Dr. Houston Wood, associate professor of English, will be teaching the University’s first completely online film course this fall, “Literature Adapted to Screen.”

The new class will require students to read six books and view their adaptations on film. Students and Dr. Wood will post to an online message board discussing topics such as how the books were better or worse on film, and why.

Wood describes the class as an “online book club.” There are no chat-rooms, so anyone enrolled in the class can work at his or her own pace.

“ This is the perfect course to offer online because so much time is spent reading and watching films,” said Wood. “And so many people in Hawai‘i are interested in film."

All six of the required films are available on DVD and through the Internet video rental company Netflix. Grades will be determined through online quizzes and essay tests.

Among the books and movies scheduled are J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings, William Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing, and George Steinbeck’s Grapes of Wrath. For more information, call 544-1118.