Group Teaching and Research

Special Collections is experienced in working with course leaders to help deliver group teaching and research sessions based on the collections. We are able to work with course leaders to develop a programme of teaching and group sessions based around the collections which directly ties into a specialised subject and gives students a first hand opportunity to work with primary source material. We are also able in consultation with a course leader to assist by making material available for sessions where the session is led solely by the course leader.

The seminar room adjacent to  Special Collections can comfortably hold a group of up to 20 and provides an ideal environment for working with rare books, archives and manuscript collections with assistance from Special Collections staff. Members of the Special Collections team are also able to help deliver group teaching and research sessions e.g. within an academic department through presentations about the collections, although in this situation original material can unfortunately not be provided.

Recent group teaching and research sessions for 2009–2010 have included:

• 27/8/2009  Drama & Theatre Arts Department (Jo Thackwray) Cast of ‘The Vortex by Noel Coward, performed at the Crescent Theatre, Birmingham, September 20090

• 9/10/2009  English Department (Dr Philippa Semper) MPhil(B) in Medieval Studies (for session on describing manuscripts)

• 26/10/2009  Drama & Theatre Arts Department (Professor Kate Newey) 2nd year  module: Melodrama (both stage and screen)

• 16/11/2009 English Department (Dr Philippa Semper) 3rd year Medieval Manuscripts module

• 27/1/2010 Drama & Theatre Arts Department (Professor Kate Newey) 3rd year module: Elements of Theatre History

• Drama and Theatre Arts Department Theatre through the ages locally and nationally

• Italian Department Giacomo Leopardi: Life and Work

• English Department George Herbert: Life and Work

• English Department Medieval and Early Modern World

• History of Medicine The History of Medicine

• Drama and Theatre Arts Department 19th and 20th Century Theatre

• History Department Slavery and Anti-Slavery

• Maths Department The History of Mathematics

• History and English Departments Life in Shakespeare's England: the court, the gentry and their books

• History and English Departments: Life in Shakespeare's England: the household and estate management

• Centre for West Midlands History - West Midlands History Day School W L Sherwood: World War One Artist

• The History of Art Department Art History Postgraduate exhibition at the Barber Institute, 'Christian symbolism in early 20th century prints'

• Ironbridge Institute An examination of Stonehenge

Group teaching and research sessions for 2008–2009 included:

• 3rd year undergraduates in Department of Drama and Theatre Arts for their study option on the making of theatre history 2008/09

• Undergraduates on the intercalated programme for Intercalated BMedSc in the History of Medicine 2008/09

• Undergraduate Medieval Studies seminar: Medieval Manuscripts 8/10/2008

• Undergraduate English seminar: Battle of the Books 13/10/2008

• Undergraduate English seminar: George Herbert 20/10/2008

• Postgraduate Medieval Studies seminar Medieval Manuscripts Session 1 22/10/2008

• Postgraduate Medieval Studies seminar Medieval Manuscripts Session 2 24/10/2008

• Undergraduate Music Seminar: Music Manuscripts 2/12/2008

• Undergraduate History seminar: Life in Shakespeare's England 2/12/2008

• Undergraduate English seminar: Medieval Manuscripts & early printed books 8/12/12008

• Undergraduate English seminar: Ben Jonson 10/2/2009

• Undergraduate History seminar: Reformation 8/5/2009

We also regularly work with 6th Form groups and History Teachers from secondary schools in liaison with  the History Department.

To discuss your requirements with us please contact Jenny Childs in the first instance, on telephone +44 (0) 121 414 5839 (internal x45839) or email special-collections@bham.ac.uk. Please do bear in mind when considering your planning that it can take time to develop an effective group session using rare books, archives and manuscripts.