Modules at Carlow College
A brief introduction
(Year 1)
B.A. (HONOURS) IN English and History
Core Modules STAGE 1
ALL WORTH 10 CREDITS, 40 credits in total.
Module Title: History I (Ireland from earliest times to 1500AD)
This module uses archaeological and documentary evidence to trace the history of Ireland
from its earliest inhabitants up to the end of the medieval period. It explores the material
culture and ritual of prehistoric peoples, the arrival of Christianity, the impact of the Viking
and Anglo Norman invasions and the making of the Irish landscape. A central theme is
exploring the contact that Ireland had with the outside world in order to place
developments in Ireland in a wider European context.
Module Title: History II (Europe to 1500)
This comprehensive survey course will provide an overview of European history from
earliest times up to the end of the medieval period. Lectures will be based on the evidence
of archaeological, documentary, literary and artistic sources. Topics covered include
Ancient Greece and Rome, Christianity and Islam, Rise of National Monarchies and
Economy and Environment in Medieval Europe. The course will also include an overview
of historiography from Classical Greece up to the Renaissance.
Module Title: English I Introduction to Literary Forms: Novel and Drama
The first half of this module examines the formal and thematic evolution of the novel from
the early 19th century to the middle of the 20th century. It aims to introduce students to a
number of different critical theories of reading the novel. The second half introduces
students to the genre of drama and helps them develop a critically-informed and
imaginative approach to the study of this literature.
Module Title: English II (Introduction to Modern Irish Writing)
This module aims to give students an introduction to the key themes and ideas in Irish
writing from 1960 to the present. Students will be introduced to cores themes such as
issues of language and nation; feminism and the representation of gender; naturalism,
post-naturalism and postmodernism; the politics of the representation of Ireland in
modern cultural texts; Irish literary form and aesthetics. It also aims to provide an
introduction to the major poets of modern Ireland. It provides students with a survey of
Irish poetry after Yeats addressing issues relating to nationalism, gender, poetic
influence, identity, and the role of the poet in society.
Elective Modules Stage 1
ALL WORTH 10 CREDITS, 20 CREDITS REQUIRED.
Module Title: Theology I (Introduction to Theology)
The aim of this module is to provide the learner with an introduction to the subject of
Theology, focusing on the relationship between Western culture, the Christian faith, and
the fundamental doctrinal beliefs of the Roman Catholic Church. The module centres on
the theme an appreciation of the reasonableness of theological discourse in an
increasingly secularized culture of today.
1
Module Title: Philosophy I (Ancient and Medieval)
The aim of this module is to provide the students with an introduction to the history of
Philosophy. This course will focus on the philosophy of the Ancient Greek and Medieval
periods.
Module Title: Theology II (Introduction to Biblical Studies)
This module aims to provide the learner with an historical overview of the biblical world
from Abraham to the end of the first century of the Christian era. The student will develop
a sense of the geography of the biblical lands. The module aims to help the student
bridge the gap from the ancient world to the present time and culture. The student will
have a hands-on ability to work with sections of the Bible and biblical authors. To make
the student aware of how great a role scripture plays in theology.
Module Title: General Ethics
The aim of this module is to provide students with an introduction to the subject of Ethics
through an in-depth and critical examination of some of the major theories in the western
tradition. The course will focus on interpretation and application of those theories to
ethical dilemmas relevant to today.
Module Title: Introduction to Psychology and Research Methods
This module aims to provide students with an introduction to the discipline of psychology.
Following an overview of the emergence of psychology from philosophical underpinnings,
students are introduced to a wide range of issues such as learning, memory, language,
the biological basis of behaviour. Students will also be provided with an overview of the
research methods and ethical considerations employed within psychology.
Module Title: Creative Writing
This module aims to develop the students’ writing skills and to cultivate and stimulate
creative composition through practical writing workshops. Students will experiment in a
range of different literary styles and, in doing so, gain knowledge in the most popular
forms of writing – fiction, poetry and life writing including biography and autobiography.
2