2010-2011: Senior Seminar (CULS 3301)
Students who need CULS 3301 (Senior Seminar) to fulfill the requirements for their Major in
Cultural Studies may choose from the following courses which have been approved as
substitutes . The courses below will, for the 2010-2011 academic year only, count as the required
Senior Seminar toward the Cultural Studies major.
** Two Important Notes:
** If you are taking any of the courses listed below as the Senior Seminar in 2010-2011
you must contact the interim coordinator of Cultural Studies, Dr. Karen Macfarlane
(karen.macfarlane@msvu.ca) to inform her of this designation. She will ensure that the
proper documentation is sent to the Registrar’s Office for approval and inclusion in your
file. If you do not inform the coordinator of the status of the course, it will not be
recorded as fulfilling that part of your degree requirement.
**The required Senior Seminar is 0.5 unit of study. Two of the courses below (ENGL
3354 and ENGL 4401) are 1.0 unit courses. If a student chooses to take these courses as
this requirement, 0.5 will be counted as the Senior Seminar and 0.5 unit will count as a
3000 level Cultural Studies credit.
Courses that may be counted as the required Senior Seminar in Cultural Studies for 20102011:
ENGL 3354: Issues in Modern Canadian Literature and Theory (1.0 unit)
F/W
MW 03:05 - 04:20
Dr. K. Macfarlane
This course focuses on the imagined construction of Canada as a nation through an
examination of cultural texts that influence and shape the development and perpetuation
of national identity. Our primary focus for this exploration will be on narratives of race as
they are addressed and represented in the texts discussed. Our focus will be on twentieth
century writing and culture (theory, fiction, poetry, drama, popular media and visual
culture). We will have a strong and sustained emphasis on critical theory throughout the
course. It is recommended that students begin reading the longest work on the course,
John Richardson’s Wacousta before the term begins.
ENGL 4401: Tolkien and Myth Making (1.0 unit)
F/W
M 06:05 – 08:35
Dr. A. Smol
This course examines Tolkien as a myth-maker and how writers and other artists coming after
him have extended his mythology by participating in the world that Tolkien created. In the first
term, the focus will be on understanding the medieval literature in which Tolkien was immersed
and on examining how he remade his sources. Second term will continue this discussion and will
also focus on what some cultural studies critics have called a contemporary form of mythmaking in the numerous adaptations of Tolkien’s stories in professional and fan genres.
RELS/PHIL 3380 Advanced Evil (0.5 unit)
Fall
T Th 01:30 – 02:45
Dr. R. Warne
This course examines an in-depth analysis of specific theories, representations, constructions and
topics regarding evil. Attention will be paid to the cultural work done by the category as well as
to metaphysical concerns.
WOMS 4412/PBRL 4405: Authentic Writing, Speaking and Gender (0.5 unit)
Winter
T 04:30 – 07:00pm
Dr. R. Deverell
This course will deal with the historical, cultural, social, and personal reasons it is difficult for
women, and men, to find their voices. The class work will be theoretical, practical and
interdisciplinary: concepts and texts will be used form psychology, media vocal work, gender
and cultural studies. The philosophy of the course is that effective writing and effective public
speaking come from the same place in individuals. We will do practical work on focused
speaking, listening, and writing that should be ideal oral thesis preparation.
Feel free to contact any of the above faculty members for information about these courses.