(Award available for year: Master of Arts)
1. Analyse critically approaches to primary materials of different kinds;
2. Evaluate the linguistic challenges and opportunities of carrying out research on the Middle Ages;
3. Evaluate and apply a range of inter-disciplinary research methodologies and approaches to the study of the medieval past and the uses of the Middle Ages in the present;
4. Systematically use, appraise and apply a wide range of bibliographies, reference works and other aids to research in Medieval Studies;
5. Design and undertake an advanced level research project in Medieval Studies.
Skills Learning Outcomes
1. Conduct structured research enquiries that consist of setting tasks, and locating, synthesising, analysing and interpreting evidence, including via digital tools;
2. Work independently, while engaging positively with supervision and guidance;
3. Critically navigate the challenges faced in interpreting complex, ambiguous, conflicting, and often incomplete materials and evidence;
4. Assess and present a range of different arguments and their evidence, including developing and arguing for one’s own ideas.
Competence Standards
1. Effectively communicate key ideas and arguments about the medieval past to different audiences.
2. Critically assess historiographical approaches to the medieval past, applying a range of interdisciplinary research methodologies.
3. Locate and analyse different kinds of primary sources, such as material objects including manuscripts, and modern editions and translations of medieval texts.
4. Recognise the role played by a range of medieval languages in mediating historical experiences and texts.
5. Design and produce a specialised independent research project (with appropriate support where required) about the Middle Ages or its afterlife, analysing primary sources and applying techniques and approaches appropriate to the field of Medieval Studies.
6. Select, evaluate and use digital resources, tools, and techniques to examine the medieval past and to effectively present research and findings in Medieval Studies.
Students on this course will be assessed using a variety of methods, which are authentic to the modules and topics studied and which provide opportunities to study topics of personal interest in relation to broad module and course themes.
All assessments are designed to be fair, inclusive and meaningful and will develop a range of transferable skills. Formative assessment (which does not contribute to the final grade) will build skills and support all students to approach their summative assessments with confidence. Specific assessments are determined by module tutors to be most appropriate to the content being studied.
An indicative range of formative and summative assessments on this module include:
- annotated bibliographies highlighting key works and their scholarly significance for the students’ research plans
- essays bringing together various kinds of evidence, methodologies and debates
- oral presentations or recorded podcasts
- designs for the public presentation of material (such as website, wiki page, exhibition or documentary)
- learning diaries reflecting on progress, challenges and the application of knowledge
- written examinations (especially for language modules).
Errors, omissions, failed links etc should be notified to the Catalogue Team