M.A.
in
MODERN LITERATURE
M.A.
in
MODERN LITERATURE AND CREATIVE WRITING
School of English
University of Leicester
University Road
Leicester
LE1 7RH
Course Director
Dr Emma Parker
School of English Postgraduate Office
Attenborough 1312
Postgraduate Administrator: Dr Paula Warrington
Tel: (0116) 252 3943
Fax: (0116) 252 2065
E-mail:
Website: www.le.ac.uk/english
Cover illustration: ‘La Liseuse Distraite’, 1919, Henri Matisse, THE TATE GALLERY, LONDON;
© Succession of H. Matisse/DACS 1991. Photo credit John Webb.
Welcome to the MA in Modern Literature
This course combines an intensive introduction to twentieth-century and contemporary literature with critical exploration of literary and cultural theory and creative writing options. The first part of the year is structured by taught modules that will introduce you to new texts and ideas, and enhance your powers of analysis. The second part of the year is devoted to the dissertation, which allows you to pursue an interest of your own, working on a one-to-one basis with a supervisor who has expertise in your chosen field. Students have the opportunity to graduate with an MA in Modern Literature and Creative Writing by taking at least one creative option module and writing a creative dissertation. Whichever path you choose to follow, by offering a range of exciting intellectual challenges in the context of a vibrant and supportive academic community, this MA will equip you with a detailed knowledge of themes and issues in modern literature as well as valuable research skills.
The MA brings together a unique group of students from diverse academic and cultural backgrounds. Your wealth of experience and broad range of perspectives will enrich the course. Everyone has a worthwhile contribution to make and student input plays a key part in making the programme an intellectually invigorating and rewarding one.
This handbook contains important information about the course and University: the course structure, module outlines, reading lists, marking criteria, staff details, facts about the library and computing facilities, and more. Please read the handbook carefully and keep it safe – you’ll need to refer to it throughout the course.
All the tutors on the MA look forward to teaching you and wish you an enjoyable and successful year.
Dr Emma Parker, Course Director
September 2010
CONTENTS
THE COURSE
Timetable – Course … … … … 4
Timetable – Bibliography, Research Methods and Writing
Skills for Postgraduates … … … … 6
Modern Literature Research Seminar Series … … … 7
Module Descriptions … … … … 8
Full reading list
o A Movement: Modernism … … … … 18
o An Author: Muriel Spark … … … … 24
o The Caribbean Short Story… … … … 25
o Option Module I:
Literature and Gender: Deviant Bodies and Dissident Desires 29
Poetry Writing and Contemporary Poetry … … 33
o A Decade: The 1940s … … … … 36
o A Genre: AIDS Narratives … … … 37
o Women’s Travel Writing and Postcolonial Feminist Theory 39
o Option Module 2:
Literature in Exile: American Writers in Paris… … 42
Writing Fiction … … … … 46
Code of Practice
Assessment … … … … 48
Rules for the Submission of Assessed Work (including Turnitin) 49
Academic Obligations … … … … 51
Marking Criteria – for Bibliography Presentation … … 53
Marking Criteria – for Essays and the Critical Dissertation … 54
Marking Criteria – for Creative Writing … … … 55
Marking Criteria – for Reflective Commentaries on Creative Writing 56
Academic Honesty and Plagiarism … … … … 57
THE STAFF
Tutors and their locations … … … … 61
THE UNIVERSITY
Safety information … … … … 64
Communications … … … … 64
Postgraduate Personal Development Planning (PDP) … … 66
University services and facilities … … … … 67
IT Services (including Blackboard)… … … … 70
University Bookshop … … … … 71
The Library … … … … 72
University Regulations … … … … 74
SPELL and the Postgraduate Forum … … … 77
APPENDICES
A. Cover sheet – Written Work … … … … 78
B. Cover sheet – Creative Writing … … … … 79
C. Cover sheet – Reflective Commentaries on Creative Writing … 80
D. Dissertation Proposal Form … … … … 81
E. Computer User Area Information … … … 82
F. Notification of Change of Address … … … 83
G. Notification of Ill health … … … … 84
H. Postgraduate PDP Form – Semester I … … … 85
I. Postgraduate PDP Form – Semester II … … … 87
Important telephone numbers … … … … 89
Academic year … … … … 90
University map … … … … 91
COURSE TIMETABLE 2010/2011
*See www.le.ac.uk/av/avsrooms/index.html for help in locating venues.
SEMESTER 1 (Autumn Term)
Week 1 / 6 Oct / To be advised / Introduction to Course / To be advised / All TutorsWeek 1 / 6 Oct / To be advised / Postgraduate Reception / To be advised / All Postgraduate Students & Tutors
Week 2 / 13 Oct / 10am-12noon / Bibliography, Research Methods and Writing Skills course / See separate timetable for venues / Various Tutors
Week 2 / 13 Oct / 2pm-4pm / A Movement I: Modernism / Att 202 / C. Morley
Week 3 / 20 Oct / 2pm-4pm / A Movement II: Modernism / Att 202 / C. Morley
Week 4 / 27 Oct / 2pm-4pm / A Movement III: Modernism / Att 202 / C. Morley
Week 5 / 3 Nov / 2pm–4pm / Author I: Muriel Spark / Att 202 / M.J. Stannard
Week 6 / 10 Nov / 2pm–4pm / Author II: Muriel Spark / Att 202 / M.J. Stannard
Week 7 / 17 Nov / 2pm-4pm / Author III: Muriel Spark / Att 202 / M.J. Stannard
Week 8 / 24 Nov / ––– Writing Week –––
but please note that you may need to attend the:
Week 8 / 24 Nov / 10am-12noon / Bibliography, Research Methods and Writing Skills course / See separate timetable
Week 9 / 1 Dec / 2pm-4pm / A Genre I: The Caribbean Short Story / Att 202 / L. Evans
Week 10 / 8 Dec / 2pm-4pm / A Genre II: The Caribbean Short Story / Att 202 / L. Evans
Week 11 / 15 Dec / 2pm-4pm / A Genre III: The Caribbean Short Story / Att 202 / L. Evans
Week 11 / 15 Dec / 10am-12noon / Bibliography Presentations / PHY LTC
(Physics Lecture Theatre C) / E. Parker/
N. Everett
Option Module I
Either:
Literature and Gender: Deviant Bodies and Dissident Desires (FT and PT2) E. Parker
(10:00am–12:00noon, Mondays, 11, 18 October, 1, 15, 29 November, 13 December in Att.1405)
Or:
Poetry Writing and Contemporary Poetry (FT and PT2) N. Everett
(14:00-16:00, Thursdays, 14, 21, 28 October, 4, 11, 18 November, 2 December in Att. 1301)
Core I essay 1 due: 12noon Wednesday 1 December 2010
Core I essay 2 due: 12noon Wednesday 2 February 2011
Option Module I essay due: 12noon Wednesday 2 February 2011
SEMESTER 2 (Spring Term)
Week 14 / 2 Feb / 2pm-4pm / A Decade I: The 1940s / Att 210 / V. Stewart
Week 15 / 9 Feb / 2pm-4pm / A Decade II: The 1940s / Att 210 / V. Stewart
Week 16 / 16 Feb / 2pm-4pm / A Decade III: The 1940s / Att 210 / V. Stewart
Week 17 / Tue
22 Feb / 11am-2pm / Film screening prior to Wednesday seminar / Att UFT / S. Graham
Week 17 / Wed
23 Feb / 2pm-4pm / AIDS Narratives / Att 210 / S. Graham
Week 18 / Tue
1 Mar / 11am-2pm / Film screening prior to Wednesday seminar / Att UFT / S. Graham
Week 18 / Wed
2 Mar / 2pm-4pm / AIDS Narratives / Att 210 / S. Graham
Week 19 / Tue
8 Mar / 11am-2pm / Film screening prior to Wednesday seminar / Att UFT / S. Graham
Week 19 / Wed
9 Mar / 2pm-4pm / AIDS Narratives / Att 210 / S. Graham
Week 20 / 16 Mar / 2pm-4pm / Women's Travel Writing and Postcolonial Feminist Theory I / Att 210 / C. Fowler
Week 21 / 23 Mar / 2pm-4pm / Women's Travel Writing and Postcolonial Feminist Theory II / Att 210 / C. Fowler
Week 22 / 30 Mar / 2pm-4pm / Women's Travel Writing and Postcolonial Feminist Theory III / Att 210 / C. Fowler
Option Module 2
Either:
Literature in Exile: American Writers in Paris (FT and PT2) M. Halliwell
(2pm-4pm, Tuesdays, five meetings, commencing 1 February 2011, in Att. 1302)
Or:
Writing Fiction (FT and PT2)
(to be arranged)
P/T 2 dissertation proposals due: 12noon Wednesday 9 February 2011
(see pp.17 & 81)
SEMESTER 2 (Summer Term)
Week 24 / 18 May/ 2pm-4pm / Dissertation Proposals Preparation meeting / To be advised / Students only
Week 25 / 25 May / 2pm-4pm / Dissertation Proposals presentations / To be advised / All tutors and students
Week 25 / 25 May / 5pm-6pm / End-of-Course Tea / To be advised / All tutors and students
Option Module II essay due: 12noon Wednesday 11 May 2011
Core II essay 3 due: 12noon Wednesday 11 May 2011
F/T dissertation proposals due: 12noon Wednesday 1 June 2011
(see pp.17 & 81)
Dissertations (FT and PT2) due: 12noon Thursday 15 September 2011
NB Part-time students take the two core modules (Literature and Theory) and the Bibliography module in their first year. They take two option modules and the dissertation in their second year.
Students are able to substitute relevant option modules offered by the MA in Victorian Studies and the MA in English Studies for the option modules noted here. Any such request should be made to the Course Director. Further details of those option modules are available via the website or from the School’s postgraduate office (Att.1312; email ).
EN7001: BIBLIOGRAPHY, RESEARCH METHODS AND
WRITING SKILLS FOR POSTGRADUATES
TIMETABLE 2010/2011
The module is compulsory for all new postgraduates in the School of English and in the Victorian Studies Centre.
It meets on Wednesday mornings from 10.00am to 12.00noon beginning on 13 October 2010.
Week No. / Date / Venue / Topic / Tutor2 / 13 October / LIB SR
(Library 1st Floor) / RESEARCH IN LEICESTER / Dr D'Arcy,
Dr Dawson,
Dr Lund,
Dr Morley
3 / 20 October / LIB IT R1 / ELECTRONIC SOURCES OF INFORMATION I: Search strategies and online catalogues / Mr B Marshall
(Library)
4 / 27 October / LIB IT R1 / BIOGRAPHY AND LIFE STORIES / Dr D'Arcy,
Dr Dawson,
Dr Lund,
Dr Morley
5 / 3 November / LIB SR / ACADEMIC WRITING AND REFERENCING / Dr J North
6 / 10 November / LIB IT R1 / ELECTRONIC SOURCES OF INFORMATION II: Online databases and web resources / Mr B Marshall
(Library)
7 / 17 November / LIB IT R1 / MANAGING REFERENCES AND CITATIONS: RefWorks. Hands-on session / Mr B Marshall
(Library)
8 / 24 November / LIB IT R1
Att 1315
Contact NE
for details
FJSW SR1 / SPECIALIST SESSIONS:
HISTORICAL SOURCES AND 19th CENTURY PARLIAMENTARY PAPERS
MEDIEVAL AND EARLIER PERIODS
CREATIVE WRITING
MODERN LITERATURE / Ms E Cornell
(Library)
Dr A M D’Arcy
Nick Everett
Dr S Graham
9 / 1 December / LIB SR / PRESENTATION SKILLS / Dr Duncan Stanley (Student Development)
10 / 8 December / LIB SR
(10am-11am)
LIB SR
(11am-12noon)
Att 1315
(11am-12noon) / PREPARING YOUR BIBLIOGRAPHY PRESENTATION
WRITING A HISTORY ESSAY
(Victorian Studies only)
PREPARING A CREATIVE DISSERTATION / Dr G Dawson &
Dr J North
Prof R Colls
Nick Everett
11 / 15 December / Att 1315
LIB SR
PHY LTC / BIBLIOGRAPHICAL EXERCISE:
Student Presentations:
I. Research and MA English Studies
II. MA Victorian Studies
III. MA Modern Literature / Dr Sarah Knight &
Dr O Da Rold
Dr G Dawson &
Dr J North
Dr E Parker &
Nick Everett
Modern Literature Research Seminar Series
Wednesdays
4.30-6.00pm
(venue to be confirmed)
Semester I
20 October: Dr Rachel Potter (University of East Anglia), ‘Obscene Modernism’.
10 November: Dr Ling Lin (Shanghai International Studies University), ‘The Girl in the Tangerine Scarf: Conceptualizing Hybrid Identity in the Coming-of-Age Story’.
8 December: Dr Nicole King (Royal Holloway, University of London), ‘“Like a dark road revealing its secrets one at a time”: Black Authenticity and the Child’s Perspective in Contemporary African-American Fiction’.
Module Descriptions
EN7001 BIBLIOGRAPHY, RESEARCH METHODS
AND WRITING SKILLS FOR POSTGRADUATES
(FT and PT1)
Aims: Compulsory for all new postgraduates in the School of English, this module aims to train students in the essential skills and resources of literary research at postgraduate level. The module is designed to give students both knowledge and practical experience of research methods vital to the literary scholar (and to the creative writer), and to ensure that all students are familiar with the academic conventions governing the presentation of a bibliography, an essential part of essays and the dissertation.
Content: The module covers a wide range of useful sources of information, both printed and electronic, including catalogues, special collections, periodicals, databases and web resources. It also contains instruction and advice on academic writing, on presentation skills and on the preparation of critical and creative dissertations.
Learning and Teaching: The module’s weekly two-hour sessions are taught in a variety of forms to suit the different areas covered. As well as lectures, there are hands-on seminars and workshops in which students gain practical experience of the research skills they are learning.
Learning Outcomes: By the end of the module students will be able to:
· locate relevant research materials on electronic databases, the internet, and in printed catalogues and reference works
· utilize the resources of a range of academic libraries, public record offices, and other repositories both in the UK and abroad