MLitt Early Modern European Studies

Module Information

The EMES programme has been designed to provide students with an overarching understanding of the European early modern period, while allowing for individual specialisation and interest.

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Through the core and optional modules, students will develop skills in research, critical analysis, presentation and communication, equipping them for further study and/or careers in a range of different professions. Due to the programme’s research-led teaching, and its close association with the Renaissance and Early Modern Research Alliance (REMRA) – EMES students will find themselves at the forefront of early modern research at UHI, debating contemporary research challenges and handling primary source materials which are actively informing our understanding of the early modern past.

All EMES students will complete the three core modules, qualifying for the award of a Postgraduate Certificate (60 credits total). Those students who complete an additional three optional modules will be awarded a Postgraduate Diploma (120 credits total). To be awarded a MLitt, students must complete the previous requirements in addition to a research dissertation (180 credits total).

Core Modules

Early Modern Studies: Debates and Practice. Module Code: UV211014

Early Modern Studies: Debates and Practice is the core skills course for the EMES programme. The module introduces students to the research skills which they will hone across the programme and familiarises students with key debates and methodologies within early modern European studies. The first four weeks of the module focus on fundamental skills which students will develop, including academic writing, source analysis and archival skills. Weeks five to twelve each explore a different aspect of, or disciplinary approach to, early modern studies. Each week is led by a different member of research staff at UHI, exposing students to different approaches and ways of thinking. From early modern archaeology to courtly drama, students will study various disciplinary research methodologies, learning from experts in the field. By the end of the module, students should be confident in their fundamental research and communications skills which will aid them in their other modules and the research dissertation.

Faith, Fury and Fraternity: The Making of Modern Europe, 1500-1800.  Module Code: UV211016

Between 1500 and 1800, Europe was remodelled, reformed, reimagined and revolutionised. The lines on Europe’s maps were redrawn hundreds of times as cultures and nations rose and fell. Faith, Fury and Fraternity provides an overview of the major developments in European political and religious history during the early modern period. Each week students research and debate important themes or events of the early modern period, including the impact of the Reformations, the influence of the Ottoman Empire and the legacy of the Enlightenment. While providing an overview of the development of early modern Europe, this module also highlights key areas of research and scholarly debate. This will provide students with useful context for their own research, as well as their other modules.

Migration, Community and Identity in Early Modern Northern Europe. Module Code: UV211017

Migration and the control of migration are common phenomena in the human experience. Looking at the consequences of Brexit for the freedom of movement or the catastrophic impact of war on the Ukrainian population, it is obvious that migration remains most topical for our society today. As in our time, people of the early modern period were confronted with the movement of people, either by migrating themselves to places which promised a better fortune or by meeting immigrants in their own communities. The migrants’ experience will be at the forefront of this module which will engage with the diverse reasons for early modern migratory movements and analyse the formation of foreign communities in places around the North Sea and Baltic region. In doing so, the module will not only focus on different groups of migrants such as merchants, soldiers, academics, and religious refugees but also engage with the question of how these expats and refugees integrated into their host communities, formed foreign communities and shaped their identities over time.

EMES Dissertation. Module Code: UV211015

The dissertation is, quite simply, your opportunity to carry out independent research on a topic that you are really interested in. The dissertation will combine the skills you will develop across the MLitt programme, from the ability to synthesise secondary scholarship to carrying out primary source analysis. Due to this, the dissertation is triple weighted, meaning it is worth 60 credits. As you might expect, this means that it is a significant undertaking requiring a lot of time and dedication on the part of the student. After enrolling on the module, students will submit a dissertation proposal (towards the end of Semester One), outlining their research topic. They will then be assigned a dissertation supervisor, who will offer guidance through the process and will review drafts of completed work. In addition, students will be invited to attend three recorded workshops: (i) Workshop 1 – Picking a Topic & Supervisor, (ii) Workshop 2 – Researching Your Topic and (iii) Workshop 3 – Writing Your Dissertation.

Students will receive 12hrs of contact time for supervision, including supervisory meetings held over VC. Supervisors can provide formal feedback on a single draft of each chapter. It should be remembered that this is an independent research project – supervisors are there to provide support, but students are responsible for the overall progress of the project.

Optional Modules

The Wars of the Covenant: Scotland and the British Civil Wars, 1638-1655. Module Code: UV211018

From the moment the National Covenant was first signed in Edinburgh on 28 February 1638, it set into motion theological and constitutional forces which produced an unprecedented assault upon the status quo, reshaping the political landscape of the British Isles in the process. This module traces the narrative of the civil wars in Scotland from the signing of the National Covenant to the final defeat of anti-Cromwellian resistance in 1655. While the course focuses on Scotland, it remains astute to the interconnectedness of the conflicts which are now commonly referred to as the Wars of the Three Kingdoms or the British Civil Wars. While covering the high politics of this complex and dramatic period, each week students will also engage with the most pressing debates within the historiography, including topics such as the growth of popular politics, ‘British’ history, the ‘Celtic Fringe’, and the development of competing identities. Students will also engage in primary source analysis using a range of different material, such as printed pamphlets, handwritten correspondence and material culture.

Other Programme Optional Modules

Semester	Module Code	Module Name
1	UQ511002	Scotland's Customs: Traditional Beliefs and Folklore
1&2	UB711018	Discovering the Past: Introduction to Interdisciplinary Research Methods
2	UV411015	Rivers, Ports and Coasts in European History
2	UR911000	Royal Power, Propaganda and Performance in Early Modern Europe
2	UV211982	Maritime Lives: The Scottish Northern Isles during the Early Modern Period
2	UV211984	Darkness, Division and Discord. The Highlands, 1603-1707
2	UR811000	Renaissance Venice: Lagoon, City and Empire
1	UV211980	Arguments and Alternatives in History
1	UV211972	Castles in Context from Medieval to Modern
2	UV411009	Scottish Historical Archaeology
1	UV411997	Archaeology of the Highlands and Islands
2	UV411004	Human Remains in Archaeology
1	UV411006	Excavation
1	UV611974	Culture and Society: Historical Developments
1	UW411001	Case Studies in Renaissance Drama
2	UV211018	The Wars of the Covenant: Scotland and the British Civil Wars 1638-1655