Course Catalogue

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This course will survey the history of the 'Highlands' - or, of Gaelic-speaking Scotland, from the late 14th century to another and equally famous landmark, the Statutes of Iona of 1609.

Tuesday 14-15 and Thursday 14-16

Successful completion of junior honours in history

Two essays, one each semester: 20% (10% each, each with a 2,500 maximum word limit)

Two seminar presentations and related seminar papers, one each semester: 20% (10% each, with a 15-minute oral presentation (worth 5%) followed by a 1000-word written version (worth 5%) for each) 

Seminar contribution: 10% (5% per semester)

Examination: 50% - two papers of 120 minutes duration each, each worth 25%

Reassessments are normally available for all courses, except those which contribute to the Honours classification. For non Honours courses, students are offered reassessment in all or any of the components of assessment if the satisfactory (threshold) grade for the overall course is not achieved at the first attempt. This is normally grade D3 for undergraduate students and grade C3 for postgraduate students. Exceptionally it may not be possible to offer reassessment of some coursework items, in which case the mark achieved at the first attempt will be counted towards the final course grade. Any such exceptions for this course are described below. 

1. to develop the intellectual interests and analytical skills acquired by students during their first two years. 2. to offer the opportunity to study previously unfamiliar methodological approaches, chronological periods and geographical areas by offering a wide and flexible choice of options. 3. to offer the opportunity to develop skills in historical computing, as well as basic IT awareness. 4. to introduce complex historical debates and interpretations, to develop skill in interpreting primary sources where appropriate, and to inform these discussions with new ideas derived from lecturers' current research. 5. to encourage the development of transferable skills by fostering individual initiative, personal choice, group discussion and, where appropriate, problem-solving team work.

Having completed this Special Subject you should be able to achieve the following objectives: 1. to show a good understanding of the subject; 2. to be able to evaluate and distinguish between different types of evidence relevant to particular aspects of the subject; 3. to be able to grasp, and make sophisticated comment upon, complex and as yet unresolved historiographical debates about the subject; 4. to demonstrate mastery of the history of the subject by dealing effectively with individual aspects of the subject in seminar presentations and essays and, for the subject as a whole, by answering a range of examination questions requiring you to place both primary and secondary sources in their historical context and reconstruct the subject; 5. to produce unambiguous, concise and effective seminar presentations, essays and responses to examination questions dealing with such problems, incorporating a range of substantiating evidence; 6. to have developed the confidence, imagination and self-discipline required to master a similarly demanding brief in the future.

Students must submit at least 75% by weight of the components (including examinations) of the course's summative assessment.