Teaching and Learning
Teaching within the Department uses a variety of methods, including lectures, film and video screenings, field trips, small group tutorials, one-to-one sessions and seminars. Students give oral presentations and discuss their work with fellow students and academic staff. Skills courses (such as Historical Writing for Undergraduates in the first-year) facilitate the transition from previous studies to more sophisticated levels of learning. Most of our degree programmes involve eight hours per week contact time and students are expected to supplement this with extensive additional private study. Students are encouraged to comment upon the courses they take and to make suggestions for changes.
Assessment is typically by a mixture of examination and coursework. The latter takes the form of essays, learning diaries, case-studies and book reviews. Some courses, such as Architecture in London, and Early 20th Century Modernism, use screen or slide tests as part of their assessment of students. Oral presentations often contribute to the overall mark for courses. Examinations take place in the early summer at the close of each academic year. The Department also offers examination feedback during the Autumn semester following the examinations enabling students to reflect upon their performance and to identify areas that need to be strengthened.