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What's new in Arts?
Change to final presentation date for AA310
AA310 Film and Television History will now be presented for the final time in February 2011.
Final presentations of A173, A175 and A176
The following short courses will be presented for the final time in autumn 2009: A173 Start Writing Family History, A175 Start Writing Poetry and A176 Start Writing Plays.
Art and life in ancient Egypt: the Nebamun wall paintings (GA060)
This course, produced in collaboration with the British Museum, explores the tomb-chapel paintings of Nebamun, allowing you to study the individual paintings in great detail and analyse them from an art historical perspective. The course explores what we can learn from these works of art about the social life of the period, and the problems they pose for modern viewers. The course is non-credit bearing and you can sign up and pay for the course at any time. Although there is no credit awarded, you can complete a written activity which will be reviewed and commented on by a learning adviser. There is also an online forum for students to discuss the course and which is moderated by the learning advisers. Follow this link for a full course description.
New 60-point course: Reading Classical Greek: Language and Literature (A275)
Due for first presentation in October 2009, Reading Classical Greek: Language and Literature blends language acquisition with the study of literature in translation. This course teaches the basics of Classical Greek language and also develops students’ knowledge of the culture and literature of the classical era. A key part of the course will be the study in translation of three texts: Euripides’ Medea, Aristophanes’ Clouds and Plato’s Apology. No previous knowledge of Greek is assumed and as the course progresses, students can choose to focus their studies either on linguistic or literary elements, depending on their interests and abilities. This course is intended both for students new to the discipline of Classical Studies and for those wishing to expand their knowledge of the Classical Greek civilization.
New Level 2 course in heritage studies
Understanding Global Heritage (A280) is a new 60-point Level 2 course which will be presented for the first time in October 2009. This is a course about public memory and the ways in which the definition of heritage may include or exclude members of the public from this memory. It is also a course about personal memory and the ways in which personal histories interface with collective histories in the reception and interpretation of heritage sites/artefacts/places by groups and individuals in the present. Finally, it is a course about the ways in which heritage might be seen as a form of social action or community building, and in this sense, the course is as much about our present and future as it is about our pasts.
New Classical Studies course: A330 Myth in the Roman and Greek Worlds
Myth in the Roman and Greek Worlds, a new 60 point course at Level 3, describes, examines and analyses the myths of ancient Greece and Rome in their social, literary and artistic contexts, their functions and the relations between them. It also considers a number of theoretical perspectives, as well as looking at the reception of Greek and Roman myths in later cultures. It will be presented for the first time in October 2010.
Advanced creative writing (A363) and awards
We can now confirm that the new course A363 (Advanced creative writing) will count towards the following awards:
This 60 point course will be presented for the first time in October 2008 and a full course description is available online. The course description will be updated to reflect the above award information as soon as possible.
Advance notice: Changes to Classical Studies courses
We are about to make some changes to the range of courses available in Classical Studies and the time of year when they are presented. Follow this link for more information.
Advance notice: changes to final presentation dates of AT272 and AA300
As a result of necessary changes to Faculty plans AT272 Ancient and medieval cities: a technological history will be presented for the last time in October 2008. AA300 Europe: culture and identities in a contested continent will now be presented for the final time in February 2011. If you have any queries about this issue please email arts-faculty-enquiries@open.ac.uk.
The arts past and present: a new Level 1 course for October 2008
Information about AA100 The arts past and present is now available on the Courses and Qualifications website. This new course will replace A103 in October 2008. We've been working on it for the past three years: it's an exciting new course, which gives a flavour of all the areas covered by the Faculty, while helping students to acquire key study skills. Online registration is now open. Find out more. If you're thinking of studying AA100 this autumn you might like to visit our new Getting ready for AA100 website. This has some useful suggestions for things you can do before the course start.
New Level 3 course on Empire, February 2009
Empire: 1492-1975 (A326), a 60-point Level 3 course, will be presented for the first time in February 2009. Empires have had a remarkable impact on world history over the last five centuries. The six teaching blocks of this course each focus on a particular question, from ‘What are empires?’ to ‘Why do empires end?’. Each block considers the British Empire in some detail before drawing comparisons with other empires, including those of France, the Netherlands, Russia, China and Spain. You’ll study a wide range of primary sources, including letters and diaries, newspapers, political papers, paintings, photographs and newsreel footage. The course is a natural choice if you have already studied A200 Exploring history: medieval to modern 1400-1900, and can be included in a range of degree programmes. More information will be available soon from the Courses & Qualifications website.
New 15 point course in Welsh history
Small Country - Big History: Themes in The History of Wales (A182) is a new 15 point course that will be available in 2009. It takes as its starting point that Wales (like several other places) has a national identity even though it has never been an independent state. It explores the idea that much of this identity is drawn from the way that the history of Wales has been understood. But how do historians do their work and what historic sources to they use as the basis for their writings? The course will help you understand the methods of historians and provide you with means of understanding debates about the past. It will use case studies covering several periods and topics - from the impact of Tom Jones, radio broadcasting and the Welsh rugby team in the 20th century, to the way that the building of Welsh castles by Edward I in the thirteenth century represented an early form of colonialism.
New 15 point course in ethics
Ethics in real life (A181) is a new 15-point course which will be presented for the first time in April 2008. The course is for those interested in ethical problems. It deals specifically with the end of life, with issues of plagiarism and copyright, and issues concerning the responsibilities of companies and shareholders. These discussions are set within a theoretical framework, which is designed to make us better decision-makers.
The interest of the course goes well beyond these particular issues into the role of ethical thinking in work and daily life. It is likely to be of interest to anyone who needs to make decisions: all of us. It's taught online, lasts for fifteen weeks and has one audio CD. Find out more.
Music courses at the OU
Concerns have been expressed concerning the presentation of AA302 From Composition to Performance. Follow this link for a letter from the Dean of Arts which explains the reasons behind the decision and gives further information about our plans for courses in music.
Last updated 4 December 2008