A survey of Welsh literature from the earliest poetry down to c. 1500. The course is based around the different categories of literature, and takes in the most important texts, including the poetry of Taliesin, the story-based englyn-cycles, The Four Branches of the Mabinogi, the Poets of the Princes, Arthurian literature, and the Poets of the Noblemen. Emphasis will be placed on literary analysis, and on current and long-standing academic debates over the purpose and meaning of many of the texts."

Class will meet twice weekly for ten weeks

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The standard assessments for this course are:

■ 40% essay 1500 words [based on partly formative) seminar presentation]

■ 10% seminar participation (including presentational aspect of seminar presentation; contribution to seminars; engagement with course through Moodle)

■ 50% exam in the form of online take-home assignment 5-days (2500 words)

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

■ Online forum contributions and written response to seminar material in advance or after seminar as an alternative to seminar participation.

■ There is no alternative to the written assessments, but flexible deadlines or extra time can be offered as reasonable adjustments (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.

It is the default expectation that all courses will offer opportunities for reassessment or deferred assessment. Where it is not possible to offer this in some assessment components, the grade achieved at the first attempt will be counted towards the final course grade, and any exceptions for this course are described below.

[No exceptions]

The aims of this course are:

■ to develop the intellectual and analytical skills acquired during the first two years, especially as applied to Celtic literature;

■ to introduce literary debates and interpretations, as well as new ideas derived from current research;

■ to introduce the literature of medieval Wales by means of reading texts in translation, modern literary criticism and class discussion;

■ to encourage the development if transferable skills by fostering individual initiatives, personal choice, and group discussion.

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

■ to outline the development of Welsh literature down to 1500;

■ to demonstrate a sound knowledge of the resources for the study of medieval Welsh literature and an awareness of current scholarly debates and ideas;

■ to apply such ideas and arguments towards criticism and analysis of texts in translation.