Availabilities:

LocationDomesticInternational
Online
Session2
Session2

Unit description

Introduces students to a number of contemporary written texts. Major issues and themes are identified and a number of critical methods are exploited. Particular attention is paid to those issues and themes which can be seen as having special relevance to postcolonial societies. There is an emphasis on Australian writing.

Unit content

Week 1: Introduction
Week 2: Postcolonial Writing 
Week 3: Zadie Smith's White Teeth
Week 4: Space and Place 
Week 5: Kim Scott's That Deadman Dance
Week 6: Ghosts, Monsters, and Bodies 
Week 8: Toni Morrison's Beloved
Week 9: Intertextuality 
Week 10: Peter Carey's My Life as a Fake
Week 11: Gender and Sexuality 
Week 12: Michael Cunningham's The Hours 
Week 13: Review 

Learning outcomes

Unit Learning Outcomes express learning achievement in terms of what a student should know, understand and be able to do on completion of a unit. These outcomes are aligned with the graduate attributes. The unit learning outcomes and graduate attributes are also the basis of evaluating prior learning.

GA1: Intellectual rigour, GA2: Creativity, GA3: Ethical practice, GA4: Knowledge of a discipline, GA5: Lifelong learning, GA6: Communication and social skills, GA7: Cultural competence
On completion of this unit, students should be able to:GA1GA2GA3GA4GA5GA6GA7
1identify and discuss some of the major issues and themes in contemporary writingIntellectual rigourCreativityEthical practice
2demonstrate familiarity with some of the major innovations in writing styles and genresIntellectual rigourCreativityEthical practice
3identify issues and themes of particular relevance to postcolonial societiesIntellectual rigourCreativityEthical practice
4recognise the value of different critical/theoretical approaches (for example, feminist, postcolonial and poststructuralist) in analysing contemporary writingIntellectual rigourCreativityEthical practice
5demonstrate essay writing forms and practices.Intellectual rigourCreativityEthical practice

On completion of this unit, students should be able to:

  1. identify and discuss some of the major issues and themes in contemporary writing
    • GA1: Intellectual rigour
    • GA2: Creativity
    • GA3: Ethical practice
  2. demonstrate familiarity with some of the major innovations in writing styles and genres
    • GA1: Intellectual rigour
    • GA2: Creativity
    • GA3: Ethical practice
  3. identify issues and themes of particular relevance to postcolonial societies
    • GA1: Intellectual rigour
    • GA2: Creativity
    • GA3: Ethical practice
  4. recognise the value of different critical/theoretical approaches (for example, feminist, postcolonial and poststructuralist) in analysing contemporary writing
    • GA1: Intellectual rigour
    • GA2: Creativity
    • GA3: Ethical practice
  5. demonstrate essay writing forms and practices.
    • GA1: Intellectual rigour
    • GA2: Creativity
    • GA3: Ethical practice

Prescribed texts

  • Prescribed text information is not currently available.
Prescribed texts may change in future study periods.

Teaching and assessment

Teaching method
Structured online learning 1 hour (12 weeks)
Lecture online 1 hour (12)
Tutorial online 1 hour  (12)
Assessment
Critical Response15%
Portfolio35%
Essay50%
Notice

Intensive offerings may or may not be scheduled in every session. Please refer to the timetable for further details.

Southern Cross University employs different teaching methods within units to provide students with the flexibility to choose the mode of learning that best suits them. SCU academics strive to use the latest approaches and, as a result, the learning modes and materials may change. The most current information regarding a unit will be provided to enrolled students at the beginning of the study session.

Fee information

Domestic

Commonwealth Supported courses
For information regarding Student Contribution Amounts please visit the Student Contribution Amounts.

Fee paying courses
For postgraduate or undergraduate full fee paying courses please check Domestic Postgraduate Fees OR Domestic Undergraduate Fees

International

Please check the international course and fee list to determine the relevant fees.

+