Programme syllabus autumn 2007
Programme syllabus autumn 2007
Title
English Studies
Swedish title
English Studies
Programme code
HGENS
Credits
180 credits
Programme establishment date
2007-03-02
Syllabus approval date
2009-11-08
Syllabus valid from
2010-09-01
Decision-making body
Board of Studies at Faculty of Culture and Society
Entry requirements
Information on application and eligibility is available at www.mah.se/education/non-exchange.
Level
Basic level
Organisation
Term
1
Introduction to English Studies (15credits)
Introduction to Social and Cultural Theory and Analysis (15 credits)
2
Approaching the English Canon (15 credits)
Standard English and Non-Standard Varieties (15 credits)
3
Text, Discourse, and Style (7,5 credits)
Text, Convention, Invention (7,5 credits)
4
One of the following:
Theatre and Social Justice EN207E and Creative Writing 1 EN212E (15 + 15 credits). Note: courses run run the whole term and can only be taken together.
OR
Elective/study abroad (30 credits)*
5
Literary and Cultural Theory (15 credits) EN401E
Elective (15 credits)
6
BA dissertation (30 credits)
* Elective courses need to be approved by the course coordinators to ensure their relevance to the study programme. An optional course may not run if less than seven students choose it.
The Bachelor in English Studies is a program that aims to reflect the diversity, eclecticism, and multidisciplinarity of contemporary English scholarship. The program is designed for students interested in studying the theory and practice of language in its various social forms. English Studies is thus concerned with both the history and current practices of writing and speaking in English. We examine how understandings of language have developed in fields such as phonetics, sociolinguistics, pragmatics, discourse analysis, and also how the English language has developed into a global language of communication. The focus is on examining the operations of power in the use of language with a special emphasis on gender, class, and ethnicity. English Studies also encompasses literary studies, as well as the study of language-centered cultural production at large, without privileging the historical over the contemporary. It enables the student to develop a sophisticated critical consciousness and an awareness of the ways in which language is structured and used for different purposes in a range of contexts. These contexts include, but are not limited to, film, art, music, advertising, and span English, American, and emerging post-colonial cultures.
The program emphasizes the student’s own written and oral production, incorporating performing arts and creative writing into the curriculum, thus merging critical and creative thinking. English Studies students gain skills that are applicable to a broad range of career opportunities, including teaching, media (editing, publishing, journalism, advertising, TV, radio, film, etc.), as well as business and administration. Students learn to analyze, evaluate, and create a wide range of texts. These transferable skills are recognized by employers who put a high value on: the construction of clearly expressed arguments; the logical presentation and analysis of ideas; the production of creative solutions; the competent management of large amounts of complex information; and the taking of initiative in conducting independent research. The program provides a suitable foundation for graduate studies in English, creative writing, teaching, and other fields, both in Europe and worldwide.
Programme contents
Semester 1, autumn 2007
Introduction to Social and Cultural Theory and Analysis
IM401E, 15 credits (COMPULSORY)
No main field of study
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Introduction to English Studies
IM402E, 15 credits (COMPULSORY)
No main field of study
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Semester 2, spring 2008
Approaching the English Canon
IM415E, 15 credits (COMPULSORY)
Main field of study: English
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Standard English and Non-Standard Varieties
IM417E, 15 credits (COMPULSORY)
Main field of study: English
Go to course homepage
Semester 3, autumn 2008
Text, Discourse and Style
EN215E, 15 credits (COMPULSORY)
Main field of study: English
Go to course homepage
Text, Convention, Invention
EN217E, 15 credits (COMPULSORY)
Main field of study: English
Go to course homepage
Semester 4, spring 2009
Theatre and Social Justice
EN207E, 15 credits (ELECTIVE)
Main field of study: English
Go to course homepage
Creative Writing I
EN212E, 15 credits (ELECTIVE)
Main field of study: English
Go to course homepage
Semester 5, autumn 2009
Work Placement Studies
IM215E, 15 credits (ELECTIVE)
No main field of study
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Semester 6, spring 2010
BA dissertation
EN108E, 30 credits (COMPULSORY)
Main field of study: English
Main field of study: Language and Cultural Studies
Go to course homepage
Learning outcomes
Knowledge and Understanding
A graduate of the Bachelor’s Programme in English Studies:
- understands the central role of language in the creation of meaning;
- has read a substantial amount of literature in various Englishes and understands the historical, political, and cultural issues emerging from and embedded in these literatures;
- understands the historical context of the globalization of English and its cultural consequences;
- knows and understands the methods used in the analysis of language and literature, in particular literary theory, critical discourse analysis, and corpus methodology;
- understands the relationship between form, function, and meaning in English and can analyze language in terms of structure, meaning, and representation and
- has an understanding of Malmö University’s perspective: gender, environment, and migration and ethnicity.
Applying knowledge and understanding
A graduate of the Bachelor’s Programme in English Studies:
engages with texts and recognises how cultural assumptions affect their understanding and interpretation;
- can formulate appropriate research questions and employ suitable research strategies for exploring those questions;
- can think and write independently, drawing on technical skills in literary and linguistic investigation;
- recognizes how the creative process and craft inhere in the production of art and text;
- can apply the knowledge and skills gained from literary and linguistic study to everyday life;
- can use their competences as a basis for a career or further research in relevant areas;
- works to agreed timetables, can manage workloads, and meet deadlines and
- has the ability to apply knowledge of Malmö University’s perspectives – gender, environment and, migration and ethnicity to English Studies issues
Making judgments and developing communication skills
A graduate of the Bachelor’s Programme in English Studies:
- can think logically and make rational judgements based on evidence;
- can synthesize information and ideas drawn from various sources, and evaluate critically opposing positions;
- can think imaginatively and develop creative solutions to problems;
- can evaluate their own work with reference to current conceptual debates in the field and beyond;
- can speak and write English competently in a variety of social and professional situations for a variety of purposes;
- is aware of their personal achievements in working towards the degree and can communicate their competences to potential employers;
- can study independently and collectively, and can tackle intellectual problems creatively and systematically and
- can acquire information and knowledge through the use of an academic library and the extensive range of electronic facilities available, and is competent in evaluating these sources critically.
Degree
Bachelor's degree
Bachelor of Arts with a major in English Studies.
Additional information
Language of instruction: English
In order to continue studies within the programme, a minimum of 45 higher education credits from the previous year of studies is required. Special requirements can be applied to the respective elective course.