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FY-012
Introduction to Being Human
This module will focus on introducing what it is to be human from a broad humanities and social science perspective. It will offer the opportunity to engage with key ideas, theory and literature within these disciplines. It will therefore prepare students for further academic work in the humanities and social sciences and initiate the development of critical thinking and creative abilities.
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HI-M39
Managing Historical Research
During this module you will be guided through the process of formulating a viable, original, and academically sound research proposal in the discipline of History. You develop your own research project idea with the guidance and support of your supervisor. Through a combination of seminars, independent research, and supervisory meetings, you will engage with historiography, methodology, source evaluation, and research ethics. By the end of the module, you will have produced a fully developed research proposal suitable for submission to support an MA dissertation.
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HIH117
Medieval Europe: An Introduction
The module is a basic introduction to the history of Europe c600-c1450, a period usually described as 'Medieval'. It outlines the political and economic structures of the period, and examines the medieval 'world view' by discussing attitudes to life, death and the afterlife. Its first theme, expansion, charts the growth of Europe as a major world power and includes topics such as the crusades against the Muslims and pagans, political and economic growth, and intellectual development in the foundation of the universities. Its second theme, crisis, focuses on the devastating impact of plague, famine and warfare, and the increasing persecution of heretics, lepers, homosexuals, and Jews.
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HIH122
Making History
How do historians study the past? Why do their accounts of the past differ, and why do they change over time? This module will help you to understand the various concepts, methods, and approaches that academic historians use when writing history and generating historical explanations. By the end of it, you will understand how and why professional historians disagree on many topics, and you will be equipped to evaluate competing interpretations of the same past events and processes.
The module also trains you in the fundamental skills required to study history as an undergraduate, and gives you an opportunity to learn more about the interests and expertise of the history staff you¿ll be working with at Swansea. It will help you make the transition from being taught history at school or college to studying history at university, and it will introduce you to the many different kinds of history you can explore in the course of your degree.
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HIH287
The Anglo-Norman World, 1066-1225
The Norman Conquest of England in 1066 transformed the politics, society, and culture of the British Isles and Northern France. This module examines the impact of the Norman Conquest and the cross-Channel connections that it established. It considers the political framework in the 150 years after the Conquest, notably the evolution of the Anglo-Norman realm under William the Conqueror and his sons William Rufus and Henry I; the `Anarchy¿ of King Stephen¿s reign; and the rise and fall of the Angevin or Plantagenet `empire¿ under Henry II and his sons Richard the Lionheart and King John. The module also investigates the relationships between the Anglo-Norman elites and their neighbours in Wales, Ireland, and Scotland, and in France. Cultural developments examined in the module include the place of women within Anglo-Norman society; the role of the Church and monasticism; the evolution of identities; and the ways in which authors represented their times and values through historical writing and literature such as the Arthurian `Matter of Britain¿. The module also reflects upon the impact of Anglo-Norman culture upon the landscape, including through visits to historical sites.
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HIH3230
The Reign of King John, 1199-1216: Misrule and Magna Carta
The reign of King John (1199-1216) was a critical period in medieval western European history, notably on account of the collapse of the Angevin `empire¿ in France (1202-5); the Papal Interdict (1207-13); a radical shift in English relations with Wales, Ireland, and Scotland; and the Magna Carta crisis (1214-17). This module is the second part of a two-part Special Subject concerning John¿s reign (with HIH3229). It comprises a detailed examination of the primary sources for this period, and places the developments of John¿s reign in their broader context, exploring such themes as political society, government, justice and law, and concepts of identity.
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HIH3376
Histories of Empire
Throughout most of history up until the middle of the twentieth century, the majority of the world¿s population were subjects of an empire. From the empires of the Ancient World through to the European colonial networks of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, these empires have straddled continents and brought people from different ethnicities and cultures under the rule of Caesars, kings and emperors. Despite the clear distinctions between empires in different time-periods and continents, these organisations share a range of similarities in their operation and guiding principles. Some phenomena such as the `civilising mission¿ and `imperial over-reach¿ can be seen in a variety of circumstances down the centuries. Many empires can be said to have followed the same trajectory, rising from the ashes of previous empires, conquering territories and defending them jealously from rivals, and ending in a hubris-driven collapse.
This module will look at the growth, management and decline of a range of empires, with a particular focus upon the modern period. It will compare the operation of empires, both across time and synchronically. A range of themes will be covered, including the machinery of rulership over different parts of an empire; the treatment of subjected peoples; issues of race and racial hierarchies; the role of technology; profit and empire; the philosophical underpinnings of empire; popular ideas about imperialism and the aftermath of empire.
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HIMD00
Medieval Studies Dissertation
The Medieval Studies dissertation gives you the opportunity to pursue a substantial research project in a subject of your own choosing. Under the supervision of a specialist in the field, and using the materials you created in the Research Folder module, you will develop advanced research skills and expert subject knowledge. The module encourages independent study while supporting you in constructing coherent and persuasive arguments, communicating complex ideas effectively, and engaging critically with medieval scholarship. Completing this dissertation will not only deepen your knowledge of medieval history but also prepare you for postgraduate research or professional applications.
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HIMM00
Reading Medieval Manuscripts
Medieval manuscript sources are crucial to our understanding of the Middle Ages. Research across the disciplines of medieval studies is grounded in the study and use of medieval books and documentary sources. This module aims to give you the skills, knowledge and confidence to engage with original manuscript sources of various types, from early Anglo-Saxon Gospel books to medieval chronicles, from illustrated books of hours to critical legal documents. Students will engage with these sources via digital and printed images and full-scale printed facsimiles, learning to recognise and transcribe medieval hands from all periods. Students will be given the chance to read original manuscripts during a visit to the West Glamorgan Archive Service (Swansea), and other repositories such as the National Library of Wales (Aberystwyth) and Hereford Cathedral Library may also be visited. This module assumes no prior knowledge of medieval manuscripts, nor any prior knowledge of the medieval languages featured in the manuscript samples, including Latin, Old English and Middle English.
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HIMM01
Introduction to Advanced Medieval Studies 1: Themes, Approaches and Sources
This module introduces you to current themes, approaches and sources in medieval studies, that is, the interdisciplinary study of medieval history and literature. It begins to develop the skills required to conduct MA-level study. Lectures outline general concepts, approaches and key sources with respect to essential themes in medieval studies, such as genre and gender.
Workshops are built around interacting collaboratively with students to develop the necessary skills to implement the approaches discussed within and beyond the module¿s focus themes. Special attention will be given to the discipline¿s increasing interest in historically underrepresented groups and the emergent concept of the `global Middle Ages¿.
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HIMM02
Research Folder
In this module you will be guided through the process of formulating an original, independent research proposal in Medieval Studies and supported in taking the first steps toward the production of a 20 000-word dissertation. In five, two-hourly classes across the semester, we will work together on formulating a research proposal, selecting and using your scholarly literature, choosing your methodology, evaluating original sources and more. With complementary one-to-one meetings with your supervisor and sustained independent research, you will complete for assessment a portfolio of writings (the `Research Folder), including a well-developed research proposal for your dissertation. These writings, and the assessment feedback you receive, will form the groundwork of your dissertation.
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HIMM04
Introduction to Advanced Medieval Studies 2: Themes, Approaches and Sources
This module builds on HIMM01 (Introduction to Advanced Medieval Studies I) to deepen your understanding of key themes, sources, and research approaches in the interdisciplinary study of the Middle Ages, in order to develop the research skills required to conduct MA-level research. Lectures and seminars refine your general concepts, approaches and key sources with respect to essential themes in medieval studies, such as identity and spirituality. Following on from HIMM01, this module progressively shifts its thematic focus in a more strongly methodological direction, considering themes such as quantitative methods and archaeology in medieval studies. It also familiarises you with the medieval heritage of South Wales and the surrounding region.
