Literature: Medieval to Modern
UndergraduateMAQ-ENGX10012025
An introduction to the study of literary texts. You’ll learn how to think carefully about novels, poems and plays. Explore society reflected on paper and learn about what it means to be human. Build a base for further English studies and the arts.
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
- No ATAR needed, No prior study
- Duration
- 13 weeks
- Start dates
- 24 Feb 2025
- Loan available
- HECS-HELP and FEE-HELP available
Literature: Medieval to Modern
About this subject
On successful completion of this unit, you will be able to:
- Demonstrate critical reading habits, interpretive analysis, research, and effective communication, with particular application to the field of English studies.
- Understand and be able to describe some of the key features of a range of texts from the medieval to the modern period.
- Apply understanding of literary techniques to literary study and beyond to other situations.
- Engage in informed critical discussion on unit content with peers and teachers, entertain others' points of view, and to argue a critical position.
- A week-by-week guide to the topics you will explore in this subject will be provided in your study materials.
English literature is foundational to modern life, providing everyday cultural references and a storehouse of stories that entertain us and enrich our communication and interaction with each other. This entry unit is informed by the questions: What is literature for? Why is it necessary? Why is it useful? Running through our program is the idea that literature helps us conceive of what it means to be human, and to apprehend the lived experience of other humans. This unit surveys English literature from its medieval beginnings, through the Shakespearean Renaissance, to the late nineteenth century, when the Modernist movement began to supplant the Decadence of the late Victorian era, and children’s literature began to proliferate, contributing to our modern idea of what it means to be a child. Students will read a wide variety of literature and will be introduced to a range of concepts and tools for studying these texts. Along with a chronological knowledge of literary movements, this unit develops skills at university level in critical reading, textual analysis and writing about literary texts. Short literary works and weekly critical studies provide focal points for developing detailed and informed ways of interpreting different kinds of narratives. This unit will also provide students with an introduction to further studies in English and creative writing at Macquarie.
- Quiz (20%)
- Textual Analysis Task (35%)
- Essay (45%)
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.
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Entry requirements
No entry requirements
Additional requirements
- Other requirements -
Students who have an Academic Standing of Suspension or Exclusion under Macquarie University's Academic Progression Policy are not permitted to enrol in OUA units offered by Macquarie University. Students with an Academic Standing of Suspension or Exclusion who have enrolled in units through OUA will be withdrawn.
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.
Student feedback
7 student respondents between 9 June - 23 June 2025.
100%of students felt the study load was manageable
100%of students felt this subject helped them gain relevant skills
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UndergraduateMAQ-ART-DEG
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