BA Ancient History

Year 2

(Award available for year: Diploma of Higher Education)

Learning outcomes

On completion of the year/programme students should have provided evidence of being able to:
1. demonstrate, especially through work on core modules, a broad understanding of the basic concepts, information, practical competencies and techniques which are standard features of Ancient History, including:
- 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, acquired through both discursive modules and dedicated skills modules.
2. use generic and subject specific intellectual qualities i.e.
• ability to present a structured and coherent argument;
• sound knowledge of critical terminology;
• critical and empathetic reading and use of texts, inscriptions, coins, material culture and other source materials;
• appreciation of the complexity and diversity of ancient societies and 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;
• ability to interpret and evaluate the underlying concepts and principles of the discipline;
• evaluate qualitative and/or quantitative data;
3. apply generic and subject specific intellectual qualities to standard situations outside the context in which they were originally studied;
4. appreciate and employ the main methods of enquiry in the subject and critically evaluate the appropriateness of different methods of enquiry;
5. use a range of techniques to initiate and undertake the analysis of data and information;
6. adjust to professional and disciplinary boundaries;
7. effectively communicate information, arguments and analysis in a variety of forms;
8. develop and deploy judiciously a range of critical and analytical skills;
9. understand and reflect upon the nature of history and the limitations of historical evidence;
10. engage in comparative historical study of ancient empires, their character and the structures of power and control which sustained them, and in doing so, develop intercultural understanding;
11. understand and engage with the challenges of studying subordinate groups in the Graeco-Roman world and think critically about the available sources for them, and in doing so, develop an ability to think cross-culturally across at least the Greek and Roman worlds;
12. demonstrate an enhanced knowledge of Ancient Greek and/or Roman history: the aspect(s) involved will depend on choice of options.

Transferable (key) skills

Students will have had the opportunity to acquire, as defined in the modules specified for the programme:
1. qualities and transferable skills necessary for employment related to the subject area(s) studied;
2. skills necessary for the exercising of personal responsibility;
3. decision making.

These 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
• 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 a broad range of concepts, competencies and techniques of the discipline of ancient history to complex, albeit standard, situations and simple, albeit novel or atypical, instances, in accordance with the learning outcomes for this level;
2. demonstrating basic professional competencies relevant to ancient history, in accordance with the learning outcomes for this level;
3. demonstrating the ability to deploy techniques for working closely with primary sources and scholarship, and an understanding of the difficulties involved in historical interpretation via assessments in core modules and dedicated skills modules, in accordance with the learning outcomes for this level;
4. demonstrating an awareness of the importance of the literary, cultural and socio-historical contexts in which historical documents are written and read, and in which material evidence is produced and viewed, in accordance with the learning outcomes for this level;
5. demonstrating the ability to understand and engage with the problematic nature of our evidence, especially for the experiences of subordinate groups in the ancient world, via core module assessments;
6. demonstrating the ability to think cross-culturally across at least the Greek and Roman worlds and to evaluate the nature of ancient empires via core module assessments;
7. work that is often descriptive in nature but drawing on a wide variety of material;
8. demonstrating an ability to construct and effectively communicate arguments and analysis in various contexts;
9. demonstrating an ability to think analytically and communicate effectively under time constraints, and to draw broad connections between different parts of module content;
10. demonstrating the ability to evaluate and criticise received opinion in the discipline of ancient history, in accordance with the learning outcomes for this level;
11. demonstrating the capacity to understand, use and critically evaluate the main methods of enquiry in ancient history, in accordance with the learning outcomes for this level;
12. demonstrating enhanced 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, source analysis exercises and assessed coursework assignments. The programme assessment maps demonstrate which module assessments are designed to test each specific learning outcome.