ATS1904 - Reading the city: Literary genres - 2017

This unit introduces students to how literature produces ideas and meanings about the world. By focusing on the relationship between literature and the city, this unit also introduces students to the important notion of literary forms and genres. In this unit, students will be encouraged to explore the concept of a literary text by analysing and studying a range of texts from different genres, which might include the short story, the novel, poetry, drama, the essay, graphic narrative and inter-generic writing, all to do with theme of the modern city. The texts will be taken from different historical periods and cultures.

Students who successfully complete this unit will be able to:

1. engage with and discuss the meanings and ideas of literary texts;
2. understand and appreciate the role of genre in literary studies;
3. understand the ways in which literature engages with broader social, cultural and historical contexts;
4. demonstrate discipline-specific written and oral skills;
5. demonstrate the ability to critically analyse literary texts;
6. demonstrate some theoretical awareness and good research skills in analysing literary texts;
7. demonstrate some creative writing skills (for creative writing stream students only).

Within semester assessment: 65% + Exam: 35%

Minimum total expected workload to achieve the learning outcomes for this unit is 144 hours per semester typically comprising a mixture of scheduled learning activities and independent study. A unit requires on average three/four hours of scheduled activities per week. Scheduled activities may include a combination of teacher directed learning, peer directed learning and online engagement.

See also Unit timetable information

Dr Ali Alizadeh

Literary studies