M.A. Literature-in-English

Master of Arts in Literature-in-English

M.A. Literature-in-English

1. List of Academic Staff

Name	Status and Qualifications	Research Interests
T. A. Alabi	Professor & Head of DepartmentB.A. (Ed.), M.A., Ph.D. (Ilorin)	Stylistics, AppliedLinguistics, Phonetics, Phonology
C. A. Bodunde	Professor B.A. (ABU, Zaria); M.A. (Ibadan); Ph.D.(Ilorin)	Poetry, Literary Theory, Creative Writing
A. S. Abubakar	Professor B.A. (BU, Kano), M.A., Ph.D., PGDE.(Ilorin)	Dramatic Theory, Practice,Oral Performance, Creative Writing
Binta F. Ibrahim	Professor B.A., M.A., Ph.D. (Ilorin)	Drama, Oral Literary Study
K. A. Abdullahi	Reader B.A. (BU, Kano); M.A. (Ilorin); Ph.D.(ABU, Zaria)	African, Blank Diaspora Literature
O. I. Dunmade	Senior Lecturer B.A., M.A. (OAU, Ile-Ife); Ph.D. (Ilorin),Ph.D. (Ado-Ekiti)	Poetry, Literary Criticism
K. N. Afolayan	Senior Lecturer B.A. (Ilorin); M.A. (Lagos); Ph.D. (Ilorin)	Fictional Literature andCriticism
Foluke R. Aliyu	Senior Lecturer B.A., M.A., Ph.D. (Ilorin)	Feminist Literature,Creative Writing

B. Introduction

The programme exposes students to studies in Literature-in-English at a higher level. Its contents are designed to assist students to acquire the necessary competencies for higher analytic thinking. The programme will aslo help the students to make more efficient judgments, and develop more holistically as individuals to enable them to contribute more meaningfully to the development of society.

C. Philosophy

The philosophy of the programme is the training and development of scholars whose critical inquiries into the use of the Literature-in-English as a medium of communication in L₂ situations in both regular communication and creative writing would re-assert human values, and appreciate the complexity of human motivation and actions. The products of this programme are expected to acquire literary and critical analytic competencies that would enable them to exhibit a higher proficiency, beyond the undergraduate level, in the use of English in a variety of discourse situations, as well as interpret literary works in the English Language.

D. Aim and Objectives

The programme aims to expose students to advanced knowledge in the Literature-in-English disciplines. The objectives of the programme are to:

1. Produce scholars who would utilise their knowledge of Literature in English, for human, national, African, and global development;
2. Produce students who would also be expected to apply their knowledge for the advancement of humanity; and
3. Produce students to highlight awareness especially through equipping and motivating them for full and balanced development of their personality and the need for replication and the refinement of the same.

E. Admission Requirements

1. All candidates must possess a minimum of five ‗O‘ Level Credits subjects including English Language and Literature-in-English.
2. Candidates must possess a good Bachelor’s degree in English Language or Literature-in-English, or B.A. Education/English or Linguistics not lower than a Second Class (Lower Division) from a recognised university.
3. All candidates except graduates of the University of Ilorin with at least Second Class Upper Honours shall be subjected to a selection process.

F. Duration of the Programme

1. The Full-time programme shall run for a minimum of 18 calendar months and a maximum of 24 calendar months.
2. The Part-time programme shall run for a minimum of 24 calendar months and maximum of 36 calendar months.

G. Detailed Course Description

ENG 802 Advanced Stylistics 3 Credits

Linguistic and literary features of spoken and written: literary and non-literary English/situational varieties of the language. Modes of analysis. 45h (T); C

ENG 821 Studies in African Fiction 3 Credits 

Study of African prose fiction in its various forms and modes. Intensive study of representative works from diverse cultural, socio-historical, political, and religious milieux. Emphasis on the cross-fertilisation of ideas and the influence of traditional African aesthetics of myth, proverb, and legend. Exploration of the works of Chinua Achebe, Thomas Mofolo, Nurudin Farah, Besie Head, Buchi Emecheta, Sembene Ousmane, Ngugi wa Thiong‘O, Alex La Guma, Naguib Mahfouz, Dambudzo Marechera, Ben Okri, Flora Nwapa, Adimora Akachi-Ezeigbo. 45h (T); C

ENG 822   Studies in Poetry of Conflict and Conviction 3 Credits

Study of selected works of representative African poets on conflicts: cultural, ethical, ideological, civil wars, pre-and-post-independent struggles. Exploration of the poetry of Christopher Okigbo, Wole Soyinka, Kofi Awoonor, Kofi Anyidoho, Dennis Brutus, Niyi Osundare, Funso Aiyejina, Jack Mapanje, Jared Angira. 45h (T); C

ENG 823 Advanced Literary Criticism 3 Credits 

Study of theoretical and critical approaches to literary criticism. The intersection of literature and other disciplines. Interaction of literature: philosophy, sociology, political economy, psychology. Identification of theoretical terms: phenomenology, sociological criticism, marxism, psychoanalysis, formalism. Application of selected theories to literature. 45h (T); C

ENG 824 African Drama: Theory and Practice 3 Credits

Principles and theories in African drama and theatre. Concepts and theories of specific theatre practitioners in stages and across African countries. Exploration of the works of Wole Soyinka, Femi Osofisan, Olu Obafemi, Ibrahim Hussein. Production of a full play or an excerpt. 15h (T); 90h (P); C

ENG 825   Advanced Literature of the Black Diaspora 3 Credits

Study of prose fiction, poetry, and drama of black diasporan writers from the Caribbean, America, and Europe with emphasis on ideological influences, styles, and thematic concerns. Comparisons across different stages and periods. 45h (T); C

ENG 826 Studies in Oral Literature 3 Credits African traditional oral forms in relation to African world order, worldview, philosophy, cosmology, legend, myth, epic, and belief system. Thematic basis of the oral contents and their functional use in various African demographic areas: Bantu, Basotho, Zulu, Tswana, Hausa, Igbo, Yoruba. Mode and style as represented in the oral prose, poetry, and drama. Patterns of imagery, satire, irony, and other figures of speech linked with the written forms in contemporary written African literature. Analysis of the subsidiary parts of the major oral literary genres. 30h (T); 45h (P); C

ENG 827 European Literature from the 21^st Century 3 Credits European literature: Russia, Germany, Italy, Canada. Written in or translated into English. Emphasis on the influence of history, culture, and socio-political developments in the region on the aesthetics of the literature. Focus on prominent European writers of the period. 45h (T); E

ENG 828   Advanced Studies in American Literature 3 Credits

Study of selected American writers from the pre-American civil war era to the modern period. Focus on American poetry, drama, and prose on the aesthetics of the American dream. Negro and racial issues. New cosmopolitanism of America. The collapse of the American spiritual. Traditional and family values. Nostalgia for the past. Violence and widespread alienation of the American woman in a world of power and luxury. 45h (T); E

ENG 829 Popular Literature and the Mass Media 3 Credits Scope. Purpose. Perspectives of popular literature and the mass media. Literature and primary orality. Literature and secondary orality. Technologising the word. Intensive stylistic and thematic analysis and presentation of selected literature in the mass media, folklore, myths. Impact of the mass media on literature. 45h (T); E

ENG 830 Studies in Postcolonial Literature 3 Credits Features of the postcolonial literary movement with an emphasis on decolonisation and cultural revival. How selected writers manifest these in their writings. Literary theories emanating from the movement. 45h (T); E

ENG 831 Creative Writing: Skills and Techniques 3 Credits Intensive study of and practice in the skills and techniques appropriate to various literary genres: fiction, verse, drama, biography, and autobiography. Presentation of individual projects in three successive drafts in writing: poetry, drama, or prose fiction. 45h (T); E

ENG 832 Research Seminar in Literature 3 Credits Seminar on literary research focusing on major literary genres. Forum for students to exchange ideas and profit from lecturers in various special fields in literary studies. 45h (T); E

ENG 834 Studies in Comparative Literature 3 Credits Study of the concept. Scope. Purpose and perspectives of comparative literature. Correspondences in aesthetics. Socio-political and philosophical ideas in literary works across national borders. 45h (T); E

ENG 840 Dissertation 6 Credits

Short dissertation of not more than 15,000 words: excluding appendices. Original research in English literature. 270h (P); C

H. Graduation Requirements

To be eligible for the award of the M.A. degree in Literature-in-English, a student must have taken the specified core and elective courses and passed 30 Credits as follows:

I. Summary

Core Courses 30 Credits

Elective Courses 6 Credits Total 30 Credits

First Semester

Core Courses: ENG 801 (3), 821 (3), 823 (3), 825 (3) 12 Credits

Electives Courses: ENG 827 (3), 829 (3), 831 (3) 3 Credits

Second Semester

Core Courses: ENG 802 (3), 822 (3), 824 (3), 826 (3), 840 (6) 18 Credits

Electives Courses: ENG 828 (3), 830 (3), 832 (3), 834 (3) 3 Credits

Total 36 Credits