Cynlluniau Astudio

A1 Knowledge and understanding of human societies in the past through the study of a range of historical periods and themes in more than one country, and in different cultural contexts 

A2 The ability to frame historical questions, and to search for and locate appropriate secondary and primary evidence in diverse forms, including the electronic. 

A3 The ability to read and use, critically and empathetically, a range of secondary texts and primary sources 

A4 The appreciation of the complexity and diversity of situations, events and ways of thinking in the past.  

A5 The understanding of the difficulties inherent in historical interpretation, and the means whereby historians deal with ambiguity, incomplete evidence and differences of viewpoints 

A6 The appreciation of the basic critical skills of the historian in establishing and using rules of evidence and testing the validity of statements by developing a practical understanding of how established techniques of research and enquiry are used to produce and interpret historical knowledge 

A7 Intellectual independence in the setting and solving of problems, the acquisition of bibliographical skills, the ability to gather, sift, select, organise and synthesise historical evidence, and the ability to formulate appropriate questions and to provide answers to them using valid and relevant evidence and argument. 

A8 Reflexive and critical awareness of the forces of historical change and the ways in which they are explained in historiographical debates 

A9 The marshalling of lucid and coherent arguments in written and oral forms. 

A10 The ability to listen and to respond to the arguments of others. 

A11 The understanding of the social value of History, and the fostering of a life-long enjoyment of History as a subject. 

Learning/teaching methods and strategies:

Acquisition of 1 is through lectures, seminars (which include formal presentations, directed and student-led discussions), assessed coursework and individual essay tutorials. Additional support is provided by the resources of the University Library and the National Library of Wales. Acquisition of 2-11 is through a combination of Option and Survey modules with a range of skills and historiographical modules in Year 2 and Special Subject, Dissertation and general Historical Problems modules in Year 3. Throughout, learners are required to consolidate and broaden their knowledge by means of independent reading. 

Assessment:

Assessment is by coursework (1, 3, 4-9), for which learners are offered regular feed-back, and by a combination of closed unseen examinations (1, 4-10), take-away examination (8) and where appropriate, projects (6) and dissertation (1-9). Trials are currently being conducted for oral assessment by means of formal presentations (9). 

10.2.1 Intellectual (thinking) skills – able to:

B1 engage with the complexity and diversity of the subject

B2 reason critically

B3 apply historical methods and concepts

B4 demonstrate independence of mind

B5 communicate knowledge and ideas to others, in written and spoken form

Learning/teaching methods and strategies

Intellectual skills are developed throughout the Programme in a variety of ways. These include the development of listening skills in lectures and comprehension skills in reading and note-taking (1), seminars, tutorials, dissertations and coursework (1-5)

Assessment

All forms of assessment measure learners’ abilities in each of the 5 intellectual skills by means of written responses in a variety of formats. Oral presentation is not yet formally assessed, but is developed in seminar and tutorial work.

10.2.2 Practical skills – able to:

C1 search out, sift, assimilate and deploy bodies of historical evidence from a variety of sources

C2 demonstrate self-discipline in time-management and an ability to work both independently and collaboratively

C3 read secondary sources critically

C4 analyse primary sources in complex ways, including an ability to establish their provenance, analyse their content and language, and cross-reference them with other primary and secondary sources

Learning/teaching methods and strategies

All learners are introduced to these practical skills in the Year 1 core modules, and each is further developed in Years 2 and 3 in all modules. Module handbooks and Year Guides provide further guidance, especially in relation to essay writing and preparation. Skills modules in Year 2 introduce students to a set of particular historical skills, such as oral testimony, IT, statistical analysis, and the use of a wide range of evidence from field monuments to journalism. A separate Dissertation Handbook is distributed to all Year 3 students, while the Dissertation Module provides detailed advice on how to select a topic, search for sources, and structure and present the completed dissertation.

Assessment

Skills 1-3 are assessed primarily by means of coursework and examinations, whereas 4, though an important element in the assessment of all modules, is assessed principally by means of essays, projects and seen and unseen examinations in the Skills, Special Subject and Dissertation modules.