MONASH UNIVERSITY FACULTY HANDBOOKS
Arts Undergraduate Handbook 1996
Published by Monash University
Clayton, Victoria 3168, Australia
Caution
Copyright © Monash University 1996
ISBN 1320-6222
Authorised by Academic Registrar, April 1996
Literature, theatre, critical and cultural studies
The Faculty of Arts teaches programs in seven closely interconnected areas
concerned in one way or another with the study of `texts' and `textuality'.
These are cinema studies, comparative literature, critical theory, cultural
studies, drama and theatre studies, English literature and fiction writing.
+ Cinema studies is taught at Caulfield within the English department
(with the help of the Visual Arts department).
+ Drama and theatre studies is taught at Clayton by the Centre for Drama
and Theatre Studies within the English department.
+ English literature is taught in the English department on the Caulfield,
Clayton and Peninsula campuses.
+ Comparative literature, cultural studies and critical theory are taught
only on the Clayton campus. These programs are taught by the Centre for
Comparative Literature and Cultural Studies and the Department of English.
+ Fiction writing is taught on the Peninsula campus in the Department of
English. See the Peninsula entry for details.
The programs, and the Centres and departments in which they are taught, are
listed in the order shown below.
Comparative literature
Comparative literature is the study of literature in ways which go beyond
particular national or linguistic boundaries. In practice, comparative literary
studies are of two main kinds: substantive studies of the literature of two or
more languages or literary cultures; and generalising studies of the literary
process itself, for example in literary history, or in the sociology or
psychology of literature.
Critical theory
Critical theory is a term which has come to signify a whole series of
contemporary approaches to textual and cultural criticism, for example,
hermeneutics, structuralism, semiotics, poststructuralism, theories of
ideology, psychoanalytic theory, and so on. Such theories have been central to
recent work in literary studies, theatre studies and cultural studies.
Cultural studies
Cultural studies is the study of cultural texts not normally included in the
`canon' of `high' literature, for example the texts of popular fiction,
television or cinema, and of the various social and historical contexts within
which such texts are produced. It may involve re-reading the texts of `high'
literature in relation to their popular cultural contexts.
Cinema studies (Caulfield)
Cinema studies on the Caulfield campus aims to equip students to understand the
processes of film, narrative and narration. As well, it aims to consider film
in relation to other narrative modes such as the novel and the drama, and in
relation to the cultures from which it evolves. The cooperation of the Visual
Arts department at Clayton enables students to complete a major in cinema
studies at the Caulfield campus.
Drama and theatre studies
Drama and theatre studies is the study of various kinds of performed texts and
of the ways in which their performance is enacted. In practice this area is
concerned not only with drama but also with may other aspects of the theatre
such as dance and music.
English literature
English literature is the study of the English-language literatures of the
British Isles, Australasia and America, as well as of Africa and Asia. The
range of subjects offered enables students to follow special interests in such
areas of study as children's literature, critical theory, drama, feminist
theory and women's writing, postcolonial theory and literature, the languages
of literature, creative writing and professional writing.
Fiction writing
Two fiction writing subjects of one semester each are taught on the Peninsula
campus. The subjects are part of the English degree and are available to
English students from all campuses. Students practise skills involved in
writing short stories through a series of exercises, workshops and studies of
published short stories.
Pass courses
Comparative literature, critical theory and cultural studies are taught by the
Centre for Comparative Literature and Cultural Studies. Minor or major
sequences can be taken either in comparative literature or in cultural studies
or in a combination of both, all three counting as a sequence in comparative
literature and cultural studies. Undergraduate comparative literature subjects
study literary texts only in English translation.
A minor sequence can be taken in critical theory. Critical theory subjects may
be included in minor or major sequences in comparative literature and cultural
studies, drama and theatre studies or English literature.
Drama and theatre studies is taught by the Centre for Drama and Theatre
Studies. Minor or major sequences can be taken in drama and theatre studies.
English literature is taught by the Department of English. Minor or major
sequences can be taken in English literature. Members of the Department of
English are also actively involved in the Centre for Comparative Literature and
Cultural Studies and the Centre for Drama and Theatre Studies.
It is possible to take a double major in any two of comparative literature and
cultural studies, drama and theatre studies, and English literature. A major in
any one of these may be combined with a minor sequence in any other or with a
minor sequence in critical theory.
Honours courses
Honours studies can be taken in comparative literature and cultural studies or
drama and theatre studies or English literature. Fourth-year honours theses in
comparative literature are normally required to deal with literary texts in the
original language.
Combined or double honours may be taken in any two of comparative literature
and cultural studies, drama and theatre studies, and English literature.
Critical theory subjects may be included in any single, combined or double
honours program in comparative literature and cultural studies, drama and
theatre studies, and English literature. The Centre for Comparative Literature
and Cultural Studies and the Department of English both advise intending
honours students to include at least one critical theory subject in their
undergraduate major.
Prizes
The Department of English offers the following prizes: the David Bradley Prize
for the top student in first year; the W A G Scott Prize for the top student in
second year; a prize for the top student in third year; the Brenda Niall Prize
for Australian Literature to be awarded to a second/third-year student; the
Renaissance Literature Prize to be awarded to a second/third-year student; the
Henry Handel Richardson Prize for the top student in fourth-year; the Arthur
Brown Prize for the best fourth-year thesis and the Cecile Parrish Award (see
the Arts graduate handbook for 1996)
Graduate studies
The Centre for Comparative Literature and Cultural Studies offers an MA by
research only and a PhD in comparative literature, cultural studies or critical
theory, and an MA by research and coursework in critical theory or in cultural
studies. Students intending to proceed to graduate research in comparative
literature are normally required to read literary texts in the original
language.
The Centre for Drama and Theatre Studies offers graduate supervision leading to
the degrees of PhD and MA by research only, though candidates are normally
enrolled in the Department of English.
The Department of English offers an MA by research only and a PhD across a wide
range of literary, cultural and theoretical studies, and an MA by research and
coursework in English. The department has particular strengths in pre-1800
literature, national literatures (especially American and Australian), genre
studies (especially drama), biography, women's studies, and bibliographical and
textual criticism.
For further information, students should consult the Arts graduate handbook for
1996.
| Details of studies - metropolitan campuses Part 1
| Arts Undergraduate handbook
| Monash handbooks
| Monash University