Scotland's History: Kingdom, Nation, People
Applications for this course are now closed
For a small country Scotland has a large historical footprint. From the making of the kingdom and the development of its identity as one of the nations of Europe, Scotland has retained a strong and changing sense of its past both as an independent state and as part of the United Kingdom. This course examines Scotland’s rich history via the close study of some of the key aspects of the country’s past. It draws on the physical environment, material objects and written texts to provide a sense of the events and themes which have formed Scotland’s history.
St Andrews Summer Study Brochure 2024 (PDF)
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The course will be split into 4 main sections.
- Scotland’s emerging national identity
This section will be devoted to exploring key elements of an emerging sense of national identity in Scotland, initially through tensions in the structural organisation of the church within the British Isles in the 11th and 12th centuries. This will focus especially on the role of St Andrews and the relationship with a succession of kings of Scots. The topic will finish with an examination of the circumstances leading to the foundation of Scotland’s first university in 1413.
- Scotland and Her neighbours in the Middle Ages
Medieval Scots were deeply conscious of their place amongst the nations of Europe. Though their land lay at ‘the ends of the Earth’, they were keen to play an active role in European politics and to find fortune beyond the kingdom. Of course, the key relationship was that with the English kingdom and people and this week will examine the changing attitudes towards England during the period 1200-1500. This will involve looking at the wars in which William Wallace and Robert Bruce defended Scotland’s status as an independent realm.
- Renaissance Scotland: power, propaganda and print
In this section you will explore how Scotland’s royal house asserted its position not only alongside its neighbours but over its subjects in the century before the Union of the Crowns with England in 1603. Every monarch in the century before this had to negotiate this proximity to the English crown, along with the pressure to participate in an ever more extravagant European inspired court culture, and the need to negotiate for the first-time religious divisions between Catholics and Protestants. You will see how these pressures created a culture of political spin, propaganda and performance which could be used either to serve a monarch or, in the dramatic case of Mary, Queen of Scots, to cast them down.
- The Scottish soldier: image and identity
The kilted Scottish soldier is an instantly recognisable figure synonymous with Empire and Britain’s military achievements. This week we will explore the origins of Scotland’s martial tradition and Scottish soldiers’ role in Britain’s imperial project, focusing on their contribution to the various colonial campaigns of the later nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, and the First World War. Using a range of contemporary reports published in books, magazines and period newspapers, and considering the many visual representations of the Scottish soldier (portraits, advertising, statues, war memorials etc.), you will consider how the Scottish soldier has been represented in popular culture and whether this iconic figure was more image than reality.
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The residential course dates for St Andrews Summer Study are:
25 May - 15 June 2024
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Residential Course fee: £3,950
The Residential Course fees are inclusive of the following:
- Tuition for credit
- Accommodation in our residences, en-suite in shared five-person apartments (sharing with other Summer School students)
- A programme of excursions, cultural and social activities
- Breakfast 7 days a week (Monday – Sunday)
- Lunch 5 days a week (Monday – Friday)
- Dinner 5 days a week (Monday – Friday)
- Sports Centre membership for the duration of the summer school
- Access to University services as a registered student of St Andrews, including the Library, IT Services, Student Services
The fee does not include airfare.
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The University of St Andrews is fully accredited by the Scottish Qualifications Authority and recognised in the United States as a Title IV institution. Summer Study students earn credit under the Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework (SCQF).
Each Residential Course is granted at 12 SCQF credits. Each SCQF credit is rated 10 hours of work (roughly 1/3 contact hours and 2/3 self-directed study). You will complete work for graded assessment and receive a University of St Andrews transcript and certificate.
12 SCQF credits is equivalent to 3 US or 6 ECTS credits. Please check with your home institution about credit transfer arrangements.
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Students will be assessed by submitting work during their course. Coursework may be multiple-choice questions, essays, and presentations and will be graded by University of St Andrews academics.
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You must meet the following criteria for our Residential Courses:
- have completed at least two semesters in full-time higher education at the point of arrival in St Andrews
- a minimum average grade of 3.2 (on a USA 4.0 GPA scale) or equivalent
- must provide evidence that you can use English well enough to study effectively at St Andrews. The University accepts a wide range of language tests and qualifications as proof of English language proficiency. If you are from a non-English speaking country or use English as an additional language, you should include information about your English language proficiency with your application. For information on the language tests and qualifications which the University accepts, see the following:
- undergraduate English Language requirements (follow the information for the Faculty of Arts and Profile 3-D)
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You will be housed in one of our student residences, David Russell Apartments (DRA). They are located on the western edge of town, about a 20-minute walk to the centre of town and local amenities, and a ten-minute walk from the Sports Centre. There are regular bus routes between DRA and the town centre.
You will have a private bedroom with a double bed (four foot six inches wide), individual climate control and an en-suite shower room. There are five bedrooms per apartment, which includes a kitchen with a soft seating area, breakfast bar, oven, microwave, fridge freezer, tv and a dishwasher. There is basic cooking equipment and kitchenware, and an iron and ironing board. Wifi is free and available throughout the residence.
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If you are coming to the UK for study for fewer than six months this means you are visiting the UK as a Standard Visitor. Check on the UK government visa pages whether you need a Standard Visitor Visa, and what you will need to show at the border. You can also find more information on our support for international students – visas page.
The closest international airports to St Andrews are Edinburgh Airport and Glasgow Airport. If flying to London, you also have the option of taking the Caledonian Sleeper service, an overnight train (London Euston to Leuchars). Leuchars is the closest railway station to St Andrews, situated approx. 6 miles outside the town. From Leuchars, St Andrews is easily reached by bus or taxi.
See more details on how to get to St Andrews.
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Students who complete a St Andrews Summer Study Course will be eligible for a 10% discount on their tuition fees for our- year-long or semester-long Study Abroad programmes.
Please ensure that you have read our exchange and study abroad policy to make sure you are eligible for our Study Abroad programmes.
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Any queries prior to the summer school should be directed to shortcourses@st-andrews.ac.uk.
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Depending on demand, certain courses may not be available in 2024. If this happens, we will clearly communicate this to offer holders by late March.
Students taking part in the St Andrews Summer Study will be registered as “summer visiting students”. All students are obliged to adhere to the University’s code of conduct and have read the Terms and Conditions of Study.
Please make sure that you have also read the St Andrews Summer Study Terms and Conditions.
Admission and registration is governed by the policy on the admission and registration of exchange and study abroad students.
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We recommend that you first check the entry requirements and discuss your application with your home institution, in particular if you want to transfer back credit from this summer school.
Complete the online application form Please note the Terms and Conditions in the section above.
NB. Fieldwork courses have a separate application form which can be accessed on the individual fieldwork course page.
Note that for the application we will require:
1. Your choice of course.
2. A personal statement. This should tell us why you wish to study on the programme and at St Andrews.
3. Academic transcripts. The transcript must be official and up-to-date, and you should include transcripts for time spent at other universities if relevant. Transcripts cannot be accepted that are marked as unofficial. Upload your official transcripts directly to your application, or ask your home institution to email it to shortcourses@st-andrews.ac.uk.
4. Academic reference. Your reference must be written by an academic member of staff at your current home institution. It must be signed and written on official headed letter paper and can be submitted by the referee after you submit your application and the deadline.
5. If applicable, you will need to provide an English language certificate showing you meet the university's proficiency standards. You can find more information on our language requirements in the 'Entry Requirements' section.
Application Deadline
Deadline for applications will be 25th February 2024.
Completed applications are considered continually from the application opening date until the application deadline. Applicants will usually receive an answer within four weeks of submitting a complete application, though review may take longer depending on module choice and other circumstances.