Ancient and Medieval History (V116) module summaries

First year 

Compulsory Modules

Practising History A and B: Skills in History 

  • 10+10 credits

Practising History A: Skills In History supports students in the transition from school to university, and provides students a firm grounding in the skills needed to study History at undergraduate level. Working in small groups with a Personal Academic Tutor, and focusing on a specific historical topic, students will develop an understanding of the nature of the historical discipline; develop an understanding of the expectations of undergraduate work; develop an understanding of the principles of academic integrity and of academic referencing; develop their personal research skills; develop their knowledge of the on-campus and online resources available at the University of Birmingham; develop their written communication skills; develop their teamwork and presentational skills via formative seminar exercises; and reflect on their intellectual and personal development via the Personal Academic Tutoring process.  

Practising History B: Skills in History supports students in the transition from school to university by providing students with a foundation in the main methodological and theoretical approaches that underpin the writing and study of History. Working in small groups, and focusing on a specific historical topic, students will develop a foundational understanding methodological or theoretical approaches to the writing of history; develop a detailed understanding of (at least) three of these methods or approaches; enhance their understanding of the principles of academic integrity; develop their personal research skills; develop their written communication skills; and reflect on their intellectual and personal development via the Personal Academic Tutoring process. 

Discovering the Middle Ages

  • 20 credits

This module aims to introduce students to a broad range of topics from the earlier part of the Middle Ages understood as part of global history, with a focus on staff areas of particular expertise in political, social-economic, religious, cultural history and material culture. The module will include introductions to topics taught as modules in Year 2 and 3, each framed as a question about some person or concept with which students may be familiar. Students will examine these topics through lectures and analysis of relevant primary and secondary source material, including material culture, online resources and accessible locations, to gain first-hand experience of some of the issues involved in the scholarly study of this period.

Living in the Middle Ages

  • 20 credits

This module aims to introduce students to a broad range of topics from the later part of the Middle Ages understood as part of global history, with a focus on staff areas of particular expertise in social-economic, religious, cultural history and material culture. The module will include introductions to topics taught as modules in Year 2 and 3, each framed as a question about some person or concept with which students may be familiar. Students will examine these topics through lectures and analysis of relevant primary and secondary source material, including material culture, online resources and accessible locations, to gain first-hand experience of some of the issues involved in the scholarly study of this period.

Rethinking the Ancient World A and B

  • 10+10 credits

This course provides a survey of the disciplinary specialisations, topics and methodologies practiced or exemplified in CAHA. It seeks to problematise, decentre or encourage the rethinking of the attitudes and assumptions of first-year students. The first semester focuses on mythology and questions of ethnicity and gender in antiquity. The second semester focuses on archaeological approaches, examining in particular the lives and voices of non-elite or marginalised groups.

 Example optional modules may include

  • Greek World (20 credits)
  • The Roman World (20 credits)
  • Understanding Archaeology (20 credits)
  • Classics in the 20th and 21st Centuries (20 credits)
  • Greek 1,2 and 3 (20+20+20 credits)
  • Latin 1,2 and 3 (20+20+20 credits)