Humanities and Language Courses

An examination of the experience of African Americans during the ‘long civil rights movement’ of the twentieth century, emphasising the depth and breadth of Black oppositional spirit and activity, the achievements, and remaining challenges. Attention will also be given to the ‘long civil rights movement’ in historiography and popular memory.

Introduces students to modern Standard Chinese (Mandarin, Putonghua) through exercises and activities to develop speaking, listening, reading and writing skills. Also introduces the social and cultural background of the language.

Restriction: May not be taken if a more advanced language acquisition course in this subject has previously been passed

An introduction to reasoning, argument, and explanation that emphasises the development of practical skills and their use in everyday life. The course introduces different forms of reasoning and explains techniques to evaluate them. It will enable students to distinguish good arguments and explanations from bad ones, to explain the difference, and thereby to improve critical thinking abilities.

An introduction to spoken Māori for those with no previous knowledge of the language. Concentrates on the acquisition of aural and oral skills, developing the ability to understand and speak Māori.

Restriction: May not be taken if a more advanced language acquisition course in this subject has previously been passed

This course discusses the origins of Pacific Island populations and ensuing cultural changes beginning over 40,000 years ago to recent times. The course will examine the archaeological sequences of major archipelagos and pay special attention to current theoretical and methodological issues on topics such as colonisation, human impact on ancient environments and the generation of cultural diversity. Students can expect to master a diverse body of knowledge and critically assess current topics in Pacific archaeology that are broadly applicable to all regions of the world.

Prerequisite: One lower level History, Art History, History of Architecture course or equivalent

This course explores the principal architects and artists, monuments, and themes from the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries in Italian art and architecture. Class time is divided equally between lectures and on-site visits in the city of Florence. Emphasis will be placed on Renaissance architecture in Florence and will also include architectural developments in other Italian towns. Special topics will include architectural theory, the Medici and papal patronage, urban planning, and church and palace design. Coursework will focus on important figures such as Brunelleschi, Alberti, Michelozzo, Michelangelo, and Leonardo, in addition to visits to key Renaissance buildings and urban spaces in Florence.

In a pluralistic and multicultural society, it is important to provide individuals with the appropriate tools to develop balanced and integrated personalities that are capable of social interaction with sensitivity and a wide understanding. A skillful communication creates positive relationships and working teams as well as social groups including individuals from different cultures, religions beliefs, sexual preferences, age and physical characteristics. In order to arrive at this form of intercultural communication, it is necessary to acquire basic competencies and psychological knowledge of the lotic – verbal, intuitive and creative areas. Course topics analyze the subjectivity of perception, the influence of cultural patterns on identity, the interdependence of contemporary life and working contexts, and the capacity to acquire useful skills and experience for effective communication.

This course develops basic conversation, reading, and writing skills. Equal focus will be given to grammatical structures, vocabulary, and conversation skills. Students will develop a vocabulary that will enable them to engage in simple but useful everyday conversations, thus enhancing and supporting their Italian experience. Upon course conclusion, students will be able to express themselves in basic sentences, recognize gender and number in both nouns and adjectives, and begin approaching the Passato Prossimo. Emphasis will be given to the oral expression of practical vocabulary and newly acquired grammar structures. This level is for absolute beginner students who have never studied Italian before.

This module provides an opportunity for students to develop a deeper understanding of the history of London and of some of its most celebrated monuments, heritage and historical sites. It offers a pathway for students to study London’s history in greater depth and it internationalizes the learning experience. The module puts students in touch with various types of historical artefacts, namely London’s architecture, sculpture, painting and archaeological objects. It explores the past through various types of historical sources and approaches to studying. Students will develop a meaningful awareness of the particular character and challenges of London history through these visual and material sources as well as texts, both factual and fictional. The syllabus will include visits to London’s museums and heritage sites such as Westminster Abbey, the Tower of London and less well-known sites, off the ‘tourist trail’.

This course is a second year module (Level 5 of British system).

Additional fees (£80-£150) go towards the various galleries/museums/cultural houses visited as part of this course.

Despite ancient roots, the term ‘mindfulness’ shows up in surprisingly contemporary contexts. Corporations use it to increase worker productivity; law enforcement uses it to reduce incidents of police violence; couples’ therapy uses it as a way to improve couples’ communication. In this course, we will explore the historical roots of mindfulness and meditation in ancient philosophy and religion, contrasting the technique of mindfulness meditation in the past with its more contemporary versions. We will grapple with the issue of whether mindfulness can be effective, and to what extent, in a culture characterized by a deep commitment to the idea of ‘self’ and the narcissism that tends to go with it.

PREREQUISITES: None

Course syllabi are provided as a guide only. Class timetables are released closer to program start date.

Museums have featured on film – comedies, dramas and documentaries – in both starring roles and bit parts, from the dawn of cinema to the present.  In this course, we will explore the way filmmakers have presented museums and the ways in which films both reflect and help define the place of museums in societies around the world.

PREREQUISITES: None

Course syllabi are provided as a guide only. Class timetables are released closer to program start date.

Introduction to modern spoken Japanese through aural-oral drills and exercises, and mastery of the basic grammatical structures. Emphasis on the spoken language, although there will also be exposure to enough of the Japanese writing systems to meet practical needs. Practical use and observing of the language will be emphasized.

Intermediate introduction to modern spoken Japanese through aural-oral drills and exercises, and mastery of the basic grammatical structures. Emphasis on the spoken language, although there will also be exposure to enough of the Japanese writing systems to meet practical needs. Practical use and observing of the language will be emphasized.

Advanced introduction to modern spoken Japanese through aural-oral drills and exercises, and mastery of the basic grammatical structures. Emphasis on the spoken language, although there will also be exposure to enough of the Japanese writing systems to meet practical needs. Practical use and observing of the language will be emphasised. The method of instruction will be a communicative approach, Proficiency Method, Direct Method, Jorden Method, TPR, VTS, etc. More advanced students will focus on reading Japanese newspapers and understanding other media outlets. There should be a minimum of four students per level per session in order to offer each level in each session.

Intermediate introduction to modern spoken Japanese through aural-oral drills and exercises, and mastery of the basic grammatical structures. Emphasis on the spoken language, although there will also be exposure to enough of the Japanese writing systems to meet practical needs. Practical use and observing of the language will be emphasised. The method of instruction will be a communicative approach, Proficiency Method, Direct Method, Jorden Method, TPR, VTS, etc. There should be a minimum of four students per level per session in order to offer each level in each session.

This Advanced Japanese course is geared towards learning modern spoken Japanese through aural-oral drills and exercises, and of the more complex grammatical structures. Emphasis on the spoken language of different types of speech styles (casual, formal, polite, etc.), although there will also be exposure to enough of the Japanese writing systems to meet practical needs. Practical use and observing of the language will be emphasized.

Introduction to modern spoken Japanese through aural-oral drills and exercises, and mastery of the basic grammatical structures. Emphasis on the spoken language, although there will also be exposure to enough of the Japanese writing systems to meet practical needs. Practical use and observing of the language will be emphasized.

This high-intermediate Japanese course is an introduction to modern spoken Japanese through aural-oral drills and exercises, and introduction of the more complex grammatical structures. Emphasis on the spoken language of different types of speech styles (casual, formal, polite, etc.), although there will also be exposure to enough of the Japanese writing systems to meet practical needs. Practical use and observing of the language will be emphasised.

Intermediate introduction to modern spoken Japanese through aural-oral drills and exercises, and mastery of the basic grammatical structures. Emphasis on the spoken language, although there will also be exposure to enough of the Japanese writing systems to meet practical needs. Practical use and observing of the language will be emphasized.

After completion of this course, the student will be able to:

• Produce simple sentences
• Ask and answer questions about him/herself, about others, and about things s/he has or needs
• Produce simple statements concerning his/her needs or usual subjects and to answer questions of this type when they are directed to him/her
• Use culturally appropriate non-verbal communication

This course will examine various aspects of the relationship between food, culture and society in the Mediterranean basin, where eating is not a simple act of survival but rather a cultural and social activity. Looking at the local culture through the lens of food allows us to discover and understand social constructs, values and even the history of Europe, from ancient Greece to the great chefs of the 21st century such as Ferran Adrià. Through this we will discover the similarities and differences between how the Spanish, Italian and Greece societies work.

In this course we offer a cross-cultural perspective that will focus on history, anthropology, sociology, literature, gastronomy and the business that works behind the food industry.

Prerequisite: One lower level History, Art History, History of Architecture course or equivalent

This course explores the principal architects and artists, monuments, and themes from the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries in Italian art and architecture. Class time is divided equally between lectures and on-site visits in the city of Florence. Emphasis will be placed on Renaissance architecture in Florence and will also include architectural developments in other Italian towns. Special topics will include architectural theory, the Medici and papal patronage, urban planning, and church and palace design. Coursework will focus on important figures such as Brunelleschi, Alberti, Michelozzo, Michelangelo, and Leonardo, in addition to visits to key Renaissance buildings and urban spaces in Florence.

This course examines the ethics of medical practices and issues in contemporary society. Coursework will pose questions regarding areas that affect human life and death. Topics include practices such as euthanasia, birth control and abortion, cloning, genetic engineering, and biomedical research. Students will analyze the ethical nature of covered practices, how they affect humans on individual and social scales, and the relationship between patients and physicians and medical structures in terms of information, consent, and responsibility. Case studies from local European as well as non-European countries will be closely considered for discussion and study.

This course offers students a combination of two original approaches to Bernardo Buontalenti: discovering the artistic contribution of a genius in Florence’s 16th century intellectual scene, and learning the cultural, political and scientific background that led to the creation of modern ice cream (gelato). The lessons will range from Buontalenti’s childhood at the Medici court to his artistic training spanning the analysis of his Florentine works (ephemeral installations for spectacular events, theatrical sets, and costumes), masterpieces of sculpture, architecture, and monumental gardens. Buontalenti’s eclectic genius also involved the creation of the first ice cream machine. Students will learn about the various production techniques and genesis of sorbet, granita, and gelato from both a historical and technical point of view. Coursework will be organized through a series of practical workshops on various types of frozen desserts, lectures focusing on the artistic works of Buontalenti, and guided visits of major works by Buontalenti in Florence. Visits will include specialized tastings at select artisanal laboratories in Florence. This class includes experiential learning with CEMI.

This course will examine excerpts of Dante Alighieri’s greatest passages from the Divine Comedy and other works in relation to the space and history of Florence. Textual analyses will be performed, unpacking the dense symbolism and motifs reflective of the intellectual and moral climate during 14th century Florence. Students will visit churches, piazzas, and palaces within the city and will examine these locations in the context of Dante’s life and surrounding controversy, the accusations and denunciations in his writings, the physical descriptions of the city, and the characters and historical figures present in his works.

This course is designed to take full advantage of the student’s unique experiences living and studying in the city of Florence. With on-site inspiration channeled into artistic creativity, students will draw on location at sites of historical significance and visual interest, ranging from architectural masterpieces, landscape vistas, and medieval streets to formal gardens, street markets, and Renaissance fountains. Slide lectures will document the rich history of how Florence and its environs have attracted and inspired visiting artists over the centuries. Students will develop individual sketchbooks with the aim of building up source material for future projects.

This course examines the city of Florence with themed walks offering a comprehensive approach to the city as an open-air cultural, historical, and artistic research site from its Roman foundation to its contemporary Zeitgeist. Students will learn the history of the city through its art: they will understand how buildings, streets, squares, and monuments can be mapped as living traces of multiple, overlapping layers of a complex past, and how to encode them in their personal appropriation of the city. Starting from learning how to decode the artistic environment of the city and to unveil its traces – both visible and invisible – the course aims at understanding the main social and cultural reasons underlying the existing shape of the city.

The course explores traces and evidences from Roman times through Middle Ages, Renaissance, Mannerism and Baroque, up to Art Nouveau and contemporary Florence. Students will be provided with a consistent theoretical background related to relevant historic-artistic landmarks and their social and cultural context and main characters (Guelphs vs. Ghibellines, the Florentine Guilds, Dante, the Medici family, Botticelli, Michelangelo, Ghirlandaio, Ammannati, Pontormo, etc.). Students will be encouraged to develop their own experiential tools and strategies to approach the city through guided field learning activities that assess research, on-site involvement, and academic outcome for each themed walk in Florence.

The classroom approach of this course is based on experiencing the city of Florence as the academic space for learning and engagement. Classes are not held in a traditional, frontal-style setting; each lesson is carefully mapped for curricular content and featured locations: lectures, observations, exercises, analysis, and reflections on presented topics are held in relevant sites that are accounted for in the academic planning, syllabus, and related course material. Coursework and submissions will be regularly assessed on the MyFUA platform through daily assignments in addition to exams, papers, and projects. Learning through the on-site classroom approach fosters a deeper understanding of the cultural environment of Florence and how it is related to the subject of study represented by the course, and allows the overall experience to contribute to the students’ academic and personal enrichment.

This course focuses on the literary panorama of Florence, creating significant connections with the fields of linguistics, history, and socio-politics. Students will gain knowledge about the origins of the Italian language, they will learn about war literature and poetry, discover the key venues wherein literature flourished, explore the works of the locals, and also that of illustrious foreign authors who studied and wrote in Florence, and ultimately uncover the new literature developing in the city. The course is held outside, since Florence is the very setting of its academic content. Therefore, students will gain awareness of the significance of walking in the city so as to develop a new gaze that allows them to travel through various epochs and literary movements. This way, students will undertake an insightful journey through language, history, and narratives.

This course offers an innovative way to learn the Italian language and develop environmental consciousness while exploring Florence and its surroundings. Through the study of the relationship between humans and nature, the human role in ecology, and the sustainable management and conservation of natural resources, students will learn basic Italian vocabulary and usage in the form of experiential learning.

The course aims to develop four basic Italian language skills (reading, writing, listening, and speaking), while providing experiences and on-site lessons aimed at expanding the connection between individuals and the natural world and developing sustainable lifestyles. Each topic, excursion, and experience will be supported by a structured class of Italian language, providing a great opportunity to explore Florence, its parks, its people, and its traditions from a new perspective while learning and practicing the Italian language.

This course includes an Italian language component for beginning-level students. SLC (Studies with a Language Component) represents an engaging approach to learning that embraces a multi-disciplinary application of cultural education methods. This stimulating approach broadens students’ understanding of their studies and creates a link between their academic careers and the local cultural environment which surrounds them. Through SLC courses, students learn notions of Italian language and terminology as a bridge to better understand and appreciate Italy’s modern, multifaceted society. By being exposed to the Italian language, Students discover different elements of Italian communication and culture and learn the linguistic fundamentals that enable them to engage in simple, everyday conversation. While doing so, they examine the sociological and pedagogical aspects of Italy such as society, politics, education, family, geography, and the environment. SLC is a learning methodology that integrates theory with practice: students learn the culture and language of Italy in class, then experience what they have learned through interaction with the local communities within the city of Florence and its neighborhoods. Diverse student populations benefit from this educational approach.

This course discusses the origins and development of the Mafia in the context of Italian politics, economics, and society from the nineteenth century to the present day. It analyzes the nature of Mafia activities and their international relevance. Special focus will be given to judicial procedures against the Mafia and the experiences of key individuals and groups contrasting their illegal activities.

This introductory art history course will take students through Italian and European art from the classical Greek and Roman periods up to and including the eighteenth century. Special emphasis will be given to Florentine and Italian art of the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries and to the “Golden Age” of the Renaissance. The course is aimed at students who have not taken a history of western art course before. Lectures will alternate with on-site teaching in Florence including architectural walking tours and visits to relevant museums, churches, and palaces.

This course develops basic conversation, reading, and writing skills. Equal focus will be given to grammatical structures, vocabulary, and conversation skills. Students will develop a vocabulary that will enable them to engage in simple but useful everyday conversations, thus enhancing and supporting their Italian experience. Upon course conclusion, students will be able to express themselves in basic sentences, recognize gender and number in both nouns and adjectives, and begin approaching the Passato Prossimo. Emphasis will be given to the oral expression of practical vocabulary and newly acquired grammar structures. This level is for absolute beginner students who have never studied Italian before.

This intensive six-credit course is intended for students with no prior knowledge of Italian. It will give students the opportunity to experience a total language immersion, learning how to use gradually more complex grammatical structures and vocabulary. Upon course conclusion, students will be able to communicate simple and routine tasks, discuss familiar and routine topics and describe his/her background, and understand clear standard speech on familiar matters regularly encountered in work, school, leisure, etc. The course will start from linguistic fundamentals and essential grammatical structures, including singular and plural forms of articles, adjectives, nouns, and their agreement; regular and some irregular conjugations of -are, -ere, -ire verbs in the Present tense; and simple prepositions. It will then move on to reflexive verbs, conjugation of regular and irregular verbs in the Past, and direct object pronouns. It will finally introduce students to Future and Conditional tenses, possessive adjectives, and indirect object pronouns, along with the continued practice of expanding vocabulary and gradual building of complexity in grammatical structures. All lessons will be taught in Italian.

Pre-requisites: One semester of Italian language or equivalent.

This course builds on and extends fundamental skills developed in the beginning-level course. Emphasis is placed on developing fluency skills and integration of language and culture through more extensive reading and writing. Upon course completion, students will be able to express polite requests using the Present Conditional and develop their language ability by using direct and indirect object pronouns. This course is aimed at students who already have a basic vocabulary of Italian and some knowledge of elementary language structures.

Pre-requisites: Two semesters of Italian language or equivalent. Italian Language Placement Test required.

This level is for those students who already have an active knowledge of elementary language structures (i.e. the expression of past actions and events, discussion of future plans), can communicate simple and routine tasks, discuss familiar and routine topics and describe his/her background, and can understand clear standard speech on familiar matters regularly encountered in work, school, leisure, etc. Upon course conclusion, students will be able to use more complex pronouns both in spoken and written Italian and will have a basic grasp of the following topics: Condizionale, Trapassato Prossimo, Pronomi Relativi, Imperativo and a basic grasp of the four tenses of Subjunctive.

The genius of Leonardo Da Vinci is boundless and this course introduces students to his universal genius through an overview of his life, art, and his remarkable approach to the exploration of nature. Centuries before the scientific method of investigation became a standard for philosophers and scientists, Leonardo had already developed the essential characteristics that are still a part of the methodology today. Yet, his experiential and interdisciplinary approach to the world around him is still a mystery that continues to inspire current generations with the challenge to unveil the layers of his creative powers. In this course, students will have the opportunity to investigate Leonardo’s intellectual evolution, his interest in botanical studies, and his quest to discover the secrets of nature that allowed him to become a master and inspiration of Renaissance art. Leonardo’s unique path will be analyzed through a focus on his youth in Florence, his artistic career in Milan and France and the legacy of his masters, with investigation of his anatomical dissections and the inventions of extraordinary machines, as well as his approach to the mysteries of alchemy and some of his lesser-known interests. Not everybody knows that Leonardo’s genius also involved the study of table manners, the creation of kitchen utensils, and the planning of pioneering kitchen devices that will also be experimented in this course. Discussions on Leonardo’s various studies and their outcomes, guided visits in locations related to his artistic and scientific vocation, field learning activities, and a series of practical workshops on recipes written and inspired by Leonardo’s eclecticism will provide the tools to construct a comprehensive understanding of the man behind the genius. This class includes experiential learning with CEMI.

This course spans the history of Italian gardens from the 1200s to the 1700s. The course explores the evolution of the Italian garden landscape starting from the ancient Roman roots and the emergence of herbal gardens in medieval monasteries for medicinal remedies to the flourishing of early Renaissance masterpieces in the great palaces and villas of Italy. The early transformation of the garden from functional to recreational purposes will be examined in religious and humanistic contexts. A second phase of evolution from the recreation to symbols of power will be introduced through the gardens of ruling families and religious figures who combined garden aesthetics with experimentation and horticultural innovation until the late Renaissance. The course will conclude with the waning of the Italian garden in the 18th century, which ceded the domination of Italian gardens to the landscaping practices of France.

This course provides students with an introduction to the art of yoga and meditation to gain an understanding of the philosophical and spiritual contexts that the discipline is rooted in. The course investigation begins with the notion of awareness, and the acquisition of the term through an overview of the principal asanas and their correct practice. The spiritual aspects of yoga are experienced in the form of various meditation techniques from different philosophies as well as the study of pranayama breathing exercises. Topics also include an examination of yoga props as well as dietary and nutritional guidelines, studied through the lens of yoga philosophy gleaned from sacred texts. The course will cover yoga traditions from ancient times to more contemporary interpretations.

This module provides an interdisciplinary perspective on sex, sexuality and gender in London from 1880 to the present. Taking approaches from history, sociology, law, politics and literature, it covers topics such as Victorian sex scandals, the gendering of public space; masculinities and femininities; the impact of the law; Queer London; ‘Women’s Work’; the Swinging Sixties’ and ‘sexual liberation’; the making of cultures of sexuality in Soho and policing sexuality in Central London.

This module is an introduction to the visual culture of London, including painting, architecture, photography and contemporary media. Students will visit the major art galleries to examine how art works, exhibitions and cultural organisations can be understood within wider social contexts. The sessions also include museums and historical sites. The classes will explore how these institutions reveal the complex cultural identity and history of London.

Site visits: typical visits include the British Museum, Tate Modern, Victoria and Albert Museum, Museum of London, National Portrait Gallery, Wallace Collection, Tate Britain, Whitechapel Gallery, Serpentine Galleries, Wellcome Collection. Note: these visits are subject to change.

This module places communities of colour, often marginalised, at the very centre of London’s history from the Tudors to today. It explores the long and rich history of black and brown communities in London, from immigrant communities originating from Africa, South-East Asia and the Caribbean, to colonial and African-American soldiers in the modern period. In doing so, it raises important question about race, diversity and multi-culturalism. It looks at questions of exclusion and racism; agency and activism; diversity and multi-culturalism. Crucially, it shows students how black and brown communities have shaped – and continue to shape – London.

This module examines both the impact of climate change on cultural expression, and of cultural texts on our attitudes towards the environment. To facilitate these two perspectives, the module intersperses weeks on contemporary climate fiction (cli-fi) with weeks on other, broader texts, from ancient to modern: theatre, visual art, music and cinema. The module will equip students with an ecocritical vocabulary and the facility and opportunity to employ that vocabulary across a range of media and forms.

This course examines London as the historical setting for monarchy and national ceremonial. As such the course considers Royalty’s central place in British life and examines how its purpose and function have changed over the centuries. It also investigates Royalty’s influence on British history and society and its impact on government, culture and science. Finally the course will consider how the monarchy has adapted – and continues to adapt – to changing times and how critics react to it.

Site visits: as a part of the module, students will be visiting the British Museum, The British Library, National Portrait Gallery, The Museum of London, Imperial War Museum. The students will also tour important royal sites in London. Note: these visits are subject to change.

The module explores the Ripper murders, social history of the East End, London in the late Victorian era, the representation of the killings in the media, in film and literature, the historiography of the Ripper murders.

Site visits: students will visit the Museum of London, Tate Britain, The Royal London Hospital, The Metropolitan Police Heritage Centre, Sir John Soane’s Museum, The Bishopsgate Institute, the Museum of London Docklands. The students will also go on a walking tour to ‘map’ the Ripper murders and get to grips with the geography of the East End. Note: these visits are subject to change.

London has both shaped and been shaped by the history and memory of the Holocaust, whether from the arrival of Jewish children in Waterloo Station in 1943, to the plans in 2021 to build a major Holocaust memorial next to Westminster Parliament. In this module, students will learn about the history and memory of the Holocaust through the sites and memories in London, and in doing so understand how the Holocaust is entangled with global sites, identities and memories. They will think critically about how history tells us not only about the past, but also about the present.

Pre-requisite: Course 10 or Linguistics 1 or Sociology 1 or Psychology 10.

Examination of fundamental principles in human communication science. Topics include models of communication, levels of analysis in the behavioral sciences, cultural evolution, new media and big data, political communication, and the nature of art.

Multidisciplinary examination of history of Asians and Pacific Islanders in U.S. Throughout the course students will learn about how intersecting formations of race, class, gender, sexuality, and citizenship, among other identities, forged the experiences of Asian Americans. As a result, students will come away with a greater appreciation for the diversity and complexity of the history and contemporary conditions of Asian Americans.

Recommended for students who plan to pursue more advanced studies in logic. Elements of symbolic logic, sentential and quantificational; forms of reasoning and structure of language.

Introductory workshop in genre(s) of instructor choice, that may include mixed genres, playwriting, screenwriting, literary nonfiction, or others.

Fears of extra-terrestrial invasion and nuclear apocalypse, of seemingly strange and alien civilizations, and of social, economic, and cultural collapse belie SF’s trash label. This course introduces you to the genre’s deep philosophical dimensions, tracing its progress through the pulp magazine during the late-Nineteenth century fin de siècle and early Twentieth-century inter-war periods in the United Kingdom and the United States respectively, and its later development across the so-called Iron Curtain during the Cold War. This course will also challenge the traditional conventions of Science Fiction – interstellar conflict with alien races – and explore the genre’s diverse progressions: into Ecocriticism, Feminism, sexuality, and the near-future ‘Post-SF’ of the urban and suburban present.

This module has been designed to help students realise their creative potential by producing original and stimulating short fiction. Teaching will consist of specialist workshops conducted by an expert in the field. In addition to engaging with practical aspects of craft and technique, students will learn how to create believable, compelling characters and how to make them live (and die!) on the page. They will also have the opportunity to visit sites of historic importance and natural beauty to inspire their writing.

Excursion(s): The module includes a live ‘reading’ at a leading local arts centre, where you’ll have the chance to share the stage with a prominent Scottish writer.

Develop a critical understanding of the Celtic world in this interdisciplinary program drawing on archaeological, historical, literary and mythological sources. A unique course that will enable you to develop critical thinking skills in relation to the concept of religion whilst exploring more recent trends within the study of religion such as material religion and implicit religion to develop an in-depth knowledge, understanding and appreciation of Celtic religion, folklore and mythology from Ireland, Scotland and Wales (the Celtic fringe). This course is taught exclusively by a scholar from Ireland who speaks the indigenous language and has training in older forms of the Irish language, although no prior knowledge of the Celtic languages is required or necessary to take and succeed in this course.

From the Classical age to the 21st century, Celts have fascinated and frightened people. This course explores the evolving way Celtic people lived and died, what they believed and why, different ways in which Celtic peoples have been perceived by outsiders, the ways in which Celts have presented themselves to the world and considers why there has been a revival in 21st century of Celtic faiths. In answering these questions you be introduced to the pre-Christian beliefs of the Celtic and Indo-European worlds, to the historical narratives in which such beliefs are embedded, and to the methodology of investigating ancient and medieval belief systems. You will also explore the impact of Christianity in different eras upon the Celtic religions, folklore and mythology through the recurring themes of freedom and independence, especially in relation to the warrior and druid types, signs and symbols and the materiality of the land.

Following an educational field trip to the Scottish Crannog Centre and an ancient stone circle in Aberfeldy you will have the opportunity to consider and respond creatively to the notion of a “sacred landscape” and develop a more in-depth understanding of how legends and mythology become attached to and rooted within sacred sites.

Excursion(s): Course includes one excursion. Details to come.

From sparkly vampires to blockbuster monsters, gothic tropes appear to be all-pervasive in contemporary culture. As Catherine Spooner claims in Contemporary Gothic (2006), like ‘a malevolent virus, Gothic narratives have escaped the confines of literature and spread across disciplinary boundaries to infect all kinds of media, from fashion and advertising to the way contemporary events are constructed in mass culture’. What this course aims to do is to introduce students to Gothic’s literary expression in the British nineteenth century, before exploring the many ways in which this dark heritage continues to affect contemporary cultural production.

Focusing on three key texts from the nineteenth century, Frankenstein (1818), The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde (1886) and Dracula (1897), this class will discuss their adaptation, appropriation and influence on popular narratives such as those found in fiction, film, tv, fashion and music video. Some of the contemporary texts we will be drawing upon will be Twilight (book & film), True Blood (book & tv), Buffy the Vampire Slayer (film & tv), Scream (film), Supernatural (tv), Marilyn Manson (music), Interview with a Vampire (book & film), Blade (film), Blairwitch Project (film) etc.

Excursion(s): A visit to Edinburgh Dungeon and a gothic themed bar are included.

The purpose of this course is to introduce students to the sociological and analytic study of religion, identity, conflict and violence within a local, national and global context. It will examine issues such as nationalism, colonialism, international affairs and the role of those charged with reporting such conflicts. Extensive attention will be paid to the representation of religious conflict in the arts, such as literature and films, alongside a detailed examination in of the violent groups that have arisen as an apparent reaction to religious fundamentalism as a rising narrative of a new cultural war.

Excursion(s): Students will attend a guided visit to Stirling Castle.

The module aims to provide students with an understanding of the origins, main features and impact of the Jacobite movement, and aims to place Scotland’s experience of Jacobitism within its wider British and European context. It seeks to deepen historical and transferable skills already acquired or to assist students coming to history as a discipline for the first time in acquiring such skills. You will look at the societal changes that occurred in Scotland in the 18th Century, the Jacobite rebellions and the Enlightenment period. You will learn how to collect, evaluate and use sources to support a historical case and evaluate conflicting historical interpretations.

For the past decade, Scotland’s national status has been ‘both dangled before us and tantalizingly withheld’ (poet Don Paterson). With attention focused on the question of independence, recent debates concerning Scottish culture and identity gain a heightened political charge. Literature has not only reflected but actively shaped such debate. In the year the new Scottish Parliament was established (1998), Christopher Whyte argued that ‘in the absence of elected political authority, the task of representing the nation has been repeatedly devolved to its writers’. But what influence have writers played in recent political change, and to what extent has Scottish culture escaped its own stereotypes?

This course examines the literary and political currents shaping contemporary Scottish identity, introducing students to key twentieth- and twenty-first century texts. We encounter and explain a range of cultural debates concerning language, class, democracy and nationhood, attending to the urgency as well as the complexity of recent Scottish writing.

Excursion: There will be an excursion to Edinburgh, visiting the Scottish Parliament building and Scottish Writers Museum.

Between 1563 and 1736, during years of political and religious turmoil, around 4,000 people were accused of witchcraft in Scotland. This module will examine this significant aspect of Scottish history, looking at the phenomenon of witchcraft belief as part of early-modern culture, as well as its prosecution. Other themes that will be covered include: religion, popular culture, law and order, illness and death, community tensions and gender issues. We will also consider the continuity and development of ideas about magic and witchcraft.

The module aims to provide students with a thorough understanding of the phenomena of witchcraft belief and prosecution in Scotland between the sixteenth and eighteenth centuries. The focus of the module will be mostly on social and cultural themes but an understanding of the political, economic and religious context will be important.

Excursion(s): This module will visit the village of Dunning, Maggie Wall’s monument near Dunning, Robert Kirk’s burial site and the Fairy Tree at Aberfoyle, all sites related to early modern witchcraft in Scotland.

Advanced introduction to modern spoken Japanese through aural-oral drills and exercises, and mastery of the basic grammatical structures. Emphasis on the spoken language, although there will also be exposure to enough of the Japanese writing systems to meet practical needs. Practical use and observing of the language will be emphasised. The method of instruction will be a communicative approach, Proficiency Method, Direct Method, Jorden Method, TPR, VTS, etc. More advanced students will focus on reading Japanese newspapers and understanding other media outlets. There should be a minimum of four students per level per session in order to offer each level in each session.

Intermediate introduction to modern spoken Japanese through aural-oral drills and exercises, and mastery of the basic grammatical structures. Emphasis on the spoken language, although there will also be exposure to enough of the Japanese writing systems to meet practical needs. Practical use and observing of the language will be emphasised. The method of instruction will be a communicative approach, Proficiency Method, Direct Method, Jorden Method, TPR, VTS, etc. There should be a minimum of four students per level per session in order to offer each level in each session.

This Advanced Japanese course is geared towards learning modern spoken Japanese through aural-oral drills and exercises, and of the more complex grammatical structures. Emphasis on the spoken language of different types of speech styles (casual, formal, polite, etc.), although there will also be exposure to enough of the Japanese writing systems to meet practical needs. Practical use and observing of the language will be emphasized.

Introduction to modern spoken Japanese through aural-oral drills and exercises, and mastery of the basic grammatical structures. Emphasis on the spoken language, although there will also be exposure to enough of the Japanese writing systems to meet practical needs. Practical use and observing of the language will be emphasized.

This high-intermediate Japanese course is an introduction to modern spoken Japanese through aural-oral drills and exercises, and introduction of the more complex grammatical structures. Emphasis on the spoken language of different types of speech styles (casual, formal, polite, etc.), although there will also be exposure to enough of the Japanese writing systems to meet practical needs. Practical use and observing of the language will be emphasised.

Intermediate introduction to modern spoken Japanese through aural-oral drills and exercises, and mastery of the basic grammatical structures. Emphasis on the spoken language, although there will also be exposure to enough of the Japanese writing systems to meet practical needs. Practical use and observing of the language will be emphasized.

After completion of this course, the student will be able to:

• Produce simple sentences
• Ask and answer questions about him/herself, about others, and about things s/he has or needs
• Produce simple statements concerning his/her needs or usual subjects and to answer questions of this type when they are directed to him/her
• Use culturally appropriate non-verbal communication