ME3428 Death and the Afterlife in Later Medieval Europe

Academic year

2025 to 2026 Semester 1

Further information on which modules are specific to your programme.

Key module information

SCOTCAT credits

30

The Scottish Credit Accumulation and Transfer (SCOTCAT) system allows credits gained in Scotland to be transferred between institutions. The number of credits associated with a module gives an indication of the amount of learning effort required by the learner. European Credit Transfer System (ECTS) credits are half the value of SCOTCAT credits.

SCQF level

SCQF level 9

The Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework (SCQF) provides an indication of the complexity of award qualifications and associated learning and operates on an ascending numeric scale from Levels 1-12 with SCQF Level 10 equating to a Scottish undergraduate Honours degree.

Planned timetable

TBC

This information is given as indicative. Timetable may change at short notice depending on room availability.

Module coordinator

Dr A Del Campo

Dr A Del Campo
This information is given as indicative. Staff involved in a module may change at short notice depending on availability and circumstances.

Module Staff

Dr Ana Del Campo

This information is given as indicative. Staff involved in a module may change at short notice depending on availability and circumstances.

Module description

Although there is an unavoidable element of religious history, this course approaches death primarily from the point of view of social history. Hence, its main goal is not only to study how the Church conceived death and the afterlife, but to analyse how Medieval people understood and experienced all this and the degree to which they internalized ecclesiastical doctrines on the matter. So, for example, we will explore the rituals required for a good Christian death, but we will pay especial attention to the way in which they served to say goodbye to the dying person and to how the latter used the last will to secure the future of their children and to show their social status in the community. We will analyse the religious phases and elements present in Medieval funerals, but also how funerals were the occasion to honour the deceased, with mourning gestures and otherwise. One key topic of the module will be the emergence of different spaces in the afterlife, particularly the Purgatory.

Assessment pattern

Coursework = 100%

Re-assessment

4000-word essay = 100%

Learning and teaching methods and delivery

Weekly contact

One two-hour seminar (x11 weeks), one office hour (x11) for discussion of optional assignments and/or one-to-one supervision

Scheduled learning hours

22

The number of compulsory student:staff contact hours over the period of the module.

Guided independent study hours

278

The number of hours that students are expected to invest in independent study over the period of the module.