ALL260 - Australian Literature
Unit details
| Year | 2027 unit information |
|---|---|
| Enrolment modes | Trimester 2: Burwood (Melbourne), Waurn Ponds (Geelong), Online |
| Credit point(s) | 1 |
| EFTSL value | 0.125 |
| Unit chair | Trimester 2: Emily Potter |
| Prerequisite | Nil |
| Corequisite | Nil |
| Incompatible with | Nil |
| Educator-facilitated (scheduled) learning activities - on-campus unit enrolment | 1 x 1-hour online lecture per week 1 x 2-hour on-campus seminar per week |
| Educator-facilitated (scheduled) learning activities - online unit enrolment | 1 x 1-hour online lecture per week 1 x 2-hour online seminar per week or approximately 2-hours of online learning tasks and discussions per week |
| Typical study commitment | Students will on average spend 150-hours over the teaching period undertaking the teaching, learning and assessment activities for this unit. |
Content
This unit introduces students to a range of Australian texts, including works of fiction, poetry, film, drama, life writing, and non-fiction. The unit examines texts from the pre-colonial period until today, focusing in particular on the late 19th century to the present. Both settler and Indigenous writers are surveyed on the unit, from Patrick White and Les Murray to Kim Scott and Leah Purcell. The unit prompts students to consider how stories affect our broader conceptions of nation, Australia and Australianness. Key moments in Australian literary history will be surveyed, including major scandals, responses to colonisation and political movements, and contemporary climate thought. Students will be introduced to a range of thematic, theoretical and aesthetic approaches that will extend their understanding of textual engagement and production.
Learning outcomes
| ULO | These are the Unit Learning Outcomes (ULOs) for this unit. At the completion of this unit, successful students can: | Alignment to Deakin Graduate Learning Outcomes (GLOs) |
|---|---|---|
| ULO1 | Explain key theories, concepts and principles of history, forms and uses of Australia Literature | GLO1: Discipline-specific knowledge and capabilities |
| ULO2 | Employ a range of generic and bibliographic digital communication technologies to conduct literary research and deliver scholarly work | GLO5: Problem solving |
| ULO3 | Explain key theories, concepts and principles of literary scholarship, including the methodologies of close reading, critical analysis and presentation of ideas informed by relevant research via e-readings and other online unit materials | GLO1: Discipline-specific knowledge and capabilities GLO3: Digital literacy
|
| ULO4 | Demonstrate and document autonomy, responsibility, accountability and a continued commitment to learning and skill development, as a reflective practitioner in literary studies and profession | GLO1: Discipline-specific knowledge and capabilities GLO6: Self-management |
Note – From 2026, Deakin commenced introducing Graduate Attributes (GAs), which define the distinctive characteristics of a Deakin graduate. You may notice some units still refer to Graduate Learning Outcomes (GLOs) during this transition period.
Assessment
| Assessment Description | Student output | Grading and weighting (% total mark for unit) | Indicative due week |
|---|---|---|---|
| Assessment 1: Creative Exercise | 1000 words or equivalent | 25% | Week 5 |
| Assessment 2: Live debate/discussion | 1200 words or equivalent | 30% | Week 9 |
| Assessment 3: Comparative Essay | 1800 words or equivalent | 45% | Week 11 |
The assessment due weeks provided may change. The Unit Chair will clarify the exact assessment requirements, including the due date, at the start of the teaching period.
Hurdle requirements
To be eligible to obtain a pass in this unit, students must achieve an overall mark of at least 50% in assessment task 2: live debate/discussion to evidence a minimum proficiency in the aligned discipline learning outcomes included in this unit.
Learning resource
The texts and reading list for ALL260 can be found via the University Library.
Note: Select the relevant trimester reading list. Please note that a future teaching period's reading list may not be available until a month prior to the start of that teaching period so you may wish to use the relevant trimester's prior year reading list as a guide only.
Bring Your Own Device (BYOD)
To fully engage with Deakin's learning experiences, students must be able to access and use internet-connected devices as outlined in computing requirements at Deakin.
To support student success at Deakin, we have a bring-your-own-device (BYOD) learning environment that acknowledges that students and educators bring with them the digital tools they regularly use to complete academic tasks. These tools stay with you beyond the classroom, helping you to keep learning, explore ideas more deeply, and connect with knowledge in ways that matter to you.
Students requiring a loan device should visit our Loan Laptop webpage or students requiring longer-term assistance should visit our Student Financial Assistance webpage.
Unit fee information
Fees and charges vary depending on the type of fee place you hold, your course, your commencement year, the units you choose to study and their study discipline, and your study load.
Tuition fees increase at the beginning of each calendar year and all fees quoted are in Australian dollars ($AUD). Tuition fees do not include textbooks, computer equipment or software, other equipment or costs such as mandatory checks, travel and stationery.
For further information regarding tuition fees, other fees and charges, invoice due dates, withdrawal dates, payment methods visit our Current Students website.