BA Ancient History

Year 3

(Award available for year: Bachelor of Arts)

Learning outcomes

On completion of the year/programme students should have provided evidence of being able to:
1. understand and demonstrate coherent and detailed subject knowledge and professional competencies some of which will be informed by recent research/scholarship in the discipline of Ancient History, including:
- recent scholarship in the student’s historical specialisms;
- chronological continuity and change over a long time-span;
- how people have thought, acted and organised their societies in a range of societies and cultures;
- techniques for close work on sources, both primary and secondary.
2. deploy accurately standard techniques of analysis and enquiry within the discipline;
3. demonstrate a conceptual understanding which enables the development and sustaining of an argument;
4. describe and comment on particular aspects of recent research and/or scholarship;
5. appreciate the uncertainty, ambiguity and limitations of knowledge in the discipline;
6. make appropriate use of scholarly reviews and primary sources;
7. apply their knowledge and understanding in order to initiate and carry out an extended piece of work or project;
8. conform to professional boundaries and norms where applicable;
9. show a further enhanced knowledge of Ancient Greek and/or Roman history: the aspect(s) involved will depend on choice of options;
10. demonstrate an ability to initiate, research and complete independent study into a chosen topic or topics in Ancient History.

Transferable (key) skills

Students will have had the opportunity to acquire, as defined in the modules specified for the programme:
1. the transferable/key/generic skills necessary for employment related to the area(s) studied;
2. the exercise of initiative and personal responsibility;
3. the deployment of decision making skills in complex and unpredictable situations;
4. the communication of information, ideas, problems and solutions in a variety of ways to a variety of audiences;
5. the ability to undertake appropriate further training of a professional or equivalent nature.

This may typically include, to an extent commensurate with the level of study:
• independence of thought, initiative, intellectual integrity and empathy;
• capacity for critical reflection and critical judgement;
• ability to gather, memorise, organise and deploy information and to extract key elements from data and identify and solve associated problems;
• ability to select and apply appropriate methodologies;
• ability to engage in analytical, evaluative and lateral thinking and to marshal argument;
• ability to present material orally and in written form;
• ability to work with others, under pressure, and to meet deadlines;
• self-discipline and self-direction, peer- and self-appraisal
• communication of information and ideas to a variety of audiences, e.g. through dissertation based on self-directed original research, oral presentations, essays
• ability to act as an autonomous self-directed professional through experience of independent directed research
• basic IT skills.

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 ability to apply accurately a broad range of aspects of the discipline, including concepts, information, professional competencies and techniques of analysis and enquiry which are standard features of ancient history, and some of which will be informed by recent research/scholarship, in accordance with the learning outcomes for this level;
2. demonstrating an ability to analyse and evaluate different approaches to problem solving in ancient history, including an understanding of the limitations of knowledge in the discipline, in accordance with the learning outcomes for this level;
3. work that draws on a wide variety of material – both primary and secondary – and demonstrates a broad knowledge base in the discipline of ancient history, in accordance with the learning outcomes for this level;
4. demonstrating the ability to make appropriate use of and to engage critically with primary sources and scholarship, and an understanding of the difficulties involved in historical interpretation, in accordance with the learning outcomes for this level;
5. demonstrating the ability to describe, evaluate and criticise received opinion, recent research and/or scholarship in the students’ historical specialisms via module assessments, in accordance with the learning outcomes for this level;
6. demonstrating a conceptual understanding which enables the construction and effective communication of arguments and analysis in various contexts;
7. demonstrating the ability to think analytically and communicate effectively under time constraints, and to draw broad connections between different parts of module content;
8. evidence of an ability to conduct independent, in depth enquiry within the discipline, especially via an independent research project into a chosen topic or topics in ancient history, in accordance with the learning outcomes for this level;
9. work that is typically both evaluative and creative;
10. demonstrating advanced knowledge of Ancient Greek and/or Roman history, depending on the students’ choice of options.

Achievement will be assessed by a variety of methods in accordance with the syllabuses of the modules chosen within those specified for the year/programme, but will typically include elements of both formal examination, in-class tests, an independent research project (dissertation) and assessed coursework assignments, including creative pieces, commentaries, real world resources and portfolios of practical exercises. The programme assessment maps demonstrate which module assessments are designed to test each specific learning outcome.