ENG4301 ¨C Literary Theory in English

Course content

The purpose of this course is to increase your knowledge of the history and current status of dominant theories related to literary and cultural studies. The course emphasizes major contemporary trends, such as feminist and queer theory, postcolonial studies, critical race studies, psychoanalytic and Marxist theory, as well as the historical progression from new criticism to structuralism, deconstruction, new historicism, and various forms of poststructuralist literary and cultural studies.

Learning outcome

After completing this course you:

• know key theoretical approaches and methodologies within critical studies of literature in English;
• know how literary and cultural studies have developed historically, particularly since the turn of the twentieth century;
• understand how literary and cultural theory relates to reading texts of various kinds, preparing you for papers you will write for other courses as well as your MA thesis;
• are familiar with some of the central questions and debates that are essential to literary and cultural studies today.

Admission to the course

Students who are admitted to study programmes at UiO must each semester register which courses and exams they wish to sign up for in Studentweb.

Students enrolled in other Master`s Degree Programmes can, on application, be admitted to the course if this is cleared by their own study programme.

If you are not already enrolled as a student at UiO, please see our information about admission requirements and procedures.

Overlapping courses

• 5 credits overlap with ENG4310 ¨C Literary Theory in English (continued).

Teaching

Lectures, 1 hour for 10 weeks, and seminars, 2 hours per week for 9 weeks. 28 hours in all.

Obligatory activities:

• Qualifying essay (5 pgs.). Requirements and details to be distributed during the course. Read more here about rules concerning valid excuses and how to apply for postponements. Information about guidelines for obligatory activities.

• It is obligatory to show up for a minimum of 60% of the teaching. In this course you have to attend 6 out of 10 lectures and 5 out of 9 seminars. The requirement is absolute.

The allowed absence limit will cover all absences, including illness. You will not be granted valid absences with documentation, even when the absence is due to something beyond your control.

If the course has in-person teaching, and you are signed up for an in-person seminar group, you are to attend the teaching in the location found in the schedule.

If the course has digital teaching, and you are signed up for a digital seminar group, you must attend via Zoom with your camera on.

In certain circumstances, i.e. serious or chronic illness, you could apply for special needs accomodations.

All obligatory activities must be approved in the same semester for you to sit the exam. Once the course requirements have been fulfilled, they remain valid for the current and the next two semesters that the course is taught.

Examination

The form of assessment is a three-day take-home exam.

Language of examination

The examination text is given in English, and you submit your response in English.

Grading scale

Grades are awarded on a scale from A to F, where A is the best grade and F is a fail. Read more about the grading system.

More about examinations at UiO

• Use of sources and citations
• Special exam arrangements due to individual needs
• Withdrawal from an exam
• Illness at exams / postponed exams
• Explanation of grades and appeals
• Resitting an exam
• Cheating/attempted cheating

You will find further guides and resources at the web page on examinations at UiO.