Henry VIII (Online)



Overview

The reign of Henry VIII was a key turning point in British history. The aim of this course is to study in detail the political, religious and cultural changes of the period, and to assess the role of the king and other key personalities in the transformation of society.

The reign of Henry VIII witnessed fundamental changes in English society, the nature of which remain the subject of intense debate among historians. This course will study the process by which England’s ‘Defender of the Faith’ came to break away from the authority of the Pope in Rome, establish a separate national Church in England, Wales and Ireland and oversee wide-ranging reform not only in religion, but also in the nature and administration of government and the relationship between state and the people. The course will concern itself both with personalities (including Katherine of Aragon, Thomas Wolsey, Anne Boleyn, Thomas Cromwell, Thomas Cranmer, Katherine Parr) and with structures (Church, Court, and Council). Henry’s controversial larger than life character dominates the period. We will consider how best to assess him: was he a ruthless tyrant or manipulated by scheming servants? A godly prince or religious opportunist? He was also fascinated by warfare and by artistic expression of all kinds. Seeking to understand Henry’s preoccupations and ambitions we will address the key historical problems of the reign.

For information on how the courses work, please click here.

Programme details

1. Introduction to the Reign of Henry VIII

  • Overview of Henry’s life
  • The Wars of the Roses
  • Henry VII
  • The Tudor Dynasty
  • Prince Henry's early life and education
  • Henry's sisters

2. The Young King

  • Foundations of the reign
  • Katherine of Aragon
  • Kingship
  • The Henrician Court
  • Servants
  • Ceremony and ritual
  • Royal travel
  • Renaissance Monarchy

3. Cardinal Wolsey and the first two decades of Henry VIII's reign

  • King and Cardinal
  • Wolsey’s background and rise to power
  • Wolsey as a Reformer
  • Wolsey and administration
  • Finance and the Amicable Grant
  • Wolsey and the Church
  • The fall of the Duke of Buckingham

4. The Divorce of Henry VIII and Katherine of Aragon

  • Overview of the divorce
  • Origins of the divorce and the initial campaign
  • Anne Boleyn
  • Impasse, 1529-32
  • Anne Boleyn and Thomas Cranmer
  • The origins of the Radical Solution
  • Princess Mary

5. The Henrician Reformation

  • The Reformation Parliament
  • The royal Supremacy
  • Rival Queens
  • The Dissolution of the Monasteries
  • The King’s Religion
  • Popular Religion
  • The Reformation debate

6. Henry’s Administration and Government

  • Administrative Structures
  • Tudor Frontiers
  • Cromwell in Administration and Government
  • Cromwell the man
  • The Kildare Rebellion
  • The Lincolnshire Rising and the Pilgrimage of Grace, 1536: causes
  • The Pilgrimage of Grace: leadership

7. Politics and Faction, 1529-1540

  • Wolsey’s Fall from power
  • The Fall of Anne Boleyn
  • Jane Seymour
  • Cardinal Pole and the Courtenays
  • Anne of Cleves
  • The Fall of Thomas Cromwell

8. Henrician Foreign Policy

  • European Rulers
  • Background: War and Diplomacy
  • Sixteenth Century Europe
  • Foreign Policy 1509-29
  • Scotland
  • Foreign Policy 1529-47
  • The Royal Navy

9. Culture and Politics

  • Ceremonies
  • Art
  • Literature
  • Drama
  • Music
  • Sports
  • Architecture

10. The End of the Reign

  • Katherine Howard and the Struggle for power and influence
  • Katherine Parr
  • Economy 1540-47
  • The Fall of the Howards
  • The King's health
  • Henry VIII’s Last Will
  • The Historical Legacy of Henry VIII


We strongly recommend that you try to find a little time each week to engage in the online conversations (at times that are convenient to you) as the forums are an integral, and very rewarding, part of the course and the online learning experience.

Digital Certification

Credit Application Transfer Scheme (CATS) points 

To earn credit (CATS points) for your course you will need to register and pay an additional £10 fee for each course you enrol on. You can do this by ticking the relevant box at the bottom of the enrolment form or when enrolling online. If you do not register when you enrol, you have up until the course start date to register and pay the £10 fee. 

See more information on CATS point

Coursework is an integral part of all online courses and everyone enrolled will be expected to do coursework, but only those who have registered for credit will be awarded CATS points for completing work at the required standard. If you are enrolled on the Certificate of Higher Education, you need to indicate this on the enrolment form but there is no additional registration fee. 

 

Digital credentials

All students who pass their final assignment, whether registered for credit or not, will be eligible for a digital Certificate of Completion. Upon successful completion, you will receive a link to download a University of Oxford digital certificate. Information on how to access this digital certificate will be emailed to you after the end of the course. The certificate will show your name, the course title and the dates of the course you attended. You will be able to download your certificate or share it on social media if you choose to do so. 

Please note that assignments are not graded but are marked either pass or fail. 

Fees

Description Costs
Course Fee £350.00
Take this course for CATS points £10.00

Tutor

Dr Janet Dickinson

Janet Dickinson specializes in the cultural and political history of elites in early modern England and Europe. She has recently worked on a collection of 'drowned books' from a seventeenth century shipwreck and what they can tell us about travel and cultural exchange. She has won a series of teaching awards for her work with students at OUDCE.

Course aims

This course aims to:

  • Provide a comprehensive study of the life and reign of Henry VIII.

This course will enable participants to:

  • Assess the key changes and developments in institutions and society in the period.
  • Evaluate the personality of this controversial king and its impact on politics, religion and society.
  • Develop historical skills through the analysis of primary sources and historiography.

Learning outcomes

By the end of this course students will be expected to:

  • Understand the key historical developments of the reign of Henry VIII.
  • Judge the character of the king and the bearing this had in the context of a personal monarchy.
  • Use selected texts and documents to develop and support historical arguments.


By the end of this course students will be expected to have gained the following skills:

  • The ability to demonstrate a knowledge and understanding of the key issues explored.
  • The ability to write analytical and critical evaluations of the political, religious and cultural shifts during the reign of Henry VIII.
  • The ability to assess the role of personality in history, amid the many conflicting views of Henry’s character and its impact.
  • The ability to effectively analyse documentary evidence, and to organize and deploy information in written work and in discussions.

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.

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

Application

Please use the 'Book' or 'Apply' button on this page. Alternatively, please complete an Enrolment form for short courses | Oxford University Department for Continuing Education

Level and demands

FHEQ level 4, 10 weeks, approx 10 hours per week, therefore a total of about 100 study hours.

IT requirements

This course is delivered online; to participate you must to be familiar with using a computer for purposes such as sending email and searching the Internet. You will also need regular access to the Internet and a computer meeting our recommended minimum computer specification.

Terms & conditions for applicants and students

Information on financial support