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Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences
62
English literature
and English studies
COURSE CODES:
PLACES 2012:
POINTS 2011:
DEGREE AWARDED:
TR023
40
495*
B.A.
TR001 (TSM)
85
520*-560*
TSM points:
See page 27
Special Entry Requirements:
Leaving Certificate
HC3
English
Advanced GCE (A-Level)
Grade C English literature
(A or B) or English
language (A or B
TR023 – English studies is a single honor course where
English is read almost exclusively for four years.
TR001 – English literature (TSM) cannot be studied as
a single honor course. It must be combined with one
other subject within the two-subject moderatorship (TSM)
programme. TSM is a joint honor programme. An honors
degree is awarded in both subjects. For subjects that
combine with English literature see page 36.
English studies
(Single honor) – TR023
The study of English is concerned with the history and practices
of writing in English and encompasses literary works spanning
English, Anglo-Irish, American and emerging post-colonial
cultures. It aims to develop a thorough knowledge of the
history of these literatures while also enabling you to develop
a sophisticated critical consciousness and an awareness of
critical and cultural theory. Compared to English literature (TSM)
students, English studies students study literature in terms of
developing genres (Poetry, the Novel, Theatre, the Essay) and
they also cover a longer historical range, including literature from
before 1400.
English literature
(TSM joint honors) – TR001
English literature covers a broad range of literatures written in
the English language, from Chaucer to the present day. The aim
of the course is to help you acquire a thorough knowledge of the
history of differing literatures while also enabling you to develop
a sophisticated critical consciousness and an awareness of
critical and cultural theory.
While TSM students cover all the principal areas of literatures
in English, the course is less extensive than that of the single
honor programme, with less emphasis on the development of
genres, and a concentration on the modern period (post 1400).
Is this the right course for you?
If you want to study the whole range of developments in English
and related literatures, from their earliest beginnings through to
contemporary studies in the language you would enjoy either
English literature or English studies.
English at Trinity College
The School of English is strongly committed to
small-group
teaching.
In the first two years teaching is by a combination
of lectures and related tutorials. For TSM students, lectures
will typically have a maximum of around 150 students, while
single honors only lectures will typically have a maximum
of around 50. All Freshman (first and second year) lecture
modules are supported by small-group teaching dedicated to
that module only, and
the numbers for tutorials are around
10-12 students
. In the Sophister (third and fourth) years, most
of your English modules are chosen by you from a wide range of
available options, most are taught through seminar discussion.
There is a maximum of around 22 students in each seminar.
Our English courses have been designed to develop
independence of critical thought and the articulation of informed
discussion, both oral and written. Much of your work will be
undertaken independently, and you will have at your disposal the
resources of a world-famous library.
The School of English also coordinates many non-syllabus
activities, such as lecture series, conferences and symposia,
guest lecturers (such as Anne Enright, winner of the 2007
Man Booker Prize, and Professor Harry Clifton, The Ireland
Chair of Poetry) and visiting writers. Richard Ford, the Pulitzer
prizewinning author, and Sir Terry Pratchett, the bestselling
satirist and fantasy writer, are both Adjunct Professors in the
School.
The School actively supports several journals of creative
writing by undergraduates. In this way we ensure that your time
studying English at Trinity College is exciting and intense.
Course content
The English courses are designed so that the first two years
consist of almost entirely compulsory modules, taught mainly
through a combination of lectures and tutorials. Students take
a variety of modules, based on period, genre, theme and
nationality, and Theories of literature is one of the major modules
in the first year. After the first two years, students are free to
construct their own course in the advanced work that will lead to
their degree.
Our commitment to small-group teaching means that you will
benefit from close personal staff supervision, so that your writing
and discussion skills will develop. The model of assessment
means that from short first-year essays of around 1,500
words, you will by your final year be prepared to tackle major
independent research projects of up to 12,000 words. Individual
independent study and research are encouraged, and quite a
high proportion of your time will be taken up preparing work in
the library and writing essays.