Literary Studies: The Novel (11152.1)

Please note these are the 2026 details for this unit
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Literary Studies: The Novel
Available teaching periods Delivery mode Location
View teaching periods On-campus
 Bruce, Canberra
EFTSL Credit points Faculty
0.125 3 Faculty Of Arts And Design
Discipline Study level HECS Bands
School Of Arts And Communications Level 1 - Undergraduate Introductory Unit Band 1 2021 (Commenced After 1 Jan 2021)
Band 1 2021 (Commenced Before 1 Jan 2021)
This unit is an introduction to various literary studies methodologies through a study of the novel as a dominant literary form. Reading a diverse and challenging range of novels, students identify the conventions that characterise the novelistic genre, situating them in their specific literary contexts and their broader historical, social, and political dimensions.

Learning outcomes

After successful completion of this unit, students will be able to:
1. Demonstrate familiarity with and employ a range of literary studies methodologies to critically engage with literary works; and
2. Demonstrate in written and oral forms ability to critically and creatively analyse the formal, historical and aesthetic properties of novels.


Graduate attributes

1. UC graduates are professional - use creativity, critical thinking, analysis and research skills to solve theoretical and real-world problems
2. UC graduates are global citizens - understand issues in their profession from the perspective of other cultures
3. UC graduates are lifelong learners - adapt to complexity, ambiguity and change by being flexible and keen to engage with new ideas


Prerequisites

None.

Corequisites

None.

Incompatible units

None.

Equivalent units

8144 Literary Studies: The Novel.

Assumed knowledge

Written and spoken English of a standard sufficient to read complex texts in English.
Availability for enrolment in 2026 is subject to change and may not be confirmed until closer to the teaching start date.
Year Location Teaching period Teaching start date Delivery mode Unit convener
2025 Bruce, Canberra Semester 1 03 February 2025 On-campus Mr Tim Napper
2026 Bruce, Canberra Semester 1 16 February 2026 On-campus Mr Tim Napper
The information provided should be used as a guide only. Timetables may not be finalised until week 2 of the teaching period and are subject to change. Search for the unit timetable.

Required texts

Required novels — you must read these  

F. Scott Fitzgerald, The Great Gatsby, any edition
George Orwell, Nineteen Eighty-Four, any edition
Shirley Jackson, We Have Always Lived in the Castle, any edition
Sandra Cisneros, The House on Mango Street, any edition
Rumaan Alam, Leave the World Behind, any edition 

 

NOVEL AND TUTORIAL READING BY WEEK

For the weekly readings, please see the Timetable of Activities above. Please note that each class will be based on the premise that students have already read the selected passages. 

Submission of assessment items

Extensions & Late submissions

Artificial intelligence

Students are not permitted to use generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) in assessments for this unit.

GenAI may only be used in authorised ways when completing assessments at UC. This means that GenAI can only be used for an assessment when:

  1. the Unit Convener has authorised GenAI use for that assessment
  2. the student uses GenAI in the way that the assessment instructions allow
  3. the student fully acknowledges their use of GenAI, with proper citations, references and a GenAI Acknowledgement Statement in line with the assessment instructions.

Where the assessment instructions do not specifically state that GenAI may be used and how, then its use is not permitted for that assessment. Students must still provide the required GenAI Acknowledgement Statement to indicate whether GenAI has or has not been used in the preparation of the assessment. If unsure, students should seek advice from the Unit Convener.

The GenAI for StudentsLinks to an external site. Library Guide provides further information, including how to reference GenAI.

Students must apply academic integrity in their learning and research activities at UC. This includes submitting authentic and original work for assessments and properly acknowledging any sources used.

Academic integrity involves the ethical, honest and responsible use, creation and sharing of information. It is critical to the quality of higher education. Our academic integrity values are honesty, trust, fairness, respect, responsibility and courage.

UC students have to complete the Academic Integrity Module annually to learn about academic integrity and to understand the consequences of academic integrity breaches (or academic misconduct).

UC uses various strategies and systems, including detection software, to identify potential breaches of academic integrity. Suspected breaches may be investigated, and action can be taken when misconduct is found to have occurred.

Information is provided in the Academic Integrity Policy, Academic Integrity Procedure, and University of Canberra (Student Conduct) Rules 2023. For further advice, visit Study Skills.

Learner engagement

See above

Inclusion and engagement

See above

Participation requirements

It is strongly advised that students watch all lectures and attend all tutorials. The assigned novels and weekly readings are subject to extensive and close discussion in the tutorials: non-attendees will miss this rich conversation.

Required IT skills

Word processing, accessing, and downloading readings from the readings page, uploading assignments in the correct format to Canvas

In-unit costs

Purchase of texts will cost approximately $60.

Work placement, internships or practicums

None

Next step

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