The Institute of Railway Studies and Transport History is a joint
initiative of the National Railway Museum and the University of York.
We are pleased to offer the following study opportunity:
CERTIFICATE IN THE HISTORY OF TRANSPORT, TRAFFIC & MOBILITY BY DISTANCE
LEARNING
*Introduction
The Certificate in the History of Transport, Traffic & Mobility by
Distance Learning is a two-year course taught through supported distance
learning by the Institute of Railway Studies and Transport History.
The Certificate is taught through the use of specially prepared teaching
units and tutor marked assignments sent through the post. It is an
introductory course designed to appeal to anyone who is interested in
the history of transport and in the way differing forms of, and
requirements for, mobility have shaped - and, in turn, been shaped by -
people and society. The course covers the social, political, economic
and technological influences on transport developments over the last two
millennia.
*Course structure
The course is organized around University terms, starting in October,
and is organised in modular form with one module being taken per term.
The first two modules are compulsory and give an overview of British
transport history from Roman times, through the medieval period and the
transformations of the Industrial Revolution - where the railway has a
particular role to play - into the twentieth century and the development
of various forms of motorized transport that led to radical
reorganizations of both earlier transport modes and of society in
general. On reaching the third module, you will select one mode or
aspect of transport history to study in more detail; you will be offered
a choice from: ‘The History of the Railway’, ‘Putting Transport on
Display’ and ‘The History of Urban Transport’. The second year is
devoted to individual project work, in which you will be able to work in
depth on a chosen topic in the area of transport, traffic and mobility,
producing a short dissertation.
There are opportunities to get together with fellow students and with
tutors to discuss specific intellectual and practical issues raised by
the Certificate course. In early spring of the first year there will be
a residential weekend study school which will develop study skills and
give a chance for problems to be shared. During the summer vacation
between the first and second years there will be a week-long residential
summer school held in York, offering a period of concentrated study in
which you will have the opportunity to use the resources of the
University of York and the National Railway Museum to follow up your own
interests in transport history, attend lectures and seminars on relevant
subjects, work in groups with other students, discuss research ideas
with the course tutors, and visit some of the many sites of transport
interest in and around York (where the railway is, of course,
prominent).
*Assessment
During each of the first two terms students will be expected to complete
a short written assignment (500 – 1,000 words) which does not count
towards the final assessment. At the end of each term in the first year
students will submit an original essay of 2,000 – 2,500 words. These
are sent to the tutor, marked and returned with detailed comments. The
dissertation of 7,000 – 8,000 words produced during the second year will
be assessed in the same way. All marks for the written work contribute
to the final mark. Work is marked at a level loosely equivalent to
undergraduate work. For the Certificate an average of 40% is deemed to
be a pass mark and 60% or more gives a pass with merit.
*Tutorial Support
Tutors are available to offer advice and assistance on any part of the
course. They will guide and assess students’ work and provide feedback
on progress. All students receive full details of how to keep in
contact with tutors.
*Opportunities
The Certificate in Transport, Traffic and Mobility by Distance Learning
is designed to be flexible and respond to particular requirements.
Taking this course allows the pursuit of individual interests in
transport and the acquisition of valuable study skills. It could also
be a gateway to further opportunities. A pass with merit, qualifies the
student to be considered for acceptance on the taught MA in Railway
Studies. In exceptional circumstances, consideration for an MA by
dissertation may be possible.
*Costs
The annual tuition fee for the academic session 2005/6 is £926 for
home/EU students, and £3339 for students outside the EU area. Please
note that the annual fee will be subject to increase in subsequent
years. Residential schools are paid for separately; fees for these are
not yet determined but it is hoped that the cost will not exceed £400.
*Application
It is not necessary to have studied before at a university or college to
take this course. Nor are any formal educational qualifications
required. However, it is necessary for prospective students to be able
to show that they are capable of completing the course and of benefiting
from it. It is also important to bear in mind that although help and
guidance will always be available from the course tutors, a distance
learning course requires that students work a great deal in isolation,
and demands considerable self-discipline and self-motivation. On
average, students are expected to spend about 12 hours per week on their
studies. Internet (and email) access is expected although lack of it
may be acceptable in some circumstances. It is expected nowadays that
essays will be typed or word-processed.
The teaching session for the next intake to the Certificate begins in
October 2005. Application forms are available from the address below.
The deadline for receipt of completed applications is 1st August 2005.
*For further information, please contact:
Dr Jill Murdoch, Institute of Railway Studies and Transport History,
Department of History, University of York, Heslington, York YO10 5DD,
UK
Email: [log in to unmask] or [log in to unmask]
Telephone: 01904 432981/2; Fax: 01904 432986
(with apologies for cross-posting)
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