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Contemporary Literature in English: 20c-21c.

Code: 106301 ECTS Credits: 6
2025/2026
Degree Type Year
English Studies OB 4
English and Catalan Studies OT 3
English and Catalan Studies OT 4
English and Spanish Studies OT 3
English and Spanish Studies OT 4
English and French Studies OT 0
English and French Studies OT 3
English and French Studies OT 4
English and Classics Studies OT 3
English and Classics Studies OT 4

Contact

Name:
Sara Martin Alegre
Email:
sara.martin@uab.cat

Teaching groups languages

You can view this information at the end of this document.


Prerequisites

To take this subject you must have an interest in reading and in contemporary literature in the English language.

An initial level of English of C2 (proficiency) of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages: Learning, Teaching, Assessment is required. 

With C2 the student can, without significant effort, comprehend the greater part of all that they read or listen to; they can summarize information from different oral or written sources, 

reconstruct facts and arguments, and present them in a coherent manner; express themselves spontaneously, with fluency and precision, distinguishing subtle nuances of meaning 

even in the most complex situations. 

It is NOT recommended to enrol without having passed Reading & Writing for Academic Purposes 2 and Listening & Speaking for Academic Purposes 2.


Objectives and Contextualisation

Familiarize the student with contemporary literature in English of various genres and offer training in how to write reviews.

 

 

 

 

 

Competences

    English Studies
  • Apply scientific ethical principles to information processing.
  • Apply the methodology of analysis and critical concepts to analysing the literature, culture and history of English-speaking countries.
  • Students must be capable of communicating information, ideas, problems and solutions to both specialised and non-specialised audiences.
  • Understand and produce written and spoken academic texts in English at advanced higher-proficient-user level (C2).
  • Use current philological methodologies to interpret literary texts in English and their cultural and historical context.
  • Use digital tools and specific documentary sources for the collection and organisation of information.
  • Use written and spoken English for academic and professional purposes, related to the study of linguistics, the philosophy of language, history, English culture and literature.
    English and Catalan Studies
  • Act with ethical responsibility and respect for fundamental rights and duties, diversity and democratic values.
  • Apply scientific ethical principles to information processing.
  • Carry out effective written work or oral presentations adapted to the appropriate register in different languages.
  • Demonstrate the ability to work autonomously and in teams with the aim of attaining the planned objectives in multicultural and interdisciplinary contexts.
  • Identify and interpret literary texts in different languages, analysing the generic, formal, thematic and cultural characteristics in accordance with the concepts and methods of comparative literature and literary theory.
  • Make correct use of written and spoken English for academic or professional purposes, related to the study of language, history, culture and literature.
  • Students can apply the knowledge to their own work or vocation in a professional manner and have the powers generally demonstrated by preparing and defending arguments and solving problems within their area of study.
  • Students must be capable of collecting and interpreting relevant data (usually within their area of study) in order to make statements that reflect social, scientific or ethical relevant issues.
  • Students must be capable of communicating information, ideas, problems and solutions to both specialised and non-specialised audiences.
  • Students must have and understand knowledge of an area of study built on the basis of general secondary education, and while it relies on some advanced textbooks it also includes some aspects coming from the forefront of its field of study.
  • Understand and produce oral and written academic texts with appropriateness and fluency in distinct communicative contexts.
  • Use digital tools and specific documentary sources to gather and organise information.
    English and Spanish Studies
  • Apply scientific ethical principles to information processing.
  • Carry out effective written work or oral presentations adapted to the appropriate register in different languages.
  • Correctly use written and oral English and Spanish for academic and professional purposes, related to the study of linguistics, history, culture and literature.
  • Interpret literary texts in English or Spanish within their cultural and historical context using current philological methodologies and textual and comparative strategies.
  • Students must be capable of communicating information, ideas, problems and solutions to both specialised and non-specialised audiences.
  • Understand and produce oral and written academic texts with appropriateness and fluency in distinct communicative contexts.
  • Use digital tools and specific documentary sources to gather and organise information.
    English and French Studies
  • Apply scientific ethical principles to information processing.
  • Critically apply the different current philological methodologies to interpret literary texts in English and French and their cultural and historical context.
  • Students must be capable of communicating information, ideas, problems and solutions to both specialised and non-specialised audiences.
  • Use digital tools and specific documentary sources to gather and organise information.
  • Use spoken English and French correctly for academic and professional purposes related to the study of linguistics, history, culture and literature.
    English and Classics Studies
  • Apply scientific ethical principles to information processing.
  • Apply the methodology of analysis and knowledge of genres, metrics and stylistics to comment on literary texts and analyse the culture and history of English-speaking countries and the ancient world.
  • Demonstrate the ability to work autonomously and in teams in order to achieve the planned objectives in multicultural and interdisciplinary contexts.
  • Students must be capable of communicating information, ideas, problems and solutions to both specialised and non-specialised audiences.
  • Understand and produce oral and written academic texts with appropriateness and fluency in distinct communicative contexts.
  • Use digital tools and specific documentary sources to gather and organise information.
  • Use written and spoken English correctly for academic and professional purposes related to the study of English linguistics, history, culture, and literature.

Learning Outcomes

  1. Apply the tools and know consult the documentary sources.
  2. Commenting on literary texts, applying the acquired tools and taking into account the historical and sociocultural context.
  3. Demonstrate a solid knowledge of subjects related to the study of Literature and Culture in general.
  4. Demonstrate autonomous critical ability in the elaboration of argumentative essays on topics that converge in a wide range of Early Modern and contemporary texts.
  5. Elaborate text commentaries and write argumentative essays (C1-C2) of medium length in English on concepts related to literary works of the Early Modern and contemporary period.
  6. Elaborate text commentaries and write argumentative essays (C2) of medium length in English on concepts related to literary works of the Early Modern and contemporary period.
  7. Express oneself effectively by applying argumentative and textual procedures in formal and scientific texts, in the language studied.
  8. Express oneself in English orally and in writing in an academic register, using terminology appropriate to the study of the texts and contexts of English literature.
  9. Express oneself in English orally and in writing in an academic register, using the terminology appropriate to the study of English language texts from the Early Modern and contemporary periods.
  10. Identifying the main and secondary ideas and expressing them with linguistic correctness.
  11. In an effective manner, organise the autonomous component to learning.
  12. Incorporate ideas and concepts from published sources into work, citing and referencing appropriately.
  13. Integrate knowledge and information from academic sources consulted for written work, citing, referencing and paraphrasing correctly.
  14. Integrate secondary sources related to Early Modern and contemporary literature into the production of advanced academic criticism.
  15. Interpret—at an advanced level—literary texts by Early Modern and contemporary authors in English.
  16. Locate and organise relevant English-language information available on the internet, databases and libraries, and apply this to work and/or research environments.
  17. Maintain an attitude of respect for the opinions, values, behaviors and practices of others.
  18. Organise content clearly and appropriately for oral presentation.
  19. Organise the autonomous component to the learning process in an effective manner.
  20. Participate in face-to-face and virtual discussions in English on issues related to contemporary and Early Modern literary works.
  21. Plan, organise and carry out work in a team.
  22. Plan work effectively, individually or in groups, in order to fulfil the planned objectives.
  23. Rigorously approach the values conveyed by the texts analysed, carrying out constructive criticism.
  24. Strengthen the capacity of reading, interpretation and critical analysis of literary texts and language.
  25. Understand specialised academic texts at higher-proficient-user level (C2) on research into the texts and contexts of English literature.
  26. Understand specialised academic texts at higher-proficient-user level (C2) on research on Early Modern and contemporary works and cultural contexts.
  27. Understand specialised academic texts (C2) on research on Early Modern and contemporary works and cultural contexts.
  28. Understand specialised academic texts on research on Early Modern and contemporary works and cultural contexts.
  29. Using digital technologies, conduct bibliographic searches of secondary sources related to Early Modern and contemporary literature in the English language.
  30. Write text commentaries from a critical standpoint.

Content

There is no common content for all students, each student will read a different set of 4 works: 

1 literary novel from the United States or the United Kingdom,

1 English-language literary novel excluding these countries, 

1 novel of Anglophone genre of any nationality,

1 work of Anglophone non-fiction of any nationality. 

All of them from the s. XX (1990s) or XXI. 

The teacher will assign the works to each student, from the moment the Guide is published

(students can contact her by email at Sara.Martin@uab.cat)

 

Activities and Methodology

Title Hours ECTS Learning Outcomes
Type: Directed      
Treball a l'aula amb la docent 25 1 23, 3, 7, 9, 8, 17, 18, 20, 21, 24
Type: Supervised      
Review writing 10 0.4 23, 1, 2, 25, 26, 27, 4, 5, 7, 9, 29, 10, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 22, 24, 30
Type: Autonomous      
Reading the 4 allocated text 50 2 1, 25, 26, 28, 29, 14, 15, 16, 19, 22, 21 

The training activities are divided into three blocks:
										
											
										
											1. 50 hours of interaction in the classroom with the teacher and other students 
(20 hours of content reception and 30 of interaction with other students)
										
											
										
											2. 50 hours of supervised work consisting of writing reviews 
(10 hours of teaching supervision and 40 hours of writing)
										
											
										
											3. 50 hours of independent work consisting of reading the assigned works and other texts

PLEASE, NOTE: "Within the teaching period established by the Faculty calendar, 
15 minutes of class time will be reserved for students to complete the subject and teacher-assessment surveys."
 

Annotation: Within the schedule set by the centre or degree programme, 15 minutes of one class will be reserved for students to evaluate their lecturers and their courses or modules through questionnaires.


Assessment

Continous Assessment Activities

Title Weighting Hours ECTS Learning Outcomes
Classroom interaction with peers 20% 15 0.6 2, 25, 26, 27, 28, 4, 3, 5, 6, 7, 9, 8, 10, 12, 17, 19, 11, 18, 20, 22, 21, 24
Classroom interaction with teacher 10% 10 0.4 23, 2, 25, 26, 28, 3, 7, 9, 8, 15, 17, 24
Review of a genre novel in English from any nation 17,5% 10 0.4 23, 1, 2, 25, 26, 27, 4, 3, 5, 7, 9, 8, 29, 10, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 19, 11, 18, 24, 30
Review of a literary novel from the USA or the UK 17,5% 10 0.4 23, 1, 2, 25, 26, 28, 4, 3, 7, 9, 8, 29, 10, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 19, 11, 24, 30
Review of a literary novel in English from nations other than the USA or the UK 17,5% 10 0.4 23, 1, 2, 25, 26, 28, 4, 3, 5, 7, 9, 8, 29, 10, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 11, 19, 18, 24, 30
Review of a non-fiction volume in English from any nation 17,5% 10 0.4 23, 1, 2, 25, 26, 28, 4, 3, 5, 6, 7, 9, 8, 29, 10, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 19, 11, 24, 30

Assessment is based on:

1) 20% of the final grade: interaction in the classroom with other students (attendance is compulsory, except in justified cases); 

this interaction includes the forum in the digital classroom

2) 10% of the final grade: interaction in the classroom with the teacher (attendance is compulsory, except in justified cases); 

3) 17,5% of the final mark: review 1 (800 words)

4) 17,5% of the final mark: review 2 (800 words)

5) 17,5% of the final mark: review 3 (800 words)

6) 17,5% of the final mark: review 4 (800 words)

The assessment dates will be confirmed at the beginning of the academic year.

Erasmus who request their exams to be advanced must present the teacher a written document

from the university of origin justifying their request.

Re-assessment consists of the repetition of the reviews, provied at least 2 have been handed in

Interaction with other students is not reassessable.

Single assessment consists of the delivery of the 4 reviews at the end of the semester, face-to-face interaction in the classroom is recommended.

Students will obtain a Not assessed/Not submitted course grade unless they have
submitted more than 30% of the assessment items.

In the event of a student committing any irregularity that may lead to a significant
variation in the grade awarded to an assessment activity, the student will be given
a zero for this activity, regardless of any disciplinary process that may take place.
In the event of several irregularities in assessment activities of the same subject,
the studentwill be given a zero as the final grade for this subject.

This subject entirely prohibits the use of AI technologies in all of its activities. Any submitted
work that contains content generated using AI will be considered academic dishonesty; the
corresponding grade will be awarded a zero, without the possibility of reassessment. In cases
of greater infringement, more serious action may be taken.

 

Bibliography

Throughout the semester, the student will have to read reviews published in the press and on social networks, 
in addition to various academic articles and the 4 assigned works. 
The bibliography will be decided based on the works discussed.

Software

There is no software associated with this subject. The student is required to be able to use Word, 
Google and the GoodReads social network, ideally with their own account.
 

Groups and Languages

Please note that this information is provisional until 30 November 2025. You can check it through this link. To consult the language you will need to enter the CODE of the subject.

Name Group Language Semester Turn
(PAUL) Classroom practices 1 English first semester morning-mixed
(TE) Theory 1 English first semester morning-mixed