EN4407 Twentieth-Century Crime Fiction: Gender and Genre

Academic year

2024 to 2025 Semester 2

Further information on which modules are specific to your programme.

Key module information

SCOTCAT credits

30

The Scottish Credit Accumulation and Transfer (SCOTCAT) system allows credits gained in Scotland to be transferred between institutions. The number of credits associated with a module gives an indication of the amount of learning effort required by the learner. European Credit Transfer System (ECTS) credits are half the value of SCOTCAT credits.

SCQF level

SCQF level 10

The Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework (SCQF) provides an indication of the complexity of award qualifications and associated learning and operates on an ascending numeric scale from Levels 1-12 with SCQF Level 10 equating to a Scottish undergraduate Honours degree.

Availability restrictions

Not automatically available to General Degree students

Planned timetable

Wednesday 11.00-13.00

This information is given as indicative. Timetable may change at short notice depending on room availability.

Module coordinator

Prof G Plain

This information is given as indicative. Staff involved in a module may change at short notice depending on availability and circumstances.

Module Staff

Professor G Plain

This information is given as indicative. Staff involved in a module may change at short notice depending on availability and circumstances.

Module description

The module aims to analyse social, cultural and literary formations through the medium of popular fiction. Offering a contrast to canonical readings of the twentieth century, the course will introduce students to the diversity and complexity of criminal fictions across the century, and will encourage an understanding of the importance of gender in contemporary literary studies. Students should emerge from this module proficient in the anaylsis of popular culture. They should acquire a knowledge of the history of twentieth-century crime fiction, and an understanding of genre form that can be confidently applied to formula fictions both on and beyond the module. They should also acquire a greater knowledge of feminist and gender theory and feel confident in its application in literary study. Students will also continue to develop skills in textual analysis, and will be encouraged to develop strategies for dealing with texts about which there is little available critical material. They will gain experience in communicating their ideas through oral presentations and group work.

Relationship to other modules

Pre-requisites

BEFORE TAKING THIS MODULE YOU MUST PASS EN2003 AND PASS EN2004

Assessment pattern

Coursework = 50%, 2-hour Written Examination = 50%

Re-assessment

exam = 100%

Learning and teaching methods and delivery

Weekly contact

1 lecture and 1 seminar/tutorial, and 2 optional consultative hours.

Scheduled learning hours

20

The number of compulsory student:staff contact hours over the period of the module.

Guided independent study hours

280

The number of hours that students are expected to invest in independent study over the period of the module.

Intended learning outcomes

  • analyse social, cultural and literary formations through the medium of popular fiction.
  • understand the diversity and complexity of criminal fictions across the century, and the importance of gender in contemporary literary studies.
  • Demonstrate a greater knowledge of feminist and gender theory and feel confident in its application in literary study
  • Demonstrate a knowledge of the history of twentieth-century crime fiction
  • Demonstrate skills in textual analysis
  • Demonstrate skills in communicating their ideas through oral presentations and group work.