Module manager: Dr Iona McCleery
Email: i.mcleery@leeds.ac.uk
Taught: Semester 1 (Sep to Jan) View Timetable
Year running 2025/26
This module is approved as a discovery module
What happened when people were ill in the Middle Ages? This module explores the history of medicine in the medieval period as much as is possible from the point of view of the sick. You will start by examining medieval concepts of health, healing and disease, and then go on to consider the health needs of several different social groups: the poorest people in society; royalty, nobles and townsfolk with more money; men, women, children; older people; injured, disabled and diseased people; and those considered to be mentally ill. The module covers a broad chronological and geographical period, focusing on the 12th-15th centuries. Through discussion of how the sick went about curing illness and preventing disease, you will come across a wide variety of medical practitioners and health providers including itinerant toothpullers, academically-trained physicians, saints, surgeons, and midwives. The intention is to study the choices of the medieval sick in context, using a wide range of primary sources and a number of different historical approaches. Content note: This module is about illness and injury in the past. It will include discussions of pain, surgery, childbirth, contraception and abortion, blood, disease (including Covid-19), mental illness (including cases that might lead to suicide), and many situations that may lead to trauma and death. Topics are clearly identified for each week in advance, slides are always viewable in advance, and there will be notification about certain slides and texts where possible. Please note this is an optional module and runs subject to enrolments. If a low number of students choose this module, then the module may not run and you may be asked to choose another module.
The aim of this module is to explore everyday experiences of medicine and healthcare in specific social and historical contexts. The module aims to do this through focused analysis of a wide range of primary sources and close reading of historiographical approaches and methods.
On successful completion of the module you will have demonstrated the following learning outcomes relevant to the subject:
1. Critically analyse primary sources for the study of everyday life and health in the Middle Ages.
2. Demonstrate knowledge of approaches in the field of medical history.
3. Identify and evaluate sources and debates for an extended comparative analysis of key themes in medieval medical history.
Skills Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of the module you will have demonstrated the following skills learning outcomes:
4. Investigate a variety of sources of information on a subject, in order to expand or provide new knowledge of a topic or subject.
5. Weigh up different people’s arguments and perspectives on a topic.
6. Research and communicate own arguments, supported by relevant evidence and adhering to academic convention.
Details of the syllabus will be provided on the Minerva organisation (or equivalent) for the module.
| Delivery type | Number | Length hours | Student hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| Supervision | 2 | 0.2 | 0.4 |
| Lecture | 10 | 1 | 10 |
| Practical | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Seminar | 10 | 1 | 10 |
| Private study hours | 178.6 | ||
| Total Contact hours | 21.4 | ||
| Total hours (100hr per 10 credits) | 200 | ||
You will receive feedback on a primary source analysis and will be offered an individual meeting with the tutor to discuss an essay plan. The practical class is an essay-writing workshop in which we will look at the strongest anonymous plans and provide further group feedback on them.
| Assessment type | Notes | % of formal assessment |
|---|---|---|
| Coursework | Primary source analysis | 40 |
| Coursework | Essay | 60 |
| Total percentage (Assessment Coursework) | 100 | |
Resits will be in the same formats (choosing different sources/essay question).
The reading list is available from the Library website
Last updated: 29/04/2025
Errors, omissions, failed links etc should be notified to the Catalogue Team