Bachelor of Arts Honours in English Studies
Communication Studies and Language - Language
Purpose and Rationale
The purposes of English Studies are extensively pursued within a three-track system, allowing learners to focus on three main areas of study within the discipline:
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Language/Writing: This track emphasizes language skills and writing, helping learners develop their proficiency in English language usage, grammar, composition, and creative writing.
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Literary Studies: This track focuses on the analysis and interpretation of literature, teaching learners to understand and appreciate different forms of literary works, authors, genres, and literary movements.
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Cultural Studies: This track explores the cultural aspects of the English language and literature, including the impact of society, history, politics, and media on the production and reception of literary and linguistic works.
Learners have the flexibility to emphasize one or more tracks based on their vocational interests. They can supplement their chosen tracks with related courses from other disciplines. For example, learners interested in Language/Writing may choose language skills courses, while those interested in Cultural Studies may opt for media and communication courses. Likewise, learners interested in Literary Studies may benefit from taking comparative literature courses.
Furthermore, learners have the option to select courses from all three tracks to gain a comprehensive understanding of contemporary English Studies. This approach allows learners to build a strong foundation in language, literature, and culture within the discipline.
Outcomes
- Demonstrate a capacity for self-directed study###
- Work both individually and as a member of a group###
- Communicate clearly in writing and speech###
- Absorb and organise a substantial body of information###
- Interpret and evaluate primary literary and cultural texts###
- Summarise and evaluate commentaries on those texts###
- Demonstrate a capacity for historically contextualised understanding of primary and other texts###
- Understand the concept, underlying philosophies and concerns of literary and cultural criticism###
- Understand and synthesise the formative relationship between the particular (literary-cultural and vocational) focus of his/her English studies and the ancillary disciplines selected for study, and to transfer the knowledge established in one discipline to another###
- Use the language skills and the interpretative, critical and analytical skills, as well as the knowledge and the values taught in the programme inappropriate ways in educational and other institutions in society, or other spheres of employment###
- Demonstrate an advanced critical understanding of the range of literature in English###
- Engaged at an advanced level with the concepts, underlying philosophies and concern of literary and cultural criticism###
- Apply these concepts in extended (proto-research) written assignments###
- Understand the general requirements of research and use the particular methods appropriate to his/her own research.
Assessment Criteria
Associated Assessment Criteria:
- Demonstrate thorough knowledge of the general field of inquiry
- Demonstrate detailed knowledge of specific areas of inquiry in the programme: the production of literary-cultural texts in English in their context and the interpretation and criticism of those texts
- Understand the interrelationships amongst various areas of the field of knowledge: language, culture, textual production, history, and criticism
- Independently analyze texts in their relations to contexts
- Demonstrate an understanding of the theoretical and philosophical underpinnings of the field of study
- Demonstrate thorough knowledge of current critical debates
- Summarize, compare, and evaluate a substantial body of knowledge
- Construct a sustained argument, formulate questions and work towards solutions
- Demonstrate command of the conceptual discourse of literary-cultural studies
- Contextualize criticism within the present social environment and indicate a historical understanding of earlier criticism
- Develop a clear understanding of the historical and current state of literary-cultural studies and of their possible future development
- Demonstrate command of academic English at an appropriate level
- Use information technology at an appropriate level
- Understand the social-cultural diversity of the place of study and of the objects of study
- Study individually and work in groups
- Present work at an appropriate level, both orally and in writing
- Carry out a substantial independent research project conforming to acknowledged scholarly protocols
Integrated Assessment:
- Integrated assessment appropriately incorporated to ensure that the purpose of the qualification is achieved.
- The institution is currently reforming its assessment strategies to include the assessment of applied competence for each qualification.
- In the meantime, a combination of continuous assessment and traditional written examinations serve to assess the integration of all/most of the learning outcomes for each module in a qualification.
Qualification Details
- Type
- Honours Degree
- NQF Level
- 08
- Min. Credits
- 120
- SAQA Source
- More Information
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