English III: Focus on Literature

The overall aim of the course is for students to acquire in-depth knowlege of literary studies in English. The course also aims for students to develop their written and oral skills, as well as to develop and apply literary and theoretical concepts to their analyses of literary texts.

Modules

On completion of the module, students will be able to:

• demonstrate an in-depth knowledge of one of the areas of English literature, including familiarity with current research questions of the area or subject
• demonstrate the ability and skills needed to develop a research question and then independently search for, collect, evaluate and critically interpret and analyse relevant information
• conduct an independent literary study within a limited frame of time, that has scholarly value, connection to research, a relevant choice of method or theoretical application, as well as a clear argumentative drive based on thoroughly carried out literary analyses 
• orally and in writing, present and argue for their own results showing a high level of communicative competence
• analyse and discuss the scholarly work of others by pointing out strengths as well as weaknesses in the form of constructive response.

On completion of the module, students will be able to:

• explain a selection of representative theoretical schools, their key concepts, premises and associated methodological approaches
• explain the development of different theoretical schools in their historical, disciplinary and socio-cultural contexts
• critically discuss the differences in methodological approaches associated with different theoretical schools
• analyse literary texts in English using key theoretical concepts and adequate methodological procedures, in a clear and appropriate academic English.

On completion of the module, students will be able to:

• demonstrate a familiarity with contemporary literary and cultural theory and concepts related to the Bildungsroman as well as with relevant concepts in gender, ethnicity and ageing studies
• perform independent anlyses and interpretations of a selection of works pertaining to the contemporary Bildungsroman in English in the light of these theories and concepts
• orally and in writing communicate and argue for their own interpretations of literary texts in clear and correct academic English
• critically reflect upon and give constructive criticism to the work of others.

Modules

The module starts with an overview of the literary research process, including the choice of topic, research question, methodology and theoretical approach, search for secondary sources, outline and the actual craft of academic writing. Students then carries out an independent literary study of a well-defined and limited problem area which is directly connected to literature in English. The study is presented in the form of an independently written essay of about 20-25 pages (6,500-7,500 words). The module also includes practice in the oral presentation and defence of students own results and arguments, as well as of analyses of other students’ work.

This module is an introduction to the study of a selection of literary theories and their associated methodologies of literary criticism from the turn of the twentieth century to the present. Students will examine and reflect upon representative theoretical schools, key concepts and associated methodologies for the scholarly analysis of literary texts in English. Emphasis will be placed on the practical methodological application of these theories on a selection of literary texts. The module is also aimed at providing students with the necessary foundation in literary theory and methodology of literary criticism that is required to write a bachelor’s degree thesis in literature.

The aim of this module is to study the most recent developments in the Bildungsroman genre in English and the way it was redefined during the final decades of the twentieth century and the early twenty-first century. A selection of texts will be analysed from the perspective of gender, ethnicity and ageing. This will raise awareness about the manner in which these texts in a critical sense challenge traditional definitions of the Bildungsroman. In the analysis, focus is on aspects of the current socio-historical context, such as the gained prominence of women in society, transcultural exchanges and the ageing population, all of which are crucial both in the formation of the individual as well as for social integration.

• Active participation in seminars
• Written assignments
• Oral presentations
• Independently written essays
• Indepently written degree thesis
• Defence of degree thesis

The grading scale used for the final course grade is U–VG.

For a final course grade of VG, students must achieve a VG for 22.5 credits.

Grades are reported as follows:

• English: Bachelor Degree Thesis in Literature - 15 Credits | U–VG
• English: Introduction to Theories and Methodologies of Literary Criticism - 7.5 Credits | U–VG
• The Contemporary Coming-of-Age Novel in English - 7.5 Credits | U–VG