The aim of this third-year core module is to introduce students to the study of Shakespeare at a high level. Its objectives are to cover as many plays and...

The aim of this third-year core module is to introduce students to the study of Shakespeare at a high level. Its objectives are to cover as many plays and poems as is consistent with some depth.

Weekly lectures are supported by fortnightly seminars which investigate individual plays in detail. Four set plays are set for special study each year: these form the basis of the autumn term seminars and are examined in a separate section on the Finals examination paper. The spring term seminars are sign-up, offering students a choice from five or six topics. These sign-up seminars offer opportunities for teachers to share their specialist interests, and for students to develop their own personal expertise.

An introductory lecture sets out the chronology and canon of Shakespeare's work, and basic textual and editorial information. Lectures on each of the four set plays are given in the autumn term; the rest of the lectures in both terms cover further plays, poems, and a variety of critical methodologies for studying Shakespeare. By the end of the module students should feel that they have substantial knowledge of a range of Shakespeare’s works and are familiar with key topics in current Shakespeare studies.

This description relates to the full year version of the module. Only the topics and content that is taught in Term 1 will be covered in this module.

The...

This description relates to the full year version of the module. Only the topics and content that is taught in Term 1 will be covered in this module.

The first few lectures of this module present an overview of biomaterials, including the properties of natural biomaterials such as skin, bone, hair etc. Metallic biomaterials, including stainless steel and titanium are discussed. This is followed by a few lectures on other metallic alloys such as Co-Cr-Mo. The use of metals in orthopaedic prostheses for the knee, shoulder and hip as well as in fracture fixation devices are critically reviewed. An insight into the types of polymers and their potential applications as biomaterials is presented, including polymer devices. Using a case study (such as shape memory polymers) developmental stages during the design and synthesis of a biomedical polymer are elucidated.

Methods of analysing biomedical polymeric materials from the laboratory to in-vitro testing are described. Examples of how degradation of polymeric materials can be useful or harmful to their surroundings and methods which have been developed to overcome such issues are discussed. Bioceramics are discussed in detail, including a case study on hydroxyapatite. A few lectures cover the development of composites for biomedical applications.

The module also covers details of biomaterials processing, forming and relating manufacturing.