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Unit of study_

ENGL4109: Modern and Contemporary Drama

Semester 2, 2022 [Normal evening] - Camperdown/Darlington, Sydney

This unit develops a critical history of modern drama from its roots in the nineteenth century and its legacy in a selection of contemporary play texts. The unit situates developments in dramatic theory and practice alongside dominant social and intellectual trends of the past century (political tyranny/liberation, class structure, women's emancipation, censorship, technological change, the rise of global capital). Students will critically evaluate dramatic texts and performance using a variety of theoretical frameworks.

Unit details and rules

Unit code ENGL4109
Academic unit English and Writing
Credit points 6
Prohibitions
? 
None
Prerequisites
? 
None
Corequisites
? 
None
Assumed knowledge
? 

None

Available to study abroad and exchange students

No

Teaching staff

Coordinator Alexander Howard, alexander.howard@sydney.edu.au
Type Description Weight Due Length
Assignment hurdle task Critical essay
Written critical essay
60% Formal exam period
Due date: 14 Nov 2022 at 23:59
4000wds
Outcomes assessed: LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4
Presentation Seminar presentation
Oral (in class) seminar presentation (and accompanying written submission)
20% Multiple weeks 1000wd eq
Outcomes assessed: LO1 LO5 LO4 LO3
Assignment hurdle task Annotated bibliography
Written annotated bibliography
20% Week 06
Due date: 06 Sep 2022 at 23:59
1000wd
Outcomes assessed: LO1 LO4 LO3 LO2
hurdle task = hurdle task ?

Assessment summary

Please refer to Canvas for further detail.

Assessment criteria

The University usually awards common result grades, set out in the Coursework Policy 2014. However, the honours grading scheme is slightly different. Please check the coursework policy documentation and the honours handbook to ensure that you understand the differences.

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.

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.

You may only use artificial intelligence and writing assistance tools in assessment tasks if you are permitted to by your unit coordinator, and if you do use them, you must also acknowledge this in your work, either in a footnote or an acknowledgement section.

Studiosity is permitted for postgraduate units unless otherwise indicated by the unit coordinator. The use of this service must be acknowledged in your submission.

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.

WK Topic Learning activity Learning outcomes
Week 01 Introduction & Büchner, Woyzeck (1837) Seminar (2 hr) LO1 LO2 LO4 LO5
Week 02 Strindberg, Miss Julie (1888) Seminar (2 hr) LO1 LO2 LO4 LO5
Week 03 Ibsen, Hedda Gabler (1891) Seminar (2 hr) LO1 LO2 LO4 LO5
Week 04 Chekhov, The Cherry Orchard (1904) Seminar (2 hr) LO1 LO2 LO4 LO5
Week 05 Pirandello, Six Characters in Search of an Author (1921) Seminar (2 hr) LO1 LO2 LO4 LO5
Week 06 Brecht, Life of Galileo (1938) Seminar (2 hr) LO1 LO2 LO4 LO5
Week 07 Beckett, Waiting for Godot (1952) Seminar (2 hr) LO1 LO2 LO4 LO5
Week 08 Handke, Kaspar (1967) Seminar (2 hr) LO1 LO2 LO4 LO5
Week 09 Cesaire, A Tempest (1969) Seminar (2 hr) LO1 LO2 LO4 LO5
Week 10 Churchill, Top Girls (1982) Seminar (2 hr) LO1 LO2 LO4 LO5
Week 11 Jelinek,  Sports Play (1998) Seminar (2 hr) LO1 LO2 LO4 LO5
Week 12 Albee, The Goat, or Who is Sylvia? (2000) Seminar (2 hr) LO1 LO2 LO4 LO5
Week 13 Graham, The Angry Brigade (2014) Seminar (2 hr) LO1 LO2 LO4 LO5

Attendance and class requirements

A 90% attendance requirement is encoded in the Faculty resolutions:

https://www.sydney.edu.au/handbooks/arts/governance/faculty_resolutions.shtml

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

Most readings for this unit can be accessed on the Library eReserve link available on Canvas. The following texts will need to be acquired by students to read and bring to class for the relevant weeks:

  1. Büchner, Woyzeck (1837)
  2. Strindberg, Miss Julie (1888)
  3. Ibsen, Hedda Gabler (1891)
  4. Chekhov, The Cherry Orchard (1904)
  5. Pirandello, Six Characters in Search of an Author (1921)
  6. Brecht, Life of Galileo (1938)
  7. Beckett, Waiting for Godot (1952)
  8. Handke, Kaspar (1967)
  9. Cesaire, A Tempest (1969)
  10. Churchill, Top Girls (1982)
  11. Jelinek,  Sports Play (1998)
  12. Albee, The Goat, or Who is Sylvia? (2000)
  13. Graham, The Angry Brigade (2014)

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.

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

  • LO1. Demonstrate knowledge of modern and contemporary drama and associated theory and opportunity to conduct independent, rigorous and original research displaying analytical and creative skills
  • LO2. Source, evaluate and deploy primary and secondary information relevant to modern and contemporary drama studies
  • LO3. Work independently, sustainably and be self-motivated in the pursuit of new ideas and ways of thinking within the field of modern and contemporary drama studies
  • LO4. Function as a literary scholar possessing appropriate ethical standards in the conduct of your research and relations with your peers, teachers and the broader scholarly community
  • LO5. Demonstrate communication skills and methods appropriate to the study of modern and contemporary drama and transferable to other fields related to English literature

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
GQ1 GQ2 GQ3 GQ4 GQ5 GQ6 GQ7 GQ8 GQ9

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

The syllabus has been updated and the assessment scheduled has been modified.

Disclaimer

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