BA|Undergraduate
English and Philosophy
Academic Year 2024/25
ABB
3 years (Full Time)
6 years (Part Time)
QV35
Students undertaking English and Philosophy at Queen’s explore literatures in English in the widest possible sense. From the earliest writings in Anglo-Saxon to contemporary Irish, British, and ‘global’ literatures, students study English in its historical, linguistic, cultural, material and ideological circumstances. In Philosophy students can study some of the key thinkers in the history of philosophy, from Plato and Aristotle to Descartes and Marx. Students also hone their skills in reasoning and argumentation by studying formal logic and critical thinking.
English and Philosophy Degree highlights
English Studies at Queen’s has an extraordinary heritage, as represented by its globally esteemed writers, such as Nobel Laureate Seamus Heaney and T.S. Eliot Prize recipients Paul Muldoon and Ciaran Carson, among others.
Global Opportunities
- English at Queen’s offers a range of Study Abroad opportunities, from the Erasmus programme with a range of European partners, to the chance to study at a number of partner institutions in the United States.
We welcome applications from European students who would like to attend Queen’s under the Erasmus programme. This programme enables students who are already enrolled at a university in Europe to take time out from their own institution and spend either one semester or a full academic year at Queen’s.
Additionally, the Study Abroad programme is particularly popular with students from North America, Canada and Australia.
http://www.qub.ac.uk/International/International-students/Studyabroad/StudyAbroad/
Industry Links
- We regularly consult and develop links with a large number of employers including, for example, BBC Northern Ireland as part of our work-based learning initiatives.
Internationally Renowned Experts
- Professor Mark Burnett is a leading scholar of the place of Shakespeare in the contemporary arts and is director of the Kenneth Branagh Archive.
- Dr Marilina Cesario is an expert on Anglo-Saxon science and collaborates widely with astrophysicists in reassessing our understanding of pre-modern scientific thinking.
- Professor Philip McGowan is President of the European Association for American Studies (2016-2020) and sits on the Executive Board of the F. Scott Fitzgerald Society.
- Dr Edel Lamb is an international expert on early modern child theatre companies and is currently developing a project on theatre rivalry and riots in Shakespeare’s London.
- Dr Gail McConnell explores the interface of literature and voice in her role as co-director of the AHRC-funded ‘Listening to Voices: Creative Disruptions with the Hearing Voices Network’ project.
- Dr Alex Murray’s monograph on the Italian philosopher Giorgio Agamben (2010) has been translated into Turkish, Japanese and Chinese and his latest book Landscapes of Decadence: Literature and Place at the Fin de Siècle appeared in 2016 from Cambridge University Press.
- Professor Glenn Patterson is the Rooney Prize and Betty Trask Prize-winning author of ten novels. He writes regularly for BBC Radio Three and Four, The Guardian and has made a number of documentaries for Irish and British television. His co-authored screenplay for Good Vibrations was nominated for a BAFTA for Outstanding Debut by a British Writer, Director or Producer.
- Philosophy has particular strengths in the areas of applied ethics and political philosophy, and unusually amongst UK universities – offers teaching in scholastic philosophy.
- Nick Laird, the Seamus Heaney Professor of Poetry at the Seamus Heaney Centre, is a recipient of the Betty Trask and Eric Gregory Awards, whose most recent collection is Feel Free (Faber, 2018). He is a regular contributor to The New Yorker and the New York Review of Books.
Student Experience
- From Personal Tutors to peer mentoring, we work closely with students to ensure they are supported at every stage of their degree.
- With Degree-Plus, students have the opportunity to burnish their academic achievements with employment-facing placements and projects.
https://www.qub.ac.uk/directorates/degreeplus/ - A thriving cultural scene organised by our undergraduate and postgraduate communities, from the English Society and Poetry and Pints to the Lifeboat and the Yellow Nib, makes studying English at Queen’s a unique proposition.
https://www.facebook.com/QubEnglishSociety - Students can work with our visiting Fulbright Scholars, leading US academics who spend a semester at Queen’s each year.
“On starting English Literature degree, I never thought that I'd be dreading final year just for the fact I wouldn't be a part of English at Queen’s anymore. I've had the chance to study such a breadth of prose, poetry and drama across all sorts of periods under some of the most fantastic lecturers. Probably my favourite aspect of studying at Queen's is the community and friends that I've made within English. From being able to attend my lecturers' research seminars to peer mentoring first years, it feels like a (fantastically literary) family and I feel I couldn't have made a better choice.”
Micheal McCann
BA English and Creative Writing Graduate (2018)
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Course content
Course Structure
Stage 1 | In their first year students undertake 3 core modules in each subject, which introduce key concepts in English and Philosophy. They will also develop critical and writing skills necessary in order to make the transition to study at university level. |
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Stage 2 | In their second year, students select from modules exploring the earliest literatures in English to contemporary writing in English from around the world. They will learn to situate literature within its specific historical contexts. Students also select 3 Philosophy modules, which will build on the learning from year 1, developing their skills in reasoning and argumentation by studying formal logic and critical thinking. |
Stage 3 | In Year 3 students can select from a wide range of modules which are rooted in staff research expertise. They may also opt to undertake a dissertation (in English OR Philosophy). Students can also elect to take a work based learning module. |
Contact Teaching Times
Personal Study | 15 (hours maximum) hrs minimum |
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Medium Group Teaching | 9 (hours maximum) 5 at Stage One, at Stage Two and Three, English students have 3hrs contact time per module per week |
Small Group Teaching/Personal Tutorial | 0 (hours maximum) Varies |
Large Group Teaching | 9 (hours maximum) 5 at Stage One, at Stage Two and Three, English students have 3hrs contact time per module per week |
Learning and Teaching
At Queen’s, students work in an ambitious learning environment that embeds intellectual curiosity, innovation and best practice in learning, teaching and student support to enable students to achieve their full academic potential.
On the English degree we do this by providing a range of learning experiences which enable our students to engage with subject experts, develop attributes and perspectives that will equip them for life and work in a global society and make use of innovative technologies and a world class library that enhances their development as independent, lifelong learners. Examples of the opportunities provided for learning on this course are:
- E-Learning
Information associated with lectures and assignments is often communicated via a Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) called Canvas. A range of e-learning experiences are also embedded in the degree through, for example: interactive group workshops in a flexible learning space; IT and statistics modules; podcasts and interactive web-based learning activities; opportunities to use IT programmes associated with design in practicals and project- based work etc. - Lectures
Introduce basic information about new topics as a starting point for further self-directed private study/reading. Lectures also provide opportunities to ask questions, gain some feedback and advice on assessments (normally delivered in large groups to all year group peers). - Personal Tutor
Undergraduates are allocated a Personal Tutor during Level 1 and 2 who meets with them on several occasions during the year to support their academic development. - Self-directed study
This is an essential part of life as a Queen’s student when important private reading, engagement with e-learning resources, reflection on feedback to date and assignment research and preparation work is carried out. - Seminars/tutorials
Significant amounts of teaching are carried out in small groups (typically 10-20 students). These provide an opportunity for students to engage with academic staff who have specialist knowledge of the topic, to ask questions of them and to assess their own progress and understanding with the support of peers. You should also expect to make presentations and other contributions to these groups. - Supervised projects
In final year, you may choose a year-long double-weighted Dissertation module which requires you to carry out a significant piece of research on a topic that you have chosen. You will receive support from a supervisor who will guide you in terms of how to carry out your research and will provide feedback to you on at least 2 occasions during the write up stage.
Assessment
Details of assessments associated with this course are outlined below:
- Assessments are designed to evidence your engagement with the learning objectives of each module, which will be advertised in advance of module selection. Modules are assessed variously through project work, individual and/ or group presentations, as well as more traditional written essays and assignments. Details of how each module is assessed are shown in the Student Handbook which is provided to all students during their first year induction.
Feedback
As students progress through their degree at Queen’s they will receive general and specific feedback about their work from a variety of sources including lecturers, module co-ordinators, placement supervisors, personal tutors, advisers of study and peers. University students are expected to engage with reflective practice and to use this approach to improve the quality of their work. Feedback may be provided in a variety of forms including:
- Feedback provided via formal written comments and marks relating to work that you, as an individual or as part of a group, have submitted.
- Face to face comment. This may include occasions when you make use of the lecturers’ advertised “Feedback and Guidance hours” to help you to address a specific query.
- Placement employer comments or references.
- Online or emailed comment
- General comments or question and answer opportunities at the end of a lecture, seminar or tutorial.
- Pre-submission advice regarding the standards you should aim for and common pitfalls to avoid. In some instances, this may be provided in the form of model answers or exemplars which you can review in your own time.
- Feedback and outcomes from practical classes.
- Comment and guidance provided by staff from specialist support services such as, Careers, Employability and Skills or the Learning Development Service.
- Once you have reviewed your feedback, you will be encouraged to identify and implement further improvements to the quality of your work.
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Overview
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Modules
Modules
The information below is intended as an example only, featuring module details for the current year of study (2023/24). Modules are reviewed on an annual basis and may be subject to future changes – revised details will be published through Programme Specifications ahead of each academic year.
- Year 1
Core Modules
Issues in Contemporary Fiction: Gender, Race, Ecology
Overview
This module examines a broad sample of recent fiction. In doing so, it raises a set of general questions: 1) whose contemporary experience does this literature address? 2) what economic or political factors lead to a shared sense of the contemporary? 3) how does modern fiction relate to these broader social forces? The module has a three-part structure. Section 1 examines the sociology of contemporary taste; it focuses on the institutions and practices that shape aesthetic judgement. Section 2 analyses literary treatments of contemporary political issues and examines the suitability of literature as a vehicle for political reflection. The final section of the module explores the ways in which recent fiction has raised questions about the nature and function of religion in the modern world.
Learning Outcomes
At the end of this module students will have gained a general understanding of the theoretical and methodological issues that surround the study of contemporary literature. Students will have learned to subject a range of recent fiction to a technical or formal analysis. They will also be able to read texts in context and will have a basic understanding of the social, economic, and political forces that shape these contexts.
Skills
Students will learn to develop a) analytical skills b) methods of textual analysis c) an understanding of meta-critical issues d) a clear and succinct writing style e) oral presentation skills f) a capacity for independent inquiry g) an ability to collaborate and work in groups h) computer skills.
Coursework
100%
Examination
0%
Practical
0%
Stage/Level
1
Credits
20
Module Code
ENG1002
Teaching Period
Spring
Duration
12 weeks
English in Transition (20 credits)English in Transition
Overview
This module is envisaged as introducing students to literary interpretation as conceived by English studies at university level. It aims to provide students with critical skills and technical vocabulary necessary to study poetry and prose for the rest of their degree. The module focuses on a small selection of texts designed to help students make the transition from the critical strategies used at A-level to those of academic English. In turn, the two sections of the module include contributions from the Heaney Centre and creative writing colleagues and the mode of assessment will allow for reflective development of writing skills through resubmission of formative writing for summative assessment.
Learning Outcomes
At the end of this module students will have learned to read and analyze poetry and prose using the techniques, vocabularies and approaches of contemporary academic English studies. They will have made the transition from reading and writing at A-level, having learned the research skills and critical terminologies necessary for the close, contextual reading of prose and poetry and writing about both genres in a suitably academic register. They will be equipped to undertake advanced study of literary works in semester two modules.
Skills
Students will learn to develop: critical and analytical skills; methods of textual analysis appropriate to the genres of poetry and prose; writing and research skills appropriate to degree-level English; oral presentation skills; independent study skills; and an ability to collaborate and work in groups; the ability to read and prepare for weekly lectures and tutorials.
Coursework
100%
Examination
0%
Practical
0%
Stage/Level
1
Credits
20
Module Code
ENG1001
Teaching Period
Autumn
Duration
12 weeks
Philosophy and The Good Life (20 credits)Philosophy and The Good Life
Overview
This module is an introduction to moral philosophy, requiring no prior acquaintance with the subject. The module is topic based. In the first half, we will investigate some major theories of morality – systematic accounts of what makes something morally right or wrong. In the second half, we will look at the application of these theories to some practical issues, including abortion, the treatment of animals, and our duties to those in the developing world.
Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of this module, students will be able to demonstrate knowledge of a number of theories in moral philosophy; explain the relevance of these theories to some key issues in applied ethics; converse and write with critical authority about the ideas of a number of important philosophers; demonstrate the principles of sound and effective reasoning and argument; show tolerance for different and challenging ideas.
Skills
Students should develop skills in literacy, analysis, and communication, and the ability to comprehend and develop clear and extended arguments.
Coursework
100%
Examination
0%
Practical
0%
Stage/Level
1
Credits
20
Module Code
PHL1004
Teaching Period
Spring
Duration
12 weeks
Introduction to English Language (20 credits)Introduction to English Language
Overview
This module offers a broad introduction to key topics in English language. It lays the foundations for the systematic study of the language in all its diversity. Among the topics covered are: common beliefs about “good” and “bad” accents and dialects; phonetics, syntax and morphology; and the social, situational and geographical variation in language, with an emphasis on the history and development of the English language. Another important area of inquiry is how language works in cultural contexts and intersects with issues of power and gender. In summary, the module enables students to move beyond ‘common-sense’ ideas about language towards the academic and analytic perspective appropriate for university level.
Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of this module, students will have become aware of the levels of structure which make up the spoken and written varieties of a language, the communicative functions of these levels, and of the relevant descriptive and analytical frameworks to analyse and describe them, with regard both to present-day English and to stages in its historical development. Students will also have gained the skills for the confident oral delivery of some of the issues and topics addressed on the Course.
Skills
While Units One and Two focus on theoretical and analytical concepts and frameworks, Units Three and Four provide case studies from ‘real-world’ contexts such as the media and the historical development of the English language, to which students will apply the skills they have gained in Units One and Two. The module incorporates online assessment for Units One and Two, which will account for 30% of the mark and will take the form of online exercises, to be completed by students in weeks 3-6. Units Three and Four will be assessed at the end of the semester as essay assignments, worth 70% in total. Students will write two essays of 1400-1700 words each: one essay will address the issues covered in Unit Three (35%), and the other essay will address the issues covered in Unit Four (35%).
Coursework
100%
Examination
0%
Practical
0%
Stage/Level
1
Credits
20
Module Code
ENL1001
Teaching Period
Autumn
Duration
12 weeks
Introductory Logic (20 credits)Introductory Logic
Overview
An introduction to fundamental logical notions such as validity and entailment, including an examination of the nature of critical thinking in argumentation. This introduction may include some treatment of elementary issues in the philosophy of logic, but will focus primarily on elementary formal symbolic logic (especially propositional but also predicate calculus), using natural deduction techniques.
Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of this module, students will:
• Acquire at least a limited ability to practice symbolic reasoning at the most basic level together with a more discursive grasp of the basic notions of logic, and of standard examples of fallacious reasoning.
• Develop skills in analysis and communication
• Develop the ability to comprehend and some ability to formulate clear and extended arguments.Skills
Intellectual skills
• Analytical Thinking: identify, understand, interpret and evaluate relevant subject-specific arguments made by others; construct independent arguments
• Critical & Independent Thinking: ability to think critically and construct one’s own position in relation to existing and ongoing debates in the field
Professional and career development skills
• Communication Skills: ability to communicate clearly with others, both orally and in writing
• Teamwork: ability to work with others in a team, negotiate conflicts and recognize different ways of learning
• Self-Reflexivity: ability to reflect on one’s own progress and identify and act upon ones own development needs with respect to life-long learning and career development
• Time Management: ability to negotiate diverse and competing pressures; cope with stress; and achieve a work / life balance
Technical and practical skills
• Information Technology: demonstrate the knowledge and ability to use contemporary and relevant ICT
Organizational skills
• Efficient and effective work practice: demonstrate ability to work efficiently to deadlines
• Organisation and communication: demonstrate ability to use evidence to develop logical and clear argument; show aptitude for the effective use of information in a direct and appropriate wayCoursework
60%
Examination
20%
Practical
20%
Stage/Level
1
Credits
20
Module Code
PHL1003
Teaching Period
Spring
Duration
12 weeks
Optional Modules
Perspectives on Politics (20 credits)Perspectives on Politics
Overview
This module aims to introduce students to the broad field of political theory and philosophy, a necessary and integral component of the study of politics generally. Taking a contemporary approach to the subject, the module stresses the vital importance of theoretical enquiry for understanding, analysing, and criticizing everyday socio-political life. Students are therefore introduced to key concepts and problems in the study of politics, including the meaning of democracy, the fraught relation between the individual and society, and the contested nature of power and political authority. In exploring these themes, students come to an appreciation of the complexities surrounding our everyday notions of democratic rule, freedom, justice, citizenship, government, and power.
Learning Outcomes
Students should acquire an understanding of a number of ways of conceptualising and analysing critically key aspects of political life. On successful completion of the module they will have demonstrated capacities for reading texts in contemporary political theory and exploring the implication of these writings for practical politics.
Skills
Analytical and conceptual skills. The ability to argue cogently in oral and written communication.
Coursework
90%
Examination
0%
Practical
10%
Stage/Level
1
Credits
20
Module Code
PAI1007
Teaching Period
Autumn
Duration
12 weeks
Philosophy and Human Nature (20 credits)Philosophy and Human Nature
Overview
An introduction to some fundamental philosophical problems arising from theories of human nature in the western philosophical tradition, and to the methods which philosophers use for solving them, including techniques of sound reasoning and argument. Topics covered will include the soul, personal identity, free will, God and evil, and life after death (among others). Reference will be made to the ideas and arguments of many important figures in the history of philosophy, including Plato, Aristotle, Aquinas, Descartes, Hume and Kant.
Learning Outcomes
Upon completion of this introduction to the nature and range of Philosophy, students will have developed a familiarity with the ideas of a number of important philosophers and a sense of the principles of sound and effective reasoning and argument.
Skills
KEY Intellectual skills, e.g., critical analysis, creative thinking, problem solving; communication skills, e.g., oral, listening and written; improvement of learning and performance; managing information. EMPLOYABILITY Research and communication skills (written and oral), independent learning (organising and prioritising ideas), critical/independent thinking. SUBJECT SPECIFIC Listening/analytical/literacy/presentation skills; textual analysis; the comprehension and formulation of extended and cogent arguments; the ability to participate in a tolerant and supportive learning environment.
Coursework
90%
Examination
0%
Practical
10%
Stage/Level
1
Credits
20
Module Code
PHL1001
Teaching Period
Autumn
Duration
12 weeks
- Year 2
Core Modules
Optional Modules
Modern Political Thought (20 credits)Modern Political Thought
Overview
This module focuses on a critical analysis of key texts and themes in the history of modern political thought. It has two aims. Firstly, by adopting a historical approach to the development of modern political thought we learn about the ideas that have shaped our own political thinking. We are typically unaware of the ways in which this history has shaped how we frame problems and our basic assumptions about how to respond to them. Adopting a historical perspective on modern political thought helps us to bring these unexamined assumptions into focus and allows us to think more creatively about how to respond to political problems. In learning about this history we are learning about ourselves
Secondly, the course has a practical aim. Ideas are tools for responding to problems. By learning about the different arguments of these thinkers we can acquire tools to help us think about our own political problems. Some of the ideas of these thinkers are good ones, some not so good and there is often disagreement about which is which. We can learn from the mistakes of others as much as we can learn from their positive contributions.Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of this module, students will:
- Be familiar with the central arguments of key texts in the history of modern political thought
- Understand the main traditions of thought which have shaped contemporary political thinking
- Be equipped with the analytical skills necessary to necessary to interpret and criticize complex arguments.Skills
The aim of the module is to provide students with the necessary analytical and interpretive tools to understand complex arguments. It will provide students with an opportunity to develop communication skills (listening, oral and written), and equip students with basic intellectual skills (particularly critical thinking and analysis). Students will also learn to present their own thoughts and arguments in a logical and coherent manner and to make points in a clear and succinct manner. These are key transferable skills.
Coursework
45%
Examination
45%
Practical
10%
Stage/Level
2
Credits
20
Module Code
PAI2005
Teaching Period
Autumn
Duration
12 weeks
History of Philosophy (20 credits)History of Philosophy
Overview
This module introduces students to key texts and arguments in the early modern period of philosophy. As well as examining texts by philosophers such as Descartes, Locke, Leibniz, Berkeley, and Hume, the module also enables students to explore texts written by less commonly taught philosophers, and to examine critical engagements with early modern texts. An indicative list of topics to be covered includes: empiricism and rationalism, ideas and language, scepticism, induction, causation, free will, and capacity for reason.
Learning Outcomes
On successful completion, students will have an understanding of some of the key ideas and arguments in four of the most influential works in the history of western philosophy.
Skills
Skills in literacy, communication, organisation and presentation of extended arguments, development of critical powers, sensitivity to the significance of historically and culturally remote materials
Coursework
100%
Examination
0%
Practical
0%
Stage/Level
2
Credits
20
Module Code
PHL2016
Teaching Period
Autumn
Duration
12 weeks
Fiction and the Novel (1660-1820) (20 credits)Fiction and the Novel (1660-1820)
Overview
This module examines the development of prose fiction in English from the later seventeenth century to the early nineteenth century. This is the period in which the novel emerged in its recognisably modern form, establishing itself as an important genre within literary culture. It was also an era of generic experimentation, as writers debated the nature of the novel, took the form in new directions, and grappled with earlier modes of writing in prose, such as romance and picaresque, allegorical and fantastical fiction. In this module, we explore the variety of prose fiction published during this period: from romance and amatory fiction, through works of realism and social comedy, to the sentimental and Gothic modes that emerged in the later eighteenth century. These works engaged closely with contemporary social, cultural and political issues, and we will consider texts that address topics such as travel and empire; science and civilisation; marriage and gender; crime, morality and the state of the nation. By considering these works in their literary and cultural contexts, the module both highlights the diversity of fiction written during this era and charts the early history of the novel up to the sophisticated narratives of Jane Austen.
Learning Outcomes
Having completed this module, students will have developed higher-level knowledge and understanding of prose fiction during the period 1660-1820. They will be able to identify the different kinds and modes of fiction published during this period, including romance and amatory fiction, works of realism and social comedy, the sentimental and Gothic modes. They will be equipped to assess critical arguments concerning the ‘rise’ of the novel as a distinctive literary genre during the ‘long’ eighteenth century. They will also be able to situate this body of fiction more broadly within its literary and cultural contexts. On completing the module, then, students will be able to articulate the key types of fiction in English during the period up to (and including) Austen, theories about the novel’s emergence as a literary form, and the engagement of these works with a range of contemporary issues.
Skills
Having completed this module students will be able to:
• Analyse works of prose fiction published during the ‘long’ eighteenth century, in terms of genre, technique, and social and cultural contexts
• Demonstrate understanding of the variety of forms, modes and styles within fiction during this period, and the pre-history of some of these ways of writing
• Adjudicate critical and theoretical ideas regarding the ‘rise’ or emergence of the novel genre during the period up to Austen
• Demonstrate understanding of the particular issues explored within this body of fiction - from issues such as marriage and travel to concerns about crime, morality and empire
• Demonstrate transferrable skills in the forms of group discussion, written communication, and individual researchCoursework
90%
Examination
0%
Practical
10%
Stage/Level
2
Credits
20
Module Code
ENG2061
Teaching Period
Autumn
Duration
12 weeks
Romantic Poetry, 1789-1832 (20 credits)Romantic Poetry, 1789-1832
Overview
The Romantic period (c.1789-1832) witnessed dramatic social and historical change as the effects of major events such as the French Revolution, the Napoleonic Wars, widespread Enclosure and the Industrial Revolution initiated the sense of ‘living in history’. In the midst of these revolutionary changes, poets wrote with new confidence of the importance of the imagination, as a creative and utopian force; of the beauty, fragility and power of the natural world; of political ideals of social justice; of the arguments for gender equality. Poetry became synonymous with the imagination as a force which could unite idealism with social change. This module studies a range of Romantic poetry, including but not restricted to, the work of Anna Laetitia Barbauld, William Blake, Lord Byron, John Clare, Samuel Taylor Coleridge, Mary Robinson, Felicia Hemans, John Keats, Percy Bysshe Shelley, Charlotte Smith, and William Wordsworth. Poems will be studied through the key themes of the revolutionary imagination; the natural world; the language of class; representations of childhood; slavery and feminism. One hour of each week’s seminar time will comprise a close reading of one key poem for that week’s discussion, with the second hour being used for more generalized and broader discussion. The module will also include a specialised library visit and a field trip connected with the natural world.
Learning Outcomes
Students completing this module will have learned to read poetry in terms of its formal techniques and effects and to situate these interpretations in a range of contexts both historical and contemporary. They will be able to read and contextualize poetry of the Romantic period in particular, and to understand its significance for contemporary literature and society. They will be able to distinguish and appreciate a diversity of poetic genres and styles characteristic of the period, and to read and interrogate a range of diverse kinds of poetry in a critical way. Students will be equipped to debate political, aesthetic and social issues in an informed way with regard to their historical development, and their continued development in modern forms. Students will also be able to interrogate constructions of Romanticism and to deconstruct its various claims from contemporary perspectives both supportive and critical of its legacy for the modern world.
Skills
Students who have completed this module will be able to:
• Interpret a range of poems in ways which are attuned to their aesthetic effects and contextual meanings.
• Debate various aesthetic, social and political issues produced in poetry of the Romantic period.
• Show an understanding of formal and generic developments in poetry with regard to intellectual history.
• Examine the ways in which literary texts are implicated in the emergence of dominant understandings of political and social discourses.
• Demonstrate transferrable skills in the forms of critical thinking, group discussion, written communication, and individual academic research.Coursework
90%
Examination
0%
Practical
10%
Stage/Level
2
Credits
20
Module Code
ENG2063
Teaching Period
Autumn
Duration
12 weeks
Irish Literature (20 credits)Irish Literature
Overview
This module introduces students to the extraordinary diversity and achievement of Irish literature, from the Act of Union in 1800 to the late twentieth century. The module is chronologically structured, and places particular emphasis on situating texts in their wider historical contexts, as well as developing their relations to broader European movements and traditions. Encompassing poetry, fiction, and drama, the module considers a range of themes, such as romanticism, gender, the gothic, cultural nationalism, the politics of modernity, liminality and exile, and northern perspectives on an Irish tradition. Writers studied will include W. B. Yeats, James Joyce, Samuel Beckett, and Seamus Heaney.
Learning Outcomes
On completion of this module the student should have an ability to set Irish literature in its historical context; an ability to make connections between differing genres of Irish writing; an ability to scrutinise the politics of Irish writing.
Skills
On completion of this module you should have an ability to set Irish literature in its historical context; an ability to make connections between differing genres of Irish writing and an ability to scrutinise the politics of Irish writing.
Coursework
100%
Examination
0%
Practical
0%
Stage/Level
2
Credits
20
Module Code
ENG2081
Teaching Period
Spring
Duration
12 weeks
Modern American Fiction: Race, Class, Gender, Sexuality
Overview
This module introduces students to some of the key American novelists, contexts and critical issues associated with the modern era, roughly interpreted as the first half of the twentieth century (c.1920-1950). It does not ignore the orthodox intellectual approaches to the era, namely that of the modern or modernism and how the representative fiction of the era sought to find new forms and languages suitable to the task of interrogating this modernity. However, rather than rehearsing old debates about national particularity, the “melting pot” and US exceptionalism, the focus of this module is the ways in which exemplary African-American, female, working class and gay novelists, as well as their white, male counterparts, sought to undo and re-write narratives of identity and belonging according to particularities of race, class, gender and sexuality. Particular attention is paid to the interplay between narratives of affirmation and negation (or ‘noir’). The module examines these axes of difference as multiple and overlapping, rather than mutually exclusive; hence the focus is on the narrative, formal and linguistic complexities thrown up the re-making of American fiction through the related and diverging prisms of class and race, for example, or gender and sexuality, or even in terms of race, gender, class and sexuality. A repeated concern of the module is whether or to what extent we can use US fiction of the era to trace and interrogate wider social and political challenges to dominant/normative understandings of the United States, modernity, capitalism, and national identity. The set texts reflect this heterogeneity in terms of the writers to be studied and in terms of the diversity of styles, forms and genres that make up American fiction of the era.
Learning Outcomes
Having completed this module, students will have developed an appropriate knowledge and understanding of modern American fiction (c. 1900-1950). They will be able to identify the ways in which representative novels of the era interrogate the modern era and the complex relationship between literary form, popular culture and modernism as organizing concepts. They will also be able to examine and reflect upon the complex ways in which dominant and singular narratives of national belonging are untold and reimagined according to the related and overlapping categories of race, class, gender and sexuality – and the implications of this for an understanding of “American” fiction. They will be able to offer close readings of this fiction according to its use of literary form and language and its thematizations of the urban, the modern, “noir”, capitalism, gender and sexuality and race and class. On completion of the module, students will be able to reflect upon the usefulness of fiction of the era to contest received or orthodox accounts of US political, social and economic life and potentially to intervene in this life for affirmative and/or politically progressive ends.
Skills
Having completed this module students will be able to:
• Analyse modern American fiction paying attention to theoretical/conceptual and contextual issues and develop close critical readings of a diverse range of fiction.
• Demonstrate understanding of the complex relationship between literary forms and socio-political transformations.
• Think about the synthesis and weighting of different, sometimes competing interpretations of literary texts.
• Reflect on the usefulness of race, class, gender and sexuality as organizing categories to interrogate the exemplary fiction of the era and its thematizations of US identities.
• Demonstrate transferrable skills in the forms of critical thinking, group discussion, written communication, and individual academic research
• Demonstrate digital literacy skills required to make a digital map, using relevant software programmes, relating to one of the set texts.Coursework
90%
Examination
0%
Practical
10%
Stage/Level
2
Credits
20
Module Code
ENG2173
Teaching Period
Spring
Duration
12 weeks
Diachronic Linguistics: Exploring language change (20 credits)Diachronic Linguistics: Exploring language change
Overview
This module uses the various stages of the English language from the 5th century through to the present day as the backdrop for the introduction of specific concepts used in the analysis of language change. By exploring key syntactic, morphological and semantic changes in the history of English, students will engage with current theories of diachronic change and be encouraged to apply theoretical concepts to empirical data. Typical topics that will be covered include morpho-phonology in the verbal and nominal domains, changes in word order, grammaticalisation and null subjects (although not necessarily all in each year).
Learning Outcomes
By the end of the module, students will be able to draw on the main stages of the diachrony of the English language to explain the basic mechanisms of language change. Students will also be able to employ appropriate methods for observing and describing language change phenomena in the morphology, with specific reference to syntax, morphology and semantics of English and related varieties.
Skills
By the end of the module, students will be able to draw on the main stages of the diachrony of the English language to explain the basic mechanisms of language change. The students will also be able to employ descriptive methods in order to observe and describe language change phenomena in the morphology, syntax and semantics of English and related varieties.
Coursework
80%
Examination
0%
Practical
20%
Stage/Level
2
Credits
20
Module Code
ENL2003
Teaching Period
Spring
Duration
12 weeks
Dickens and the Cult of Celebrity (20 credits)Dickens and the Cult of Celebrity
Overview
We are all familiar with people who have recently been quickly catapulted to the heights of fame and public attention. The status of such individuals is often associated with wealth and public exposure, and the rise of mass media makes it much easier for them to gain publicity and recognition instantly, across the world. But has it always been this way?
This module will examine the career and legacy of Charles Dickens, who was first recognised for his extraordinary creativity, in producing the works of literature for which he is best known. He was also, however, a careful and intelligent manipulator of his own public image, to the extent that the catchphrase ‘the man who invented Christmas’ survives to this day. By carefully scrutinising Dickens through fiction, journalism, letters, advertising, biography, photography, and film, students will come to understand just how ‘constructed’ this Victorian superstar was; they will also understand how the means he, his publishers, agents, and advisors, and his inheritors employed to develop and maintain his public image serve as forerunners for the phenomenon of celebrity culture in our own day.
Indicative set texts & other media:
Lee Barron, Celebrity Cultures: An Introduction (Sage, 2015)
Charles Dickens, Oliver Twist
Charles Dickens, A Christmas Carol
Charles Dickens, David Copperfield
Ralph Fiennes, The Invisible Woman (DVD 2013)
Bharat Naluri, The Man Who Invented Christmas (DVD 2017)
Michael Slater, Charles Dickens (Yale UP, 2011)Learning Outcomes
Having completed this module, students will have developed an appropriate knowledge and understanding of the history of celebrity, and the role it has played in shaping cultural values. They will be able to read and engage critically with key Dickens novels from the 1830s-1850s, as well as with his journalism and letters. They will also be able to examine and perform critical assessments on other media that feature Dickens as the central figure, including film, photography, and advertising. Students will be able to analyse and interrogate the ways in which various media project the idea of celebrity in light of their target audiences, and will be able to assess the effects of the strategies employed.
Skills
Having completed this module you will be able to:
• Analyse Dickens’s literary texts in both historical and critical contexts.
• Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the meaning of ‘celebrity’ and the role it has played in shaping cultural values
• Examine how textual and visual media have had an impact upon the development of celebrity
• Explore the construction of the author as a complex amalgam of creative ability and targeted media manipulation
• Demonstrate how celebrities become brands in their own right, and are used in marketing to promote products and services
• Demonstrate transferrable skills in the forms of critical thinking, group discussion, written communication, and individual academic research.
• Demonstrate advanced research skills, in particular the use of digital platforms to explore the nature of celebrity cultureCoursework
90%
Examination
0%
Practical
10%
Stage/Level
2
Credits
20
Module Code
ENG2066
Teaching Period
Spring
Duration
12 weeks
Language and Power (20 credits)Language and Power
Overview
This module investigates the ways in which language intersects with the social and political reflexes of power and ideology. Students are encouraged to challenge, through exposure and then analysis, the discourse conventions that characterise the language of powerful groups and institutions. This module places particular emphasis on print and broadcast media, legal, political and advertising discourse, and on other forms of institutional rhetoric. Among the topics covered are: The Discourse of Institutions and Organisations; Power and Talk; Language and Gender; Language and Race; Language and the Law; Humour as Power; Political Discourse and the Language of Advertising.
Learning Outcomes
Students should be able to carry out systematic analysis of differing forms of language in different contexts of use. The moudle should help students to analyse a range of texts and practices, understand the ways in which language is used to exercise control, understand the anatomy of texts and text-types, especially print and broadcast media, and advertising discourse. Also analyse critically the interrelation between powerful institutions and the discourses they disseminate in the public sphere. Students should also further develop effective oral and written communication skills.
Skills
Students are invited to think in new ways about the English language in relation to its social and political context. Students should also develop skill in unpacking a variety of spoken and written texts, and in developing arguments about the way language practice is informed by and reinforces relationships of power. It is hoped that the course itself acts as an empowering tool, helping students to interrogate the discourse that surrounds them in everyday social contexts.
Coursework
80%
Examination
20%
Practical
0%
Stage/Level
2
Credits
20
Module Code
ENL2002
Teaching Period
Spring
Duration
12 weeks
Shakespeare and Co (20 credits)Shakespeare and Co
Overview
This module introduces students to the drama of the English Renaissance. It explores texts by a wide range of authors, including Shakespeare, Cary, Marlowe, Middleton, Rowley and Webster and examines the forces working on drama in the early modern period. Lectures will provide an introduction to the dramatic form, close readings of the set plays, and readings in relation to contemporary issues such as nationality, authority, desire, religion, sexuality, gender, strangeness, race, identity, social standing, fantasy, magic and taboo.
Learning Outcomes
On completion of this module, students should have learned how to study dramatic form and how to relate a text to its context. Through class discussion and formative assessments, you should have further developed your oral and written communication skills.
Skills
To familiarize students with the range of drama produced during the English Renaissance; to provide students with the knowledge and skills necessary to undertake Renaissance modules in Stage 3.
Coursework
90%
Examination
0%
Practical
10%
Stage/Level
2
Credits
20
Module Code
ENG2050
Teaching Period
Autumn
Duration
12 weeks
Havoc and Rebellion: Writing and Reading Later Medieval England
Overview
From the Black Death to the Uprising of 1381; from the usurpation and murder of King Richard II to the Oldcastle Rebellion of 1414; from the rise of the Lollard heresy to the Wars of the Roses – how did late medieval writing, from Chaucer’s The Canterbury Tales, Langland’s Piers Plowman, and Gower’s Vox Clamantis, to the work of a range of anonymous poets, dramatists, and chroniclers, respond to several decades of tumultuous social and cultural change? This module introduces students to the vibrancy and vitality of a crucial period in the history of English writing, and it explores the methodological challenges of reading literature historically. Students will engage with key historicist readings of the period’s literature and will consider literature in its material circumstances with reference to online facsimiles of key manuscript books, as well as the museological presentation of the period’s material culture. The key genres, conventions and preoccupations of the period will be explored in relation to the explosive social mobility that followed the devastation of the Black Death. The module will conclude on the eve of the coronation of Henry VIII, when it was assumed that the political and religious tumult of the ‘calamitous fourteenth century’ had finally been settled.
Learning Outcomes
Having completed this module, students will have developed an appropriate knowledge and understanding of late medieval literature and culture (c.1370-1509). They will have learned to address the challenges of reading literature in its historical contexts, and become familiar with the central tenets of historicist critical practice. They will have learned to interrogate critically the re-presentation of texts and artefacts from the Middle Ages in online archival and museological contexts. They will have learned to reflect critically on the idea of the Middle Ages itself and on questions of historical periodisation in general.
Skills
Having completed this module students will be able to:
• Analyse late medieval literature, paying attention to the relationship between texts and contexts assumed by historicist modes of reading.
• Demonstrate understanding of the complex relationship between literary forms and socio-political transformations.
• Situate the literature of this period in the contexts of its influence on literary ideas and modes of transmission, such as authorship and printing, that will be of critical importance to later periods
• Demonstrate enhanced digital capabilities, both in terms of using digital repositories and in working collaboratively on a digital project for assessment.Coursework
90%
Examination
0%
Practical
10%
Stage/Level
2
Credits
20
Module Code
ENG2041
Teaching Period
Autumn
Duration
12 weeks
Philosophy of Race (20 credits)Philosophy of Race
Overview
This module engages critically with major issues in the philosophy of race through analysis of historical and contemporary texts and arguments. The module incorporates attention to social epistemological and metaphysical issues as well as to ethical and political issues, and will encourage students to appreciate the interconnections between these. The module may include discussion of the following questions: What is race? How do race, class, and gender intersect? How does colonialism affect our understanding of race? In what was does the history of racism impact on knowledge? How has race and racism affected our understanding of artworks and bodies? The precise issues covered in the module may vary from year to year, but are likely to include critical philosophy of race, metaphysics of race, epistemic injustice and race, coloniality, gender, and race, debates concerning social constructivism and biological realism, aesthetics and race, and feminist philosophy and race.
Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of the module, students will be able to:
• Demonstrate critical analysis of key debates in the philosophy of race;
• Apply relevant philosophical theories to analysis of key issues in the
philosophy of race;
• Demonstrate critical understanding of diverse accounts of race within
philosophy and society.Skills
Intellectual Skills
• Managing & Prioritizing Knowledge: identify relevant and subject-specific knowledge, sources and data; manage such information in an independent manner.
• Analytical Thinking: identify, understand, interpret and evaluate relevant subject-specific arguments made by others; construct independent arguments.
• Critical & Independent Thinking: ability to think critically and construct one’s own position in relation to existing and ongoing debates in the field.
Professional and career development skills
• Communication Skills: ability to communicate clearly with others, both orally and in writing.
• Teamwork: ability to work with others in a team, negotiate conflicts and recognize different ways of learning.
• Diversity: ability to acknowledge and be sensitive to the range of cultural differences present in the learning environment.
• Self-Reflexivity: ability to reflect on one’s own progress and identify and act upon one’s own development needs with respect to life-long learning and career development.
• Time Management: ability to negotiate diverse and competing pressures; cope with stress; and achieve a work / life balance.
Organizational skills
• Efficient and effective work practice: demonstrate ability to work efficiently to deadlines.
• Clear organisation of information: show efficiency in the organisation of large amounts of complex information and the ability to identify, describe and analyse the key features of the information.
• Organisation and communication: demonstrate ability to use evidence to develop logical and clear arguments; show aptitude for the effective use of information in a direct and appropriate way.
• Enterprising thinking: Demonstrate ability to think and argue in novel and enterprising ways, to display originality of thought and argument and the ability to clearly support arguments in innovative ways.Coursework
100%
Examination
0%
Practical
0%
Stage/Level
2
Credits
20
Module Code
PHL2028
Teaching Period
Spring
Duration
12 weeks
Introduction to the Philosophy of Science (20 credits)Introduction to the Philosophy of Science
Overview
This will be an exploration of fundamental philosophical issues raised by the practice of science. It will cover issues in scientific methodology, scientific knowledge, the language of science, the relation between scientific theories and reality, the rationality of science and progress and the relation between science and society.
Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of this module, students will at least be able to
• demonstrate an understanding of the ‘demarcation’ problem between science and non-science
• articulate various versions of the problem of induction, as well its consequences for the justification of scientific claims
• demonstrate familiarity with differing accounts of scientific methodology, including inductivism and falsificationism
• confidently discuss and evaluate issues to do with observation, observables, and the theory-ladenness of observation
• demonstrate familiarity with the realism/antirealism debates in the philosophy of scienceSkills
Intellectual skills
• Managing & Prioritising Knowledge: identify relevant and subject-specific knowledge, sources and data; manage such information in an independent manner
• Analytical Thinking: identify, understand, interpret and evaluate relevant subject-specific arguments made by others; construct independent arguments
• Critical & Independent Thinking: ability to think critically and construct one’s own position in relation to existing and ongoing debates in the field
Professional and career development skills
• Communication Skills: ability to communicate clearly with others, both orally and in writing
• Self-Reflexivity: ability to reflect on one’s own progress and identify and act upon ones own development needs
Organizational skills
• Efficient and effective work practice: demonstrate ability to work efficiently to deadlines
• Organisation and communication: demonstrate ability to use evidence to develop logical and clear arguments; show aptitude for the effective use of information in a direct and appropriate way
• Enterprising thinking: Demonstrate ability to think and argue in novel and enterprising ways, to display originality of thought and argument and the ability to clearly support arguments in innovative waysCoursework
100%
Examination
0%
Practical
0%
Stage/Level
2
Credits
20
Module Code
PHL2027
Teaching Period
Spring
Duration
12 weeks
Knowledge and Reality (20 credits)Knowledge and Reality
Overview
Problems in contemporary analytical epistemology and metaphysics. Epistemology topics covered will include scepticism, analysis of knowledge, internalism/externalism, and sources of justification; metaphysics topics will include identity, necessity, universals, and particulars.
Learning Outcomes
Students should be able to demonstrate an understanding of current theories of knowledge.
Skills
Students should be able to identify, formulate and appreciate the key points in an argument as presented in lecture or reading; and to develop cogency in written expression.
Coursework
100%
Examination
0%
Practical
0%
Stage/Level
2
Credits
20
Module Code
PHL2001
Teaching Period
Spring
Duration
12 weeks
Moral Theories (20 credits)Moral Theories
Overview
This module explores both the status and content of morality. Drawing on historical and contemporary sources, it addresses a broad range of metaethical and normative questions, including: can morality be objective? Are moral judgments based on feeling? Are there any reasons to be moral? Is moral truth relative to particular cultures or societies? What makes right acts right? Does the end justify the means? Are there any absolute restrictions on human conduct? Is happiness all that matters? Do animals have rights?
Learning Outcomes
Students should be able to give a brief history of ethical theory from ancient times together with a more detailed discussion of some twentieth century moral philosophers who have been most influential in modern thought about ethics.
Skills
An understanding of the nature of practical reasoning. Learning to discuss rationally and dispassionately moral views which one may find personally abhorrent.
Coursework
100%
Examination
0%
Practical
0%
Stage/Level
2
Credits
20
Module Code
PHL2000
Teaching Period
Autumn
Duration
12 weeks
Mapping the Anglo-Saxon World (20 credits)Mapping the Anglo-Saxon World
Overview
This module aims to map the world of the Anglo-Saxons through their language, literature and material culture. Students will learn about the heroic past and values of the Anglo-Saxons, magical rituals and prognostications, and systems of faith and beliefs. A fascinating range of texts and genres from the period (c. 7th-11th centuries) will be studied in relation to their cultural context and audience. These include: heroic poetry; elegies; riddles, charms and prognostications; historiography; and biblical writings. Students will engage with selected texts in the original language and consider issues of literary interpretation and translation. They will also be introduced to concepts of authorship, gender, genre, time, health, self, otherness and religion. Students will become familiar with the basics of Old English literary and religious vocabulary and acquire a working knowledge of the Old English manuscript tradition.
Learning Outcomes
To introduce the study of Old English; to introduce the world of Anglo-Saxon literature and culture.
Skills
Having completed the module, students should have acquired the basics of Old English grammar and poetics, the ability to translate and discuss critically selected Old English texts and to relate texts to their cultural and historical contexts.
Coursework
100%
Examination
0%
Practical
0%
Stage/Level
2
Credits
20
Module Code
ENG2003
Teaching Period
Autumn
Duration
12 weeks
Enlightenment and its Discontents (20 credits)Enlightenment and its Discontents
Overview
This module introduces students to the intellectual arguments and counter-arguments of the period known as the Age of Enlightenment, running through the long eighteenth century and embodied in its literature. As an increasing emphasis on rationality as a means to human understanding came to challenge earlier forms of social and political legitimacy, attitudes to self and identity; science and religion; gender and sexuality; politics and government were significantly reformulated from the eighteenth century onwards, with literature and the arts reflecting and participating in the broad historical movement that this shift in thinking represented. We will introduce and debate some of these key ideas of the Enlightenment (or of the various forms of Enlightenment) in relation to the development of generic categories and poetic forms over the period. The module will be organized around a series of texts and debates implicated in significant cultural and historical developments such as the growth of individualism, consumerism, ideas of political liberty and rights, and of the nation and its overseas empire. The module will include selections of poetry and prose (including literary forms such as the periodical essay, life writings, the political pamphlet, and the novel) to be read in relation to contextual, literary-theoretical, and historical considerations. We will also examine revisionist responses to the Enlightenment, reflecting the interests of contemporary authors seeking to represent the marginalized or silenced voices of the period such as those of women, labouring classes, slaves, and colonial others.
Learning Outcomes
Students completing this module will have gained, through their engagement with literary texts and genres, an understanding of major Enlightenment ideas and their impact on historical development. They will be able to read and contextualize literature of eighteenth century in particular with regard to such ideas, and to discern their significance for contemporary literature and society. They will be able to distinguish and appreciate a diversity of genres and texts characteristic of the period, and to read and interrogate such genres and texts in a critical way. They will be introduced to major digital resources giving them the skills that will enable independent research should they wish to progress further in this area. Students will be equipped to debate political, religious and social issues in an informed way with regard to the emergence of such controversies, and their continued development in modern forms. Students will also be able interrogate constructions of the Enlightenment and to deconstruct its various claims from contemporary perspectives critical of its legacy for the modern world.
Skills
Students who have completed this module will be able to:
• Analyse literary texts with regard to the major intellectual debates and forms of knowledge generated by Enlightenment thinking.
• Debate various religious, social and political issues produced in literature relating to Enlightenment.
• Demonstrate research skills with regard to the use of digital platforms such as Eighteenth-Century Collections Online and British Periodicals with regard to the exploration of such topics.
• Show an understanding of formal and generic developments in literature with regard to intellectual history.
• Examine the ways in which literary texts are implicated in the emergence of dominant understandings of political and social discourses.
• Demonstrate transferrable skills in the forms of critical thinking, group discussion, written communication, and individual academic research.Coursework
90%
Examination
0%
Practical
10%
Stage/Level
2
Credits
20
Module Code
ENG2064
Teaching Period
Spring
Duration
12 weeks
Modernism and Modernity (20 credits)Modernism and Modernity
Overview
This module introduces students to the literature and culture of the period 1900-1930, with a focus on the literary movements grouped under the term ‘modernism’. These literary texts will be examined as complicated and ambivalent responses to the experience of modernity. Students will cover key figures of British and Irish ‘High Modernism’, including James Joyce, Virginia Woolf and T.S. Eliot, alongside American modernists and writers of the so-called ‘middle brow’. Particular attention will be paid to the historical contexts in which these texts were produced, and on their conditions of publication and consumption. These contexts include: the aftermath of the Great War; gender politics, from the New Woman to Suffrage and beyond; the politics of race; terrorism and violence; queer sexualities; urban decay and urban development; the relationship between cultural centres and peripheries; poetry and its publics; American cultural politics; media, and the rise of youth cultures. More broadly, the modules will explore theories and manifestations of ‘modernity’, examining the challenges of modern technologies and social formations to literary practice.
Learning Outcomes
Having completed this module, students will have developed an appropriate knowledge and understanding of the literature of modernity. They will be able to read a variety of texts from the period 1900-1930, including novels, poems, short stories, novellas, and periodical essays. Students will be able to read these texts in relation to a number of contexts, including political, social, and cultural developments. They will also develop the skills to read these texts with an eye to their formal complexity and ingenuity, tying this experimentation to the dynamic social contexts to which they responded. Students will be introduced to a number of digital resources that will encourage their independent research into the periodical publication of modernist works. Moreover students will be able to interrogate a number of dominant critical frameworks, including: those that have, until recently, elevated modernism above the broader literary culture of the period; those that diminish the influence of Victorian literature on modernism.
Skills
Having completed this module students will be able to:
• Analyse modernist literature in both a historical and critical context.
• Demonstrate an understanding of the complex relationship between formal literary innovation and social transformations.
• Examine the relationship between ‘high’ cultural forms and the so-called ‘middle brow’ works of the period.
• Explore how literary texts challenged dominant understandings of race, gender, and class.
• Demonstrate transferrable skills in the forms of critical thinking, group discussion, written communication, and individual academic research.
• Demonstrate advanced research skills, in particular the use of digital platforms to explore the nature of modernist periodicals.Coursework
90%
Examination
0%
Practical
10%
Stage/Level
2
Credits
20
Module Code
ENG2060
Teaching Period
Spring
Duration
12 weeks
An Introduction to Critical and Cultural Theory (20 credits)An Introduction to Critical and Cultural Theory
Overview
‘Critical and Cultural Theory’ names a panoply of intellectual movements, philosophical currents and political perspectives emerging out of the crisis in European culture and identity precipitated by the pace of political, technological and social change in the nineteenth century. That crisis was exacerbated by the world wars of the twentieth century, the rise of Communism, and the collapse of Western imperialism. This module introduces students to key issues in critical and cultural theory, historicising its emergence and reflecting on its current preoccupations. Beginning with the ‘masters of suspicion’, Freud, Nietzsche and Marx, who are often perceived to have brought the project of Enlightenment humanism to a shuddering halt, the module will trace the development of a variety of important theoretical perspectives, including Marxism, psychoanalysis, structuralism and poststructuralism, historicism, gender studies, and bio-politics and posthumanism. The module will build on the questions asked by the Stage One module ENG xxx Adventures in Literature and the History of Ideas and will complement the approaches taken on other Stage Two modules, given its historicising agenda.
Learning Outcomes
Having completed this module, students will have developed a basic knowledge of a range of theoretical traditions and be better equipped to situate the cultural and political preoccupations of the modern and postmodern literatures they are exploring elsewhere in the curriculum in relation to the intellectual, political and social developments of Western societies from the nineteenth to the twenty-first centuries. They will be better attuned to the intellectual agendas and theoretical affiliations of the critical approaches used by both staff in the School and in the secondary critical materials they are encountering in other modules across their degrees. They will have learned to historicise and synthesise a range of often conflicting intellectual and philosophical traditions.
Skills
Having completed this module students will be able to:
• Identify and adjudicate between different intellectual approaches to literature, culture, gender and history
• Analyse and evaluate key critical terminologies and ideas and place them in their historical contexts
• Demonstrate an ability to read ‘secondary’ texts critically and with a view to their underpinning intellectual assumptions and agendas
• Demonstrate transferral skills in the form of group discussion, written communication, oral presentation and collaborative workCoursework
100%
Examination
0%
Practical
0%
Stage/Level
2
Credits
20
Module Code
ENG2000
Teaching Period
Spring
Duration
12 weeks
Utopia / Dystopia: The Future in Nineteenth- and Twentieth-Century Literature
Overview
In the late nineteenth century, utopian literature met speculative fiction: the ‘nowhere’ of utopia was reimagined as the future, which was conceived as both the best and worst possible worlds. This course examines a variety of late nineteenth-century utopias and dystopias, but also shows the ways this imaginative tradition shaped literary prediction in the twentieth century (including works by Aldous Huxley, George Orwell and Margaret Atwood). It considers the ways twentieth-century writers both engaged with their literary predecessors and rewrote utopian and dystopian traditions to speak to the urgency of their own political moments. From the dangers and promises of science and technology to the future of feminism, socialism, race and mass culture, we will explore what utopias and dystopias reveal about their own historical moments, and analyze the claim that one person’s utopia is another’s dystopia.
Indicative selection of texts
Edward Bulwer Lytton, The Coming Race
H. G. Wells, The Time Machine
William Morris, News from Nowhere
Catherine Helen Spence, A Week in the Future
Charlotte Perkins Gilman, Herland
E. M. Forster, ‘The Machine Stops’
Aldous Huxley, Brave New World
George Orwell, 1984
Margaret Atwood, The Handmaid’s TaleLearning Outcomes
At the end of this course, students will be able to analyze the evolving generic traits of political fantasy in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, and will have gained an understanding of utopian, dystopian and speculative fiction as literary forms. They will be able to relate utopian and dystopian fiction to social debates and historical changes in the period in which it was produced (including debates over feminism, socialism, evolutionary biology and eugenics and the future of democracy and mass culture). They will be capable of analyzing the political function of utopian and dystopian literature, and the role of reading communities in the evolution of the genre. Students will be able to use their understanding of genre to reflect on continuities with as well as changes between late Victorian and twentieth-century literature.
Skills
• A demonstrable understanding of the relationship between the political and the literary, and an ability to see the relevance of debates generated by this ‘literature of ideas’ to the present as well as the past
• Transferrable skills in the forms of group discussion, ability to present material to peers and individual research and essay writing skills – the ability to synthesize texts and create a clear analytical argument
• The ability to interweave close and historical reading skills – a demonstrable awareness of the ways historical and cultural change shapes literary form within political fantasy from the nineteenth to the twentieth century
• Ability to apply theoretical and historical debates over genre (utopian and dystopian and speculative fiction) to a range of literary contexts
• An ability to show the ways fiction is shaped by reading communities as well as writers (including socialist and feminist readerships).Coursework
90%
Examination
0%
Practical
10%
Stage/Level
2
Credits
20
Module Code
ENG2065
Teaching Period
Spring
Duration
12 weeks
Foundations for Speech Analysis: The Phonetics of English
Overview
This module offers you an introduction to the study of speech analysis. We begin by investigating the mechanisms which are used to produce speech and providing a framework for the convenient classification and description of pronunciation features. We then examine accent variation, in terms of aspects such as contextual effects, intonation and voice quality. Finally, the module gives you the chance to acquire an understanding of the acoustic characteristics of speech. Throughout the module, you will be required to develop your oral and aural skills in phonetics by means of various practical and online facilities. While the module concentrates on normal English speech, we may also have the opportunity to consider data from non-English speech and from non-normal speech.
Learning Outcomes
This module should give a practical grounding in phonetics. Knowledge of how speech works is needed for a variety of occupations. Students intending to teach English will find phonetic skills essential in implementing oracy and literacy requirements in the classroom. Drama students can benefit from phonetic knowledge in order to deal with voice production, projection and accent learning. For foreign language learners and teachers, phonetics is invaluable in achieving target pronunciations. Future students of linguistics and communication should find that phonetics complements their study of linguistic communications and, finally, those interested in communication disorders need a detailed knowledge of speech production and perception in order to understand specific impairments and their effects..
Skills
When you have completed this module, you should be able to apply your knowledge of speech production and variation to a variety of communicative and educational situations. By means of your aural and oral training, you should have developed skills in detailed, analytic listening and in accurate perception, production and transcription of various phonetic distinctions. The 50% essay should enable you to acquire and demonstrate ability in critical assessment of, for example, the role of a speaker's phonetic profile in achieving particular communicative ends.
Coursework
50%
Examination
20%
Practical
30%
Stage/Level
2
Credits
20
Module Code
ENL2001
Teaching Period
Autumn
Duration
12 weeks
- Year 3
Core Modules
Optional Modules
Writing Africa: The Colonial Past to Colonial Present
Overview
This module provides an overview of Anglophone prose fiction from and about the African continent, from the late 19th century to the present. Beginning with texts written at the height of British imperial power, the course charts imperial decline and decolonisation through literary eyes. Coming to focus on the African novel in English, students will study major concepts and debates in colonial and postcolonial studies and, by interrogating globalisation and the ‘colonial present’, will reflect critically on postcolonial theory itself. This course is structured around five themes: 1) Adventure, Exploration, Empire 2) Imperial Decline 3) Decolonisation: The Rise of the African Novel 4) Gender, Trauma, Conflict 5) Postcolonialism or Neo-imperialism
Learning Outcomes
By the end of this module, students will have analysed a range of colonial and postcolonial fiction set in sub-Saharan Africa, from the Victorian period to the present. They will have engaged critically with key debates in colonial and postcolonial studies concerning language, identity and representation, and applied these to course texts. Students will have extended their knowledge and understanding of module themes (including colonialism, decolonisation, postcolonialism, globalisation and neo-imperialism), and developed an informed critical vocabulary for the examination of colonial and postcolonial literatures.
Skills
On completing this module students will be able to:
• articulate their knowledge and understanding of colonialism, decolonisation, postcolonialism, globalisation and neo-imperialism
• analyse and evaluate key critical terms, and deploy an informed vocabulary for the examination of colonial and postcolonial literature
• demonstrate an ability to work with secondary materials
• identify independent research questions (having selected their own essay and presentation topics)
• display transferable skills in group discussion, written communication and oral presentation
• demonstrate skills in using online research and learning resources effectively (having participated in a digital resources workshop)Coursework
100%
Examination
0%
Practical
0%
Stage/Level
3
Credits
20
Module Code
ENG3185
Teaching Period
Spring
Duration
12 weeks
Language in the Media (20 credits)Language in the Media
Overview
This module aims to provide a strong background in English language by focusing on the print and broadcast media in Britain. It will also introduce students to some of the theoretical concepts and critical issues associated with Media studies. For students, one of the most effective ways to begin understanding the media is to analyse media texts such as newspaper articles, magazine advertisements, political speeches, television and radio interviews, talk shows in detail. Students will also look at non-verbal communication, layouts, and images to see how language interacts with other modes of communication. The course examines important media issues, such as the myth of a free press, racism, violence and commercialization and also provides important information on areas of media studies essential for analysing media discourse, i.e. media practices (the way reporters and editors work and how audiences shape and are shaped by the media).
Learning Outcomes
By the end of this module, you should have developed skills in a critical linguistic analysis of spoken and written media texts/textual and visual media. You should also have gained an awareness of the place of the media in their broader political, economic, social and cultural contexts.
Skills
This module should enable students to build upon and enhance the linguistic skills that they have already acquired during the course of their degree and in particular should allow them to acquire and demonstrate: an ability to critically analyse and interpret written and spoken media texts; a broad understanding of media practices and media audiences; knowledge of a range of theoretical and methodological approaches within the field of media and language; critical thinking about how print and broadcast media are produced and distributed; proficiency in oral and written communication skills.
Coursework
80%
Examination
0%
Practical
20%
Stage/Level
3
Credits
20
Module Code
ENL3004
Teaching Period
Autumn
Duration
12 weeks
Contemporary Literature: Poetry and Precariousness in the Twenty-First Century
Overview
This module investigates the way in which the contemporary era is registered in a range of texts published in the twenty-first century. Precariousness is central to its reflection on the contemporary period and condition. It considers the precariousness of political economies, state security, ecology and social bonds, to ask if and how contemporary literary form registers precariousness, syntactically, structurally and in its modes of speech and address, and what alternatives it might offer to the precarious contemporary condition. Beginning with an introduction to neoliberalism, the module will consider the contemporary period by encompassing debt and accumulation, collective life, contemporary warfare and violence, non-human animals and environments, and networked, digital technologies. It includes satirical short stories, long poems addressing contemporary crises, lyric depictions of modern warfare and violence, individual volumes that examine non-human animals, plant and mineral life, traditional lyric forms and cut and paste poetics.
Learning Outcomes
Having completed this module, students should have a good understanding of the contemporary era and an increased understanding of how precariousness characterises contemporary experience. They should be able to identify prevailing concerns and anxieties in the contemporary period, and the variety of formal responses to such concerns in a range of twenty-first century texts. They will have developed the ability to evaluate the significance of political, social, and ideological contexts in the interpretation of contemporary literature. They will should have honed the ability to relate contemporary texts fruitfully to theoretical and secondary material. They will have developed the special ability to read and analyse individual volumes of poetry and thus read individual lyrics in the context and structure of a whole work.
Skills
Students will develop the ability to read and critically analyse of a number of forms of literary texts, including short stories, long poems, epistolary verse, short-line forms and collage poetry. They will enhance their skills in comparative analysis, and in relating set texts to a variety of approaches to and interpretations of the contemporary period. They will hone their ability to research historical and cultural material, and to bring relevant contextual information to bear on their critical writing. From their acquired knowledge of critical reflections on the contemporary period, they will develop a critical discernment in relation to competing arguments and interpretations of contemporary literature.
Coursework
100%
Examination
0%
Practical
0%
Stage/Level
3
Credits
20
Module Code
ENG3184
Teaching Period
Autumn
Duration
12 weeks
Televising the Victorians (20 credits)Televising the Victorians
Overview
This module aims to raise questions about the relation between works of fiction set in the Victorian period, and made-for-TV reappropriations of these texts. It considers the way that we ‘read’ the Victorian period through visual image, and the impact of technologies of the visual on the written word. It introduces different theoretical approaches to film, and explains, by means of example, the differences between cinema and television. It explores connection between cinematic practice (montage, the shot, editing, sound, space and mise-en-scène) and notions of writing. It will ask questions about the nature of genre, spectatorship, and issues of ideology and effect. The module will concentrate on identifying the range of different resources required to understand the flow of images on the TV screen, and will examine how ‘adaptation’ is conceptualised, particularly the ways in which the comparison of book and film is haunted by notions of faithfulness and the ‘original’ primacy of the literary work.
Learning Outcomes
Having completed this module, you should have refined your ability to analyse literary texts sensitively in relation to films made for TV. You should have developed your skills in constructing written and spoken analyses and arguments, based on assembling appropriate primary and secondary evidence from textual and visual media. You should have developed an ability to conceptualise adaptations, to speak in a theoretically informed manner about reappropriations of works set in the Victorian period, to distinguish between film and television as visual media, and to read visual images in such a way as to appreciate how literature and film work together to produce cultural artefacts.
Skills
This module should enable you to build upon and substantially enhance the skills that you have already acquired during the course of your degree, and in particular should allow you to acquire and demonstrate the following: broad comprehension of modern scholarly debates concerning adaptations; understanding of how Victorian social and cultural contexts are translated or interpreted for the modern age; understanding of the fundamentals of film and television art; the ability to analyse critically the interrelation between works of fiction and their made for tv counterparts, in the process identifying their complexities and contradictions; effective oral and written communication skills.
Coursework
100%
Examination
0%
Practical
0%
Stage/Level
3
Credits
20
Module Code
ENG3069
Teaching Period
Autumn
Duration
12 weeks
Contemporary Political Philosophy (20 credits)Contemporary Political Philosophy
Overview
This module examines problems in contemporary normative political philosophy. Topics may vary from year to year, but will typically include questions about the interpretation of values such as freedom, equality, and welfare, principles of distributive justice, equal respect and social recognition, pluralism, toleration, and democracy.
Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of this module, students will:
-be in a position to think critically about the normative aspects of political life,
-understand and be able to construct normative arguments about moral and political problems.
-be able to structure logical arguments involving abstract ideas in both discussion and written work.Skills
Note-taking both at lectures and during private study of key texts; ability to structure tightly knit arguments concerning abstract ideas in both oral and written form; debating and other oral communication skills; teamwork in small groups; role play.
Coursework
45%
Examination
45%
Practical
10%
Stage/Level
3
Credits
20
Module Code
PAI3025
Teaching Period
Spring
Duration
12 weeks
Women's Writing 1680-1830 (20 credits)Women's Writing 1680-1830
Overview
This module considers how women writers have been constrained by but have also exploited literary traditions and traces the indexes of conformity and subversion in their writing by placing them in contexts of prevailing discourses on femininity. In order to situate women's writing of this period, we will also examine constructions of femininity in visual art and conduct writings. Key texts will include fiction by Eliza Haywood, Mary Wollstonecroft Jane Austen, poetry by Aphra Behn, Anne Finch, Anna Laetitia Barbauld and labouring women poets such as Mary Leapor and Ann Yearsley, the 'Turkish Embassy' letters of Lady Mary Wortley Montagu and scandal memoirs by Margaret Leeson.
Learning Outcomes
Students should be able to address the ways in which literary productions by women have been marginalised by traditional syllabi and to redress the balance, so that the importance of women's writing in literary history can be examined and understood; to examine both the ways in which women writers have adopted literary traditions and the cultural meanings of femininity in the eighteenth century; to situate women's writing in a range of contexts - the material contexts of patronage and publishing, political and discursive contexts concerning class, gender and nationality.
Skills
In taking this module, students should acquire a knowledge of major concerns in eighteenth-century women's writing and will be expected to communicate their understanding of the relationships between literary form and production and the social and political issues of proper femininity, class and nationality. Seminars and assessments should require students to address specific issues and to articulate conclusions from their reading clearly and confidently, demonstrating an awareness of the critical debates surrounding women's writing of this period and independent engagement with these debates.
Coursework
80%
Examination
0%
Practical
20%
Stage/Level
3
Credits
20
Module Code
ENG3020
Teaching Period
Spring
Duration
12 weeks
Philosophy of Technology and Environment (20 credits)Philosophy of Technology and Environment
Overview
This module engages critically with major issues in the philosophy of technology and environmental philosophy through analysis of historical and contemporary texts and arguments. The module may include discussion of the following questions: Ought we to enhance ourselves and future generations? What is artificial intelligence, and how does it affect knowledge? How should we be responding to the climate crisis? How should humans understand their relationship with nature? In what ways does climate justice intersect with refugee justice? How can we best address epistemic issues involved in understanding climate change? The module incorporates attention to epistemological and metaphysical issues as well as to ethical and political issues, and will encourage students to appreciate the interconnections between these. The precise issues covered in the module may vary from year to year, but are likely to include philosophy of enhancement, artificial intelligence, algorithm bias, digital privacy and surveillance, land and urban philosophy, animal philosophy, the global climate crisis, climate justice and refugee justice.
Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of the module, students will be able to: * Demonstrate critical analysis of key debates in the philosophy of technology and in environmental philosophy; * Apply relevant philosophical theories and case information in discussing and responding to contemporary practical technological and environmental issues; * Demonstrate critical understanding of diverse accounts of technology and environment within philosophy and society.
Skills
Intellectual skills • Managing & Prioritizing Knowledge: identify relevant and subject-specific knowledge, sources and data; manage such information in an independent manner. • Analytical Thinking: identify, understand, interpret and evaluate relevant subject-specific arguments made by others; construct independent arguments. • Critical & Independent Thinking: ability to think critically and construct one’s own position in relation to existing and ongoing debates in the field. Professional and career development skills • Communication Skills: ability to communicate clearly with others, both orally and in writing. • Teamwork: ability to work with others in a team, negotiate conflicts and recognize different ways of learning. • Diversity: ability to acknowledge and be sensitive to the range of cultural differences present in the learning environment. • Self-Reflexivity: ability to reflect on one’s own progress and identify and act upon one’s own development needs with respect to life-long learning and career development. • Time Management: ability to negotiate diverse and competing pressures; cope with stress; and achieve a work / life balance. Organizational skills • Efficient and effective work practice: demonstrate ability to work efficiently to deadlines. • Clear organisation of information: show efficiency in the organisation of large amounts of complex information and the ability to identify, describe and analyse the key features of the information. • Organisation and communication: demonstrate ability to use evidence to develop logical and clear arguments; show aptitude for the effective use of information in a direct and appropriate way. • Enterprising thinking: Demonstrate ability to think and argue in novel and enterprising ways, to display originality of thought and argument and the ability to clearly support arguments in innovative ways.
Coursework
100%
Examination
0%
Practical
0%
Stage/Level
3
Credits
20
Module Code
PHL3070
Teaching Period
Spring
Duration
12 weeks
Restoration to Regency in Contemporary Fiction (20 credits)Restoration to Regency in Contemporary Fiction
Overview
This module examines contemporary (twenty-first century) novels set during the period 1660-1820: from the Restoration of Charles II to the Regency era popularly associated with Jane Austen. These works form part of the boom in ‘historical fiction’, a branch of the novel genre that dates at least as far back as Walter Scott’s Waverley (1814) but which has gained renewed popularity and prestige in recent years. By examining narratives set during a specific time-period, the module assesses the strengths and limitations of historical fiction, the reasons for its cultural and commercial purchase, its relationship to the past and to our contemporary moment, and the usefulness of the term ‘historical fiction’ itself. ‘Historical fiction’ encompasses a variety of modes, sub-genres and aesthetic categories, and the module addresses examples of ‘popular’, mass-market fiction and ‘literary’ (highbrow) fiction; intersections with other novelistic forms (such as crime, mystery and fantasy fiction); and the place within historical fiction of literary adaptations (of Austen’s novels especially). Historical fiction often returns to familiar motifs and historical events – such as the Napoleonic Wars or the decade of the 1660s, which saw the return of the monarchy, the spread of plague and the Great Fire of London. At the same time, contemporary writers have also revisited this period in order to recover marginalised voices: to reclaim, and re-imagine, historical identities in relation to gender, sexuality, race and class. Among other elements, we will consider narratives that focus on servants and slaves, and that explore such topics as crime and the city; social hierarchy and the status of women; empire and national identity; fact, fiction and historical ‘truth’. Via a dual focus on history and the present, the module will thus ask what contemporary fiction tells us about our understanding of the past, and about our own contemporary concerns, anxieties, and obsessions.
Learning Outcomes
Having completed this module, students will have developed higher-level knowledge and understanding of contemporary ‘historical fiction’, in relation to the specific time-period 1660-1820. They will be able to identify and articulate the key critical and theoretical issues surrounding this body of fiction, such as the relationships between narrative, history and ‘the past’; fact, fiction, and historical ‘truth’. They will be equipped to distinguish different kinds of historical fiction and the various genres and modes in operation within these novels: popular vs ‘literary’ fiction; crime, mystery and fantasy; the role of literary adaptation. They will be able to situate recent historical fiction in relation to earlier novels and the history of the (sub-)genre. On completion of the module, they will be more fully attuned to the limitations and risks, popular appeal and value of contemporary historical novels, with particular regard to the period from the Restoration of 1660 to the end of the Regency era.
Skills
Having completed this module students will be able to:
• Analyse contemporary works of historical fiction in terms of genre, technique, readerships, and constructions of the past
• Demonstrate understanding of the various ways in which contemporary novelists have conceived and depicted the period 1660-1820
• Adjudicate critical and theoretical ideas regarding the relationships between fact and fiction, narrative and history within this literature
• Demonstrate understanding of the ‘politics’ of historical fiction, with regard to the voicing of the historically marginalised and the investigation of personal and group identities in terms of gender, sexuality, race and class
• Demonstrate transferrable skills in the forms of group discussion, written communication, and individual researchCoursework
100%
Examination
0%
Practical
0%
Stage/Level
3
Credits
20
Module Code
ENG3090
Teaching Period
Spring
Duration
12 weeks
Work-based Learning (20 credits)Work-based Learning
Overview
This module provides an opportunity for student to utilise disciplinary skills in a work-based environment within the context of reflective practice. Students will negotiate suitable placements in consultation with their academic supervisor and participate in a programme of related classes and events. Simulated work-based projects in which students work in groups with the support of the university’s Enterprise Unit in the Students’ Union are also possible.
Learning Outcomes
On completion of this module, students should have:
Increased ability to relate academic theory to the work environment
A developed understanding of the organisational culture, policies and processes
The ability to reflexively and critically evaluate their own learning from the placement
An appreciation of enterprise and innnovation
Enhanced career knowledgeSkills
Employability skills, including effective communication, teamworking and problem-solving.
Coursework
100%
Examination
0%
Practical
0%
Stage/Level
3
Credits
20
Module Code
AEL3001
Teaching Period
Full Year
Duration
24 weeks
Analysing Language: Exploring linguistic structures of English
Overview
By exploring aspects of the grammar and syntax of English, this module will familiarise students with rules, principles, and processes that determine the structure of sentences in language. The course will also equip them with the appropriate methodological skills for the empirical analysis of language data and for the formal representation of data (i.e. phrase structure trees) to display the various operations that they will be introduced to throughout the module. Typical topics that will be covered include phrase structure, argument structure, case, agreement, noun phrase structure, binding and movement (although not necessarily all in each year).
Learning Outcomes
On completion of this module, students will have a solid understanding of core concepts in formal syntactic theory, as well as the fundamentals of empirical enquiry and will be able to apply this theory to natural language data and account for the linguistic variation observed in English and related varieties.
Skills
By the end of the module, students will be able to identify lexical categories, apply syntactic tests for constituency locate clause boundaries in complex sentences and draw trees for basic English sentences. The students will be able to show how a restricted set of principles can account for a wide range of the phenomena of English syntax. Students will also develop critical thinking skills through the examination of different explanatory approaches to problems in the syntax of English and related varieties.
Coursework
80%
Examination
0%
Practical
20%
Stage/Level
3
Credits
20
Module Code
ENL3001
Teaching Period
Spring
Duration
12 weeks
Speech Worlds: Phonology in Acquisition and Disorder (20 credits)Speech Worlds: Phonology in Acquisition and Disorder
Overview
The module focuses on four main areas of phonetics. First, you will refine your existing skills in phonetic description and transcription by expanding your knowledge of articulatory categories and distinctions. We then examine methods of profiling speakers' phonetic and phonological systems, using a range of appropriate models. The third component of the module concentrates on intonational aspects of speech. Here, we will examine recent theoretical developments alongside traditional accounts, and we will assess the role of intonation in various communicative situations. Finally, you will gain knowledge of and practical ability in the acoustic analysis of speech. Building on the basic acoustic skills you acquired in Patterns of Spoken English, you will now move on to understand the role of instrumental analysis in the quantification of speech production characteristics. In each of these four areas, we will analyse speech from a wide range of contexts, including disordered speech and children's speech. Throughout the module, you will be encouraged to develop your aural phonetic skills by means of an audio-tape, specifically designed to accompany the course, along with CD-ROM packages.
Learning Outcomes
This module should equip you with a firm understanding of the role of advanced phonetic study in assessing and profiling speech. You should be in a position to undertake a detailed analysis of a speaker's output and to account for breakdowns in speech production using appropriate and informed explanations. Your experience of this module should encourage you to appreciate the value of detailed phonetic knowledge in, for example, English teaching where a detailed understanding of oracy skills can be central to educational development, in foreign language teaching and learning, and in clinical speech contexts.
Skills
The central aim of this module is to develop your theoretical and practical skills in phonetics. We will achieve this aim by examining the processes involved in the production of speech and describing/ transcribing them in detail; by understanding and evaluating models for phonetic analysis; by applying phonetic and phonological analysis as a means of understanding the structure of normal and disordered speech, and by using techniques of acoustic analysis in investigating phonetic data.
Coursework
90%
Examination
0%
Practical
10%
Stage/Level
3
Credits
20
Module Code
ENL3003
Teaching Period
Autumn
Duration
12 weeks
Aesthetics and the Philosophy of Art (20 credits)Aesthetics and the Philosophy of Art
Overview
This module addresses aesthetics and the philosophy of art from a historical perspective. It begins by examining the invention of the discipline of aesthetics and of the notion of ‘taste’ in the eighteenth-century. It then focuses on Edmund Burke’s and Immanuel Kant’s treatment of the key aesthetic categories of beauty and the sublime. The module follows the development of aesthetic themes in post-Kantian thinking by examining Friedrich Schiller’s notion of aesthetic education, and G. W. F. Hegel’s history of art, with its claim that that history had essentially come to its end. After examining Martin Heidegger’s 20th-century attempt to think beyond Hegel’s pronouncements concerning the ‘death of art’, the module will examine some contemporary discussions in the philosophy of photography and cinema.
Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of the module students will:
• understand key concepts in aesthetics
• be able to apply aesthetic concepts to their own experience of fine art
• be able to grasp how works of fine art can be situatied in the history of art
• be able to reflect on the purposes of fine artSkills
Intellectual skills
• Managing & Prioritizing Knowledge: to identify relevant and subject-specific knowledge, sources and data; to manage such information in an independent manner;
• Analytical Thinking: to identify, understand, interpret and evaluate relevant subject-specific arguments made by others; to construct independent arguments;
• Critical & Independent Thinking: to think critically and construct one’s own position in relation to existing and ongoing debates in the field
Professional and career development skills
• Communication Skills: to communicate clearly with others, both orally and in writing;
• Diversity: to acknowledge and be sensitive to the range of cultural differences present in the learning environment;
• Self-Reflexivity: to reflect on one’s own progress and identify and act upon one’s own development needs with respect to life-long learning and career development;
• Time Management: to negotiate diverse and competing pressures; to cope with stress; and to achieve a work / life balance.
Technical and practical skills
• Information Technology: to demonstrate the knowledge and ability to use contemporary and relevant ICT.
Organizational skills
• Efficient and effective work practice: to demonstrate ability to work efficiently to deadlines;
• Clear organisation of information: to show efficiency in the organisation of large amounts of complex information and the ability to identify, describe and analyse the key features of the information;
• Organisation and communication: to use evidence to develop logical and clear arguments; to show aptitude for the effective use of information in a direct and appropriate way;
• Enterprising thinking: to think and argue in novel and enterprising ways, display originality of thought and argument.Coursework
100%
Examination
0%
Practical
0%
Stage/Level
3
Credits
20
Module Code
PHL3071
Teaching Period
Autumn
Duration
12 weeks
Literature and Science in the Nineteenth Century: Evolution, Degeneration, and the Mind (20 credits)Literature and Science in the Nineteenth Century: Evolution, Degeneration, and the Mind
Overview
This course will explore the diverse ways that writers responded to the dramatic developments in science in the nineteenth century, from Darwinian evolution and degeneration theory to the fascination with psychology, mesmerism and the mind. These emergent bodies of knowledge transformed conceptions of the self and society, and we will examine the strategies used by writers to engage with new conceptions of time, fears about progress, and the challenge to religious beliefs presented by the prospect of a directionless universe. Considering the emergence of social science and anthropology, as well as developments in evolutionary biology, psychology and the occult sciences, we will explore the ways science helped to shape nineteenth-century ideologies of race, class, and gender, and led to experiments with new and popular subgenres (including science fiction, imperial adventure, detective fiction and the utopian/dystopian novel).
Learning Outcomes
You will gain an understanding of the ways science participated in nineteenth-century constructions of race and empire, class and gender, and informed debates over subjectivity and social relations. You should be able to relate developments in biology, psychology and social science to fictional modes of representation, including developments in realist fiction, fantasy, and subgenre fiction. You will gain a more nuanced grasp of relationships between science, literature and culture in the nineteenth century.
Skills
You should build on skills developed on ENG2070, including the ability to relate texts to their historical contexts, the ability to engage with texts in both thematic and formal terms, the ability to relate scientific developments to literary developments (including the rise of science fiction, imperial adventure, detective fiction and the utopian novel), the ability to contextualise and question relationships between literature and science in the nineteenth-century, and to explore the dynamic relationships between fictional and non-fictional writings, the development of a critical awareness of the way science shaped (and was shaped by) nineteenth-century politics and culture. You will also acquire enhanced skills of independent thought and research, group-work skills and oral presentation skills.
Coursework
90%
Examination
0%
Practical
10%
Stage/Level
3
Credits
20
Module Code
ENG3097
Teaching Period
Autumn
Duration
12 weeks
Topics in Epistemology (20 credits)Topics in Epistemology
Overview
This module explores some of the major topics in contemporary epistemology, especially the epistemology of testimony, and contextualism and its rivals.
Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of this module, students will: Acquire the ability to critically discuss some of the most central problems and arguments in contemporary epistemology.
Skills
Skills
This module will assist in developing students’ skills in a number of important areas. These include:
• Intellectual skills
• Managing & Prioritizing Knowledge: identify relevant and subject-specific knowledge, sources and data; manage such information in an independent manner
• Analytical Thinking: identify, understand, interpret and evaluate relevant subject-specific arguments made by others; construct independent arguments
• Critical & Independent Thinking: ability to think critically and construct one’s own position in relation to existing and ongoing debates in the field
Professional and career development skills
• Communication Skills: ability to communicate clearly with others, both orally and in writing
• Teamwork: ability to work with others in a team, negotiate conflicts and recognize different ways of learning
• Diversity: ability to acknowledge and be sensitive to the range of cultural differences present in the learning environment
• Self-Reflexivity: ability to reflect on one’s own progress and identify and act upon ones own development needs with respect to life-long learning and career development
• Time Management: ability to negotiate diverse and competing pressures; cope with stress; and achieve a work / life balance
Organizational skills
•Efficient and effective work practice: demonstrate ability to work efficiently to deadlines
•Clear organisation of information: show efficiency in the organisation of large amounts of complex information and the ability to identify, describe and analyse the key features of the information
•Organisation and communication: demonstrate ability to use evidence to develop logical and clear arguments; show aptitude for the effective use of information in a direct and appropriate way
•Enterprising thinking: Demonstrate ability to think and argue in novel and enterprising ways, to display originality of thought and argument and the ability to clearly support arguments in innovative waysCoursework
90%
Examination
0%
Practical
10%
Stage/Level
3
Credits
20
Module Code
PHL3013
Teaching Period
Autumn
Duration
12 weeks
Representing the Working Class (20 credits)Representing the Working Class
Overview
This course aims to explore the writing and culture of the working class, to ask how socio-economic distinctions inflect judgements of ‘taste’, and to develop an understanding of the historical role of class in shaping identities across ethno-nationalist lines. A good deal of scholarship in recent decades has signalled a growing awareness of British working-class writing, though Irish Studies, by comparison, has tended to neglect issues of social class. We will therefore engage the more substantial body of scholarship on British working-class literature to inform our discussion of Irish working-class writers, signalling new and exciting possibilities for future scholarship.
Learning Outcomes
On completion of this course, students will have refined their broad critical understanding of key thinkers in cultural materialist and left-wing literary theory. They will have applied this understanding to over a dozen key texts (including films), engaging a range of historical and social contexts across twentieth-century British and Irish writing, analysing the recurrence of key themes and ideas in working-class writing. Students will also have related these readings to developments in postcolonial, postmodern and feminist theories, where applicable, drawing on a broad range of cultural and intellectual perspectives.
Skills
During this module, students will have the opportunity to practise the following skills:
- Critical analysis of key debates in literary and cultural theory;
- Engagement with interdisciplinary debates regarding historiography and the sociology of culture;
- Application of learning to key texts in working-class writing;
- Comparative analysis of literary and filmic representations and conventions;
- Writing critically and reflectively;
- Presentation skills.Coursework
90%
Examination
0%
Practical
10%
Stage/Level
3
Credits
20
Module Code
ENG3064
Teaching Period
Autumn
Duration
12 weeks
Marvels, Monsters and Miracles in Anglo-Saxon England
Overview
The very nature of marvels insists on their subjectivity: they are defined by the experience of their viewer. To marvel from the Latin mirari or to wonder from the Germanic wundar is to be filled with awe, surprise, admiration or astonishment. When we try to generalise about the meaning of marvels and the use of wonder in the Middle Ages, we are confronted with multiplicity. How do we read marvels? What’s their role in medieval texts? Are monsters and miracles to be read as marvels? One of the most critical tools for discussing the nature of difference that is central to the marvellous is the idea of the ‘Other’ which offers both psychological and political means of analysing the experience of wonder. The Anglo-Saxons were fascinated by the idea of encounters with strangeness and difference – a fascination that expressed itself in a rich and diverse rang of textual, artistic and geographical representations of such imaginings. Difference was considered both marvellous and monstrous; terrifying and fascinating; disgusting and desirable.
This module examines the perceptions of the marvellous and monstrous in the literature of the Anglo-Saxons. It investigates the nature of those phenomena which the Anglo-Saxons experienced as marvels, how they interpreted their experiences of astonishment and how they recreated them for others. It analyses the importance of ‘marvellous difference’ in defining ethnic, racial, religious, class and gender identities, as represented in different genres including historiography (i.e. The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle), travel narratives (Wonders of the East, Alexander’s Letter to Aristotle etc), hagiography (i.e. The Life of St Christopher) and other literary texts including Beowulf, Judith, Genesis B.
Texts in Latin, Old Norse and Middle English may be used for comparative purposes. Modern English translations will be provided for all the texts. Students are also expected to be able to engage with texts in Old English.Learning Outcomes
On completion of the module students should be able to:
-Demonstrate a critical awareness of a variety of early medieval concepts and constructions of otherness and difference;
-Show a familiarity with a range of medieval texts, genres and cultural concepts;
-Demonstrate the ability to engage with both contemporary critical concepts and their applicability to pre-modern texts;
-Show evidence of independent research and study skills;
-Use relevant electronic databases to further their written work;
-Demonstrate a consistent level of contribution to seminar discussions.Skills
This module will enable students to:
-Develop an informed sense of the complexity of concepts such as monstrosity, marvellous, superstition, miracle, religion, otherness;
-Consider and evaluate how difference (racial, religious, gender, national) was conceptualised in early medieval English culture;
-Acquire an understanding of various literary texts in relation to their cultural context and audience;
-Develop an ability to engage critically with the primary material as well as familiarity with modern scholarly and critical approaches;
Apply independent thought and academic research skills.Coursework
100%
Examination
0%
Practical
0%
Stage/Level
3
Credits
20
Module Code
ENG3011
Teaching Period
Spring
Duration
12 weeks
Irish Gothic (20 credits)Irish Gothic
Overview
This module explores Ireland’s unique contribution to the Gothic through an extraordinary range of texts that encompasses classics of the genre (such as Bram Stoker’s Dracula) alongside lesser-known writers such as Gerald Griffin and James Clarence Mangan. Whilst the reading for the module exemplifies the formal diversity of the genre, particular emphasis is placed on the accelerating use of the short story as a literary vehicle for terror (notably in the work of Sheridan Le Fanu and Elizabeth Bowen). The module pursues several interrelated lines of intellectual inquiry: the longstanding perception of Ireland as a site of Gothic horror; the role of Gaelic folklore and myth in creating supernatural terror; the reception and development of Gothic themes in Irish writing; and current critical debates in the field. In tracing the widespread prevalence of Gothic motifs and themes, the module seeks to delineate the contours of a distinctive aesthetic, and reflects on questions of colonial and gender politics, as well as dilemmas of national and sexual identities as they appear in the dark glass of Irish Gothic writing.
Learning Outcomes
On completing this module, students should have a thorough knowledge of the Gothic genre as it developed in Irish writing, and be able to identify and expand upon the distinctive formal and thematic features of this literary tradition. Students should also be able to situate texts in a range of relevant contexts, relating Gothic motifs and themes to the historical and cultural particularities of their production. Students should also gain good understanding of the current critical debates surrounding Irish Gothic writing.
Skills
Over the course of the module, students should develop/acquire the following skills:
• to analyse primary and secondary material in a scholarly manner;
• to research appropriate critical and historical material on any given literary topic;
• to edit and present scholarly arguments and literary analyses to peers;
• to negotiate a ranging critical field, and situate in relation to it their own analytical perspective.Coursework
100%
Examination
0%
Practical
0%
Stage/Level
3
Credits
20
Module Code
ENG3330
Teaching Period
Spring
Duration
12 weeks
Stylistics: Analysing Style in Language (20 credits)Stylistics: Analysing Style in Language
Overview
Stylistics is the application of analytical models and methods from linguistics to rhetorical texts, including (but not limited to) fictional and persuasive texts. In this module, the students are introduced to the analytical frameworks used in contemporary Stylistics, which draw on a range of approaches from Pragmatics, Corpus Linguistics and Cognitive Psychology. The frameworks are applied to texts to demonstrate how the linguistic patterns employed lead to stylistic effects. The students will practice applying the models to a variety of texts, identifying the linguistic features that contribute towards style in language.
Learning Outcomes
On completion of this module, students will have an understanding of the key frameworks used in stylistic analysis and the ability to apply them to rhetorical texts. Through practising this application, students will learn to identify patterns in the linguistic features that lead to stylistic effects. Consequently, students will have a heightened awareness of the use of language for artful and persuasive purposes.
As well as subject-specific outcomes, students will gain from this module more generally by learning methods in the qualitative analysis of texts, to write critically and to present an argument clearly.Skills
During this module, students will have the opportunity to acquire the following skills:
Module-specific:
- Linguistic analysis of rhetorical texts
- Criticism of linguistic theory and practice
- Identification of formal linguistic features
Generic:
- Qualitative research methods
- Writing critically and reflectively
- Presentation skillsCoursework
80%
Examination
0%
Practical
20%
Stage/Level
3
Credits
20
Module Code
ENL3011
Teaching Period
Spring
Duration
12 weeks
Renaissance Performance, Gender, Space (20 credits)Renaissance Performance, Gender, Space
Overview
This module will examine gendered dimensions of performance from the late sixteenth century to the Restoration. It will introduce students to ways of reading performance via a range of playwrights, genres and theatrical contexts. Topics will include Shakespeare’s boy actors, the children’s playing companies, female performance, shifting dramatic practices and theatrical innovation. It will raise questions about performance spaces and traditions and the representation of gender, location, status, cross-dressing, the body and the actor on this stage.
Learning Outcomes
Students will gain knowledge of modes of representation on the Renaissance stage. They will become familiar with important developments in theatrical practices in this period. They will be able to critically reflect on the ways in which dramatic texts refract contemporary issues of gender, sexuality, status and location and to evaluate these themes across dramatic genres and performance spaces.
Skills
Students will develop skills of close analysis of texts in relation to Renaissance performance and cultural contexts. They will develop the ability to explore questions of gender, genre, space and performance. The module will improve students’ written and oral communication skills and enhance their abilities to develop an argument independently and through group work.
Coursework
90%
Examination
0%
Practical
10%
Stage/Level
3
Credits
20
Module Code
ENG3181
Teaching Period
Spring
Duration
12 weeks
Further Adventures in Shakespeare (20 credits)Further Adventures in Shakespeare
Overview
The module content is divided generically. Students will read across the whole range of Shakespeare’s works and sample comedy, history, tragedy, the Roman plays, and the romances. There are also sessions on what are termed ‘problem plays’ and ‘unfamiliar Shakespeare’ – texts not often staged or discussed. The rich sample investigated means that a corresponding range of themes and approaches will be identified and explored.
There is no overlap between texts on this module and those taught elsewhere at Stages 2 or 3.
Students will be asked to buy two set texts - The Norton Shakespeare, ed. Stephen Greenblatt (New York: Norton, 1997), which will have been purchased for Introduction to Renaissance Literature, and Stanley Wells and Lena Cowen Orlin, eds, An Oxford Guide to Shakespeare (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2003).Learning Outcomes
Having successfully completed this module, students should have become familiar with the main genres within which Shakespeare wrote. Students should be able to analyse the Shakespearean text in depth and relate it to its moment of production. Students should have honed their presentational skills and, through regular teamwork, learned the value of collaborative practice.
Skills
Subject specific knowledge (Shakespeare, genre, context)
Close-reading
Oral and written communication skills
Teamwork
Presentational skillsCoursework
90%
Examination
0%
Practical
10%
Stage/Level
3
Credits
20
Module Code
ENG3182
Teaching Period
Autumn
Duration
12 weeks
Special Topic in Creative Writing (20 credits)Special Topic in Creative Writing
Overview
This is a Special Topic module offered by a visiting Fulbright Distinguished Scholar in Creative Writing. The contents of the module, which will change on an annual basis, depending on the area of creative writing expertise of the Visiting Scholar, will provide an opportunity for students to work on a specific aspect of creative writing. The specific module content will be announced as early as possible each academic year. Students who sign up for this module will, as normal, have the right to switch to another module if the content does not suit their academic plans.
Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of this module students will have examined an aspect of creative writing and will have written extensively in the appropriate form or genre. Objectivity about their own creative practice will have been further fostered by the writing of a self-reflexive commentary to accompany their final submission. Students should have come some way towards developing their own creative voice.
Skills
To be decided.
Coursework
100%
Examination
0%
Practical
0%
Stage/Level
3
Credits
20
Module Code
ENH3019
Teaching Period
Spring
Duration
12 weeks
Double Dissertation English Literature (40 credits)Double Dissertation English Literature
Overview
Students will undertake a piece of independent research and write a dissertation presenting that research and their conclusions. They will have the guidance of a tutor, but the emphasis is on their own independent research and writing. There should be no overlap between the chosen topic and work done for other modules. Students will be expected to develop and exhibit suitable theoretical and methodological frameworks for their chosen topic.
Learning Outcomes
The module will provide an opportunity to explore, to investigate and to identify themes for research within English. Students will be able to draw from a variety of theoretical, textual, analytical techniques, to examine and evaluate a given research problem.
Skills
By the end of the module students will:\n\nhave a developed critical understanding of an area of literary study;\n\nhave developed the skills needed to conduct an independent line of research;\n\nbe able to write a cogent, well-illustrated dissertation, which displays originality of consistent thinking and application of ideas, concepts and theories.
Coursework
100%
Examination
0%
Practical
0%
Stage/Level
3
Credits
40
Module Code
ENG3000
Teaching Period
Full Year
Duration
24 weeks
Dissertation (40 credits)Dissertation
Overview
The student will investigate and write a dissertation of 8-10,000 words on a suitable philosophical topic agreed between the student, the co-ordinator and a designated supervisor.
Learning Outcomes
By the end of the dissertation, studetns will be able to:
a) Develop a sustained argument, test a hypothesis, and/or write a reasoned philosophical analysis;
b) Carry out research including finding appropriate sources for the topic in question;
c) review appropriate approaches for the topic.Skills
Students participate in a wokshop prior to registering for the dissertation, which focuses on how to formulate a dissertation question, how to research the dissertation, and how to organise and write the dissertation. A further workshop is held at the start of the second semester. Students work closely with an individual supervisor throughout the research, drafting and writing of their dissertation. The skills requires for ongoing research and writing of a dissertation are acquired and monitored through liason with her or his supervisor.
Coursework
100%
Examination
0%
Practical
0%
Stage/Level
3
Credits
40
Module Code
PHL3099
Teaching Period
Full Year
Duration
24 weeks
Contemporary US Crime Fiction: the Police, the State, the Globe
Overview
This module examines some of the different manifestations of contemporary U.S. crime fiction since the late 1960s. Beginning with a section on ‘policing the city’ and the ways in which the genre negotiates the complex inter-relationship of race, class and capitalism, the module moves on to consider state violence and public corruption before concluding with an examination of the limitations of state power and the international reach of some crime fiction. Rather than arguing for the genre as a singular, static entity, the module examines its proliferation and diversity in the contemporary era (focusing on novels, TV series and films) and explores connections between crime fiction and other genres (e.g. urban realism and espionage fiction). In doing so, the module aims to situate different kinds of crime fiction as a series of complex negotiations with different forms of political authority (e.g. the police, the state, capitalism etc.).
Learning Outcomes
Having completed this module, students will have acquired the ability to analyse a broad range of exemplary U.S. crime fiction (novels, films, TV programs) in light of their understanding of particular theoretical approaches and different theoretical approaches in the light of their understanding of particular set texts. They will have developed an ability to identify particular generic traits, speak about the genre’s development since the late 1960s in a theoretical informed way and situate this development in relation to particular social, cultural, political and economic circumstances in the U.S and the global realm. They will have developed their skills in constructing written and spoken arguments drawing on appropriate primary and secondary evidence.
Skills
This module will allow students to build upon the skills that they have acquired in first and second year and in particular will allow and permit the following:
- broad understanding of the development and proliferation of U.S. crime fiction since the 1960s;
- understanding of the relationship of crime fiction texts to different forms of political authority;
- an ability to analyse a variety of set texts in the light of particular theoretical approaches and analyse a variety if theoretical approaches in the light of particular set texts;
- an ability to analyse literary and filmic/televisual texts and articulate sophisticated ideas and arguments in a clear, accessible manner in written and spoken assignments;
- an ability to work closely in collaboration with other students.Coursework
100%
Examination
0%
Practical
0%
Stage/Level
3
Credits
20
Module Code
ENH3008
Teaching Period
Autumn
Duration
12 weeks
Philosophical Theology (20 credits)Philosophical Theology
Overview
This module will provide a systematic, philosophical approach to understanding and engaging with a number of topics in Christian Theology. Topics to be discussed will include divine eternity and God’s relationship to time, divine foreknowledge and human freedom, theological anthropology, and Christology. In pursuing these topics we will engage both with historical and contemporary sources.
Learning Outcomes
Students should become familiar with some basic issues in philosophical theology.
Skills
Skills in literacy and communication; the comprehension, formulation and evaluation of extended arguments, together with their written and oral presentation.
Coursework
100%
Examination
0%
Practical
0%
Stage/Level
3
Credits
20
Module Code
PHL3034
Teaching Period
Autumn
Duration
12 weeks
Shakespeare on Screen (20 credits)Shakespeare on Screen
Overview
The late twentieth century has seen a proliferation of Shakespeare on screen. This module investigates the phenomenon through the cinematic history of four plays - Henry V, Romeo and Juliet, Hamlet and Othello. It looks at the work of directors such as Laurence Olivier, Franco Zeffirelli, Orson Welles, Kenneth Branagh, Baz Luhrmann, Oliver Parker and Michael Almereyda. Debate will focus upon the following areas; the relationship between the playtext and the film; the malleability of Shakespeare as a cultural icon; the relevance of Shakespeare to a modern audience; the shifting status of Shakespeare as a signifier of gender, race, technology and politics.
Learning Outcomes
This module aims to inculcate an in-depth knowledge of the multifarious ways in which Shakespeare is appropriated in late twentieth-century cinema; to enable students to discriminate between various filmic versions of a play; to gain the confidence and capability to deploy critical and theoretical tools to talk about film constructively; and to reflect upon connections between Shakespearean production and the preoccupations of a particular historical moment.
Skills
Having successfully completed this module, you should have become familiar with a range of ways in which Shakespeare is appropriated in the cinema; you should have learned how to utilise a theoretical filmic vocabulary in the interests of larger analyses; you should be able to discriminate between various filmic versions of a play and to identify some of their cultural and intertextual influences; you should have further honed your presentational skills and, through regular teamwork, learned the value of collaborative practice.
Coursework
90%
Examination
0%
Practical
10%
Stage/Level
3
Credits
20
Module Code
ENG3087
Teaching Period
Spring
Duration
12 weeks
Special Topic in Irish Writing (20 credits)Special Topic in Irish Writing
Overview
This is a Special Topic module offered by a visiting Fulbright Scholar. This course focuses on contemporary Irish women writers and their depiction of home in light of the poetic duality of scáth, an Irish word that may be translated as either shadow or shelter. This duality of scáth helps capture the complicated nature of home, especially for Irish women, who have historically been caught somewhere between viewing “home” as a sheltered respite or as an imprisoning shadow. After rooting the Irish female literary tradition in Irish myths, we will study both how today’s authors not only describe this paradoxical relationship but also offer models of women who simultaneously resist the shadows and create their own shelters of beauty and hope without denying or ignoring ugly realities. Sample texts include Emma Donaghue’s Room, Anna Burns’s Milkman, and Maggie O’Farrell’s This Must Be the Place.
Learning Outcomes
Students will develop their skills in: close reading of literary texts; analysis of literary texts within cultural, historical, and biographical contexts; oral communication; formulation of critical arguments; research methods; scholarly writing, including the integration of primary and secondary sources and adherence to academic conventions
Skills
To be decided.
Coursework
100%
Examination
0%
Practical
0%
Stage/Level
3
Credits
20
Module Code
ENH3020
Teaching Period
Spring
Duration
12 weeks
Contemporary Irish and Scottish Fiction Devolutionary Identities
Overview
The past decades have not only seen an increasing interest in the historical, political and economic crosscurrents between Scotland and Ireland, but they have also witnessed a remarkable literary renaissance on both sides of the Irish Sea. This course explores the transformed literary landscape of Irish and Scottish fiction since the 1980s in relation to the (d)evolutionary processes of cultural and social change in today’s Atlantic archipelago, concerning in particular the Irish Republic’s economic boom in the 1990s (commonly referred to as the ‘Celtic Tiger’), the Peace Process in Northern Ireland, and the movement towards the reconstitution of the Scottish Parliament. We will examine how these changes and the issues that they raise are reflected in an indicative selection of Irish, Northern Irish, and Scottish novels, focusing on the relationship between the formal and stylistic experiments often found in these writings and the concepts of identity, society, the nation, history, and gender that they draw on, resist, and/or give rise to. In this respect, we will pay due attention to ideas about the role of literature, gender, sexuality, class, race, and religion in the (re)construction of national identity; questions of power, authority and authenticity, and the impact of globalization on cultural production; the politics of place and the rural/urban divide; revisions and representations of history, and issues of trauma and memory; the literary use of non-standard English; narrative tropes, techniques, and typographic experiments.
This course aims to establish a comparative framework in order to trace the shared concerns and noteworthy differences that characterise and constitute a significant part of the contemporary Irish and Scottish literary scene. It is designed to introduce students to dominant critical and literary paradigms as well as key debates in Irish and Scottish Studies raised by postcolonialism, postmodernism, (post-) nationalism, gender studies, and feminism. To that end, literary texts will be read alongside theoretical and cultural perspectives in both fields, copies of which will be provided in a course reader.Learning Outcomes
By the end of the module, students will have gained a in-depth knowledge of 11 Irish and Scottish novels and developed an understanding of the corpus of, and crosscurrents between, contemporary Scottish and Irish fiction. The module will introduce students to dominant critical and literary paradigms as well as key debates in Irish and Scottish Studies raised by postcolonialism, postmodernism, (post-) nationalism, gender studies, and feminism. They will be able to apply the knowledge they have gained in textual analysis of contemporary Irish and Scottish fiction, expanding their sense of new developments in subject matter, literary technique, and language use.
Skills
Students will gain a range of subject-specific, intellectual, practical and transferable skills: they will develop their critical assessment of texts and gain deeper analytic and textual competence. They will also hone their presentation and writing skills and learn to present and discuss complex issues with clarity and cogency, both orally and in writing, write clearly and succinctly, and organise study time effectively.
Coursework
80%
Examination
0%
Practical
20%
Stage/Level
3
Credits
20
Module Code
ENG3060
Teaching Period
Autumn
Duration
12 weeks
Double Dissertation English Language (40 credits)Double Dissertation English Language
Overview
Students will undertake a piece of independent research and write a dissertation presenting that research and their conclusions. They will have the guidance of a tutor, but the emphasis is on their own independent research and writing. There should be no overlap between the chosen topic and work done for other modules. Students will be expected to develop and exhibit suitable theoretical and methodological frameworks for their chosen topic.
Learning Outcomes
The module will provide an opportunity to explore, to investigate and to identify themes for research within English. Students will be able to draw from a variety of theoretical, textual, analytical techniques, to examine and evaluate a given research problem.
Skills
By the end of the module students will:\n\nhave a developed critical understanding of an area of language study;\n\nhave developed the skills needed to conduct an independent line of research;\n\nbe able to write a cogent, well-illustrated dissertation, which displays originality of consistent thinking and application of ideas, concepts and theories.
Coursework
100%
Examination
0%
Practical
0%
Stage/Level
3
Credits
40
Module Code
ENL3000
Teaching Period
Full Year
Duration
12 weeks
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Entry Requirements
Entrance requirements
A level requirements ABB including A-level English Note: for applicants who have not studied A-level English then AS-level English (grade A) would be acceptable in lieu of A-level English. A maximum of one BTEC/OCR Single Award or AQA Extended Certificate will be accepted as part of an applicant's portfolio of qualifications with a Distinction* being equated to a grade A at A-level and a Distinction being equated to a grade B at A-level. |
Irish leaving certificate requirements H3H3H3H3H3H3/H2H3H3H3H3 including Higher Level grade H3 in English |
Access Course Successful completion of Access Course with an average of 70% including an average of 65% in Literature modules. |
International Baccalaureate Diploma 33 points overall, including 6,5,5 at Higher Level, including English. |
Graduate A minimum of a 2:2 Honours Degree, provided any subject requirement is also met |
Note All applicants must have GCSE English Language grade C/4 or an equivalent qualification acceptable to the University. |
Selection Criteria
In addition, to the entrance requirements above, it is essential that you read our guidance below on 'How we choose our students' prior to submitting your application.
Applications are dealt with centrally by the Admissions and Access Service rather than by individual University Schools. Once your on-line form has been processed by UCAS and forwarded to Queen's, an acknowledgement is normally sent within two weeks of its receipt at the University.
Selection is on the basis of the information provided on your UCAS form. Decisions are made on an ongoing basis and will be notified to you via UCAS.
For last year's intake, applicants for this BA programme offering A-level/BTEC Level 3 qualifications must have had, or been able to achieve, a minimum of five GCSE passes at grade C/4 or better (to include English Language). Performance in any AS or A-level examinations already completed would also have been taken into account and the Selector checks that any specific entry requirements in terms of GCSE and/or A-level subjects can be fulfilled.
For applicants offering Irish Leaving Certificate, please note that performance at Irish Junior Certificate (IJC) is taken into account. For last year’s entry applicants for this degree must have had, a minimum of 5 IJC grades C/Merit. The Selector also checks that any specific entry requirements in terms of Leaving Certificate subjects can be satisfied.
Offers are normally made on the basis of three A-levels. Two subjects at A-level plus two at AS would also be considered. The offer for repeat candidates is set in terms of three A-levels and may be one grade higher than for first time applicants. Grades may be held from the previous year.
Applicants offering two A-levels and one BTEC Subsidiary Diploma/National Extended Certificate (or equivalent qualification), or one A-level and a BTEC Diploma/National Diploma (or equivalent qualification) will also be considered. Offers will be made in terms of the overall BTEC grade(s) awarded. Please note that a maximum of one BTEC Subsidiary Diploma/National Extended Certificate (or equivalent) will be counted as part of an applicant’s portfolio of qualifications. The normal GCSE profile will be expected.
BTEC Extended Diplomas, Higher National Certificates, and Higher National Diplomas can be considered, provided the subject requirements for entry to English are also fulfilled.
The information provided in the personal statement section and the academic reference together with predicted grades are noted but, in the case of BA degrees, these are not the final deciding factors in whether or not a conditional offer can be made. However, they may be reconsidered in a tie break situation in August.
A-level General Studies and A-level Critical Thinking would not normally be considered as part of a three A-level offer and, although they may be excluded where an applicant is taking four A-level subjects, the grade achieved could be taken into account if necessary in August/September.
Candidates are not normally asked to attend for interview.
If you are made an offer then you may be invited to a Faculty/School Visit Day, which is usually held in the second semester. This will allow you the opportunity to visit the University and to find out more about the degree programme of your choice and the facilities on offer. It also gives you a flavour of the academic and social life at Queen's.
If you cannot find the information you need here, please contact the University Admissions Service (admissions@qub.ac.uk), giving full details of your qualifications and educational background.
International Students
Our country/region pages include information on entry requirements, tuition fees, scholarships, student profiles, upcoming events and contacts for your country/region. Use the dropdown list below for specific information for your country/region.
English Language Requirements
An IELTS score of 6.5 with a minimum of 5.5 in each test component or an equivalent acceptable qualification, details of which are available at: http://go.qub.ac.uk/EnglishLanguageReqs
If you need to improve your English language skills before you enter this degree programme, INTO Queen's University Belfast offers a range of English language courses. These intensive and flexible courses are designed to improve your English ability for admission to this degree.
- Academic English: an intensive English language and study skills course for successful university study at degree level
- Pre-sessional English: a short intensive academic English course for students starting a degree programme at Queen's University Belfast and who need to improve their English.
International Students - Foundation and International Year One Programmes
INTO Queen's offers a range of academic and English language programmes to help prepare international students for undergraduate study at Queen's University. You will learn from experienced teachers in a dedicated international study centre on campus, and will have full access to the University's world-class facilities.
These programmes are designed for international students who do not meet the required academic and English language requirements for direct entry.
INTO - English Language Course(QSIS ELEMENT IS EMPTY)
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Careers
Career Prospects
Introduction
Studying for an English and Philosophy degree at Queen’s will assist you in developing the core skills and employment-related experiences that are valued by employers, professional organisations and academic institutions. Graduates from this degree at Queen’s are well regarded by many employers (local, national and international) and over half of all graduate jobs are now open to graduates of any discipline, including English. In particular, employers value the initiative, imagination, creativity and independence of thought fostered by the English degree.
The following is a list of the major career sectors that have attracted our graduates in recent years: Publishing, Media and Performing Arts, Public Relations, Advertising, Librarianship, Fast Stream Civil Service, Management Consultancy, Graduate Careers and Achievements. Many of our former graduates have risen to the top of their fields and include many famous figures; for example, from English: Seamus Heaney, Nobel prize-winning poet; Paul Muldoon, academic and poet; Stephen Rea, actor; Annie Kelly, journalist and writer; Annie Mac, radio presenter.
From Philosophy: Dr William Crawley, BBC broadcaster and journalist: Professor Philip Pettit, Professor of Philosophy, Princeton University Francis Campbell, UK Deputy High Commissioner to Pakistan.
Employer Links: Consultations, Philosophy has an active and engaged Employers’ Forum, which is used to foster collaboration between ourselves and employers and to inform related activity, such as the format, content and structure of our educational provision, with the ultimate aim of enhancing the employability of our graduates. The Employers’ Forum meets 2-3 times per academic year. In addition to Philosophy and QUB staff, its membership includes employers from both public and private sector organizations, including Equality Commission for NI, Northern Bank, Deloitte, Stratagem NI, NI Local Government Association PricewaterhouseCoopers, MCE Public Relations, Department of Employment and Learning NI and Stratagem NI.
You should also take a look at the Prospects website for further information concerning the types of jobs that attract English and Philosophy graduates. Further study is also an option open to graduates. Students can choose from a wide range of Masters programmes, including the MA in English Literary Studies and the new MRes in Arts and Humanities (English or Philosophy).
Other Career-related information
Queen’s is a member of the Russell Group and, therefore, one of the 20 universities most-targeted by leading graduate employers. Queen’s students will be advised and guided about career choice and, through the Degree Plus initiative, will have an opportunity to seek accreditation for skills development and experience gained through the wide range of extra-curricular activities on offer.
Degree Plus and other related initiatives.
Recognising student diversity, as well as promoting employability enhancements and other interests, is part of the developmental experience at Queen’s. Students are encouraged to plan and build their own, personal skill and experiential profile through a range of activities including; recognised Queen’s Certificates, placements and other work experiences (at home or overseas), Erasmus study options elsewhere in Europe, learning development opportunities and involvement in wider university life through activities, such as clubs, societies, and sports. Queen’s actively encourages this type of activity by offering students an additional qualification, the Degree Plus Award (and the related Researcher Plus Award for PhD and MPhil students). Degree Plus accredits wider experiential and skill development gained through extra-curricular activities that promote the enhancement of academic, career management, personal and employability skills in a variety of contexts. As part of the Award, students are also trained on how to reflect on the experience(s) and make the link between academic achievement, extracurricular activities, transferable skills and graduate employment. Participating students will also be trained in how to reflect on their skills and experiences and can gain an understanding of how to articulate the significance of these to others, e.g. employers. Overall, these initiatives, and Degree Plus in particular, reward the energy, drive, determination and enthusiasm shown by students engaging in activities over-and-above the requirements of their academic studies. These qualities are amongst those valued highly by graduate employers.
http://www.prospects.ac.uk
Alumni Success
Hannah Webb
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WGfpO_Rqnak&feature=youtu.be
Additional Awards Gained(QSIS ELEMENT IS EMPTY)
Prizes and Awards(QSIS ELEMENT IS EMPTY)
Degree Plus/Future Ready Award for extra-curricular skills
In addition to your degree programme, at Queen's you can have the opportunity to gain wider life, academic and employability skills. For example, placements, voluntary work, clubs, societies, sports and lots more. So not only do you graduate with a degree recognised from a world leading university, you'll have practical national and international experience plus a wider exposure to life overall. We call this Degree Plus/Future Ready Award. It's what makes studying at Queen's University Belfast special.
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Fees and Funding
Tuition Fees
Northern Ireland (NI) 1 | £4,750 |
Republic of Ireland (ROI) 2 | £4,750 |
England, Scotland or Wales (GB) 1 | £9,250 |
EU Other 3 | £20,800 |
International | £20,800 |
1 EU citizens in the EU Settlement Scheme, with settled status, will be charged the NI or GB tuition fee based on where they are ordinarily resident. Students who are ROI nationals resident in GB will be charged the GB fee.
2 EU students who are ROI nationals resident in ROI are eligible for NI tuition fees.
3 EU Other students (excludes Republic of Ireland nationals living in GB, NI or ROI) are charged tuition fees in line with international fees.
All tuition fees quoted relate to a single year of study and will be subject to an annual inflationary increase, unless explicitly stated otherwise.
Tuition fee rates are calculated based on a student’s tuition fee status and generally increase annually by inflation. How tuition fees are determined is set out in the Student Finance Framework.
Additional course costs
All Students
Depending on the programme of study, there may be extra costs which are not covered by tuition fees, which students will need to consider when planning their studies.
Students can borrow books and access online learning resources from any Queen's library.
If students wish to purchase recommended texts, rather than borrow them from the University Library, prices per text can range from £30 to £100. A programme may have up to 6 modules per year, each with a recommended text.
Students should also budget between £30 to £75 per year for photocopying, memory sticks and printing charges.
Students undertaking a period of work placement or study abroad, as either a compulsory or optional part of their programme, should be aware that they will have to fund additional travel and living costs.
If a final year includes a major project or dissertation, there may be costs associated with transport, accommodation and/or materials. The amount will depend on the project chosen. There may also be additional costs for printing and binding.
Students may wish to consider purchasing an electronic device; costs will vary depending on the specification of the model chosen.
There are also additional charges for graduation ceremonies, examination resits and library fines.
English and Philosophy costs
In Year 2 students can apply for a number of optional exchanges with institutions in the USA. The cost will vary depending on the institution and length of exchange and can range from £500 - £6,000.
Students who undertake a period of study or work abroad, are responsible for funding travel, accommodation and subsistence costs. These costs vary depending on the location and duration of the placement.
A limited amount of funding may be available to contribute towards these additional costs, if the placement takes place through a government student mobility scheme.
How do I fund my study?
There are different tuition fee and student financial support arrangements for students from Northern Ireland, those from England, Scotland and Wales (Great Britain), and those from the rest of the European Union.
Information on funding options and financial assistance for undergraduate students is available at www.qub.ac.uk/Study/Undergraduate/Fees-and-scholarships/.
Scholarships
Each year, we offer a range of scholarships and prizes for new students. Information on scholarships available.
International Scholarships
Information on scholarships for international students, is available at www.qub.ac.uk/Study/international-students/international-scholarships/.
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How and when to Apply
How to Apply
Application for admission to full-time undergraduate and sandwich courses at the University should normally be made through the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS). Full information can be obtained from the UCAS website at: www.ucas.com/students.
When to Apply
UCAS will start processing applications for entry in autumn 2024 from 1 September 2023.
Advisory closing date: 31 January 2024 (18:00). This is the 'equal consideration' deadline for this course.
Applications from UK and EU (Republic of Ireland) students after this date are, in practice, considered by Queen’s for entry to this course throughout the remainder of the application cycle (30 June 2024) subject to the availability of places.
Applications from International and EU (Other) students are normally considered by Queen’s for entry to this course until 30 June 2024. If you apply for 2024 entry after this deadline, you will automatically be entered into Clearing.
Applicants are encouraged to apply as early as is consistent with having made a careful and considered choice of institutions and courses.
The Institution code name for Queen's is QBELF and the institution code is Q75.
Further information on applying to study at Queen's is available at: www.qub.ac.uk/Study/Undergraduate/How-to-apply/
Terms and Conditions
The terms and conditions that apply when you accept an offer of a place at the University on a taught programme of study. Queen's University Belfast Terms and Conditions.
Additional Information for International (non-EU) Students
- Applying through UCAS
Most students make their applications through UCAS (Universities and Colleges Admissions Service) for full-time undergraduate degree programmes at Queen's. The UCAS application deadline for international students is 30 June 2024. - Applying direct
The Direct Entry Application form is to be used by international applicants who wish to apply directly, and only, to Queen's or who have been asked to provide information in advance of submitting a formal UCAS application. Find out more. - Applying through agents and partners
The University’s in-country representatives can assist you to submit a UCAS application or a direct application. Please consult the Agent List to find an agent in your country who will help you with your application to Queen’s University.
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