Enrolments are closed.
Want to study Media, Communication and Languages? with a student advisor to find out more.
This unit contains mature or sensitive content and may not be suitable for some students.
Children's Literature
Undergraduate | MAQ-ENGX209 | 2018
Course information for 2018 intake
Return to the stories of your childhood and re-examine them with a critical eye. Start with picture books and build up to young adult fiction. Look at recurring themes like adolescence and gender. Reveal how children's literature can address social issues.
- Study method
- 100% online
- Assessments
- 100% online
- Entry requirements
- Prior study needed
- Duration
- -
HECS-HELP and FEE-HELP available
Children's Literature
About this subject
On completing the subject, students should:
- have gained a broad overview of kinds of children's literature, from children's first books to young adult literature
- understand a range of concepts employed in discussing and analysing children's literature, such as ideology, notions of childhood and adolescence, gender, and concepts derived from schema theory and theories of visual representation
- understand some aspects of literary theory currently used in discussions of children's literature, such as narrative theory, metafiction, intertextuality, and theoretical discussions of genre
- have attained a conceptual language with which to discuss children's literature and a level of visual, verbal and critical literacy
- be able to critically examine the uses of children's literature, with particular reference to social issues, subjectivity and the place of books in the socialisation and enculturation of children and adolescents.
- Introduction: The Idea of Children's Literature
- History of Children's Literature
- Picture Books I
- Picture Books II
- Juvenilia
- Writing by Children
- Graphic Novels
- Verse Novels
- Realism
- Contemporary Fantasy
- Adaptation and YA Film
- Subjectivity and Children's Young Adult Literature
- Genre and Gender in Children's Literature
- Conclusion
ENGX209 offers an introduction to the range of literature, both past and current, written for children, including picture books, poetry, and a variety of realistic and fantastic fictions (novel and film) for younger readers and adolescents. Key concepts and a common conceptual language employed in discussing and analysing children's literature will be introduced. Issues addressed include: the idea of a literature for children, visual and verbal textualities; notions of genre; gender representation; and the place of books in the socialisation of children.
- Essay 1 (15%)
- Essay 2 (25%)
- Participation (20%)
- Quiz (40%)
For textbook details check your university's handbook, website or learning management system (LMS).
This research-intensive university in north-western Sydney offers a range of undergraduate and postgraduate degrees. With over 44,000 current students, Macquarie has a strong reputation for welcoming international students and embracing flexible and convenient study options, including its partnership with Open Universities Australia.
Learn more about Macquarie University.
Explore Macquarie courses.
- QS Ranking 2024:
- 10
- Times Higher Education Ranking 2024:
- 10
Entry requirements
Prior study
You must have successfully completed the following subject(s) before starting this subject:
one of
- MAQ-ENGX120-Approaches to English Literature
MAQ-ENG110 (Not currently available)
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.
Single subject FAQs
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.
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.
Our student advisors are more than happy to help you plan your online study. Get in touch with an advisor by:
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.
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 .
Close of enrolment times vary between universities and subjects. You can check the cut-off dates for upcoming study terms by visiting key dates.