EUB352 Medieval Europe and the World
To view more information for this unit, select Unit Outline from the list below. Please note the teaching period for which the Unit Outline is relevant.
| Unit code: | EUB352 |
|---|---|
| Equivalent(s): | CRB115 |
| Credit points: | 12 |
| Timetable | Details in HiQ, if available |
| Availabilities |
|
| CSP student contribution | $2,040 |
| Pre-2021 CSP student contribution | $957 The pre-2021 commonwealth supported place (CSP) contribution amount only applies to students enrolled in a course prior to 2021. To learn more, visit our Understanding your fees page. |
| Domestic tuition unit fee | $3,024 |
| International unit fee | $3,828 |
Unit Outline: Semester 1 2024, Kelvin Grove, Internal
| Unit code: | EUB352 |
|---|---|
| Credit points: | 12 |
| Equivalent: | CRB115 |
| Coordinator: | Danielle Gordon | danielle.m.gordon@qut.edu.au |
Overview
This unit traces the evolution of Europe from the Fall of Rome in the 5th century through to the centuries usually defined as the High Middle Ages including Renaissance and the Reformation periods. On a thematic level, the unit selectively examines topics concerned with political, religious and intellectual developments, along with the cultural history of Medieval Europe. You will develop an understanding of how events and forces have contributed to societal, political and cultural change in Europe in Medieval times. The Middle Ages constitute a crucial period in the formation of a European identity. The breakdown of the Roman world saw the gradual emergence of a Christian civilisation of striking originality. At the same time, it gave rise to political fragmentation, as well as to national characteristics and antagonisms that are still part of the European scene today. The content of this unit offers you understandings of issues that are still of central concern in our society.
Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of this unit you will be able to:
- Analyse, Synthesise and Evaluate information and historical debates, from numerous primary and secondary sources
- Compose historical, evidence-based arguments that effectively communicate knowledge and ideas.
- Show how historians shape contemporary understandings of history.
- Develop a hypothesis from self-initiated research.
Content
This unit is designed to provide you with an understanding of Europe from 450 until 1550. It offers a broad understanding of historical change over this 1100 year period extending from the end of the Ancient World until the beginning of the Modern. The unit investigates the ending of the Western Roman Empire, centred on the Mediterranean, and the successive renaissances through which the Europeans attempted to recapture the achievements, traditions and values of their classical Greek and Roman inheritance. Beliefs and values, significant people, and ideas arising from or challenged by contact between societies are explored.
Content:
- Empires - Examining the Roman and Byzantine Empires.
- Power - Exploring Charlemagne and the Carolingian Renaissance and the rise of the Caliphate.
- Invasions - Exploring the multiple invasions of Britain - from the Romans to the Normans.
- Ideas - Examining the major ideological changes that took place during the Renaissance and the Reformation.
- Social link - Social change and effects of the Black Death.
Learning Approaches
In this unit you will learn through exposure to various interpretations of history. Lecturer-provided information will emphasise the contested nature of historical knowledge with often pivotal historical understandings exposed to scrutiny. Student-directed or lecturer-initiated discussions and debate are designed to promote understanding, the exercise of higher order thinking and the formulation of original hypothesis and stances. The unit thus provides diverse perspectives and multi-disciplinary approaches to methods of learning.
Activities will involve you demonstrating an understanding of content; gaining an appreciation of the variety of approaches to interpretations of the past; showing how history and historians shape the present and the future; identifying and interpreting secondary and primary sources; undertaking research according to methodological and ethical conventions of the discipline including being aware of the consequences of plagarism; analysing historical evidence and representations of the past; constructing evidence-based arguments and identifying and reflecting critically on knowledge and skills.
Feedback on Learning and Assessment
You will gain feedback in this unit by participating in online discussion forums and weekly tutorials with academics, and peers. You will also receive feedback on your initial development of your research question for Assessment 1.
Feedback in this unit is provided to you in the following ways:
- a range of formative exercises will be discussed in class
- comments on summative assessment work in addition to criteria sheets
- generic comments back to the cohort via QUT Canvas
- criteria sheet grading
- feedback from peers.
Assessment
Overview
The General Assessment for this unit is both formative and summative. The summative assessment consists of two principal items:
1. Significant Individual Essay: this is in three parts 60%
Part A: Proposal 5%
Part B: 2000 word Essay 40%
Part C: Five discussion forum posts 15%
2. Response to Historical Sources Examination 40%
Unit Grading Scheme
7- point scale
Assessment Tasks
Assessment: Significant Individual Essay
Significance is the measure of importance that is assigned to events, developments, people, groups and locations. Assessing significance is a key skill for historians and involves investigating cause and consequences and measuring the impact of change.
This essay will require you to select an individual from the time period studied and develop a hypothesis of their significance (in relation to a contention) in response to a research question. You will produce:
a. A proposal that follows the template where you will be asked to justify your selection, outline intended research process and include a short annotated bibliography of between 3-5 sources.
b. Following approval of your research proposal, you will be required to individually research, plan and write an analytical essay assessing an individual's significance to the period studied.
c. Throughout the semester you will respond to five discussion forum posts.
As part of this task you will analyse historical evidence and representations of the past, constructing evidence-based arguments selecting and incorporating quality sources in a consistent and sustained argument.
The task requires critical evaluation of historical interpretations and assessment of contested views about the past to justify your position.
You will display a high standard of writing skill. In arguing your responses, thoughtful, logical, concise and accurate writing is essential.
This is an assignment for the purposes of an extension.
Assessment: Response to Historical Sources Examination
This exam requires you to interrogate historical sources (primary and secondary) aligned to the topics that you have investigated in the unit. Utilising knowledge acquired during the semester, you will submit responses from a range of questions that require source analysis and evaluation. Your answers are to be interpretative/analytical not descriptive.
This exam is a seen sources and unseen questions exam. You will have an opportunity to view and interpret the sources as an online resource.
You will analyse historical evidence and representations of the past, constructing evidence-based arguments and identifying and reflecting critically on knowledge and skills.
You will display a high standard of writing skill. In arguing your responses, thoughtful, logical, concise and accurate writing is essential.
Academic Integrity
Students are expected to engage in learning and assessment at QUT with honesty, transparency and fairness. Maintaining academic integrity means upholding these principles and demonstrating valuable professional capabilities based on ethical foundations.
Failure to maintain academic integrity can take many forms. It includes cheating in examinations, plagiarism, self-plagiarism, collusion, and submitting an assessment item completed by another person (e.g. contract cheating). It can also include providing your assessment to another entity, such as to a person or website.
You are encouraged to make use of QUT’s learning support services, resources and tools to assure the academic integrity of your assessment. This includes the use of text matching software that may be available to assist with self-assessing your academic integrity as part of the assessment submission process.
Further details of QUT’s approach to academic integrity are outlined in the Academic integrity policy and the Student Code of Conduct. Breaching QUT’s Academic integrity policy is regarded as student misconduct and can lead to the imposition of penalties ranging from a grade reduction to exclusion from QUT.
Resources
The following resource materials will be used throughout this unit.
Resource Materials
Prescribed text(s)
Adler, P. J., & Pouwels, R. L., (2018) World Civilizations, 8th Edition (ebook). Cengage.
Risk Assessment Statement
There are no out-of-the-ordinary risks associated with general participation in this unit. Workplace Health and Safety protocols associated with computer use will apply.
Unit Outline: Semester 1 2024, Online
| Unit code: | EUB352 |
|---|---|
| Credit points: | 12 |
| Equivalent: | CRB115 |
Overview
This unit traces the evolution of Europe from the Fall of Rome in the 5th century through to the centuries usually defined as the High Middle Ages including Renaissance and the Reformation periods. On a thematic level, the unit selectively examines topics concerned with political, religious and intellectual developments, along with the cultural history of Medieval Europe. You will develop an understanding of how events and forces have contributed to societal, political and cultural change in Europe in Medieval times. The Middle Ages constitute a crucial period in the formation of a European identity. The breakdown of the Roman world saw the gradual emergence of a Christian civilisation of striking originality. At the same time, it gave rise to political fragmentation, as well as to national characteristics and antagonisms that are still part of the European scene today. The content of this unit offers you understandings of issues that are still of central concern in our society.
Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of this unit you will be able to:
- Analyse, Synthesise and Evaluate information and historical debates, from numerous primary and secondary sources
- Compose historical, evidence-based arguments that effectively communicate knowledge and ideas.
- Show how historians shape contemporary understandings of history.
- Develop a hypothesis from self-initiated research.
Content
This unit is designed to provide you with an understanding of Europe from 450 until 1550. It offers a broad understanding of historical change over this 1100 year period extending from the end of the Ancient World until the beginning of the Modern. The unit investigates the ending of the Western Roman Empire, centred on the Mediterranean, and the successive renaissances through which the Europeans attempted to recapture the achievements, traditions and values of their classical Greek and Roman inheritance. Beliefs and values, significant people, and ideas arising from or challenged by contact between societies are explored.
Content:
- Empires - Examining the Roman and Byzantine Empires.
- Power - Exploring Charlemagne and the Carolingian Renaissance and the rise of the Caliphate.
- Invasions - Exploring the multiple invasions of Britain - from the Romans to the Normans.
- Ideas - Examining the major ideological changes that took place during the Renaissance and the Reformation.
- Social link - Social change and effects of the Black Death.
Learning Approaches
In this unit you will learn through exposure to various interpretations of history. Lecturer-provided information will emphasise the contested nature of historical knowledge with often pivotal historical understandings exposed to scrutiny. Student-directed or lecturer-initiated discussions and debate are designed to promote understanding, the exercise of higher order thinking and the formulation of original hypothesis and stances. The unit thus provides diverse perspectives and multi-disciplinary approaches to methods of learning.
Activities will involve you demonstrating an understanding of content; gaining an appreciation of the variety of approaches to interpretations of the past; showing how history and historians shape the present and the future; identifying and interpreting secondary and primary sources; undertaking research according to methodological and ethical conventions of the discipline including being aware of the consequences of plagarism; analysing historical evidence and representations of the past; constructing evidence-based arguments and identifying and reflecting critically on knowledge and skills.
Feedback on Learning and Assessment
You will gain feedback in this unit by participating in online discussion forums and weekly tutorials with academics, and peers. You will also receive feedback on your initial development of your research question for Assessment 1.
Feedback in this unit is provided to you in the following ways:
- a range of formative exercises will be discussed in class
- comments on summative assessment work in addition to criteria sheets
- generic comments back to the cohort via QUT Canvas
- criteria sheet grading
- feedback from peers.
Assessment
Overview
The General Assessment for this unit is both formative and summative. The summative assessment consists of two principal items:
1. Significant Individual Essay: this is in three parts 60%
Part A: Proposal 5%
Part B: 2000 word Essay 40%
Part C: Five discussion forum posts 15%
2. Response to Historical Sources Examination 40%
Unit Grading Scheme
7- point scale
Assessment Tasks
Assessment: Significant Individual Essay
Significance is the measure of importance that is assigned to events, developments, people, groups and locations. Assessing significance is a key skill for historians and involves investigating cause and consequences and measuring the impact of change.
This essay will require you to select an individual from the time period studied and develop a hypothesis of their significance (in relation to a contention) in response to a research question. You will produce:
a. A proposal that follows the template where you will be asked to justify your selection, outline intended research process and include a short annotated bibliography of between 3-5 sources.
b. Following approval of your research proposal, you will be required to individually research, plan and write an analytical essay assessing an individual's significance to the period studied.
c. Throughout the semester you will respond to five discussion forum posts.
As part of this task you will analyse historical evidence and representations of the past, constructing evidence-based arguments selecting and incorporating quality sources in a consistent and sustained argument.
The task requires critical evaluation of historical interpretations and assessment of contested views about the past to justify your position.
You will display a high standard of writing skill. In arguing your responses, thoughtful, logical, concise and accurate writing is essential.
This is an assignment for the purposes of an extension.
Assessment: Response to Historical Sources Examination
This exam requires you to interrogate historical sources (primary and secondary) aligned to the topics that you have investigated in the unit. Utilising knowledge acquired during the semester, you will submit responses from a range of questions that require source analysis and evaluation. Your answers are to be interpretative/analytical not descriptive.
This exam is a seen sources and unseen questions exam. You will have an opportunity to view and interpret the sources as an online resource.
You will analyse historical evidence and representations of the past, constructing evidence-based arguments and identifying and reflecting critically on knowledge and skills.
You will display a high standard of writing skill. In arguing your responses, thoughtful, logical, concise and accurate writing is essential.
Academic Integrity
Students are expected to engage in learning and assessment at QUT with honesty, transparency and fairness. Maintaining academic integrity means upholding these principles and demonstrating valuable professional capabilities based on ethical foundations.
Failure to maintain academic integrity can take many forms. It includes cheating in examinations, plagiarism, self-plagiarism, collusion, and submitting an assessment item completed by another person (e.g. contract cheating). It can also include providing your assessment to another entity, such as to a person or website.
You are encouraged to make use of QUT’s learning support services, resources and tools to assure the academic integrity of your assessment. This includes the use of text matching software that may be available to assist with self-assessing your academic integrity as part of the assessment submission process.
Further details of QUT’s approach to academic integrity are outlined in the Academic integrity policy and the Student Code of Conduct. Breaching QUT’s Academic integrity policy is regarded as student misconduct and can lead to the imposition of penalties ranging from a grade reduction to exclusion from QUT.
Resources
The following resource materials will be used throughout this unit.
Resource Materials
Prescribed text(s)
Adler, P. J., & Pouwels, R. L., (2018) World Civilizations, 8th Edition (ebook). Cengage.
Risk Assessment Statement
There are no out-of-the-ordinary risks associated with general participation in this unit. Workplace Health and Safety protocols associated with computer use will apply.