| Unit name | The Age of the Human |
|---|---|
| Unit code | HIST30103 |
| Credit points | 20 |
| Level of study | H/6 |
| Teaching block(s) |
Teaching Block 1 (weeks 1 - 12) |
| Unit director | Dr. Dudley |
| Open unit status | Not open |
| Units you must take before you take this one (pre-requisite units) |
None |
| Units you must take alongside this one (co-requisite units) |
None |
| Units you may not take alongside this one |
None. |
| School/department | Department of History (Historical Studies) |
| Faculty | Faculty of Arts |
We’ve killed off the dodo, released unprecedented levels of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, and raised sea levels: welcome to the Anthropocene, the geological age in which humankind has permanently left a mark on the planet. This unit puts students at the forefront of environmental history scholarship to explore how the notion of the Anthropocene has gained traction as a definition of time that recognises the unprecedented Earth-altering impact of the human species. Students will engage with debates among scientists and humanities scholars over the concept, while also exploring how it has captured popular and scholarly imagination. This unit is, at its heart, deeply historical: understanding change through time, and interactions between nature and culture. But it is the history of an idea that is still being formed – and as such, there is a wealth of source materials, forums for debate and questions for students to engage with. The unit will use a broad range of resources, including digital tools, literary texts and audio-visual materials, and utilize ground-breaking museum exhibitions and online learning resources provided by the Deutsches Museum (Munich) and Smithsonian (Washington D.C.)
Successful students will be able to:
Classes will involve a combination of class discussion, investigative activities, and practical activities. Students will be expected to engage with readings and participate on a weekly basis. This will be further supported with drop-in sessions and self-directed exercises with tutor and peer feedback.
1 x 3500-word Essay (50%) [ILOs 1-5]; 1 x Timed Assessment (50%) [ILOs 1-5]
If this unit has a Resource List, you will normally find a link to it in the Blackboard area for the unit. Sometimes there will be a separate link for each weekly topic.
If you are unable to access a list through Blackboard, you can also find it via the Resource Lists homepage. Search for the list by the unit name or code (e.g. HIST30103).
How much time the unit requires
Each credit equates to 10 hours of total student input. For example a 20 credit unit will take you 200 hours
of study to complete. Your total learning time is made up of contact time, directed learning tasks,
independent learning and assessment activity.
See the Faculty workload statement relating to this unit for more information.
Assessment
The Board of Examiners will consider all cases where students have failed or not completed the assessments required for credit.
The Board considers each student's outcomes across all the units which contribute to each year's programme of study. If you have self-certificated your absence from an
assessment, you will normally be required to complete it the next time it runs (this is usually in the next assessment period).
The Board of Examiners will take into account any extenuating circumstances and operates
within the Regulations and Code of Practice for Taught Programmes.
