Early Modern History – (M.A.)

Contents

First Term

Students will take the Early Modern core course taught by means of seminars which will introduce students to the diversity of early modern history study of particular topics, such as new approaches to the Reformation, early modern globalisation, poverty and disease, and demonic possession. In addition students will either take an optional module or the core course of the interdisciplinary MA in Renaissance and Early Modern Studies, which counts as a core course for Early Modern MA students. In addition to these courses students will take the Department's Graduate Training Course, which runs over the first and second terms, and possibly training courses available for specific skills. These will take place in either the first or second terms. Satisfactory completion of all courses is required, and the marks for the optional module taken this term will carry forward for the award of the degree.

The optional module will normally be assessed by a 4500 word essay.

Second Term
Students will choose two Optional Modules, at least one of which will be from the list of prescribed early modern optional module, to complete the taught part of the course. The second optional module may also come from this list or from another optional module taught within another of the History Department's MA programmes or an MA optional module offered in related departments, typically English or the History of Art. In either case, such a choice is subject to the approval of its suitability by the Early Modern MA course convenor and the agreement of the relevant optional module tutor. Both optional modules will be assessed towards the degree.

Each optional module will normally be assessed by a 4500 word essay.

The slate of early modern optional modules varies from year to year: by way of example, those optional modules recently offered include:

* Stuart Carroll - Religious Conflict in France 1500-1700
* Simon Ditchfield - Enjoying the Saints: Sanctity and Society in a World Religion
* Mark Jenner - From the Body Beautiful to the Body Politic 1600-1700
* James Sharpe - Witchcraft and Gender in Early Modern England
* William Sheils - Change and Division? Religion and Locality in England c1550-c1720
* Natasha Glaisyer - Speculation

Second Term
For the second half of the MA students will engage on a dissertation of 20,000 words on a topic of their own choosing and under the supervison of a member of staff. This will count for 50 per cent of the total assessment towards the degree result, and the taught elements described above for the other 50 per cent of the same.