HIS8123 : Oral History and Public History
- Offered for Year: 2025/26
- Module Leader(s): Dr Jack Hepworth
- Owning School: History, Classics and Archaeology
- Teaching Location: Newcastle City Campus
Semesters
Your programme is made up of credits, the total differs on programme to programme.
| Semester 1 Credit Value: | 20 |
| ECTS Credits: | 10.0 |
| European Credit Transfer System | |
Aims
This course introduces students to the theory and practice of oral history in the wider context of public history. It equips students with the skills necessary to conduct, record, and edit an audio oral history interview to current broadcast and archive standards.
Outline Of Syllabus
Building on Newcastle University’s research strength through the Oral History Collective, this module introduces students to the theory and ethics of oral history and its use in public history. Students will gain an understanding of a range of current theories and concepts within oral history, including:
- Historical consciousness and public history;
- Collective memory and social remembering;
- The relationship between individual accounts, group narratives, and public memory;
- Historical justice and ageing.
Teaching sessions include lectures, seminars, practical workshops, and drop-in sessions.
Students will be introduced to basic audio recording and editing techniques, as well as the ethical and legal considerations of conducting and (re)using oral history interviews for public audiences. Students will conduct a life history interview, which will be collectively evaluated and discussed in a seminar environment.
Teaching Methods
Teaching Activities
| Category | Activity | Number | Length | Student Hours | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Lecture | 1 | 1:00 | 1:00 | Introduction to the module |
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Lecture | 1 | 1:00 | 1:00 | Lecture on module themes and historiography |
| Guided Independent Study | Assessment preparation and completion | 1 | 40:00 | 40:00 | Preparation for Assignment 2 |
| Guided Independent Study | Assessment preparation and completion | 1 | 38:00 | 38:00 | Preparation for Assignment 1 |
| Guided Independent Study | Directed research and reading | 10 | 10:00 | 100:00 | Structured weekly reading and preparation |
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Small group teaching | 1 | 3:00 | 3:00 | Seminar on module themes and historiography |
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Small group teaching | 2 | 1:30 | 3:00 | Seminars on module themes and historiography |
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Workshops | 2 | 1:30 | 3:00 | Oral history skills workshops |
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Workshops | 2 | 2:00 | 4:00 | Oral history skills workshops |
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Workshops | 1 | 3:00 | 3:00 | Workshop on the assessment |
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Workshops | 1 | 3:00 | 3:00 | Oral history skills workshop |
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Drop-in/surgery | 1 | 1:00 | 1:00 | Drop-in for assessment |
| Total | 200:00 |
Teaching Rationale And Relationship
Lectures introduce the students to the module's structure, key themes, and historiographical contexts.
Seminars invite students to explore case-studies which offer insights into how the theories of oral history might be applied to public history. They feature examples of how oral history interviews have been used in public history settings and products.
Small group teaching allows students to develop their skills in group work and collaboration. Skills workshops scaffold students' assignment preparation, developing specific skills (see above) to approach and complete module assignments.
Drop-in surgeries afford students valuable additional opportunities to pool ideas and discuss approaches to the assessment, both with peers and with academic tutors.
The module's practical working - encompassing the interview, metadata construction, and audio presentation - enables students to practice and refine key skills. The outputs will also provide students with evidence of their competence in applying knowledge and skills.
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 | 50 | Essay (2,000 words) |
| Portfolio | 1 | A | 50 | Treatment of interview and pitch on how it could be used in a public history setting (2,000 words) |
Assessment Rationale And Relationship
The essay assignment tests students' ability to design a research question, conduct independent research, relate primary source documents to broader historiographical problems, marshal evidence, and articulate sophisticated ideas clearly and cogently. This assignment also equips students to begin planning for their second assignment: the essay offers an opportunity to develop theoretical and conceptual knowledge which can be applied in a more creative context in the portfolio assignment.
The portfolio assignment challenges students to showcase their skills in practical working, conducting an interview, constructing metadata, and presenting their work. The assignment further tests students' ability to situate a practical output, namely an oral history interview, in the wider public history landscape. In producing this assignment, the student will develop substantive evidence of their competence in applying knowledge and skills.
Reading Lists
Timetable
- Timetable Website: www.ncl.ac.uk/timetable/
- HIS8123's Timetable