An Introduction to Literature in English (LENG115)

This course explores literary production in English emphasizing shifts in thought as well as genre innovation from medieval to modern. It introduces key texts, authors, and literary periods, exploring the relationship of texts to their contexts and considering multiple perspectives in the periods.


Course description for study year 2024-2025. Please note that changes may occur.

Facts

Course code

LENG115

Version

1

Credits (ECTS)

15

Semester tution start

Autumn

Number of semesters

1

Exam semester

Autumn

Language of instruction

English

Offered by
Time table

View course schedule

Content

This course explores literary production in English against socio-historical British contexts, emphasizing shifts in thought as well as genre invention, adaptation, and innovation, medieval to modern. The first half of this course focuses on pre-modern British contexts and literary foundations. The second half explores later periods and genres including works by contemporary British writers. Topics include freedom, heroism, the middle class, gender roles, and questions of authority/leadership, religion, scientific discovery, race relations, and colonialism. It introduces key texts, authors and literary periods exploring the relationship of texts to the periods from which they arose.

Learning outcome

Knowledge:

After completing this course, you have:

  • an overview of changes, periods, central writers, and literary works in British literature from Old English to the present day

Skills:

After completing this course, you are:

  • able to analyse literary texts in a variety of genres
  • able to express yourself in appropriate academic English
  • able to write academic texts that makes literary-critical arguments

General competence:

After completing this course, you can:

  • demonstrate critical, analytic, and interpretive skills using academic English
  • conduct precritical and critical analysis of a variety of texts
  • understand, discuss, and contextualise literary texts in English

Required prerequisite knowledge

None

Recommended prerequisites

The course presupposes a solid command of written and spoken English.

Exam

2 written home exams

Form of assessment Weight Duration Marks Aid
Written mid-term home exam 1/2 5 Hours Letter grades
Written home exam 1/2 5 Hours Letter grades

Two written exams, mid-term and final. Students must pass both exams to earn a final grade in this course. English language and academic writing skills are taken into account in the grading, as well as the course content and any documentation of primary and secondary source material (if used).

Coursework requirements

The first part of the course has a short obligatory written assignment that must be approved in order to sit for the exam

Grade: pass/fail

Course teacher(s)

Course teacher:

Sigbjørg Bøe

Course coordinator:

Sonya Louise Veck

Course teacher:

Janne Stigen Drangsholt

Study Adviser:

Anne Marie Nygaard

Course teacher:

Sonya Louise Veck

Method of work

Lectures, group work and obligatory assignment.

Overlapping courses

Course Reduction (SP)
An Introduction to Literature in English (ENG115_1) 15
British and Irish Literature (ENG105_1) 10
English Literature after 1950 (ENG130_1) 5
Other Voices - Global English Literature (ENG130_2) 5
British Literature and Culture (HU0138_1) 5
British Literature and Culture (HU0138_A) 5
English Literature after 1950 (ÅEN130_1) 5
British and Irish Literature (MENG105_1) 10
Introduction to British and Irish Literature (ENG116_1) 10
Introduction to British and Irish Literature (LENG116_1) 10
An Introduction to Literature in English for lector students (LENG114_1) 15

Open for

Open to all students in the Advanced teacher programme at the Department of Cultural Studies and Languages.

Course assessment

There must be an early dialogue between the course supervisor, the student union representative and the students. The purpose is feedback from the students for changes and adjustments in the course for the current semester.In addition, a digital subject evaluation must be carried out at least every three years. Its purpose is to gather the students experiences with the course.

Literature

Search for literature in Leganto