ENG4340 – Nineteenth-Century American Literature
Course description
Schedule, syllabus and examination date
Course content
The course gives an overview of American literature in the nineteenth century with major emphasis on the American Renaissance, realism, naturalism, and the local color movement. The syllabus consists of selected, representative essays, poems, short stories, and novels from the period.
Learning outcome
After completing this course, you:
- understand the development of American literature during the nineteenth century, the literary texts` historical context, and the characteristics of various literary genres
- can critically analyze nineteenth-century American essays, short stories, novels, and poems
- have advanced skills in scholarly writing about literature, including developing a thesis; scholarly style, structure, and argumentation; and working with and documenting secondary sources
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
- 10 credits overlap with ENG2340 – Nineteenth-Century American Literature.
Teaching
Seminar, two hours per week for 14?weeks, 28?hours in all.
- It is obligatory to show up for a minimum of 60% of the teaching. In this course you have to attend 8 of 14 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 accommodation.
Once the course requirements have been fulfilled, they remain valid for the current and the next two semesters that the course is taught.
You prepare for the seminars by studying the primary texts and completing assignments either?given in the seminars?or?posted in Canvas. All handouts in connection with the course will be available in Canvas.
Examination
The form of assessment is a term paper of 10 pages (a standard page consists of 2,300 characters). References and bibliography comes in addition.
You determine the topic of the term paper together with the lecturer.
You will be offered individual term paper supervision.
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.
Resit an examination
A term paper or equivalent that is passed may not be resubmitted in revised form.
If you?withdraw from the exam?after the deadline, this will be counted as an examination attempt.
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.