VICM2835 - The Victorians and Religion (Extended)

Objectives:

On successful completion of the module, students will be able to:

1 demonstrate advanced knowledge of the religious experience of the Victorians, and of selected denominations, movements, and individuals;
2 apply a critical awareness of a range of current approaches to the subject, including (for instance) historical, theological, and cultural perspectives, and work with a wide range of primary and secondary sources;
3 demonstrate high-level understanding of the context within which Victorian religious belief operated, and of its impact on political, social and cultural life;
4 demonstrate self-direction and originality in a sophisticated extended argument that uses a suitably wide range of evidence/illustrations for a 6,000-word essay, and also engages with contextual and critical literature.

Content:

The module investigates various aspects of the Victorians and religion including the strength and form of religious observance, a case-study of the history of two leading denominations/ ‘movements’ (for instance, Evangelicalism or Tractarianism) and the personal faith experience and spirituality of specific individuals and/or social classes (for instance, the working classes). The wider impact of Victorian religious belief on certain aspects of political, social and cultural life will also be considered through 2 specific case-studies related to staff specialism (for instance, religious paintings, church-building and space, domestic life/the experience of women). The contribution which other disciplines can make to understanding of religion during the Victorian era will also be considered.

Learning and Teaching Information:

Students taking this module will already have taken seminars for VICM 2145. Once they have upgraded to VICM 2835, they will be allowed an additional 45 minutes of individual tutorial time. This time may be used in a combination of different ways (e.g. face-to-face discussion, e-mail consultations) as appropriate to the individual student. Students will be required to submit a proposal to register for the module, and encouraged to submit drafts for feedback before final submission.

Individual tutorial
Contact hours: 45 minutes per student
Intended group size: 1

Assessment: