| Unit name | Writing the Anthropocene 1945-Present |
|---|---|
| Unit code | ENGL30124 |
| Credit points | 20 |
| Level of study | H/6 |
| Teaching block(s) |
Teaching Block 2 (weeks 13 - 24) |
| Unit director | Professor. Pite |
| Open unit status | Not open |
| Units you must take before you take this one (pre-requisite units) |
None |
| Units you must take alongside this one (co-requisite units) |
None |
| Units you may not take alongside this one |
N/A |
| School/department | Department of English |
| Faculty | Faculty of Arts |
This unit aims to introduce third year students to the study of literature and environment. It will provide an in-depth introduction to ecocriticism as a theoretical tool, and to the Anthropocene as an emerging area of study within English Studies. This is a particularly prescient aim, given the consistent use of the term Anthropocene in media and public discourse in recent years. This unit will allow students to critically examine and reflect on contemporary discussions and depictions of the Anthropocene, and to contextualise these discussions within a comprehensive overview of Transatlantic and Commonwealth environmental and nature writing, both fiction and non-fiction, written between 1945 and the present. Students will also develop a comprehensive understanding of the evolving theoretical field of ecocriticism, including a good grasp of the field’s current and past debates. This will substantially increase their confidence and competence in using ecocriticism as a theoretical and analytical tool. The unit will prepare students very well for dissertations in the field of Literature and Environment, for future study in the field of the Environmental Humanities at MA Level, and for careers outside of academia, in which anthropogenic Climate Change and ‘the Anthropocene’ are increasingly on the agenda.
Upon successful completion of this unit, students will be able to:
Teaching will involve asynchronous and synchronous elements, including group discussion, research and writing activities, and peer dialogue. Students are expected to engage with the reading and participate fully with the weekly tasks and topics. Learning will be further supported through the opportunity for individual consultation.
Students will be given the opportunity to submit a draft or outline of their final, summative essay of up to 1,500 words and to receive feedback on this.
1 x 3500 word essay (100%) [ILOs 1-4]
If this unit has a Resource List, you will normally find a link to it in the Blackboard area for the unit. Sometimes there will be a separate link for each weekly topic.
If you are unable to access a list through Blackboard, you can also find it via the Resource Lists homepage. Search for the list by the unit name or code (e.g. ENGL30124).
How much time the unit requires
Each credit equates to 10 hours of total student input. For example a 20 credit unit will take you 200 hours
of study to complete. Your total learning time is made up of contact time, directed learning tasks,
independent learning and assessment activity.
See the Faculty workload statement relating to this unit for more information.
Assessment
The Board of Examiners will consider all cases where students have failed or not completed the assessments required for credit.
The Board considers each student's outcomes across all the units which contribute to each year's programme of study. If you have self-certificated your absence from an
assessment, you will normally be required to complete it the next time it runs (this is usually in the next assessment period).
The Board of Examiners will take into account any extenuating circumstances and operates
within the Regulations and Code of Practice for Taught Programmes.
