| CODE | CLA1014 | ||||||||
| TITLE | Classics - An Introduction | ||||||||
| UM LEVEL | 01 - Year 1 in Modular Undergraduate Course | ||||||||
| MQF LEVEL | 5 | ||||||||
| ECTS CREDITS | 4 | ||||||||
| DEPARTMENT | Classics and Archaeology | ||||||||
| DESCRIPTION | This study-unit is intended to provide Classics students with a basic understanding of the notion of Classics and how Classics developed in the history of scholarship and ideas. It will help students come to terms with the complexity of the idea of Classics, from its symbolic character of the paragon of all that is excellent and noble in human endeavour to its academic notion of a scholarly field with its paradigms and benchmarks. It will introduce students to the origins of Classics as a scholarly pursuit, to different criteria as to what constitute Classics, to the vacillating significance of Latin and Greek, to examples of the continual appropriations of elements of the Classics by art, philosophy, theology, psychology etc., to the role of classics in modern political history, and to reception studies. The study-unit will also provide students with the primary tools needed to develop, structure, and write a piece of academic writing. Study-unit Aims: 1. To acquaint students with the history of the origin and development of Classics from ancient to modern times; 2. To provide students with a brief history of the Latin and Greek languages and their development from ancient to modern times; 3. To raise students' awareness of the multidisciplinary aspect of Classics as an ever-evolving body of knowledge and values; 4. To introduce students to the sub-field of Classics reception as a study of the mutual influence between Classics on one hand, and contemporary culture, art, and society on the other; 5. To teach students how to conduct academic research properly; 6. To equip students with the fundamental tools to plan and conduct research on a Classics subject; 7. To show students how to use and interpret the primary and secondary sources critically. Learning Outcomes: 1. Knowledge & Understanding By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to: 1. Define the main developments of Classics both as an ideology and an academic field; 2. Recognise how the Latin and Ancient Greek languages evolved to become (particularly the former) a language of art and science; 3. Recognize the multi-discipline range of Classics; 4. Be familiar with the different approaches and concerns of Classics Reception Studies; 5. Undertake academic research in an independent and proper manner; 6. Assess critically the sources used; 7. Read, think, argue, and write in a logical and coherent way; 8. Demonstrate an understanding of what plagiarism is all about through written work. 2. Skills By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to: 1. Identify the parameters of Classics, both as a cultural ideal and as an academic discipline; 2. Recall the variable roles of Latin and Ancient Greek in the history of culture; 3. Argue the relevance of Classics to present day society; 4. Apply the acquired knowledge of Classics in other study-units later on; 5. Create a list of references of different types of print and online sources; 6. Be conversant with the use of online and printed classical sources. Main Text/s and any supplementary readings: Part 1 - Beard, M. and Henderson, J. (1995) Classics: A very short introduction, Oxford: Oxford University Press [Main Library PA3009 .B4]. - Kallendorf, C. W. (ed.) (2010) A Companion to the Classical Tradition, Wiley-Blackwell [Faculty of Arts Library PA51 .C66]. - Hardwick L. and Stray C. (2011) A Companion to Classical Receptions, Wiley-Blackwell [Faculty of Arts Library PA3009 .C66]. - Reynolds, L.D. and Wilson, N.G. (2013) Scribes and scholars: A guide to the transmission of Greek and Latin literature, 4th edn. Oxford: Oxford University Press [Main Library PA47 .R4 2013] Part 2 - Mann, T. (2005) The Oxford Guide to Library Research, 3rd edn, Oxford: Oxford University Press. - Turabian, Kate L. (2013) A Manual for Writers of Research Papers, Theses and Dissertations: Chicago style for students and researchers, 8th edn. Revised by W.C. Booth, G.G Colomb, J.M Williams. (Recommended Textbook) - Rosen, L. J. and Behrens, L. (2003) The Allyn and Bacon Handbook, 5th edn. New York/London: Longman. - Greetham, B. (2009) How to Write your Undergraduate Dissertation, Palgrave Macmillan. [Main Library General LB2369 .G747] |
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| STUDY-UNIT TYPE | Lecture | ||||||||
| METHOD OF ASSESSMENT |
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| LECTURER/S | John Charles Betts Carmel Serracino Horatio C. R. Vella |
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The University makes every effort to ensure that the published Courses Plans, Programmes of Study and Study-Unit information are complete and up-to-date at the time of publication. The University reserves the right to make changes in case errors are detected after publication.
The availability of optional units may be subject to timetabling constraints. Units not attracting a sufficient number of registrations may be withdrawn without notice. It should be noted that all the information in the description above applies to study-units available during the academic year 2023/4. It may be subject to change in subsequent years. |
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