Edinburgh, United Kingdom

British Literature: 1900 to the Present

when 8 July 2024 - 17 August 2024
language English
duration 6 weeks
credits 6 EC
fee GBP 1100

The Text and Context programme provides comprehensive, interdisciplinary courses that examine literature from Britain and Ireland in the context of the key societal and cultural developments during the twentieth and the twenty-first century. The dynamic and diverse characteristics of more than a hundred years of English, Irish, and Scottish texts are studied in conjunction with recent developments in literary theory.

Modernism | 8th-20th July 2024

The Modernism module examines work by, among others, T.S. Eliot, Ford Madox Ford, Virginia Woolf and Jean Rhys and is designed to address the needs of students of all levels who wish to focus on Modernist aesthetics and explore in more detail this historical and cultural period. Lectures are complimented by visits to Mansfield Traquair, the National Gallery of Modern Art, the Scottish Poetry Library and much more!


Contemporary Literature | 22nd July - 3rd August 2024

The Contemporary Literature course covers British and Irish Literature since 1990. Texts include notable works by A. S. Byatt, Ali Smith, David Mitchell and David Greig, as well as the graphic novel. Activities include a Ceilidh, a Burns Supper, and a formal evening at the beautiful Playfair Library.


Scottish Literature | 5th -17th August 2024

The Scottish Literature course spans the twentieth and early-twenty-first centuries, beginning with Scottish Modernism and moving through Post-Modern and Contemporary Scottish Literature. The reading list includes poetry by Hugh MacDiarmid, Liz Lochhead and Edwin Morgan, plays by John McGrath and Gregory Burke, and fiction by Lewis Grassic Gibbon, Muriel Spark and Alasdair Gray. This exciting course takes place during the Edinburgh festival season, and includes a performance at the Edinburgh International Festival, as well as an evening at the Edinburgh International Book Festival.

Course leader

Students attend a 1-hour daily lecture, given by a guest speaker of established academic reputation, which provides a focused analysis of the critical, theoretical, and historical context of the literature. Following the lecture, students attend a 2-hour

Target group

Each 2-week Text and Context course is suitable for undergraduates, postgraduates, teachers, working professionals and academics. Students must be at least 18 years of age by the start date of the summer school to apply.

Course aim

The Scottish Universities’ International Summer School (SUISS) was founded as a non-profit organisation by Professor David Daiches in 1947. In the spirit of the Edinburgh International Festival, SUISS brings together students and academics who, irrespective of their national, religious, or cultural difference, share a love of literature.

Credits info

6 EC
Each Text & Context course is assessed according to an Essay (70%) and Class Participation (30%)

The 2-week literature courses are worth 12 SCOTCAT Credits

Contact Teaching Hours: 34
Expected Independent Study: 86
Total Hours: 120

SCOTCAT Credit Weighting: 12 points
(1 SCOTCAT point = 10 hour workload)
This equals 2.5 US Credits and 6 ECTS Credits

Fee info

GBP 1100: The course fee includes all lectures, seminars, masterclasses, full lending rights at the University of Edinburgh’s library, lunch on the weekdays, as well as an extensive social and cultural programme. Please note the prices are for one 2-week literature module. You have the option to attend one or more of the 2-week literature modules.
GBP 400: Students stay at the Pollock Halls of Residence, The University of Edinburgh’s student accommodation, which is situated adjacent to Arthur’s Seat, an extinct volcano. Pollock Halls is within walking distance of the city centre and the University buildings at George Square. We also offer non-residential and self-catered options.

Facilities include:

single study rooms
optional 3* en-suite
free internet access
a computer lab, a shop, a bar and an ATM
Breakfast and dinner at the Pollock Halls cafeteria

Scholarships

Please visit our website for details on the various scholarships we offer.