Learning outcome

Students should have basic knowledge of the major American authors and their writings, as well as the culture and the developments in the history of ideas of the period; they should also be able to discuss the form and content of the curriculum texts using the appropriate terminology. Students will be expected to reflect critically, in writing and orally, on the themes of the course. On the basis of this knowledge and skills they should be able to orient themselves and develop their own knowledge within the field.

Course Description

The course will follow the development of the USA from the colonial period on the fringes of the Western world to its position as a modern super-power by studying fiction from a broad spectrum of genres together with factual prose from several historical epochs. The texts will be read in their political and/or historical contexts but will also be discussed as independent works. The majority of the texts will be taken from the 19th and 20th centuries.

Teaching and Learning Methods

The teaching is organised as lectures and seminars, with altogether four hours per week. The lectures will provide background to the subject areas in question, but will also be used for analysis of pensum texts. The seminars will be used for discussions of pensum texts, and will focus on active participation from the students, with a particular emphasis on improving the students’ oral competence. An attendance rate of at least 75 per cent is required for the seminars.

Assessment Methods

The final written examination will be assessed on a scale from A to F, where E is the lowest pass mark, and F is a fail. An attendance rate of at least 75% in the seminars is required to sit the final exam.

It is a prerequisite for the completion of the course that the students hand in a written paper. The paper is not graded and does not count towards the overall grade, but must be approved by the course instructor.

Minor adjustments may occur during the academic year, subject to the decision of the Dean