Outline

Overview

The novel was the preeminent literary form of the Victorian period, unrivaled in its aesthetic influence and cultural importance. In this unit, we'll read a representative selection of notable Victorian novels in order to understand what "the Victorian novel" is, why it rose to prominence during a period of rapid societal change, and how its narrative techniques and thematic concerns continue to shape the genre today.

Unit details and rules

Academic unit	English and Writing
Credit points	6
Prerequisites ?	12 credit points at 2000 level in English
Corequisites ?	None
Prohibitions ?	None
Assumed knowledge ?	None
Available to study abroad and exchange students	Yes

Teaching staff

Coordinator	Matthew Sussman, matthew.sussman@sydney.edu.au

Type	Description	Weight	Due	Length
Assignment	Essay 2 Short essay	22.5%	- Due date: 06 Oct 2024 at 23:59	1500 words
Outcomes assessed:
Assignment	Final essay Research essay	45%	Formal exam period Due date: 17 Nov 2024 at 23:59	3000 words
Outcomes assessed:
Participation	Participation Preparing for class and contributing to in-class discussion and activities	10%	Ongoing	Ongoing
Outcomes assessed:
Assignment	Essay 1 Short essay	22.5%	Week 05 Due date: 01 Sep 2024 at 23:59	1500 words
Outcomes assessed:

Assessment summary

As you can see, there are two types of assessment in this unit.

The first is participation. This is a small seminar, and its success relies upon every member of the class doing the reading, contributing to the discussion, and doing your share of any preparatory or in-class activities. I will evaluate your participation at the end of the semester, and it will amount to 10% of your grade.

The second is essays. Critical essays are the main way that we communicate our thoughts about texts, and being able to craft insightful evidence-based arguments is an important and valuable skill. The first two essays are about a single text; they each account for 22.5% of your grade. The final essay is a research essay in which you must make a more sophisticated argument about one or two texts by drawing on at least four sources of secondary scholarship not included in the unit of study outline; this essay counts for 45% of your grade. We will discuss how to plan for a successful essay in class.

Assessment criteria

See English department guide to grades.

For more information see guide to grades.

Late submission

In accordance with University policy, these penalties apply when written work is submitted after 11:59pm on the due date:

Deduction of 5% of the maximum mark for each calendar day after the due date.
After ten calendar days late, a mark of zero will be awarded.

This unit has an exception to the standard University policy or supplementary information has been provided by the unit coordinator. This information is displayed below:

In line with the coursework policy, late work will be penalised 5% per day. Students can apply for Simple Extensions (maximum five days) or for Special Consideration (no maximum) for serious illness or misadventure. Further information on applying for simple extensions and special consideration is available at https://www.sydney.edu.au/students/simple-extensions.html and https://sydney.edu.au/students/special-consideration-and-arrangements.html.

Academic integrity

The Current Student website provides information on academic integrity and the resources available to all students. The University expects students and staff to act ethically and honestly and will treat all allegations of academic integrity breaches seriously.

We use similarity detection software to detect potential instances of plagiarism or other forms of academic integrity breach. If such matches indicate evidence of plagiarism or other forms of academic integrity breaches, your teacher is required to report your work for further investigation.

Use of generative artificial intelligence (AI) and automated writing tools

You may only use generative AI and automated writing tools in assessment tasks if you are permitted to by your unit coordinator. If you do use these tools, you must acknowledge this in your work, either in a footnote or an acknowledgement section. The assessment instructions or unit outline will give guidance of the types of tools that are permitted and how the tools should be used.

Your final submitted work must be your own, original work. You must acknowledge any use of generative AI tools that have been used in the assessment, and any material that forms part of your submission must be appropriately referenced. For guidance on how to acknowledge the use of AI, please refer to the AI in Education Canvas site.

The unapproved use of these tools or unacknowledged use will be considered a breach of the Academic Integrity Policy and penalties may apply.

Studiosity is permitted unless otherwise indicated by the unit coordinator. The use of this service must be acknowledged in your submission as detailed on the Learning Hub’s Canvas page.

Outside assessment tasks, generative AI tools may be used to support your learning. The AI in Education Canvas site contains a number of productive ways that students are using AI to improve their learning.

Learning support

Simple extensions

If you encounter a problem submitting your work on time, you may be able to apply for an extension of five calendar days through a simple extension.  The application process will be different depending on the type of assessment and extensions cannot be granted for some assessment types like exams.

Special consideration

If exceptional circumstances mean you can’t complete an assessment, you need consideration for a longer period of time, or if you have essential commitments which impact your performance in an assessment, you may be eligible for special consideration or special arrangements.

Special consideration applications will not be affected by a simple extension application.

Using AI responsibly

Co-created with students, AI in Education includes lots of helpful examples of how students use generative AI tools to support their learning. It explains how generative AI works, the different tools available and how to use them responsibly and productively.

Support for students

The Support for Students Policy reflects the University’s commitment to supporting students in their academic journey and making the University safe for students. It is important that you read and understand this policy so that you are familiar with the range of support services available to you and understand how to engage with them.

The University uses email as its primary source of communication with students who need support under the Support for Students Policy. Make sure you check your University email regularly and respond to any communications received from the University.

Learning resources and detailed information about weekly assessment and learning activities can be accessed via Canvas. It is essential that you visit your unit of study Canvas site to ensure you are up to date with all of your tasks.

If you are having difficulties completing your studies, or are feeling unsure about your progress, we are here to help. You can access the support services offered by the University at any time:

Support and Services (including health and wellbeing services, financial support and learning support)
Course planning and administration
Meet with an Academic Adviser

Weekly schedule

WK	Topic	Learning activity	Learning outcomes

Attendance and class requirements

According to Faculty Board Resolutions, students in the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences are expected to attend 90% of their timetabled activities, which includes both lecture and tutorial. If you miss more than two seminars, you may be assigned a replacement activity. If you attend less than 50% of class, regardless of the reasons, you will receive an absent fail in the unit.

Study commitment

Typically, there is a minimum expectation of 1.5-2 hours of student effort per week per credit point for units of study offered over a full semester. For a 6 credit point unit, this equates to roughly 120-150 hours of student effort in total.

Required readings

The core texts are:

Gaskell, Elizabeth. Mary Barton. Ed. Macdonald Daly. Penguin, 2003.

Dickens, Charles. Hard Times. Ed. Kate Flint. Penguin, 2003.

Collins, Wilkie. The Woman in White. Ed. Matthew Sweet. Penguin, 2003.

Eliot, George. The Mill on the Floss. Ed. A.S. Byatt. Penguin, 2003.

Hardy, Thomas. Far from the Madding Crowd. Ed. Rosemarie Morgan. Penguin, 2003.

Haggard, H. Rider. She: A History of Adventure. Ed. Patrick Brantlinger. Penguin, 2004.

Please see detailed outline on the Canvas site for all other required readings.

Learning outcomes

Learning outcomes are what students know, understand and are able to do on completion of a unit of study. They are aligned with the University's graduate qualities and are assessed as part of the curriculum.

Outcomes
Graduate qualities

At the completion of this unit, you should be able to:

LO1. Relate Victorian novels to their social, historical, and artistic contexts.
LO2. Communicate knowledgeably about the Victorian novel’s characteristic subgenres (e.g. social problem novel, sensation fiction), forms (e.g. marriage plot, realism), and concerns (e.g. sympathy, class).
LO3. Employ a more specialised critical vocabulary for the analysis of prose fiction (e.g. free indirect style, character-space).

Graduate qualities

The graduate qualities are the qualities and skills that all University of Sydney graduates must demonstrate on successful completion of an award course. As a future Sydney graduate, the set of qualities have been designed to equip you for the contemporary world.

GQ1	Depth of disciplinary expertise Deep disciplinary expertise is the ability to integrate and rigorously apply knowledge, understanding and skills of a recognised discipline defined by scholarly activity, as well as familiarity with evolving practice of the discipline.
GQ2	Critical thinking and problem solving Critical thinking and problem solving are the questioning of ideas, evidence and assumptions in order to propose and evaluate hypotheses or alternative arguments before formulating a conclusion or a solution to an identified problem.
GQ3	Oral and written communication Effective communication, in both oral and written form, is the clear exchange of meaning in a manner that is appropriate to audience and context.
GQ4	Information and digital literacy Information and digital literacy is the ability to locate, interpret, evaluate, manage, adapt, integrate, create and convey information using appropriate resources, tools and strategies.
GQ5	Inventiveness Generating novel ideas and solutions.
GQ6	Cultural competence Cultural Competence is the ability to actively, ethically, respectfully, and successfully engage across and between cultures. In the Australian context, this includes and celebrates Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures, knowledge systems, and a mature understanding of contemporary issues.
GQ7	Interdisciplinary effectiveness Interdisciplinary effectiveness is the integration and synthesis of multiple viewpoints and practices, working effectively across disciplinary boundaries.
GQ8	Integrated professional, ethical, and personal identity An integrated professional, ethical and personal identity is understanding the interaction between one’s personal and professional selves in an ethical context.
GQ9	Influence Engaging others in a process, idea or vision.

Outcome map

Learning outcomes	Graduate qualities
Learning outcomes

Responding to student feedback

This section outlines changes made to this unit following staff and student reviews.

This is a new unit.

Disclaimer

The University reserves the right to amend units of study or no longer offer certain units, including where there are low enrolment numbers.

To help you understand common terms that we use at the University, we offer an online glossary.

Current students

Overview

Overview

Unit details and rules

Teaching staff

Assessment

Assessment

Assessment summary

Assessment criteria

Late submission

Academic integrity

Learning support

Learning support

Simple extensions

Special consideration

Using AI responsibly

Support for students

Weekly schedule

Weekly schedule

Attendance and class requirements

Study commitment

Required readings

Learning outcomes

Learning outcomes

Graduate qualities

Outcome map

Responding to student feedback

Responding to student feedback

Disclaimer

On this page

Useful links

ENGL3714: The Victorian Novel

Semester 2, 2024 [Normal day] - Camperdown/Darlington, Sydney

Overview

Overview

Unit details and rules

Teaching staff

Assessment

Assessment

Assessment summary

Assessment criteria

Late submission

Academic integrity

Learning support

Learning support

Simple extensions

Special consideration

Using AI responsibly

Support for students

Weekly schedule

Weekly schedule

Attendance and class requirements

Study commitment

Required readings

Learning outcomes

Learning outcomes

Graduate qualities

Outcome map

Responding to student feedback

Responding to student feedback

Disclaimer

On this page

Useful links