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The Department of English and Comparative Literary Studies

AKA Your home for the next 3 years

The department is located on the fifth floor of the humanities building (SO MANY STAIRS).

 

Visit their website for more information here.

 

 

Personal Tutors

 

You will be assigned a member of academic staff who will act as your personal tutor for the duration of your degree. Your personal tutor will be able to assist you with any problems you have with settling into university life. As well as offering pastoral support, they will also be able to help you with academic issues. If your tutor doesn’t immediately get in contact with you, don’t be afraid to approach them. Each member of academic staff has office hours where they are free to talk to students: you can find these on the timetable outside their offices.

 

 

Modules

 

In first year, most students will take four modules:

  • The Epic Tradition

  • Medieval to Renaissance English Literature

  • Modes of Reading

  • Modern World Literature

 

Not all of you will take these exact modules. If you are an English Literature and Creative Writing student, you will take Modes of Writing. Likewise, if you’re an English Literature and Theatre Studies student, you’ll take British Theatre since 1939. You’ll find out more about these in the first week of term.

 

You can also take a language module instead of Modern World Literature. You may choose to start a language from scratch, or continue in a language that you have already studied. Visit the Language Centre website for more information.

 

 

Essays

 

Throughout your first year, you will have to complete a combination of assessed and non-assessed (or formative) essays.

 

Formative essays do not count towards your final yearly grade, however are still important. They help you to get to grips with writing a university style essay so that when it comes to writing your first assessed essay, you feel confident in knowing what you need to do.

 

Make sure that you complete all formative work. According to the Department of English and Comparative Literary Studies:

Any first year student who, without good cause, still has unassessed work outstanding by the end of week 3 of term 3, will carry a mark of 40 for the module concerned, regardless of whether they gain a higher mark in their final assessment.

 

Assessed essays are due in 12 o’clock noon on Tuesdays, and you must submit your essay in an electric format using Tabula. Tabula is the department’s coursework management system and it is frequently a glitchy nightmare: you can find the relevant links on the department website.

 

Most essays will carry a 10% rule with regards to word count – a student may go %10 over or under the word limit without being penalised. For example, a 3000 word essay can, in theory, be either 2700 words or 3300 words without receiving a deduction in marks.

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If you need help on essay writing – or would like to discuss your plans for an essay – you can talk to your personal tutor or can contact the RLF Fellows.

 

Also, make sure you come to Lit Soc’s Academic Aid sessions, where you can ask for help and discuss any issues. This year, Academic Aid is being run by Bethan Ackerley. If you have any enquiries about Academic Aid, feel free to contact Bethan by emailing us.

 

 

Exams

 

Exams begin in week 5 of term 3 and finish in week 9. All of your first-year exams will be unseen, closed-book papers.  You may be asked essay questions or asked to close-read an extract (either seen or unseen).

 

Most modules will offer revision sessions during Summer Term. Also look out for any revision seminars run by Lit Soc during this period.

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GOOD LUCK for the year, and remember that we are always here to help if you need us! #LitSocLove

 

 

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