LiU Summer Academy: Superman, Daisy Duck and Tintin: reading and learning in the world of comics, 7.5 credits

Main field of study

Course level

Advancement level

Entry requirements

To meet the general entry requirements, students must have completed 1 year full-time studies (passed 60 ECTS credits or equivalent) from one of Linköping University's partner universities upon application.

(Exemption from Swedish)

Intended learning outcomes

After completion of the course, students will be able to

• account for the historical development of the comics medium in relation to a cultural and social context
• analyse comics intertextually with literary or cultural analytical tools
• describe and discuss various multimodal functions of the comics medium
• account for a few didactic methods connected to comics.

Course content

The course studies comics from an aesthetic, as well as political and cultural, perspective, and the role of comics in society both historically and in present day. Within this framework the course sheds light on different forms of comics – strips, graphic novels, comics – and various genres (fiction, non-fiction, autobiographical, adventure etc.). The student is introduced to the historical and physical development of comics and encounters different type of stories from English-American, Belgo-French, Japanese, and Swedish comics tradition. The course also has a didactic focus that offers an in-depth exploration of the potential of comics as educational tools.

Teaching and working methods

The course consists of lectures, seminars and exercises around literary texts. The student is also expected to work independently with reading and writing to prepare for sessions.

Examination

The course is examined through an individual written exam and obligatory seminars. 

Detailed information about the way the course is examined can be found in the study guide for the course.

Applies to all courses regardless of grading scale.

• Students failing an exam covering either the entire course or part of the course two times are entitled to have a new examiner appointed for the reexamination.

If the course has a three-graded grading scale (U - VG), following applies:

• Students who have passed an examination may not retake it in order to improve their grades.

The following applies to courses that include a compulsory component:

• If special circumstances prevail, and if it is possible with consideration of the nature of the compulsory component, the examiner may decide to replace the compulsory component with another equivalent component.

If the LiU coordinator for students with disabilities has granted a student the right to an adapted examination for a written examination in an examination hall, the student has the right to it.

If the coordinator has recommended for the student an adapted examination or alternative form of examination, the examiner may grant this if the examiner assesses that it is possible, based on consideration of the course objectives.  

An examiner may also decide that an adapted examination or alternative form of examination if the examiner assessed that special circumstances prevail, and the examiner assesses that it is possible while maintaining the objectives of the course.

Grades

Other information

Planning and implementation of a course must take its starting point in the wording of the syllabus. The course evaluation included in each course must therefore take up the question how well the course agrees with the syllabus.

The course is conducted in such a way that there are equal opportunities with regard to sex, transgender identity or expression, ethnicity, religion or other belief, disability, sexual orientation and age.

If special circumstances prevail, the vice-chancellor may in a special decision specify the preconditions for temporary deviations from this course syllabus, and delegate the right to take such decisions.

About teaching and examination language

The teaching language is presented in the Overview tab for each course. The examination language relates to the teaching language as follows: 

• If teaching language is Swedish, the course as a whole or in large parts, is taught in Swedish. Please note that although teaching language is Swedish, parts of the course could be given in English. Examination language is Swedish.
• If teaching language is Swedish/English, the course as a whole will be taught in English if students without prior knowledge of the Swedish language participate. Examination language is Swedish or English (depending on teaching language).
• If teaching language is English, the course as a whole is taught in English. Examination language is English.

Department