Newcastle University

Pre Requisite Comment

N/A

Co Requisite Comment

N/A

Aims

This module aims:
1. To further develop students' linguistic skills, as applied to reading and translating original literary texts in Latin;
2. To further develop students' skills in interpreting and analysing Latin literary texts.
3. To familiarise students with a range of resources (traditional and digital) employed in the advanced study of Latin literary texts.
4. To give students the opportunity to contextualise those texts within the relevant socio-political context.

Outline Of Syllabus

This is a specialised module where students work on improving their language and interpretative skills by looking in depth at Latin texts and accompanying secondary literature. Students taking this module will work on set literary text(s) in the original Latin, further refining skills of interpretation and analysis, as well as developing a deeper awareness of broader themes and contexts relating to the texts.

Intended Knowledge Outcomes

1. To read, understand, translate and critically comment on Latin texts (seen and unseen);
2. To consolidate and put into practice sound knowledge of Latin grammar and vocabulary;
3. To show a clear understanding of the chosen set text in terms of style, function, content;
4. To understand literary works and their historical/cultural context.

Intended Skill Outcomes

1. To translate Latin texts fluently and accurately into clear and appropriate English;
2. To analyse and critically reflect upon literary texts in their original language;
3. To use a range of resources required for scholarly study of ancient Latin texts;
4. To recognise patterns (whether linguistic, stylistic, thematic or conceptual);
5. To apply learned knowledge and skills (selectively, where appropriate) in the completion of the module’s different assessment components.

Teaching Rationale And Relationship

Contact hours all to be taught as in-person, small-group sessions. Such highly interactive sessions are vital for monitoring and stimulating the development of students' knowledge and skills -- both skills in translation and in critical analysis and appreciation of the set texts and relevant secondary literature. Such sessions are also important for developing and maintaining an environment in which students know they can make mistakes without feeling they are behind or criticised, and in which they can instantly learn from these mistakes.

Class sessions will be held in-person, unless covid-related guidance prevents us from doing so. In that case, meetings will be held as synchronous, on-line sessions via zoom.

Assessment Rationale And Relationship

Summative assessment is designed to assess students' knowledge and interpretative understanding of the texts studied, with particular reference to the application of their linguistic knowledge to both seen and unseen texts, and their skills in presenting their views and analyses of key issues regarding the set text(s) and - where relevant - giving them the opportunity to consider the socio-political context of those texts.

An examination is still inevitably the best way of testing translation abilities in both seen and unseen texts, and will also test the ability to interpret texts.

The research project will assess students ability to interpret and analyse Latin texts, inscribe them into their cultural and political context, and engage critically with relevant secondary literature.

The formative assessment will provide students feedback on their engagement with secondary literature, which they can apply when completing their research project.


All Erasmus students at Newcastle University are expected to do the same assessment as students registered for a degree.

Study-abroad, non-Erasmus exchange and Loyola students spending semester 1 only are required to finish their assessment while in Newcastle. This will take the form of an alternative assessment, as outlined in the formats below:

Modules assessed by Coursework and Exam:
The normal alternative form of assessment for all semester 1 non-EU study abroad students will be one essay in addition to the other coursework assessment (the length of the essay should be adjusted in order to comply with the assessment tariff); to be submitted no later than 12pm Friday of week 12. The essays should be set so as to assure coverage of the course content to date.

Modules assessed by Exam only:
The normal alternative form of assessment for all semester 1 non-EU study abroad students will be two 2,000 word written exercises; to be submitted no later than 12pm Friday of week 12. The essays should be set so as to assure coverage of the course content to date.

Modules assessed by Coursework only:
All semester 1 non-EU study abroad students will be expected to complete the standard assessment for the module; to be submitted no later than 12pm Friday of week 12. The essays should be set so as to assure coverage of the course content to date.

Study-abroad, non-Erasmus exchange and Loyola students spending the whole academic year or semester 2 are required to complete the standard assessment as set out in the MOF under all circumstances.

General Notes

N/A