EUB255 Literature: Theory and Practice
To view more information for this unit, select Unit Outline from the list below. Please note the teaching period for which the Unit Outline is relevant.
| Unit code: | EUB255 |
|---|---|
| Equivalent(s): | LCB322 |
| Credit points: | 12 |
| Timetable | Details in HiQ, if available |
| Availabilities |
|
| CSP student contribution | $592 |
| Domestic tuition unit fee | $3,816 |
| International unit fee | $4,932 |
Unit Outline: Semester 2 2026, Kelvin Grove, Internal
| Unit code: | EUB255 |
|---|---|
| Credit points: | 12 |
| Equivalent: | LCB322 |
| Coordinator: | Julie Arnold | j7.arnold@qut.edu.au |
Overview
This unit provides you with opportunities to explore literature and fiction, theories of how literary works are produced, and to engage in creative writing. You will explore, as both consumers and creators, how fictional texts can convey and transform personal and cultural perspectives. The unit invites you to draw on a wide repertoire of fiction across media when you interpret and create texts for a range of cultural purposes.
Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of this unit you will be able to:
- Demonstrate a wide knowledge of historical and contemporary literary theories and techniques of creative writing.
- Evaluate and reflect critically on fictional works using literary theory.
- Understand and evaluate the nature of readers' responses to fictional texts.
- Demonstrate skills of creative thinking and imagination through your own original creative writing and the exploration of how literary texts shape perceptions of the world and enable us to enter into the worlds of others.
- Engage in the critical exploration of ways in which literary and non-literary texts may reflect or challenge social and cultural ways of thinking and influence diverse audiences, and through the reading and creation of texts demonstrate an empathy for others and an appreciation of different perspectives.
- Communicate effectively in both written and spoken language.
Content
In this unit you will learn about:
- Literary theories, including traditional aesthetic and moral criticism, notions of the canon and 'great literature', reader response and reception theory, semiotics and structuralism, ecocriticism and literary animal studies, fan fiction and transformative fiction, genre, experimental fiction, definitions of narrative, identity criticism;
- Applying literary theory to a critical understanding of a wide diversity of fictional texts including novels, short stories, drama, poetry, film and television, music videos, graphic novels, online games etc.
- Responding to, and analysing, literary and fictional texts creatively and critically both as a consumer and a producer;
- Analysing the ways cultural assumptions, attitudes, values and beliefs underpin texts from diverse times and places inviting readers, viewers and listeners to take up different positions; and
- Techniques of creative and imaginative writing.
You will develop the following skills and capabilities:
- Understanding of literary theories and how to apply them to individual texts;
- Understanding of a wide diversity of literary and fictional texts; and
- Skills of creative and imaginative writing.
Learning Approaches
A tutorial will be conducted each week supported by an online lecture and other online learning resources. The lectures will focus on aspects of literary theory and in tutorials you will look at how to apply the theories and also undertake exercises in creative writing.
Materials and activities are designed to engage you in your learning through a range of learning approaches including explicit teaching and learning, debate and discussion. You are expected to come to class prepared, having done any prescribed reading, viewing, writing and thinking.
Literacy and 21st century skills of critical and creative thinking, communication and personal and social interaction are emphasised in this unit.
Feedback on Learning and Assessment
You will gain formative feedback in this unit from your lecturer and other students through your participation in regular tutorial discussions. You will also receive written feedback from your lecturer on both pieces of summative assessment.
Assessment
Overview
Assessment tasks in the unit are designed to allow you to demonstrate learning achievement in both scholarly and creative modes. Assessment 1 asks you to create an original literary text, making use of your knowledge of contemporary literary theories and techniques of creative writing. In Assessment 2, you will participate in a panel discussion, where you will present a short critical reflection on a fictional work and engage with your peers to explore how literary and non-literary texts may reflect or challenge social and cultural ways of thinking and influence diverse audiences. Both tasks allow you to develop and demonstrate skills of analysis, critique, evaluation and creativity.
Unit Grading Scheme
7- point scale
Assessment Tasks
Assessment: Imaginative narrative
Select a commercially published fiction text of any kind suitable for readers no younger than 12 years. Use an aspect of the text (including but not limited to a concept, social group, character, individual, setting/place, generic or stylistic pattern) as a springboard for an imaginative narrative.
The use of generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) tools is prohibited during this assessment.
This assignment is eligible for the 48-hour late submission period and assignment extensions.
Assessment: Panel discussion at a writer's festival
Participate in a panel discussion where you will (a) present a short critical reflection on a fictional work of your choice by applying a literary theory learned in this unit (b) with your tutor in role as discussant, engage in a discussion with your peers to explore how you have made use of literary theories and techniques of creative writing in your own work.
This is a group task, individually marked. To prepare, students will read the imaginative narrative of each group member from Assessment 1.
The use of generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) tools is prohibited during this assessment.
Academic Integrity
Academic integrity is a commitment to undertaking academic work and assessment in a manner that is ethical, fair, honest, respectful and accountable.
The Academic Integrity Policy sets out the range of conduct that can be a failure to maintain the standards of academic integrity. This includes, cheating in exams, plagiarism, self-plagiarism, collusion and contract cheating. It also includes providing fraudulent or altered documentation in support of an academic concession application, for example an assignment extension or a deferred exam.
You are encouraged to make use of QUT’s learning support services, resources and tools to assure the academic integrity of your assessment. This includes the use of text matching software that may be available to assist with self-assessing your academic integrity as part of the assessment submission process.
Breaching QUT’s Academic Integrity Policy or engaging in conduct that may defeat or compromise the purpose of assessment can lead to a finding of student misconduct (Code of Conduct – Student) and result in the imposition of penalties under the Management of Student Misconduct Policy, ranging from a grade reduction to exclusion from QUT.
Resources
Provided on Canvas
Risk Assessment Statement
There are no out-of-the-ordinary risks associated with the general conduct of this unit. Workplace health and safety protocols in relation to computer use will apply.
Unit Outline: Semester 2 2026, Online
| Unit code: | EUB255 |
|---|---|
| Credit points: | 12 |
| Equivalent: | LCB322 |
Overview
This unit provides you with opportunities to explore literature and fiction, theories of how literary works are produced, and to engage in creative writing. You will explore, as both consumers and creators, how fictional texts can convey and transform personal and cultural perspectives. The unit invites you to draw on a wide repertoire of fiction across media when you interpret and create texts for a range of cultural purposes.
Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of this unit you will be able to:
- Demonstrate a wide knowledge of historical and contemporary literary theories and techniques of creative writing.
- Evaluate and reflect critically on fictional works using literary theory.
- Understand and evaluate the nature of readers' responses to fictional texts.
- Demonstrate skills of creative thinking and imagination through your own original creative writing and the exploration of how literary texts shape perceptions of the world and enable us to enter into the worlds of others.
- Engage in the critical exploration of ways in which literary and non-literary texts may reflect or challenge social and cultural ways of thinking and influence diverse audiences, and through the reading and creation of texts demonstrate an empathy for others and an appreciation of different perspectives.
- Communicate effectively in both written and spoken language.
Content
In this unit you will learn about:
- Literary theories, including traditional aesthetic and moral criticism, notions of the canon and 'great literature', reader response and reception theory, semiotics and structuralism, ecocriticism and literary animal studies, fan fiction and transformative fiction, genre, experimental fiction, definitions of narrative, identity criticism;
- Applying literary theory to a critical understanding of a wide diversity of fictional texts including novels, short stories, drama, poetry, film and television, music videos, graphic novels, online games etc.
- Responding to, and analysing, literary and fictional texts creatively and critically both as a consumer and a producer;
- Analysing the ways cultural assumptions, attitudes, values and beliefs underpin texts from diverse times and places inviting readers, viewers and listeners to take up different positions; and
- Techniques of creative and imaginative writing.
You will develop the following skills and capabilities:
- Understanding of literary theories and how to apply them to individual texts;
- Understanding of a wide diversity of literary and fictional texts; and
- Skills of creative and imaginative writing.
Learning Approaches
A tutorial will be conducted each week supported by an online lecture and other online learning resources. The lectures will focus on aspects of literary theory and in tutorials you will look at how to apply the theories and also undertake exercises in creative writing.
Materials and activities are designed to engage you in your learning through a range of learning approaches including explicit teaching and learning, debate and discussion. You are expected to come to class prepared, having done any prescribed reading, viewing, writing and thinking.
Literacy and 21st century skills of critical and creative thinking, communication and personal and social interaction are emphasised in this unit.
Feedback on Learning and Assessment
You will gain formative feedback in this unit from your lecturer and other students through your participation in regular tutorial discussions. You will also receive written feedback from your lecturer on both pieces of summative assessment.
Assessment
Overview
Assessment tasks in the unit are designed to allow you to demonstrate learning achievement in both scholarly and creative modes. Assessment 1 asks you to create an original literary text, making use of your knowledge of contemporary literary theories and techniques of creative writing. In Assessment 2, you will participate in a panel discussion, where you will present a short critical reflection on a fictional work and engage with your peers to explore how literary and non-literary texts may reflect or challenge social and cultural ways of thinking and influence diverse audiences. Both tasks allow you to develop and demonstrate skills of analysis, critique, evaluation and creativity.
Unit Grading Scheme
7- point scale
Assessment Tasks
Assessment: Imaginative narrative
Select a commercially published fiction text of any kind suitable for readers no younger than 12 years. Use an aspect of the text (including but not limited to a concept, social group, character, individual, setting/place, generic or stylistic pattern) as a springboard for an imaginative narrative.
The use of generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) tools is prohibited during this assessment.
This assignment is eligible for the 48-hour late submission period and assignment extensions.
Assessment: Panel discussion at a writer's festival
Participate in a panel discussion where you will (a) present a short critical reflection on a fictional work of your choice by applying a literary theory learned in this unit (b) with your tutor in role as discussant, engage in a discussion with your peers to explore how you have made use of literary theories and techniques of creative writing in your own work.
This is a group task, individually marked. To prepare, students will read the imaginative narrative of each group member from Assessment 1.
The use of generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) tools is prohibited during this assessment.
Academic Integrity
Academic integrity is a commitment to undertaking academic work and assessment in a manner that is ethical, fair, honest, respectful and accountable.
The Academic Integrity Policy sets out the range of conduct that can be a failure to maintain the standards of academic integrity. This includes, cheating in exams, plagiarism, self-plagiarism, collusion and contract cheating. It also includes providing fraudulent or altered documentation in support of an academic concession application, for example an assignment extension or a deferred exam.
You are encouraged to make use of QUT’s learning support services, resources and tools to assure the academic integrity of your assessment. This includes the use of text matching software that may be available to assist with self-assessing your academic integrity as part of the assessment submission process.
Breaching QUT’s Academic Integrity Policy or engaging in conduct that may defeat or compromise the purpose of assessment can lead to a finding of student misconduct (Code of Conduct – Student) and result in the imposition of penalties under the Management of Student Misconduct Policy, ranging from a grade reduction to exclusion from QUT.
Resources
Provided on Canvas
Risk Assessment Statement
There are no out-of-the-ordinary risks associated with the general conduct of this unit. Workplace health and safety protocols in relation to computer use will apply.