| Unit name | Power, Culture, and Dissent |
|---|---|
| Unit code | LANG00061 |
| Credit points | 20 |
| Level of study | QCA-3 |
| Teaching block(s) |
Teaching Block 4 (weeks 1-24) |
| Unit director | Mr. Thornthwaite |
| Open unit status | Not open |
| Units you must take before you take this one (pre-requisite units) |
None |
| Units you must take alongside this one (co-requisite units) |
None |
| Units you may not take alongside this one |
None |
| School/department | Centre for Academic Language and Development |
| Faculty | Faculty of Arts, Law and Social Sciences |
Why is this unit important
This is a unit that mixes literature, film, art, politics, philosophy, and the history of ideas, to explore the ways that culture has been shaped by, and reacted to, the actions and plans of the powerful. Sometimes this takes the form of slow reform, at others sudden revolution; and in turn it has provoked sometimes fierce reaction, and sometimes the reconciliation of different ideas and positions. You will look at literature, film, art work, and non-fiction texts, chosen for their discussion of ideas and concepts that are both timeless, and that speak to our contemporary issues now. You will learn how to pick out fine detail in close reading of texts, and to set them within their broader cultural and historical contexts. You will develop your analyses, in discussion in small groups, and in your own written work, preparing you for future study in a wide variety of disciplines.
How does this unit fit into your programme of study
This unit will prepare you for further study in all subjects where you are working with texts and sources. It provides you with knowledge of literature and media written in English and in translation from all around the world. You will be familiar with major movements in philosophy, culture, and politics. It will teach you how to read a text, including critical, contextual and close reading skills that will be useful throughout your study at Bristol and beyond.
An overview of content
In this unit you will be introduced to a wide and rich range of texts and other source media. Some are originally written in English and some are studied in English translation. You will study philosophy and politically influential texts, important historical sources in a range of media types (such as literature, film, art work), and literature and media texts.
How will students, personally, be different as a result of the unit
The texts and other sources you will study have been chosen for their diversity. Each is a mosaic piece that, taken together, will leave you with an excellent overview of the practice and study of literature that will help you contextualise and interpret books, poems and plays for the rest of your life.
Learning Outcomes
How you will learn
Teaching is facilitated weekly through weekly workshops. Classes are delivered interactively, using a combination of teacher input and student discussions. This means you should come prepared to ask questions, join in discussions and make notes.
Tasks which help you learn and prepare you for summative tasks (formative):
Short essays to practice for your summative assessments [ILOs 1,2,3]
Tasks which count towards your unit mark (summative):
Essay, 1,250 words (35%) [ILOs 1, 2]
Essay, 2,000 words (65%) [ILOs 1, 2, 3]
When assessment does not go to plan
Any student registered on the International Foundation Programme will be offered a conditional place on an undergraduate degree at the University of Bristol. Students must meet the entry requirements to be admitted onto an undergraduate degree at the University of Bristol. Different degree programmes may have different entry requirements. The IFP Board will review the mark profiles of all students who are close to attaining the entry requirements but are outside the previously agreed near miss criteria and may agree to admit them to a degree programme. If not admitted, students may be offered a further opportunity (i.e. two attempts in total) to meet the entry requirements for their intended degree programme at the University of Bristol by re-taking a relevant assessment. Marks are not capped for this purpose. If a student is absent or their performance in assessment is significantly affected due to exceptional circumstances, they may re-take the relevant assessment at the next appropriate time, without penalty.
If this unit has a Resource List, you will normally find a link to it in the Blackboard area for the unit. Sometimes there will be a separate link for each weekly topic.
If you are unable to access a list through Blackboard, you can also find it via the Resource Lists homepage. Search for the list by the unit name or code (e.g. LANG00061).
How much time the unit requires
Each credit equates to 10 hours of total student input. For example a 20 credit unit will take you 200 hours
of study to complete. Your total learning time is made up of contact time, directed learning tasks,
independent learning and assessment activity.
See the University Workload statement relating to this unit for more information.
Assessment
The assessment methods listed in this unit specification are designed to enable students to demonstrate the named learning outcomes (LOs). Where a disability prevents a student from undertaking a specific method of assessment, schools will make reasonable adjustments to support a student to demonstrate the LO by an alternative method or with additional resources.
The Board of Examiners will consider all cases where students have failed or not completed the assessments required for credit.
The Board considers each student's outcomes across all the units which contribute to each year's programme of study. For appropriate assessments, if you have self-certificated your absence, you will normally be required to complete it the next time it runs (for assessments at the end of TB1 and TB2 this is usually in the next re-assessment period).
The Board of Examiners will take into account any exceptional circumstances and operates
within the Regulations and Code of Practice for Taught Programmes.
