Academics

Registration for classes at Bangor University is a little different than at UNCW. Do not worry, UNCW staff and Bangor staff will be there to guide you.

First you will meet with UNCW staff members to discuss course availability, and what might work best for your major/minor at UNCW. Since some of the courses that you may wish to take may not be available or may conflict with another class time, we will work closely with you to ensure you have a few back-up course options as well.

The online enrollment process for this program will happen shortly before your arrival in Wales. On arrival in Bangor, you will be asked to attend an ID checking event where your identity will be verified- this step completes your registration as a student.

Global Celtic Cultures: Examination through a Welsh Lens

This course introduces students to the Celtic-languages and their cultures, both historical and contemporary. Attention is given primarily to Welsh and Irish, with reference to the other four living Celtic languages and the disputed Celtic identities of Galicia (Spain) and US communities.

The course imparts knowledge and teaches skills that are relevant not only to the specific cases of the Celtic languages of Great Britain and Ireland but, by extension, to indigenous and minority cultures more generally.

The course first considers the historical development of the Celtic languages and their literatures (specifically the store of medieval myths and legends, as well as the remarkable poetry of the bardic traditions).

We then trace the evolution of these cultures through colonization and decline into the period of the Celtic Revival, political protest and language revitalisation, including the establishment of Celtic language-speaking communities in the Americas.

Given that Bangor is located in the area of Wales with the largest number of Welsh-speaking communities, students are encouraged to develop their understanding of this material outside the classroom, where they may discover and consider first-hand the factors (and challenges) that contribute to the continuation in the twenty-first century of a language spoken here before the arrival of the Romans.

Part of the teaching will be in field-trip form, where key cultural/historical sites will be visited. This course will count toward the "Living in a Global Society" degree requirement at UNCW.

History, Philosophy & Social Sciences

HXA - 1105 Archaeological Principles and Techniques

This module introduces students to the ideas that inspire and drive archaeologists. Thus, students shall explore the main principles archaeologists follow and the techniques they employ.

Archaeology is a discipline that engages with the social sciences, the humanities, and the natural and environmental sciences. Archaeologists collaborate with specialists in all of these fields and consequently draw on a wide variety of materials. In this way, archaeologists use a range of skills, from large-scale excavation to field recording at isolated sites to lab-based identification of pollen grains.

Together these many facets of the discipline are united in a common purpose: revealing several million years of the human past (and our evolution) through study of material remains. This course aims to provide students with a broad grounding in these topics, and in the way archaeology is studied at university level.

HXH - 1104 Introduction to Modern History 1815-1914

This module approaches the time between the Congress of Vienna and the outbreak of the First World War from a wide perspective, ranging from social structure to political and military history and from cultural trends to imperialism.

It centres on Europe (including the British Isles). Students are expected to attend all lectures to gain a sense of the broad themes and how they interlock. Part of the module will introduce study skills and methodological approaches.

HXH -1105 Introduction to History and Heritage

This course introduces the debate about the nature of heritage; the relationship between heritage and the disciplines of history and archaeology; and the importance of heritage to popular perceptions of the past.

We will examine our changing attitude to the past and its material remains; the way in which we construct our views of the past; the arenas in which those views are expressed; and the uses to which those views are put. This course will encourage you to think critically about historical and archaeological arguments and about the way the past is interpreted in a variety of contexts, from the academic disciplines of history and archaeology to the public sphere.

This course will therefore offer a critique of heritage, but also attempt to develop an understanding of its increasingly important role within contemporary society. We shall examine the history of academic approaches to the past; the development of museums; the increasing role of the state in the heritage industry; the diversity of heritage sites; and finally, how the past is used to create a sense of identity, place, and belonging.

SXY-1107 Intro to Criminal Justice

This module is intended to provide Year One students with a sound understanding of the ways in which, within England and Wales, crime comes to the attention of the authorities, how crime is measured, how crime is policed, how accused persons are brought to trial, and those who are convicted are sentenced and punished.

The module takes an historical overview of the origins of criminal law, the police, the criminal courts and the prison, examining the significant social, economic, and philosophical changes that have helped to shape the modern criminal justice and penal system. It examines the functions of the criminal justice agencies, explores some of the predominant ideas and theories about how the systems operate and raises critical questions about the ways in which criminal justice is done and punishment is delivered.

Music and Media

WXZ 1300 Music Since 1850

This module introduces students to musicological study through a survey of music history between 1850 and the present day, combined with a series of workshops on study skills. The module surveys selected works in a range of art music and popular genres.

Changes and developments in musical style will be set in their historical, cultural, social, geographical and aesthetic contexts. In addition, students undertake a deeper study of two works, exploring them analytically as musical texts, and probing the circumstances in which they were composed.

WXZ 1108 Harmony and Counterpoint

This module aims to develop students’ understanding of the elements of musical language – melody, harmony, counterpoint, rhythm – through the study of compositional practice in the late Renaissance and Baroque periods.

Students work through a course of study which will develop aural skills, score reading and analytical skills, creativity, and a thorough understanding of the parameters for the construction of music during the periods in question.

To develop students’ understanding of the elements of musical language. For example, through the four-part chorale harmonisations of JS Bach, this module will explore all of the essential aspects of tonal music of the common practice period, including: melody and harmony; phrases and periods; cadences; triadic harmony; inversions; voice-leading; prolongation; figured-Roman analysis; passing notes and inflections; figured bass.

Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics

LXZ 1700 Creating National Histories

A grounding in historical knowledge is important for understanding the contexts in which texts, events, and ideas emerge. This module will introduce you to key events in European and Asian History, providing you with an understanding of some foundational moments in the making of the modern world.

Through this module, you will develop their awareness of the interconnected nature of national histories. Furthermore, this module will develop your ability to contextualise nation-based events in terms of the development of modern and contemporary culture, mentalities and value systems.

Psychology

PPP-1002 Stress & Distress

This module will introduce concepts of physical and mental health and describe biopsychosocial approaches to health behaviour and mental disorders. Health Psychology lectures will cover definitions of health, models of health behaviour, alcohol use, and stress and illness.

Clinical Psychology lectures will cover the classification and diagnosis of mental disorders, explanations of psychopathology, mood disorders, and substance use disorders. This module will help you understand the scientific underpinnings of psychology,  apply multiple perspectives to psychological issues and communicate psychological concepts effectively in writing.

PPP1009 Human Language and Its Disorders

Language is fundamental to human experience, providing tools with which to think and a way for us to communicate complex thoughts with others. Language is also an excellent system to understand how the human mind works.

This module will provide an introduction to the psychological study of language, including language acquisition (how do infants and adults learn languages?), understanding (how do we convert auditory and/or visual signals into meaning?), and speaking (how do we convert our thoughts into sequences of motor movements in order to communicate meaningfully with others?).

We will also consider the causes and characteristics of language disorders, such as aphasia and dyslexia. Although the precise plan may vary from year to year, topics covered will typically include: language acquisition and developmental disorders; language understanding and speaking; reading and its disorders; multilingualism; linguistic relativity; language innateness.

Medical Sciences 

PPP-1003 - Scientific Writing Communication

This module will develop and exercise the core skills required to communicate effectively within science generally, and within psychology specifically. The aim of this module is to develop students' scientific communication skills and to encourage them to feel confident in their ability to disseminate ideas effectively using a variety of mediums and within a psychological community.

Students will develop a range of transferable communication skills on this module. The module will include the following components:

Dissemination of Information (DoI): Students will hear a series of research lectures and will communicate the content of these in writing.

Writing for Science (WfS): Students will take part in workshops to develop their science writing across a range of skills.

A typical curriculum will include workshops and lectures on: APA writing style, writing succinctly, writing clearly, APA referencing and citations and critical thinking skills.

MSE-1024 Foundations in Chemistry

This module aims to make that students with little or no background in chemistry are secure in the essential knowledge and understanding of different areas of chemistry that are of particular importance in the medical sciences.

Students will review the different areas of physical, inorganic and organic chemistry in a biomedical context. They will develop their interest in chemistry and become confident in using chemical nomenclature and concepts in future modules.

Atomic Structures and the Periodic Table.

• Bonding in chemistry
• Amount of substance
• Acids and bases
• Fundamental organic chemistry

Engineering & Computer Science

ICE-1111 Imperative Programming Foundation

To provide an introduction to the fundamental concepts and techniques of programming including: algorithms and computer programs, physical and virtual machines, language processors, data types; control structures; methods; stepwise refinement; arrays; systematic documentation; input/output and file handling.

Indicative content includes:

• Types of programming languages and their features; interpretation and compilation; applications; programming environment and library use.
• Use of variables; variable names; primitive data types; arithmetic operators; relational operators; boolean operators; evaluation of arithmetic and boolean expressions; assignment of values to variables; strings; arrays; array algorithms.
• Concept of an algorithm; basic control structures - sequencing, selection and iteration; code blocks; if and switch statements; use of for, do and while loops; loop conditions; nested loops; basic input/output facilities pseudo-code as a design and documentation aid.
• White box and black box view of program modules; method components header and body; method signatures; parameters; solving problems using stepwise refinement; block structure and variable scope; recursion and recursive methods.
• Permanent and volatile storage; the concept of a file; structure of a text file; methods for file I/O; binary data and files; formatting output.
• Correct use of code indentation; use of comments; choice of variable, class and method names; capitalization.