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ENGL490 Contemporary Literary Criticism: Theory and Practice

Updated: 19 April 2010
Credit Points 6
Offering
Responsible Campus Teaching Period Mode of Study Online Level
Armidale Semester 2 On line E - Wholly online unit
Intensive School(s) None
Supervised Exam There is no UNE Supervised Examination.
Pre-requisites candidature in a postgraduate award
Co-requisites None
Restrictions ENGL290 or ENGL390
Notes

offered in even numbered years
Combined Units ENGL390 - Contemporary Literary Criticism: Theory and Practice
Coordinator(s) Jennifer McDonell (jmcdonel@une.edu.au)
Unit Description

This is a fully online unit which introduces students to the key tenets of a selection of modern critical theories, including New Criticism, Structuralism, Psychoanalysis, Feminism, Deconstruction and Postcolonialism. At the completion of the unit students will be able to appreciate the interdependence of these theoretical modes, as well as their application and their limitations for the study of English. This unit will enable students who are unfamiliar with critical theory to grasp the fundamental content of six of the most influential modes of analysis, and to have practice in applying these theories to texts.
Referenced Material
Optional 		Text(s):

Note: Reference material is held in the University Library - purchase is optional

Literary Theory: An Introduction
ISBN: 9780816654475
Eagleton, T., University of Minnesota Press 3rd ed. 2008
Note: 2nd ed. available online at http://www.blackwellpublishing.com/book.asp?ref=9781405179218&site=1
Text refers to: Semester 2 , Online
Disclaimer Unit information may be subject to change prior to commencement of the teaching period.
Assessment
Title Exam Length Weight Mode No. Words
Assignment 1: Writing task 10% 750
Relates to Learning Outcomes (LO) and Graduate Attributes (GA)
LO: 1-3, 5, 6 GA: 1-6
Discussion Board 60%
Assessment Notes
Discussion Board structured discussion
Relates to Learning Outcomes (LO) and Graduate Attributes (GA)
LO: 1-4 GA: 1-6, 8
Online Assessment 30%
Assessment Notes
Six (6) online quizzes (5% each)
Relates to Learning Outcomes (LO) and Graduate Attributes (GA)
LO: 1-4 GA: 1-6, 8

Learning Outcomes (LO) Upon completion of this unit, students will be able to:
  1. identify and discuss the key tenets of six major contemporary critical theories: New Criticism, Structuralism, Psychoanalytic theory, Feminism, Deconstruction, and Postcolonialism;
  2. apply the six theories to prescribed literary texts with a high level of competence;
  3. understand the multiple ways in which texts produce and circulate meaning;
  4. discuss, debate and establish a dialogue with unit participants of Discussion forums;
  5. solve problems arising from the discussion of contemporary theories studied in the unit;
  6. analyse, research and evaluate critical theory readings using relevant primary and secondary resources, demonstrating in online discussion and ,a written task a high level of competence in critically evaluating such research tools.

Graduate Attributes (GA)
Attribute Taught Assessed Practised
1 Knowledge of a Discipline
This unit introduces students to a range of modern critical theories applicable to the analysis of texts in the discipline of English, knowledge of which is assessed in the set assessment tasks. 		True True True
2 Communication Skills
These skills will be taught, assessed and practised in the Discussion Board tutorials and in the essay writing assessment task. 		True True True
3 Global Perspectives
These skills will be taught, assessed and practised through all the learning activities of the unit which studies critical theories from Europe, Britain, the United States, and importantly, the way these have been inflected by globalisation and postcolonial theory. 		True True True
4 Information Literacy
Information literacy is specifically addressed in the online resource research project, and given that the unit is fully online, effective use of internet resources is taught, practised and foregrounded in all of the assessment tasks and is integral to the completion of the unit. 		True True True
5 Life-Long Learning
Taught and practised through the introduction of advanced online research skills as well as in specifically assessing students' ability to read culture in an informed way. 		True True True
6 Problem Solving
Problem solving is taught, assessed and practised in all assessment tasks. Problem solving exercises based on unit content inform weekly discussion topics, online quiz questions and the written assessment task. 		True True True
7 Social Responsibility
The unit involves a large component on online discussion and the ethics of responsibility and concern for others is integral to effective and constructive participation in the unit. 		True
8 Team Work
The online assessment task will be a group project and the weekly Discussion Board discussion groups will largely be managed by participants in the unit with moderation by the unit coordinator. Documents pertaining to the aims and management of group participation are distributed online. 		True True
   

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