The History of the Novel
Undergraduate
LTU-ENG2NAA 2023Course information for 2023 intake View information for 2025 course intake
Enrolments for this course are closed, but you may have other options to start studying now. Book a consultation to learn more.
- Study method
- 100% online
- Assessments
- 100% online
- Entry requirements
- Prior study needed
- Duration
- 12 weeks
- Loan available
- HECS-HELP and FEE-HELP available
The History of the Novel
About this subject
- Articulate an understanding of novelistic realism and its relationship to social and political context in written and verbal forms.
- Demonstrate familiarity with critical and theoretical debates about the novel.
- Formulate reasoned and substantiated arguments about a number of texts.
- Synthesise knowledge about a broad range of novels in different genres and from different periods.
- Use and understand the history of the novel in formulating responses to individual texts.
- • Aphra Behn's Oroonoko: the traveller's tale meets the prose romance.
- • Laurence Sterne's The Life and Opinions of Tristram Shandy, Gentleman: the eighteenth-century postmodern.
- • Jane Austen's Sense and Sensibility: irony, moral instruction and the marriage plot.
- • Charles Dickens' Great Expectations: realism, sensationalism and the Victorian plot.
- • Virginia Woolf's To the Lighthouse: time and the subconscious.
- • Toni Morrison's Beloved: American hauntings.
In this subject you will explore the connections between the novel and modernity. Following the novel from its invention in the 17th century, this subject will investigate how novels have been sites of experimentation from the genre's beginnings right up to the present moment, and we will analyse the ways in which the genre understands itself as being "novel" (that is, new) in its engagement with social and cultural change. Students will hone their understanding of textual analysis, literary history and the role of structure and historical and political context in making a novel's meaning. Students completing this subject will encounter a range of novels from a range of literary periods, and will develop an understanding of the way in which the genre has developed over time. By closely analysing how authors from different cultural moments have represented and changed the worlds they live in, this subject will enrich students' understanding of how writing, critical reading and literary analysis are part of global citizenship.
- Textual analysis (1000 words) Close analysis of a passage selection. (25%)
- Research essay (2000 words) Research essay comparing two novels. (50%)
- Oral presentation (1000 words equivalent) Critical appraisal of a secondary source to be delivered in class or uploaded to LMS as a video or podcast. Written script to be submitted for assessment. (25%)
For textbook details check your university's handbook, website or learning management system (LMS).
The third university established in Victoria, La Trobe University has a diverse community of more than 38,000 students and staff. Its commitment to excellence in teaching and research prepares students to make a bold and positive impact in today's global community. La Trobe provides Open Universities Australia with its core tenets, entrepreneurship and sustainability.
Learn more about La Trobe University.
Explore La Trobe courses.
- QS World University Ranking 2025, within Australia:
- 17
- Times Higher Education World University Ranking 2025, within Australia:
- 15
Entry requirements
Others
Pre-requisites: Students must have completed 30 credit points of Level one subjects.
Additional requirements
No additional requirements
Study load
- 0.125 EFTSL
- This is in the range of 10 to 12 hours of study each week.
Equivalent full time study load (EFTSL) is one way to calculate your study load. One (1.0) EFTSL is equivalent to a full-time study load for one year.
Find out more information on Commonwealth Loans to understand what this means to your eligibility for financial support.
What to study next?
Once you’ve completed this subject it can be credited towards one of the following courses
Undergraduate
LAT-BUS-DEGBachelor of Information Technology
Undergraduate
LAT-TEC-DEGUndergraduate
LAT-ART-DEGBachelor of Psychological Science
Undergraduate
LAT-PYS-DEGUndergraduate
LAT-CYS-DEGSingle subject FAQs
What’s a single subject?
Single subjects are the individual components that make up a degree. With Open Universities Australia, you’re able to study many of them as stand-alone subjects, including postgraduate single subjects, without having to commit to a degree.
Each of your subjects will be held over the course of a study term, and they’ll usually require 10 to 12 hours of study each week. Subjects are identified by a title and a code, for example, Developmental Psychology, PSY20007.
How can I use single subjects to get into a full degree?
First, find the degree that you would like to study on our website.
If that degree allows entry via undergraduate subjects, there will be information about this under the Entry Requirements section. You will find a list of 2-4 open enrolment subjects you need to successfully complete to qualify for admission into that qualification.
Once you pass those subjects, you will satisfy the academic requirements for the degree, and you can apply for entry.
Our student advisors are here to help you take that next step, so don’t hesitate to reach out when you’re ready! We’ve also made it easier to figure out the right way to get started on our pathways page.
Can anyone help me choose a subject?
Our student advisors are more than happy to help you plan your online study. Get in touch with an advisor by:
How do I pay for my subjects?
You can pay up front with your credit card, or you may be eligible for a HELP loan from the Australian government depending on your citizenship status and where you’ll live during your studies.
For more information about how to pay for your studies visit our fees page or contact a student advisor.
How do I enrol?
When you’ve made your choice, click ‘Enrol now’ on the relevant course page and follow the prompts to begin your enrolment. We’ll ask you to supply some supporting documentation, including proof of your identity, your tax file number, and a unique student identifier (USI) during this process.
Your university will get in touch with you via email to confirm whether or not your application has been successful.
If you get stuck at any time, reach out to us and we’ll talk you through it.
You can also take a look at our online self-service enrolling instructions.
When is the cut-off date for enrolling?
Close of enrolment times vary between universities and subjects. You can check the cut-off dates for upcoming study terms by visiting key dates.