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JOHN CABOT UNIVERSITY

COURSE CODE: "EN 346H"
COURSE NAME: "Study of the Works of a Single Modern Writer -HONORS (This course carries 4 semester hours of credits. A minimum CUM GPA of 3.5 is required)"
SEMESTER & YEAR: Fall 2017
SYLLABUS

INSTRUCTOR: Shannon Russell
EMAIL: [email protected]
 HOURS: TTH 1:30-2:45PM
TOTAL NO. OF CONTACT HOURS: 60
CREDITS: 3
PREREQUISITES: Prerequisite: EN 110 with a grade of C or above.
OFFICE HOURS: By appointment
COURSE DESCRIPTION:
This course focuses on the work of one writer from the nineteenth century to the present. This course may be taken more than once for credit when different writers are studied.
This is a reading and writing intensive course. Students in 300-level literature classes are required to produce 5-6,000 words of critical writing
SUMMARY OF COURSE CONTENT:

JANE AUSTEN:  In Her World and Ours

Students will read all of Austen's major novels and selections from the Juvenilia and letters, and will be expected to critique film adaptions of these books, as well.  Students will be exposed to a variety of critical approaches to Austen's work and will engage with these in class and in their research papers.
LEARNING OUTCOMES:

The course aims to have students understand both Austen’s debt to previous writers and her own significant contributions to the genre of the novel. By the end of the course, students should be able to appreciate the cultural and literary contexts from which these novels emerge and should have developed critical capacities to understand why they speak so enduringly to us today.  Students should also become aware of the act of reading and the process of translation of Austen's work from the page to film in their critique of a number of adaptations of these novels.

HONORS OPTION:  Students have the option to take this course for Honors credit, providing they meet the required GPA.
TEXTBOOK:
NONE
REQUIRED RESERVED READING:
NONE

RECOMMENDED RESERVED READING:
NONE
GRADING POLICY
-ASSESSMENT METHODS:
AssignmentGuidelinesWeight
3 Essays (8-9 pages each)Essays must be typed and conform to MLA style guidelines.60% (20% for each essay)
Group Seminar Presentation involving a film critique of an adaptation of one of the novels.A rubric for this assignment will be provided on the Moodle. 10%
Participation  10%
Final Exam 20%
Honors Component Assignment for those who are registered as Honors students onlyHonors students will do an extra project or assignment, to be devised together with the professor by week 3 of the course.Pass/Fail

-ASSESSMENT CRITERIA:
AWork of this quality directly addresses the question or problem raised and provides a coherent argument displaying an extensive knowledge of relevant information or content. This type of work demonstrates the ability to critically evaluate concepts and theory and has an element of novelty and originality. There is clear evidence of a significant amount of reading beyond that required for the
BThis is highly competent level of performance and directly addresses the question or problem raised.There is a demonstration of some ability to critically evaluatetheory and concepts and relate them to practice. Discussions reflect the student’s own arguments and are not simply a repetition of standard lecture andreference material. The work does not suffer from any major errors or omissions and provides evidence of reading beyond the required assignments.
CThis is an acceptable level of performance and provides answers that are clear but limited, reflecting the information offered in the lectures and reference readings.
DThis level of performances demonstrates that the student lacks a coherent grasp of the material.Important information is omitted and irrelevant points included.In effect, the student has barely done enough to persuade the instructor that s/he should not fail.
FThis work fails to show any knowledge or understanding of the issues raised in the question. Most of the material in the answer is irrelevant.
-ATTENDANCE REQUIREMENTS:
Attendance is mandatory. Students who miss more than three classes  -- whether absences are justifiable (religious holidays, illness, funeral attendance) or not -- will be required to produce an additional five-page essay assignment to be arranged with the instructor and due no later than the last week of classes, to avoid an overall reduction of their final grade for the class. Final grades are reduced by one grade level  once absences exceed three in a semester (an overall final grade of A- will change to B+, for example).  Should absences exceed six, students will be asked to withdraw from the class or will be required to do additional work beyond the extra essay assignment, to justify their participation in the course.  It is advisable to notify the professor by the beginning of the second week of classes, if you know you will be absent from class for religious or other reasons. Two late arrivals count as one absence.







Exam absences:  You cannot make up a major exam (midterm or final) without the permission of the Dean’s Office. The Dean’s Office will grant such permission only when the absence was caused by a serious impediment, such as a documented illness, hospitalization or death in the immediate family (in which you must attend the funeral) or other situations of similar gravity. Absences due to other meaningful conflicts such as job interviews, family celebrations, travel difficulties, student misunderstandings or personal convenience, will not be excused. Students who will be absent from a major exam must notify the Dean’s Office prior to that exam. Absences from class due to the observance of a religious holiday will normally be excused. Individual students who will have to miss class to observe a religious holiday should notify the instructor by the end of the Add/Drop period to make prior arrangements for making up any work that will be missed. The final exam period runs until December 9, 2016. 
ACADEMIC HONESTY
As stated in the university catalog, any student who commits an act of academic dishonesty will receive a failing grade on the work in which the dishonesty occurred. In addition, acts of academic dishonesty, irrespective of the weight of the assignment, may result in the student receiving a failing grade in the course. Instances of academic dishonesty will be reported to the Dean of Academic Affairs. A student who is reported twice for academic dishonesty is subject to summary dismissal from the University. In such a case, the Academic Council will then make a recommendation to the President, who will make the final decision.
STUDENTS WITH LEARNING OR OTHER DISABILITIES
John Cabot University does not discriminate on the basis of disability or handicap. Students with approved accommodations must inform their professors at the beginning of the term. Please see the website for the complete policy.
SCHEDULE

JANE AUSTEN:  IN HER WORLD AND OURS

Please see the Moodle for a more detailed syllabus including readings, discussion points, assignments, and supplementary material

Password for access to the Moodle is:  AUSTEN17        (password is case sensitive).

NOTE:  There is NO mid-term exam in this course.

HONORS STUDENTS: Those who take this course for Honors will have an extra assignment to be devised and agreed between student and teacher by the third week of class.

MOODLE COURSE: Please consult the Moodle for a more detailed syllabus, extra resources, and all assignments.

 

WEEK 1 

Tues. August 29

Introduction to course and its requirements: Who was Jane Austen and who is she now?

Thurs. August 31

Read Lady Susan and selections from the Juvenilia on the website, particularly those writings Austen compiled in Volumes 1, 2 and 3:

http://www.pemberley.com/janeinfo/juviscrp.html

 

WEEK 2

Tues. Sept. 5  Playing with the gothic novel and the novel of sensibility







Read:  Chapters 1-10 of Northanger Abbey   







Appendix C:  Examples of Jane Austen's reading







Appendix D: Catherine Morland's reading

Thursday Sept. 7







Read:  Chapters 11-20 Northanger Abbey

 

WEEK 3

Tues. Sept. 12







Read:  Chapters 21 to end Northanger Abbey







View: Film version of Northanger Abbey and come prepared to discuss it, in preparation for your film critiques to come.

Thurs. Sept. 14







Read:  Volume I of Sense and Sensibility







Appendix B:  Sensibility

 

WEEK 4 

Tues. Sept. 19







Read:  Volume II of Sense and Sensibility

Thurs. Sept. 21







Read:  Volume III of Sense and Sensibility

WEEK 5      First essay due this week

Tues. Sept. 26







View DVD Sense and Sensibility in library







SEMINAR Group 1 Critique of film version of the novel: 

Thurs. Sept. 28







Read:  Volume I of Pride and Prejudice







Appendix B:  From the Conduct Books







Appendix C:  Burke on the French Revolution







Appendix D:  Discussion of Women’s Role after the French Revolution

WEEK 6

Tues. Oct. 3    First essay due







Read:  Volume II of Pride and Prejudice

Thurs. Oct. 5







Read:  Volume III of Pride and Prejudice

WEEK 7

Tues. Oct. 10







View DVD Pride and Prejudice in library for today's class.







SEMINAR Group 2: Critique of film version of the novel. 

Thurs. Oct. 12







Read: Volume 1 of Mansfield Park







Appendix A: The Theatricals at Mansfield Park







Appendix B: Religion

WEEK 8

Tues. Oct. 17







Read: Volume 2 of Mansfield Park







Appendix C: Ideals of Femininity







Appendix F: A Woman’s Education







Appendix D: “The Improvement of the Estate”

Thurs. Oct. 19

Read:  Volume 3 Mansfield Park







Appendix E: The West Indian Connection

WEEK 9      Second essay due this week and Make-up day on Friday

Tues. Oct. 24  Essay due today







Read: Volume 3 Mansfield Park

Thurs. Oct. 26







Seminar 3:  Critique of film version of Mansfield Park

Friday Oct. 27 (Make-up day for Thursday, Nov. 23)







Read:  Volume I of Emma







Appendix A:  The Composition and Reception of the Novel







Appendix B:  Social Class and Landed Society







Appendix C:  The Landless:  Gypsies and Bastards

WEEK 10  

Tues. Oct. 31 







Read: Volume II of Emma

Thurs. Nov. 2







Read:  Volume III Emma

WEEK 11  

Tues. Nov. 7







Read:  To the end of Emma

Thurs. Nov. 9







View DVD’s of Emma and Clueless in library







SEMINAR Group 4:   Critique of film versions of the novel.  

WEEK 12

Tues. Nov. 14







Read:   Volume I  Persuasion







Appendix G  From Thomson’s The Seasons







Appendix H  From Walter Scott’s Marmion







Appendix I  From Byron’s “The Gaiour”

Thurs. Nov. 16  







Read:  Volume 2 of Persuasion

WEEK 13

Tues. Nov. 21







Read:  Volume 3 Persuasion







Thurs. Nov. 23 No class - Thanksgiving holiday

WEEK 14   Third essay due this week

Tues. Nov. 28    Essay due today





SEMINAR Group 5:  

Thurs. Nov. 30







FINAL EXAMS December 4-7