Høst 2024

ENG-1120 Introduction to American Studies - 10 stp

The course is administrated by

Institutt for språk og kultur

Type of course

This course may be taken as a single course.

Course overlap

ENG-1120 Liberty, Equality and Power: American Culture in Text and Film 10 ects

Course contents

The course provides an introduction to American literature and culture. It represents a historical, highly selective survey course of American literature from colonial times to the present, with primary emphasis on texts from the Romantic Age to the present. Texts from the various periods are analyzed closely and discussed in their socio-cultural contexts. The course thus attempts to integrate the study of literature and culture. The major genres of literature are represented in the course, and it provides students with the basic methods and tools of textual analysis, designed to make them more proficient in close reading.

Admission requirements

Higher Education Entrance Qualification (generell studiekompetanse) or prior learning and work experience (realkompetanse).

A good grasp of oral and written English is recommended.

Application code: 9199 - Enkeltemner (ikke realfag), lavere grad (Nordic applicants).

Objective of the course

The students have the following learning outcomes:

Knowledge:

of the history of American literature and culture
of different literary genres of American writing
of methods and concepts for the study of literary and cultural texts
of a variety of samples of fiction, poetry, and drama

Skills:

ability to explain one's ideas in a succinct, coherent manner and support them with close reading of texts
acquisition of advanced skills for the close reading of texts

Language of instruction

English.

Teaching methods

13 weeks of teaching (4 hours per week).

Quality assurance:

All courses undergo a halfway evaluation once in a 3-year period at the bachelor's level. The study programme leader determines which programme options will be evaluated per year, and which courses will be evaluated by the students and the teacher per year.