Module FOUD0697: Introduction to Liberal Arts

Department: Foundation Year (Durham)

FOUD0697: Introduction to Liberal Arts

Pre-requisites

Corequisites

Excluded Combinations

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 Formative art history tasks 5 minute oral presentation of a key idea/event/artefact/person