Animal, Vegetable, or Mineral in Medieval and Renaissance Europe



Overview

Do animals have souls like humans do? How do metals grow in the earth? Is the vegetable lamb a plant or a sheep or something in between? This course will examine medieval and renaissance knowledge about the natural world with a particular focus on the beings that inhabited, and crossed over, the boundaries between humans, animals, plants, and minerals. It begins with distinctions between humans and animals as found in theological, legal, and scientific texts, as well as beliefs about the humanity, or lack thereof, of monstrous races. We then move on to ideas about botany and plant life, and finish with examining knowledge about metals, precious stones, and other wondrous objects.

The use of texts such as herbals, bestiaries, encyclopaedias, lapidaries, books of magic, and travel literature will provide students with first-hand accounts of medieval and renaissance knowledge and beliefs. The final class will involve a field trip to the Weston Library to see some of these texts in manuscripts and early printed books.

Programme details

Courses starts: 23 Jan 2024

Week 1: Medieval and renaissance classification of nature

Week 2: Are humans animal?

Week 3: Are animals human?

Week 4: Animals as saints and exemplars

Week 5: Herbals and medicinal plants

Week 6: Sensitive plants and vegetable lambs

Week 7: Exotic plant collections

Week 8: Metals and mining

Week 9: Lapidaries, precious stones and other wondrous objects

Week 10: Field trip to the Weston Library

Certification

Students who register for CATS points will receive a Record of CATS points on successful completion of their course assessment.

To earn credit (CATS points) you will need to register and pay an additional £10 fee per course. You can do this by ticking the relevant box at the bottom of the enrolment form or when enrolling online.

Coursework is an integral part of all weekly classes and everyone enrolled will be expected to do coursework in order to benefit fully from the course. Only those who have registered for credit will be awarded CATS points for completing work at the required standard.

Students who do not register for CATS points during the enrolment process can either register for CATS points prior to the start of their course or retrospectively from the January 1st after the current full academic year has been completed. If you are enrolled on the Certificate of Higher Education you need to indicate this on the enrolment form but there is no additional registration fee.

Fees

Description Costs
Course Fee £257.00
Take this course for CATS points £10.00

Funding

If you are in receipt of a UK state benefit, you are a full-time student in the UK or a student on a low income, you may be eligible for a reduction of 50% of tuition fees. Please see the below link for full details:

Concessionary fees for short courses

Tutor

Dr Trish Stewart

Patricia Stewart completed her PhD in Mediaeval History at the University of St Andrews and works as a Science Editor for the Oxford English Dictionary. She specialises in manuscript studies and the history of science and magic.

Course aims

To develop students' knowledge and understanding of medieval and renaissance beliefs about the natural world, including ideas about the classification of living creatures and wondrous objects, their place in the universe, and their relation to humans.

Course objectives:

  • To develop an understanding of medieval and renaissance beliefs about the natural world, the sources of this knowledge, and its role in everyday life.
  • To examine the information found in different types of texts, such as encyclopedias, bestiaries, herbals, lapidaries, books of magic, and travel accounts.
  • To analyse the ways in which creatures and wondrous objects were thought to cross boundaries of classification.

Teaching methods

The course will be taught through informal lectures, small-group work, and class discussions. Students will be provided with the primary source material that will form the basis of group work and discussions, as well as supplementary material to aid in source analysis.  Some reading between sessions is expected of students.

Learning outcomes

By the end of the course students will be expected to:

  • gain knowledge of medieval and renaissance beliefs about the natural world, the sources of these beliefs, and their role in everyday life;
  • develop skills in analysing and interpreting different types of medieval texts and images. Develop skills in synthesising complex material;
  • be able to objectively and historically explain beliefs and practices which are no longer widely held or which may not seem rational.

Assessment methods

Students will choose one of two options:

Option A: Two 750-word analyses of primary source texts, chosen from a list provided.  Students will be invited to submit, for formative assessment, a 500-word plan for their first analysis.

Option B: One 1500-word essay, chosen from a list of topics provided, or on a topic of the student's own choice that has been approved by the tutor.  Students will be invited to submit, for formative assessment, a 500-word essay plan and bibliography.

Students must submit a completed Declaration of Authorship form at the end of term when submitting your final piece of work. CATS points cannot be awarded without the aforementioned form - Declaration of Authorship form

Application

To earn credit (CATS points) for your course you will need to register and pay an additional £10 fee per course. You can do this by ticking the relevant box at the bottom of the enrolment form or when enrolling online.

Please use the 'Book' or 'Apply' button on this page. Alternatively, please complete an enrolment form (Word) or enrolment form (Pdf).

Level and demands

No prior background in history is required.

Most of the Department's weekly classes have 10 or 20 CATS points assigned to them. 10 CATS points at FHEQ Level 4 usually consist of ten 2-hour sessions. 20 CATS points at FHEQ Level 4 usually consist of twenty 2-hour sessions. It is expected that, for every 2 hours of tuition you are given, you will engage in eight hours of private study.

Credit Accumulation and Transfer Scheme (CATS)

Terms & conditions for applicants and students

Information on financial support