MO4967 Elizabethan England: Politics, Religion, and Personalities (1558 - 1603)

Academic year

2024 to 2025 Full Year

Further information on which modules are specific to your programme.

Key module information

SCOTCAT credits

60

The Scottish Credit Accumulation and Transfer (SCOTCAT) system allows credits gained in Scotland to be transferred between institutions. The number of credits associated with a module gives an indication of the amount of learning effort required by the learner. European Credit Transfer System (ECTS) credits are half the value of SCOTCAT credits.

SCQF level

SCQF level 10

The Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework (SCQF) provides an indication of the complexity of award qualifications and associated learning and operates on an ascending numeric scale from Levels 1-12 with SCQF Level 10 equating to a Scottish undergraduate Honours degree.

Availability restrictions

Available only to students in the Second Year of the Honours Programme.

Planned timetable

TBC

This information is given as indicative. Timetable may change at short notice depending on room availability.

Module coordinator

Dr J G Purdy

This information is given as indicative. Staff involved in a module may change at short notice depending on availability and circumstances.

Module Staff

Dr J Purdy

This information is given as indicative. Staff involved in a module may change at short notice depending on availability and circumstances.

Module description

The popular image of Elizabethan England is of a successful regime gloriously triumphing over its enemies at home and abroad. But recent historians have instead depicted Elizabeth as an imperfect monarch who constantly obstructed and infuriated her political and ecclesiastical elite by refusing to marry, name an heir, or decisively reform the English Church. This Special Subject considers how power was negotiated, manipulated, exploited, and managed by Elizabeth and those around her. Integrating the political and religious history of the period, it examines courtiers, favourites, counsellors within and outwith the Privy Council, nobles, and bishops. The major questions of Elizabethan government - the best form of the church, the rule of a woman, the marriage of a queen regnant, and dynastic instability - will be examined to uncover who really held power. Primary sources studied range from contemporary printed works to records of the everyday workings of government, to court plays and the visual culture of rule.

Assessment pattern

3-hour Written Examination = 30%, Coursework = 70%

Re-assessment

New Coursework: 1 x source exercise (2,500 words) and 1 x 5,000-word essay = 100%

Learning and teaching methods and delivery

Weekly contact

1 x 3-hour seminar, plus 1 office hour.

Scheduled learning hours

66

The number of compulsory student:staff contact hours over the period of the module.

Guided independent study hours

534

The number of hours that students are expected to invest in independent study over the period of the module.