Courses: ENG122 American Literature and Culture - Spring 2017




ECTS Credits

Level of Study

Bachelor

Language of Instruction

English

Teaching semester

Autumn

Place of Instruction

Bergen

Objectives and Content

The course aims at providing increased knowledge about the diversity of American culture from a historical perspective, and an understanding of the foundational premises for the development of literature and society. The course also helps develop the students' ability to express themselves in written and oral Academic English.

Learning Outcomes

Having completed ENG122 students will

- have a basic understanding of American literature and culture in a historical context

- have an understanding of the characteristics the different literary genres included in the study, such as the novel, short-story, drama, poetry, as well as non-fictional texts.

- be able to understand and discuss texts from a literary- and cultural-theoretical perspective

- have improved the ability to express themselves academically in written and spoken English

Required Previous Knowledge

None; see Recommended previous knowledge/training

Recommended Previous Knowledge

It is strongly advised that the students, in addition to fulfilling the Higher Education Entrance Qualification, also have good results from specialized courses in English from Upper Secondary School.

For students with a background other than the Norwegian school system, a level of competence in English corresponding to B2 in the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages is recommended.

Credit Reduction due to Course Overlap

Credits cannot be awarded for both ENG122 and ENG122L.

Access to the Course

The course is open to all with admission to the University of Bergen.

 

For exchange students:

Qualified applicants have to pass a diagnostic test when arriving in Bergen (more information about the test will be sent to applicants by email).

Teaching Methods and Extent of Organized Teaching

Lectures and seminars: total 72 hours.

Students are expected to take part in and actively contribute to teaching. This expectation is also the basis for the preparation towards the exam.

Compulsory Assignments and Attendance

Students must hand in a supervised term paper of around 1500 words (not including the bibliography). The term paper must be approved before a student can meet for examination. Term papers will be supervised in the general context of the seminars.

Term paper topics are to be chosen on the basis of a selection of predefined topics. Students must attend supervision and uphold the deadlines that are specified by the course instructor.

Students who do not comply with these guidelines, lose to right to take the exam in the course.

Obligatory coursework is valid for one semester following the semester of instruction.

Forms of Assessment

The exam is offered each semester - the regular exam at the end of the autumn semester and the re-take exam in the middle of the spring semester.

The exam is a five-hour school exam, where students will be examined from the entire syllabus.

Students who do not comply with the guidelines given under obligatory assignments, lose to right to take the exam in the course.

No aids are allowed during the exam.

The exam may be digital.

Examination Support Material

Grading Scale

The grading scale is A-F, where F is a fail.

Assessment Semester

Reading List

The curriculum includes literary and historical periods, historical events, and representative fictional and non-fictional texts from the seventeenth century until present time.

Course Evaluation

The teaching is evaluated according to the quality assurance system of the University of Bergen.

Programme Committee

Course Coordinator

Course Administrator

Contact Information

studierettleiar@if.uib.no