Module manager: Professor Stephen Alford
Email: s.alford@leeds.ac.uk
Taught: Semesters 1 & 2 (Sep to Jun) View Timetable
Year running 2026/27
This module is not approved as a discovery module
This module examines the later years of the reign of Queen Elizabeth I, from the trial of Mary Queen of Scots in 1586 to Elizabeth’s death in 1603. The module has a double focus. The first is politics, where the building challenges for Elizabeth clear from the beginning of her reign (religious divisions in England, vocal opposition by some English Catholics to a Protestant queen, rebellions and conflict over faith in Europe, the English royal succession, Tudor rule in Ireland, tensions with Scotland) reached a new kind of intensity in the war years of the 1590s, stimulating political faction and division at court. You will study Elizabethan politics, courtiers and ministers – and of course the queen herself – in very close detail. The second focus is the widening perception for Elizabethans in the 1580s and 1590s of the world outside Europe, with explorations and descriptions of the Americas, Africa and South-East Asia, offering new encounters between peoples as well as fresh possibilities for trade and commerce through Elizabethan foundations like the East India Company. 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
You will gain a deep and informed understanding of the later period of Queen Elizabeth I's reign, 1588-1603 and of the different kinds of sources historians use to investigate Tudor politics and colonization. The module also aims to equip you with a sophisticated and critical knowledge of the secondary literature on Elizabethan history. This will be achieved through the examination of primary sources, in-depth seminar discussion and group work, and independent study.
On successful completion of the module you will have demonstrated the following learning outcomes relevant to the subject:
1. Evaluate key approaches to later Elizabethan history.
2. Assess and critically evaluate a variety of primary sources that historians use to investigate Tudor politics and colonization.
3. Analyse the specialist scholarly literature.
Skills Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of the module students will have demonstrated the following skills learning outcomes:
4. Synthesise and analyse a range of evidence.
5. Express ideas and arguments effectively and persuasively.
Details of the syllabus will be provided on the Minerva organisation (or equivalent) for the module.
| Delivery type | Number | Length hours | Student hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| Workshop | 4 | 1 | 4 |
| Supervision | 2 | 0.2 | 0.4 |
| Seminar | 20 | 2 | 40 |
| Private study hours | 355.6 | ||
| Total Contact hours | 44.4 | ||
| Total hours (100hr per 10 credits) | 400 | ||
Feedback on in-class oral presentations.
Essay: bibliographical guidance and feedback on essay plans.
Exam: practice throughout the academic year on gobbet (primary source work) with protected time for essay and gobbet exercises in semester two as part of the seminar schedule.
| Assessment type | Notes | % of formal assessment |
|---|---|---|
| Coursework | Essay | 50 |
| Total percentage (Assessment Coursework) | 50 | |
Normally resits will be assessed by the same methodology as the first attempt, unless otherwise stated
| Exam type | Exam duration | % of formal assessment |
|---|---|---|
| Online Time-Limited assessment | 48.0 Hrs 0 Mins | 50 |
| Total percentage (Assessment Exams) | 50 | |
Normally resits will be assessed by the same methodology as the first attempt, unless otherwise stated
Check the module area in Minerva for your reading list
Last updated: 30/04/2026
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