Block 2 modules

This module explores the history of the supernatural in Yorkshire, from the medieval period to the modern day. Across the module, you will work with a wide range of interdisciplinary sources, including medieval manuscripts, chronicles, literary works, newspapers, folklore collections, photographs, maps, and material connected to contemporary tourism to investigate Yorkshire’s history of ghosts, fairies, supernatural animals, and vampires.

These sources will allow you to explore supernatural beliefs across different periods and communities, while also considering how changing religious, social, intellectual, and cultural contexts influence people’s relationships with the supernatural.  

This module is new for 2027 and is subject to final approval.

During the 1840s and 50s the Brontë sisters wrote some of the most original and challenging fiction of the Victorian period. Their work is still popular and still inspires criticism, fiction, popular culture and film adaptations.

This module provides an introduction to British literature with a focus on well-known authors, including the Brontës. The module also includes British authors such as Elizabeth Gaskell, Oscar Wilde and the Pre-Raphaelite poets. You’ll read a range of texts by these authors and explore these writings in class. You'll take part in group discussions and a workshop on writing a critical commentary.

You must read the novel ‘Jane Eyre’ by Charlotte Brontë and the play ‘The Importance of Being Earnest’ by Oscar Wilde before the start of the summer school.

Charlotte, Emily and Anne Brontë lived at Haworth Parsonage, only a few miles from Leeds. You’ll usually visit the stunning Yorkshire village that was their home during the module. 

Read the full description of British literature and the Brontës in the module catalogue.

This module develops a critical and practical understanding of television narrative through an engagement with Twin Peaks. 

Through a series of workshops, you will explore television narrative structure, genre and tropes, considering how David Lynch and Mark Frost constructed this influential TV show. You will analyse selected episodes from Twin Peaks seasons 1 and 2 (1990-1991) and Twin Peaks: The Return (2017), alongside examples of David Lynch’s visual art and relevant academic texts.

This module also situates Twin Peaks within its cultural and historical context, encouraging you to engage with a range of critical approaches, including politics, gender, race, class, semiotics and psychoanalysis. 

Read the full description of Cinema, television and art: David Lynch's Twin Peaks in the module catalogue. 

The music business today represents innovation, creativity, opportunities and connectivity. It is a global business that facilitates interpersonal, intercultural and connectivity. This module provides an introduction to the music business environment.

You’ll explore key concepts used in categorising and analysing music business sectors, industries and organisational typologies. You’ll be presented with a selection of relevant case studies and take part in class debates and discussions.

This module usually includes a field trip to a music or entertainment venue.

Read the full description of Essentials of the music business in the module catalogue.

Have you ever wondered how special effects are created and produced in films? This module provides an insight into special effects and the opportunity to develop practical filmmaking skills. 

You’ll learn how to set up a digital camera, as well as frame and compose shots. You’ll then learn how to record video shots against a green screen in a television studio. With your recorded material you’ll learn how to use professional special effects software to create some animated sequences using your photographs and video shots. 

For the Filmmaking module, I enjoyed the practical approach of the classes and the teacher was very kind and helpful. 

Read the full description of Introduction to special effects in filmmaking in the module catalogue. 

Societies are significantly shaped by their histories. But how do we reckon with our past when it involves large-scale injustices such as, for example, slavery, genocide or colonialism? This module examines recent debates in moral and political philosophy that have aimed to answer this problem.

In the first week, you’ll consider the question of who might have a responsibility to make reparations. You’ll also consider to whom this responsibility could be owed. In the second week, you’ll explore the different forms that reparations can take. Throughout the module, you’ll use these philosophical explorations to assess real life historic injustices.

This module usually includes a field trip to the International Slavery Museum in Liverpool.

Read the full description of Reparations for historical injustices in the module catalogue. 

This module offers an introduction to the theory and practice of stage management in the UK with a particular focus on the role of the deputy stage manager and the preparation of a prompt copy for live performance.

Through practical and theoretical exploration, you will gain a clear understanding of stage management responsibilities throughout the production process – from preparation and rehearsals to live performance. You’ll develop key skills in prompt copy preparation, cueing and core stage management procedures.

By the end of the module, you will be able to: 

• describe the roles and responsibilities of stage management personnel
• apply essential practices in rehearsal and performance
• prepare and use a prompt copy to cue live performance accurately
• understand employment legislation and union regulations relevant to stage management
• create and manage standard stage management documentation
• operate basic lighting and sound equipment to run cue sequences.

Read the full description of Stage management in the module catalogue.

This module provides an introduction to the key sectors of the events industry and the value of them to the economy. 

You’ll develop an understanding how the determinants of demand has changed. You’ll explore how this affects the events planning process and the meeting of stakeholder demands and needs.  

The module includes a field trip to a local events venue. 

Read the full description of An introduction to global events management in the module catalogue. 

AI is reshaping the global world of work, creating new opportunities while challenging traditional career pathways. This module explores how AI is used across different business, cultural and international contexts, and how these changes are influencing employer expectations. Through immersive learning activities, you will develop the knowledge, skills and confidence needed to thrive in an AI-enabled workplace.

You will build your AI readiness, gain practical insights into job searching and career development, and learn to engage critically with the opportunities and challenges of AI in global business. 

This module is new for 2027 and is subject to final approval.

What do we mean when we talk about culture? How can we describe cultures, and what is their importance in business? This module examines the nature of culture, looks at culture at the national level and suggests there are other ways of examining culture.

You’ll improve your own cultural awareness and learn how to factor in the role of culture in business situations. You’ll have the opportunity to consider a variety of cultural influences. You’ll also explore the impact of globalisation on the need for cross-cultural skills in communication and negotiation.

The module usually includes visits to local companies and businesses.

While I come from a History and Politics field of study, I wanted to broaden my horizons and allow myself to think about my post undergrad years. This module seemed like a perfect way to get my feet wet in business studies while taking in an unfamiliar culture.

Read the full description of Business and cultural awareness in the module catalogue.

Are you interested in exploring the key functions of management? Do you want to learn about the challenges managers face and develop your management skills? This module introduces some of the key concepts and theories in the field of management. 

You’ll explore the evolution of management schools of thought and explore essential tasks such as planning, organising, staffing, controlling and leading. You’ll have the opportunity to develop your management skills by taking on management tasks as a team and presenting a group project. 

The module usually includes a field trip to Manchester United. This module is particularly suitable for students who have no previous experience of studying management. 

I enjoyed the diversity within the modules. The content was taught in a student-friendly way and the field trips made it possible to get an even better insight. 

Read the full description of Management in organisations in the module catalogue. 

In a world where technology impacts every aspect of our lives, computational thinking is an invaluable skill. It’s not just for computer scientists but for problem solvers in every field – from business to biology, from arts to engineering. In today’s interconnected global landscape, computational thinking has become the universal language of innovation.   

This module will empower you to think like a computer scientist and discover how to approach complex challenges with clarity, creativity and confidence. You will explore fundamental concepts such as decomposition, pattern recognition and abstraction. You will develop essential skills such as logical and algorithmic thinking and algorithm design. You will dive into real-world problems, breaking them down and solving them step by step. You will learn to harness the power of algorithms and abstract thinking to tackle even the most intricate challenges.

The module will include a field trip, industry visit, campus-based workshop or other practical activity. 

Read the full description of Computational thinking: unlocking the power of problem solving in the module catalogue.

In our ever-changing world, we encounter pressing sustainability issues, from ensuring affordable and clean energy to finding sustainable ways to produce food, manage water and manufacture products for a growing global population. Solving these challenges calls for innovative engineering solutions grounded in the knowledge of chemical and process engineering.

In this module, you will delve into the vital role of chemical engineering in tackling the global issues outlined in the UN Sustainable Development Goals. Throughout this course, you’ll explore a wide range of sustainability challenges, such as carbon capture, renewable energy production, and the evolving field of biochemical engineering in healthcare. You’ll engage with these topics through a mix of lectures, thought-provoking case studies, simulations, and interactive group discussions.

The module places a strong emphasis on the latest research and real-world applications, giving you the chance to uncover cutting-edge engineering and technological solutions for sustainability challenges.

The module includes a field trip to a chemical and energy production facility in the Yorkshire region. This will provide you with a taste of the intersection between sustainability and engineering in action. 

Read the full description of Engineering solutions for a sustainable world in the module catalogue.

Are you interested in gaining an understanding of the evolving field of conflict analysis? This module provides an introduction to the nature and causes of armed conflicts as well as their resolution.

Initially, the module focuses on motivations driving different forms of conflict, for example, greed versus grievance and ethnicity. The second part of the module introduces types of interventions to conflicts and methods of conflict resolution.

This is an interdisciplinary module with elements of traditional conflict management approaches combined with contemporary scientific studies on cooperation and conflict.

Field trips for this module in the past have included a visit to the city of York and the Cold War Bunker.

It was a fantastic course, and I am very glad I chose to study it. The content, both theory and practical activities, was very good and contributed to getting to know my classmates.

Read the full description of Conflict analysis in international politics in the module catalogue.

Discover how digital mapping can help us understand a changing planet. This module explores major environmental challenges facing the world today, from local environmental issues to global-scale change. Using real-world examples, fieldwork and Geographic Information Systems (GIS), you will investigate the causes and impacts of environmental change and examine different approaches to addressing these challenges.

Along the way, you will develop practical GIS and data visualisation skills, learning how maps and models can be used to communicate complex information and support environmental decision-making. 

This module is new for 2027 and subject to final approval. 

How can we live more sustainably now and in the future? In this module, you will explore the environmental, social and economic dimensions of Sustainable Development, examine the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and engage with contemporary debates on technology, economic growth, and decolonial perspectives. Through these themes, you will develop a critical understanding of sustainability and its application across a wide range of professional and global contexts. 

This module is new for 2027 and subject to final approval.

Law is a diverse and stimulating discipline which is integral to everyday life. Every person in society has experience of how the law affects their lives. From crime and policing to the courtroom, or from banking to individual rights. This module provides the fundamentals of knowledge and an introduction to the English Legal System. 

It examines a range of core subject areas of law, such as human rights, constitutional and criminal. Practical activities will include statute-building, debates on law and ethics and mooting. 

This module usually includes a trip to the Yorkshire Law and Order Museum in Ripon, a stunning city in North Yorkshire. This module is suitable for students studying law or related social sciences subjects. 

This module gave me the full experience that I imagined before I came here. I also liked the subject since I am also studying law which is why I’m fascinated with how the law works here in the UK. 

Read the full description on The path to justice in the module catalogue. 

In our modern world, the rising prevalence of cardiovascular diseases, including heart attacks and strokes, as well as diabetes, is a critical global health concern. This module provides an introduction to these complex health issues.

Through a mixture of seminars, interactive laboratory simulations, patient case studies and virtual reality activities, you will explore the essential basics of the cardiovascular system’s functioning and the intricate regulation of glucose and energy within the human body. These foundational insights will lay the groundwork for a deeper understanding of the biology of cardiovascular diseases and diabetes.

You’ll delve into the pressing need for innovation in the prevention, diagnosis, treatment and rehabilitation of patients, emphasizing a multidisciplinary approach. This knowledge is essential not only for future healthcare professionals but also for students pursuing non-medical and health-related programmes.

Real-world examples, tours of our research laboratories and discussions with researchers will illustrate how individuals from diverse educational backgrounds can contribute to advancements in cardiovascular health and diabetes care.

Read the full description of Cardiovascular health and diabetes: an introduction in the module catalogue.

Why do we do the things we do? Are we in control of our behaviour, or is the mind subject to influences we cannot control? How does the mind influence our behaviour, our reactions to our environment and the people we meet, and even how we perceive art?

This module analyses how human behaviour has evolved and explores what makes us both human and fallible. You’ll also gain an understanding of how our mind can play tricks on us, for better and for worse.

You’ll discover how developmental and social factors influence our behaviour. You’ll explore core topics in psychology including neuroscience, perception, learning and memory, motivation and emotion, and social, developmental and abnormal psychology. 

The module usually includes a field trip to The Hepworth in Wakefield and the Yorkshire Sculpture Park.

The lectures were amazing and interesting, and I really enjoyed the group presentation. It not only helped me to learn a lot of information about the topic, but it also helped me to make great friends. 

Read the full description of Introduction to psychology in the module catalogue.

From climate change to global inequality, this module offers you the opportunity to use real-world datasets to explore the world’s most pressing challenges. You will gain practical skills to make responsible, data-informed decisions about sustainable development challenges.

No prior experience with statistics or programming is required.   

You will start by learning how to ask meaningful questions before diving into analysis. You will evaluate the credibility and limitations of data sources, uncover hidden assumptions and spot misleading statistics. As you progress, you’ll learn to create compelling dashboards that tell stories and create reports that can influence real-world decisions.

Throughout the module, you’ll also navigate the ethical complexities of working with data that impacts people’s lives. 

Read for the full description of Data analytics for a sustainable world in the module catalogue.

Despite the growing availability of exercise opportunities and information, participation rates remain low. Many adults engage in less than 30 minutes of physical activity per week, a trend seen globally. This inactivity puts individuals at risk of chronic disease and poor wellbeing.

This module explores barriers to physical activity and examines psychological factors like motivation, exercise anxiety and confidence.

You will also study the broader impacts of exercise on mental health and overall wellbeing, drawing on contemporary sport and exercise science research.  

Read the full description of Introduction to exercise psychology in the module catalogue.