Course Description

Science fiction is both a major genre of popular entertainment and an effective mode of social commentary. Students explore the formal conventions and the history of the genre, analyze a representative range of science fiction, and develop their critical appreciation of the role and place of science fiction in society. In addition to writing reflective and analytical assignments, students have an opportunity to create their own piece of science fiction.

General Education Theme Area(s)

This is a General Education course that supports learning in the following theme area(s): Arts in Society

Essential Employability Skills

This course contributes to your program by helping you achieve the following Essential Employability Skills:

EES 1 Communicate clearly, concisely and correctly in the written, spoken and visual form that fulfills the purpose and meets the needs of the audience. (A)
EES 2 Respond to written, spoken or visual messages in a manner that ensures effective communication. (A)
EES 6 Locate, select, organize and document information using appropriate technology and information systems. (A)
EES 7 Analyze, evaluate and apply relevant information from a variety of sources. (A)
EES 8 Show respect for diverse opinions, values, belief systems and contributions of others. (A)
Assessment Levels —T: Taught A: Assessed CP: Culminating Performance 

Course Learning Requirements / Embedded Knowledge and Skills

When you have earned credit for this course, you will have demonstrated the ability to:

1. Respond to a diverse range of Science Fiction.

  • Identify different Science Fiction themes.
  • Situate specific Science Fiction works in their historical and thematic context.
  • Relate works of Science Fiction to one another by recognizing shared themes, periods, and trends.
  • Distinguish Science Fiction from other genres of imaginative and conventional fiction.

2. Assess the role of Science Fiction in contemporary culture.

  • Interpret how Science Fiction explores and addresses important social, cultural, ethical, and political issues.
  • Analyze how Science Fiction represents contemporary scientific, technological, and environmental issues and problems.
  • Explain other functions of Science Fiction in contemporary culture.

3. Articulate critical responses to representative works and themes of Science Fiction.

  • Produce creative, persuasive, and analytical responses to Science Fiction.
  • Apply critical reading and analysis skills.
  • Analyze the role of various literary elements in texts, such as narrator, setting, point of view, and theme.

Pre-defined Evaluation / Earning Credit

The following list provides evidence of this course's learning achievements and the outcomes they validate:

Quiz(zes)/Test(s) (15%)

Validates Outcomes:  CLR 1, CLR 2, CLR 3, EES 2, EES 7

Discussion Forum (15%)

Validates Outcomes:  CLR 1, CLR 2, CLR 3, EES 1, EES 2, EES 8

Written Assignment(s) (35%)

Validates Outcomes:  CLR 1, CLR 2, CLR 3, EES 1, EES 2, EES 6, EES 7, EES 8

Assignment(s) (35%)

Validates Outcomes:  CLR 1, CLR 2, CLR 3, EES 1, EES 2, EES 6, EES 7

Learning Resources

Required Text

Shippey, Tom. The Oxford Book of Science Fiction Stories. Toronto: Oxford UP, 2003.

Recommended Texts

Access to  some supplementary materials will be provided to the student via the course site. These include a variety of written resources, as well as some audio and/or video resources.

Additional resources

Over the duration of the course students should also expect to refer to instances of Science Fiction available in the following formats:

  • Novels
  • Films/Videos
  • Television Shows
  • Graphic Novels
  • Magazines
  • Video Games

Some of these resources will be selected for students and access provided. In other cases, students may choose to select and procure their own resources.

Students may also conduct research on the internet and at the library.

Learning Activities

  • reading assignments
  • asynchronous online discussions
  • research of course-related material
  • reviews of short stories of your choice
  • online quizzes on reading assignments
  • creative work demonstrating genre conventions and importance of theme

Prior Learning Assessment and Recognition

Students who wish to apply for Prior Learning Assessment and Recognition (PLAR) need to demonstrate competency at a post-secondary level in all outlined course learning requirements. Evidence of learning achievement for PLAR candidates includes:

  • Portfolio
  • Other: Please consult the General Education Coordinator in your school and/or the PLAR Coordinator if you feel you are a candidate for PLAR.

Other Information

Grade Scheme

Final Grade Mark Equivalent Numeric Value Final Grade Mark Equivalent Numeric Value
A+ 90% - 100% 4.0 A 85% - 89% 3.8
A- 80% - 84% 3.6 B+ 77% - 79% 3.3
B 73% - 76% 3.0 B- 70% - 72% 2.7
C+ 67% - 69% 2.3 C 63% - 66% 2.0
C- 60% - 62% 1.7 D+ 57% - 59% 1.4
D 53% - 56% 1.2 D- 50% - 52% 1.0
F 0% - 49% 0 FSP 0 0

Course Related Information

Please refer to the Course Section Information (CSI) / weekly schedule for specific course-related information as provided by your professor.

Program Information

College Related Information

Algonquin College’s policies have been developed to ensure the health, safety and security of all students, faculty and staff, and the proper and fair operation of the College as an academic institution and employer.  Please refer to the Algonquin College Policies website for the most current policy information available at http://www.algonquincollege.com/policies/.

Students are especially encouraged to be aware of the following College expectations

Academic Integrity 
Algonquin College is committed to the highest standards of academic integrity, and students are expected to uphold these standards as part of the learning process. Any academic work submitted by a student is expected to be their own work, unless designated otherwise and all sources must be attributed. All students should be familiar with the Algonquin College policy AA48: Academic Integrity .  In some courses, online proctoring may be used to discourage cheating. Additional information can be found at https://www.algonquincollege.com/studentsupportservices/student-learning-kit/preparing-to-learn-online/. Students with any questions about the course expectations for academic dishonesty and plagiarism are encouraged to speak to their professor.

Centre for Accessible Learning
Students with visible and/or non-visible disabilities are encouraged to register with the Centre for Accessible Learning (CAL) in order to be eligible for appropriate learning supports and/or accommodations.  Students are strongly encouraged to make an appointment at the Centre for Accessible Learning as early as possible when starting a program. Once your needs are identified, a Letter of Accommodation (LOA) will be issued which you can share with your professors. If you are a returning student, please ensure that professors are given a copy of your LOA each semester.

College Email
Students at Algonquin College are provided with a college email account. This is the address that will be used when the College, your professors, or your fellow students communicate important information about your program or course activities.  Your network credentials can be found in the ACSIS portal and you are expected to check your Algonquin email regularly and to use it to send and receive college-related email. Support is available through the college Information Technology Service (ITS) at: https://www.algonquincollege.com/its/

Retroactive Accommodations
Students are expected to meet evaluation and completion deadlines as stated in course outline and course section information documents. In circumstances where evaluation and/or completion deadlines are missed or student performance has been affected by a temporary or permanent disability (including mental health), interim or retroactive accommodations may be considered. In such instances, please consult your course faculty member. For other situations where deferral of evaluations may be warranted, please consult Algonquin College Policy AA21: Deferred Evaluation.

Student Course Feedback
Algonquin College’s invites students to share their course experience by completing a student course feedback survey for each course they take. For further details consult Algonquin College Policy AA25: Student Course Feedback.

Use of Mobile Devices in Class
With the proliferation of small, personal mobile devices used for communications and data storage, Algonquin College believes there is a need to address their use during classes and examinations. During classes, the use of such devices can be  disruptive and disrespectful to others. During examinations, the use of such devices may facilitate cheating. For further details consult Algonquin College Policy AA32: Use of Mobile Devices in Class

Technology Requirements
As Algonquin College continues to respond to public health guidelines, many courses will be offered through remote delivery. As such, students will be required to have access to a computer and to the internet. There may also be additional technology-related resources required to participate in a course that are not included in the course materials fee, such as headphones, webcams, specialized software, etc. Details on these requirements can be found in the Course Section Information of the course outline for each course available on Brightspace.

Transfer of Credit
It is the student’s responsibility to retain course outlines for possible future use to support applications for transfer of credit to other educational institutions.