Accessibility statement

Magic - HIS00103H

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  • Department: History
  • Credit value: 40 credits
  • Credit level: H
  • Academic year of delivery: 2022-23

Module summary

Magic is a term which is widely used and which has been part of the belief system of many historical societies. Despite its marginality to current mainstream beliefs in the West, it continues to play an important role in western culture as a source of entertainment, while in many non-western societies magic continues to be accepted as part of the normal order of things. Our objective in this module is to try to get to grips with the concept and operation of magic in a variety of different contexts, drawing on a wide chronological range of case studies, and looking at the topic not just through a normal historical focus but also through a range of approaches including anthropology and modern popular culture.

Module will run

Occurrence Teaching period
A Autumn Term 2022-23 to Spring Term 2022-23

Module aims

The aims of this module are:

  • To introduce students to the practice of comparative history;
  • To enable students to acquire skills and understanding of that practice by studying a particular topic or theme; and
  • To enable students to reflect on the possibilities and difficulties involved in comparative history

Module learning outcomes

Students who complete this module successfully will:

  • Grasp the key approaches and challenges involved in comparative history;
  • Understand a range of aspects of the topic or theme which they have studied;
  • Be able to use and evaluate comparative approaches to that topic or theme; and
  • Have learned to discuss and write about comparative history
  • Have developed skills in group work

Module content

Teaching Programme:

Students will attend a 1-hour briefing in week 1 of the autumn term. Students prepare for and participate in fifteen three-hour seminars. These take place in weeks 2-5 and 7-9 of the autumn term and weeks 2-5 and 7-10 of the spring term. Both the autumn and spring terms include a reading week for final year students and so there will be no teaching in week 6. There will also be a 2 hour revision session in the summer term.

Seminar topics are subject to variation, but are likely to include the following:

Autumn Term

  1. The World of Harry Potter

  2. Magic in Antiquity: Greece, Rome, and Egypt

  3. Magic in the Middle Ages

  4. Magical Creatures: Fairies

  5. Alchemy throughout the Ages

  6. Astrology throughout the Ages

  7. The World of the Azande

Spring Term

  1. The World of the Renaissance Magus

  2. Competing Systems I: Magic and Christianity

  3. Competing Systems II: Magic and Science

  4. Popular Magic, 1600-1900

  5. Magic in Fairy Tales

  6. Modern Pagan Witchcraft

  7. Modern Satanism

  8. The Technology of Magic and the Magic of Technology

Indicative assessment

Task % of module mark
Groupwork 33
Online Exam - 24 hrs (Centrally scheduled) 67

Special assessment rules

None

Additional assessment information

For procedural work, the students will make group presentations towards the end of the autumn term. In addition, they may choose to submit an optional 2,000 word formative essay between weeks 7-9 of the autumn term. Essays should not be submitted in the same week as group project presentations are scheduled.

For summative assessment students will complete a 4,000-word group project due in week 6 of the spring term -- this will account for 33% of the final mark. They will then also take a 2,000-word 24-hour open exam during the common assessment period in the summer term, usually released at 11:00 on day 1 and submitted at 11:00 on day 2. The open exam will be worth 67% of the final mark.

Indicative reassessment

Task % of module mark
Groupwork 33
Online Exam - 24 hrs (Centrally scheduled) 67

Module feedback

Following their formative assessment task, students will typically receive written feedback that will include comments and a mark within 10 working days of submission.

Work will be returned to students in their discussion groups and may be supplemented by the tutor giving some oral feedback to the whole group. All students are encouraged, if they wish, to discuss the feedback on their procedural work with their tutor (or module convenor) during student hours. For more information, see the Statement on Feedback.

For the summative assessment task, students will receive their provisional mark and written feedback within 20 working days of the submission deadline. The tutor will then be available during student hours for follow-up guidance if required. For more information, see the Statement of Assessment.

Indicative reading

For term time reading, please refer to the module VLE site. Before the course starts, we encourage you to look at the following items of preliminary reading:

Davies, Owen. Magic: A Very Short Introduction. Oxford; New York: Oxford UP, 2012.

Hutton, Ronald. The Triumph of the Moon: A History of Modern Pagan Witchcraft. Oxford: Oxford U.P, 2001.

Mauss, Marcel. A General Theory of Magic. London; Boston: Routledge and K. Paul, 1972.


The information on this page is indicative of the module that is currently on offer. The University constantly explores ways to enhance and improve its degree programmes and therefore reserves the right to make variations to the content and method of delivery of modules, and to discontinue modules, if such action is reasonably considered to be necessary. In some instances it may be appropriate for the University to notify and consult with affected students about module changes in accordance with the University's policy on the Approval of Modifications to Existing Taught Programmes of Study.