Literature and culture today: Reading television 2510-f1ENG2S-LCT-RT
- https://moodle.umk.pl/course/view.php?id=9603 (term 2025/26L)
The class aims to broaden and contextualise the students' knowledge concerning one of the dominant forms of early 21st century English-language culture, namely: scripted television series, with a particular focus on American television.
The course consists of an introductory module, familiarising the students with the American television landscape and its changes, the notion of the canon as it may be applied to television studies, and introducing relevant critical and theoretical approaches. The students will learn about generic distinctions and the chronology of selected influential English-language, American and co-produced TV series and the channels/distributors that broadcast them.
Subsequently, the students will learn about selected phenomena associated with contemporary television, such as the rise anti-hero drama, auteurial television series, the influence of societal and political changes (such as the recession or Obama's presidency) on television, discussing representation of masculinity and femininity, changing audiences and various storytelling modes.
Total student workload
Learning outcomes - skills
Course coordinators
Observation/demonstration teaching methods
Expository teaching methods
Exploratory teaching methods
- case study
- seminar
- practical
Prerequisites
Assessment criteria
Assessment of classroom performance and/or Moodle task completion showcasing knowledge of assigned readings documented by the teacher in an activity log. (U1, U2) (30%)
End of semester presentation (U1, U2, U3) (70%)
Final assignment is assessed with regard to using knowledge gained in class and researched sources, as well as correct presentation structure and English lexis and grammar.
Using AI in any way, including for research, generating text, paraphrasing or style improvement (e.g. by producing synonyms) of human-written text is absolutely forbidden. First offense will result in a 10-20% penalty (depending on the assignment) and require resubmission of all suspicious material. Second offense will result in failing the class.
Assessment criteria:
3 - 60-69%
3.5 - 70-75%
4 - 76-83%
4.5 - 84-90%
5 - 91-100%
Active participation in classes is obligatory in a tutorial; therefore, persistent lack of preparation or unexcused absences can lead to a lowered grade or result in a failing grade. The student must obtain a sufficient number of points (60%) in both presentation and classroom performance to pass the class.
Each class missed must be excused in a timely manner, and if appropriate, make-up assignments completed.
Additional information
Additional information (registration calendar, class conductors, localization and schedules of classes), might be available in the USOSweb system: