British Literature, Culture, and Society (ENG111)


Course description for study year 2025-2026. Please note that changes may occur.

See course description and exam/assesment information for this semester (2024-2025)
Facts

Course code

ENG111

Version

1

Credits (ECTS)

10

Semester tution start

Autumn

Number of semesters

1

Exam semester

Autumn

Language of instruction

English

Offered by
Time table

View course schedule

Admission requirements

General university admissions certification (GSK)

Content

This survey course offers a broad introduction to British and Irish literature and culture from Shakespeare up until our own time. The assigned texts are studied with concrete reference to the socio-historical and political contexts from which they arise, and the course introduces approaches to textual analysis in the main literary genres of poetry, prose, and drama with a focus on formal and thematic features. Through this course the student gains an understanding of the most central periods and main developments in British literature and culture. The course will also explore ideas and debates relevant in contemporary society and investigate the ways in which the authors relate meaningfully to their cultural, historical and social contexts.

Learning outcome

Knowledge:

After completing this course, you have:

  • an overview of changes, periods, and central writers, and literary works in British literature
  • an overview of the ways in which the authors relate meaningfully to their cultural, historical and social contexts
  • knowledge and understanding of British culture and society in an historical and contemporary perspective

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
  • able to analyse important questions and problems facing British society in an historical and contemporary perspective

General competence:

After completing this course, you can:

  • demonstrate critical, analytic, and interpretive skills using academic English
  • conduct academic analysis of a variety of texts
  • understand, discuss, and contextualise literary texts in English
  • understand and discuss central themes concerning British culture and society from an historical and contemporary perspective

Required prerequisite knowledge

None

Exam

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

Final home exam (5 hours) and one obligatory assignment (pass/fail)

Coursework requirements

One written assignment  

In order to take the exam, students must have passed the obligatory written assignment.

If the assignment is assessed as not approved on the first attempt, students are given one opportunity to submit a revised assignment.

References and AI

All submitted assignments must be the result of the student’s own independent work. Students are responsible for familiarizing themselves with the rules for source referencing.

Information on source referencing is available on the University Library’s website: https://www.uis.no/en/library/citations

Guidance on the use of AI tools in relation to exams can be found on the University of Stavanger’s exam pages: https://www.uis.no/en/student-pages/use-of-artificial-intelligence-ai-in-assignment-writing-and-exams

Course teacher(s)

Course coordinator:

Janne Stigen Drangsholt

Study Adviser:

Anne Marie Nygaard

Study Adviser:

Margrethe Melin

Method of work

Lectures, interactive group work, and obligatory assignment

Overlapping courses

Course Reduction (SP)
British and Irish Literature (ENG105_1) 10
English Literature after 1950 (ENG130_1) 5
Other Voices - Global English Literature (ENG130_2) 5
British and Irish Literature (MENG105_1) 10
English Literature after 1950 (ÅEN130_1) 5
British Literature and Culture (HU0138_1) 5
British Literature and Culture (HU0138_A) 5
An Introduction to Literature in English (LENG115_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) 10
An Introduction to Literature in English (ENG115_1) 10

Open for

Open course for all students with an active right to study and who meet the requirements for general university admissions certification (GSK).

Admission requirements

General university admissions certification (GSK).

Course assessment

The faculty decides whether early dialogue will be held in all courses or in selected groups of courses. The aim is to collect student feedback for improvements during the semester. In addition, a digital course evaluation must be conducted at least every three years to gather students’ experiences.

Literature

The syllabus can be found in Leganto