CL3BSR-British School at Rome Undergraduate Summer School

Module Provider: Classics
Number of credits: 20 [10 ECTS credits]
Level:6
Terms in which taught: Autumn term module
Pre-requisites:
Non-modular pre-requisites:
Co-requisites:
Modules excluded:
Current from: 2023/4

Module Convenor: Dr Andreas Gavrielatos
Email: a.gavrielatos@reading.ac.uk

Type of module:

Summary module description:
Students enrolled for this module will make an application to the British School at Rome for study on the School's undergraduate summer school programme. If accepted, they can then complete two 2,000 word essays drawing on their time in Rome for academic credit within the module CL3BSR.

Aims:
This module is offered in conjunction with the British School at Rome.
This module consists of the BSR's undergraduate summer school, currently taught in Rome by Dr Robert Coates-Stevens. The residential course provides an intensive introduction to the topography, archaeology, architecture, and ancient history of Rome. It includes a programme of guided site visits (often by those responsible for site excavation) and opportunities to gain first-hand experience of objects and monuments not accessible to the individual traveller, and to undertake written projects of the student's own (approved) choice.

Assessable learning outcomes:

By participating in this module students will gain knowledge and understanding of:

• the material culture of Rome over a long time span, and particularly of the built environment;


• the relationship between sites and their environments;


• diachronic change in individual sites and across whole settlement patterns.

Students will gain command of the methodologies appropriate to historical archaeology, inparticular:

• an introduction to the bibliography of the city and its archaeology, and the interpretation of visual material including archaeological ground plans


• how to interpret archaeological evidence on site, and to apply the knowledge gained to other sites;


• how to evaluate historical and literary evidence in interpreting sites and the possible conflict between textual and archaeological evidence.


• the relevance of the built environment to the wider historical context.

Additional outcomes:

In preparing the project students will learn to:

• participate in an intensive residential course, providing an opportunity to display the ability to engage in teamwork as well as independent study;


• select data appropriate to their chosen topic;


• organise and present information clearly and concisely;


• test their ideas against the archaeological data in its original context;


• apply a holistic approach to their chosen topic;


• demonstrate their understanding of a particular aspect of archaeology in its historical context.

Outline content:

This module assumes some knowledge of Ancient Rome and requires a separate application to the British School at Rome, whose outcome we cannot guarantee. A course fee is payable. Details of the course are available on the BSR website, here: http://www.bsr.ac.uk/welcome-to-Rome/taught-courses/ug-summer-school

Global context:
The BSR is a world-leading centre of excellence in research into Roman history, topography, architecture, art, and archaeology. The Department of Classics at Reading enjoys excellent links with the School.

Brief description of teaching and learning methods:
This module is taught via a series of lectures, and on-site visits in Rome over a two week period in the summer vacation. It includes approximately 60 hours of site visits or trips and 8 hours of introductory lectures, plus independent study in the BSR's specialist library.
As the course is an immersive residential experience the figures given below, and in particular the balance between taught fieldwork excursions and independent study, can only be approximate.

Contact hours:

	Autumn	Spring	Summer
Lectures	8
Fieldwork	60
Guided independent study:	132
Total hours by term	200
Total hours for module	200

Summative Assessment Methods:

Method	Percentage
Written assignment including essay	100

Summative assessment- Examinations:

N/A

Summative assessment- Coursework and in-class tests:
Two essays of 2,000 words each. Essay 1 is due by 12 noon on Friday of week 4 in the Autumn term following the School and essay 2 is due by 12 noon on Friday week 8 of the same Autumn term, with topics to be fixed in advance of the BSR course in September.

Formative assessment methods:
The entire experience in Rome and conversation with the course director there will in itself be formative.

Listed under Autumn term above are the 60 hours site visits or trips and 8 hours of introductory lectures, plus independent study in a specialist library which occur in the preceeding Part 2 Summer vacation.

Penalties for late submission:

The Support Centres will apply the following penalties for work submitted late:

• where the piece of work is submitted after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline): 10% of the total marks available for that piece of work will be deducted from the mark for each working day (or part thereof) following the deadline up to a total of five working days;
• where the piece of work is submitted more than five working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline): a mark of zero will be recorded.

The University policy statement on penalties for late submission can be found at: https://www.reading.ac.uk/cqsd/-/media/project/functions/cqsd/documents/cqsd-old-site-documents/penaltiesforlatesubmission.pdf
You are strongly advised to ensure that coursework is submitted by the relevant deadline. You should note that it is advisable to submit work in an unfinished state rather than to fail to submit any work.

Assessment requirements for a pass:
40% overall

Reassessment arrangements:
Resubmission in August. It will not be possible to repeat the residential component of the course.

Additional Costs (specified where applicable):

1. Required text books: None


2. Specialist equipment or materials: None


3. Specialist clothing, footwear or headgear: None


4. Printing and binding: None


5. Computers and devices with a particular specification: None


6. Travel, accommodation and subsistence: None

Last updated: 30 March 2023