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Read more at: Adventures in fiction: time

Adventures in fiction: time

Short description: 

We look at time as a central device in fiction writing: time past, time present, time future, and, occasionally, somewhere outside time. Not only is the choice of the time in which you set your work central to a story but how much time it covers: a work of fiction may begin and end on the same day or cover a life-time in the same number of words. There is also timing itself: how can a writer speed up or slow down a passage in a novel or short story.

Subject ref: 
Course code: 
2021SFL507
Start date: 
Monday, 26 July, 2021 - 01:00 to Friday, 30 July, 2021 - 01:00
Apply by: 
Sunday, 25 July, 2021 - 01:00
Course tutor id: 
7562
Meetings: 
0
Course ID: 
30377
Tuition fee: 
£149
Course programme: 
Virtual Festival of Learning
Duration description: 
1 week
Non-accredited
Course photo: 
Address lines: 
Online
City or Town: 
Postcode: 
Venue: 
Virtual Festival of Learning
Single capacity: 
0
Double capacity: 
0
Twin capacity: 
0
Single usage: 
0
Double usage: 
0
Twin usage: 
0
Maximum places: 
50
Booked places: 
19
Course cancelled: 
false
course status ref: 
booking destination ref: 
Tutor role ref: 
Course Director
Purpose ref: 
Study mode ref: 
tab1name: 
Overview
tab1html: 

Learning outcomes:

This course has been designed to enable you to:

  • Develop a personal understanding of how time, in all its meanings, can be central in driving and controlling fiction
  • Increase confidence in one’s own writing skills and a willingness to experiment with new ideas
  • Learn how to read critically in order to explore the range of possibilities in writing fiction

Course sessions:

1. About time: an introduction 
An introduction to the centrality of time in fiction, approaching it as both readers and writers. In all its aspects time has played a big part in novels, poetry and plays, This might be setting a mood, creating a turning point in a plot, constructing chronology or a narrative timeline. Stories are journeys and both take time to reach their destination.

2. Time flies: the rhythm of life   
Controlling time in fiction. A novel can cover several lifetimes or just a single day. On one page we can linger over a moment of love or race through a dramatic crisis. How do authors speed up or slow down their prose. How can rhythm or moments of silence affect a reader's emotions? What part do clocks, watches, timetables and diaries play in fiction? What can films do that novels can’t and vice versa?

3. Past time: historical fiction
Historical fiction has become more and more popular as authors such as Hilary Mantel, C J Sansom and Sarah Waters look into the past for inspiration. We look at resources for research: how much do we need to know about a period before we turn it into fiction, how can we keep facts under control and what comes first the story or the background? How does historic dialogue work and how can we incorporate real events in fiction?  

4. Playing with time: timeless words  
Future perfect. Creating new worlds gives huge scope for the writer to use their imagination free from the reality of physics or human experience. Why is dystopian fiction currently so popular? What are the possibilities of alternative history, where fiction assumes events took a different turn from important actual events in the past? 

5. The end of time: summing up
Writing a novel takes time but so can a sonnet. If you have a story in mind, what form suits it best: flash fiction; a short story; a novella; a trilogy? We look at ways to find some time, use it well and consider tips from authors.

Non-credit bearing

Please note that our Virtual Summer Festival of Learning courses are non-credit bearing.

Certificate of Participation

A certificate of participation will be sent to you electronically within a week of your Summer Festival course(s) finishing.

tab2name: 
Schedule and delivery
tab2html: 

Welcome week: Before the course starts

Courses are delivered online via our Virtual Learning Environment (VLE). A week before your course starts you will receive an email from our Teaching & Learning (TEL) team confirming your VLE login details. Once you have logged into the VLE, you should:

  • Access the ‘Course Information’ and ‘Welcome to the course’ areas.
  • Carry out any technical checks, including video checks.
  • View the VLE ’Online course tour’ and familiarise yourself with your learning environment.
  • Watch the Course Director’s welcome video.
  • Introduce yourself to the Course Director and other students using the general forum.
  • Access and carry out any pre-reading or activities for the course provided in the ‘Welcome to the course’ area.

Study week: Course delivery, video content and study time

  • You will be taught largely through a series of pre-recorded talks, designed to help you address different aspects of the main topic. These will be released on a daily basis, Monday to Friday. All of our videos are subtitled. There will also be an element of interactive work: a daily writing exercise to which you may respond by posting a short piece on the Student Forum on the Virtual Learning Environment (VLE). You may also, if you wish, post questions related to the day’s teaching and the associated daily writing exercise, to be answered by the tutor on a separate ‘Your Questions’ Forum. 
  • Please note: Your course director will read your posts daily, and will comment in broad terms on the group’s work, but it won’t be possible to provide feedback on individual exercise assignments, though questions arising from the assignment will be welcome. Depending on the number of questions, your tutor may have to work selectively. Where this applies, selection will tend to favour questions of general interest to the group as a whole. 
  • The first talk will be introductory, and thereafter a typical session might run as follows, with the Course Director providing: 
    • a broad account of the territory to be covered in the session 
    • close analysis of relevant published texts or images posted on the course VLE  
    • a writing exercise based on the session's focal concerns, and giving you guidelines and making you aware of key issues 
    • a summary of the session's concerns and a brief outline of the next day's focus
  • We suggest that you set aside around 2 hours each day to watch the videos, view course materials and resources, complete any related reading, pose questions and undertake the writing exercises. This does not need to be done in one sitting, you have the flexibility to access content when and where you want, and to go back and review it as often as you wish. 

At the end of the course

  • Content for each course will remain available on the VLE for 5 weeks after the course has finished
  • Course forums will close for postings on the Monday after the course, but existing messages will still be visible for 5 weeks after the course has finished
  • You will receive a certificate of participation via email within a week of your course finishing

Resources, reading lists and activities

During the course and up until 5 weeks after the course has finished you will have access to a number of learning resources which may include links to websites, readings and research papers. These are provided by the Course Director to support the teaching and will be available on the Virtual Learning Environment (VLE).

tab3name: 
Requirements
tab3html: 

Who can book?

Our Virtual Summer Festival of Learning is open to students aged 18-80+. Courses are taught at approximately first-year undergraduate level. Unless otherwise stated, you don’t need any previous knowledge or experience of the subject. Unfortunately we cannot accept bookings from anyone under the age of 18. However we are also running a Virtual Pre-University Programme for 16-18 years olds in July. 

English Language requirements:

To ensure that all participants are able to enjoy studying with us, you will need to be confident understanding and following arguments presented in written and spoken English at University level. 

If English is not your native language, you will need to satisfy yourself that you have an appropriate level of English language proficiency in line with the following recommended tests (achieved in the same sitting and no more than 2 years before the date of booking): 

  • IELTS Academic or IELTS Academic for UKVI: Overall band score of 6.5 or above (with no less than 6.5 in each of the four individual components) 
  • CPE (Cambridge English: Proficiency): Grade C or above or 200 points overall on the Cambridge English Scale 
  • CAE (Cambridge English Advanced): Grade A or B or 193 points overall on the Cambridge English Scale 

Alternatively, you may have undertaken all, or part, of your education in English and/or may have extensive experience using English on a regular basis in your professional life. On this basis, you could reasonably expect to fully participate in our Virtual Summer Festival of Learning. 

Technical requirements:

All of our courses will be delivered via our Virtual Learning Environment (VLE). You will receive access to the VLE a week before your course starts (see the Course schedule and delivery tab). Here you can study and learn online, access resources and activities, and interact with your Course Director and fellow students via the forums. 

You will need to have access to: 

  • the internet via a computer, laptop, tablet or other smart device  
  • speakers or headphones in order to hear pre-recorded course videos provided by the Course Director 
  • a webcam and microphone for any interactive Zoom sessions which may be available  

 When you first log into the VLE we recommend that you view the Online course tour. This will help you to familiarise yourself with the learning environment.  

Full instructions and support on how to use the VLE is available on request.  

Test Video

By playing the video below you can test your home set up to ensure you are able to access our pre-recorded course videos. 

Accessibility and additional support for students 

We make every effort to meet the requirements of those students with additional needs. Please let us know about any additional requirements as soon as possible so that we can offer you the support and advice you require before and during the Festival. Please note that all of our courses are subtitled.

tab4name: 
Related courses
tab4html: 

You may wish to consider these additional related courses on offer in the Festival:

If you are able to study more than one course or for more than one week, you may wish to consider streams of related course subjects.  There will be many other options – this is just an illustration of possible course combinations:

Week 2: 5 July - 9 July  Writing fiction: plot
Week 3: 12 July - 16 July Writing fiction: a sense of place
Week 4: 19 July - 23 July Writing fiction: character

And don’t forget to watch the series of talks included in your course booking (usually charged at £50). Further details and a link to access the talks will be sent to you a week before the Festival starts.

tab5name: 
How to book
tab5html: 

Booking a course

To book a Festival course please click the Book Now button at the top of the course page. You will be taken to our secure bookings portal where you can set up an account using your email address, and pay for your course by credit or debit card.

All of our courses are limited to 50 places, in order to allow students and Course Directors the opportunity for interaction via the discussion forums on the VLE.

Bookings will remain open until midnight the day before the course starts. If your preferred course is full at the time of booking you can add yourself to a waiting list. You will be notified, by email, if a place becomes available. We recommend that you book early to avoid missing out.

Please note that if you book a place the weekend before a course starts, it may take up to 48 hours to process your application and notify you of your VLE log in details. You may therefore not have access until the end of the second day of the course, but can go back and review sessions which have already been released.

‘How to book a course’ video

Our short video below talks you through the necessary steps to register and create an account before booking on to your chosen course(s) via our secure payment portal.

Before booking, please ensure that you have read and understood our Booking terms and conditions

Talks

As part of our Summer Festival we will also be offering a series of talks showcasing the variety of subjects on offer here at the University, as well as research, global current affairs and a range of other topics.

By booking a Summer Festival course, you automatically qualify for free access to these talks (usually charged at £50). Further details and a link to access the talks will be sent to you a week before the Festival starts.

tab1order: 
1
tab2order: 
2
tab3order: 
3
tab4order: 
4
tab5order: 
5
Course Image version: 
100003
Study level ref: 

Read more at: Writing fiction: plot

Writing fiction: plot

Short description: 

Covering the fundamental principles of plot structure, this course considers classic story shapes and how we can use them to help make our narratives realistic and believable yet unpredictable and compelling. Moving on from tried and tested formulae we’ll consider how we can reinvent plot to tell new stories.

Subject ref: 
Course code: 
2021SFL207
Start date: 
Monday, 5 July, 2021 - 01:00 to Friday, 9 July, 2021 - 01:00
Apply by: 
Sunday, 4 July, 2021 - 01:00
Course tutor id: 
1953
Course ID: 
30340
Tuition fee: 
£149
Course programme: 
Virtual Festival of Learning
Duration description: 
1 week
Non-accredited
Course photo: 
Address lines: 
Online
City or Town: 
Postcode: 
Venue: 
Virtual Summer Festival of Learning
Single capacity: 
0
Double capacity: 
0
Twin capacity: 
0
Single usage: 
0
Double usage: 
0
Twin usage: 
0
Maximum places: 
50
Booked places: 
40
Course cancelled: 
false
course status ref: 
booking destination ref: 
Tutor role ref: 
Course Director
Purpose ref: 
Study mode ref: 
tab1name: 
Overview
tab1html: 

Learning outcomes:

This course has been designed to enable you to:

  • appreciate that plot is not merely a series of events but a way of controlling the reader's experience of a story.
  • gain an understanding of some of the thinking that has been done about common story designs.
  • be able to design your own plots with confidence, using what you have learnt as you deem appropriate, and to feel you can 'own' your plots.

Course sessions:

1. Event-plot stories
We’ll begin by considering very old, apparently simple stories, and we'll move on to some classic event-plot stories, gaining an understanding of how there's often a bigger, 'universal' meaning behind a plot.

2. Anti-plot stories
We’ll move away from event-plot stories to consider ‘anti-plot, ‘slice-of-life’ or ‘Chekhovian’ stories, where conventional plot (a series of events) is rejected in favour of another kind of journey - maybe an emotional, spiritual or psychological journey. 
  
3. Plot and time 
We'll think about the role that time plays in plot and how the order in which information is revealed to the reader affects their perception - and the meaning - of the story.
  
4. Plot systems 
We'll look at some of the attempts that have been made to reduce plot to a kind of formula and consider what we can usefully learn from these.

5. Story shapes
We’ve been looking at plot patterns in terms of stages the main character goes through; we're now going to consider a very different way of representing plot - a simple graph template onto which any story can be mapped.

Non-credit bearing

Please note that our Virtual Summer Festival of Learning courses are non-credit bearing.

Certificate of Participation

A certificate of participation will be sent to you electronically within a week of your Summer Festival course(s) finishing.

tab2name: 
Schedule and delivery
tab2html: 

Welcome week: Before the course starts

Courses are delivered online via our Virtual Learning Environment (VLE). A week before your course starts you will receive an email from our Teaching & Learning (TEL) team confirming your VLE login details. Once you have logged into the VLE, you should:

  • Access the ‘Course Information’ and ‘Welcome to the course’ areas.
  • Carry out any technical checks, including video checks.
  • View the VLE ’Online course tour’ and familiarise yourself with your learning environment.
  • Watch the Course Director’s welcome video.
  • Introduce yourself to the Course Director and other students using the general forum.
  • Access and carry out any pre-reading or activities for the course provided in the ‘Welcome to the course’ area.

Study week: Course delivery, video content and study time

  • You will be taught largely through a series of pre-recorded talks, designed to help you address different aspects of the main topic. These will be released on a daily basis, Monday to Friday. All of our videos are subtitled. There will also be an element of interactive work: a daily writing exercise to which you may respond by posting a short piece on the Student Forum on the Virtual Learning Environment (VLE). You may also, if you wish, post questions related to the day’s teaching and the associated daily writing exercise, to be answered by the tutor on a separate ‘Your Questions’ Forum. 
  • Please note: Your course director will read your posts daily, and will comment in broad terms on the group’s work, but it won’t be possible to provide feedback on individual exercise assignments, though questions arising from the assignment will be welcome. Depending on the number of questions, your tutor may have to work selectively. Where this applies, selection will tend to favour questions of general interest to the group as a whole. 
  • The first talk will be introductory, and thereafter a typical session might run as follows, with the Course Director providing: 
    • a broad account of the territory to be covered in the session 
    • close analysis of relevant published texts or images posted on the course VLE  
    • a writing exercise based on the session's focal concerns, and giving you guidelines and making you aware of key issues 
    • a summary of the session's concerns and a brief outline of the next day's focus
  • We suggest that you set aside around 2 hours each day to watch the videos, view course materials and resources, complete any related reading, pose questions and undertake the writing exercises. This does not need to be done in one sitting, you have the flexibility to access content when and where you want, and to go back and review it as often as you wish. 

At the end of the course

  • Content for each course will remain available on the VLE for 5 weeks after the course has finished
  • Course forums will close for postings on the Monday after the course, but existing messages will still be visible for 5 weeks after the course has finished
  • You will receive a certificate of participation via email within a week of your course finishing

Resources, reading lists and activities

During the course and up until 5 weeks after the course has finished you will have access to a number of learning resources which may include links to websites, readings and research papers. These are provided by the Course Director to support the teaching and will be available on the Virtual Learning Environment (VLE).

tab3name: 
Requirements
tab3html: 

Who can book?

Our Virtual Summer Festival of Learning is open to students aged 18-80+. Courses are taught at approximately first-year undergraduate level. Unless otherwise stated, you don’t need any previous knowledge or experience of the subject. Unfortunately we cannot accept bookings from anyone under the age of 18. However we are also running a Virtual Pre-University Programme for 16-18 years olds in July. 

English Language requirements:

To ensure that all participants are able to enjoy studying with us, you will need to be confident understanding and following arguments presented in written and spoken English at University level. 

If English is not your native language, you will need to satisfy yourself that you have an appropriate level of English language proficiency in line with the following recommended tests (achieved in the same sitting and no more than 2 years before the date of booking): 

  • IELTS Academic or IELTS Academic for UKVI: Overall band score of 6.5 or above (with no less than 6.5 in each of the four individual components) 
  • CPE (Cambridge English: Proficiency): Grade C or above or 200 points overall on the Cambridge English Scale 
  • CAE (Cambridge English Advanced): Grade A or B or 193 points overall on the Cambridge English Scale 

Alternatively, you may have undertaken all, or part, of your education in English and/or may have extensive experience using English on a regular basis in your professional life. On this basis, you could reasonably expect to fully participate in our Virtual Summer Festival of Learning. 

Technical requirements:

All of our courses will be delivered via our Virtual Learning Environment (VLE). You will receive access to the VLE a week before your course starts (see the Course schedule and delivery tab). Here you can study and learn online, access resources and activities, and interact with your Course Director and fellow students via the forums. 

You will need to have access to: 

  • the internet via a computer, laptop, tablet or other smart device  
  • speakers or headphones in order to hear pre-recorded course videos provided by the Course Director 
  • a webcam and microphone for any interactive Zoom sessions which may be available  

 When you first log into the VLE we recommend that you view the Online course tour. This will help you to familiarise yourself with the learning environment.  

Full instructions and support on how to use the VLE is available on request.  

Test Video

By playing the video below you can test your home set up to ensure you are able to access our pre-recorded course videos. 

Accessibility and additional support for students 

We make every effort to meet the requirements of those students with additional needs. Please let us know about any additional requirements as soon as possible so that we can offer you the support and advice you require before and during the Festival. Please note that all of our courses are subtitled.

tab4name: 
Related courses
tab4html: 

You may wish to consider these additional related courses on offer in the Festival:

If you are able to study more than one course or for more than one week, you may wish to consider streams of related course subjects.  There will be many other options – this is just an illustration of possible course combinations:

Week 3: 12 July - 16 July Writing fiction: a sense of place
Week 4: 19 July - 23 July Writing fiction: character
Week 5: 26 July - 30 July Adventures in fiction: time

And don’t forget to watch the series of talks included in your course booking (usually charged at £50). Further details and a link to access the talks will be sent to you a week before the Festival starts.

tab5name: 
How to book
tab5html: 

Booking a course

To book a Festival course please click the Book Now button at the top of the course page. You will be taken to our secure bookings portal where you can set up an account using your email address, and pay for your course by credit or debit card.

All of our courses are limited to 50 places, in order to allow students and Course Directors the opportunity for interaction via the discussion forums on the VLE.

Bookings will remain open until midnight the day before the course starts. If your preferred course is full at the time of booking you can add yourself to a waiting list. You will be notified, by email, if a place becomes available. We recommend that you book early to avoid missing out.

Please note that if you book a place the weekend before a course starts, it may take up to 48 hours to process your application and notify you of your VLE log in details. You may therefore not have access until the end of the second day of the course, but can go back and review sessions which have already been released.

‘How to book a course’ video

Our short video below talks you through the necessary steps to register and create an account before booking on to your chosen course(s) via our secure payment portal.

Before booking, please ensure that you have read and understood our Booking terms and conditions

Talks

As part of our Summer Festival we will also be offering a series of talks showcasing the variety of subjects on offer here at the University, as well as research, global current affairs and a range of other topics.

By booking a Summer Festival course, you automatically qualify for free access to these talks (usually charged at £50). Further details and a link to access the talks will be sent to you a week before the Festival starts.

tab1order: 
1
tab2order: 
2
tab3order: 
3
tab4order: 
4
tab5order: 
5
Course Image version: 
100003
Study level ref: 

Read more at: Deciphering medieval wall painting in England

Deciphering medieval wall painting in England

Short description: 

Existing murals, antiquarian and archaeological evidence show that interiors in medieval England were painted, either with decorative schemes or, frequently, with more complex images and narratives. However, many of these paintings are now badly damaged, hard to appreciate and interpret. This course offers an overview to the different sorts of contexts and evidence which can used to understand these paintings, thinking about technique, function, style, imagery and documentation. From cathedrals and monasteries to castles, manor houses, homes and hospitals, even the most fragmentary paintings can retain indications of their original date, meaning and purpose. From these paintings we can deduce a great deal about medieval beliefs and society and how these changed between 1066 and the Reformation. 

Course code: 
2021SFL210
Start date: 
Monday, 5 July, 2021 - 01:00 to Friday, 9 July, 2021 - 01:00
Apply by: 
Sunday, 4 July, 2021 - 01:00
Course tutor id: 
72
Meetings: 
0
Course ID: 
30343
Tuition fee: 
£149
Course programme: 
Virtual Festival of Learning
Duration description: 
1 week
Non-accredited
Course photo: 
Address lines: 
Online
City or Town: 
Postcode: 
Venue: 
Virtual Festival of Learning
Single capacity: 
0
Double capacity: 
0
Twin capacity: 
0
Single usage: 
0
Double usage: 
0
Twin usage: 
0
Maximum places: 
50
Booked places: 
16
Course cancelled: 
false
course status ref: 
booking destination ref: 
Tutor role ref: 
Course Director
Purpose ref: 
Study mode ref: 
tab1name: 
Overview
tab1html: 

Learning outcomes:

This course has been designed to enable you to:

  • Understand the chronological, contextual and iconographic range of wall paintings to survive from medieval England and some of the factors which have impacted on their current appearance.
  • Identify the range of sources which can be used to decipher and interpret medieval murals in England and how these can be deployed in a contextual and holistic way.

Course sessions:

1: Deciphering Layers of History
1.1 Vertical archaeology, century by century
When the walls of a medieval building survive intact it presents us with an example of vertical archaeology. This lecture peels back those layers, surveying the range of murals to survive and thinking about how they were created. It will also explain why mural schemes were covered over and the how that history and subsequent conservation has an impact on what we see today.
1.2 Case Study: Willingham
This case study will examine the medieval and post-Reformation wall paintings at Willingham in Cambridgeshire. With a focus on chronology, interpretation and how subject matter and artistic rendition changed over the centuries, this session will allow us to examine church imagery from the 13th to the 17th century. We will also look at the impact of the Reformation on wall paintings and their subject matter.

2: Location, context, function
2.1 Thinking holistically about medieval painted interiors
Mural paintings are ‘bound by fate’ to the buildings they were created to adorn. Whether we are thinking about a domestic interior or the sacred space of a parish church, wall paintings can reveal how that space functioned. Thinking about what is painted, where it is positioned and who might have been able to look at it encourages us to think about the complex range of fixtures and fittings, meanings and purposes which filled these spaces in the medieval period.
2.2 Case Study: South Newington
South Newington church in Oxfordshire boasts one of the most widely acclaimed surviving wall painting schemes in the country. This session will examine how the context and location of murals within the church building are key to understanding their function. The north aisle murals, which date from the 14th century, were almost certainly commissioned by the Giffard family, whose ‘portraits’ appears in the paintings. This sacred space would have functioned as their chantry – or private – chapel.

3: Decoding symbols and meaning
3.1 Visual codes, sources and story telling
Wall paintings are often understood as functioning as teaching aides for the illiterate. This lecture unpacks that dictum, thinking about its origins and limitations and then explores a range of common visual codes and story-telling techniques found in common narrative and didactic subjects. Knowledge of these enables us to identify and reconstruct medieval ‘readings’ of fragmentary paintings.
3.2 Case Study: St Christopher, tales and attributes
This session will focus on the medieval cult of St Christopher, who was one of the most frequently represented saints in the late-medieval English church. We will examine the origins of the cult – probably in the Byzantine Empire – and the subsequent textual traditions that developed. We will also explore the 13th-century promulgation of the cult in England by Henry III at Westminster and Winchester, and how St Christopher wall paintings became ubiquitous in provincial churches from the mid-14th century onwards.

4: Who chose these subjects?
4.1 Painters, patrons and evidence for selection
The evidence for medieval wall painters and their patrons is frustratingly sparse and scattered. This session looks at the sorts of documents which contain reference to mural painters and also some of the contexts, such as houses and chantries where we can see the personal role of a patron most clearly. In self-presentation and selection the concerns of patrons for their legacy and for the welfare and engagement of viewers become clear.
4.2 Case Study: Raunds
This session will examine the late-14th century wall paintings at Raunds church in Northamptonshire. These high-status nave paintings include a unique survival among the medieval mural corpus – a painted west wall clock with donor figures depicting John and Sarah Catlyn. We will examine why the Catlyns commissioned the nave wall paintings, why they selected the subject matter depicted, and the overall function and meaning of the scheme.

5: Documentation for decoding
5.1 Finding, using and combining evidence
This concluding session considers the ways in different types of evidence can be combined to give an understanding of context and meaning and to help us to decipher paintings in holistic way. It shows a variety of types of sources which survive and different forms of contextual reading. Although many paintings are fragmentary, compromised and hard to decipher, interpreting murals isn’t like looking at clouds where we make up personal, subject meanings, there are other pieces of evidence we can deploy in an intellectually valid and creative way.
5.2 Case Study: Corby Glen
This case study will examine the 14th-century north aisle paintings at Corby Glen in Lincolnshire. Almost certainly commissioned by Margery de Crioll, this sacred space would have functioned as her chantry chapel. Furthermore, the subject matter within reflects her status as a learned woman. Medieval wall paintings rarely appear in medieval records, but Corby Glen has one key surviving testamentary document that relates to the church building – the will of Margery. The record confirms Margery’s role in constructing the north aisle.

Non-credit bearing

Please note that our Virtual Summer Festival of Learning courses are non-credit bearing.

Certificate of Participation

A certificate of participation will be sent to you electronically within a week of your Summer Festival course(s) finishing.

tab2name: 
Schedule and delivery
tab2html: 

Welcome week: Before the course starts

Courses are delivered online via our Virtual Learning Environment (VLE). A week before your course starts you will receive an email from our Teaching & Learning (TEL) team confirming your VLE login details. Once you have logged into the VLE, you should:

  • Access the ‘Course Information’ and ‘Welcome to the course’ areas.
  • Carry out any technical checks, including video checks.
  • View the VLE ’Online course tour’ and familiarise yourself with your learning environment.
  • Watch the Course Director’s welcome video.
  • Introduce yourself to the Course Director and other students using the general forum.
  • Access and carry out any pre-reading or activities for the course provided in the ‘Welcome to the course’ area.

Study week: Course delivery, video content and study time

  • You will be taught largely through a series of pre-recorded course videos.
  • Course videos will be released on a daily basis, Monday to Friday.
  • We suggest that you set aside around 1.5 hours each day to watch the course videos, view course materials and resources and complete any related reading, activities and discussions in the daily forums. This does not need to be done in one sitting, you have the flexibility to access content when and where you want, and to go back and review it as often as you wish.

At the end of the course

  • Content for each course will remain available on the VLE for 5 weeks after the course has finished
  • Course forums will close for postings on the Monday after the course, but existing messages will still be visible for 5 weeks after the course has finished
  • You will receive a certificate of participation via email within a week of your course finishing

Pre-recorded course videos

Courses include one or two videos per day, these are designed by the Course Director to help you address different aspects of the main topic. All of our course videos are subtitled.

Course discussion forums

There will also be the opportunity to engage in written form with other course participants and discuss questions set by the Course Director on the discussion forums. Your Course Director will launch a number of discussions on the daily forums and will generally respond to a selection of key questions and comments on a daily basis. You are encouraged to actively take part in these discussions to get the most out of the course and to add to your overall enjoyment.

Resources, reading lists and activities

During the course and up until 5 weeks after the course has finished you will have access to a number of learning resources which may include links to websites, readings and research papers. These are provided by the Course Director to support the teaching and will be available on the Virtual Learning Environment (VLE).

tab3name: 
Requirements
tab3html: 

Who can book?

Our Virtual Summer Festival of Learning is open to students aged 18-80+. Courses are taught at approximately first-year undergraduate level. Unless otherwise stated, you don’t need any previous knowledge or experience of the subject. Unfortunately we cannot accept bookings from anyone under the age of 18. However we are also running a Virtual Pre-University Programme for 16-18 years olds in July. 

English Language requirements:

To ensure that all participants are able to enjoy studying with us, you will need to be confident understanding and following arguments presented in written and spoken English at University level. 

If English is not your native language, you will need to satisfy yourself that you have an appropriate level of English language proficiency in line with the following recommended tests (achieved in the same sitting and no more than 2 years before the date of booking): 

  • IELTS Academic or IELTS Academic for UKVI: Overall band score of 6.5 or above (with no less than 6.5 in each of the four individual components) 
  • CPE (Cambridge English: Proficiency): Grade C or above or 200 points overall on the Cambridge English Scale 
  • CAE (Cambridge English Advanced): Grade A or B or 193 points overall on the Cambridge English Scale 

Alternatively, you may have undertaken all, or part, of your education in English and/or may have extensive experience using English on a regular basis in your professional life. On this basis, you could reasonably expect to fully participate in our Virtual Summer Festival of Learning. 

Technical requirements:

All of our courses will be delivered via our Virtual Learning Environment (VLE). You will receive access to the VLE a week before your course starts (see the Course schedule and delivery tab). Here you can study and learn online, access resources and activities, and interact with your Course Director and fellow students via the forums. 

You will need to have access to: 

  • the internet via a computer, laptop, tablet or other smart device  
  • speakers or headphones in order to hear pre-recorded course videos provided by the Course Director 
  • a webcam and microphone for any interactive Zoom sessions which may be available  

 When you first log into the VLE we recommend that you view the Online course tour. This will help you to familiarise yourself with the learning environment.  

Full instructions and support on how to use the VLE is available on request.  

Test Video

By playing the video below you can test your home set up to ensure you are able to access our pre-recorded course videos. 

Accessibility and additional support for students 

We make every effort to meet the requirements of those students with additional needs. Please let us know about any additional requirements as soon as possible so that we can offer you the support and advice you require before and during the Festival. Please note that all of our courses are subtitled.

tab4name: 
Related courses
tab4html: 

You may wish to consider these additional related courses on offer in the Festival:

If you are able to study more than one course or for more than one week, you may wish to consider streams of related course subjects.  There will be many other options – this is just an illustration of possible course combinations:

Week 1: 28 June - 2 July  Five more English cathedrals
Week 3: 12 July - 16 July The Dig: exploring the cultural and artistic context of Sutton Hoo
Week 4: 19 July - 23 July Illuminated manuscript masterpieces of medieval England

And don’t forget to watch the series of talks included in your course booking (usually charged at £50). Further details and a link to access the talks will be sent to you a week before the Festival starts.

tab5name: 
How to book
tab5html: 

Booking a course

To book a Festival course please click the Book Now button at the top of the course page. You will be taken to our secure bookings portal where you can set up an account using your email address, and pay for your course by credit or debit card.

All of our courses are limited to 50 places, in order to allow students and Course Directors the opportunity for interaction via the discussion forums on the VLE.

Bookings will remain open until midnight the day before the course starts. If your preferred course is full at the time of booking you can add yourself to a waiting list. You will be notified, by email, if a place becomes available. We recommend that you book early to avoid missing out.

Please note that if you book a place the weekend before a course starts, it may take up to 48 hours to process your application and notify you of your VLE log in details. You may therefore not have access until the end of the second day of the course, but can go back and review sessions which have already been released.

‘How to book a course’ video

Our short video below talks you through the necessary steps to register and create an account before booking on to your chosen course(s) via our secure payment portal.

Before booking, please ensure that you have read and understood our Booking terms and conditions

Talks

As part of our Summer Festival we will also be offering a series of talks showcasing the variety of subjects on offer here at the University, as well as research, global current affairs and a range of other topics.

By booking a Summer Festival course, you automatically qualify for free access to these talks (usually charged at £50). Further details and a link to access the talks will be sent to you a week before the Festival starts.

tab1order: 
1
tab2order: 
2
tab3order: 
3
tab4order: 
4
tab5order: 
5
Course Image version: 
100003
Study level ref: 

Read more at: Disruptive technologies

Disruptive technologies

Short description: 

Disruptive technologies have the potential for economic and social impact, altering the status quo and creating new opportunities. Past examples include the mechanised loom, moving assembly line and the personal computer. Today we ponder the influence and power of artificial intelligence, gene editing and renewable energies. In this course we will be looking at the science behind some of these technologies and explore their potentials and challenges for society.

Course code: 
2021SFL311
Start date: 
Monday, 12 July, 2021 - 01:00 to Friday, 16 July, 2021 - 01:00
Apply by: 
Sunday, 11 July, 2021 - 01:00
Course tutor id: 
9557
Meetings: 
0
Course ID: 
30350
Tuition fee: 
£149
Course programme: 
Virtual Festival of Learning
Duration description: 
1 week
Non-accredited
Course photo: 
Address lines: 
Online
City or Town: 
Postcode: 
Venue: 
Virtual Festival of Learning
Single capacity: 
0
Double capacity: 
0
Twin capacity: 
0
Single usage: 
0
Double usage: 
0
Twin usage: 
0
Maximum places: 
50
Booked places: 
10
Course cancelled: 
false
course status ref: 
booking destination ref: 
Tutor role ref: 
Course Director
Purpose ref: 
Study mode ref: 
tab1name: 
Overview
tab1html: 

Learning outcomes:

This course has been designed to enable you to:

  • Describe the main characteristics of disruptive technologies
  • Differentiate between disruptive and gradual technological revolution
  • Describe the science and technology that drives current disruptive technologies
  • Systematically evaluate the practical potential of a number of disruptive technologies

Course sessions:

1. A definition of disruptive technologies
In this session we will be looking at the defining characteristics of disruptive technologies rooted in business studies. We will have a first attempt at distinguishing hype from reality.

2. Devices
This session focuses on devices and their potential for disruptive innovation. Examples include location trackers and health care monitors which enable a range of novel applications. We will explore the science behind some of these devices and evaluate their impact on our daily lives.

3. Materials
In this session we will explore the science behind some of the materials that enable disruptive technologies, such as composites and nanomaterials. We will look at the physical and biological properties required of these materials. We will investigate whether the hype around some new materials is justified.

4. Industrial and scientific methods
It is not only devices and materials that drive disruptive technologies. This session will focus on new industrial and scientific methods, such as additive manufacturing, augmented reality and gene editing, that have a huge disruptive potential.

5. Systems
In this final session we will be looking at the larger picture and discuss disruptive technologies from a systems perspective. Areas that will be addressed are energy and transport infrastructure, such as smart grids and driverless cars.

Non-credit bearing

Please note that our Virtual Summer Festival of Learning courses are non-credit bearing.

Certificate of Participation

A certificate of participation will be sent to you electronically within a week of your Summer Festival course(s) finishing.

tab2name: 
Schedule and delivery
tab2html: 

Welcome week: Before the course starts

Courses are delivered online via our Virtual Learning Environment (VLE). A week before your course starts you will receive an email from our Teaching & Learning (TEL) team confirming your VLE login details. Once you have logged into the VLE, you should:

  • Access the ‘Course Information’ and ‘Welcome to the course’ areas.
  • Carry out any technical checks, including video checks.
  • View the VLE ’Online course tour’ and familiarise yourself with your learning environment.
  • Watch the Course Director’s welcome video.
  • Introduce yourself to the Course Director and other students using the general forum.
  • Access and carry out any pre-reading or activities for the course provided in the ‘Welcome to the course’ area.

Study week: Course delivery, video content and study time

  • You will be taught largely through a series of pre-recorded course videos.
  • Course videos will be released on a daily basis, Monday to Friday.
  • We suggest that you set aside around 1.5 hours each day to watch the course videos, view course materials and resources and complete any related reading, activities and discussions in the daily forums. This does not need to be done in one sitting, you have the flexibility to access content when and where you want, and to go back and review it as often as you wish.

At the end of the course

  • Content for each course will remain available on the VLE for 5 weeks after the course has finished
  • Course forums will close for postings on the Monday after the course, but existing messages will still be visible for 5 weeks after the course has finished
  • You will receive a certificate of participation via email within a week of your course finishing

Pre-recorded course videos

Courses include one or two videos per day, these are designed by the Course Director to help you address different aspects of the main topic. All of our course videos are subtitled.

Course discussion forums

There will also be the opportunity to engage in written form with other course participants and discuss questions set by the Course Director on the discussion forums. Your Course Director will launch a number of discussions on the daily forums and will generally respond to a selection of key questions and comments on a daily basis. You are encouraged to actively take part in these discussions to get the most out of the course and to add to your overall enjoyment.

Resources, reading lists and activities

During the course and up until 5 weeks after the course has finished you will have access to a number of learning resources which may include links to websites, readings and research papers. These are provided by the Course Director to support the teaching and will be available on the Virtual Learning Environment (VLE).

tab3name: 
Requirements
tab3html: 

Who can book?

Our Virtual Summer Festival of Learning is open to students aged 18-80+. Courses are taught at approximately first-year undergraduate level. Unless otherwise stated, you don’t need any previous knowledge or experience of the subject. Unfortunately we cannot accept bookings from anyone under the age of 18. However we are also running a Virtual Pre-University Programme for 16-18 years olds in July. 

English Language requirements:

To ensure that all participants are able to enjoy studying with us, you will need to be confident understanding and following arguments presented in written and spoken English at University level. 

If English is not your native language, you will need to satisfy yourself that you have an appropriate level of English language proficiency in line with the following recommended tests (achieved in the same sitting and no more than 2 years before the date of booking): 

  • IELTS Academic or IELTS Academic for UKVI: Overall band score of 6.5 or above (with no less than 6.5 in each of the four individual components) 
  • CPE (Cambridge English: Proficiency): Grade C or above or 200 points overall on the Cambridge English Scale 
  • CAE (Cambridge English Advanced): Grade A or B or 193 points overall on the Cambridge English Scale 

Alternatively, you may have undertaken all, or part, of your education in English and/or may have extensive experience using English on a regular basis in your professional life. On this basis, you could reasonably expect to fully participate in our Virtual Summer Festival of Learning. 

Technical requirements:

All of our courses will be delivered via our Virtual Learning Environment (VLE). You will receive access to the VLE a week before your course starts (see the Course schedule and delivery tab). Here you can study and learn online, access resources and activities, and interact with your Course Director and fellow students via the forums. 

You will need to have access to: 

  • the internet via a computer, laptop, tablet or other smart device  
  • speakers or headphones in order to hear pre-recorded course videos provided by the Course Director 
  • a webcam and microphone for any interactive Zoom sessions which may be available  

 When you first log into the VLE we recommend that you view the Online course tour. This will help you to familiarise yourself with the learning environment.  

Full instructions and support on how to use the VLE is available on request.  

Test Video

By playing the video below you can test your home set up to ensure you are able to access our pre-recorded course videos. 

Accessibility and additional support for students 

We make every effort to meet the requirements of those students with additional needs. Please let us know about any additional requirements as soon as possible so that we can offer you the support and advice you require before and during the Festival. Please note that all of our courses are subtitled.

tab4name: 
Related courses
tab4html: 

You may wish to consider these additional related courses on offer in the Festival:

If you are able to study more than one course or for more than one week, you may wish to consider streams of related course subjects.  There will be many other options – this is just an illustration of possible course combinations:

Week 1: 28 June - 2 July  An introduction to AI ethics and society
Week 2: 5 July - 9 July  Materials and our environment: striving for sustainability
Week 4: 19 July - 23 July Nanotherapeutics: how nanobiotechnology is revolutionising healthcare

And don’t forget to watch the series of talks included in your course booking (usually charged at £50). Further details and a link to access the talks will be sent to you a week before the Festival starts.

tab5name: 
How to book
tab5html: 

Booking a course

To book a Festival course please click the Book Now button at the top of the course page. You will be taken to our secure bookings portal where you can set up an account using your email address, and pay for your course by credit or debit card.

All of our courses are limited to 50 places, in order to allow students and Course Directors the opportunity for interaction via the discussion forums on the VLE.

Bookings will remain open until midnight the day before the course starts. If your preferred course is full at the time of booking you can add yourself to a waiting list. You will be notified, by email, if a place becomes available. We recommend that you book early to avoid missing out.

Please note that if you book a place the weekend before a course starts, it may take up to 48 hours to process your application and notify you of your VLE log in details. You may therefore not have access until the end of the second day of the course, but can go back and review sessions which have already been released.

‘How to book a course’ video

Our short video below talks you through the necessary steps to register and create an account before booking on to your chosen course(s) via our secure payment portal.

Before booking, please ensure that you have read and understood our Booking terms and conditions

Talks

As part of our Summer Festival we will also be offering a series of talks showcasing the variety of subjects on offer here at the University, as well as research, global current affairs and a range of other topics.

By booking a Summer Festival course, you automatically qualify for free access to these talks (usually charged at £50). Further details and a link to access the talks will be sent to you a week before the Festival starts.

tab1order: 
1
tab2order: 
2
tab3order: 
3
tab4order: 
4
tab5order: 
5
Course Image version: 
100003
Study level ref: 

Read more at: Challenges to the global order week 3 (12 - 16 July)

Challenges to the global order week 3 (12 - 16 July)

Short description: 

The end of the Cold War brought ‘Liberal International Order’ and, with no real competition to US domination, a period of rapid globalisation, the spread of democracy, and shared international approaches to problems such as climate change. Now that rival powers – notably Russia and China – have emerged, and Islamism has shattered peace in the Middle East and elsewhere, shared approaches to world problems have faltered. What has gone wrong, and what next for world order?

Not to be taken with Challenges to the global order in Week 1

Course code: 
2021SFL316
Start date: 
Monday, 12 July, 2021 - 01:00 to Friday, 16 July, 2021 - 01:00
Apply by: 
Sunday, 11 July, 2021 - 01:00
Course tutor id: 
2241
Course ID: 
30359
Tuition fee: 
£149
Course programme: 
Virtual Festival of Learning
Duration description: 
1 week
Non-accredited
Course photo: 
Address lines: 
Online
City or Town: 
Postcode: 
Venue: 
Virtual Festival of Learning
Single capacity: 
0
Double capacity: 
0
Twin capacity: 
0
Single usage: 
0
Double usage: 
0
Twin usage: 
0
Maximum places: 
50
Booked places: 
15
Course cancelled: 
false
course status ref: 
booking destination ref: 
Tutor role ref: 
Course Director
Purpose ref: 
Study mode ref: 
tab1name: 
Overview
tab1html: 

Learning outcomes:

This course has been designed to enable you to:

  • gain an understanding of what the Liberal World Order is, and how it evolved
  • gain an understanding of the threats it now faces
  • gain some insight into the developments to look out for over the next few years

Course sessions:

The course comprises a welcome talk followed by five lectures (listed below) each of which will be followed by a zoom session to discuss the key issues raised.

1. The Rise of the Liberal World Order
We look at the evolution of the international system in its classical form of unfettered state sovereignty and the various efforts through history to limit this. These culminate at the end of the Cold War with the establishment of the US as sole superpower, the very fast rise of globalisation, multilateral governance, and the spread of democracy and human rights. What follows however is populism, the 2008 financial crash and the rise of challengers in the form of China and Russia.

2. China
We look at China in history, for a long time dominant in East Asia and the world’s largest economy until brought low by Western intervention in the “Century of Humiliation” and then Mao’s catastrophic rule. But then, following Mao’s death, very fast economic growth and increasing political assertiveness to the point where China is now the major challenger to US global dominance with the real prospect of a “New Cold War”.

3. Russia
We look at Russia’s special role in European history leading to the post-Cold War collapse, national anarchy and the rise of Putin; his resentment at what he sees as Western interference and hostility, culminating in military interventions in Georgia, Ukraine and Syria. Relations with the West are now in deep freeze, and Russia is growing increasingly close to China.

4. Global Challenges
We look at how well the international system has responded to three of the big challenges facing mankind as a whole. Climate change poses a huge threat to the sustainability of mankind’s current way of life. Nuclear proliferation, if uncontrolled, contains the increasing likelihood of devastating nuclear war. And the COVID pandemic has been a demanding test of the ability of countries to cooperate to meet a global medical emergency.

5. The Sheriff Hands in his Star
We summarise previous lectures and note the threats to the Liberal World Order posed by the US itself under President Trump – rejection of multilateral governance, humiliation of allies, nationalistic response to global challenges, in particular the virus, and growing confrontation with China. How much difference will Biden make?

Non-credit bearing

Please note that our Virtual Summer Festival of Learning courses are non-credit bearing.

Certificate of Participation

A certificate of participation will be sent to you electronically within a week of your Summer Festival course(s) finishing.

tab2name: 
Schedule and delivery
tab2html: 

Welcome week: Before the course starts

Courses are delivered online via our Virtual Learning Environment (VLE). A week before your course starts you will receive an email from our Teaching & Learning (TEL) team confirming your VLE login details. Once you have logged into the VLE, you should:

  • Access the ‘Course Information’ and ‘Welcome to the course’ areas.
  • Carry out any technical checks, including video checks.
  • View the VLE ’Online course tour’ and familiarise yourself with your learning environment.
  • Watch the Course Director’s welcome video.
  • Introduce yourself to the Course Director and other students using the general forum.
  • Access and carry out any pre-reading or activities for the course provided in the ‘Welcome to the course’ area.

Study week: Course delivery, video content and study time

  • You will be taught largely through a series of pre-recorded course videos.
  • Course videos will be released on a daily basis, Monday to Friday.
  • We suggest that you set aside around 1.5 hours each day to watch the course videos, view course materials and resources and complete any related reading, activities and discussions in the daily forums. This does not need to be done in one sitting, you have the flexibility to access content when and where you want, and to go back and review it as often as you wish.

Zoom Sessions

  • Sir Tony Brenton will be hosting daily Zoom sessions Monday to Friday at 3pm BST (GMT + 1). Each session will last approximately 30 minutes. Access via the VLE.

At the end of the course

  • Content for each course will remain available on the VLE for 5 weeks after the course has finished
  • Course forums will close for postings on the Monday after the course, but existing messages will still be visible for 5 weeks after the course has finished
  • You will receive a certificate of participation via email within a week of your course finishing

Pre-recorded course videos

Courses include one or two videos per day, these are designed by the Course Director to help you address different aspects of the main topic. All of our course videos are subtitled.

Course discussion forums

There will also be the opportunity to engage in written form with other course participants and discuss questions set by the Course Director on the discussion forums. Your Course Director will launch a number of discussions on the daily forums and will generally respond to a selection of key questions and comments on a daily basis. You are encouraged to actively take part in these discussions to get the most out of the course and to add to your overall enjoyment.

Resources, reading lists and activities

During the course and up until 5 weeks after the course has finished you will have access to a number of learning resources which may include links to websites, readings and research papers. These are provided by the Course Director to support the teaching and will be available on the Virtual Learning Environment (VLE).

tab3name: 
Requirements
tab3html: 

Who can book?

Our Virtual Summer Festival of Learning is open to students aged 18-80+. Courses are taught at approximately first-year undergraduate level. Unless otherwise stated, you don’t need any previous knowledge or experience of the subject. Unfortunately we cannot accept bookings from anyone under the age of 18. However we are also running a Virtual Pre-University Programme for 16-18 years olds in July. 

English Language requirements:

To ensure that all participants are able to enjoy studying with us, you will need to be confident understanding and following arguments presented in written and spoken English at University level. 

If English is not your native language, you will need to satisfy yourself that you have an appropriate level of English language proficiency in line with the following recommended tests (achieved in the same sitting and no more than 2 years before the date of booking): 

  • IELTS Academic or IELTS Academic for UKVI: Overall band score of 6.5 or above (with no less than 6.5 in each of the four individual components) 
  • CPE (Cambridge English: Proficiency): Grade C or above or 200 points overall on the Cambridge English Scale 
  • CAE (Cambridge English Advanced): Grade A or B or 193 points overall on the Cambridge English Scale 

Alternatively, you may have undertaken all, or part, of your education in English and/or may have extensive experience using English on a regular basis in your professional life. On this basis, you could reasonably expect to fully participate in our Virtual Summer Festival of Learning. 

Technical requirements:

All of our courses will be delivered via our Virtual Learning Environment (VLE). You will receive access to the VLE a week before your course starts (see the Course schedule and delivery tab). Here you can study and learn online, access resources and activities, and interact with your Course Director and fellow students via the forums. 

You will need to have access to: 

  • the internet via a computer, laptop, tablet or other smart device  
  • speakers or headphones in order to hear pre-recorded course videos provided by the Course Director 
  • a webcam and microphone for any interactive Zoom sessions which may be available  

 When you first log into the VLE we recommend that you view the Online course tour. This will help you to familiarise yourself with the learning environment.  

Full instructions and support on how to use the VLE is available on request.  

Test Video

By playing the video below you can test your home set up to ensure you are able to access our pre-recorded course videos. 

Accessibility and additional support for students 

We make every effort to meet the requirements of those students with additional needs. Please let us know about any additional requirements as soon as possible so that we can offer you the support and advice you require before and during the Festival. Please note that all of our courses are subtitled.

tab4name: 
Related courses
tab4html: 

You may wish to consider these additional related courses on offer in the Festival:

If you are able to study more than one course or for more than one week, you may wish to consider streams of related course subjects.  There will be many other options – this is just an illustration of possible course combinations:

Week 2: 5 July - 9 July  International Human rights: war, conflict and the responsibility to protect
Week 4: 19 July - 23 July Making sense of international migration

And don’t forget to watch the series of talks included in your course booking (usually charged at £50). Further details and a link to access the talks will be sent to you a week before the Festival starts.

tab5name: 
How to book
tab5html: 

Booking a course

To book a Festival course please click the Book Now button at the top of the course page. You will be taken to our secure bookings portal where you can set up an account using your email address, and pay for your course by credit or debit card.

All of our courses are limited to 50 places, in order to allow students and Course Directors the opportunity for interaction via the discussion forums on the VLE.

Bookings will remain open until midnight the day before the course starts. If your preferred course is full at the time of booking you can add yourself to a waiting list. You will be notified, by email, if a place becomes available. We recommend that you book early to avoid missing out.

Please note that if you book a place the weekend before a course starts, it may take up to 48 hours to process your application and notify you of your VLE log in details. You may therefore not have access until the end of the second day of the course, but can go back and review sessions which have already been released.

‘How to book a course’ video

Our short video below talks you through the necessary steps to register and create an account before booking on to your chosen course(s) via our secure payment portal.

Before booking, please ensure that you have read and understood our Booking terms and conditions

Talks

As part of our Summer Festival we will also be offering a series of talks showcasing the variety of subjects on offer here at the University, as well as research, global current affairs and a range of other topics.

By booking a Summer Festival course, you automatically qualify for free access to these talks (usually charged at £50). Further details and a link to access the talks will be sent to you a week before the Festival starts.

tab1order: 
1
tab2order: 
2
tab3order: 
3
tab4order: 
4
tab5order: 
5
Course Image version: 
100003
Study level ref: 

Read more at: Writing historical fiction for children

Writing historical fiction for children

Short description: 

In this course we’ll consider why writing historical stories can be a good option for child readers. We’ll look at the rich range of material history offers, considering how best to handle it for a young audience. We’ll consider how to research, and then use, historical material, always in the service of a strong story. In addition to the daily pre-recorded talks and reading, there is a writing challenge. Listening to the talks, doing the reading and attempting the tasks is likely to take you about 1.5 to 2 hours each day. But there are options to expand tasks, and to spend more time reading and commenting on work posted by others.

Subject ref: 
Course code: 
2021SFL306
Start date: 
Monday, 12 July, 2021 - 01:00 to Friday, 16 July, 2021 - 01:00
Apply by: 
Sunday, 11 July, 2021 - 01:00
Course tutor id: 
8312
Course ID: 
30305
Tuition fee: 
£149
Course programme: 
Virtual Festival of Learning
Duration description: 
1 week
Non-accredited
Course photo: 
Address lines: 
Online
City or Town: 
Postcode: 
Venue: 
Virtual Festival of Learning
Single capacity: 
0
Double capacity: 
0
Twin capacity: 
0
Single usage: 
0
Double usage: 
0
Twin usage: 
0
Maximum places: 
50
Booked places: 
12
Course cancelled: 
false
course status ref: 
booking destination ref: 
Tutor role ref: 
Course Director
Purpose ref: 
Study mode ref: 
tab1name: 
Overview
tab1html: 

Learning outcomes:

This course has been designed to enable you to:

  • acquire an appreciation of the opportunities and responsibilities inherent with using historical settings and subjects
  • gain an understanding of children and book formats at different stages of childhood
  • understand what ‘story’ is, and how story works
  • be equipped with a variety of story writing techniques
  • gain insights into historical research, and how to use that research
  • acquire an understanding of how to create a convincing yet accessible world from the past for modern young readers
  • practice assessing the success of writing by considering each other’s written pieces
  • have some understanding of how to approach getting published

Course sessions:

1. Why write historical fiction for children?
Looking at the role of history in giving children and their society perspective, but also the fun to be had with a historical story. Considering what historical topics and fictional treatments work best for different stages of childhood and formats of book. Thinking about the personal history we have in our own experiences.

2. Where to find your story
The things, big and small, which plant the seeds of stories in our minds, and ways to grow those seeds into fully realised stories. Should we aim to write stories about the big moments and characters in history, or focus on the more ordinary? The potential to develop historical fiction via fantasy of different kinds.

3. Taking us there
Considering the importance of character and story structure in making a story live in our imaginations. Working on story openings; the need to introduce characters, set the historical scene, and set the tone of the story, all whilst getting the story action going. How much historical background do we need to describe?

4. Finding your, and your characters’, voices
Is it better to mix telling what happens with dialogue in a traditional narrative way, or to write in the first person? Should characters speak in the language of their time? Considering how to use other written forms, such as diaries or letters. What happens when writing shares the story telling with pictures?

5. Doing your research, and what comes next?
Considering different sources for information and ideas. What, and how much, do we need to know? How do we find those things out? And how do we fill the inevitable gaps?
Where to find help in developing your historical story writing skills, and potential routes to publication.

Non-credit bearing

Please note that our Virtual Summer Festival of Learning courses are non-credit bearing.

Certificate of Participation

A certificate of participation will be sent to you electronically within a week of your Summer Festival course(s) finishing.

tab2name: 
Schedule and delivery
tab2html: 

Welcome week: Before the course starts

Courses are delivered online via our Virtual Learning Environment (VLE). A week before your course starts you will receive an email from our Teaching & Learning (TEL) team confirming your VLE login details. Once you have logged into the VLE, you should:

  • Access the ‘Course Information’ and ‘Welcome to the course’ areas.
  • Carry out any technical checks, including video checks.
  • View the VLE ’Online course tour’ and familiarise yourself with your learning environment.
  • Watch the Course Director’s welcome video.
  • Introduce yourself to the Course Director and other students using the general forum.
  • Access and carry out any pre-reading or activities for the course provided in the ‘Welcome to the course’ area.

Study week: Course delivery, video content and study time

  • You will be taught largely through a series of pre-recorded talks, designed to help you address different aspects of the main topic. These will be released on a daily basis, Monday to Friday. All of our videos are subtitled. There will also be an element of interactive work: a daily writing exercise to which you may respond by posting a short piece on the Student Forum on the Virtual Learning Environment (VLE). You may also, if you wish, post questions related to the day’s teaching and the associated daily writing exercise, to be answered by the tutor on a separate ‘Your Questions’ Forum. 
  • Please note: Your course director will read your posts daily, and will comment in broad terms on the group’s work, but it won’t be possible to provide feedback on individual exercise assignments, though questions arising from the assignment will be welcome. Depending on the number of questions, your tutor may have to work selectively. Where this applies, selection will tend to favour questions of general interest to the group as a whole. 
  • The first talk will be introductory, and thereafter a typical session might run as follows, with the Course Director providing: 
    • a broad account of the territory to be covered in the session 
    • close analysis of relevant published texts or images posted on the course VLE  
    • a writing exercise based on the session's focal concerns, and giving you guidelines and making you aware of key issues 
    • a summary of the session's concerns and a brief outline of the next day's focus
  • We suggest that you set aside around 2 hours each day to watch the videos, view course materials and resources, complete any related reading, pose questions and undertake the writing exercises. This does not need to be done in one sitting, you have the flexibility to access content when and where you want, and to go back and review it as often as you wish. 

At the end of the course

  • Content for each course will remain available on the VLE for 5 weeks after the course has finished
  • Course forums will close for postings on the Monday after the course, but existing messages will still be visible for 5 weeks after the course has finished
  • You will receive a certificate of participation via email within a week of your course finishing

Resources, reading lists and activities

During the course and up until 5 weeks after the course has finished you will have access to a number of learning resources which may include links to websites, readings and research papers. These are provided by the Course Director to support the teaching and will be available on the Virtual Learning Environment (VLE).

tab3name: 
Requirements
tab3html: 

Who can book?

Our Virtual Summer Festival of Learning is open to students aged 18-80+. Courses are taught at approximately first-year undergraduate level. Unless otherwise stated, you don’t need any previous knowledge or experience of the subject. Unfortunately we cannot accept bookings from anyone under the age of 18. However we are also running a Virtual Pre-University Programme for 16-18 years olds in July. 

English Language requirements:

To ensure that all participants are able to enjoy studying with us, you will need to be confident understanding and following arguments presented in written and spoken English at University level. 

If English is not your native language, you will need to satisfy yourself that you have an appropriate level of English language proficiency in line with the following recommended tests (achieved in the same sitting and no more than 2 years before the date of booking): 

  • IELTS Academic or IELTS Academic for UKVI: Overall band score of 6.5 or above (with no less than 6.5 in each of the four individual components) 
  • CPE (Cambridge English: Proficiency): Grade C or above or 200 points overall on the Cambridge English Scale 
  • CAE (Cambridge English Advanced): Grade A or B or 193 points overall on the Cambridge English Scale 

Alternatively, you may have undertaken all, or part, of your education in English and/or may have extensive experience using English on a regular basis in your professional life. On this basis, you could reasonably expect to fully participate in our Virtual Summer Festival of Learning. 

Technical requirements:

All of our courses will be delivered via our Virtual Learning Environment (VLE). You will receive access to the VLE a week before your course starts (see the Course schedule and delivery tab). Here you can study and learn online, access resources and activities, and interact with your Course Director and fellow students via the forums. 

You will need to have access to: 

  • the internet via a computer, laptop, tablet or other smart device  
  • speakers or headphones in order to hear pre-recorded course videos provided by the Course Director 
  • a webcam and microphone for any interactive Zoom sessions which may be available  

 When you first log into the VLE we recommend that you view the Online course tour. This will help you to familiarise yourself with the learning environment.  

Full instructions and support on how to use the VLE is available on request.  

Test Video

By playing the video below you can test your home set up to ensure you are able to access our pre-recorded course videos. 

Accessibility and additional support for students 

We make every effort to meet the requirements of those students with additional needs. Please let us know about any additional requirements as soon as possible so that we can offer you the support and advice you require before and during the Festival. Please note that all of our courses are subtitled. 

tab4name: 
Related courses
tab4html: 

You may wish to consider these additional related courses on offer in the Festival:

If you are able to study more than one course or for more than one week, you may wish to consider streams of related course subjects.  There will be many other options – this is just an illustration of possible course combinations:

Week 2: 5 July - 9 July  Writing fiction: plot
Week 4: 19 July - 23 July Writing non-fiction: lives - past and present
Week 5: 26 July - 30 July Adventures in fiction I: time

And don’t forget to watch the series of talks included in your course booking (usually charged at £50). Further details and a link to access the talks will be sent to you a week before the Festival starts.

tab5name: 
How to book
tab5html: 

Booking a course

To book a Festival course please click the Book Now button at the top of the course page. You will be taken to our secure bookings portal where you can set up an account using your email address, and pay for your course by credit or debit card.

All of our courses are limited to 50 places, in order to allow students and Course Directors the opportunity for interaction via the discussion forums on the VLE.

Bookings will remain open until midnight the day before the course starts. If your preferred course is full at the time of booking you can add yourself to a waiting list. You will be notified, by email, if a place becomes available. We recommend that you book early to avoid missing out.

Please note that if you book a place the weekend before a course starts, it may take up to 48 hours to process your application and notify you of your VLE log in details. You may therefore not have access until the end of the second day of the course, but can go back and review sessions which have already been released.

‘How to book a course’ video

Our short video below talks you through the necessary steps to register and create an account before booking on to your chosen course(s) via our secure payment portal.

Before booking, please ensure that you have read and understood our Booking terms and conditions

Talks

As part of our Summer Festival we will also be offering a series of talks showcasing the variety of subjects on offer here at the University, as well as research, global current affairs and a range of other topics.

By booking a Summer Festival course, you automatically qualify for free access to these talks (usually charged at £50). Further details and a link to access the talks will be sent to you a week before the Festival starts.

tab1order: 
1
tab2order: 
2
tab3order: 
3
tab4order: 
4
tab5order: 
5
Course Image version: 
100003
Study level ref: 

Read more at: Making sense of international migration

Making sense of international migration

Short description: 

In recent years, international migration has become a particularly divisive issue. The course will make sense of this complex phenomenon, and the politics surrounding it. It will set our modern fascination with migration in historical perspective, outline what we mean by ‘migration’, and interrogate the various perspectives upon it.

Course code: 
2021SFL415
Start date: 
Monday, 19 July, 2021 - 01:00 to Friday, 23 July, 2021 - 01:00
Apply by: 
Sunday, 18 July, 2021 - 01:00
Course tutor id: 
9387
Meetings: 
0
Course ID: 
30372
Tuition fee: 
£149
Course programme: 
Virtual Festival of Learning
Duration description: 
1 week
Non-accredited
Course photo: 
Address lines: 
Online
City or Town: 
Postcode: 
Venue: 
Virtual Festival of Learning
Single capacity: 
0
Double capacity: 
0
Twin capacity: 
0
Single usage: 
0
Double usage: 
0
Twin usage: 
0
Maximum places: 
50
Booked places: 
9
Course cancelled: 
false
course status ref: 
booking destination ref: 
Tutor role ref: 
Course Director
Purpose ref: 
Study mode ref: 
tab1name: 
Overview
tab1html: 

Learning outcomes:

This course has been designed to enable you to:

  • Be aware of the broad range of issues at play when we think about international migration
  • Be aware of the various debates on those issues
  • Be able to set migration in its full and proper context, particularly with regard to the history of liberal democracy. 

Course sessions:

1. International Migration: context & background 
In these first two short sessions (1a & 1b), we will discuss the current political climate around migration, before moving on to discuss the place of migration in our prehistory, as we advanced from a local to a global species.

2. International Migration: the invention of a 'problem', and the Age of Empire
In these two sessions (2a & 2b), we will explore how the emergence of the administrative nation state invented the idea and problem of 'international migration'. We will then examine how migration, and slavery in particular, in turn played a central role in building the modern world and its industrial economy.

3. Migration & Modernity: the role of international institutions, and the impact of migration on development
In these sessions (3a & 3b), we will examine the emergence, following the Second World War, of institutions to protect refugees, and to govern migration in general. We will then examine the various arguments for the effect of 'global south' emigration on home-country development.  

4. The Nature of Migration: perspectives on its effects and its causes
In these sessions (4a & 4b), we will explore the debates on the impact of immigration on 'global north' countries, before turning to how we can understand what 'drives' or 'causes' migration.

5. The Future of Migration: what we don't know about the climate, and what we know about society
In these final two sessions (5a & 5b), we will examine whether fears of 'climate migration' are valid, and look at future trends in migration, particularly with regard to human trafficking. 

Non-credit bearing

Please note that our Virtual Summer Festival of Learning courses are non-credit bearing.

Certificate of Participation

A certificate of participation will be sent to you electronically within a week of your Summer Festival course(s) finishing.

tab2name: 
Schedule and delivery
tab2html: 

Welcome week: Before the course starts

Courses are delivered online via our Virtual Learning Environment (VLE). A week before your course starts you will receive an email from our Teaching & Learning (TEL) team confirming your VLE login details. Once you have logged into the VLE, you should:

  • Access the ‘Course Information’ and ‘Welcome to the course’ areas.
  • Carry out any technical checks, including video checks.
  • View the VLE ’Online course tour’ and familiarise yourself with your learning environment.
  • Watch the Course Director’s welcome video.
  • Introduce yourself to the Course Director and other students using the general forum.
  • Access and carry out any pre-reading or activities for the course provided in the ‘Welcome to the course’ area.

Study week: Course delivery, video content and study time

  • You will be taught largely through a series of pre-recorded course videos.
  • Course videos will be released on a daily basis, Monday to Friday.
  • We suggest that you set aside around 1.5 hours each day to watch the course videos, view course materials and resources and complete any related reading, activities and discussions in the daily forums. This does not need to be done in one sitting, you have the flexibility to access content when and where you want, and to go back and review it as often as you wish.

At the end of the course

  • Content for each course will remain available on the VLE for 5 weeks after the course has finished
  • Course forums will close for postings on the Monday after the course, but existing messages will still be visible for 5 weeks after the course has finished
  • You will receive a certificate of participation via email within a week of your course finishing

Pre-recorded course videos

Courses include one or two videos per day, these are designed by the Course Director to help you address different aspects of the main topic. All of our course videos are subtitled.

Course discussion forums

There will also be the opportunity to engage in written form with other course participants and discuss questions set by the Course Director on the discussion forums. Your Course Director will launch a number of discussions on the daily forums and will generally respond to a selection of key questions and comments on a daily basis. You are encouraged to actively take part in these discussions to get the most out of the course and to add to your overall enjoyment.

Resources, reading lists and activities

During the course and up until 5 weeks after the course has finished you will have access to a number of learning resources which may include links to websites, readings and research papers. These are provided by the Course Director to support the teaching and will be available on the Virtual Learning Environment (VLE).

tab3name: 
Requirements
tab3html: 

Who can book?

Our Virtual Summer Festival of Learning is open to students aged 18-80+. Courses are taught at approximately first-year undergraduate level. Unless otherwise stated, you don’t need any previous knowledge or experience of the subject. Unfortunately we cannot accept bookings from anyone under the age of 18. However we are also running a Virtual Pre-University Programme for 16-18 years olds in July. 

English Language requirements:

To ensure that all participants are able to enjoy studying with us, you will need to be confident understanding and following arguments presented in written and spoken English at University level. 

If English is not your native language, you will need to satisfy yourself that you have an appropriate level of English language proficiency in line with the following recommended tests (achieved in the same sitting and no more than 2 years before the date of booking): 

  • IELTS Academic or IELTS Academic for UKVI: Overall band score of 6.5 or above (with no less than 6.5 in each of the four individual components) 
  • CPE (Cambridge English: Proficiency): Grade C or above or 200 points overall on the Cambridge English Scale 
  • CAE (Cambridge English Advanced): Grade A or B or 193 points overall on the Cambridge English Scale 

Alternatively, you may have undertaken all, or part, of your education in English and/or may have extensive experience using English on a regular basis in your professional life. On this basis, you could reasonably expect to fully participate in our Virtual Summer Festival of Learning. 

Technical requirements:

All of our courses will be delivered via our Virtual Learning Environment (VLE). You will receive access to the VLE a week before your course starts (see the Course schedule and delivery tab). Here you can study and learn online, access resources and activities, and interact with your Course Director and fellow students via the forums. 

You will need to have access to: 

  • the internet via a computer, laptop, tablet or other smart device  
  • speakers or headphones in order to hear pre-recorded course videos provided by the Course Director 
  • a webcam and microphone for any interactive Zoom sessions which may be available  

 When you first log into the VLE we recommend that you view the Online course tour. This will help you to familiarise yourself with the learning environment.  

Full instructions and support on how to use the VLE is available on request.  

Test Video

By playing the video below you can test your home set up to ensure you are able to access our pre-recorded course videos. 

Accessibility and additional support for students 

We make every effort to meet the requirements of those students with additional needs. Please let us know about any additional requirements as soon as possible so that we can offer you the support and advice you require before and during the Festival. Please note that all of our courses are subtitled.

tab4name: 
Related courses
tab4html: 

You may wish to consider these additional related courses on offer in the Festival:

If you are able to study more than one course or for more than one week, you may wish to consider streams of related course subjects.  There will be many other options – this is just an illustration of possible course combinations:

Week 1: 28 June - 2 July  The impact of social media: historical, cultural and political perspectives
Week 2: 5 July - 9 July  International Human rights: war, conflict and the responsibility to protect
Week 3: 12 July - 16 July International development: past present and future

And don’t forget to watch the series of talks included in your course booking (usually charged at £50). Further details and a link to access the talks will be sent to you a week before the Festival starts.

tab5name: 
How to book
tab5html: 

Booking a course

To book a Festival course please click the Book Now button at the top of the course page. You will be taken to our secure bookings portal where you can set up an account using your email address, and pay for your course by credit or debit card.

All of our courses are limited to 50 places, in order to allow students and Course Directors the opportunity for interaction via the discussion forums on the VLE.

Bookings will remain open until midnight the day before the course starts. If your preferred course is full at the time of booking you can add yourself to a waiting list. You will be notified, by email, if a place becomes available. We recommend that you book early to avoid missing out.

Please note that if you book a place the weekend before a course starts, it may take up to 48 hours to process your application and notify you of your VLE log in details. You may therefore not have access until the end of the second day of the course, but can go back and review sessions which have already been released.

‘How to book a course’ video

Our short video below talks you through the necessary steps to register and create an account before booking on to your chosen course(s) via our secure payment portal.

Before booking, please ensure that you have read and understood our Booking terms and conditions

Talks

As part of our Summer Festival we will also be offering a series of talks showcasing the variety of subjects on offer here at the University, as well as research, global current affairs and a range of other topics.

By booking a Summer Festival course, you automatically qualify for free access to these talks (usually charged at £50). Further details and a link to access the talks will be sent to you a week before the Festival starts.

tab1order: 
1
tab2order: 
2
tab3order: 
3
tab4order: 
4
tab5order: 
5
Course Image version: 
100003
Study level ref: 

Read more at: International development: past, present and future

International development: past, present and future

Short description: 

Development has been a central plank of international relations and diplomacy since the end of the Second World War. In that time it has taken various forms. This course will explore its past to understand its present, and its present to understand its future, particularly given our changing climate and global order.

Course code: 
2021SFL315
Start date: 
Monday, 12 July, 2021 - 01:00 to Friday, 16 July, 2021 - 01:00
Apply by: 
Sunday, 11 July, 2021 - 01:00
Course tutor id: 
9387
Meetings: 
0
Course ID: 
30358
Tuition fee: 
£149
Course programme: 
Virtual Festival of Learning
Duration description: 
1 week
Non-accredited
Course photo: 
Address lines: 
Online
City or Town: 
Postcode: 
Venue: 
Virtual Summer Festival of Learning
Single capacity: 
0
Double capacity: 
0
Twin capacity: 
0
Single usage: 
0
Double usage: 
0
Twin usage: 
0
Maximum places: 
50
Booked places: 
14
Course cancelled: 
false
course status ref: 
booking destination ref: 
Tutor role ref: 
Course Director
Purpose ref: 
Study mode ref: 
tab1name: 
Overview
tab1html: 

Learning outcomes:

This course has been designed to enable you to:

  • Understand the history of international development
  • Understand the key challenges of international development
  • Understand our own relationship to the whole topic and imperative of international development, and to think about it critically

Course sessions:

1. Our faith in Development: The concept and its origins
In these first two lectures (1a & 1b), we will first explore the idea that the history of international development is best understood as the story of a secular faith. We will then explore how its basic tenets are products of the a particular culture and philosophical bearing. 

2. The Cold War Era: The early years of International Development
In lectures 2a and 2b, we will examine the political and economic circumstance that led to the founding of international development following the Second World War, and the first truly systematic approach to development that emerged in the 1950s and 1960s. 

3. The Development Phoenix: Postcolonial critiques of Development, and the re-emergence of the Neoliberal Approach  
In lectures 3a and 3b, we will examine first the dependency theory critiques of international development that were developed in the 1970s, before moving on to discuss the market-driven approaches that were its hallmark in the 1980s and 1990s. 

4. Development in a Multipolar World: Post-development critiques, People-centred Development, & The Age of Intervention 
Lectures 4a and 4b will review the post-development critiques that emerged in the 1980s and 1990s. It will then explore the new model of development that emerged in the late nineties, before exploring development in the so-called 'Age of Intervention'. Students are encouraged to watch Rory Stewart's TED talk, 'Time to End the War in Afghanistan' before watching lecture 4b (the link will be provided on the Virtual Learning Environment).

5. Development and its current challenges: Climate change & China  
In lectures 5a and 5b, we will end by discussing the prospects of international development, as constructed by the liberal democracies, in the face of its two major challenges: climate change, and the growing international influence of China. 

Non-credit bearing

Please note that our Virtual Summer Festival of Learning courses are non-credit bearing.

Certificate of Participation

A certificate of participation will be sent to you electronically within a week of your Summer Festival course(s) finishing.

tab2name: 
Schedule and delivery
tab2html: 

Welcome week: Before the course starts

Courses are delivered online via our Virtual Learning Environment (VLE). A week before your course starts you will receive an email from our Teaching & Learning (TEL) team confirming your VLE login details. Once you have logged into the VLE, you should:

  • Access the ‘Course Information’ and ‘Welcome to the course’ areas.
  • Carry out any technical checks, including video checks.
  • View the VLE ’Online course tour’ and familiarise yourself with your learning environment.
  • Watch the Course Director’s welcome video.
  • Introduce yourself to the Course Director and other students using the general forum.
  • Access and carry out any pre-reading or activities for the course provided in the ‘Welcome to the course’ area.

Study week: Course delivery, video content and study time

  • You will be taught largely through a series of pre-recorded course videos.
  • Course videos will be released on a daily basis, Monday to Friday.
  • We suggest that you set aside around 1.5 hours each day to watch the course videos, view course materials and resources and complete any related reading, activities and discussions in the daily forums. This does not need to be done in one sitting, you have the flexibility to access content when and where you want, and to go back and review it as often as you wish.

At the end of the course

  • Content for each course will remain available on the VLE for 5 weeks after the course has finished
  • Course forums will close for postings on the Monday after the course, but existing messages will still be visible for 5 weeks after the course has finished
  • You will receive a certificate of participation via email within a week of your course finishing

Pre-recorded course videos

Courses include one or two videos per day, these are designed by the Course Director to help you address different aspects of the main topic. All of our course videos are subtitled.

Course discussion forums

There will also be the opportunity to engage in written form with other course participants and discuss questions set by the Course Director on the discussion forums. Your Course Director will launch a number of discussions on the daily forums and will generally respond to a selection of key questions and comments on a daily basis. You are encouraged to actively take part in these discussions to get the most out of the course and to add to your overall enjoyment.

Resources, reading lists and activities

During the course and up until 5 weeks after the course has finished you will have access to a number of learning resources which may include links to websites, readings and research papers. These are provided by the Course Director to support the teaching and will be available on the Virtual Learning Environment (VLE).

tab3name: 
Requirements
tab3html: 

Who can book?

Our Virtual Summer Festival of Learning is open to students aged 18-80+. Courses are taught at approximately first-year undergraduate level. Unless otherwise stated, you don’t need any previous knowledge or experience of the subject. Unfortunately we cannot accept bookings from anyone under the age of 18. However we are also running a Virtual Pre-University Programme for 16-18 years olds in July. 

English Language requirements:

To ensure that all participants are able to enjoy studying with us, you will need to be confident understanding and following arguments presented in written and spoken English at University level. 

If English is not your native language, you will need to satisfy yourself that you have an appropriate level of English language proficiency in line with the following recommended tests (achieved in the same sitting and no more than 2 years before the date of booking): 

  • IELTS Academic or IELTS Academic for UKVI: Overall band score of 6.5 or above (with no less than 6.5 in each of the four individual components) 
  • CPE (Cambridge English: Proficiency): Grade C or above or 200 points overall on the Cambridge English Scale 
  • CAE (Cambridge English Advanced): Grade A or B or 193 points overall on the Cambridge English Scale 

Alternatively, you may have undertaken all, or part, of your education in English and/or may have extensive experience using English on a regular basis in your professional life. On this basis, you could reasonably expect to fully participate in our Virtual Summer Festival of Learning. 

Technical requirements:

All of our courses will be delivered via our Virtual Learning Environment (VLE). You will receive access to the VLE a week before your course starts (see the Course schedule and delivery tab). Here you can study and learn online, access resources and activities, and interact with your Course Director and fellow students via the forums. 

You will need to have access to: 

  • the internet via a computer, laptop, tablet or other smart device  
  • speakers or headphones in order to hear pre-recorded course videos provided by the Course Director 
  • a webcam and microphone for any interactive Zoom sessions which may be available  

 When you first log into the VLE we recommend that you view the Online course tour. This will help you to familiarise yourself with the learning environment.  

Full instructions and support on how to use the VLE is available on request.  

Test Video

By playing the video below you can test your home set up to ensure you are able to access our pre-recorded course videos. 

Accessibility and additional support for students 

We make every effort to meet the requirements of those students with additional needs. Please let us know about any additional requirements as soon as possible so that we can offer you the support and advice you require before and during the Festival. Please note that all of our courses are subtitled.

tab4name: 
Related courses
tab4html: 

You may wish to consider these additional related courses on offer in the Festival:

If you are able to study more than one course or for more than one week, you may wish to consider streams of related course subjects.  There will be many other options – this is just an illustration of possible course combinations:

Week 1: 28 June - 2 July  The impact of social media: historical, cultural and political perspectives
Week 2: 5 July - 9 July  International Human rights: war, conflict and the responsibility to protect
Week 4: 19 July - 23 July Making sense of international migration and/or The Cherokee: from first contact to forced removal

And don’t forget to watch the series of talks included in your course booking (usually charged at £50). Further details and a link to access the talks will be sent to you a week before the Festival starts.

tab5name: 
How to book
tab5html: 

Booking a course

To book a Festival course please click the Book Now button at the top of the course page. You will be taken to our secure bookings portal where you can set up an account using your email address, and pay for your course by credit or debit card.

All of our courses are limited to 50 places, in order to allow students and Course Directors the opportunity for interaction via the discussion forums on the VLE.

Bookings will remain open until midnight the day before the course starts. If your preferred course is full at the time of booking you can add yourself to a waiting list. You will be notified, by email, if a place becomes available. We recommend that you book early to avoid missing out.

Please note that if you book a place the weekend before a course starts, it may take up to 48 hours to process your application and notify you of your VLE log in details. You may therefore not have access until the end of the second day of the course, but can go back and review sessions which have already been released.

‘How to book a course’ video

Our short video below talks you through the necessary steps to register and create an account before booking on to your chosen course(s) via our secure payment portal.

Before booking, please ensure that you have read and understood our Booking terms and conditions

Talks

As part of our Summer Festival we will also be offering a series of talks showcasing the variety of subjects on offer here at the University, as well as research, global current affairs and a range of other topics.

By booking a Summer Festival course, you automatically qualify for free access to these talks (usually charged at £50). Further details and a link to access the talks will be sent to you a week before the Festival starts.

tab1order: 
1
tab2order: 
2
tab3order: 
3
tab4order: 
4
tab5order: 
5
Course Image version: 
100003
Study level ref: 

Read more at: The impact of social media: historical, cultural and political perspectives

The impact of social media: historical, cultural and political perspectives

Short description: 

The impact of social media on our politics has been rapid and profound. But what, precisely, is it changing? Why, ultimately, does it matter? And how, exactly, can we mitigate its worst effects? This course explores these questions, and sets social media in its proper historical, cultural and political context.

Course code: 
2021SFL112
Start date: 
Monday, 28 June, 2021 - 01:00 to Friday, 2 July, 2021 - 01:00
Apply by: 
Sunday, 27 June, 2021 - 01:00
Course tutor id: 
9387
Meetings: 
0
Course ID: 
30334
Tuition fee: 
£149
Course programme: 
Virtual Festival of Learning
Duration description: 
1 week
Non-accredited
Course photo: 
Address lines: 
Online
City or Town: 
Postcode: 
Venue: 
Virtual Festival of Learning
Single capacity: 
0
Double capacity: 
0
Twin capacity: 
0
Single usage: 
0
Double usage: 
0
Twin usage: 
0
Maximum places: 
50
Booked places: 
10
Course cancelled: 
false
course status ref: 
booking destination ref: 
Tutor role ref: 
Course Director
Purpose ref: 
Study mode ref: 
tab1name: 
Overview
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Learning outcomes:

This course has been designed to enable you to:

  • Understand the true economic nature and ultimate political effect of social media
  • Have gained a sense of the full political, cultural and historical context of social media's effect on society
  • Have gained a sense of perspective on the significance of social media as an evolution in human communication technology, relative to its comparables throughout history

Course sessions:

1. The 21st Century & The Nature of Social Media
Lecture 1a provides an overview of our current moment, as liberal democracy faces increasingly political polarity, a polarity that is being exacerbated by social media. 
Lecture 1b argues that the divisive role of social media is hardly surprising once one gains an insight on its surprising origins, and startling business model. 

2. Social Media's Challenge to Liberalism & Modernity
Lecture 2a outlines the emphatic challenge social media poses to several decades of liberalism, which has been the basis of the international order since the middle of the 20th century. 
Lecture 2b then explores the challenge social media poses to several centuries of modernity, emphasising the symmetrical but counterveiling relationship its invention has with that of the printing press. 

3. Social Media's Challenge to the Nature of Complex Society
Lecture 3a outlines the challenge social media poses to several millennia of temporality. Does it mark the 'end of history’? 
Lecture 3b then considers the true comparables for social media, in terms of previous evolutions in our communications technology. They are not what we think. 

4. Social Media as a Vector for Ideological Contagion
Lecture 4a examines the relationship between neoliberalism and social media, and sheds light on some hidden and counter-intuitive consequences of this infernal pairing. 
Lecture 4b explores the consequences of seeing social media as a vector for ideological contagion. If we seek a cure, we first need to know the nature of the disease. 

5. The Future of a Digitally Mediated Society
Lecture 5a considers how we may inoculate our minds against the ideological bewitchments that have been intensified through social media. The solutions don't lie where we typically think. 
Lecture 5b concludes this course by considering our current moment as a liminal stage in human history. But what is liminality, and what tends to happen? How will the story of social media end? 

Non-credit bearing

Please note that our Virtual Summer Festival of Learning courses are non-credit bearing.

Certificate of Participation

A certificate of participation will be sent to you electronically within a week of your Summer Festival course(s) finishing.

tab2name: 
Schedule and delivery
tab2html: 

Welcome week: Before the course starts

Courses are delivered online via our Virtual Learning Environment (VLE). A week before your course starts you will receive an email from our Teaching & Learning (TEL) team confirming your VLE login details. Once you have logged into the VLE, you should:

  • Access the ‘Course Information’ and ‘Welcome to the course’ areas.
  • Carry out any technical checks, including video checks.
  • View the VLE ’Online course tour’ and familiarise yourself with your learning environment.
  • Watch the Course Director’s welcome video.
  • Introduce yourself to the Course Director and other students using the general forum.
  • Access and carry out any pre-reading or activities for the course provided in the ‘Welcome to the course’ area.

Study week: Course delivery, video content and study time

  • You will be taught largely through a series of pre-recorded course videos.
  • Course videos will be released on a daily basis, Monday to Friday.
  • We suggest that you set aside around 1.5 hours each day to watch the course videos, view course materials and resources and complete any related reading, activities and discussions in the daily forums. This does not need to be done in one sitting, you have the flexibility to access content when and where you want, and to go back and review it as often as you wish.

At the end of the course

  • Content for each course will remain available on the VLE for 5 weeks after the course has finished
  • Course forums will close for postings on the Monday after the course, but existing messages will still be visible for 5 weeks after the course has finished
  • You will receive a certificate of participation via email within a week of your course finishing

Pre-recorded course videos

Courses include one or two videos per day, these are designed by the Course Director to help you address different aspects of the main topic. All of our course videos are subtitled.

Course discussion forums

There will also be the opportunity to engage in written form with other course participants and discuss questions set by the Course Director on the discussion forums. Your Course Director will launch a number of discussions on the daily forums and will generally respond to a selection of key questions and comments on a daily basis. You are encouraged to actively take part in these discussions to get the most out of the course and to add to your overall enjoyment.

Resources, reading lists and activities

During the course and up until 5 weeks after the course has finished you will have access to a number of learning resources which may include links to websites, readings and research papers. These are provided by the Course Director to support the teaching and will be available on the Virtual Learning Environment (VLE).

tab3name: 
Requirements
tab3html: 

Who can book?

Our Virtual Summer Festival of Learning is open to students aged 18-80+. Courses are taught at approximately first-year undergraduate level. Unless otherwise stated, you don’t need any previous knowledge or experience of the subject. Unfortunately we cannot accept bookings from anyone under the age of 18. However we are also running a Virtual Pre-University Programme for 16-18 years olds in July. 

English Language requirements:

To ensure that all participants are able to enjoy studying with us, you will need to be confident understanding and following arguments presented in written and spoken English at University level. 

If English is not your native language, you will need to satisfy yourself that you have an appropriate level of English language proficiency in line with the following recommended tests (achieved in the same sitting and no more than 2 years before the date of booking): 

  • IELTS Academic or IELTS Academic for UKVI: Overall band score of 6.5 or above (with no less than 6.5 in each of the four individual components) 
  • CPE (Cambridge English: Proficiency): Grade C or above or 200 points overall on the Cambridge English Scale 
  • CAE (Cambridge English Advanced): Grade A or B or 193 points overall on the Cambridge English Scale 

Alternatively, you may have undertaken all, or part, of your education in English and/or may have extensive experience using English on a regular basis in your professional life. On this basis, you could reasonably expect to fully participate in our Virtual Summer Festival of Learning. 

Technical requirements:

All of our courses will be delivered via our Virtual Learning Environment (VLE). You will receive access to the VLE a week before your course starts (see the Course schedule and delivery tab). Here you can study and learn online, access resources and activities, and interact with your Course Director and fellow students via the forums. 

You will need to have access to: 

  • the internet via a computer, laptop, tablet or other smart device  
  • speakers or headphones in order to hear pre-recorded course videos provided by the Course Director 
  • a webcam and microphone for any interactive Zoom sessions which may be available  

 When you first log into the VLE we recommend that you view the Online course tour. This will help you to familiarise yourself with the learning environment.  

Full instructions and support on how to use the VLE is available on request.  

Test Video

By playing the video below you can test your home set up to ensure you are able to access our pre-recorded course videos. 

Accessibility and additional support for students 

We make every effort to meet the requirements of those students with additional needs. Please let us know about any additional requirements as soon as possible so that we can offer you the support and advice you require before and during the Festival. Please note that all of our courses are subtitled.

tab4name: 
Related courses
tab4html: 

You may wish to consider these additional related courses on offer in the Festival:

If you are able to study more than one course or for more than one week, you may wish to consider streams of related course subjects.  There will be many other options – this is just an illustration of possible course combinations:

Week 2: 5 July - 9 July  Five adventures in the history of British political thought
Week 3: 12 July - 16 July Challenges to the global order
Week 4: 19 July - 23 July Making sense of international migration   

And don’t forget to watch the series of talks included in your course booking (usually charged at £50). Further details and a link to access the talks will be sent to you a week before the Festival starts.

tab5name: 
How to book
tab5html: 

Booking a course

To book a Festival course please click the Book Now button at the top of the course page. You will be taken to our secure bookings portal where you can set up an account using your email address, and pay for your course by credit or debit card.

All of our courses are limited to 50 places, in order to allow students and Course Directors the opportunity for interaction via the discussion forums on the VLE.

Bookings will remain open until midnight the day before the course starts. If your preferred course is full at the time of booking you can add yourself to a waiting list. You will be notified, by email, if a place becomes available. We recommend that you book early to avoid missing out.

Please note that if you book a place the weekend before a course starts, it may take up to 48 hours to process your application and notify you of your VLE log in details. You may therefore not have access until the end of the second day of the course, but can go back and review sessions which have already been released.

‘How to book a course’ video

Our short video below talks you through the necessary steps to register and create an account before booking on to your chosen course(s) via our secure payment portal.

Before booking, please ensure that you have read and understood our Booking terms and conditions

Talks

As part of our Summer Festival we will also be offering a series of talks showcasing the variety of subjects on offer here at the University, as well as research, global current affairs and a range of other topics.

By booking a Summer Festival course, you automatically qualify for free access to these talks (usually charged at £50). Further details and a link to access the talks will be sent to you a week before the Festival starts.

tab1order: 
1
tab2order: 
2
tab3order: 
3
tab4order: 
4
tab5order: 
5
Course Image version: 
100003
Study level ref: 

Read more at: Trajectories and turning points: an introduction to the sociology of the life course

Trajectories and turning points: an introduction to the sociology of the life course

Short description: 

In this course, you will explore how your life may have been shaped by wider social processes. What is the impact of society on key turning points in your life, and to what extent are the choices you make your own? Sociological research on childhood, adolescence, adulthood and old age will be analysed to frame an understanding of your personal experience.

Subject ref: 
Course code: 
2021SFL503
Start date: 
Monday, 26 July, 2021 - 01:00 to Friday, 30 July, 2021 - 01:00
Apply by: 
Sunday, 25 July, 2021 - 01:00
Course tutor id: 
1518
Course ID: 
30317
Tuition fee: 
£149
Course programme: 
Virtual Festival of Learning
Duration description: 
1 week
Non-accredited
Course photo: 
Address lines: 
Online
City or Town: 
Postcode: 
Venue: 
Virtual Festival of Learning
Single capacity: 
0
Double capacity: 
0
Twin capacity: 
0
Single usage: 
0
Double usage: 
0
Twin usage: 
0
Maximum places: 
50
Booked places: 
14
Course cancelled: 
false
course status ref: 
booking destination ref: 
Tutor role ref: 
Course Director
Purpose ref: 
Study mode ref: 
tab1name: 
Overview
tab1html: 

Learning outcomes:

This course has been designed to enable students to:

  • Identify and explain a range of concepts associated with the study of the life course including socialisation, social role, turning points, life chances and life trajectory;
  • Apply life course concepts and research to their personal experience as a mechanism to illuminate the social processes shaping their biography;
  • Critically evaluate sociological approaches to stages of the life course (childhood, adolescence, adulthood and old age) and consider their value for understanding how people make sense of their daily life.

Course sessions:

1. Cradle to grave? An introduction to the sociology of the life course
Research into the life course indicates that the stages and transitions experienced throughout our biography, including childhood, youth, adulthood and old age, are not simply determined by biology. Instead, these periods of the life course are also socially defined, made meaningful by society, and marked by specific rites of passage. Session 1 will provide you with an introduction to the concepts and theories sociologists have used to investigate and explain change throughout the life course.

2. The social construction and crisis accounts of childhood
In this session we will review evidence about the social construction of childhood. What is the dominant view of childhood in contemporary society and how has it changed over time? Subsequently, we will explore the development of ‘crisis accounts’ of childhood (for example in politics and the mass media) in contemporary society. We will then examine reasons for the development of crisis accounts of childhood and explore the possible future of childhood.

3. Life chances: The impact of social class on the life course
In Session 3, we take a minor detour to examine the effects of social class or socio-economic group on the life chances and the life course of people. How is social class defined, what is ‘classism’, does class shape our identity, and how does it affect our chances of obtaining desirable resources? You will consider the impact of social class on educational and health inequalities drawing on both personal experience and appropriate research findings.

4. Adolescence, adulthood and parenting
The transition to adulthood is often accompanied by experimentation with personal identity in adolescence and the formation of ‘youth cultures’. In this session, we will explore definitions of youth and adulthood, research on the formation of ‘youth cultures’, and the issue of parenting in contemporary society. Variations in parenting style will be examined and their impact on children will be considered. How are our experiences of youth and parenting shaped by wider social forces?

5. Old age, death and bereavement
Our exploration of the impact of various social, economic and political forces on individual biography will conclude by considering the experience of old age in contemporary society. How is old age socially constructed, how do we adapt to the experience of ageing and how does ageing affect our life chances? We will also briefly consider sociological approached to dying, death and bereavement. Session 5 will conclude with a summary of the trajectories and turning points course.

Non-credit bearing

Please note that our Virtual Summer Festival of Learning courses are non-credit bearing.

Certificate of Participation

A certificate of participation will be sent to you electronically within a week of your Summer Festival course(s) finishing.

tab2name: 
Schedule and delivery
tab2html: 

Welcome week: Before the course starts

Courses are delivered online via our Virtual Learning Environment (VLE). A week before your course starts you will receive an email from our Teaching & Learning (TEL) team confirming your VLE login details. Once you have logged into the VLE, you should:

  • Access the ‘Course Information’ and ‘Welcome to the course’ areas.
  • Carry out any technical checks, including video checks.
  • View the VLE ’Online course tour’ and familiarise yourself with your learning environment.
  • Watch the Course Director’s welcome video.
  • Introduce yourself to the Course Director and other students using the general forum.
  • Access and carry out any pre-reading or activities for the course provided in the ‘Welcome to the course’ area.

Study week: Course delivery, video content and study time

  • You will be taught largely through a series of pre-recorded course videos.
  • Course videos will be released on a daily basis, Monday to Friday.
  • We suggest that you set aside around 1.5 hours each day to watch the course videos, view course materials and resources and complete any related reading, activities and discussions in the daily forums. This does not need to be done in one sitting, you have the flexibility to access content when and where you want, and to go back and review it as often as you wish.

At the end of the course

  • Content for each course will remain available on the VLE for 5 weeks after the course has finished
  • Course forums will close for postings on the Monday after the course, but existing messages will still be visible for 5 weeks after the course has finished
  • You will receive a certificate of participation via email within a week of your course finishing

Pre-recorded course videos

Courses include one or two videos per day, these are designed by the Course Director to help you address different aspects of the main topic. All of our course videos are subtitled.

Course discussion forums

There will also be the opportunity to engage in written form with other course participants and discuss questions set by the Course Director on the discussion forums. Your Course Director will launch a number of discussions on the daily forums and will generally respond to a selection of key questions and comments on a daily basis. You are encouraged to actively take part in these discussions to get the most out of the course and to add to your overall enjoyment.

Resources, reading lists and activities

During the course and up until 5 weeks after the course has finished you will have access to a number of learning resources which may include links to websites, readings and research papers. These are provided by the Course Director to support the teaching and will be available on the Virtual Learning Environment (VLE).

tab3name: 
Requirements
tab3html: 

Who can book?

Our Virtual Summer Festival of Learning is open to students aged 18-80+. Courses are taught at approximately first-year undergraduate level. Unless otherwise stated, you don’t need any previous knowledge or experience of the subject. Unfortunately we cannot accept bookings from anyone under the age of 18. However we are also running a Virtual Pre-University Programme for 16-18 years olds in July. 

English Language requirements:

To ensure that all participants are able to enjoy studying with us, you will need to be confident understanding and following arguments presented in written and spoken English at University level. 

If English is not your native language, you will need to satisfy yourself that you have an appropriate level of English language proficiency in line with the following recommended tests (achieved in the same sitting and no more than 2 years before the date of booking): 

  • IELTS Academic or IELTS Academic for UKVI: Overall band score of 6.5 or above (with no less than 6.5 in each of the four individual components) 
  • CPE (Cambridge English: Proficiency): Grade C or above or 200 points overall on the Cambridge English Scale 
  • CAE (Cambridge English Advanced): Grade A or B or 193 points overall on the Cambridge English Scale 

Alternatively, you may have undertaken all, or part, of your education in English and/or may have extensive experience using English on a regular basis in your professional life. On this basis, you could reasonably expect to fully participate in our Virtual Summer Festival of Learning. 

Technical requirements:

All of our courses will be delivered via our Virtual Learning Environment (VLE). You will receive access to the VLE a week before your course starts (see the Course schedule and delivery tab). Here you can study and learn online, access resources and activities, and interact with your Course Director and fellow students via the forums. 

You will need to have access to: 

  • the internet via a computer, laptop, tablet or other smart device  
  • speakers or headphones in order to hear pre-recorded course videos provided by the Course Director 
  • a webcam and microphone for any interactive Zoom sessions which may be available  

 When you first log into the VLE we recommend that you view the Online course tour. This will help you to familiarise yourself with the learning environment.  

Full instructions and support on how to use the VLE is available on request.  

Test Video

By playing the video below you can test your home set up to ensure you are able to access our pre-recorded course videos. 

Accessibility and additional support for students 

We make every effort to meet the requirements of those students with additional needs. Please let us know about any additional requirements as soon as possible so that we can offer you the support and advice you require before and during the Festival. Please note that all of our courses are subtitled.

tab4name: 
Related courses
tab4html: 

You may wish to consider these additional related courses on offer in the Festival:

If you are able to study more than one course or for more than one week, you may wish to consider streams of related course subjects.  There will be many other options – this is just an illustration of possible course combinations:

Week 3: 12 July - 16 July An introduction to social psychology
Week 4: 19 July - 23 July Introduction to mental health

And don’t forget to watch the series of talks included in your course booking (usually charged at £50). Further details and a link to access the talks will be sent to you a week before the Festival starts.

tab5name: 
How to book
tab5html: 

Booking a course

To book a Festival course please click the Book Now button at the top of the course page. You will be taken to our secure bookings portal where you can set up an account using your email address, and pay for your course by credit or debit card.

All of our courses are limited to 50 places, in order to allow students and Course Directors the opportunity for interaction via the discussion forums on the VLE.

Bookings will remain open until midnight the day before the course starts. If your preferred course is full at the time of booking you can add yourself to a waiting list. You will be notified, by email, if a place becomes available. We recommend that you book early to avoid missing out.

Please note that if you book a place the weekend before a course starts, it may take up to 48 hours to process your application and notify you of your VLE log in details. You may therefore not have access until the end of the second day of the course, but can go back and review sessions which have already been released.

‘How to book a course’ video

Our short video below talks you through the necessary steps to register and create an account before booking on to your chosen course(s) via our secure payment portal.

Before booking, please ensure that you have read and understood our Booking terms and conditions

Talks

As part of our Summer Festival we will also be offering a series of talks showcasing the variety of subjects on offer here at the University, as well as research, global current affairs and a range of other topics.

By booking a Summer Festival course, you automatically qualify for free access to these talks (usually charged at £50). Further details and a link to access the talks will be sent to you a week before the Festival starts.

tab1order: 
1
tab2order: 
2
tab3order: 
3
tab4order: 
4
tab5order: 
5
Course Image version: 
100003
Study level ref: