BA History and Philosophy

Year 1

(Award available for year: Certificate of Higher Educ)

Learning outcomes

On completion of the year/programme students should have provided evidence of being able to:

1. Demonstrate familiarity with /awareness of:
- how people have existed, acted and thought in a range of societies and cultures
- techniques for close work on sources, both primary and secondary, acquired through dedicated skills and documentary modules

2. Use basic generic and subject specific intellectual approaches, including
- Critical and empathetic reading and use of texts or other source materials
- Appreciation of the complexity and diversity of past cultures
- Appreciation of the problematic nature of historical interpretation and evidence
- Critical evaluation of historical evidence
- Intellectual independence
- Marshalling and communicating of argument, both oral and written

3. Demonstrate an ability to evaluate the appropriateness some of the different approaches to history (eg. social history, economic history, political history, cultural history, landscape history etc.)
4. Reflect upon their strengths and weaknesses as learners in the disciplinary context through individual and group work
5. Demonstrate a basic awareness of the nature of history as an academic discipline and the problematic nature of historical knowledge
6. Recognise the formal structures underlying valid arguments
7. Demonstrate a basic knowledge of philosophy within some of the main areas of the discipline, including epistemology, ethics, metaphysics, philosophy of mind and science
8. Demonstrate a basic knowledge of the nature of philosophical thought and methodology
9. Demonstrate a basic ability to express their own views, and appreciate their strengths and weaknesses as learners

Transferable (key) skills

Students will have had the opportunity to acquire, as defined in the modules specified for the programme:
> Qualities and transferable skills necessary for employment (Communication both written and verbal, Problem solving, Ability to assess arguments, Ability to evaluate competing interpretations, Ability to construct and defend their own view, Ability to work with others, and Use of IT);
> Skills necessary for the exercising of personal responsibility (Learning to Learn, Ability to organise time and submit work to deadlines, Awareness of their own strengths and weaknesses).

Assessment

Achievement will be assessed by a variety of methods in accordance with the learning outcomes of the modules specified for the year/programme and will include:
1. Demonstrating the knowledge and application of standard historical concepts, information and techniques;
2. Demonstrating knowledge and application of standard philosophical concepts, theories and methodology (such as basic argument forms);
3. Demonstrating a basic understanding of some of the main areas of philosophy (typically epistemology, ethics, metaphysics, philosophy of mind and science, and selected major philosophical thinkers);
4. Demonstrating emerging philosophical abilities, skills and competencies (to articulate and defend their own view, and apply key tools of philosophical analysis).