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Programme code | 1HILA006U |
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Programme type | Joint Honours (UG) |
Programme director(s) |
James Hawkey (Portuguese)
John Reeks (History) |
Faculty | Faculty of Arts |
School/department | School of Modern Languages |
Second School/department | Department of History (Historical Studies) |
Teaching institution | University of Bristol |
Awarding institution | University of Bristol |
Relevant QAA subject benchmark groups |
History (2019) (benchmark statement)
Languages, Cultures and Societies (2023) (benchmark statement) |
Mode of study | Full Time |
Programme length | 4 years (full time) |
This programme aims:
Portuguese
The programme provides the opportunity to study the language, literature society, culture, politics and history of Portuguese and another subject.
For the Portuguese programme:
Programme Intended Learning Outcomes | Learning and Teaching Methods |
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Knowledge and understanding are acquired through: lectures, seminars, tutorials, intensive language classes, directed reading, regular written coursework and practical language work (supported by the facilities of the Multimedia Centre), and a compulsory period of residence in the country or countries where the language is spoken. |
Methods of Assessment | |
A range of essay writing skills (short and extended essays). Project work. Seminar presentations. |
Programme Intended Learning Outcomes | Learning and Teaching Methods |
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Intellectual skills are developed through seminars, tutorials, oral presentations and essay writing. |
Methods of Assessment | |
Essay writing and examinations test the students' ability to analyse information and present reasoned arguments. |
Programme Intended Learning Outcomes | Learning and Teaching Methods |
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Seminars and tutorials are used to develop oral communication by requiring students to engage in class discussions and to give short introductory talks/presentations to initiate discussion. These oral skills are further developed in the language classes. |
Methods of Assessment | |
All units are assessed through written coursework in the form of essays of varying lengths and requirements. These require a detailed and expansive handling of literature and extensive reading in support of their conclusions. |
Statement of expectations from the students at each level of the programme as it/they develop year on year.
Level C/4 - Certificate |
Year 1 of the course has been expressly designed to lay the foundations which will allow students to fulfil the course's aims and objectives. Core units in language are geared to lead the student in the development of their language skills. Foundation units introduce students to the literature, society, culture, politics and history of Portuguese-speaking countries, with an emphasis on the modern period. The expectation is that their work may require considerable direction from members of staff at this stage. |
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Level I/5 - Intermediate |
In Year 2 students are expected to be able to demonstrate that they have expanded the range and depth of their knowledge in various areas of the discipline and their capacity to evaluate their work. The themes and language readings will be of greater depth and substance. Students will develop their analytical skills, their ability to structure their work and present it fluently. They will be encouraged in group work skills through active participation in seminars and oral language classes. They will be developing a capacity for self-directed learning (for example, through the researching and writing of essays and projects). The grammatical and lexical knowledge of the Portuguese language will be tested, as will their specialist knowledge of specific periods/topics within the language, literature, society, culture, politics, history of the Portuguese-speaking world. In Year 3, students will develop their command of spoken and written Portuguese during the mandatory period of residence abroad when they either follow a formal programme of instruction at an academic institution in a Portuguese-speaking country or take up an approved placement in a business or administrative organisation in a Portuguese-speaking country. Their linguistic, critical, research and presentational skills will also be enhanced through the writing of a dissertation in Portuguese during the year. |
Level H/6 - Honours |
Students are expected to have expanded the breadth of their knowledge through the study of optional units, which are more closely linked to staff research interests and which aim to develop conceptual and methodological approaches in more complexity.Students will be expected to develop further their ability to gather and assimilate information, to synthesise these in an appropriate way, to engage in sophisticated evaluation of texts. The students' ability to assimilate and synthesise material, organise their ideas, weigh conflicting interpretations, marshal arguments, form judgements and present their thoughts in written and verbal forms with precision and clarity will be further developed. There will be an emphasis on independent learning, self-directed study and research skills. The grammatical and lexical knowledge of the Portuguese language will be tested, as will their specialist knowledge of specific periods/topics within the language, literature, society, culture, politics and history of the Portuguese- speaking world. |
The intended learning outcome mapping document shows which mandatory units contribute towards each programme intended learning outcome.
Programme Intended Learning Outcomes | Learning and Teaching Methods |
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Acquisition of historical knowledge and skills through lectures, seminars, tutorials, specially constructed historical skills units, directed reading and individual formative feedback. Independent research is fostered through supervised Projects connected to the Specials at each level of the programme and a Dissertation at level H. |
Methods of Assessment | |
Range of essay writing skills (long and short). |
Programme Intended Learning Outcomes | Learning and Teaching Methods |
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Skills are acquired, practised and refined through participation in lectures and, in particular, engagement in seminars, written work of various lengths, and individual written and oral feedback from tutors. |
Methods of Assessment | |
All units are assessed by written coursework which requires the demonstration of a combination of these skills. Student presentations. 2 hour unseen examinations. |
Programme Intended Learning Outcomes | Learning and Teaching Methods |
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Written communication skills are acquired, refined and practiced through the production of essays/Projects/Dissertation, and individual written and oral feedback from tutors. Seminars and tutorials are used to develop oral communication by requiring students to engage in class discussions and to make oral presentations. Specially devised skills units at levels C and I. |
Methods of Assessment | |
Some units require oral class presentations to a satisfactory standard to gain CPs. The ability to locate and access sources is required in all written work. |
Statement of expectations from the students at each level of the programme as it/they develop year on year.
Level C/4 - Certificate |
Students are expected to acquire the foundations on which to develop appropriate expertise in line with the aims and objectives of the programme. They will acquire familiarity with the main themes and concepts of historical study in three main fields (drawn from medieval, early modern, modern British & European and world history). Through the skills unit (Approaching the Past) students will be introduced to the methodology of historical enquiry and, through the first year units, will be introduced to key issues in historical research. Students will be introduced to the defining features, terminology and conventions of historical scholarship and will take the first steps towards independent research. Here the expectation is that their work may require substantial direction and guidance on the development of study skills from tutors. |
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Level I/5 - Intermediate |
In Year 2 students are expected to expand the range and depth of their knowledge in core areas of the discipline, develop their capacity to evaluate material using a variety of critical perspectives, and develop their written and oral communication skills. Students will have the opportunity to consolidate what they have learned in year one and to use their knowledge, understanding and skills to evaluate critically and formulate evidence-based arguments. Students will extend their analytical skills and their ability to structure their work and present it fluently. They are expected to develop their capacity for self-directed learning (for example, through the researching and writing of essays and coursework assignments). Through Rethinking History students will be familiarised with the diversity and richness of historical writing today, become able to deal with historiographical issues, and be introduced to a variety of sub-disciplines (e.g., cultural history) that underpins the range of current and past historical study. The unit will equip students with the conceptual tools they need to develop further their understanding of particular topics and to strengthen their capacity to make connections between the different areas of their studies. Some units will be interactive and students will be expected to develop the ability to contribute in a variety of ways. Students will also develop their research skills through a focus on primary sources, and further develop their independent research abilities. In Year 3, students will be expected to continue to engage intellectually with the discipline of History while on the Year Abroad, whether they are working studying or doing both. Their exposure to different cultural attitudes towards history and memorialisation will enhance their understanding of the culturally specific ways in which different societies remember and understand the past. They will be encouraged to submit historically-minded Year Abroad essay projects. |
Level H/6 - Honours |
At level H students are expected to broaden and deepen their knowledge, and to apply relevant conceptual and methodological approaches to more complex historical issues. Students will be encouraged to develop greater independence both as learners and in their own critical judgements and to reflect both on the nature of history as a discipline and their own progress as historians. At the same time, work is more research orientated and requires more independent study based on primary source materials. Working with staff on areas closely linked with their research students will be expected to develop further their ability to gather, assimilate and synthesise information from diverse sources, and to engage in sophisticated critical evaluation of historical texts. Building on the preparatory work in levels C and I students will undertake an extended independently conceived and researched Dissertation based on primary sources. Students will be expected to present work which meets the highest standards of historical scholarship. |
The intended learning outcome mapping document shows which mandatory units contribute towards each programme intended learning outcome.
For information on the admissions requirements for this programme please see details in the undergraduate prospectus at http://www.bristol.ac.uk/prospectus/undergraduate/ or contact the relevant academic department.
UG Workload Statement
Success as an undergraduate student depends on you being able to make the transition to self-motivated, independent learning. Programmes are designed to assist you in this development, in many cases by starting with units in which timetabled teaching, such as lectures and practical classes, provides the foundations of knowledge and skills in a subject, moving on to individual research-based work. Over time you will be expected to take increasing responsibility for your own learning, guided by the feedback on your work that you will receive. At the heart of your studies at every level there must be regular and disciplined individual reading, reflection and writing and it is this skill of independent studies, above all others, that will serve you best when you leave the University.
Most programmes use credits and a 20 credit unit broadly equates to about 200 hours of student input. This includes all activities related to the teaching, learning and assessment of taught units.
A component of this is the time that you spend in class, in contact with the teaching staff, which includes activities such as lectures, laboratories, tutorials and fieldwork. Some of this activity may be online and could consist of activity that is synchronous (using real-time environments such as Blackboard Collaborate) or asynchronous (using tools such as tutor moderated discussion forums, blogs or wikis).
In some programmes there are field courses and/or placements that will take place in concentrated periods of time.
Outside scheduled activities you are expected to pursue your own independent learning to build your knowledge and understanding of the subjects you are studying. Such independent activities include, reviewing lecture material, reading textbooks, working on examples sheets, completing coursework, writing up laboratory notes, preparing for in-class progress tests and revising for examinations.
We recognise that many students undertake paid employment. To achieve a sensible balance between work and study, you are advised to undertake paid work for no more than 15 hours per week in term-time.
Professional Programmes
Many undergraduates in the Faculty of Health Sciences will be following the professional programmes of:
For these professional programmes, full time attendance is compulsory unless absence is formally approved. Academic activities are timetabled throughout the 5-day week and student workload is around 40 hours per week on average. Where possible, students in the early years are permitted Wednesday afternoons for sport and extra-curriculum activities. This may not be available in later years of professional programmes as when a student progresses through the curricula there is an increasing exposure to clinical and professional activities. Students in clinic or on placements may need to stay later than core times of 08.00 – 18.00 or even overnight to observe out-of-hours activities. This increasing exposure to clinical activities means that students on these professional programmes often have longer term dates than the University standard. Individual years within programmes are likely to vary in length (for example because of the timings of placements) and further information on this will be found in individual programme regulations. Another important point to note is that many of the assessments sit outside of the standard University examination timetable and are likely to be more frequent meaning that students will more oftentimes be engaged in revision activities and self-directed learning.
Faculty of Health Sciences
Faculty Assessment and Feedback Statement for Undergraduate Students. University of Bristol access only.
Portuguese
The Department also offers single honours programmes in Spanish and Hispanic Studies (Spanish with Portuguese or Catalan) and through the School of Modern Languages, joint programmes in Portuguese with one of the following: Czech, French, German, Italian, Russian, Spanish, and in Spanish with one of the following: Czech, French, German, Italian, Portuguese, Russian, Drama; History of Art, Philosophy and Politics.
The Department has SOCRATES links/exchanges with universities in Evora and Oporto. The University has an agreement with the Federal University of Santa Catarina in Brazil to take students during their year abroad. Further links with Brazilian universities are being established.
Portuguese
Mandatory Unit HISP10302 Portuguese Language is must pass. For further information and a definition of must pass units please see the Glossary of Terms
Unit Name | Unit Code | Credit Points | Status | ||
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List A - Take HIST13015 and one of the Portuguese language units | |||||
Portuguese Language - Post A Level | HISP10307 | 20 | Optional | TB-4 | |
Approaching the Past | HIST13015 | 20 | Optional | TB-1 | |
Portuguese Language | HISP10302 | 40 | Optional | TB-4 | |
List B | |||||
Key Moments in Lusophone History and Culture | HISP10015 | 20 | Optional | TB-4 | |
Modern Revolutions | HIST10067 | 20 | Optional | B | TB-1 |
The American Century | HIST10044 | 20 | Optional | TB-1 | |
War and Society | HIST10045 | 20 | Optional | TB-1 | |
List D – Take one 20cp History unit | |||||
Slavery | HIST10046 | 20 | Optional | TB-2 | |
'Fight the Power': Democracy and Protest | HIST10068 | 20 | Optional | TB-2 | |
Gender in the Modern World | HIST10069 | 20 | Optional | TB-2 | |
List E - Take this unit only if you take HISP10307 in List A | |||||
Comparative Literature: What is it and how can we practise it? | MODL10016 | 20 | Optional | TB-1 | |
Certificate of Higher Education | 120 |
Mandatory Unit Portuguese Language is must pass. For further information and a definition of must pass units please see the Glossary of Terms
Unit Name | Unit Code | Credit Points | Status | ||
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Besides the mandatory units, you must take at least one further HISP or MODL-coded unit. | |||||
List A | |||||
Portuguese Lang for Joints/ML | HISP20302 | 20 | Mandatory | TB-4 | |
Rethinking History | HIST23101 | 20 | Mandatory | TB-1 | |
List B - Choose one 20cp unit from list B or list E | |||||
Global History | HIST20112 | 20 | Optional | TB-1 | |
Mobility and Displacement in the Lusophone World | HISP20120 | 20 | Optional | TB-1 | |
World Cinemas: from national to transnational | MODL23016 | 20 | Optional | TB-1 | |
General Linguistics | MODL20016 | 20 | Optional | TB-1 | |
Woman and Nation | MODL23017 | 20 | Optional | TB-1 | |
List C - Choose 20cp | |||||
Catalan Language (Elementary) | MODL23014 | 20 | Optional | TB-4 | |
Czech Language (Elementary) | MODL23015 | 20 | Optional | TB-4 | |
Introduction to teaching Modern Languages as Foreign Languages | MODL20021 | 20 | Optional | TB-1 | |
Beginners Portuguese | MODL20022 | 20 | Optional | TB-4 | |
Migrations of Culture | MODL20024 | 20 | Optional | TB-1 | |
Fear and Loathing | HIST20117 | 20 | Optional | TB-1 | |
Outlaws | HIST20120 | 20 | Optional | TB-1 | |
The Tudor World | HIST20119 | 20 | Optional | TB-1 | |
Crusading Cultures | HIST20133 | 20 | Optional | TB-1 | |
List D - Take HIST20089 and 20CP from either list D or list F | |||||
Languages of the Iberian Peninsula | HISP20088 | 20 | Optional | TB-2 | |
Introduction to Latin American Cinema | HISP20114 | 20 | Optional | TB-2 | |
History in Public | HIST20089 | 20 | Mandatory | TB-2 | |
List E - Choose one 20cp unit from list E or list B | |||||
Aztecs, Incas and Evangelisers | HIST20036 | 20 | Optional | TB-2 | |
Everyday Life in Tudor and Stuart England | HIST20100 | 20 | Optional | TB-2 | |
Remembering Transatlantic Enslavement | HIST20122 | 20 | Optional | TB-2 | |
Speaking with Authority: Women and Power in the Middle Ages (Level I Special Field) | HIST26024 | 20 | Optional | TB-2 | |
The Black Death in England | HIST20125 | 20 | Optional | TB-2 | |
The Smugglers' City (Level I Special Field) | HIST26010 | 20 | Optional | TB-2 | |
Global Development | HIST20126 | 20 | Optional | TB-2 | |
The Age of Revolutions 1776-1848 in Global Perspective | HIST20128 | 20 | Optional | TB-2 | |
The Norman Conquest | HIST20127 | 20 | Optional | TB-2 | |
Rebels, Runaways, and Revolts: Agency, Resistance, and Slavery in the United States | HIST20129 | 20 | Optional | TB-2 | |
Under the Covers: Sex and Modern British Print Culture | HIST20138 | 20 | Optional | E | TB-2 |
Hong Kong and the World | HIST20135 | 20 | Optional | TB-2 | |
The F-Word: Understanding European Fascism Then and Now | HIST20137 | 20 | Optional | TB-2 | |
Race, Migration and Diaspora in 19th and 20th Century Britain | HIST20136 | 20 | Optional | TB-2 | |
World Cinemas: from national to transnational | MODL23016 | 20 | Optional | TB-1 | |
List F | |||||
Choose 20CP from Bristol Futures, UWLP or Faculty-wide units; OR choose an additional 20 CP from lists B, C, D or E above. | OPEN | 20 | Optional | ||
Diploma of Higher Education | 120 |
Mandatory Year Abroad is must pass. For further information and a definition of must pass units please see the Glossary of Terms
Unit Name | Unit Code | Credit Points | Status | ||
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Year Abroad TB-1 | MODL20014 | 60 | Mandatory | AYEAR | |
Year Abroad TB-2 | MODL20015 | 60 | Mandatory | AYEAR | |
120 |
Please note: This specification provides a concise summary of the main features of the programme and the learning outcomes that a typical student might reasonably be expected to achieve and demonstrate if he/she takes full advantage of the learning opportunities that are provided.
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