Undergraduate Course: The kings in the north: Scotland in the early Middle Ages (HIST10428)
Course Outline
| School | School of History, Classics and Archaeology |
College | College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences |
| Credit level (Normal year taken) | SCQF Level 10 (Year 3 Undergraduate) |
Availability | Available to all students |
| SCQF Credits | 20 |
ECTS Credits | 10 |
| Summary | Before Scotland became Scotland, the north of Britain was home to many kingdoms, whose inhabitants spoke different languages and possessed different identities. During the early Middle Ages, this variegated landscape was transformed by social and political changes, resulting in the eventual emergence of a 'kingdom of Scotland' in the tenth century. This course guides students through this fundamental period in British history, looking particularly at issues of identity, ethnicity and kingdom-building in the period c.400-950 CE. |
| Course description |
Between the fifth century and the tenth, the north of Britain was transformed. Powerful kingdoms rose and fell; new ethnic identities emerged; and by the end of the tenth century, a 'kingdom of Scotland' had begun to take shape. This course explores the processes by which these developments came about, and introduces students to a formative period in the social and political history of the British Isles.
The inhabitants of early medieval Scotland have left few written sources about their life and societies. But their monumental artwork and archaeological remains, along with records from their neighbours in southern Britain and Ireland, allow us to piece together their history. A great deal of the material remains of early medieval Scotland are now held here in Edinburgh, at the National Museum of Scotland. This course offers opportunities for students to engage with this unique and fascinating material for themselves, and to think about ways in which such enigmatic artefacts can be used to introduce the public to this important period in Scotland's history.
Content note: The study of History inevitably involves the study of difficult topics that we encourage students to approach in a respectful, scholarly, and sensitive manner Nevertheless, we remain conscious that some students may wish to prepare themselves for the discussion of difficult topics In particular, the course organiser has outlined that the following topics may be discussed in this course, whether in class or through required or recommended primary and secondary sources: violence, including sexual violence. While this list indicates sensitive topics students are likely to encounter, it is not exhaustive because course organisers cannot entirely predict the directions discussions may take in tutorials or seminars, or through the wider reading that students may conduct for the course.
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Entry Requirements (not applicable to Visiting Students)
| Pre-requisites |
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Co-requisites | |
| Prohibited Combinations | |
Other requirements | A pass or passes in 40 credits of first level historical courses or equivalent and a pass or passes in 40 credits of second level historical courses or equivalent.
Students should only be enrolled on this course with approval from the History Honours Programme Administrator.
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Information for Visiting Students
| Pre-requisites | Visiting students must have 3 History courses at grade B or above. We will only consider University/College level courses. Enrolments for this course are managed by the CAHSS Visiting Student Office, in line with the quotas allocated by the department. All enquiries to enrol must be made through the CAHSS Visiting Student Office. It is not appropriate for students to contact the department directly to request additional spaces. |
| High Demand Course? |
Yes |
Course Delivery Information
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| Academic year 2024/25, Available to all students (SV1)
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Quota: 0 |
| Course Start |
Semester 2 |
Timetable |
Timetable |
| Learning and Teaching activities (Further Info) |
Total Hours:
200
(
Seminar/Tutorial Hours 22,
Summative Assessment Hours 2,
Programme Level Learning and Teaching Hours 4,
Directed Learning and Independent Learning Hours
172 )
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| Assessment (Further Info) |
Written Exam
40 %,
Coursework
40 %,
Practical Exam
20 %
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| Additional Information (Assessment) |
Coursework:
3,000 word virtual museum exhibition (40%)
Non-Written Skills:
Class participation (20%)
Exam:
Two hour exam (40%) |
| Feedback |
Students will receive written feedback on their coursework, and will have the opportunity to discuss that feedback further with the Course Organiser during their published office hours for this course or by appointment. |
| Exam Information |
| Exam Diet |
Paper Name |
Hours & Minutes |
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| Main Exam Diet S2 (April/May) | | 2:00 | | | Resit Exam Diet (August) | | 2:00 | |
Learning Outcomes
On completion of this course, the student will be able to:
- understand the major contours of the history of northern Britain in the early Middle Ages;
- conduct close analysis of a wide variety of primary source material, and to bring together textual and material evidence as appropriate in the service of their own arguments and interpretations of the period;
- engage critically with the arguments of previous scholars, and position their own views and interpretations in relation to it;
- demonstrate in their coursework the ability to develop and sustain scholarly arguments in written form;
- reflect on the challenges of presenting historical and archaeological material to non-specialist audiences and the general public, and develop their own responses to those challenges by assembling a virtual museum exhibition.
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Reading List
Alcock, Leslie, "Kings and Warriors, Craftsmen and Priests in Northern Britain, AD 550-850" (Edinburgh, 2003)
Blackwell, Alice, Martin Goldberg and Fraser Hunter, "Scotland's Early Silver: Transforming Roman Pay-Offs into Pictish Treasures" (Edinburgh, 2017)
Clancy, Thomas O. (ed.), "The Triumph Tree: Scotland's Earliest Poetry, AD 550-1350" (Edinburgh, 1998)
Clarke, David, Alice Blackwell and Martin Goldberg, "Early Medieval Scotland: Individuals, Communities and Ideas" (Edinburgh, 2012)
Fraser, James, "From Caledonia to Pictland: Scotland to AD 795" (Edinburgh, 2009)
Noble, Gordon and Nicholas Evans, "Picts: Scourge of Rome, Rulers of the North" (Edinburgh, 2022)
Markus, Gilbert, "Conceiving a Nation: Scotland to 900 AD" (Edinburgh, 2017)
Woolf, Alex, "From Pictland to Alba: 789-1070" (Edinburgh, 2007) |
Additional Information
| Graduate Attributes and Skills |
Not entered |
| Keywords | Not entered |
Contacts
| Course organiser | Dr Richard Sowerby
Tel: (0131 6)50 3854
Email: Richard.Sowerby@ed.ac.uk |
Course secretary | Miss Katherine Perry
Tel:
Email: kperry2@ed.ac.uk |
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