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HIS-30147 - Module Specification
School of Humanities
Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences

For academic year: 2024/25 Last Updated: 18 May 2024

HIS-30147 - Sickness and Suffering? Health, illness and medicine in England 1628-1808
Coordinator: Alannah Tomkins Room: CBB1.055 Tel: +44 1782 7 33465
Lecture Time: See Timetable...
Level: Level 6
Credits: 15
Study Hours: 150
School Office: 01782 733147

Programme/Approved Electives for 2024/25

None

Available as a Free Standing Elective

No

Co-requisites

None

Prerequisites

None

Barred Combinations

N/A

Description for 2024/25


Aims
This module will consider aspects of the social history of medicine in England, comprising changes experienced by both medical practitioners and patients, from Harvey's discovery of the circulation of blood in 1628 to the County Asylums Act of 1808.

Intended Learning Outcomes

recognise and explain the changing ways in which people perceived human bodies and experienced illness (in conjunction with the changing responses to or by medical personnel in this period): 1,2
evaluate and critically assess a range of primary sources and to use them appropriately in the development of historical analysis: 2
practice and refine their ability to write creatively in a history of medicine context: 1
employ genre-writing to demonstrate EITHER appreciation of the complexities of historical debate OR empathy with historical figures: 1
consider and discuss the relationship between contemporary debates about health, illness and medicine and their historical context: 1,2

Study hours

24 seminar attendance, 12 workshop attendance, 48 seminar preparation and formative assessment, 33 essay preparation and completion, 33 exercise preparation and completion

School Rules

None

Description of Module Assessment

1: Exercise weighted 50%
Genre-writing exercise
This exercise may be attempted in two modes: students wishing to focus on empirical history may attempt a book review of 1500-2000 words (in relation to a book specified by the tutor: all reviews in any given academic year will be written about the same book). Alternatively students may attempt a creative-writing exercise of 1500-2000 words.

2: Essay weighted 50%
Essay
A summative essay of 1500-2000 words chosen from a list of eight questions supplied by the tutor. The topics will be closely tied to the content of seminars.

Please note that for the 2022/23 Academic Year programmes may be adapted to operate in accordance with a flexible, digital approach. This means that there may be some changes made to how modules are delivered and assessed. The latest information will be provided to you by your School in module handbooks. We endeavour to give you as much notice as possible of any changes and details about the circumstance in which changes are made to programmes can be found in the Student Agreement, available at: https://www.keele.ac.uk/student-terms-and-conditions/

Last Updated: 18 May 2024