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Gain the skills you need to thrive in your first year as a historian.

This module is designed to support your transition to university-level history by helping you reflect on your progress and connect ideas across your studies. We will:

• help you identify connections between different areas of your History degree, encouraging a deeper appreciation of the discipline and how it all fits together

• guide you in thinking critically about what it means to study history and how to approach historical researchÌý

• support you in developing essential academic skills

Through a learner journal and a series of tasks, you’ll track your growth, set goals for improvement, and prepare for more advanced work in your second semester and beyond.

This module is worth 10 credits.

This module supports your journey as a historian during the second semester of your first year, focusing on critical reflection and skill development. You will explore:

• connections between themes and concepts from your History modules
• how your understanding of history as a discipline has evolved from school or college to university
• the value of history and how it informs contemporary issues and ideas

Working with a personal tutor, you will complete a learner journal and portfolio that encourage self-assessment and independent thinking. The module aims to foster self-directed learning, enhance your ability to interpret historical sources, and prepare you for more advanced work in Year 2 and beyond.

This module is worth 10 credits.

How did the early modern world transform politically, socially, and culturally between 1500 and 1800? Ìý

This module explores major shifts that reshaped societies in Europe and across the globe, examining themes such as:

• the emergence of new imperial formations and their global impact
• religious conflict and how it redefined cultural and political landscapes
• the nature of warfare and its consequences for rulers, subjects, and political elites
• socio-economic trends and their influence on everyday life and broader societal structures
• the experiences and histories of marginalised groups during this transformative era

You’ll engage with primary evidence and critically evaluate how historians have interpreted these sources, gaining a comprehensive understanding of early modern history and developing key historical skills for your degree.

This module is worth 20 credits.

What shaped the medieval world, and how did it evolve over a thousand years?Ìý

This module invites you to dive into the rich and complex history of the medieval period, from political upheavals to cultural and social transformations. We will explore:

• major political structures and how they developed over time
• the social and economic fabric of medieval life, including the daily experiences of people across different classes and communities
• religious and cultural movements that influenced societies and shaped identities
• themes of race, gender, and minority experiences within medieval contexts
• interactions between Europe, the Islamic world, and the Far East

You’ll engage with both primary evidence and the various ways historians have interpreted this era, gaining critical insights and a strong foundation in medieval history. This module sets the stage for understanding the themes and concepts you'll encounter throughout your degree.

This module is worth 20 credits

ÌýWhat forces have shaped our modern world?Ìý

This module takes you on a journey through the major developments that defined society and culture from 1800 to 2000. You’ll explore:

• the rise of new ideas and groundbreaking technologies
• political upheaval, conflict, and revolutionary change
• the emergence of powerful social movements advocating for rights and equality
• economic transformations and the evolution of cultural norms
• processes of global and transnational exchange across Europe, the Americas, Africa, and Asia

With a focus on both national histories and global connections, you’ll engage with primary evidence and assess historians’ interpretations, building a comprehensive understanding of modern history while honing essential research and analytical skills.

This module is worth 20 credits.

How can the arts help us think about health and cope with illness?Ìý What can the arts contribute to healthcare practice and policy?

You will explore big questions like these, looking at how the arts can engage with the crucial issues in health today and build a better vision of health for the future.

We will cover major themes including:

• Representing health - look critically at representations of good and poor health, found in politics, religion, art, film, literature, and philosophy.
• Mental health - explore what mental health is, and how it differs from physical health. You’ll look critically at themes such as the marketisation of mental health, the history of mental health institutions, and the ethics of psychiatry.
• Communicating health - how health is communicated in personal, public, and professional settings. We’ll explore questions such as why it is so important that patient voices are heard in communicating about health.
• Health inequalities - look critically at striking inequalities in health, including patterns of gender, race, class, sexuality and economic differences in health and access to healthcare.

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From treatment, information, care, and outreach, understanding the health humanities provides career opportunities for the next century.

This module is worth 10 credits.

We live in a data-driven society. Information is used for everything from predicting our shopping habits, to understanding global weather patterns, and has radically changed our world.

From the development of Artificial Intelligence to robotics and the use of ‘big data’, the capture and use of information is essential in modern society. To make sure these developments help solve problems, and are not used for harm, we need the arts and humanities to set boundaries and ask questions.

You will:

• Explore topics such as privacy, surveillance, power and representation
• Learn how modern technology can replicate historical biases and ignore contemporary struggles
• Gain the background and context to contemporary issues on data and society
• Question the limits we place on technology in our world
• Explore how the arts and humanities shape, direct and protect against the way data is used

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This module is worth 10 credits.

The digitisation of records and texts has revolutionised academic study. The ability to efficiently and confidently use data is a valuable skill for both your course and future career.

On this module, you will:

• Learn the basics of data and ‘text mining’ (using search terms to explore large amounts of information)
• Develop your skills and apply them to case studies
• See how your work can highlight issues and solve problems
• Understand how data analysis allows us to create narratives that inspire and drive change

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We will use examples and case studies from across the faculty, where data and text analysis have been used by arts and humanities researchers within their work.

This module is worth 10 credits.

Learn the basics of creating and editing audio and visual material.

From podcasting, photo editing, photography, video editing and sound editing, you can work on how your digital skills can be used to communicate and inspire.

You will be guided through a series of tutorials and examples where you can develop your skills and produce your own content.

This work will be developed through examples and case studies from across the faculty, where audio and visual materials have been used by researchers within their work.

Examples include:

• Virtual reality renditions of historical photographs
• ÌýImmersive museum experiences
• Audio installations to share stories about migration and sustainability
• Interactive events to inspire young people about languages and cultures past and present

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This module is worth 10 credits.

Epidemics and infectious illnesses have shaped our world. Most recently, the Coronavirus pandemic dramatically changed the way we work and socialise, with lasting effect.

We will explore the past and present of infectious disease, including how cultures, religions, literature and art have been shaped by the interaction between humans and disease.

You will learn about:

• The variety of human responses to sickness
• How ideas about illness are expressed across the world
• Drug resistant bacteria and mutations of viruses
• How the arts help societies to process the impact of disease - it is often through music, literature, philosophy and media that suffering is expressed and issues raised

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This module is worth 10 credits.

Our digital revolution has been led by the arts and humanities.

From mobile apps to learn languages, to video tutorials on how to play an instrument, the use of digital platforms has transformed our disciplines.

In an age defined by ecological issues, technological change and political upheaval across the world, it is the arts and humanities which provide vital links between the past, present and future. It is now more important than ever that we connect communities, challenge structures of power and address inequality.

You will examine how the digital arts changed the world, using examples from a range of mediums from across the globe. This could be a community walking app, that has brought hidden histories to light, a crowd-sourced projects that have given a platform to new voices, or social media forums that link music, philosophy and literature to contemporary debates.

This module is worth 10 credits.

We are in a state of climate emergency. Sustainability and climate change is on both political and personal agendas like never before.

On this module, you will:

• Examine the idea of ‘sustainability’ - looking at the social, cultural, political, economic and environmental challenges that sustainability aims to address
• Link issues of climate change, and our responses to them, to shifting ideas about nature and its distinctness from culture, the scientific and industrial revolutions, and the emergence of the Western world
• Examine Western culture’s way of defining the ‘environment’ and our relationship with nature
• Look at the diverse ways in which different cultures imagine nature

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The arts and humanities do not offer quick fixes to our problems, but ways of thinking that can change the world. We do this through understanding context, process and change.

We show how the arts and humanities sheds light on the history of the present and directs us towards the future.

This module is worth 10 credits.

Explore how the arts and humanities contribute to sustainability.

From stories, to images and representation, the ways we understand the world also shape how we understand sustainability.

With a focus on globalisation, and the accelerating pace of climate change in the 20^th and 21^st centuries, we will think about the problems raised by the climate crisis.Ìý

You will:

• Learn about debates around the Anthropocene, the era of humanity’s marked impact on the environment
• Examine the controversies and disputes that have emerged about our relationship with nature
• Explore how we can tell stories about climate change – for example through the literature and music of marginalised groups across the world, who feel the impact of climate change first

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By considering how everyday life choices are linked to the environment, the module offers an imaginative way to explore the challenges of sustainable living.ÌýÌýYou will gain the tools to challenge opinion and identify how local ideas can offer a solution to global problems.

This module is worth 10 credits.

From filters to fake news, we are exposed to a huge amount of information in our day-to-day lives.

Whether through advertising, promotion, policies or the media, the (mis)information we are exposed to is intended to influence us, change our minds, or maybe even censor and withhold information about important issues.

To challenge this, we need to think critically about data. This module will give you the skills to do just that.

You’ll gain the critical skills to observe, question, and act when the facts do not support what’s being represented. We will also introduce approaches you can use to question visual, textual, quantitative and qualitative information. This could include:

• Causality
• Statistics
• Bias
• Content analysis
• Language

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Critical analysis is an important skill, not only so we can preserve our freedoms and protect from harm caused by misinformation, but in the workplace too. The ability to make judgements that are based on logic is a key transferable skill.

This module is worth 10 credits.

Writing inspires change. From the academic textbook that demonstrates a new concept, to a blog post that influences habits, writing can change the world.

On this module, you will learn to think critically about yourself and society, through reflecting on how you write.

Writing lets us occupy different spaces and identities. You can write to develop your sense of self, to enlighten others, or to build connections. Writing skills are more than just how to write an academic essay. Writing can give you an insight into who you are, your values and future direction.

During your studies, you will use writing to develop analytical approaches which can enhance your work and prepare you for your future career. Focusing on the diversity of experiences and backgrounds, interests and motivations, we show how meaningful writing can lead, inspire and transform.Ìý

This module is worth 10 credits.

Political parties were central to the British political system throughout the 20th century and remain so at the beginning of the 21st. Despite persistent criticism, and perennial claims of their 'decline', parties are an essential component of any student's understanding of British politics and remain the central means by which the electorate passes judgement on the government. This module examines the structure, ideology and history of British political parties.

Democracy is a contested concept and organising principle of politics both ancient and modern. Its appeal seems to be universal, yet it has always had its critics.Ìý

This module investigates the nature of democratic principles, the arguments of democracy's opponents and the claims of those who say that contemporary life is inadequately democratised. A particular feature of the module is the use of primary sources to investigate historic and contemporary debates.ÌýÌý

We experience expressions of national identity in our everyday lives. These range from the way we talk about ourselves and others, through the symbols of nationhood we often encounter unthinkingly, to explicit statements by those in power about what the nation is, and who does and does not belong. National identities are invoked by local communities resisting globalisation, contested by nationalist parties, branded by diplomats, and negotiated by international organisations.

Experiencing National Identity will explore how national identities are expressed, experienced, and contested by citizens and political actors in a range of contexts. It will ask how and why we should investigate identity from an everyday, ‘bottom up’ perspective, while also examining discourses of national identity performed on the (inter)national stage. It will equip you to design and evaluate research, collect, and analyse qualitative data, and to reflect on ethical questions and the role of the researcher.

This module explores issues in global security since the end of the Cold War. It focuses on security in a broad sense, from issues relating to the use of force by states, through to violence by non-state actors, such as terrorist groups, and on to the concept of human security.Ìý

The module builds on the first year modules, Understanding Global Politics and Problems in Global Politics, challenging you to deepen your theoretical as well as empirical knowledge in international security.ÌýIt is also a preparation for the research-led third year modules that require a much more developed capacity of analysing empirical developments from a range of different theoretical perspectives.ÌýÌý

Elections are the foundation of representative democracy. The act of voting creates a link between citizens' preferences and government policy. This means that the choices voters make have important consequences.

But, how do voters make these choices? Are they based on the policies that parties promise to enact in the future, or is it more about the policy successes (or failures) that parties have experienced in the past? Does the party's leader make a difference? Can campaigns or the media's coverage change how voters see their electoral choices? Finally, given the importance of elections, why do many citizens choose to abstain from the process altogether?

How Voters Decide will explore the choices that citizens make when they participate in elections and it will provide students with the skills necessary to evaluate arguments about electoral behaviour in Britain and beyond.

This module provides a comprehensive introduction to the politics and public policy of contemporary China. Students will be familiarized with useful approaches to the study of Chinese politics. In the first part of the module, they will develop knowledge and understanding of the evolution of authoritarianism in China, the structure of the party-state and the role of its major branches, changes or main policies in the recent decades, and crisis and epidemic management.

In the second part, students will compare and contrast the genesis of mainland China's rudimentary welfare state with the example of Bismarck's German Empire, which is widely credited as the birthplace of the welfare state in Europe. Following an overview of the policy-making cycle and public administration in China, students will explore the challenges of implementing regulatory and redistributive policies under authoritarian conditions. They will put insights into practice by critiquing public policies in China, ranging from labour and migration through education to health.

'Justice' has been one of the key themes of political theory at least from the time of Plato, as questions of who gets what, when, and why are absolutely central to political discourse. Should people be able to keep what they earn with their talents, or is it only fair to take wealth away from those who have it to give to those who have little? Do different cultures deserve equal 'recognition'?Ìý

Recently these questions of distributive and social justice have taken on a global dimension. Does the developed world have obligations to distant others, and do they have rights against it?

This module will look at these questions from a contemporary perspective, looking at ideas about justice from thinkers such as the utilitarians, John Rawls, Thomas Pogge, Susan Moller Okin, and Bhikhu Parekh.

This module aims to provide you with a systematic introduction to current debates in the comparative analysis of European politics.

The module adopts a thematic approach and focuses on both traditional fields of comparative enquiry, such as the study of party systems and representation, elections and voting behaviour, party competition and government formation, executive-legislative relations, as well as emerging fields of interest, such as political participation, extreme right politics, immigration, political corruption and the political and social challenges of globalisation and European integration.

The diverse experiences of liberal democracy in European countries and the political and social changes that they have undergone are discussed thematically in the seminars. In the seminars, a country-expert system is used whereby you are assigned a particular country to cover. The module covers both long-established democracies in Western Europe and newer democracies in Central and Eastern Europe.

The purpose of this module is to study the historical evolution of international political economy (IPE) with a specific focus on development as well as the different ways international political economy and economic development can be theoretically analysed. Changes in the recent decades include an increasingly prominent role of transnational corporations in the organisation of the global economy through global value chains, the financialisation of the economy, the newly rising powers such as China, as well as continuing problems of inequality and how best to achieve economic development.

This module also examines the political economy of the populist policies such as Trump’s trade policy and Brexit as well as their international implications.Ìý It ends with a discussion of the pressing ecological crisis, its linkage with the capitalist system, and possible future scenarios.

This module investigates the many ways historical research is applied and used in today’s society.Ìý

You’ll explore:

• museums and heritage sites

• TV and film representationsÌý

• education, policymaking, and community history

• media portrayals, memory and commemoration, and the political uses of history

By exploring how history is interpreted and presented for different purposes, you’ll get a better sense of why historical research matters and how it makes an impact today. Using case studies from different times and places, you’ll look at how history shapes areas like health and well-being, heritage, and even how it’s turned into a commodity.

You’ll also take on a collaborative research project, working in teams to tackle a real-world brief. Your goal will be to create an engaging piece that translates complex historical research for a professional or public audience. Alongside this, you'll write an individual report, reflecting on your decisions and the steps you took, while tying in relevant academic ideas.Ìý

This module is worth 10 credits.

This module investigates the varied ways in which historical research can be applied to contemporary issues and current events. We will explore:

• how understanding the past influences present-day decision-making and future planning

• the relevance and use of history as an academic discipline in understanding today's world

• case studies from different historical and geographical settings, illustrating how history is used (and sometimes exploited) to address modern challengesÌý

You’ll work on a collaborative research project, responding to a real-world brief by using historical examples to contextualise contemporary problems.Ìý

Your project will be designed to communicate complex historical research effectively to a professional or non-academic audience. Alongside this, you’ll produce an individual report that critically reflects on the research process, your decisions, and relevant academic literature.

This module is worth 10 credits.

This module explores the causes of political and religious instability in England in the century before the Civil War, with a particular focus on the problematic creation of a national identity. We begin by looking at the troubled political and religious legacy inherited by Queen Elizabeth. We then examine some of the forces that united and divided English men and women during the period:

• How did monarchs and local elites seek to justify their authority in this period?
• To what extent were ideas of hierarchy and obedience queried or accepted?
• What impact did such ideas have on daily life?

Areas for consideration include:

• government ideology
• popular beliefs and literacy
• the persecution and toleration of religious minorities
• the politics of the parish
• attitudes towards birth, marriage and death.

In 600, the Middle East was divided between two historic empires, Rome and Persia. By 700, however, this longstanding political order had been overthrown by the armies of the new Islamic caliphate. The Islamic conquests had profound and transformative consequences for Middle Eastern society (and beyond).

In this module, you will examine the remarkable speed and success of the conquests, and consider the conquerors’ approaches to managing their vast new territories. Following recent trends in historical research, it will also examine how the non-Muslim majority of the Middle East, including Christians, Jews, and Zoroastrians, viewed their new rulers and adjusted to their new situation.

The module will reflect the diversity of the caliphate, drawing upon sources (in English translation) written in languages including Arabic, Greek, Syriac, Pahlavi, and Armenian, in genres ranging from scholarly Islamic histories to Christian and Jewish apocalyptic accounts.

You’ll also focus on the impressive material culture of the period, including monumental architecture such as the Dome of the Rock and the Umayyad Desert Palaces, as well as coinage and inscriptions. It will tackle big questions about cultural interaction, religious belief and belonging, conversion and community formation, and ask what had really changed between 600 and 800?

This module provides a history of Jewish life in continental Europe and Mandatory Palestine from the genesis of Zionism to the establishment of the state of Israel.

It focuses on perceptions and receptions of Judaism within modern Jewish culture. The module illustrates the intersection of modern Jewish history with the religious culture and thought of Judaism in the late nineteenth and early to mid-twentieth centuries.

We’ll explore Central-, German-speaking Europe and follow the German-speaking Jewish peoples, many of whom emigrated to mandatory Palestine. The module sets out to explain how the contexts of fin de siècle and interwar Central-Europe shaped the history of both diasporic and Israeli Jewish peoples.

Furthermore, through its focus on Jewish religious culture, the module instils an understanding of how historical context influences interpretations of sacred texts. Conversely, it also explicates how forms of religious traditions and belongings impact secular politics and culture.

Finally, the module informs the students as to how Jewish history fits into the broader tapestry of modern global history. We’ll explore this using cultural, social and intellectual history across a range of topics related to modern Jewish history through the lens of religious culture, such as: Zionism; Antisemitism; the German-Jewish artistic and intellectual renaissance of the Weimar and Austrian Republics. It also provides an insight into the history of the Holocaust and its impact.

The module offers an overview of the history of witchcraft and covers a wide geographical area spreading from Scotland to the Italian peninsula and from Spain to Russia. Such breadth of reference is of vital importance because, in contrast to the uniform theology-based approach to witch persecution in Western and Central Europe, the world of Eastern Orthodox Christianity represented a very different system of beliefs that challenged western perceptions of witchcraft as a gendered crime and lacked their preoccupation with the diabolical aspect of sorcery. The module’s geographical breadth is complemented by thematic depth across a range of primary sources and case studies exploring the issues of religion, politics, and social structure.

The module mixes intellectual, cultural and social history to produce an overview of cultural trends in Britain between c. 1830 and 1901. Key themes include:

• The Victorians, An Overview
• Religion: Sin and Redemption
• Poverty
• Cities
• Sanitation
• Sexuality
• Consumerism and the Mass Market
• Entertainment
• Evolution

Examine the rise of fascist movements in interwar Europe, following the First World War.

We focus in particular on the cases of Italy and Germany and also look at other cases for comparison (i.e. Spain, Britain, France, and Romania). This in order to understand why certain movements were more popular than others and able to seize power.

We will examine:

• the nature of fascist ideology
• the use of violence
• fascism and masculinity and femininity

We will also analyse the practice of the Fascist and National Socialist governments in power, comparing these with particular reference to repression and attempts to build ‘consent’, gendered policies on ‘race’, and expansion through conquest.

The module ends by considering the Axis and genocide during the Second World War.

This module is worth 20 credits.

Discover the environmental history of the Western World over the past two centuries. The great nature-people stories that have shaped who we are today.

You will examine the history of environmental ideas and our changing and complex attitudes to animals and nature, alongside the history of human impacts on the environment. We will use the USA, Australia, New Zealand and Great Britain as case studies. Ultimately, we ask, can environmental history save the world in the 21st century?

Topics include:

• species history and the rewilding debate
• the rise of environmental protection groups
• the role of the state in environmental protection
• the history of pollution and pesticide use
• the National Park movement
• the Nature Reserve and the rise of outdoor leisure and recreation
• the emergence of modern environmentalism and campaigning
• the role of wildlife television and natural history film-making

This module is a must for anyone wanting to pursue a career in the environmental sector.

This module is worth 20 credits

This module examines the myths and legends of the ‘British’ Isles as written about by twentieth-century authors such as JRR Tolkien in Lord of the Rings, the Hobbit, and the Silmarillion, and by CS Lewis in The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe Series.

You will explore the historiography of British myth-making and whether Tolkien and Lewis were retelling, reinventing or fabricating British mythology. Students will also be invited to explore the foundation of British myths known colloquially within the term ‘The Matter of Britain.’

The module will begin with defining the difference between myths, legends and history and explore issues of chivalry, nobility and ethnicity in Arthurian legends. Students will be encouraged to decolonise these myths, re-interpreting whether they are fantasies, or an exoticisation of something else, such as ethnic groups and gendered politics.

Later parts of this module will explore the myth-making and rituals detailed in the extensive works of antiquarian writers.

This module introduces the history of the British imperial expansion in India from the mid eighteenth century, through to the Rebellion in 1857. It covers:

• the rise of trade relations with India
• the growth of territorial rule through war and negotiation with Indian rulers
• resistance to imperial rule through mutiny
• the debate over sati (widow immolation)

This module covers two-and-a-half centuries in Japan during the early modern era when the land was governed by a dynasty of Tokugawa shogun rulers. Often characterized as a period of relative stability, it was also a time of profound social, cultural and intellectual change. Lectures and seminars address some of the historical forces that would combine to transform society and lay the foundations for Japan’s subsequent encounters with modernity. Key themes include: the premises of Tokugawa rule, control mechanisms and relations with daimyo lords; the self-imposed policy of seclusion, trade and external relations; transport networks, class mobility and urbanization; the emergence of ‘the Floating World’ and the growth of popular culture; natural disasters, famine and economic crises; the responses of competing schools of thought drawing on Japanese, Chinese and European texts to address problems within Japanese society; the ‘Opening of Japan’ and the collapse of the Tokugawa World.

This module examines political, social and economic transformations in the Soviet Union from the October Revolution of 1917 to Gorbachev’s attempted reforms and the collapse of the state in 1991. You will look at Russia both from the top down (state-building strategies; leadership and regime change; economic and social policy formulation and implementation) and from the bottom up (societal developments and the changing structures and practices of everyday life). You will usually spend three hours in lectures and seminars each week.

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This module surveys and analyses social change in Britain during and after the Second World War, up to the end of the Attlee’s Labour government in 1951. Key issues include:

• changing gender roles and expectations
• the experience and impact of rationing, bombing, conscription, voluntary service and direction by central government
• historiographical debates about whether Britain was united against a common enemy
• propaganda, mass communication and the management of information
• planning for a post-war world, including the creation of the National Health Service and the reform of the education system
• post-war reconstruction of cities
• reactions to the Holocaust, atomic weaponry, returning service personnel, returning Prisoners of War
• post-war austerity
• representations of the period and the construction of memory

How do science fiction and speculative narratives reshape our understanding of Black history?

This module explores the dynamic intersection of history and imagination by examining how prominent Black historical events and figures are reinterpreted in 20th and 21st-century Afro and Black science-fiction literature. From the haunting legacies of Atlantic Slavery and Colonisation to the enduring struggle for civil rights, we’ll dive into how these creative works provide alternative ways to engage with the Black past, filling the emotional and psychological gaps that traditional historical accounts often leave behind.

You’ll analyse how speculative fiction acts as a space for healing, empowerment, and reimagining the possibilities of the Black experience. Through interactive seminars and independent research, you'll develop a deeper understanding of how creative narratives challenge and enrich our historical perspective.

This module is worth 20 credits.Ìý

This module explores the political, social, cultural and economic dynamics of colonial encounters, from the rise of the Spanish global empire around 1600 to the late 19th-century Scramble for Africa.Ìý

Focusing on interactions between European imperial powers and societies in the Global South, it examines themes such as race, resistance, religion, governance and transoceanic exchanges across the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Ocean Worlds.

The module critically engages with non-Western perspectives as primary sources. You will analyse how colonised peoples navigated, contested and reshaped imperial systems, fostering a nuanced understanding of colonialism’s legacies. Ideal for those seeking to interrogate Eurocentric narratives, this module equips you with the tools to dissect power, agency and cultural hybridity in modern history.

The discovery of the Staffordshire Hoard forced historians to re-evaluate Early Medieval England and ask new questions about this crucial formative stage of history. The items discovered are almost exclusively connected to warfare, yet many show evidence of very high levels of craftsmanship, reflecting the fact that this period was one characterised by brutal and relentless fighting whilst at the same time maintaining an extraordinarily rich culture.

The history of this era of conversions, conflicts and cultural renaissances is documented primarily by Bede (c. 673-735), whose career at the monastery at Wearmouth and Jarrow culminated with the production of the first synthetic history of the English (the Ecclesiastical History of the English People). Bede’s writings are complemented by copious archaeological evidence, most famously through artefacts such as the Franks Casket and Sutton Hoo Helmet, monumental stone crosses at Ruthwell and Bewcastle, and fabulous manuscripts like the Lindisfarne, and Lichfield Gospels. Students will utilise these sources, plus a wide variety of other items of textual and non-textual evidence to explore the cultures of the early English kingdoms.

The first semester will focus on the era of conversion documented in the Ecclesiastical History, and the second will consist of a detailed analysis of Bede’s wider body of work. Finally, students will critically evaluate the terminology attached to this period and familiarise themselves with recent debates about the term ‘Anglo-Saxon’.

This module explores the social history of modern health, examining key themes such as disease, public health, medical knowledge and the evolution of medical practice.ÌýÌý

Through case studies, you will explore topics like nursing, mental health, psychoanalysis, pharmacy and medical consumerism, while considering the impacts of healthcare on marginalised groups.ÌýÌý

Covering the 19th and 20th centuries, you will delve into the development of health professions, the rise of psychiatry and psychology, and the shifting perceptions of illness, gaining insights into how healthcare has shaped and been shaped by society.Ìý

This module explores the ideas that have shaped Britain’s recent history, examining both the political beliefs of leaders and the cultural representations by artists, novelists and filmmakers.ÌýÌý

Each week, you will analyse key events or artifacts within their social and political contexts, engaging in discussions about how identities and ideologies have evolved since the early 1990s.Ìý

This module explores key themes in medieval history through the study of individual lives, from kings and warriors to peasants, saints and merchants.Ìý

You will examine a diverse range of figures across different cultures and classes, using various sources such as biographies, literature and legal records.

The module challenges you to consider how we understand medieval life and what it reveals about values, desires and historical significance. Through lectures and student-led seminars, you will delve into the complexities of reconstructing lived experiences in the Middle Ages.

This module examines the crucial role of the Ukrainian Cossack state (1654-1764) in the formation of the Russian Empire. Focusing on the military alliance between Muscovy and the Cossacks, you will explore how the relationship shaped Russia’s westward imperial expansion.Ìý

The module covers the rise of the Romanov dynasty, Ukraine’s transformation into a colony, the development of Russian imperial ideology, and the role of religious discourse in state-building. Through this study, you will gain insights into the intersection of political, cultural and religious forces in early modern empire-making.

This module explores everyday life in the Russian Empire from 1855 to 1917, focusing on how the Empire was governed and the experiences of its subjects. You will examine the state's management of religious, ethnic and national tensions, as well as the process of modernisation.Ìý

Key themes include the development of social identities and the dynamic between rural and urban spaces during this transformative period leading up to the collapse of the autocracy.

The module explores the diversity of ways in which Jews and Christians interacted in middle Ages, seeking to offer alternative views to these of Jews as mere victims in a religious struggle or of economic envy. We will study the complex economic interconnections between the two groups, considering the new approaches to the role of Jewish moneylending and international trade and its connections with structures of power in both communities. The module will also investigate crucial ideas on anti- Semitism and anti-Judaism and will look into case studies of intolerance and conflict between Jews and Christians. Themes to study here are the massacres of Jews in the Rhineland during the First Crusade, the persecution of Jews during the Black Death and the construction of Blood libel and ritual murder accusations. The module will also examine the internal life of the Jewish communities of Western Europe looking at communal organisation and leadership. We will consider differences amongst Jewish communities in different locations of the medieval European landscape in their understanding of Jewish Law and tradition, as well as in their own patterns of interaction with the Christian political and religious authorities in different locations. At the same time, we will explore the common cultural and religious characteristics and the creation of extensive national and supranational Jewish networks. Finally, we will evaluate the historiography on the subject and the changing of perspectives on the history of the Jews in Europe, analysing the debates arisen amongst scholars with their own ideologies, methods and approaches.

This module is based around a challenge: how do we use the digital humanities?

You are presented with a series of problems about how we can use the arts and humanities to address some of the major issues we face in technology and society.

For example, the acceleration of technology in both private and public life is immense, but this rapid pace of change should not prevent reflection.

In this module, you consider the major contemporary issues of how technology shapes our present and our future. We respond to these concerns using the specific skillset of the arts and humanities, where we ask: what does it mean to be human?

This module is worth 10 credits.

Stand out in your job search with employability skills and hands-on experience.

Learn key skills, from constructing an outstanding CV to practicing interview technique, before completing a part-time placement in the spring. This will be for one day a week, or equivalent, for up to eight weeks.

You can apply for placements in relevant local organisations. The dedicated faculty placement team have an established list of providers, or you can arrange your own placement, subject to approval.

Our placements include a range of sectors, including:

• creative and cultural industries
• media
• marketing
• heritage and museums
• the music industry
• education
• charitable and third-sector organisations

Ìý

These are subject to change each year.

You will develop a wide range of transferable skills, including:

• communication
• presentation
• organisation
• professionalism
• time management skills

Ìý

Assessment is through an online portfolio of materials, including application materials, reflective writing and a research report.

This module is worth 20 credits.

Community engagement is important in many careers, from politics and social work to marketing and business.

We do not work in a vacuum - our research and activities are linked to individuals and groups across society.ÌýBy learning to engage with communities, researchers can reach wide audiences, learn from them and collaboratively make a real contribution to overcoming social problems.Ìý

We need to understandÌýhowÌýengagementÌýworksÌýin order to work collaboratively, respectfully and sustainability with communities.

In this module, we will:

• Explore how our staff and students work with communities – from supporting immigrant communities settling into Nottingham, to engaging with schools to promote literacy and career opportunities
• DiscussÌýhow activism and advocacyÌýcan becomeÌýpart of academic work
• Explore how community engagement is structured and organised and how we can ensure our work within the arts and humanities has relevance and impact for diverse audiences

Ìý

This module will prepare you for your future career, by focusingÌýon the key skill of the arts and humanities: our ability to support and engage with those around us.

This module is worth 10 credits.

Explore the histories and legacies of colonisation, alongside the routes to justice through decolonisation.

Using examples from across the globe, we explore the impact of colonisation on society, politics, economics, and culture.

You will consider contemporary examples and a wide range of evidence, sources and perspectives, including from:

• art
• film
• literature
• archive materials and documents
• music and performance

Ìý

You will also explore the debates around reconciliation, restitution and justice.

Together we will build an interdisciplinary analysis, drawing upon the research of the whole faculty to uncover, assess and deconstruct the practices of colonialism and their implications for our contemporary world. Ìý

This module is worth 10 credits.

Doing an arts and humanities degree means you’ll gain the skills which are essential for changing the world we live in. Not only that, you are uniquely positioned to understand people, processes and culture.

This module lets you apply that knowledge to solve a real-life problem. The aim is for you to develop your understanding of your degree, and the range of careers open to you.

You will work in an interdisciplinary team on a real project connected to impact, which we define as our ability to ‘make change happen’. These projects have been designed by individuals, groups and organisations that are looking to make a difference to our world. This might be about sustainability, business, equality, culture, politics or society.

Teams will be given a project brief. You will then be guided through how to shape a project, and how to work as a team and deliver results. This will give you the employment skills and experience to show how you can make an impact as an arts and humanities graduate.

This module is worth 20 credits.

Wellbeing, the crisis in mental health care, and clapping for NHS staff during the Covid pandemic are all examples of health humanities. On this module, you will be exploring contemporary challenges in this area.

To build a healthier society, enabling access to healthcare for all, we must consider how people act, behave and build connections.

You will look at:

• how the arts and humanities respond to major issues in health, medicine and wellbeing – i.e. exploring how individuals use art, literature and culture to understand pain and loss, or analysing human behaviour with regard to new medicines and our relationship to health sciences
• topics such as cultural representations of health, places of medical treatment, or the relationship between medicine and emotions

Ìý

The major challenges in health provision and healthcare can be influenced and directed by the arts and humanities. This module shows you how this field can be a powerful tool for change.

This module is worth 10 credits.

Discover how our world is experienced through language.

We live in a global society, where different languages build our perceptions, ideas and values. In this module, we respect that difference and participate in it.

You will:

• Use multilingualism as a tool to challenge our own thinking and to comprehend the lives of others in society
• Work through etymologies and translations from a wide range of languages, including Russian, Spanish, French and German
• Learn how understanding languages - not just speaking and reading them - can be vital in contributing to our community, enriching your experience, and participating in a global society

Ìý

No knowledge of any language is needed, as we focus on understanding what it means to live in our multi-lingual world.

This module is worth 10 credits.

Explore how Nottingham creates ideas, identities, culture and products, alongside how you as a student are also ‘Made in Nottingham’.

This module will help you begin shaping your skills for the career you want, drawing upon the way arts and humanities work has transformed the city.

From the entrepreneurs who have set up businesses or those who have created and enriched charities and social projects, to the writers, artists, musicians and teachers who have all been created in Nottingham. We use their experience, their understanding and their skills to help you define your own path for after university.

You will be able to build your profile through this module, develop your own career narrative to use in your future work as well as engage in the variety of opportunities that are open to you as an arts graduate.

Through this module, we’ll address what it means to be ‘Made in Nottingham’.

This module is worth 10 credits.

This module involves the in-depth study of a historical subject from which you will create a 10,000 word dissertation. You will have regular meetings with your supervisor and a weekly one hour lecture to guide you through this task.

Recent dissertation topics have included:

• Richard II, William Shakespeare and the Revolution of 1399
• The Image of the Male Witch in Early Modern Iceland
• Lord Salisbury and the Mediterranean Agreements: Revisiting Anglo-German Relations, 1886-1896
• A Re-evaluation of Prince Lichnowsky's Role as the German Ambassador in London in the July 1914 Crisis
• Interwar British Fascist Movements and Race, 1922-1940
• 'No Country, No Home': The Abandonment of the South Vietnamese by the United States after the Vietnam War
• Visions of Loathing and Desire: Representations of Masculinity in Late Soviet Posters

This module enables you to undertake a sustained piece of research and analysis into a subject within the discipline of politics and international relations.

This module explores key themes and debates in the study of African politics. It aims to provide a broad introduction to African domestic and regional politics as well as Africa’s evolving position within an international political arena.

China, as the new and upcoming superpower, has become a focal point of global attention. This module introduces students to the major topics in China's interaction with the evolution of China's foreign policy since 1949 as well as its role in the international affairs and international political economy.

Much of the module will be an examination of China's political and economic relations with major powers and regions such as the US, the EU, the UK, Russia, Asia, and Africa, major initiatives of China, the responses towards China from these powers and regions, and major issues in their relations. This module will also survey main aspects of China's power and its role in critical global issues.  

The module will explore how domestic politics and other developments have contributed to the rise of China as a great power of the first league on the one hand, and to the emergence of strong nationalism or its manifestation on the other.

The aim of this module is to explain and assess the nature, role and significance of political ideas and ideologies in contemporary Britain. It examines how and why the policies and practices of the 'mainstream' British parties (Conservative, Labour, Liberal and Liberal Democrats) have been informed by ideas and ideologies, on the one hand, and pragmatic and electoral considerations, on the other.

It also examines the political ideas and practices of ‘non-mainstream’ parties and social movements (including environmentalism and feminism) and their role and significance for the study and practice of politics in contemporary Britain.Ìý

Contemporary politics often shows two seemingly contradictory phenomena. On the one hand that many political analysts and political actors proclaim that ‘left’ and ‘right’ are outdated and not relevant anymore in contemporary politics as organising principles. On the other hand, that these terms are persistently and ubiquitously used to describe and interpret policies, events, and behaviours. Ìý

The module focuses on the question of the role of ‘left’ and ‘right’ as structuring principles in a variety of political domains, ranging from party competition, policy formation (domestic as well as foreign policy), public opinion, public political discourse, voting behaviour, media production and consumption, etc.

This course will offer an overview of political party development and the functioning of party systems in democratic states around the world, with a special focus on post-transitional democracies in Eastern Europe, Latin America and Asia.

Applying a variety of analytical concepts, theoretical approaches, and empirical indicators to the study of party politics, the course will highlight the institutional and sociological determinants of party organisation development and system stability as well as the consequences of party failure and party system collapse. Ìý

This module seeks to introduce students to theories of race and racialisation, including, but not limited to, postcolonial theory, orientalism, and intersectionality. After learning the basics of these theoretical lenses, students will study the politics of race in different country contexts through countries’ histories of colonialism and imperialism as well as contemporary racial and ethnic disparities.  Ìý

Against the backdrop of increasingly tense EU-US relations, Brexit, and rising nationalism in Europe, this module analyses the European Union's international role. It first introduces concepts and decision-making processes related to EU foreign policy both, by Member States and EU institutions. In particular, we analyse the processes within the European Communities, and the CFSP (Common Foreign and Security Policies) / CSDP (Common Security and Defence Policies) frameworks.

The module then critically assesses security and economic policies towards states and regions in Africa, the Middle East, South America and Asia. Themes to explain the nature of contemporary EU foreign policies include: European integration, intergovernmentalism and supranationalism, neoliberalism and ethical foreign policy, development aid (including for health and education) and diplomacy, post-colonialism, as well as military and civilian means for conflict-management.Ìý

Questions relating to nationalism and ethnic conflict have become more prominent in political debate since the end of the Cold War, and the invasions of Iraq and Afghanistan demonstrated the continuing importance of constitutional crafting as a means to manage ethnic diversity within states.Ìý

This module evaluates differing definitions of the 'nation' and 'ethnic group', examines different state strategies to manage diversity such as multiculturalism, assimilation and integration, and considers different explanations of conflict between different ethnic groups.Ìý

It then examines in more detail strategies adopted by particular states to manage their diversity.ÌýThe countries of India, America, France, Afghanistan, the UK, and Germany are focused upon, but students are encouraged to use material relating to other countries if they have particular knowledge of these cases.

Why are some states better at protecting, respecting, and fulfilling their human rights obligations, while others are not? Understanding the conditions under which governments protect human rights is crucial for the field of International Relations and policy makers alike. This module will discuss cutting-edge research within and beyond the human rights field.

You will learn about autocratic state behaviour, safeguards within democratic systems, the campaigns and challenges of NGOs and international organisations, and the wide-ranging effects of globalisation across the different categories and dimensions of human rights. The module will apply theory and empirical insights from these different fields of inquiry in order to understand the relative protection and enjoyment of human rights across different country contexts.

By the end of the module, you will have a clear understanding about human rights research and its effects on the real world.

Content to be confirmed.

At the dawn of the 21st century, the status of democracy across the world is uncertain. In Central and Eastern Europe, it has become the only game in town, but in other regions like Russia or the Arab World it has suffered reversals. To make sense of these events, this module examines and is structured around some of the big, important questions that have long interested political scientists around the questions of democracy. What is democracy? Why are some countries democratic and others not? How did democracy emerge in different countries? What difference does democracy make for people’s lives?

The module adopts a global and comparative perspective, by focusing on countries in specific regions and by studying different data sets on the design, functioning and influence of democratic institutions.ÌýÌý

The state is the predominant site of power and authority in the modern world. Where modern states do not exist there is usually civil war or occupation; where they are ineffective, politics, society and economy tend to be unstable. But the modern state is also itself a site of violence and coercion in the name of which much suffering has been inflicted on those subject to its power, at home and abroad. Modern politics, then, simply cannot be understood unless we also understand the modern state.

By taking this module, students will become familiar with some of the most important theories of the modern state in the history of political thought, from Bodin and Hobbes, through Hegel and Schmitt, to Carole Pateman and Charles W. Mills, very much in the present. Students will come to appreciate how the power and authority of the modern state have been characterised, justified and repudiated during the modern era.

Is it possible to provide Capitalism with solid ethical foundations and moral justifications? Many critics argue no. They point to resulting phenomena such as poverty, exploitation, North-South divides, discrimination, and many other ills. But at its inception Capitalism swept away the privilege of birth-right and ossified socioeconomic structures that condemned all but a tiny percentage of the world’s population to inescapable and grinding poverty, misery, illness, and premature death as the tools of others. It was widely praised as socially and politically progressive, particularly for the poorest in our societies. Its institutions of free markets and open productivity released those individuals into a world of opportunity, potential financial security, and rapid rises of the standard of living. Capitalism was a significant step in the pursuit of social justice. But what has gone wrong? Those early hopes evaporated for many.

This module asks whether capitalism can be given an ethical justification – one that would fulfil what it means for societies to be fair and just – and what that world would have to look like; how would it differ from our current world in terms of practices, laws, norms, and attitudes? It examines the good, the bad, and the ugly of capitalism and its associated practices. Ìý

This is a module in applied political theory. It brings the tools of analytical political philosophy to bear on contemporary economic problems and arrangements. It develops the skills of rigorous philosophical analysis and develops knowledge and understanding of contemporary political economy. It builds on those skills previously introduced in earlier levels. It applies abstract reasoning to concrete real-world problems.