This course will provide a broad introduction to a selection of key topics in the history of medieval Europe and its neighbours from 400-1500, challenging popular understandings of medieval Europe as a uniform and isolated space by highlighting its interactions in a global perspective. It will thus offer a fresh and stimulating approach to the major forces instrumental in the shaping of politics, society and culture of this time.

Three lectures per week on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays 10-11am plus six one-hour seminars (choice of times) as scheduled on MyCampus.

None.

None

Examination (90 minutes) (60%)

Essay (1,500 words) (40%)

This course aims to:

■ Provide students with an understanding of significant aspects of the history of Europe in the period 400-1500, exploring ways historians might make sense of change over time by looking at explanations of this long period in broader historical metanarratives; 

■ improve critical and evaluative skills in the handling of a variety of primary and secondary sources, and as wide a range of evidence as possible, enabling progress to Honours in History;

■ broaden awareness of a range of historical methods, historiography, interdisciplinarity and theory; 

■ enhance confidence and independence of judgement in dealing with conflicting interpretations of major issues;

■ improve presentational and analytical skills through assessed essays, seminar discussion, and group work.

By the end of this course students will be able to:

■ identify the main characteristics of the medieval world, its development from the end of the Western Roman Empire to the global reach of the Renaissance and the factors that brought it about;

■ locate key aspects of European development in a narrative framework and demonstrate understanding of the ways historians use these to analyse changes.;

■ interrogate a variety of source materials, including texts, images, data and artefacts, to explain the problems and advantages of working with each, and to describe their role in the process of historical explanation;

■ distinguish narrative from interpretation, to be aware of the role that theory may play in historical explanation and to demonstrate critical and analytical skills in the handling of both primary and secondary sources. 

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