On successful completion of the module, students will be able to:
demonstrate advanced knowledge of the history of the Victorian period, considering Victorian Britain and the British Empire;
display a critical understanding of analytical and disciplinary perspectives on the cultural and literary manifestations of the Victorian period;
produce arguments and interpretations based upon a critical engagement with a selected range of current scholarship and appropriate Victorian sources;
present an advanced analysis of such scholarship and sources.
This is the core module on the MA programme, designed to give you knowledge and understanding of some key themes in Victorian history and some significant literary texts, in order to give you a sound overview of the period that will then underpin your future studies. Sessions on this course will also help you develop skills in close reading, analysis and synthesis that are required for study at Level 7, including skills in constructing an argument with appropriate evidence. You will be encouraged to make connections between the topics and texts addressed on the course, and to relate these to debates about the trends and features of the Victorian period.
The seminars use a mixture of teaching and learning methods, including: short presentations by the tutor, exercises in groups, informal presentations by students, and plenary discussions. Students are set reading to complete before the session and they are expected to bring their own reflections to bear on the exercises and discussion.
Seminars
Hours: 24
Intended Group size: 30
Workshops
Hours: 4
Intended Group size: 30
Guided independent study
Hours: 272
Further details relating to assessment
Coursework 1: A seen-source analysis that is designed to help you develop the key analytical skills for studying literary texts and historical documents.
Coursework 2: A Report that enables you to develop skills in analysis and synthesis by drawing on topics and texts considered on the module to formulate ideas on trends/features of the Victorian era.
Module Coordinator - Professor Jane De Gay
Level - 7
Credit Value - 30
Pre-Requisites - NONE
Semester(s) Offered -