BA Ancient History

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 a familiarity with 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 basic generic and subject specific intellectual qualities i.e.
• present a structured and coherent simple argument;
• critical and empathetic reading and use of texts, inscriptions, coins, material culture or 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;
• evaluate qualitative and/or quantitative data;
3. demonstrate an ability to evaluate the appropriateness of different approaches to problem solving associated with the discipline;
4. demonstrate an ability to evaluate the appropriateness of some of the different approaches to history (e.g. social history, economic history, political history, cultural history, landscape history etc.);
5. develop critical and analytical skills;
6. appreciate their strengths and weaknesses as learners through individual and group work;
7. demonstrate an awareness of professional and disciplinary boundaries;
8. show an awareness of the importance of the literary, cultural and socio-historical contexts in which historical documents are written and read;
9. interpret and evaluate the underlying concepts and principles of the study of Ancient Greek and Roman history;
10. demonstrate basic knowledge of Ancient Greek and Roman history and the range of primary evidence available to study them.
11. demonstrate a basic awareness of the nature of history as an academic discipline and the problematic nature of historical knowledge.

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;

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 knowledge and application of standard concepts, information and techniques relevant to the discipline, in accordance with the learning outcomes for this level;
2. demonstrating an ability to construct an argument in various contexts, both oral and written;
3. demonstrating an ability to use and evaluate primary, historical evidence and secondary sources critically, and to understand the difficulties involved in historical interpretation, in accordance with the learning outcomes for this level;
4. demonstrating an ability to show 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 capacity to evaluate the appropriateness of different approaches to history (e.g. social history, economic history, political history, cultural history, landscape history etc.) and different approaches to problem solving in the discipline, in accordance with the learning outcomes for this level. This includes demonstrating the ability to interpret and evaluate the underlying concepts and principles of the study of Ancient Greek and Roman history, in accordance with the learning outcomes for this level;
6. work that covers a restricted area of the discipline;
7. demonstrating emerging abilities, skills and practical competencies, in accordance with the learning outcomes for this level;
8. demonstrating some knowledge of Ancient History, the complexity of ancient societies and cultures, and the range of primary evidence available to study them, in accordance with the learning outcomes for this level;
9. demonstrating a basic awareness of the nature of history as an academic discipline and the problematic nature of historical knowledge, in accordance with the learning outcomes for this level;
10. demonstrating an ability to think analytically and communicate effectively under time constraints, and to draw broad connections between different parts of module content.

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, creative pieces and assessed coursework assignments. The programme assessment maps demonstrate which module assessments are designed to test each specific learning outcome.