FRE2109 : Paris: Aspects of History and Culture - Part 1
- Offered for Year: 2024/25
- Available to incoming Study Abroad and Exchange students
- Module Leader(s): Dr Kathryn Robson
- Lecturer: Dr Hannah Scott
- Owning School: Modern Languages
- Teaching Location: Newcastle City Campus
Semesters
Your programme is made up of credits, the total differs on programme to programme.
| Semester 1 Credit Value: | 10 |
| ECTS Credits: | 5.0 |
| European Credit Transfer System | |
Aims
-To provide students with a broad knowledge of the history of Paris and its role in French national identity through the study of a variety of cultural texts representing the city.
- To introduce students to the detailed study of a variety of cultural texts representing Paris.
- To introduce students to theoretical ideas associated with notions of social geography, cultural memory and urban topography
This module is for Exchange students studying at Newcastle University for Semester 1 only.
Outline Of Syllabus
This module covers two topics which may include, for example: Modernisation, Marginality, Revolution, Visions of the City, Politics of the Town Hall and Language. There are also two essay-writing seminars and a feedback session, as well as a concluding overview session.
The lectures for this course will be taught mostly in French and the seminars in English.
The module will be thematically organised into an introductory overview followed by four sections. In lectures, students will be given historical background and introduced to theoretical work which they will be encouraged to apply to the study of texts from a variety of different media. The module will be assessed by one essay written in English.
Teaching Methods
Teaching Activities
| Category | Activity | Number | Length | Student Hours | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Lecture | 6 | 1:00 | 6:00 | Lectures on campus in person. |
| Guided Independent Study | Assessment preparation and completion | 15 | 1:00 | 15:00 | N/A |
| Structured Guided Learning | Lecture materials | 8 | 0:30 | 4:00 | Recorded lecture videos each teaching week for students to listen to and respond to before each PIP |
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Small group teaching | 10 | 1:00 | 10:00 | 10 hours of PIP seminars |
| Structured Guided Learning | Structured research and reading activities | 10 | 1:30 | 15:00 | Key reading tasks with questions to prepare each week. |
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Drop-in/surgery | 1 | 1:00 | 1:00 | 1 hour of drop in surgery offered both PIP and on Zoom |
| Guided Independent Study | Independent study | 42 | 1:00 | 42:00 | Free reading on topic with peers. Student-led discussion. Other independent research and study |
| Guided Independent Study | Independent study | 11 | 1:00 | 11:00 | Guided independent study themed to the week’s lecture and seminar topic. |
| Total | 104:00 |
Jointly Taught With
| Code | Title |
|---|---|
| FRE2009 | Paris: Aspects of History and Culture |
Teaching Rationale And Relationship
Lectures (in the form of video recordings) will provide the essential historical context and introduce students to theoretical ideas around urban experience, marginality, modernisation, and Paris-based social and cultural movements amongst others. Lecture materials will also model the application of this historical and theoretical knowledge to the study of specific periods, events and texts. Students will be expected to work through the lecture materials and accompanying directed reading/viewing which will be clearly signposted on Canvas.
Evaluation from last year showed that a majority of students appreciated the online elements as part of the module contact hours and the blended learning mode of teaching showed to be very effective as it allowed students time to reflect in their own time.
In seminars, students will analyse a range of materials (including, potentially, art, photography, film, poetry, essays, maps/plans) in detail, working through the issues raised by the lectures with support and added clarifications or examples where needed. Students will be expected to carry out guided independent reading and to prepare questions – of a simple but also more extensive nature – in advance of seminars.
The module talk will provide an introduction to and benchmark of the module and its teaching methods (that students can refer back to) and the Q&A will facilitate debate around the key topics and issues in the module.
The drop in sessions will be mainly to go through assessment queries in person.
Assessment Methods
The format of resits will be determined by the Board of Examiners
Other Assessment
| Description | Semester | When Set | Percentage | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Essay | 1 | M | 100 | Essay written in English of 2000 words |
Formative Assessments
Formative Assessment is an assessment which develops your skills in being assessed, allows for you to receive feedback, and prepares you for being assessed. However, it does not count to your final mark.
| Description | Semester | When Set | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Essay | 1 | M | An essay plan in English of 1000 words (optional) |
Assessment Rationale And Relationship
The summative essay assesses students’ ability to apply knowledge about a period of Parisian history, as well as
theories of urban experience and cultural histories, in order to carry out detailed analysis of a selection of materials representing Paris (these vary depending on the topic chosen). The summative essay is written in English and a formative essay plan precedes it so that students can practise essay-writing skills and receive feedback before going on to write the first essay in English in semester 1. There will be specific essay writing classes.
Reading Lists
Timetable
- Timetable Website: www.ncl.ac.uk/timetable/
- FRE2109's Timetable