School of Humanities  
 
 
HIS-20081 Victorian Society  
Co-ordinator: Dr Alannah Tomkins    Room: CBB1.055, Tel:33465  
Teaching Team: Miss Amanda  Roberts, Dr Alannah Tomkins, Mrs Christine  Edge, Dr Shalini Sharma, Prof Karen Hunt, Miss Jo-Anne  Watts  
Lecture Time: See Timetable...  
Level: 2 Credits: 15 Study Hours: 150  
School Office: Tel: 01782 733147
 
 
 
Programme/Approved Electives for
History Dual Honours (Level 2)
History Major (Level 2)
History Minor (Level 2)
History Single Honours (Level 2)
Available as a Free Standing Elective
No
Barred Combinations
None

Prerequisites
Pass at Level One, or appropriate alternative qualifications for visiting students

Description

The Victorian period was a time of great economic, social and technological change. The way in which this impacted on individuals was affected by their class, ethnicity and gender. Whether rich or poor, male or female, Irish or a Jew, all of these varying experiences affected the ways in which Victorians worked or played, their housing or their educational opportunities, their responses to economic crises or how they viewed the family. This module explores the continuities and changes in the experiences of people across Victoria's lengthy reign and the range of questions that historians have asked about Victorian society. The first part of the module examines the social structure of Victorian Britain, focusing on gender, class and ethnicity, and the associated historiographical debates such as the extent of social mobility in Victorian Britain, how tolerant Victorian Britain was of immigrants and whether middle-class women's lives were more constrained than those of working-class women. The second part of the module then explores a range of themes in Victorian history that might include: urbanisation; housing and the changing shape of the city; work; leisure; education; family, marriage and parenthood; sexuality and prostitution; birth and death; childhood and youth; poverty and welfare; nation and empire. Each topic will be explored in terms of the changes and continuities in the experiences and social attitudes of Victorian people, as well as the ways in which historians have framed their debates.
Aims
To examine the nature of Victorian society and how historians have interpreted it; to explore continuities and changes in the social structure of Victorian Britain by focusing on ethnicity, gender and class; to explore through a series of themes in Victorian history (such as birth and death or work and play) the changes and continuities in the experiences and social attitudes of Victorian people, as well as the ways in which historians have framed these debates.
Intended Learning Outcomes
understand the concepts of class, ethnicity and gender and apply them to an analysis of the social structure of Victorian Britain will be achieved by assessments: 1,2,3
identify and explain continuities and changes in the social structure of Victorian Britain. will be achieved by assessments: 1,2,3
evaluate the changes and continuities in the experiences and social attitudes of Victorian people will be achieved by assessments: 1,2,3
identify and analyse the key historiographical debates about
Victorian society will be achieved by assessments: 1,2,3
read critically and identify key issues for seminar discussion and essay writing will be achieved by assessments: 1,2
deploy efficient planning and time-management processes will be achieved by assessments: 1,2,3
produce effective and relevant arguments in written and oral forms will be achieved by assessments: 1,2,3
Study hours
10 hours lectures, 8 hours seminars, 47 hours seminar preparation, 25 hours lecture consolidation, 60 hours essay preparation
Description of Module Assessment
01: Portfolio weighted 20%
Portfolio evidence for seminar preparation and participation
The portfolio of written work (c.2000 words) will consist of exercises set by the tutor such as reflective writing related to readings undertaken for each seminar or document analysis.
02: Essay weighted 40%
Essay
An essay (c.2000 words) chosen by the student from a list of c.8 questions. The essay requires the student to demonstrate a detailed knowledge gained from lectures, seminars and reading to support a coherent and relevant argument.
03: 2 Hour Exam weighted 40%
Exam
A 2 hour unseen exam where the student will be required to answer 2 out of c.8 questions. The exam tests the student's ability to construct a coherent and relevant argument based on critical reading and on reflection on the content of the lecture and seminar programme.
Version: (1.06B) Updated: 03/Mar/2013

This document is the definitive current source of information about this module and supersedes any other information.