in twelfth-century England, using Christina of Markyate as a case study.
T2G Elective: Theory for the Terrified: Understanding and Using Critical Theory
'What is critical theory, what is it for, and how do I use it?'
These are perhaps questions you have asked yourself when thinking about starting your new courses of study; if not, they are likely questions that you will soon be thinking about when you do start your new courses of study! Thinking about critical theory and how to use it in an academic context can be confusing, or possibly even terrifying(something that many academics recall from their student days!). However, this course is designed to alleviate this uncertainty and allay these fears.
When we talk about "critical theory", we mean a category of theories which examine and critique society and culture, typically with the ultimate aim of making improvements. They are theories that draw from an interdisciplinary base of knowledge and practice so, regardless of which subject you study, being able to understand and employ critical theory will likely be a key aspect of your courses. This course will provide the foundations for you to be able to do so, providing you with the opportunity to apply this knowledge and these skills to material relating your own subject areas.
The course will be taught via seminar-based classes, giving you the opportunity to learn, discuss, and engage with the critical theories covered in the course in a variety of ways and in relation to a range of materials.
Elective tutors: Dr Mona O'Brien, Dr Stuart Purcell, and Dr Aleix Tura Vecino
Stuart Purcell is the Transitions Manager within SLD. His PhD is in English Literature and Media Studies at the University, with his thesis addressing (very) contemporary literary practice and Twitter as ‘a future’ of the novel. He has published and presented internationally on literature, media studies, and experimental methods in the Humanities.
Mona O’Brien is one of the Effective Learning Advisers for International Students, working in SLD. She works with students in all four Colleges, supporting them in transitioning to study at the University of Glasgow, understanding the academic context and expectations, and building key skills for academic success. Mona has a PhD in History, and her research investigates the relationships between the medical, social, and legal responses to illness and disease in Germany from the late Middle Ages until the eve of the Enlightenment.
Aleix Tura Vecino is the Effective Learning Adviser for the College of Social Sciences. He works with students from all five Schools in the College in classes, workshops, individual appointments and creating online resources to develop academic literacies, including critical reading and writing, independent and active learning, and good academic practice, among others. Aleix has a PhD in English Literature from the University of Stirling (2020) and, prior to working in SLD, taught in the English Departments of the Universities of Stirling and Glasgow (2018-2022). Aleix's research looks at short fiction and discourses of identity, exploring the ways in which we construct who we and others are through stories. He has published book chapters and critical articles on this topic in various academic journals.
T2G Elective: Fashion Cultures
What do our clothes - and style - convey about who we are? While fashion may be perceived as trivial, our clothing choices convey significant messages about our identity in various ways. Class, culture, gender, and even political perspectives can be expressed through our attire. This course explores the historical, cultural, social and environmental significance of fashion, employing it as a lens to develop academic skills across a diverse spectrum of subjects, theories, and methodologies.
Elective tutor: Dr Robyne Calvert
Robyne is the Effective Learning Adviser for the College of Arts & Humanities. Robyne has a PhD in the History of Art, and has researched and lectured in art, architecture and design history and theory at the University of Glasgow and The Glasgow School of Art for over a decade. She has supervised many UG and PGT dissertations, and has also been a primary PhD supervisor.
T2G Elective: Stories We Tell
This course looks at how writers from multiple backgrounds have used the short story to explore different ideas of identity, particularly nationality, gender, race and sexuality.
In this course, you will learn about and critically reflect on the relationship between literature and theories of identity while learning about how the short story works.
Elective tutor: Aleix Tura Vecino
Aleix is the Effective Learning Adviser for the College of Social Sciences. He works with students from all five Schools in the College in classes, workshops, individual appointments and creating online resources to develop academic literacies, including critical reading and writing, independent and active learning, and good academic practice, among others. He is also a member of the organising committee for Let's Talk About [X], the University of Glasgow's annual undergraduate research conference.
Aleix has a PhD in English Literature from the University of Stirling (2020) and, prior to working in SLD, taught in the English Departments of the Universities of Stirling and Glasgow (2018-2022). Aleix's research looks at short fiction and discourses of identity, exploring the ways in which we construct who we and others are through stories. He has published book chapters and critical articles on this topic in various academic journals.
T2G Elective: How Maps Shape The Way We Think
This course is spread over 4,000 years of human history, and challenges us to question our assumptions of the world, of each other, and of our popular culture. We investigate how maps are designed to dominate populations through the assumptions they imbue within us, but we also look at how maps have the power to cure diseases, win elections, and create fictional worlds. The course is open to students from all disciplines, and you’re invited to bring your own knowledge and experience with you.
Elective tutor: Rohit Rao
Rohit is a Graduate Teaching Assistant within Student Learning Development, and a PhD student in the College of Social Sciences.
T2G Elective: Is Colonialism Really Over?! Decolonising Ways of Thinking and Being
This course asks a simple question: has colonialism truly ended? Drawing from global histories of colonialism and imperialism, we will investigate how colonial ideologies and practices continue to infiltrate cultures and reside in bodies and minds. Through key critical frameworks, we will explore the enduring violence of colonialism in the everyday lives of both colonizers and the colonized. However, the course will further examine the ways in which individuals and collectives are continuously engaged in dismantling and fracturing colonial power structures through the practice of decolonisation.
Our primary texts will range from poems and short stories to music and film clips.
Elective tutor: Shruti Shukla
Shruti is a Graduate Teaching Assistant within Student Learning Development.
T2G Elective: Close Reading the Essay - An Introduction
‘Creative [close-]reading is not a singular activity, but the term describes the reciprocal nature of reading and writing in essays, a dynamic’ (Wallack, 2022). What is an essay? What is its function or purpose? What is an ‘essayistic’ style? How do we approach it? How can we read the essay, or rather close-read it?
This course engages with close reading the essay. We will read essays ranging in form from the scholastic to the lyrical, covering writers from the 20th century to the present, exploring a myriad of literary and linguistic topics. Through close reading, we will consider means of approaching the essay critically and creatively as well as wider discussions of textual analysis.
The course will take the form of workshops. You will be expected to have read the set text for the workshop which we will then discuss and dissect. The workshops will therefore introduce you to approaching and engaging with the essay as a primary as well as secondary text.
The course is open to all undergraduates from the Arts and Social Sciences. Moreover, there is no prerequisite of having subject knowledge prior to commencing the course.
Elective tutor: Jeehan Ashercooke
Jeehan is a PhD Tutor with Student Learning Development (SLD) working with students in the Colleges of Arts as well as Social Sciences. Jeehan is a DFA researcher in Creative Writing, specialising in transnational poetry to explore how as a cultural repository it can contribute to an understanding of contemporary migrant and diasporic identity. Her creative work has been published in various literary magazines and has won several awards.
T2G Elective: Relics in the Middle Ages and Reformation
Relics were central to the reinforcement and spread of early Christianity in the early Middle Ages. Nevertheless, the Reformation in Europe and the U.K. distinctly removed relics from religious practices and churches. In the first three seminars, you will study how relics were utilised by early Christians and why they enabled the Christian faith to spread through the methodological framework of the Cognitive Science of Religion. The subsequent three seminars, you will examine the absence of relics following the Reformation to understand how Catholicism and Protestantism continued to grow, and how the methodologies can further our understanding.
Elective tutor: Dr Jessica Leeper
Jessica is a Graduate Teaching Assistant within Student Learning Development.