Module FOUD0697: Introduction to Liberal Arts

Department: Foundation Year (Durham)

FOUD0697: Introduction to Liberal Arts

Prerequisites

• None

Corequisites

• None

Excluded Combination of Modules

• None

Aims

• To introduce key theories, ideas and philosophies, that inform present day British and other Western societies;
• To introduce students to the relationship between cultural icons and values of society;
• To familiarise students with studying primary source materials alongside relevant critical work, which locates these sources in their historical/sociological/artistic contexts as well as within a body of academic scholarship;
• To develop students’ ability to demonstrate critical thinking by describing, analysing and evaluating relevant primary source materials.

Content

• The module is interdisciplinary in nature, encompassing history, philosophy, and linguistics, in order to provide a History of the Arts, Culture and Thought. It offers a grounding for students progressing to degree programmes across the Faculties of Arts and Social Sciences. Using primary and secondary sources, a variety of topics will be explored within each of the following three broad themes:
• the development of the English Language;
• the history of Philosophy: to include various historical periods such as Ancient, Medieval, Renaissance and Early Modern;
• Art in Antiquity and other periods.

Learning Outcomes

• By the end of this module students will have acquired the knowledge to be able to:
• Read and study a variety of primary and secondary source materials from different historical periods (SSK1);
• Develop written and oral work in an accurate and clear way (SSK2);
• Develop an ability to situate and contextualise sources in a critical manner (SSK3).

• By the end of the module the student will:
• Critically analyse ideological and cultural perspectives (SSS1);
• Recognise and appreciate cultural and social diversity of thinking (SSS2);
• Identify and distinguish between a primary and secondary source (SSS3);
• Analyse, evaluate and interpret evidence (SSS4);
• Relate historical evidence to present day society (SSS5);
• Understand and interpret sources from a range of historical periods (SSS6).

• By the end of the module the student will:
• Communicate ideas in writing effectively (KS1);
• Communicate their ideas orally (KS2);
• Develop critical analysis skills (KS3);
• Demonstrate an ability to plan their work (KS4).

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

• All teaching will take the form of seminars to encourage the participation of all students;
• The assessment methods aim to take account of the need for students to be able to express their ideas both verbally and in writing.
• Group presentation will assess: SSK2, SSK3, KS2, KS3, SSS1, SSS2, SSS3, SSS4, SSS6.
• Essay plan will assess: KS1, KS4.
• Essay will assess: SSK1, SSK2, SSK3, KS1, KS3, SSS1, SSS2, SSS3, SSS4, SSS5, SSS6.

Teaching Methods and Learning Hours

Summative Assessment

Formative Assessment:

• Critical review of a text • Create a timeline (including images) • 5 minute oral presentation of a key idea/event/artefact/person

■ Attendance at all activities marked with this symbol will be monitored. Students who fail to attend these activities, or to complete the summative or formative assessment specified above, will be subject to the procedures defined in the University's General Regulation V, and may be required to leave the University