Humanities & Social Sciences courses by Seminar

An introduction to the main events of American history from the beginnings of English colonisation in the early seventeenth century to the present, this lecture-only module is divided chronologically in two parts. Among topics covered are the colonial period; the […]

This two-part course is comprised of two eight-lecture modules, which can be taken separately in each academic term or together to form a year-long programme. Section 1 is World Religions and Theological Frameworks, and this module examines the disciplines of […]

The reign of King (later Emperor) Charlemagne (768-814 AD) marked a flourishing of the visual arts that had not been seen since the fall of the Roman Empire. Often styled the ‘Carolingian Renaissance’, the artistic culture of the period was […]

Climate history is a rapidly evolving field of study that aims to: firstly reconstruct climate conditions over past centuries and millennia; and secondly understand how societies perceived and responded to changing climates and extreme weather. These aims can be best […]

This module, led by Dr Rachel Moss, presents a thematic overview of the global intersections and relationships of Western visual and material culture across a range of historically located examples. Topics are explored in this module under the broad themes […]

This part of the Cultural Intersections in the History of Art course examines the influence of different global cultures on the history of Western art from the medieval period to the twentieth century. Organised thematically, Dr Rachel Moss will consider […]

This module deals with what has traditionally been known as Ireland’s ‘Golden Age’. Having begun with a brief introduction to prehistoric Ireland, it covers in more detail the period from the arrival of Christianity in the fifth century to the […]

This module explores the political and cultural history of Europe during the early modern period. It analyses the efforts of reformers to revive their churches and societies during the sixteenth century. It then examines the legacy of these reform movements […]

“The story is no longer about the things that have happened to women and men and how they have reacted to them; instead it is about how the subjective and collective meanings of women and men as categories of identity […]

What is myth? How do myths deal with fundamental human concerns about who we are and the world we live in? In this module, Dr. Suzanne O’Neill is an introduction to the major myths of the classical world using a […]

What is myth? How do myths deal with fundamental human concerns about who we are and the world we live in? What is the relationship between myth and religion? Why did the Greeks and Romans worship many gods, believe in […]

Global integration is not only a fact of modern life, but modern history writing. The interconnectedness of societies and states, and the powers forcing social, cultural and economic interaction have prompted significant scholarly assessment. This lecture-only module investigates some of […]

This lecture-only module offers a survey of Western architecture from around 1520. It provides an introduction to the critical analysis of building types. The module considers such matters as issues of style, the functions architecture, as well as the range […]

This lecture-only module offers a survey of Western painting and sculpture from around 1520. It provides an introduction to the critical analysis of artworks and considers matters such as the iconography of major religious and mythological subjects, issues of style, […]

This module offers an introductory survey of the development and major artistic and artistic achievements of Greek architecture, sculpture and painting from the Greek Bronze Age to the Hellenistic period. The module places art and architecture in its social, political […]

This course, led by Dr. Shane Wallace, provides an introductory survey of the history of the Greek world, from the Greek Archaic age to the Hellenistic period. The main trends and issues of this period will be explored through themes […]

This lecture-only module is an introductory survey of the development and major artistic and technical achievements of Roman architecture, sculpture, and painting. The course places art and architecture in its social, political and cultural context. It explores themes such as […]

This lecture-only module, led by Dr Rebecca Usherwood, provides an introductory survey of the history of the Greek and Roman world, from the Greek Archaic age (around 700 BC) to the death of Augustus in 14 AD. The main trends […]

his module offers a survey of architecture up to the end of seventeenth century, with a focus primarily, although not exclusively, on the Western world. It introduces the critical analysis of buildings and the spaces that they occupy considering issues […]

This module offers a survey of art up to the end of seventeenth century, with a focus primarily, although not exclusively, on the Western world. It provides an introduction to the critical analysis of artworks, including painting, mosaic, fine metalwork, […]

This module examines political, social and cultural developments in Ireland during the early modern period within a narrative and thematic framework, starting with Tudor political reform and continuing through to the Act of Union in 1800. The principal issues dealt […]

This module considers objects and places from the medieval world that have accumulated multiple meanings over time. Challenging the narrative of a ‘clash of civilisations’ between Islam and Christianity, it focuses on the entangled histories of art and architecture in […]

This module begins with the rise of Brian Ború from modest origins to become Ireland’s most famous high king – a spectacular career that ended in the iconic battle of Clontarf in 1014. We explore how Irish society and kingship […]

What do we mean by modern Ireland? Where is modern Ireland and when did it begin? Having broached these questions, this course will investigate what life was like on the island of Ireland across the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. Reflecting […]

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A new course on modern architecture will run in Hilary Term. You may apply online or by phone* as follows: Online: You may register and pay by credit/debit card online at www.historieshumanities.tcd.ie/shortcourses AFTER enrolments open for each term. By telephone: […]

The module will study some patterns of artistic development in Britain, France and Ireland, with reference to the circumstances found in the main centres of production. It will explore the roles of the period’s major artists, including Gainsborough, Hogarth, Angelica […]

Overview Returning for 2025, the popular Philosophy Today public lecture series explores how philosophy engages with the challenges of the modern world. Through six thought-provoking talks followed by interactive Q&A sessions, Trinity College Dublin’s philosophers share insights from their latest […]

At the beginning of the twelfth century western Christendom had a new optimism: a commercial and urban boom, new religious orders, new church buildings, the codification of religious law, a flourishing of religious art, a movement to ‘recover’ the Holy […]

The lecture-only module will examine Netherlands’ wealth of artistic production in the seventeenth century, primarily studying Rembrandt and Vermeer. These contrasting and complementary figures represent the diverse tendencies of the time. The course will focus on the development of individual […]