HomeJUPEB Syllabus 2026JUPEB Literature-in-English Syllabus 2026/2027 & Textbooks

JUPEB Literature-in-English Syllabus 2026/2027 & Textbooks

By February 5, 2026 JUPEB Syllabus 2026 0 Comments

The JUPEB Literature-in-English Syllabus 2026/2027: (subject code LIT) prepares candidates for Direct Entry admissions through a detailed study of African and Non-African drama, poetry, and prose, emphasizing critical analysis, textual study, and literary devices. It covers genres like tragedy, comedy, novels, and poetry, along with unseen passages and general literary principles.

The JUPEB Literature-in-English Syllabus 2026: (Art – J126) focuses on equipping students with critical skills through the study of African and non-African drama, prose, and poetry across two semesters. It covers literary terms, analysis techniques, and prescribed texts to prepare students for university-level studies in arts, education, and humanities.

JUPEB Literature-in-English Syllabus 2026/2027

JUPEB First Semester Courses Literature-in-English

COURSE CODECOURSE TITLE CREDIT LOAD
LIT001Introduction to Drama3 Units
LIT002Prose Fiction 3 Units

JUPEB FIRST SEMESTER Literature-in-English SYLLABUS

 JUPEB LITERATURE-IN-ENGLISH SYLLABUS
SNTOPICSOBJECTIVES
 FIRST SEMESTER
 LIT001: INTRODUCTION TO DRAMA
1INTRODUCTIONi. Definition of drama/theatreii. Origin of drama/theatreiii. The relevance of drama to the societyiv. Types/Forms of drama: Tragedy, Comedy, Melodrama, Farce etc.v. The Structure of drama: Plot (conflict, resolution and meaning), Character, Language, Themes etc. Illustration
2THE CLASSICAL TRADITIONi. Introduction to Classical tradition in Dramaii. Major playwrights and theorists of the classical tradition: Sophocles, Aeschylus, Euripides, Aristophanes, Aristotle etc.iii. [Sophocles’ King Oedipus and Antigone are recommended texts to be used in illustrating background to, aspects and tradition of Classical drama and theatre
3EUROPEAN DRAMA (THE RENAISSANCE TRADITION)i. Background to Renaissance Drama: William Shakespeare, Christopher Marlowe, etc.ii. WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE: Shakespeare’s England, Drama in the Elizabethan and Jacobean Ages, Shakespeare’s Contemporariesii. TEXUAL STUDIES: Macbeth, Twelfth Night, Hamlet, Merchant of Venice. It is expected that candidates should do an in-depth study of at least one tragedy and one comedy. In doing this, attention should be paid to the structure and elements of drama. A very detailed study is recommended.
4EUROPEAN DRAMA (THE MODERN TRADITION)i. Background to Modern Drama: Henrik Ibsen, George Bernard Shaw, John Osborne, Anton Chekhov, Betolt Bretch, Samuel Becket etc.ii. Henrik Ibsen and George Bernard Shaw: Drama in the Modern Period, Ibsen, Shaw and the Modern Society.iii. TEXTUAL STUDIES: An in-depth textual analysis of G. B. Shaw’s Mra Warren’s Profession or Henrik Ibsen’s Hedda Gabler
5AMERICAN DRAMA(TGE MODERN TRADITION)i. Background to American Drama: Arthur Miller, Tennessee Williams, August Wilson, Amiri Baraka, etc.ii. August Wilson and Amiri Baraka: Drama in the Modern American Society.iii. TEXTUAL STUDIES: An in-depth textual analysis of Wilson’s Fences or Baraka’s Dutchman.
6AFRICAN DRAMA(THE MODERN TRADITION)i. Background to African Drama: Wole Soyinka, J. P. Clark-Bekederemo, Zulu Sofola, Tess Onwueme, Femi Osofisan, etc..ii. WoleSoyinka and Ama Ata Aidoo: Drama in the Modern African Society.iii. TEXTUAL STUDIES: An in-depth textual analysis of Soyuinka’s Death and the King’s Horseman or Aidoo’s Dilemma of a Ghost.
 LIT002: PROSE FICTION
7INTRODUCTIONi. Definition of Prose Fictionii. Development of the Novel Tradition/Modern Prose Fictioniii. Types/Forms of Prose Fiction: African, non-African, Short story, Novella, Novel, etc.iv. The Structure of Prose: Plot (conflict, resolution and meaning), Character, Language, Themes, Setting etc.v. The relevance of Prose to the society
8THE EUROPEAN PROSE TRADITIONi. Introduction to European Prose Tradition 4ii. Major prose writers of the European prose tradition: Daniel Defoe, Henry Fielding, George Eliot, Jane Austen, James Joyce, etciii. [Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice and E. M. Forster’s A Passage to India are recommended texts to be used in illustrating background to, aspects and tradition of European Prose tradition].
9AFRICAN PROSE (MODERN AFRICAN NOVEL)i. Background to Modern African novel: Chinua Achebe, Wole Soyinka, Elechi Amadi, Ngugi wa Thiong’O, Ayi Kwei Armah, Sembene Ousmane, etc.ii. Chinua Achebe’s A Man of the People and wa Thiong’ O’s A Grain of Wheatiii. TEXTUAL STUDIES: Thematic preoccupation, setting, characters and characterization, plot structure, etc of the two novels to be analysed

JUPEB Second Semester Courses for Literature-in-English

COURSE CODECOURSE TITLECREDIT LOAD 
LIT003Introduction To Prose 3 Units
LIT004Unseen Prose & Poetry 3 Units

JUPEB SECOND SEMESTER Literature-in-English SYLLABUS

 SECOND SEMESTER
 LIT003: INTRODUCTION TO POETRY
10INTRODUCTIONi. Definition of Poetry and the poem

ii. Traditional and Modern Poetry (Oral and Written).

iii. Types/Forms of Poetry: Lyric, Ode, Ballad, Dirge, Epic, Sonnet, The Free Verse and Blank Verse etc.

iv. The relevance of Poetry to the society
11THE CLASSICAL TRADITIONi. The Structure of the Poem: Versification and Stanza Forms, Cantos; Plot (conflict, resolution and meaning), Character, Language, Themes etc.

ii. Introduction to Classical Tradition in Poetry

iii. Major poets and theorists of the classical tradition: Homer, Ovid, Plato Aeneas etc.

iv. [Ovid’s Metamorphoses I-V is the recommended text to be used in illustrating background to, aspects and tradition of Classical poetry].
12EUROPEAN POETRY (THE MEDIEVAL AND RENAISSANCE TRADITIONS)i. Background to Medieval and Renaissance Poetry: Geoffrey Chaucer, Sir Thomas Wyatt, Surrey, Edmund Spencer, Sir Walter Raleigh, John Milton, William Shakespeare, John Donne etc.ii. The rise of English Language from vernacular status to acceptable international level should be studied. Chaucer’s, Wyatt’s, Shakespeare’s, Pope’s contributions as well as the general conditions of poetry in the Medieval, Elizabethan, Jacobean, Caroline, Restoration and Augustan Ages should be studied.iii. TEXUAL STUDIES: Geoffrey Chaucer: General Prologue, Wife of Bath’s Tale; John Milton: Paradise Lost Bks 1 & 2; Alexander Pope: The Rape of the Lock; John Donne: “Holy Sonnet;” Andrew Marvell: “To His Coy Mistress.” George Herbert: “The Collar:” It is expected that candidates should do an in-depth study of at least three major poets. In doing this, attention should be paid to the structure and elements of Poetry. A very detailed study is recommended.
13EUROPEAN POETRY ( 19th and 20th CENTURIES)i. Background to The Romantic, Victorian Edwardian and Modern Poetry: William Worthsworth’s Preface to The Lyrical Ballads should serve as a good introduction to The Romantic and Later traditions.ii. William Worthsworth’s “Resolution and Independence;” John Keats’ “The Eve of St. Agness;” Thomas Hardy’s “The Ruined Maid” and “A Church Romance;” T. S. Eliot’s “The Waste Land;” W. B. Yeats’ “The Second Coming Shaw and the Modern Society are expected to be studied comprehensively
14AMERICAN POETRY (THE MODERN TRADITION)i. Background to AFRICAN Poetry: Oral and Written; Interface between the Oral and the Written forms.

ii. Anonymity and Authorship; Examples of modern authors: Wole Soyinka, Christopher Okigbo, Kofi Awoonor, Dennis Brutus, Masizi Kunene etc.

iii. TEXTUAL STUDIES: An in-depth textual analyses of Soyinka’s “The Four Archetypes” Christopher Okigbo’s “Path of Thunder” Kofi Awoonor’s “Songs of Sorrow” Masizi Kunene’s Emperor Shaka The Great and Okot p’Bitek’s Song of Lawino are recommended
 LIT004: UNSEEN PROSE & POETRY
15LITERARY APPRECIATION (UNSEEN)
i. Students will be tested on specific skills of literary appreciation and criticism of the main genres (drama, poetry and prose fiction).

ii. It is recommended that the candidates be taught, in addition, critical approaches like, Biographical, Philosophical, Textual, Structural etc. while the specific techniques of criticism are recommended, no specific texts are specified.

JUPEB Literature-in-English Textbooks 2026/2027

  • Abrams, M. H. (1981) A Glossary of Literary Terms, (4th Edition) New York, Holt Rinehart and Winston
  • 2. Emeaba, O. E. (1982) A Dictionary of Literature, Aba: Inteks Press
  • 3. Murphy, M. J. (1972) Understanding Unseen, An Introduction to English Poetry and English Novel for Overseas Students, George Allen and Unwin Ltd.
  • 4. Gbemisola, A. (2005) Naked Soles, Ibadan: Kraft
  • 5. Hayward, J. (ed.) (1968) The Penguin Book of English Verse, London Penguin
  • 6. Johnson, R. et al (eds.) (1996) New Poetry from Africa, Ibadan: UP Plc
  • 7. Kermode, F. et al (1964) Oxford Anthology of English Literature, Vol. II, London: OUP
  • 8. Nwoga D. (ed.) (1967) West African Verse, London: Longman
  • 9. Senanu, K. E. and Vincent, T. (eds.) (1993) A Selection of African Poetry, Lagos: Longman
  • 10. Soyinka, W. (ed.) (1987) Poems of Black Africa,Ibadan: Heinemann

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