Module overview
This introductory course will give you an overview of some approaches to, and topics within, cultural and literary studies. You will spend time on close textual reading, as well as on broader cultural analysis. It aims to encourage you to experiment in choosing different critical approaches, and to learn to think consciously about which critical approach(s) might be appropriate in relation to which particular texts. It will train you in close textual reading as well as in analysis of the relationship between texts and their specific cultural contexts.
You will be encouraged to take responsibility for selecting an appropriate critical method for the analysis of a specific text or texts.
Aims and Objectives
Learning Outcomes
Transferable and Generic Skills
Having successfully completed this module you will be able to:
- plan and organise your learning, exercising independence and initiative
- adhere to guidelines and deadlines
- make use of research skills to locate appropriate secondary material for assessments where instructed to do so
- communicate your ideas in clear, concise writing
Subject Specific Intellectual and Research Skills
Having successfully completed this module you will be able to:
- use new critical and theoretical frameworks relevant to this area of study
- engage in close analysis of primary texts from a range of genres and media
- define, present and exemplify concepts related to selected topics and issues in cultural studies
Knowledge and Understanding
Having successfully completed this module, you will be able to demonstrate knowledge and understanding of:
- the role of culture in identity formation; the social and political functions of culture and criticism;
- the implications of working across cultures and across different cultural forms,
- ethical issues involved in the study of culture.
- the intellectual history of cultural criticism;
- the importance of historical and national contexts in reading cultural texts;
Syllabus
This module will introduce you to a range of topics and approaches in cultural, literary and film studies. You will learn to analyse selected texts from a range of fiction, poetry, film, digital media, photography, and of course cultural criticism. In addition, the module will expose you to a range of texts in French, German, Spanish, and Portuguese, taught in English translation, as well as material in English.
Learning and Teaching
Teaching and learning methods
Teaching methods include
- weekly lecture and seminar
Learning activities include
- small group work
- individual presentations
- independent learning
| Type | Hours |
|---|---|
| Preparation for scheduled sessions | 2 |
| Revision | 40 |
| Seminar | 12 |
| Follow-up work | 4 |
| Wider reading or practice | 40 |
| Completion of assessment task | 40 |
| Lecture | 12 |
| Total study time | 150 |
Resources & Reading list
Textbooks
Barry, Peter (1995). Beginning Theory: An Introduction to Literary and Cultural Theory. Manchester University Press.
Hall, Stuart (ed.) (1997). Representation: Cultural Representations and Signifying Practices. Sage/Open University.
Rivkin, J. and Ryan, M. (1998). Literary Theory: An Introduction. Blackwell.
Assessment
Assessment strategy
Assessments designed to provide informal, on-module feedback
- Group discussion in seminars
Individual feedback
Summative
This is how we’ll formally assess what you have learned in this module.
| Method | Percentage contribution |
|---|---|
| Essay | 60% |
| Blog Post | 40% |
Referral
This is how we’ll assess you if you don’t meet the criteria to pass this module.
| Method | Percentage contribution |
|---|---|
| Essay | 60% |
| Blog | 40% |
Repeat
An internal repeat is where you take all of your modules again, including any you passed. An external repeat is where you only re-take the modules you failed.
| Method | Percentage contribution |
|---|---|
| Blog | 40% |
| Essay | 60% |
Repeat Information
Repeat type: Internal & External