Research-led teaching

The modules we offer at Chester reflect the research interests of our staff. This means you'll be taught new research by active scholars. According to REF 2024, 80% of our archaeologists and 87% of our historians produce research of international and global significance and our research-led teaching allows you to take part in our research community!

Although we cannot guarantee all module will run every year, here is an example of what your undergraduate modules may look like:

Undergraduate History modules

Level 4 (1st Year)

Single Honours students will take five core modules: HI4112; HI4114; HI4116; HI4127 and HI4128. Combined Honours students will take HI4112, HI4114 and EITHER HI4127 or HI4128.

HI4112: The Mystery of History (including options on The Black Death; The English Civil War and Tackling the Taliban)

HI4114: Turning Points in History: Europe and the Wider World 1000-2000

HI4116: Constructin History

HI4127: Themes in Modern History (including options on Spaces of Conflict; Flesh and Blood: The Body in History; Flappers to Rappes: Youth and Youth Culture in Modern Britain)

HI4128: Themes in Medieval and Early Modern History (including options on The Crusades; Rebellion and Society and The Shaping of Britain)

Level 5 (2nd Year)

Single Honours students will take HI5105, HI5117, HI5132 and three option modules. Combined Honours students will take HI5132 and either one or two option modules.

HI5105: Historical Research (Methods and Practice)

HI5117: Journeys in the Past

HI5132: History at Work: Pathways to Your Future

Option modules:

HI5110: Seeking the Promised Land: Black America, 1865-1977.

HI5111: The Holocaust.

HI5130: Witchcraze

HI5131: Europe in the Age of Absolutism and Enlightened Absolutism.

HI5133: The Vikings: A Local and Global Diaspora

HI5134: Imperial Endings: Britain in the Colonial and Post-Colonial Age

Level 6 (3rd Year)

Please note that students have the option of a year abroad between their 2nd and 3rd years.

Single Honours students take HI6100 (the dissertation) and two option module combinations; Combined Honours students, depending on the weighting of their programmes, may do the dissertation and up to 1.5 option module combindations.

HI6100: Undergraduate dissertation (8,000-word self-guided/tutor supported essay)

Option module combinations:

HI6139: Power, Ritual and the State: Court and Cities, 1363-1477 and HI6140: Historical Sources: Power, Ritual and the State

HI6141: The Least Dangerous Branch?: The US Supreme Court and the Shaping of Modern America and HI6142: Historical Sources: The Least Dangerous Branch?

HI6143: Heresy and Unbelief in an Age of Reform, 1400-1600 and HI6144: Historical Sources: Heresy and Unbelief

HI6145: Genocide in History and Memory and HI6146: Historical Sources: Genocide in History and Memory

HI6149: National Trust to New Towns: Landscape, Culture and Identity in Modern Europe and HI6150: Historical Sources: National Trust to New Towns: Landscape, Culture and Identity in Modern Europe

 

Undergraduate Archaeology modules

Level 4 (1st Year)

Single Honours students will take HI4000; HI4001; HI4002; HI4003; HI4007. Combined Honours students will take HI4000 and HI4001.

HI4000: Introduction to Archaeological Practice

HI4001: Introduction to the Archaeology of the British Isles

HI4002: Living with the Past: An Introduction to Archaeological Heritage

HI4003: Debates in World Archaeology

HI4007: European Worlds

Level 5 (2nd Year)

Single Honours students take HI5001; HI5008; HI5014; HI5002 and two option modules. Combined Honours students take HI5001 and either one or two option modules.

HI5001: The Archaeology of Material Culture

HI5002: Experiential Learning: Archaeology

HI5008: Archaeological Skills: Tools for Research and Analysis

HI5014: Communicating the Past

Option modules:

HI5003: Themes in British Prehistory: From Rock Art to Hadrian's Wall

HI5010: Reconstructing Past Environments

HI5012: Empire and Aftermath: The Archaeology of the First Millennium AD

Level 6 (3rd Year)

Please note that students have the option of a year abroad between their 2nd and 3rd years.

Single Honours students take HI6000 (dissertation) and HI6001 and three option modules. Combined Honours students, depending on the weighting of their programmes, may take HI6000 (dissertation) and from one to three option modules.

HI6000: Archaeology dissertation (8,000-word self-guided/tutor supported essay)

HI6001: Archaeology and Contemporary Society

Option modules:

HI6004: Death and Burial

HI6008: Vikings

HI6015: Bioarchaeology