Literature: Modern and Contemporary
UndergraduateMAQ-ENGX10022025
Seek to understand how poets, playwrights, novelists, graphic novelists and screenwriters responded to the world around them – including wars and technological change – reflecting this in their texts. Build on your skills in critiquing narratives.
Enrol today with instant approval and no entry requirements
- Study method
- 100% online
- Assessments
- 100% online
- Enrol by
- 20 July 2025
- Entry requirements
- No ATAR needed, No prior study
- Duration
- 13 weeks
- Start dates
- 28 July 2025
- Price from
- $625
- Upfront cost
- $0
- Loan available
- HECS-HELP and FEE-HELP available
Literature: Modern and Contemporary
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 modern to the contemporary.
- 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.
Building on the range of concepts and tools introduced to students in ENGL1001 Literature: From Medieval to Modern, this subject focuses on how literature developed throughout the twentieth century to the present day. It analyses how English, Australian and American writers – poets, playwrights, novelists, graphic novelists and screenwriters – responded in profoundly intellectual and visceral ways to the wars, calamities, technological change and digital disruptions of what Eric Hobsbawm calls the ‘Age of Extremes’. We trace patterns of alienation and anomie, but also the growing urgency of hope and human rights in literary responses to the modern world. Continuing to develop university level skills in critical reading, textual analysis and writing about literary texts, this subject also introduces students to theories of visual literacy and critical studies, equipping students with the tools to interpret different kinds of narratives.
- Online Quiz (10%)
- Online Participation Task (20%)
- Textual Analysis Task (30%)
- Research Essay (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 World University Ranking 2025, within Australia:
- 11
- Times Higher Education World University Ranking 2025, within Australia:
- 10
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 subjects offered by Macquarie University. Students with an Academic Standing of Suspension or Exclusion who have enrolled in subjects 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.
Why study a single subject?
Bite sized study
Try studying a particular area to see if online study suits you, or upskill in just a few months with a single subject that you’re interested in.
Pursue a dream
With thousands of single subjects to choose from, you can find topics that get you on the path to your higher education goals fast.
Gain Uni credit
Most single subjects are part of a full degree. That means if you’re keen to keep learning, you can gain credit for the subjects you’ve successfully completed.
What to study next?
Once you’ve completed this subject it can be credited towards one of the following courses
UndergraduateMAQ-ART-DEG
Single 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.