Module: Reading Seminar

Latest Module Specifications

Current Academic Year 2025 - 2026

Module Title	Reading Seminar
Module Code	LIT1039 (ITS: EL402)
Faculty	English	School	Humanities & Social Sciences
NFQ level	8	Credit Rating	5

Description

This module promotes self-reflection upon our own reading practices, and reviews the work we have done as students of literature over the past four years. Seminars will look at vital critical and theoretical ideas that have informed the ways in which they have been encouraged to read. Students will be divided into optional seminar groups to pursue study on a single author, theme or genre.

Learning Outcomes

1. be familiar with the various ways in which the notion of ‘the reader’ has been theorized and problematized
2. display familiarity with the various ways in which the notion of ‘the author’ has been theorized and problematized
3. apply fundamentals of literary theory to a range of texts
4. to theorise about his/her own position as a reader of literary texts and a future teacher of literature
5. show familiarity with the basic arguments of a range of theoretical approaches
6. express themselves with critical independence

*Type*	*Hours*	*Description*
Workload	Full time hours per semester
Seminars	1	No Description
Independent Study	3.5	No Description
Total Workload: 4.5

Section Breakdown
CRN	10946	Part of Term	Semester 1 & 2
Coursework	0%	Examination Weight	0%
Grade Scale	40PASS	Pass Both Elements	Y
Resit Category	RC1	Best Mark	N
Module Co-ordinator	Michael Hinds	Module Teacher	Darran McCann, Darren Murphy, Ellen Howley, Gearoid O'Flaherty, James Shanahan, Kit Fryatt, Lucy Stone, Paula Murphy

Type	Description	% of total	Assessment Date
Assessment Breakdown
Short Answer Questions	In a final assignment, the student writes an essay exploring a research question of their own design, and performs a textual analysis in which they show their close reading skills.	50%	n/a
Research Paper	Based on their seminar work	50%	n/a

Reassessment Requirement Type
Resit arrangements are explained by the following categories; RC1: A resit is available for both^* components of the module. RC2: No resit is available for a 100% coursework module. RC3: No resit is available for the coursework component where there is a coursework and summative examination element. ^* ‘Both’ is used in the context of the module having a coursework/summative examination split; where the module is 100% coursework, there will also be a resit of the assessment

Pre-requisite	None
Co-requisite	None
Compatibles	None
Incompatibles	None

All module information is indicative and subject to change. For further information,students are advised to refer to the University's Marks and Standards and Programme Specific Regulations at: http://www.dcu.ie/registry/examinations/index.shtml

Indicative Content and Learning Activities

Content is determined by the choice of seminar, which changes yearly

Indicative Reading List

Books:

ed Vincent Leitch: 0, Norton Anthology of Theory and Criticism, London, New York,

Articles:
None

Other Resources

None