School of English - University of Nottingham · 2016. 11. 19. · Ice and Fire Old English:...

24
School of English Undergraduate Degree Programmes Course structures, module information and pre-arrival reading lists 2016-17

Transcript of School of English - University of Nottingham · 2016. 11. 19. · Ice and Fire Old English:...

  • School of English

    Undergraduate Degree Programmes

    Course structures,

    module information

    and pre-arrival reading lists

    2016-17

  • The University of Nottingham has made every effort to ensure that the information in

    this brochure was accurate when published. Please note, however, that the nature of the

    content means that it is subject to change from time to time, and you should therefore

    consider the information to be guiding rather than definitive. You should check the University’s website for any updates before you decide to accept a place on a course.

    © The University of Nottingham 2016. All rights reserved. Please be aware that in any one year, the selection of modules may vary. However, the

    School is delighted to confirm that there will always be a range of modules covering

    a unique combination of English disciplines, including literature from the Anglo-Saxon

    and medieval periods to the present day, English language from its origins to

    contemporary and applied contexts, drama and performance, and creative writing on

    offer within our School.

    If you require further information please contact the School:

    [email protected]

    mailto:[email protected]

  • Contents

    Course Structures BA English (Q300) ...................................................................................... 2

    BA English Language and Literature (Q392) .................................................. 4

    BA English with Creative Writing (Q3W8) ...................................................... 6

    All Joint Honours degrees with English .......................................................... 8

    Year One Module Information and Reading Lists Language and Context .............................................................................. 10

    Studying Literature .................................................................................. 12

    Beginnings of English ............................................................................... 13

    Drama, Theatre, Performance .................................................................... 14

    Academic Community ............................................................................... 15

    Creative Writing Practice ........................................................................... 16

    Shakespeare’s Histories: Critical Approaches ............................................... 17

    Regional Writers ...................................................................................... 18

    The Viking World ...................................................................................... 19

    Further Pre-arrival Reading General Reading ...................................................................................... 20

    Further Reading for English literature ......................................................... 20

    Further Reading for English language ......................................................... 20

    Further Reading for Drama and performance ............................................... 21

  • Course Structures

    2

    BA English (Q300)

    Year 1

    You take five year-long compulsory modules (all 20 credits), plus 20 credits of options.

    Academic

    Community

    Beginnings

    of English

    Drama,

    Theatre,

    Performance

    Language and

    Context

    Studying

    Literature

    Either Creative Writing Practice (20 credits, full year)

    Or 20 credits

    from

    Shakespeare’s Histories (10 credits, Autumn)

    The Viking World (10 credits, Autumn)

    Regional Writers (10 credits, Spring)

    Other subsidiary modules, for example, in History, Art History,

    Philosophy, American Studies, Theology, Classics or Modern Languages

    Year 2

    You choose six options. Five options must be from at least three areas of English study:

    Literature 1500 to the present; English language and applied linguistics; Medieval

    languages and literatures; Drama and performance (groups A-D). You can choose up to

    three choices from any one group. Your sixth option may include the Creative Writing

    option if you have taken the pre-requisite creative writing module in Year One.

    Group A: Literature 1500 to the present

    From Talking Horses to Romantic

    Revolutionaries: Literature 1700-

    1830

    Literature and Popular Culture

    Modern and Contemporary Literature

    Shakespeare and Contemporaries on

    the Page

    Victorian and Fin de Siècle Literature

    Group B: English language and applied

    linguistics

    Language in Society

    Language Development

    Literary Linguistics

    Second Language Learning

    Group C: Medieval languages and literatures

    Chaucer and His Contemporaries

    Ice and Fire

    Old English: Reflection and Lament

    Group D: Drama and performance

    From Stanislavski to Stelarc:

    Performance Practice and Theory

    Shakespeare and Contemporaries

    on the Stage

    Twentieth-century Plays

    Group E: Creative Writing

    Creative Writing: Craft

    Only available to students who took Creative Writing Practice in their first year

    All modules are 20 credits unless specified otherwise.

    Students may substitute one 20 credit English module for 20 credits of Modern Foreign

    Languages options at Level 2 or above. This means that students can continue

    languages, but can’t take total beginner courses as these are Level 1. You will still need

    to cover three out of the four areas of English if you do this.

  • Course Structures

    3

    Final Year

    You choose six options from a wide range of topics, according to the criteria below:

    Four options

    From at least three areas of English

    (Groups A-D)

    A maximum of three choices from any

    one group.

    Two further options

    From any of the groups below

    Final Year Topics

    You will be able to choose modules based on the indicative topics given below.

    Group A: Literature 1500 to the present

    D.H. Lawrence / Virginia Woolf

    Eighteenth-century writers

    Gothic literature

    James Joyce / Oscar Wilde

    Modern British fiction

    Post-colonial literature

    Romanticism

    Slavery and black writers

    Twentieth-century dystopias

    Victorian literature

    Group B: English Language and Applied

    Linguistics

    Cognitive poetics

    Creativity and language

    English language teaching

    Health communication

    Language and the mind

    Reading and writing in global

    English

    Sociolinguistics

    Stylistics

    Texts in a digital world

    Group C: Medieval Languages and Literatures

    Anglo-Saxon literature

    Arthurian literature

    Chaucer and his legacy

    English place names

    Icelandic medieval literature

    Poetry in the Middle Ages

    Vikings in Britain

    Group D: Drama and Performance

    Contemporary performance

    Language and performance

    Shakespeare on screen

    Theatre industry and art

    Theatre-making

    British drama since 1980

    Group E: Creative Writing

    Advanced Writing Practice

    Only available to students who took

    Creative Writing: Craft in their second year

    Group F: Individual Research Project

    All modules are 20 credits unless specified otherwise.

  • Course Structures

    4

    BA English Language and Literature (Q392)

    Year 1 You take five year-long compulsory modules (all 20 credits), plus 20 credits of options:

    Academic

    Community

    Beginnings

    of English

    Drama,

    Theatre,

    Performance

    Language and

    Context

    Studying

    Literature

    Either Creative Writing Practice (20 credits, full year)

    Or 20 credits

    from

    Shakespeare’s Histories (10 credits, Autumn)

    The Viking World (10 credits, Autumn)

    Regional Writers (10 credits, Spring)

    Other subsidiary modules, for example, in History, Art History,

    Philosophy, American Studies, Theology, Archaeology, Classics or

    Modern Languages

    Year 2 You take two compulsory modules:

    Literary Linguistics Texts Across Time

    You have three options in total to choose from literary and language studies modules

    (with a maximum of two from one group) and one further option from any of the groups

    below. (All modules are 20 credits unless specified otherwise.)

    Literary studies

    Chaucer and his Contemporaries

    From Talking Horses to Romantic

    Revolutionaries: Literature 1700-

    1830

    Ice and Fire

    Literature and Popular Culture

    Modern and Contemporary Literature

    Old English: Reflection and Lament*

    Shakespeare and Contemporaries on

    the Page

    Twentieth-Century Plays

    Victorian and Fin de Siècle Literature

    Language studies

    Language in Society

    Language Development

    Old English: Reflection and

    Lament*

    Second Language Learning

    Drama and performance

    From Stanislavski to Stelarc:

    Performance Practice and Theory

    Shakespeare and Contemporaries on

    the Stage

    Creative Writing

    Creative Writing: Craft

    Only available to students who took

    Creative Writing Practice in their first

    year

    * can be chosen as an option from either group

  • Course Structures

    5

    Students may substitute one 20 credit English module for 20 credits of Modern Foreign

    Languages options at Level 2 or above. This means that students can continue

    languages, but can’t take total beginner courses as these are Level 1. You will still need

    to cover three out of the four areas of English if you do this.

    Final Year

    You choose six options from a wide range of topics, according to the criteria below:

    Two literary studies

    options

    Two language studies

    options

    Two further options from

    any of the groups

    Final Year Topics

    The lists of topics below are indicative of the range of topics available to choose from in

    your final year.

    Literary studies

    Anglo-Saxon literature*

    Arthurian literature

    British drama since 1980

    Chaucer and his legacy

    D.H. Lawrence / Virginia Woolf

    Eighteenth-century writers

    Gothic literature

    Icelandic medieval literature*

    James Joyce / Oscar Wilde

    Modern British fiction

    Poetry in the Middle Ages

    Post-colonial literature

    Romanticism

    Shakespeare on screen

    Slavery and black writers

    Twentieth-century dystopias

    Victorian literature

    Vikings in Britain

    Language studies

    Anglo-Saxon literature*

    Cognitive poetics

    Creativity and language

    English language teaching

    English place names

    Health communication

    Icelandic medieval literature*

    Language and performance

    Language and the mind

    Reading and writing in global

    English

    Sociolinguistics

    Stylistics

    Texts in a digital world

    Drama and Performance

    Contemporary

    performance

    Theatre industry and art

    Theatre-making

    Creative Writing

    Advanced Writing

    Practice

    Only available to students

    who took Creative Writing:

    Craft in their second year

    Individual Research

    Project

    * can be chosen as an option from either group

    All modules are 20 credits unless specified otherwise.

  • Course Structures

    6

    BA English with Creative Writing (Q3W8)

    Year 1

    You take six year-long foundational modules (all 20 credits):

    Academic

    Community

    Beginnings

    of English

    Creative

    Writing

    Practice

    Drama,

    Theatre,

    Performance

    Language

    and

    Context

    Studying

    Literature

    Year 2

    You take two compulsory specialist creative writing modules:

    Creative Writing: Craft Creative Writing: Pages and Stages

    You then have four optional modules to choose, covering at least three areas of English.

    Group A: Literature 1500 to the present

    From Talking Horses to Romantic

    Revolutionaries: Literature 1700-

    1830

    Literature and Popular Culture

    Modern and Contemporary Literature

    Shakespeare and Contemporaries on

    the Page

    Victorian and Fin de Siècle Literature

    Group B: English language and applied

    linguistics

    Language in Society

    Language Development

    Literary Linguistics

    Second Language Learning

    Group C: Medieval languages and literatures

    Chaucer and His Contemporaries

    Ice and Fire

    Old English: Reflection and Lament

    Group D: Drama and performance

    From Stanislavski to Stelarc:

    Performance Practice and Theory

    Shakespeare and Contemporaries

    on the Stage

    Twentieth-century Plays

    * can be chosen as an option from either group

    All modules are 20 credits unless specified otherwise.

    Students may substitute one 20 credit English module for 20 credits of Modern Foreign

    Languages options at Level 2 or above. This means that students can continue

    languages, but can’t take total beginner courses as these are Level 1. You will still need

    to cover three out of the four areas of English if you do this.

  • Course Structures

    7

    Final Year

    You take the following modules:

    Advanced Writing

    Practice

    Creative Writing

    Dissertation

    Creativity and Language

    OR

    Digital Story: Craft and

    Technique

    You also have three options to choose from at least two of the groups below.

    Final Year Module Topics

    The lists of topics below are indicative of the range of topics available to choose from in

    your final year.

    Group A: Literature 1500 to the present

    D.H. Lawrence / Virginia Woolf

    Eighteenth-century writers

    Gothic literature

    James Joyce / Oscar Wilde

    Modern British fiction

    Post-colonial literature

    Romanticism

    Slavery and black writers

    Twentieth-century dystopias

    Victorian literature

    Group B: English Language and Applied

    Linguistics

    Cognitive poetics

    Creativity and language

    English language teaching

    Health communication

    Language and the mind

    Reading and writing in global

    English

    Sociolinguistics

    Stylistics

    Texts in a digital world

    Group C: Medieval Languages and

    Literatures

    Anglo-Saxon literature

    Arthurian literature

    Chaucer and his legacy

    English place names

    Icelandic medieval literature

    Poetry in the Middle Ages

    Vikings in Britain

    Group D: Drama and Performance

    Contemporary performance

    Language and performance

    Shakespeare on screen

    Theatre industry and art

    Theatre-making

    British drama since 1980

    All modules are 20 credits unless specified otherwise.

  • Course Structures

    8

    All Joint Honours degrees with English

    Year 1

    You take three out of the four year-long foundational modules (all 20 credits) in English:

    Language

    and Context

    Beginnings

    of English

    Studying

    Literature

    Drama, Theatre,

    Performance

    You also take 60 credits of modules from the partner School/Department.

    Academic Community

    You are given online access to the Academic Community module materials to help

    deepen your understanding of English as a broad discipline.

    Year 2

    You choose three options from at least two of the groups below (along with 60 credits

    from the partner School/Department):

    Group A: Literature 1500 to the present

    From Talking Horses to Romantic

    Revolutionaries: Literature 1700-

    1830

    Literature and Popular Culture

    Modern and Contemporary Literature

    Shakespeare and Contemporaries on

    the Page

    Victorian and Fin de Siècle Literature

    Group B: English language and applied

    linguistics

    Language in Society

    Language Development

    Literary Linguistics

    Second Language Learning

    Group C: Medieval languages and literatures

    Chaucer and His Contemporaries

    Ice and Fire

    Old English: Reflection and Lament

    Group D: Drama and performance

    From Stanislavski to Stelarc:

    Performance Practices

    Shakespeare and Contemporaries

    on the Stage

    Twentieth Century Plays

    All modules are 20 credits unless specified otherwise.

    Final Year

    You choose three options from a wide range of topics according to the criteria below

    (along with 60 credits from the partner School/Department):

    Two options

    to be chosen from two of the groups

    A – D.

    One option

    from any of the groups below

  • Course Structures

    9

    Final Year Topics

    You will be able to choose modules based on the indicative topics given below.

    Group A: Literature 1500 to the present

    D.H. Lawrence / Virginia Woolf

    Eighteenth-century writers

    Gothic literature

    James Joyce / Oscar Wilde

    Modern British fiction

    Post-colonial literature

    Romanticism

    Slavery and black writers

    Twentieth-century dystopias

    Victorian literature

    Group B: English Language and Applied

    Linguistics

    Cognitive poetics

    Creativity and language

    English language teaching

    Health communication

    Language and the mind

    Reading and writing in global

    English

    Sociolinguistics

    Stylistics

    Texts in a digital world

    Group C: Medieval Languages and Literatures

    Anglo-Saxon literature

    Arthurian literature

    Chaucer and his legacy

    English place names

    Icelandic medieval literature

    Poetry in the Middle Ages

    Vikings in Britain

    Group D: Drama and Performance

    Contemporary performance

    Language and performance

    Shakespeare on screen

    Theatre industry and art

    Theatre-making

    British drama since 1980

    Individual Research Project

    All modules are 20 credits unless specified otherwise.

  • Year One Module Information

    10

    Language and Context 20 credits Full Year Q31103

    Summary

    This module is concerned with investigating the main forms and functions of English

    vocabulary, grammar and discourse; showing how that are used in real social and

    cultural psychological contexts. The module explores how language varies according to

    different communicative purposes and how people learn, understand and use language

    to reveal and conceal social and psychological realities. These linguistic issues are

    explored through a variety of different texts; spoken and written, literary and non-

    literary. Additional general issues involve consideration of the relationship between

    language and broader issues such as language acquisition and development, gender and

    ideology. These multiple foci function as an introduction to core topics in linguistics

    covered in subsequent years of the degree (for example, discourse analysis and

    sociolinguistics, psycholinguistics, literary linguistics).

    Aims / Learning Objectives

    To introduce you to, and explore, the theory and applications of language study

    within a broad applied linguistic framework.

    To enable you to analyse linguistic data for structural units and to make links

    between language forms and functions, patterns and meanings.

    Teaching and learning methods

    Each week, there is a one-hour lecture which is delivered by a different member of staff

    in order to represent the diversity of research interests within the School. The material in

    the lecture is followed up with a weekly one-hour seminar with a regular seminar tutor.

    Each week, your tutor will guide you through material that gives you a chance to gain a

    practical understanding of the theoretical concerns covered in the lectures. In addition,

    there is a weekly one-hour workshop which focuses on improving your understanding of

    language structures.

    Assessment

    Autumn exam: 1-hour computer-based, multiple-choice exam (weighted at 20%)

    Spring coursework: 500-word reflective piece on psycholinguistic experiment

    (weighted at 5%)

    Spring exam: 1-hour computer-based, multiple-choice exam (weighted at 20%)

    Spring project: 2000-word project (weighted at 55%)

    Reading

    The core textbook will be:

    Fasold, R. W., & Connor-Linton, J. (Eds.). (2014). An introduction to language

    and linguistics. Cambridge University Press.

    For students without A-level English Language, you might like to start thinking about

    English language study by reading:

    Crystal, D. The English Language: A Guided Tour of the Language, revised 2nd

    edition (London: Penguin, 2002. ISBN 978-0141003962)

    Even if you did A-level English Language, you may not have looked much language

    structure, so one or both of the following will provide useful grounding:

    Crystal, D. Rediscover Grammar, 2nd edition (Harlow: Longman, 2004. ISBN 978-

    0582848627)

    On the module the following title offers useful additional information on the areas we

    cover. It is available in the library in hard copy and e-copy.

  • Year One Module Information

    11

    Mullany, L. and Stockwell, P. Introducing English Language: A Resource Book for

    Students (Abingdon: Routledge, 2010)

  • Year One Module Information

    12

    Studying Literature 20 credits Full Year Q31314

    Summary

    This module introduces you to some of the core skills for literary studies, including skills

    in reading, writing, researching and presentation. The module addresses topics including

    close reading, constructing an argument, and handling critical material, as well as

    introducing you to key critical questions about literary form, production and reception.

    These elements are linked to readings of specific literary texts, focused on poetry and

    prose selected from the full range of the modern literary period (1500 to the present).

    The first semester will mainly be concerned with interpretive approaches and concepts;

    the second semester will examine literary-historical movements and transitions.

    Aims / Learning Objectives

    To introduce you to selected literary texts at a level of imaginative engagement

    and analytic response appropriate to university study

    To provide you with a basis of knowledge, working methods and appropriate

    terminology for subsequent work at university level

    To provide you with knowledge and understanding of the literary, cultural and

    historical contexts for literature from the period 1500 to the present, and the

    relationship between period and genre

    Teaching and learning methods

    One 2-hour lecture each week and one 1-hour seminar each week; directed research

    towards the essay.

    Assessment

    Autumn coursework: 2500-word essay submitted with a portfolio (weighted at

    50%)

    Spring exam: A 2-hour exam (weighted at 50%)

    Reading

    You will be studying a range of genres over the whole year: novels, poetry, prose and

    drama. Given their length, it would be extremely helpful to read some of the novels

    before you join us in September.

    The principal work to read ahead of time is the following book which will be studied upon

    your arrival in the first few weeks of the Autumn semester. Milton’s epic poem is best

    not left until the actual week of study, so do try to read it before your arrival.

    John Milton’s Paradise Lost (if you don’t already own a copy, the Penguin is a fine

    edition and readily available).

    If you want to be prepared for the rest of the module, other novels you could read are:

    Aphra Behn's Oroonoko (Penguin or Oxford World's Classics are good editions)

    William Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night (Arden or Oxford edition)

    William Wordsworth and Samuel Taylor Coleridge’s Lyrical Ballads (Routledge

    Classics) – An excellent digital edition can be found at

    www.rc.umd.edu/editions/LB

    Thomas Wyatt’s (selected) poems (Good electronic editions are available online,

    or look for his poetry in anthologies) Charlotte Bronte Jane Eyre (any edition will do)

    http://www.rc.umd.edu/editions/LB

  • Year One Module Information

    13

    Beginnings of English 20 credits Full Year Q31207

    Summary

    This module introduces you to the language, literature and culture of medieval England.

    You will read a variety of medieval texts from Old and Middle English, as well as

    comparative texts from Old Norse sources, and will discuss ideas of Englishness and

    identity. You will become familiar with the philological knowledge necessary for the

    reading and understanding of medieval texts, and will be introduced to the basics of

    grammar and spelling conventions.

    Aims / Learning Objectives

    To introduce you to linguistic vocabulary and terminology

    To enable you to become proficient in reading Old English and Middle English

    To give you an understanding of the complexities of English grammar, past and

    present

    To give you an understanding of the origins of English, and its development over

    the medieval period

    To familiarise you with the themes and genre of medieval English literature.

    Teaching and learning methods

    Two 1-hour lectures each week and one 1-hour seminar each week.

    Assessment

    Autumn mid-semester exam: 1 hour online exam (weighted at 25%)

    Autumn end of semester exam: 1 hour exam (weighted at 25%)

    Spring coursework 1: One 1000-word essay (weighted at 25%)

    Spring coursework 2: One 1000-word commentary (weighted at 25%)

    Reading

    You will be given a handbook with readings on arrival. It is recommended that you also

    buy the following books which will be the basis of the first year module and will also be

    used in some second- and third-year module options:

    Peter S. Baker, Introduction to Old English (Blackwell, 2003)

    Stephen Greenblatt, et al. eds, The Norton Anthology of English Literature: The

    Middle Ages, Volume A (W.W. Norton and Co., 2012)

    You may also wish to consult or purchase a copy of:

    John Burrow and Thorlac Turville-Petre, A Book of Middle English (Blackwell,

    2005)

    Hugh Magennis, The Cambridge Introduction to Anglo-Saxon Literature.

    (Cambridge University Press, 2011)

    Thorlac Turville-Petre, Reading Middle English Literature (Blackwell, 2006)

    Heather O'Donoghue, Old Norse-Icelandic Literature: A Short Introduction

    (Blackwell, 2004)

  • Year One Module Information

    14

    Drama, Theatre, Performance 20 credits Full Year Q31501

    Summary

    This module explores the extraordinary variety of drama in the Western dramatic

    tradition. You will examine dramatic texts in relation to their historical context, moving

    from the theatre of ancient Greece, English medieval drama, the theatre of Shakespeare

    and his contemporaries, the Restoration stage, to nineteenth-century naturalism. In

    addition to texts produced by writers from Sophocles to Ibsen, you will also consider a

    variety of extra-textual features of drama, including the performance styles of actors,

    the significance of performance space and place, and the composition of various

    audiences.

    You will study selected plays in workshops, seminars and lectures, during which we will

    explore adaptation and interpretation of the texts through DVD extracts. You will also

    have the opportunity to engage in practical theatre-making, exploring extracts from the

    selected play-texts in short, student-directed scenes in response to key questions about

    performance.

    Aims / Learning Objectives

    To provide you with an understanding of drama as a performance medium, in

    which real people and objects are presented to other people in real, shared space

    To introduce you to a range of historical performance conventions, including

    Ancient Greek tragedy and nineteenth century naturalism.

    To enable you to recognise and analyse the varied elements which constitute

    performance.

    To provide you with knowledge and understanding of the social, historical and

    cultural contexts of various play-texts.

    Teaching and learning methods

    A one-hour lecture per week and a two-hour workshop/seminar every fortnight.

    Assessment

    Autumn coursework: 5 minute practical workshop assignment, followed by a 500-

    word reflection (weighted at 40%)

    Spring exam: 2.5 hour performance analysis exam (weighted at 60%)

    Reading

    Over the course of the year on the module, you will study 10 plays, including Medea

    (Euripides), A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Shakespeare), The Rover (Behn) and A Doll’s

    House (Ibsen).

    When you arrive we will give you the primary texts (either in a reader or via access to

    online resources), along with suggestions for a key theoretical reading each week.

    You will find it useful to have a copy of the following book for reference:

    Lennard, J & Luckhurst, M, The Drama Handbook: A Guide to Reading Plays

    (Oxford University Press, 2003)

  • Year One Module Information

    15

    Academic Community 20 credits Full Year Q31401

    Summary

    This module offers an introduction to key issues and skills in English for those making

    the transition to university-level study and emphasises points of intersection between

    the diverse disciplines contained within the study of English at Nottingham. Taught in

    small groups, you are encouraged to explore – critically and reflexively – what it means

    to be a student of English, and will be supported in developing a toolkit of study,

    research and communication skills which can be transferred to other modules.

    Aims / Learning Objectives

    To introduce key issues of university study in general and the discipline of English

    in particular to students making the transition from school to university.

    To enable you to develop your understanding of the intersections between

    different branches of the discipline of English.

    To enable you to reflect on and begin to develop effective skills for study and

    research, reflective writing, and oral presentation.

    To provide knowledge and understanding of elements of the literary, cultural and

    historical contexts for literature, language and drama

    Teaching and learning methods

    One 1-hour lecture per fortnight and one 1-hour tutorial with your personal tutor per

    fortnight, involving student-led discussion and presentation; set reading and preparation

    in intervening weeks.

    Assessment

    Autumn presentation: 7 minute presentation (weighted at 25%)

    Spring coursework: Reflective portfolio of 5 x 700 word pieces (weighted at 75%)

    Reading

    There is no specific reading in preparation for this module, but it would be helpful to look

    at the University resources on Studying Effectively which will introduce you to a range of

    key skills: www.nottingham.ac.uk/studyingeffectively

    http://www.nottingham.ac.uk/studyingeffectively

  • Year One Module Information

    16

    Creative Writing Practice 20 credits Full Year Q31701

    Summary

    The module introduces you to the process of writing drama, poetry and fiction by

    engaging in a variety of forms of reading, writing and performance practice. Activities

    include creative and analytical responses to published writing, writing exercises in

    poetry, drama and fiction, and revision of work written over the course of the module.

    The poetry content includes imagery, line and metre, and poetic form; the fiction content

    includes character, narrative, and point of view; the drama content includes scene,

    dialogue and character. The module also includes material on the contexts of writing,

    including: publication, performance and literary interviews.

    Aims / Learning Objectives

    To guide you in the practice of the process of writing, including using notebooks

    and making revisions

    To develop your skills in writing and reading to develop an awareness of literary

    contexts and creative and aesthetic possibilities

    To provide knowledge and understanding of elements of poetry (rhythm,

    imagery, and poetic form), fiction (character, narrative and point of view) and

    drama (scene, dialogue, character).

    Teaching and learning methods

    One 1-hour lecture each week and one 1-hour seminar each week.

    Assessment

    Autumn coursework 1: Portfolio comprised of responses to exercises on the

    themes of creativity and context (weighted at 10%)

    Autumn coursework 2: Portfolio of poetry (weighted at 30%)

    Spring coursework 1: Portfolio of writing for performance (weighted at 30%)

    Spring coursework 2: Portfolio of fiction (weighted at 30%)

    Required Reading (please buy)

    May, Steve. Doing Creative Writing. London: Routledge, 2007.

    Royle, Nicholas. (ed). Best British Short Stories 2016. Cromer: Salt Publishing,

    2016.

    (Ed. Anon.), The Forward Book of Poetry 2017, London: Forward Foundation/

    Faber, 2017.

    Further Reading (these will be really useful)

    Jauss, David. On Writing Fiction: Rethinking Conventional Wisdom About the

    Craft. Cincinnati: Writer’s Digest, 2011.

    Wainwright, Jeffrey. Poetry The Basics (2nd edition). London: Routledge, 2011.

    Spencer, Stuart. The Playwright's Guidebook. London: Faber & Faber. 2003.

  • Year One Module Information

    17

    Shakespeare’s Histories: Critical Approaches 10 credits Autumn Semester Q3109S

    Summary

    Shakespeare is a cultural and literary icon. This module seeks to explore some of the

    many reasons behind that fact by focussing on one particular genre of drama ─ the

    history plays ─ which was hugely popular in England’s commercial playhouses in the late

    sixteenth and early seventeenth centuries. Looking in detail at a sequence of four plays

    – Richard II, Henry IV parts 1 and 2, and Henry V – the module will consider key

    themes, including kingship, power and authority, national and regional identities, sexual

    politics, war, and ideas of community. In addition, we will use these plays as a lens

    through which to examine Shakespeare’s engagement with the linguistic, performative,

    and socio-political contexts of his time.

    Bringing matters up to the present day, the module will deploy a range of media

    resources, including film and performance archives, to consider the ways in which these

    plays continue to resonate and reverberate in the modern era. The relevance of the

    history plays within new social and political contexts and in new eras of war and conflict

    will be the focus of analysis, allowing us to think about Shakespeare in performance, on

    the screen, and in various forms of adaptation.

    Aims / Learning Objectives

    to provide you with an understanding of key issues related to the production and

    reception of Shakespeare’s plays and sonnets

    to consider Shakespeare’s position as cultural and literary icon

    To provide you with knowledge and understanding of the genre of early modern

    history plays with specific reference to Shakespeare

    Teaching and Learning Methods

    1½ hour lecture each week.

    Assessment

    One 2500-word essay (weighted at 100%)

    Reading

    Students interested in taking this module may wish to get a head-start by reading the

    four Shakespeare plays we are studying:

    Richard II

    Henry IV Part 1

    Henry IV Part 2

    Henry V

    Good editions include the Arden Shakespeare, Oxford Shakespeare or New Cambridge

    Shakespeare.

  • Year One Module Information

    18

    Regional Writers 10 credits Spring Semester Q3108S

    Summary

    This module introduces you to the work of selected regional writers, including

    Nottinghamshire writers (e.g. DH Lawrence), considering how their work engages with

    regional landscapes, the literary and industrial heritage of their area, and other

    distinctive cultural elements such as dialect. The module will allow you to reflect on

    recent theoretical developments in the field of literary geography, while also equipping

    you to read and appreciate literary works through a focus on their tangible social and

    historical contexts.

    Aims / Learning Objectives

    To provide you with knowledge of a range of literary works by notable regional

    writers;

    To provide an introduction to the study of literary geography, place and space in

    literary works.

    Teaching and Learning Methods

    1½ hour lecture each week

    Assessment

    One 2-hour exam (weighted at 100%)

    Reading

    Please purchase and read the following texts::

    Thomas Hardy, Tess of the D’Urbervilles (any edition)

    Alan Sillitoe, The Loneliness of the Long-Distance Runner (any edition)

    Irvine Welsh, Trainspotting (any edition)

    Other texts studied on this module will be available in a module reader that will be given

    to all students opting to take this module.

  • Year One Module Information

    19

    The Viking World 10 credits Autumn Semester Q3107S

    Summary

    More than any other group, the Vikings shaped the history of Europe. Their stories and

    myths are still the subject of fiction, poetry, film and art. This interdisciplinary module

    introduces you to the impact of the Viking Age and of the Viking Expansion. You will be

    made familiar with concepts such as diasporic settlements and identity, as well as being

    introduced to the various ways of evaluating sources from the Viking Age and beyond

    (such as historical sources, material culture etc.). You will also learn about the myths

    and the language, as well as the culture of the Viking Age and beyond.

    This module is specifically designed as an introduction to Viking Studies. No previous

    knowledge of history or archaeology is necessary.

    Aims / Learning Objectives

    To introduce you to the culture of medieval Scandinavia and the Viking-settled

    areas

    To introduce you to the study of different source types (text, language and

    material culture) and to interdisciplinary research, including an awareness of the

    sources of medieval literature.

    To provide you with knowledge and understanding of the history and culture of

    Northern Europe and the North Atlantic around the first millennium

    To explore concepts of migration and identity in the early Middle Ages

    To provide you with understanding of the relationships between texts and

    historical contexts.

    Teaching and Learning Methods

    1½ hour interactive lecture each week.

    Assessment

    A 1.5 hour multiple choice question paper (weighted at 100%)

    Reading:

    Core texts

    Julian D. Richards, The Vikings. A Very Short Introduction, Oxford University

    Press, 2005

    Jayne Carroll, Stephen H. Harrison and Gareth Williams, The Vikings in Britain

    and Ireland, British Museum Press, 2014.

    Recommended texts

    Brink, S. (ed), The Viking World (Routledge 2012) - available as an e-book or as

    a paperback

  • Further Pre-arrival Reading

    20

    Works that will help you to prepare for studying English at university level are listed

    below. Please note that it is not essential to buy these books, but they will provide

    helpful context.

    General Reading E. Chambers and A. Northledge, The Arts Good Study Guide, 2nd edition (Milton

    Keynes: Open University Worldwide, 2008).

    This contains useful advice on reading, note-taking and writing essays.

    Further Reading for English literature To prepare for studying literature at university level, you might find ONE of the following

    useful:

    R. Eaglestone, Doing English: A Guide for Literature Students (London:

    Routledge, 2002)

    A. Bennett and N. Royle, An Introduction to Literature, Criticism and Theory

    (Harlow: Pearson, 2004)

    You should read at least ONE general history of English literature. For example, you

    might consider reading one of the following:

    M. Alexander, A History of English Literature (Basingstoke: Macmillan, 2000)

    R. Carter and J. McRae, The Routledge History of Literature in English: Britain and

    Ireland, 2nd edition (London: Routledge, 2001). This text also focuses on

    language issues.

    P. Poplawski, ed. English Literature in Context (Cambridge, 2007)

    A. Sanders, The Short Oxford History of English Literature, 2nd edition (Oxford:

    Oxford University Press, 2000)

    You might find it helpful to read an introduction to literary theory. For example:

    J. Culler, Literary Theory: a Very Short Introduction, 2nd edition (Oxford: Oxford

    University Press, 2011)

    OR

    T. Eagleton, Literary Theory: An Introduction, 25th anniversary edition (Oxford:

    Blackwell, 2008)

    Further Reading for English language To prepare for studying English language at university level, you might find one of the

    following useful:

    D. Crystal, Making Sense of Grammar (Harlow: Longman, 2004. ISBN 978-

    0582848634)

    G. Yule, The Study of Language, 5th edition (Cambridge: Cambridge University

    Press, 2014)

    R.L. Trask, (2004) Language: The Basics. 2nd edition. Abingdon: Routledge.

    D. Crystal, How Language Works: How Babies Babble, Words Change Meaning

    and Languages Live or Die (London: Penguin, 2007. ISBN 978-0141015521)

  • Further Pre-arrival Reading

    21

    Further Reading for Drama and performance You will find it useful to have an understanding of some of the key ideas for drama and

    performance. The following is a good text to refer to beyond the reading you will be

    given on the modules:

    M. Wallis & S. Shepherd, Studying Plays, 3rd edition (London: Bloomsbury

    Academic;, 2010)

    Although the following are not studied on any particular module, reading them and

    making yourself familiar with their contents will make your study of English literature

    and language much more rewarding.

    Academic staff will assume that you are familiar with this material, and it will be your

    responsibility to chase up references that you don't understand.

    The Bible, eds. R. Carroll and S. Prickett (Oxford World's Classics, 2008). Begin

    with the Gospel of Mark, Genesis, Exodus, and Revelation

    R.L. Green (ed), Tales of Greek Heroes (Harmondsworth: Puffin, 2010)

    R. L. Green (ed), The Tale of Troy (Harmondsworth: Puffin, 1994)

    N. Davies, The Isles: A History (Oxford, Oxford University Press, 2000)

    You would also find it useful to have a copy of:

    G. Taylor, J. Jowett et al (eds), William Shakespeare: The Complete Works, 2nd

    edition (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2005)

    You might also find it useful to own a map of Great Britain and Ireland.

  • To request this information in an alternative format, please contact us: t: +44 (0)115 951 4591 e: [email protected]

    mailto:[email protected]