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English Language Degrees. Joan Beal. What’s in a name?. UCAS website allows search for ‘English Language’ This gives 884 courses Of these only 23 have the title ‘English Language’ 4 are called ‘English Language Studies’ http://www.ucas.ac.uk/. A confusion of codes.
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English Language Degrees Joan Beal
What’s in a name? • UCAS website allows search for ‘English Language’ • This gives 884 courses • Of these only 23 have the title ‘English Language’ • 4 are called ‘English Language Studies’ • http://www.ucas.ac.uk/
A confusion of codes • Courses entitled ‘English Language’ come under 10 different codes • Each of these codes is used for a diversity of other courses
Other names • Q302 York EL/ lings. Others include EL for international/ exchange students (Essex, Canterbury Christchurch) Lang/ Lit (Lancaster) • Q300 90 courses. Only Glasgow is ‘English Language’ Central Lancs is ‘English Language Studies. Others are ‘English’ ‘English Studies’, Lang & Lit or Lit
What is an ‘English Language’ degree? • A degree called ‘English Language’? • A degree including ‘English Language’ • What about ‘English Linguistics’?
QAA Benchmarks • None for ‘English Language’ • ‘The breadth of English means that any attempts at prescription should be avoided. It is recognised, for example, that some degree programmes will offer a balance of English language and literature; some will be predominantly or exclusively literature based; others will be predominantly or exclusively language based’. • http://www.qaa.ac.uk/academicinfrastructure/benchmark/honours/english.asp#5
Some guidelines... • knowledge of literature and language, which in the case of literature should include a substantial number of authors and texts from different periods of literary history. For Single Honours literature students this should include knowledge of writing from periods before 1800; for Single Honours language students this should include a broad knowledge of the history and development of the English language;
Some guidelines.... • knowledge of the structure, levels and discourse functions of the English language; • knowledge of linguistic, literary, cultural and socio-historical contexts in which literature is written and read; • knowledge of useful and precise critical terminology and, where appropriate, linguistic and stylistic terminology; • awareness of how literature and language produce and reflect cultural change and difference;
Questions • What is distinctive about ‘English Language’ degrees? • How does ‘English Language’ differ from ‘Linguistics’? • Are there core elements that should be present in any English Language degree? • Should we produce our own benchmarks?