Australia and Oceania in Literature

Skip to:

Header
Main Navigation
Main Content
Footer

Key facts

UNE unit code: ENGL572

*You are viewing the 2026 version of this unit which may be subject to change in future.

Start

Trimester 1 - On Campus
Trimester 1 - Online

Campus

Armidale Campus

24/7 online support

Intensive schools

Supervised exam

Credit points

UNE student studies on a laptop on her lounge at home

This unit offers foundational knowledge of texts written in the region, pairing work from Australia with companion texts from places such as Aotearoa New Zealand and the Pacific Islands. It exposes you to texts written across the 20th and 21st centuries, including essay, poetry, drama and prose.

Focusing on the Australian continent, you will explore iconic Australian and Oceanic literatures, as well as examine how history, identity, colonisation, resistance and place are represented.

Critical thinking is a key component. You will consider how literature represents the historical, geopolitical and ecological specificities of each place and the identities unique to the region and explore how the literary imagination constructs and challenges cultural myths and regional narratives.

Designed for students and teachers of English to extend their knowledge of local and regional literatures, and for those seeking new ways of understanding Australian history, society, people and environment.

Offerings

Teaching period	Mode/location
Trimester 1	On Campus, Armidale Campus
Trimester 1	Online

*Offering is subject to availability

Intensive schools

There are no intensive schools required for this unit.

Enrolment rules

Pre-requisites

candidature in a postgraduate award

Restrictions

ENGL272 or ENGL372 or ENGL472

Combined units

ENGL372 Australia and Oceania in Literature

Notes

Please refer to the student handbook for current details on this unit.

Unit coordinator(s)

Jennifer Hamilton

Learning outcomes

Upon completion of this unit, students will be able to:

identify and critically evaluate debates within the field of Australian and Oceanic literature and literary history;
demonstrate advanced and in-depth knowledge of the ways by which texts from Australia and the wider Oceania region engage with their cultural, geographical and historical contexts;
critically analyse and evaluate a range of literary texts from Australia and neighbouring places;
independently apply advanced reading, writing, and research skills in the critical interpretation of Australian and Oceanic literary texts and genres; and
demonstrate a comprehensive understanding of methods and approaches in the study of Australian literature and/or Oceanic and literary history, through independent application.

Assessment information

Assessments are subject to change up to 8 weeks prior to the start of the teaching period in which you are undertaking the unit.

Title	Must Complete	Weight	Offerings	Assessment Notes
Critical Reflection	Yes	30%	All offerings	No. Words: 2500 (equivalent)
Essay	Yes	50%	All offerings	No. Words: 3000 (equivalent)
Online Assessment	Yes	20%	All offerings	This online open-book assessment combines application of research skills to unit content. Two attempts of each task are permitted, with the highest grade counting. No. Words: 1000 (equivalent)

Title

Must Complete

Weight

Offerings

Assessment Notes

Critical Reflection

Yes

30%

All offerings

No. Words: 2500 (equivalent)

Essay

Yes

50%

All offerings

No. Words: 3000 (equivalent)

Online Assessment

Yes

20%

All offerings

This online open-book assessment combines application of research skills to unit content. Two attempts of each task are permitted, with the highest grade counting.

No. Words: 1000 (equivalent)

Learning resources

Textbooks are subject to change up to 8 weeks prior to the start of the teaching period in which you are undertaking the unit.

Note: Students are expected to purchase prescribed material. Please note that textbook requirements may vary from one teaching period to the next.