Undergraduate Catalogue of Courses 2013/2014
CELTIC
All Level 4 courses were revalidated with effect from 2012/2013. Course information for Celtic can be found in the appropriate Level 4 section of the 2012/2013 Catalogue of Courses.
See also Gaelic
Course Co-ordinator: Dr A O'Leary
Pre-requisite(s): Knowledge of a Celtic language or another language or historical linguistics or by permission of the Head of School.
Note(s): The course may not be taken as part of a graduating curriculum with its counterpart in the other Honours year.
The course consists of an exposition of the grammar of a Brittonic language accompanied by appropriate translation-exercise and grammatical interpretation of selected passages.
Three hours of classes per week.
1st Attempt: Continuous assessment: Translation Exercises (40%) which have to be done every week
1 two hour written examination (60%)
Resit: Level 3 only: 1 two hour written examination (100%).
Formative Assessment and Feedback Information
Feedback is provided verbally based on students' regular translations. Written feedback is provided on students' submitted work.
Course Co-ordinator: Dr A O'Leary
Pre-requisite(s): None
Note(s): The course may not be included as part of a graduating curriculum with its counterpart in the other Honours year.
The course will begin with a study of the pre-Christian religion of the Celts; how it was described by classical authors, and how this squares with the archaeological evidence. We will also be exploring portrayals of the pagan past in Celtic medieval literature, including portrayals of druids and reference to mythological characters. The course will then move forwards chronologically to an evaluation of the processes of Christian conversion and to an analysis of the ideological and institutional changes it involved. Evidence for the continuity of pagan practices will be explored. We will look at the struggle to define and practice spiritual purity, definitions of and attitudes to heresy, artistic and literary achievements of the Church, and the development of saints' cults. The course will end with an analysis of the reforms of the twelfth century, evaluating the response of Celtic-speaking peoples to the ecclesiastically inspired drive for uniformity in social and religious practices throughout Western Christendom.
1 one-hour lecture, 1 one-hour tutorial and 1 one-hour seminar, per week
1st Attempt: 1 two-hour examination (60%), one essay 2,000 words (30%) and seminar assessment mark (10%).
Resit: Level 3 only: 1 two-hour examination (100%)
Formative Assessment and Feedback Information
Students are given feedback weekly in the form of written corrections to submitted work and advice delivered verbally in class, both to individuals and to the whole class.
Course Co-ordinator: Dr A O'Leary
Pre-requisite(s): Available only students in programme year 3 or 4.
Note(s): This course cannot be included in a graduating curriculum with its counterpart in the other Honours year.
The course will begin by exploring the tensions between church doctrines and popular beliefs in medieval society. The significance of magic and the supernatural for different ranks of society will be examined from kings through to vagrants. The links between magic, verbal arts, crafts and science will be explored, as will the medieval understanding of boundaries between the natural and supernatural. This course will shed light aspects of medieval culture which have receive little attention in conventional textbooks, but which provide an important insight into the mental landscape of Celtic-speaking people during the Middle Ages.
1 one-hour lecture, 1 one-hour tutorial and 1 one-hour seminar, per week
1st Attempt: 1 two-hour examination (60%) and 1 essay 2000-2500 words (40%)
Resit: Level 3 only: 1 two-hour examination (100%)
Formative Assessment and Feedback Information
Students are given feedback in the form of written corrections to submitted work and advice delivered verbally in class, both to individuals and to the whole class.
Course Co-ordinator: Dr A O'Leary
Pre-requisite(s): Successful completion of Brittonic Language IA or IB.
Note(s): The course cannot be included as part of a graduating curriculum with its counterpart in the other Honours year.
The course consists of an exposition of the grammar of a Brittonic language accompanied by reading, translation exercise and grammatical interpretation of selected passages of text.
Three hours of classes per week.
1st attempt: Continuous assessment: translation Exercises (40%) which have to be done every week and 1 two-hour written examination (60%)
Resit: Level 3 only: 1 two-hour written examination (100%)
Formative Assessment and Feedback Information
Feedback is provided verbally based on students' regular translations. Written feedback is provided on students' submitted work.