Module HIST2311: Turbulent Priests, Faithful People? Church and Society in England, 1066-1400

Department: History

HIST2311: Turbulent Priests, Faithful People? Church and Society in England, 1066-1400

Pre-requisites

Corequisites

Excluded Combinations

Aims

• To introduce students to issues surrounding Church and Society in England from 1066 to 1400.
• To challenge the staid impression of the Medieval church in this period, and to interrogate themes within social and cultural history in order to understand ordinary peoples struggle with the demands of religious belief.
• To introduce students to current debates surrounding the role of religion in English society 1066 to 1400.

Content

• The course covers the period from the normal conquest to the emergence of the first significant heresies in England, highlighting historical shifts that may or may not have fore-shadowed the Protestant reformation. It will address significant themes in the history of the middle ages such as Civil war, leprosy, the expulsion of the Jews from England, the Cults of Saints and Kings, marriage and monks, pilgrimage and penance.

Learning Outcomes

• By the end of the module students will have acquired or developed the following: an in-depth knowledge of church and society in England in the middle ages.
• an understanding of the role of religion in the everyday lives of ordinary people in the period from 1066 to 1400.

• Subject specific skills for this module can be viewed at: http://www.dur.ac.uk/history.internal/local/ModuleProformaMap/

• Key skills for this module can be viewed at: http://www.dur.ac.uk/history.internal/local/ModuleProformaMap/

Modes of Teaching, Learning and Assessment and how these contribute to the learning outcomes of the module

• Student learning is facilitated by a combination of the following teaching methods:
• lectures to set the foundations for further study and to provide the basis for the acquisition of subject specific knowledge. Lectures provide a broad framework which defines individual module content, introducing students to themes, debates and interpretations. In this environment, students are given the opportunity to develop skills in listening, selective note-taking and reflection;
• seminars to allow students to present and critically reflect upon the acquired subject-specific knowledge, methodologies and theories, and to identify and debate a range of issues and differing opinions. The seminar is the forum in which students are given the opportunity to communicate ideas, jointly exploring themes and arguments. Seminars are structured to develop understanding and designed to maximise student participation related to prior independent preparation. Seminars give students the opportunity to develop oral communication skills, encourage critical and tolerant approaches to reasoned argument and historical discussion, build the students'ability to marshal historical evidence, and facilitate the development of the ability to summarise historical arguments, think in a rapidly changing environment and communicate in a persuasive and articulate manner, whilst recognising the value of working with others and, occasionally, towards shared goals.
• Assessment:
• Unseen Examinations test students' ability to work under pressure under timed conditions, to prepare for examinations and direct their own programme of revision and learning, and develop key time management skills. The unseen examination gives students the opportunity to develop relevant life skills such as the ability to produce coherent, reasoned and supported arguments under pressure. Students will be examined on subject specific knowledge;
• Summative essays remain a central component of assessment in history, due to the integrative high-order skills they develop. Essays allow students the opportunity to recognise, represent and critically reflect upon ideas, concepts and problems; students can demonstrate awareness of, and the ability to use and evaluate, a diverse range of resources and identify, represent and debate a range of subject-specific issues and opinions. Through the essay, students can synthesise information, adopt critical appraisals and develop reasoned argument based on individual research; they should be able to communicate ideas in writing, with clarity and coherence; and to show the ability to integrate and critically assess material from a wide range of sources.

Teaching Methods and Learning Hours

Summative Assessment

Formative Assessment

One or more short assignments submitted in writing or delivered orally and discussed either 1:1 or in a group context.