Taster Materials for History

The samples featured here mostly come from OpenLearn and iTunes U. They are taken from various points in the courses - some are relatively simple introductions but others are more complex extracts from the later weeks. Remember you can also view course books and study guides at many public libraries and at OU regional and national centres.

Level 1

The arts past and present (AA100)

• iTunesU albums are available on The Diva (study week 8), Ireland - heritage and collective identity (study week 15), the Benin Bronzes (study week 18) and Mosaics from Brading Villa on the Isle of Wight (study week 28); or go to the OU podcasts version (search for aa100)

Making sense of things: an introduction to material culture (A151)

• An introduction to material culture on OpenLearn asks Why study things? Or put another way, what can we learn from objects that we can’t find out from the reading of texts? (2 hours)
• There are 2 albums of audio visual content on iTunes U, or on OU podcasts if you don't use iTunes: Exploring Greek vases watch on iTunes U | OU podcasts; and Repatriation and returning remains watch on iTunes U | OU podcasts.

Small country, big history: themes in the history of Wales (A182)

• Welsh history and its sources on OpenLearn provides a short programme of study devoted to a very specific topic, but much of the material included here can be used and studied in a variety of ways (25 hours).

Voices and texts (A150)

• Speeches and speech-making on OpenLearn explores an aspect of language use where 'voices' and 'texts' converge: the art of speech-making. (1 hour)

Level 2

Exploring History: Medieval to Modern 1400-1900 (A200)

• there are two units on OpenLearn: The origins of the wars of the three kingdoms (study week 14, 12 hours) focuses on the 17th-century crises in the British Isles that led, in the 1640s, to the Civil Wars between parliamentarians and royalists in England; Dundee, jute and empire (study week 29, 12 hours) focuses on the economics of empire, using a case study of one town, Dundee, to explore this huge topic
• the Exploring History album on iTunes U presents the connections between Britain and its empire, Belgium's colonial past, the layout of Jacques Coeur's mansion, the decoration of Jacques Coeur's mansion, Religious symbolism in Beauchamp chapel, the effigy of Beauchamp, and Beauchamp: a medieval chapel; or go to the OU podcasts version.

Medicine and Society in Europe 1500-1930 (A218)

• there is a unit on OpenLearn: Medicine transformed: on access to health care (15 hours)
• the course information website also has additional information about the CD-ROM, 'kill or cure?' which challenges preconceptions about medicine in the past and answers some frequently asked questions.

Understanding global heritage (AD281)

• iTunes U albums on Carnival and the performance of heritage, Social housing and working class heritage, Museums in contemporary society,
  Changing approaches to heritage; or go to the OU podcasts versions (search for ad281)
• the course information website links to an interactive Google Earth map exploring the major sites you will study
• there's a brief video introduction by the course chair, Dr Rodney Harrison, on YouTube.

From Enlightenment to Romanticism c.1780-1830 (A207)

• 10 units on OpenLearn explore the following subjects: The Enlightenment (study week 0, 16 hours); Hume (study week 3, 16 hours); The French Revolution (study week 5, 16 hours); Goya (study week 6, 5 hours); Napoleonic paintings (study week 8, 16 hours); William Wilberforce (study week 10, 16 hours); Robert Owen and New Lanark (study weeks 17 and 18, 12 hours); Schubert's Lieder: settings of Goethe's poems (study week 27, 16 hours); Brighton Pavilion (study week 30, 16 hours); Delacroix (study week 32, 16 hours).
• there are albums on iTunes U on the following topics: Analysing European Romanticism; Re-assessing the Marquis de Sade; and Wordsworth re-visited. These are also available from OU Podcasts - search for a207.

Level 3

Europe 1914-1989: war, peace, modernity (A327)

• You can watch a short video on YouTube introducing the scope of topics and some of the issues covered by this module.

MA History

• The MA History website includes a sample study planner, extracts from the study material and suggestions to help you decide if you are ready for MA study.