Short course
Death and Devotion: The Art of Death across the Middle Ages
Course status:
Applications being accepted
Location:
Online
Dates:
13/01/2027 - 24/03/2027
Study format:
Online - live
Fees:
£430.00
Have you ever wondered how medieval people expressed their understanding of mortality and the afterlife through art and architecture? Join us on a journey where we will unravel the intimate relationship between art, death, and devotion in the Middle Ages. Discover the profound symbolism found on tomb sculptures and architecture and the intricate beauty of devotional objects.
We will examine objects from across Western Europe and the Mediterranean. You will gain insights into the cultural, religious, and philosophical contexts that shaped these works, enriching your understanding of medieval visual and material cultures.
Book this course
Book your place online using the button below.
Programme details
This course begins on the 13 Jan 2027, which is when course materials are made available to students. Students should study these materials in advance of the first live meeting, which will be held on 20 Jan 2026, 18:30-19:30pm (UK time).
Week 1: Sacred Commodities: Saints and Relics
Week 2: The ‘very special dead’: The Saint and the Shrine
Week 3: Enshrining the Sacred: Reliquaries
Week 4: Monumental depictions of the Last Judgement
Week 5: Indulgences and Intercession for the Dead
Week 6: Locus sanctus: Tombs, Burials, and the Politics of the Body
Week 7: Visualising the End of Time: The Book of Revelation in Illuminated Manuscripts
Week 8: Passion Piety and the Death of Christ
Week 9: Imago Mortis: Death and Private Devotion
Week 10: The Macabre
Level and demands
This course is open to all and no prior knowledge is required.
This course is offered at FHEQ Level 4 (i.e. first year undergraduate level), and you will be expected to engage in independent study in preparation for your assignments and for the weekly webinar. This may take the form, for instance, of reading and analysing set texts, responding to questions or tasks, or preparing work to present in class. Our 10-week Short Online Courses come with an expected total commitment of 100 study hours, including those spent in live webinars.
English Language Requirements
We do not insist that applicants hold an English language certification, but warn that they may be at a disadvantage if their language skills are not of a comparable level to those qualifications listed on our website. If you are confident in your proficiency, please feel free to enrol. For more information regarding English language requirements please follow this link: https://www.conted.ox.ac.uk/about/english-language-requirements
Course aims
To provide an in-depth understanding of how medieval societies expressed their perceptions of mortality and the afterlife through art and architecture, fostering a comprehensive appreciation of medieval visual and material cultures.
Course Objectives:
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Equip students with the skills to critically assess and interpret medieval art in relation to its cultural, religious, and philosophical dimensions.
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Understand the historical, theological, and art historical perspectives to contextualise the artistic expressions of death and devotion in medieval Europe across various regions.
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Be able to analyse and interpret a diverse array of historical sources, including visual evidence and written documentary sources.
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To engage critically through close visual observation and analysis of medieval objects to understand the role of materiality within their creation and function.
Programme details
This course begins on the 13 Jan 2027, which is when course materials are made available to students. Students should study these materials in advance of the first live meeting, which will be held on 20 Jan 2026, 18:30-19:30pm (UK time).
Week 1: Sacred Commodities: Saints and Relics
Week 2: The ‘very special dead’: The Saint and the Shrine
Week 3: Enshrining the Sacred: Reliquaries
Week 4: Monumental depictions of the Last Judgement
Week 5: Indulgences and Intercession for the Dead
Week 6: Locus sanctus: Tombs, Burials, and the Politics of the Body
Week 7: Visualising the End of Time: The Book of Revelation in Illuminated Manuscripts
Week 8: Passion Piety and the Death of Christ
Week 9: Imago Mortis: Death and Private Devotion
Week 10: The Macabre
Teaching methods
This course takes place over 10 weeks, with a weekly learning schedule and weekly live webinar held on Microsoft Teams. Shortly before a course commences, students are provided with access to an online virtual learning environment, which houses the course content, including video lectures, complemented by readings or other study materials. Working through these materials over the course of the week will prepare students for a weekly 1-hour live webinar you will share with your expert tutor and fellow students. All courses are structured to amount to 100 study hours, so that on average, you should set aside 10 hours a week for study. Although the course finishes after 10 weeks, all learning materials remain available to all students for 12 months after the course has finished.
All courses are led by an expert tutor. Tutors guide students through the course materials as part of the live interactions during the weekly webinars. Tutors will also provide individualised feedback on your assignments. All online courses are taught in small student cohorts so that you and your peers will form a mutually supportive and vibrant learning community for the duration of the course. You will learn from your fellow students as well as from your tutor, and they will learn from you.
Learning outcomes
By the end of the course, students will be expected to:
- Demonstrate an understanding of the cultural, religious, and philosophical contexts that shaped medieval art’s portrayals of death and devotion.
- Understand the close relationship between the medieval concepts of death and devotion.
- Analyse and interpret a variety of medieval works of art, recognising the symbolic meanings and artistic intentions behind them.
- Critically evaluate the influence of different regions and time periods on the development of the visual culture of death in the Middle Ages.
- Develop personal insights and a nuanced appreciation for medieval art, enhancing their scholarly and personal perspectives on historical interpretation.
Assessment methods
You will be set two pieces of work for the course. The first of 500 words is due halfway through your course. This does not count towards your final outcome but preparing for it, and the feedback you are given, will help you prepare for your assessed piece of work of 1,500 words due at the end of the course. The assessed work is marked pass or fail.
Dr Róisín Astell
Róisín Astell recently successfully defended her PhD in the Centre for Medieval and Early Modern Studies at the University of Kent. Her PhD thesis focuses on the role of images in the edification of spiritual sight during the thirteenth and early fourteenth centuries in England and France. Róisín is a graduate of the Universities of York and Oxford. She has taught at the Universities of Oxford, York, Edinburgh, and UCL.
Assessment methods
You will be set two pieces of work for the course. The first of 500 words is due halfway through your course. This does not count towards your final outcome but preparing for it, and the feedback you are given, will help you prepare for your assessed piece of work of 1,500 words due at the end of the course. The assessed work is marked pass or fail.
Level and demands
This course is open to all and no prior knowledge is required.
This course is offered at FHEQ Level 4 (i.e. first year undergraduate level), and you will be expected to engage in independent study in preparation for your assignments and for the weekly webinar. This may take the form, for instance, of reading and analysing set texts, responding to questions or tasks, or preparing work to present in class. Our 10-week Short Online Courses come with an expected total commitment of 100 study hours, including those spent in live webinars.
English Language Requirements
We do not insist that applicants hold an English language certification, but warn that they may be at a disadvantage if their language skills are not of a comparable level to those qualifications listed on our website. If you are confident in your proficiency, please feel free to enrol. For more information regarding English language requirements please follow this link: https://www.conted.ox.ac.uk/about/english-language-requirements
Fees
| Description | Costs |
|---|---|
| Course Fee | £430.00 |
Module code: O26P758ARZ
Please use the ‘Book now’ button on this page. Alternatively, please complete an enrolment form.