MA in Arthurian Studies

The MA in Arthurian Studies has been designed specifically as a distance, part-time, degree. It is designed to provide an opportunity for postgraduate study of Arthurian material, mainly medieval but also modern, in a multidisciplinary context. It is designed to be as flexible as possible in accommodating different interests and schedules, while providing an in-depth look at the fundamental aspects of the Arthurian period and legend.

The programme is taught across several departments with expertise in Celtic Studies: these are English, History, Theology and Religious Studies, and Welsh. Areas of specialisation include the early British and Irish churches, Cornish, Breton and Welsh history and literature, as well as Latin, Irish, and Welsh languages.

Teaching Staff

Professor Janet Burton (Department of History)

Dr Jane Cartwright (Department of Welsh)

Dr Karen Jankulak (Department of History)

Dr William Marx (Department of English)

Dr Thomas O’Loughlin (Theology and Religious Studies)

Dr Jonathan Wooding (Department of Theology and Religious Studies)

Structure:

The degree consists of two parts. Part One consists of six taught modules of 20 credits each, totalling 120 credits. Part Two consists of a dissertation, of not more than 20,000 words, worth 60 credits. Part One must be successfully completed before progressing to Part Two.

The six modules of Part One are to be taken from a number of possibilities (see below). MAAS0120, The Celtic Arthur, should be the first to be completed. This module, as well as MAAS0620, Study and Research Methodology, are compulsory, although the latter may be waived with the special permission of the programme director. A further 40 credits must be taken from the core MA Arthurian Studies modules (see below for a list). The final 40 credits can be taken as modules from other, broadly related, Lampeter Master’s degrees (in particular Celtic Studies, Celtic Christianity, and Church History). Up to 40 credits can be taken as language courses (Welsh or Latin).

MODE OF DELIVERY AND STUDENT SUPPORT:

The MA in Arthurian Studies is a distance-only degree, and therefore its modules are available only as teaching materials delivered at a distance, the method of delivery being primarily but by no means exclusively the internet.

The module materials consist of a course handbook containing lecture notes (including guidelines to specifically targeted relevant readings), bibliographies, one or more essay questions per unit, and photocopies of selected readings. The readings included are those which are most important, or most difficult to obtain—the student will be responsible for obtaining other relevant books and articles, usually through local university libraries. In cases of difficulty, the tutor will loan copies of selected readings.

Tutorial support is delivered primarily via e-mail. Those students without e-mail access confer with the tutors by post or by telephone, but are encouraged to use e-mail. In the future, optional residential study schools will be offered. The programme, however, is designed to be flexible, and to support students who do not or cannot take advantage of these schools, or who attend some but not all.

List of available modules

All modules are distance unless otherwise indicated.

1. Compulsory

MAAS0620 Study and Research Methodology (distance version)

MAAS0120: The Celtic Arthur: Arthur in Early Celtic History and

Tradition up to Geoffrey of Monmouth

2. Other core modules

MAAS0220: The ‘Courts of Arthur’?: Arthur in the archaeological landscape

MAAS0320: The Matter of Britain: Geoffrey of Monmouth and Pseudo- Historical Writing

MENG9820: Malory and the Arthurian Tradition (also residential)

3. Other modules available

MENG2620: Anglo-Saxon Heroic Literature I (also residential)

MENG1729: Chaucer’s Comic Tales (residential only)

MHIST1020: Gilbert of Sempringham and the Gilbertines (also residential)

MHIST5020: The Cistercian World I (also residential)

MHIST51220: The Cistercian World II (also residential—prerequisite is The Cistercian World I)

MHIST1120: Thomas Becket (also residential)

MHIST2320: Using Medieval Sources (residential only)

MHIST0220: Women in Medieval England (also residential)

MHIST1820: Medieval Manuscript Studies (residential only)

(code TBA): Anglo-Saxon Heroic Literature II (residential only)

(code TBA): Medieval Poetry of Dream and Debate (residential only)

Medieval Modules available from other departments

MACC0120: The Archaeology of the Celtic Churches

MACC0420: The Desert in the Ocean: Eremitical Spirituality and the

Celtic Monastic Tradition

MACC0520: Celtic Hagiography and the Cults of Saints

MTCH1320: Anglo-Saxon Christian Heroic Literature

MAAC0620 Y Mabinogi

MLAT0120: Beginners’ Latin

Residential courses:

MAMS0140: The Cistercian Experience Annual Spring School (a week-long

course spent on Caldey Island in the Spring subject to permission of MA

in Monastic Studies programme director)

MAMS0220: Early British Monasticism (same as above but a 20 credit version)

MA in Arthurian Studies

Teaching Staff

List of available modules

Contact Details