2019/20 Undergraduate Module Catalogue

ENGL3342 Millennial Fictions

20 creditsClass Size: 20

School of English

Module manager: Dr Richard Brown
Email: r.h.brown@leeds.ac.uk

Taught: Semester 2 (Jan to Jun) View Timetable

Year running 2019/20

This module is not approved as a discovery module

Objectives

The aim is to develop a discussion of some features of contemporary and postmodern writing by studying set texts across a variety of genres, especially those features which may be thought to connect to a sense of the apocalyptic the millennial and the imagination of futurity. These texts may offer a challenging revision to ideas of narrative and history in a time of traumatic transition. A range of related themes emerging from these texts such as forboding or anticipation, novelty, transition and/or disappointment, the futures of sex and gender, the ethical, pleasure, boredom and identity may be among the subjects discussed in class.

Learning outcomes
Students will have developed:
- the ability to use written and oral communication effectively;
- the capacity to analyse and critically examine diverse forms of discourse;
- the ability to manage quantities of complex information in a structured and systematic way;
- the capacity for independent thought and judgement;
- critical reasoning;
- research skills, including the retrieval of information, the organisation of material and the evaluation of its importance;
- IT skills;
- Efficient time management and organisation skills;
- the ability to learn independently.

Skills outcomes
- Skills for effective communication, oral and written.
- Capacity to analyse and critically examine diverse forms of discourse.
- Ability to acquire quantities of complex information of diverse kinds in a structured and systematic way.
- Capacity for independent thought and judgement.
- Critical reasoning.
- Research skills, including information retrieval skills, the organisation of material, and the evaluation of its importance.
- IT skills.
- Time management and organisational skills.
- Independent learning.

Syllabus

In this module we are going to explore an eclectic mix of mostly British fictions, published around the turn of the century. The aim is to develop a discussion of some features of the contemporary and the postmodern, especially those which may be thought to connect to a sense of the pre- or post-millennial and apocalyptic, to comprise revisions to ideas of narrative and history in a time of traumatic transition. A range of related themes emerging from these texts and from contemporary theory such as generational novelty and identity, foreboding or anticipation, transition and/or disappointment, changing configurations of the sexual, the national and the global may be among the subjects discussed in class.

Teaching methods

Delivery type	Number	Length hours	Student hours
Meetings	5	1.00	5.00
Seminar	10	1.00	10.00
Private study hours			185.00
Total Contact hours			15.00
Total hours (100hr per 10 credits)			200.00

Private study

Teaching will be through weekly seminars (10 x 1 hour), plus up to 5 additional hours which may consist in essay consultations and film showing.

Private Study: Reading, seminar prepation, essay writing.

Opportunities for Formative Feedback

- Seminar contribution.
- Feedback on unassessed essay of 1700 words.

Methods of assessment

Coursework

Assessment type	Notes	% of formal assessment
Essay	This module will be assessed by one essay of 4000 words (including quotations and footnotes). One unassessed essay of 1700 words is also required. This does not form part of the assessment for this module, but is a requirement and MUST be submitted. Students who fail to submit the unassessed essay will be awarded a maximum mark of 40 for the module (a bare Pass).	100.00
Total percentage (Assessment Coursework)		100.00

One unassessed essay of 1700 words is required. This does not form part of the assessment for this module, but is a requirement and MUST be submitted. Students who fail to submit the unassessed essay will be awarded a maximum mark of 40 for the module (a bare Pass).

Reading list

The reading list is available from the Library website

Last updated: 30/04/2019

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