Program Overview

Course Overview

The course ENGL 117, Experiencing Fiction: Introduction to Narrative, is designed to provide students with essential tools for the study of narrative. Through the careful study of exceptional works of prose fiction, students will develop their skills in close writing, critical analysis, and literary interpretation.

Course Details

• Course Code: ENGL 117
• Duration: 6 July 2026 to 8 November 2026
• Trimester: Trimester 2
• CRN: 17039
• Fees:
  • Domestic students: NZ$1,156.00
  • International students: NZ$5,893.60
• Lecture Times:
  • Monday: 2.10pm
  • Thursday: 4.10pm
  • Friday: 1.10pm
• Campus: Kelburn
• Estimated Workload: Approximately 200 hours or 11.1 hours per week for 18 weeks
• Points: 20

Entry Restrictions

• Prerequisites: None
• Corequisites: None
• Restrictions: None

Taught By

The course is taught by the School of Arts and Media, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences.

Course Learning Objectives

Students who pass this course should be able to:

1. Understand the qualities of narrative through a range of critical and narrative texts
2. Display familiarity with important narratological terms and concepts
3. Develop the skills of critically focused reading through close analysis
4. Understand the relationship between narrative form and content
5. Explain the relationship between the formal features and content of selected narratives

How This Course is Taught

• The course requires attendance for some of its activities, with no online alternatives.
• There are three lectures per week, designed as in-person learning environments with no synchronous Zoom option.
• One tutorial per week, starting in week two, with attendance of at least 7 tutorials being a mandatory course requirement.
• Assessment can be submitted online.

Assessment

• Tutorial Passage Annotation Worksheets: 20% (8 x 2.5 marks each)
• Micro-Essay #1: 20% (700-750 words)
• Micro-Essay #2: 20% (700-750 words)
• Final Essay: 40% (1500 words maximum)

Mandatory Requirements

To pass this course, students must:

1. Attend at least 7 out of 10 tutorials.
2. Achieve an overall pass mark of at least 50%.

Required Texts

• Sula by Toni Morrison (2004, Vintage)
• Chappy by Patricia Grace (2015, Penguin Random House New Zealand Limited)
• The Return of the Soldier by Rebecca West (1998, Penguin)

Disclaimer

This course outline may be subject to change.