Critical Approaches to Medieval Studies
| Module title | Critical Approaches to Medieval Studies |
|---|---|
| Module code | HASM024 |
| Academic year | 2025/6 |
| Credits | 30 |
| Module staff | Dr Helen Birkett (Convenor) |
| Duration: Term | 1 | 2 | 3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Duration: Weeks | 10 |
| Number students taking module (anticipated) | 10 |
|---|
Module description
The Middle Ages are an enduring source of popular fascination, appearing in various guises in television and film, games, novels, and even political and social discourse. But how can we move beyond a view of the Middle Ages conditioned by our own concerns to better understand the medieval period as it was experienced and shaped by contemporaries? This module provides a range of interdisciplinary approaches and historiographical debates to the study of the Middle Ages, applied each year to a particular theme (e.g. empire, gender, communication, dissent, truth, etc.). By examining historical, literary, and material evidence, with particular reference to the medieval resources available in the historic and cathedral city of Exeter, we will develop skills, methodologies, and knowledge preparatory to the further study of various aspects of the Middle Ages. No prior knowledge is required.
Module aims - intentions of the module
The aim of this module is to introduce you to source types, methods, analytical frameworks, and historiographical debates in the study of the Middle Ages. Through an examination of a relevant theme, it will enable you to think critically about key methods and techniques used by scholars studying the medieval past to analyse and interpret different source types and to participate in classic and emerging debates. In addition to more traditional textual and material approaches, you will also learn about medievalist work of the public heritage sector and digital humanities. It will give you the skills necessary to review scholarly books and articles in medieval studies, and to produce critical writing assessing sources, approaches, and methods. It will also raise questions about how themes and concepts that we take for granted were understood in the Middle Ages, allowing you to develop a deeper understanding of the diversity of human experience across time, as well as providing you with opportunities to compare medieval phenomena in Britain and a wider European context.
Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs)
ILO: Module-specific skills
On successfully completing the module you will be able to...
- 1. Understand and evaluate key themes, approaches, and debates in the study of medieval studies
- 2. Assess critically the role of primary sources in informing the study of medieval studies
ILO: Discipline-specific skills
On successfully completing the module you will be able to...
- 3. Analyse and synthesise different types of historical evidence and scholarship
- 4. Acquire a critical understanding of key concepts and debates, as well as different source types
ILO: Personal and key skills
On successfully completing the module you will be able to...
- 5. Demonstrate capacity for independent critical research, study, and thought, including the ability to construct and defend a sustained argument using primary and secondary materials
- 6. Work as an individual and with a tutor and peers in an independent, constructive, and responsive way
Syllabus plan
The course will be taught primarily through weekly seminars, each of which will focus on source types, interdisciplinary approaches, and/or historiographical debates relevant to medieval studies, interpreted according to a particular theme, which may change from year to year. This will be a team-taught module and the syllabus will vary according to the composition of the module team and student choice. Whilst the content may vary from year to year, it is envisioned that it will cover some or all of the following topics:
- Source types (historical writing, administrative documents, saints’ lives, literary romance, archaeological remains, etc.)
- Conquest and empire
- Castles and aristocratic life
- Crusade and reform
- Medical knowledge and practice
- Religious experience
- Politics and government
- Political and doctrinal dissent
- Britain and the Continent
As well as seminars on campus, and depending on logistics and availability, the course may involve field trips or tours that engage with local heritage projects and institutions. This might include some of the following:
- Introductory walking tour of medieval Exeter, including the Norman castle
- A visit to the medieval cathedral
- Medieval material culture (with the Royal Albert Memorial Museum)
Learning activities and teaching methods (given in hours of study time)
| Scheduled Learning and Teaching Activities | Guided independent study | Placement / study abroad |
|---|---|---|
| 20 | 280 | 0 |
Details of learning activities and teaching methods
| Category | Hours of study time | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Scheduled learning and teaching activities | 20 | Seminars and field trips (10 x 2 hours) |
| Guided independent study | 280 | Reading and preparation for seminars and assessments |
Formative assessment
| Form of assessment | Size of the assessment (eg length / duration) | ILOs assessed | Feedback method |
|---|---|---|---|
| Essay plan | 1000 words maximum | 1-6 | Oral and written |
Summative assessment (% of credit)
| Coursework | Written exams | Practical exams |
|---|---|---|
| 100 | 0 | 0 |
Details of summative assessment
| Form of assessment | % of credit | Size of the assessment (eg length / duration) | ILOs assessed | Feedback method |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Book review | 33 | 2000 words | 1-6 | Oral and written |
| Essay | 67 | 4000 words | 1-6 | Oral and written |
Details of re-assessment (where required by referral or deferral)
| Original form of assessment | Form of re-assessment | ILOs re-assessed | Timescale for re-assessment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Book review (2000 words) | Book review (2000 words) | 1-6 | Referral / Deferral period |
| Essay (4000 words) | Essay (4000 words) | 1-6 | Referral / Deferral period |
Re-assessment notes
Deferral – if you miss an assessment for certificated reasons judged acceptable by the Mitigation Committee, you will normally be either deferred in the assessment or an extension may be granted. The mark given for a re-assessment taken as a result of deferral will not be capped and will be treated as it would be if it were your first attempt at the assessment.
Referral – if you have failed the module overall (i.e. a final overall module mark of less than 50%) you will be required to submit a further assessment as necessary. The mark given for a re-assessment taken as a result of referral will be capped at 50%.
Indicative learning resources - Basic reading
- John Arnold, What is Medieval History? (London: Arnold, 2007)
- M.T. Clanchy, From Memory to Written Record, 3rd (Oxford: Blackwell, 2012)
- Christopher Gerrard and Alejandra Gutierrez (eds), The Oxford Handbook of Later Medieval Archaeology in Britain (Oxford: OUP, 2018)
- Hans Robert Jauss, Towards an Aesthetic of Reception (Brighton: Harvester, 1982)
- Alistair J. Minnis and A.B. Scott, Medieval Literary Theory and Criticism, c. 1100–c. 1375: The Commentary Tradition (Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1991)
- Walter J. Ong, Orality and Literacy: The Technologizing of the World (London: Methuen, 1982)
- Brian Stock, Listening for the Text: On the Uses of the Past (Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press, 1990)
Indicative learning resources - Web based and electronic resources
- Archaeology Data Service ( https://archaeologydataservice.ac.uk/)
| Credit value | 30 |
|---|---|
| Module ECTS | 7.5 |
| Module pre-requisites | None |
| Module co-requisites | None |
| NQF level (module) | 7 |
| Available as distance learning? | No |
| Origin date | 26/02/2025 |
| Last revision date | 26/02/2025 |