Innovators: meet the Victorians
Time: 15:00 - 17:00
Location: Keeley Street
This course has now started
Course Code: HBH30
Duration: 6 sessions (over 6 weeks)
Please note: We offer a wide variety of financial support to make courses affordable. Just visit our online Help Center for more information on a range of topics including fees, online learning and FAQs.
What is the course about?
The Victorian era (1837-1901) ushered in an extraordinary era of innovation in engineering, science and industry. Join us as we explore I.K. Brunel’s remarkable engineering designs; Bazalgette’s public sanitation works; and Darwin’s revolutionary theories of evolution. We will also explore the extraordinary exhibits to be found at the Great Exhibition and developments in both nursing and crime detection, with reference to the Whitechapel Murders. Determined to develop, explore, analyse and categorize the world around them, the Victorians left remarkable legacies, many of which we can still see today.
What will we cover?
Week 1: Engineering: the life & work of I.K. Brunel
Week 2: Public Health: Bazalgette & the ‘Great Stink’
Week 3: Science: Darwin & Darwinism
Week 4: Crime & Policing: Policing, forensic criminology & crime scenes
Week 5: Industry, the British Empire & Society: the Great Exhibition
Week 6: Women & Nursing: Florence Nightingale & Mary Seacole.
What will I achieve?
By the end of this course you should be able to...
• Assess Brunel’s impact on civil engineering
• Evaluate the impact of Bazalgette’s work on public health in London
• Explain Darwin’s impact on scientific research
• Evaluate policing policies & the early analysis of forensic evidence & crime scenes in the Victorian era, with reference to the Whitechapel Murders
• Assess the impact of the 1851 Great Exhibition on British Industry, culture and the Empire
• Explain how nursing became a 'respectable' occupation for women in the Victorian era.
What level is the course and do I need any particular skills?
This is an introductory course and no prior knowledge is required. An open mind, a willingness to engage constructively, respectfully and positively in debates and discussions is all that is required.
How will I be taught, and will there be any work outside the class?
Through interactive lectures. Google Classroom will be available with resources including weekly slides and articles, should you wish to further your knowledge of the topic.
Are there any other costs? Is there anything I need to bring?
Pen and notepad if you wish to make notes.
When I've finished, what course can I do next?
HBH64 Industry and protest in the 1800s.
