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DRPS : Course Catalogue : Centre for Open Learning : History, Classics and Archaeology

Undergraduate Course: Introduction to Medieval Scotland (LLLE08001)

Course Outline
SchoolCentre for Open Learning CollegeCollege of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences
Credit level (Normal year taken)SCQF Level 8 (Year 2 Undergraduate) AvailabilityPart-year visiting students only
SCQF Credits20 ECTS Credits10
SummaryAn intensive course introducing the history of Medieval Scotland while developing historical skills. Using a range of primary sources - physical objects and documents in translation - the course aims to expand writing and presentation skills and to develop students' source handling and understanding. The course will draw extensively on the rich cultural heritage of the area, with privileged access to Edinburgh's museums, galleries and archives, and local historic sites such as Edinburgh's castle and Old Town, and remains of medieval churches.
Course description This course covers the history of Scotland from the eleventh century to the early sixteenth. Students will explore the relative dynastic stability during reigns of Malcolm III and his descendants to Alexander III, they will look at the Great Cause and the Wars of Independence, followed by Bruce kingship and then the Stewart dynasty, ending with the reign of James IV. After considering politics and kingship in this chronological framework, the course will take a thematic approach, looking at the religious, military, cultural and economic history of the period, and placing Scotland in the wider context of medieval Europe. The course will encourage students to consider medieval Scotland through broader questions about identity, rulership, gender, belief and international relations.

The course will be taught through a combination of lectures, seminar discussion, small group work and site visits. The intensive nature of the course will allow for classroom lecture/seminar sessions to be interspersed with complementary site visits and study skills workshops, focusing on reading and analysis, source-handling, oral presentation and essay-writing. Students will be introduced to a wide range of primary source material: written sources in translation and physical evidence such as buildings, objects, paintings and manuscripts. They will also work with a range of secondary sources, encouraging analysis of historiographical opinion.
Entry Requirements (not applicable to Visiting Students)
Pre-requisites Co-requisites
Prohibited Combinations Other requirements None
Information for Visiting Students
Pre-requisitesYou can apply for this course if:
- you are a current student;
- you have a current GPA of 3.0 or above (or equivalent);
- you have met our minimum English language requirements if English is not your first language: IELTS 6.5 (with a minimum of 5.5 in each component) or equivalent.
High Demand Course? Yes
Course Delivery Information
Not being delivered
Learning Outcomes
On completion of this course, the student will be able to:
  1. demonstrate understanding of the history of Medieval Scotland in a variety of thematic areas;
  2. place the thematic history of medieval Scotland in the wider context of the medieval world, and of later developments in Scotland;
  3. handle and analyse a range of primary sources;
  4. synthesise and analyse critically the opinions of others;
  5. collate and present concepts and ideas in oral and written contexts.
Reading List
Harris, Bob and MacDonald, Alan R. (eds.), 2006. Scotland: The Making and Unmaking of the Nation, c. 1100-1707, Volume 1: The Scottish Nation: Origins to c. 1500. Dundee: Dundee University Press.

Barrell, Andrew D.M., 2000. Medieval Scotland. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

Barrow, G.W.S., 2nd edn. 2003. Kingship and Unity: Scotland, 1000-1306. Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press.

Brown, M. and Tanner, R., 2008. Scottish Kingship 1306-1542. Essays in Honour of Norman Macdougall. Edinburgh: John Donald.

Ditchburn, D., 2001. Scotland and Europe. Vol 1: Religion, Culture and Commerce. East Linton: Tuckwell.

Duncan, A.A.M., 2nd edn. 1992. Scotland. The Making of the Kingdom. Edinburgh: Mercat Press.

Grant, A., 1984. Independence and Nationhood: Scotland 1306 ¿ 1469. London: Edward Arnold.

Harris, B. and MacDonald, A. R. (eds.), 2006. Scotland: The Making and Unmaking of the Nation, c. 1100-1707, Volume 1: The Scottish Nation: Origins to c. 1500. Dundee: Dundee University Press.

Lynch, M., 2000. Scotland: A New History. London: Pimlico.

Macquarrie, A., 2004. Medieval Scotland. Kingship and Nation. Stroud: Sutton.

Oram, R. (ed.), 2001. The Kings and Queens of Scotland. Stroud: Tempus.

Webster, B., 1997. Medieval Scotland. The Making of an Identity. London: Macmillan.
Additional Information
Graduate Attributes and Skills Source analysis
Oral communication
Critical thinking
KeywordsNot entered
Contacts
Course organiserDr Sally Crumplin
Tel:
Email: Sally.Crumplin@ed.ac.uk
Course secretaryMr John Ethcuit
Tel: (0131 6)50 3409
Email: jethcuit@exseed.ed.ac.uk
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