Entry requirements

English A1 and English B1

Learning outcomes

Upon completing the course students will have the competence to carry out an independent examination and account of a delimited topic in literature in English, or English linguistics. Students will also have acquired an even deeper knowledge in one of the areas of literature in English or English linguistics.

The goals for each course component are given below.

Component 1. Degree Project (15 credits)

Upon completing the component students will be able to

• apply an analytical approach to the material
• show a basic familiarity with formal aspects of academic writing
• independently formulate and delimit a research question and select suitable primary sources
• search for academic literature
• critically evaluate both primary material and secondary sources
• show insights into a selected subject area and critical issues in this area
• show a knowledge of certain literary or, alternatively, linguistic methods of analysis
• treat a delimited question in a paper, in correct English, observing academic methods and conventional principles of form
• actively and independently participate in seminar discussions and present their own work
• fulfil the role of peer reviewer in a final ventilation seminar
• independently defend their own degree project
• present their research findings in a clear and structured manner.

Component 2. Writing American Selves: Fictional and Non-Fictional Self-Portraiture (7.5 credits)

Upon completing the component students will be able to

• show good insights into the genre of autobiography and its variants
• show an awareness of the importance of the gender perspective and ethnicity in texts belonging to the genre
• show some familiarity with the critical conversation about the genre of autobiography
• apply an academic approach to primary and secondary literature
• present a literary analysis orally and in writing with greater independence and with greater linguistic correctness
• actively and independently participate in seminar discussions.

Component 3. English Literature and the Canon: Tradition and Innovation (7.5 credits)

Upon completing the component students will be able to

• show deeper insights into the 19th-century novel and selected modernist literary works
• show a deeper knowledge of literary genres
• show greater insights into various perspectives in literary theory
• show a knowledge of critical perspectives such as gender theory and post-colonialism
• apply an academic approach to primary and secondary literature
• present a literary analysis orally and in writing with greater independence and with greater linguistic correctness
• actively and independently participate in seminar discussions.

Component 4. Communities, Speakers, Texts: Pragmatic and Sociolinguistic Perspectives on English (7.5 credits)

Upon completing the course students will be able to

• use appropriate sociolinguistic terminology in accounting for variation in the English language
• demonstrate a command of the terminology used to describe contextually influenced linguistic meaning
• demonstrate knowledge of the major theories and frameworks that guide research in pragmatics and sociolinguistics
• summarise important findings in research in sociolinguistics and pragmatics
• complete a small-scale research project analysing authentic language data
• write a short research paper making appropriate use of primary and secondary sources
• actively and independently participate in seminar discussions.

Component 5. Investigating the structure of English then and now: from elne mycle to with great zeal (7.5 credits)

Upon completing the component students will be able to

• name and describe important morphological and syntactic features of Old and Present-day English
• identify morphological and syntactic structures in Old and Present-day English
• discuss morphological and syntactic topics in correct English, both orally and in writing
• analyse authentic Old and Present-day English text morphologically and syntactically
• construct short stretches of Old and Present-day English text according to morphological and syntactic specifications
• compare and contrast different accounts of English morphology and syntax in secondary sources
• actively and independently participate in seminar discussions.

Content

The course comprises a set component, a degree project worth 15 credits. Along with this, students select two of several elective advanced components, each worth 7.5 credits. In Component 1, Degree project, there are three main specialisations: American literature, English literature, and English linguistics.

Component 1. Degree Project, 15 credits

The component provides a general background to a given subject area in one of the main specialisations and treats relevant issues involved in academic writing and methods, individually or in groups.

The choice of topic within the subject area, which may vary from one semester to another, is decided in consultation between the student and the teacher/supervisor.

Examples of subject areas with specialisation in American or English literature: issues in literary criticism, literary history, sociology of literature, and teaching of literature.

Examples of subject areas with specialisation in linguistics: selected issues in phonology, grammar, variation analysis, language history, sociology of language, text linguistics, vocabulary, name research, translation, language teaching, language methodology.

In exceptional cases, following consultation with the teacher/supervisor, topics outside the given areas may be accepted. Once the topic has been determined, individual supervision of the degree project starts. The degree project will normally be presented at a seminar where one or more students are assigned to present their views on the project.

Component 2. Writing American Selves, 7.5 credits

The component analyses selected American literary works from the middle of the 17th century to the present. The texts are chosen from a broad spectrum of fiction and poetry, more traditional autobiographies, and hybrid forms. The emphasis lies on issues of “truth,” gender, race, ethnicity, and morality. Basic concepts and methods of literary criticism are applied.

Component 3. English Literature and the Canon, 7.5 credits

The component analyses selected English literary works with the emphasis on the 19th-century novel and various modernist genres. The influence and reflection of social developments in literature are addressed, as are the perspectives of cultural and literary history. Basic concepts and methods of literary criticism are applied.

Component 4. Communities, Speakers, Texts, 7.5 credits

This component examines how the English language varies in use according to contextual factors. By applying theories and analytical frameworks from the fields of pragmatics and sociolinguistics, we discover how speakers and writers use the English language to communicate meanings, carry out actions, signal membership in speech communities, and achieve styles in talk and writing. In the pragmatics portion of the component, we consider the ways in which meaning is context dependent and the ways in which speakers achieve goals using language. In the sociolinguistics portion of the component, we analyse the linguistic resources with which speakers show their connection to a given community and express identity. Students will use primarily qualitative research methods to complete assignments and short research papers.

Comp. 5. Investigating the Structure of English Then and Now, 7.5 credits

This component examines morphology and syntax in English texts from two time periods. While inflections played an important role in Old English grammar, Present-day English relies primarily on structures where word order and function words are of central importance. Students thus investigate morphological and syntactic aspects of Old and Present-day English texts. Through independent research projects, students also learn how to apply methods of morphosyntactic analysis to authentic texts in order to describe the structure of English.

Instruction

Component 1. Degree Project

Group instruction and individual supervision. Supervision in Component 1 is given during the semester the student is registered for the first time and to some extent during the immediately following semester. No further supervision may be expected thereafter.

Elective components, components 2–5

Group instruction.

Active participation in course seminars is obligatory. In cases of absence students will be given the opportunity to complete an extra assignment within the framework of the course period.

Assessment

Component 1. Degree Project

The examination consists of the production and defence of a degree project representing an examination of a delimited topic in American or British literature or English linguistics, which is presented in English in a paper that applies conventional formal principles. The scope is about 8000 words. Beyond this each student must perform a critical review of another student’s degree project.

In assessing degree projects, attention will be paid primarily to the student’s ability to independently address a problem area and systematically report the preconditions, outline, execution, and findings of the work and, secondarily, to the form of the work in terms of its fulfilment of formal criteria and linguistic correctness. Projects receiving the grade of Pass with distinction must satisfy both academic and linguistic criteria of excellence.

Grades used are either Fail, Pass, or Pass with Distinction.

Components 2-5

Examination in the various components is done in the form of oral presentations, written assignments, and written final examinations. Grades used are either Fail, Pass, or Pass with Distinction. Grades used are either Fail, Pass, or Pass with Distinction.

Students who do not achieve a passing grade on the regular examination will have another opportunity to take the examination within a reasonable period of time after the regular examination.

Students who fail a certain examination twice have the right upon request, following consultation with the head of department, to have another examiner appointed.

To receive a grade of Pass with Distinction for the whole course, students must have achieved the grade of Pass with Distinction in components worth a total of at least 20 higher education credits.

Other directives

The course cannot be counted toward a degree together with the courses English C2, C2L, C3, C4, C4L, HS3, HS4, HS5, T3 or Degree project English C/D.

Students who have failed to pass examinations based on continuous assessment may take the component again if a place is available. In exceptional cases a special examination may be arranged.

Results that are more than five years old are normally not recognised if the syllabus for the course component has been changed.

If the syllabus or course reading for a component has been changed, students have a right to be examined under the original syllabus and course reading on at least three occasions during the following three semesters. Normally this right then expires. Otherwise there are no limitations on the number of examination opportunities.

Supervision in Component 1 is given during the semester the student is registered for the first time and to some extent during the immediately following semester. No further supervision may be expected thereafter.

Transitional provisions

For transitional regulations in the case of changes in the syllabus, please contact the student adviser.