Module ARA2014 for 2021/2
- Overview
- Aims and Learning Outcomes
- Module Content
- Indicative Reading List
- Assessment
Undergraduate Module Descriptor
ARA2014: Regions and Empires in Islamic Archaeology
This module descriptor refers to the 2021/2 academic year.
Module Aims
Students will develop critical skills in understanding Islamic archaeology as it contributes to reconstructing the history of large parts of the globe. They will gain an appreciation of regional differences and similarities in Islamic archaeology and an enriched understanding of Islamic heritage and monuments.
Through analysis completed in the Islamic galleries of major UK museums (e.g. the British Museum and Victoria and Albert Museum) students will be introduced to critical appreciation of public heritage narratives and displays, and pertinent debates in museology associated with representing Islam.
Individual short presentations on agreed Islamic archaeological topics will permit students to engage in-depth in researching a specific site or body of material. This can help in developing other dissertations, and projects, and enhances research skills transferable across course units in power point presentation, library and web based research, and group based discussion.
| On successfully completing the programme you will be able to: | |
|---|---|
| Module-Specific Skills | 1. Understand the key different empires and regions that have been significant in Islamic history from an archaeological perspective 2. Analyse Islamic archaeology and material culture museum displays from a critical perspective |
| Discipline-Specific Skills | 3. Evaluate the value of different categories of archaeological evidence in reconstructing past societies 4. Demonstrate understanding of regional differences in approaches within archaeology |
| Personal and Key Skills | 5. Develop enhanced confidence in completing independent research 6. Prepare and present a succinct power point presentation 7. Critically evaluate different categories of textual, visual, and material culture evidence |
How this Module is Assessed
In the tables below, you will see reference to 'ILO's. An ILO is an Intended Learning Outcome - see Aims and Learning Outcomes for details of the ILOs for this module.
Formative Assessment
A formative assessment is designed to give you feedback on your understanding of the module content but it will not count towards your mark for the module.
| Form of assessment | Size of the assessment (eg length / duration) | ILOs assessed | Feedback method |
|---|---|---|---|
| Discussions in lecture and seminars | During scheduled hours | 1-5, 7 | Oral, in class feedback |
| Optional submission of essay plans | 400 words | 1-5, 7 | Oral, in office hours |
Summative Assessment
A summative assessment counts towards your mark for the module. The table below tells you what percentage of your mark will come from which type of assessment.
| Coursework | Written exams | Practical exams |
|---|---|---|
| 80 | 0 | 20 |
...and this table provides further details on the summative assessments for this module.
| Form of assessment | % of credit | Size of the assessment (eg length / duration) | ILOs assessed | Feedback method |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Written assignment (essay) | 40 | 2,000 words | 1-5, 7 | Mark and written comments; oral feedback on request |
| Written assignment (essay) | 40 | 2,000 words | 1-5, 7 | Mark and written comments; oral feedback on request |
| Individual presentation with slides and handouts (recorded) | 20 | 10 Minutes (1,000 words) | 1-7 | Mark, oral and written comments |
Re-assessment
Re-assessment takes place when the summative assessment has not been completed by the original deadline, and the student has been allowed to refer or defer it to a later date (this only happens following certain criteria and is always subject to exam board approval). For obvious reasons, re-assessments cannot be the same as the original assessment and so these alternatives are set. In cases where the form of assessment is the same, the content will nevertheless be different.
| Original form of assessment | Form of re-assessment | ILOs re-assessed | Timescale for re-assessment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Written assignment | 2,000-word written assignment | 1-5, 7 | August/September re-assessment period |
| Written assignment | 2,000-word written assignment | 1-5, 7 | August/September re-assessment period |
| Individual written presentation with slides and handouts | 1,000-word written presentation to accompany, with copies of slides and handouts | 1-7 | August/September re-assessment period |
