The first unit investigates how agricultural production responds to, exploits and can be recognised in the man-made landscape; the second explores how status, power and belief have influenced the making of the British landscape; the third peels back layers of evidence to dissect how and why distinctively regional landscapes emerged.
The Certificate and Diploma programme in Historic Environment is offered over linked weekends at Madingley Hall, the headquarters of the Institute of Continuing Education, enabling students from all over the UK and beyond to study for these awards.
Landscape Archaeology in the Historic Environment
This Diploma course is designed for those who have successfully completed the Certificate in Historic Environment or who have appropriate experience of the subject. There is a strong emphasis throughout on theory and method, and on combining core skills with regional and/or chronological specialisation. This will give you a sound basis for further academic or professional study in this area.
What will I be studying?
Unit 1: Decoding hidden histories in English fields, woods and pastures
Dr Susan Oosthuizen
A rich, well-watered landscape in a mild climate has put arable and pastoral husbandry at the heart of English history. Although agricultural activity is often unrecorded fields, woods and pastures of all periods nonetheless contain decipherable clues to the ways in which, and reasons why, local men resisted or adapted to environmental and climatic change, evolving agricultural management, and technological innovation in order to make a daily living. A field visit is included.
Teaching sessions take place on the weekends of 16 - 18 October 2015 and 27 - 29 November 2015
Unit 2: From Stonehenge to Blenheim: How status, power and belief have shaped the English landscape
Professor Stephen Upex
Using evidence from monuments and landscapes, this unit explores the influence of status, power, and belief in designed changes to the landscape from prehistory to the post-medieval period. Taking formal and informal, private and public, and permanent and temporary sites into account, it explores the interplay of personal motivation, social expectations and physical factors in the making of the British landscape. A field visit is included.
Teaching sessions to tale place on the weekends of 5 - 7 February 2016 and 11 - 13 March 2016
Unit 3: Exploring regional character and settlement in the English landscape
Dr Nicholas James
What decisions, events and processes resulted in distinct regional landscapes? Did successive generations mould them for their own economic, technological, political, religious or aesthetic ends or had they to live with their predecessors' effects? Peeling back layers of evidence in the lay-out and distribution of settlement, roads, industry, farming and collecting from the present boom back to the Middle Ages, the Romans and all of 10000 years ago, we shall review more than a 1000 years of documents, listen to what place-names say, study the archeology and assess botany and soils. A field visit is included.
Teaching sessions to tale place on the weekends of 6 - 8 May 2016 and 10 - 12 June 2016
The weekends run from Friday evenings (preceded by dinner) to Sunday morning (followed by lunch), thus giving time for discussion both within and without classtime.
Applications are welcomed both from those living within travelling distance of Cambridge and those from further afield, including overseas. Although this is a non-residential course, students requiring residential accommodation may be able to book B&B at Madingley Hall, as availability permits. If you would like to book accommodation please contact Liz Deacon: liz.deacon@ice.cam.ac.uk or +44 (0)1223 746227.
How will I be taught and assessed?
The course is taught through a mixture of informal lectures and seminars, day-schools, practical sessions and discussion.
You will learn how to present your creative ideas both through speaking and writing. You will also have access to online support through our virtual learning environment, which will accelerate your learning and enhance your experience of the course. Visit the ICE Online introductory website for a taste of the kind of online support you will receive.
All students are expected to take an active part in the course and submit work showing evidence of learning. In particular, you will be expected in each term to:
- attend classes and day-schools
- participate actively in class work
- undertake reading and assignments set by the tutors
- access resources and submit assignments through ICE Online, the Institute’s virtual learning environment.
It is essential that you have an email account and regular access to the internet. The course is supported by a web-based virtual learning environment (VLE) and course communications will be sent via email. Your assignments will be submitted online, and feedback on assignments is sent to you online.
The computing facilities available at a public library or internet café may be sufficient and unlimited free computing and internet access will be available to you within the University Library throughout your course.
Entry requirements
There are no formal entry requirements for this course. However, please be aware that the course is taught at university level and you should be able to read, write and speak English fluently.
If English is not your first language, you will need to send us evidence of your competence in the English language when you apply for a place.
ICE English language requirements
Fees information
The fee for the course is £2,175 for the year and covers tuition, tea, coffee, lunch and dinner at Madingley Hall from Friday evening to Sunday lunchtime during the six teaching weekends.
You can pay in one of two ways:
- in full on enrolment (by cheque payable to the University of Cambridge or by credit or debit card)
- in three instalments (credit/debit card only): the first on enrolment, the second by 1 November 2015 and the third by 1 February 2016.
ICE fees and refunds policy
How to apply
Online application is recommended and you will find the link to the online application form at the top of this page.
If you are offered a place on the course, we will ask you to complete your booking within a limited time and to pay the fees (£2,175) or if paying by instalments, the first instalment of fees, to secure your place.
Applications for this course can be received until midday (12 noon) on the 7 September 2015.
What is the status of this qualification?
The course is taught and awarded at second-year undergraduate level (FHEQ 5) and offers 60 credits within the Higher Education Credit Accumulation and Transfer Scheme (CATS). This is equivalent to half of the second year of full-time undergraduate study.
What can I go on to do?
Credit awarded by the Institute may also be transferred into the degree programmes of other higher education providers. However the volume of credit and the curriculum which can be transferred into degree programmes varies from institution to institution and is always at the discretion of the receiving institution.
Find out more
Full course details, including the course specification, will be available soon.
If you would like to discuss any academic topics informally before making your application, please contact Dr Susan Oosthuizen, the Course Director: smo23@cam.ac.uk
If you have any questions about the application process, contact our Admissions team: ice.admissions@ice.cam.ac.uk or +44 (0)1223 746262.
For all other enquiries, contact the Academic Programme Manager, Mrs Linda Fisher: ug-awards@ice.cam.ac.uk or +44 (0)1223 746218 /746227.
