Key facts
UNE unit code: ENGL584
*You are viewing the 2025 version of this unit which may be subject to change in future.
- Trimester 3 - Online
- Armidale Campus
- Yes
- No
- No
- 6
Unit information
Much of what we know about crime and criminals derives from popular fiction and non-fiction genres of crime writing.
By placing crime and its control and regulation in the context of literary representations, and by employing interdisciplinary approaches, you will examine the interaction between literature and criminology to develop your understanding of the origins, development and cultural significance of crime writing in the texts from the nineteenth to the twenty-first century.
When studying this unit, you will be offered important insights into the popular appeal of crime writing which, in entertaining vast audiences, also plays an important role in mediating our perceptions about crime, criminality and crime control.
After completing this unit you will be able to speak with authority on the subject of crime fiction and non-fiction as a literary genre.
Offerings
For further information about UNE's teaching periods, please go to Principal Dates.
Teaching period | Mode/location |
---|---|
Trimester 3 | Online |
*Offering is subject to availability
Intensive schools
There are no intensive schools required for this unit.
Enrolment rules
Notes
Please refer to the student handbook for current details on this unit.
Unit coordinator(s)
Learning outcomes
Upon completion of this unit, students will be able to:
- independently differentiate and categorise the recurring thematic and narrative features of crime fiction;
- critically evaluate the strategies and mechanisms of established conventions within different sub-genres of crime fiction and recognise detailed ways in which the set text comply with or depart from those conventions;
- assess comprehensively the cultural and theoretical contexts that the set texts speak to and from in relation to crime and justice;
- integrate advanced understanding of a wide range of theoretical perspectives to the study crime fiction and the historical development of the genre, and
- formulate critical interpretations of the set texts and their contexts and communicate those ideas effectively by applying highly developed reading, writing and research skills.
Assessment information
Assessments are subject to change up to 8 weeks prior to the start of the teaching period in which you are undertaking the unit.
Title | Must Complete | Weight | Offerings | Assessment Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
Essay | Yes | 50% | All offerings | No. Words: 3500 |
Online Quiz | Yes | 10% | All offerings | No. Words: 500 equivalent |
Take Home Examination | Yes | 40% | All offerings | No. Words: 2500 equivalent |
Learning resources
Textbooks are subject to change up to 8 weeks prior to the start of the teaching period in which you are undertaking the unit.
Note: Students are expected to purchase prescribed material. Please note that textbook requirements may vary from one teaching period to the next.
And Then There Were None
ISBN: 9780008123208
Christie, A., Harper Collins 2015
Text refers to: All offerings
The Hound of the Baskervilles
ISBN: 9780199536962
Doyle, A.C., Oxford University Press 2009
Text refers to: All offerings
L.A. Confidential
ISBN: 9780099537885
Ellory, J., Picador 2011
Text refers to: All offerings
In Cold Blood: A True Account of a Multiple Murder and Its Consequences
ISBN: 9780241956830
Capote, T., Penguin 2012
Text refers to: All offerings
Blue Gold
ISBN: 9781982189341
Cussler, C. and Kemprecos, P., Simon & Schuster 2021
Text refers to: All offerings
A five-star experience
Five Stars,
18 Years in a Row
UNE is the only public uni in Australia awarded 18 straight years of five stars for Overall Experience
Good Universities Guide 2007-2024No.1 in NSW for
Student Experience
QILT (government-endorsed) ranks UNE as the top public NSW uni for Student Experience
QILT Student Experience SurveyFive Stars for
Teaching Quality
UNE rates among the top 20 per cent of universities in Australia for Teaching Quality
Good Universities Guide 2024Studying online
At UNE we know it takes more than just being online to be a great online university. It takes time and experience. We pioneered distance education for working adults back in the 1950s, so we’ve been doing this longer than any other Australian university.
We understand the challenges faced by busy adults studying at home. We know that a vital part of online study is your engagement with the learning community. Communication with your classmates, teaching staff and university support staff will enhance your study experience and ensure that your skills extend beyond the subject matter. UNE’s teaching staff are experts in their field which is why UNE consistently receives five stars from students for teaching quality, support and overall experience.*
*The Good Universities Guide
Stay connected
Register your interest and we'll keep you updated
Why study with us?
I'm grateful to UNE for the opportunities studying has given me, but above all, for making me realise I could actually do it, and giving me a sense of accomplishment.
What happens next?
Got any questions about a course you would like to study? Don’t hesitate to contact us, our Future Student team is standing by to help.
2025 applications are now open. The application process only takes 20 minutes to complete. Don’t delay, apply now!
Your start date is based on the study period you choose to apply for.