SHS8128 : Diseases in History (Inactive)
- Inactive for Year: 2025/26
- Module Leader(s): Dr Samiksha Sehrawat
- Lecturer: Dr Laura Tisdall, Professor Violetta Hionidou, Dr Clare Hickman, Dr Lutz Sauerteig
- Owning School: History, Classics and Archaeology
- Teaching Location: Newcastle City Campus
Semesters
Your programme is made up of credits, the total differs on programme to programme.
| Semester 2 Credit Value: | 20 |
| ECTS Credits: | 10.0 |
| European Credit Transfer System | |
Aims
This module aims to deepen students’ understanding of history of medicine by examining how
diseases have been socially and historically constructed. Seminars will introduce students in the
varied ways the various in which diseases have been perceived over different periods in history, how
epidemic and endemic diseases have shaped societies across the world. In addition, students from
medical humanities and history will be exposed to different sources and methods used to study
diseases, whether infectious, chronic, ‘fashionable’, or epidemic. This module aims to deepen the
methodological and historiographical skills of students in analysing diverse primary sources.
Outline Of Syllabus
Topics may include:
Approaches to the History of Disease
AIDS
Cancer
Children's Diseases
Cholera
Consumption/Tuberculosis
Disease and the Environment
Epilepsy
Fashionable/Unfashionable Diseases
Gout
Insanity
Mortality
Nervous Diseases and Neurasthenia
Occupational Diseases
Plague
Smallpox
Typhus
Venereal Disease
Yellow Fever
Teaching Methods
Teaching Activities
| Category | Activity | Number | Length | Student Hours | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Guided Independent Study | Assessment preparation and completion | 80 | 1:00 | 80:00 | N/A |
| Guided Independent Study | Directed research and reading | 40 | 1:00 | 40:00 | N/A |
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Small group teaching | 1 | 1:00 | 1:00 | Seminar - Introduction to module |
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Small group teaching | 10 | 2:00 | 20:00 | 10 2-hour seminars |
| Structured Guided Learning | Structured research and reading activities | 9 | 2:00 | 18:00 | N/A |
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Drop-in/surgery | 2 | 0:30 | 1:00 | Essay supervision & feedback (1-2-1 drop-in meetings with supervisees) |
| Guided Independent Study | Independent study | 40 | 1:00 | 40:00 | N/A |
| Total | 200:00 |
Teaching Rationale And Relationship
Seminars encourage independent study and promote improvements in oral communication, problem-solving skills and adaptability. They encourage students to share ideas and information and develop a sense of common identity as historians before they undertake individual and more specialised advanced research projects.Seminars will also consolidate the learning progress from weekly readings by enabling students to focus on connected issues and material in greater depth. Seminars will be student-led andfac ilitated by teaching staff, and will hinge upon group discussion and debate about materials circulated in advance(for example, sets of primary source materials, articles, chapters and book extracts). In the event that on-campus sessions need to be reduced, there is the capacity to hold live seminar discussions online and retain timetabled slots.
Timetabled surgery slots and optional office hours meetings will allow students to receive guidance on the planning and research and writing of their essay from an individual member of staff contributing to the module supervising the essay in question. This will ensure closely guided reading and learning and constructive dialogue in assessment preparation.
Assessment Methods
The format of resits will be determined by the Board of Examiners
Other Assessment
| Description | Semester | When Set | Percentage | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Essay | 2 | A | 100 | 3,500 words (including footnotes, excluding bibliography) |
Formative Assessments
Formative Assessment is an assessment which develops your skills in being assessed, allows for you to receive feedback, and prepares you for being assessed. However, it does not count to your final mark.
| Description | Semester | When Set | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Written exercise | 2 | M | 500 word essay plan |
Assessment Rationale And Relationship
Submitted work tests intended knowledge and skills outcomes, develops key skills in research, reading and writing.
The written essay, 3,500 words long builds on the content introduced in the module. A formative essay plan (500 words) will ensure that the aims of the assignment are fully clarified. This assessment component aligns with knowledge and skills outcomes.
This module can be made available to Erasmus students only with the agreement of the Head of Subject and of the Module Leader. This option must be discussed in person at the beginning of your exchange period. No restrictions apply to study-abroad, exchange and Loyola students.
Reading Lists
Timetable
- Timetable Website: www.ncl.ac.uk/timetable/
- SHS8128's Timetable