1.8. Course Description
1.8.1. Core courses
A123 - An Introduction to Humanities A&B (8 credit hours each)
A123A&B: An Introduction to the Humanities Parts I and II are intended to introduce five Humanities disciplines: art history, literature, history, philosophy and classical studies. You will first learn the methodology of each discipline. Then, you will work progressively and in more depth on chosen texts from three areas: the classical world, the neoclassical world and the modern world. The expression of prevailing philosophical concepts, which evolve through time in art and literature, is central to the choice of texts. The content spans aspects of ancient to modern Western civilization and is intended to be of broad cultural interest.
The course provides instruction in reading, responding to and evaluating material drawn from the five disciplines, and expressing views, orally and in writing. Those who complete the course successfully will proceed to further critical assessment of complete texts, expressing a response through argument supported by evidence in a range of writing styles suitable to each of the disciplines. The course allows you to combine precise thinking with general cultural insight, and experience cross-relating key concepts.
The course aims to:
1. introduce you to what is studied in the humanities;
2. help you to develop basic skills of analysis, argument and expression;
3. instruct you in ways to understand and evaluate texts that are characteristic of each discipline;
4. develop your aesthetic response and help you articulate it in such a way as to reach a degree of consensus with others working in the same academic discipline;
5. encourage your response to Humanities texts as enjoyable, instructive, culturally broadening and life enhancing.
This OU-based course was originally designed to be delivered over one academic year. For practical purposes the course is divided into two equal parts each delivered as an independent course as follows: (i) A123A: An Introduction to the Humanities : Part (I)
(ii) A123B: An Introduction to the Humanities : Part (II)
The relationship between the two parts (A123A & A123B) is as follows:
- A123A is a prerequisite for A123B. This means you cannot register in A123B unless you have passed A123A.
- A123A and A123B are treated as independent courses for purposes of student registration.
- A123A and A123B are treated as independent courses for purposes of assessment. This means that you will be assessed independently for each course and that you have to pass each of the two courses. The marks you earn in each of A123A and A123B will be entered separately onto your transcript. For more details see Section 8 below.
- Some of the teaching/learning materials used in A123A will also be used in A123B. This means you will receive a complete course kit upon registering in A123A. See Section 4 below.
Course Structure /Organization
A123 is divided into five blocks.
The Introductory Block introduces the five disciplines as well as essential skills required for reading and analysis, note taking and essay writing. Blocks 1-4 then develop work in each of the disciplines. Block 5 will help to consolidate all this work.
As seen in the Introductory Block and Study Calendar, the course is divided into study weeks. Each study week is mapped out at the beginning of the course unit; in some cases a topic has been spread over two study weeks, such as in Block 2. What exactly a student will do in any week will vary slightly, but s/he should expect to read the study week material, and work through the exercises included in it. A student may also have material to read in one of the resource books, an audio CD to listen to, an essay (tutor-marked assignment) to write, or a set book to read.
As also seen in the Study Calendar, there are some weeks which do not have any block work. These are called reading weeks during which a student is expected to catch up on and consolidate course material. Where a reading week occurs, there will be guidance on it in a separate short unit at the end of the block.
The main content of each of the Blocks is described below.
o A123A
A123A consists of three blocks: the Introductory Block, Block 1 and Block 2 as described below.
Introductory Block: The opening block introduces the essential study skills which underpin the whole of student work in A123. Here students will find answers to such questions as 'How will becoming a student affect my life?' 'What will I need to do to organize my study materials?' 'How much time will I need each week to keep up with the
course?' Most importantly, the skills needed to work on 'texts': looking closely at pictures, reading and reflecting, following argument then selecting points, note taking and producing evaluations of the topic in essay form, are all explained and practised. By the end of the block a student will be equipped for work on the rest of the course.
Block 1 Form and Reading: The block develops work in the subjects of art history, literature, history and philosophy. The techniques of close analysis studied should enrich appreciation and understanding of the fine arts and literature. Questions such as: what is it that is special about a particular poem or painting? and, what generates your response to them? are considered with regard to a selection of works of art and literature. The importance of primary and secondary sources is considered in the history section. The philosophy section aims to develop student skills in the critical analysis of arguments.
Block 2 The Classical World: This block brings together the disciplines of art history and classical studies in an interdisciplinary case study of the design and social function of the Roman Colosseum. The classical studies part of this block explores the Colosseum as a symbol of Roman society and its function as a place of punishment and spectacle. The art history component examines the architecture and design of the arena, and then proceeds to a study of the uses and design of modern stadia.
You will be given extra time for revision and consolidation.
o A123B
A123B consists of three blocks: Blocks 3,4 and 5 as described below.
Block 3 The Neoclassical World: This block is broadly based on the ideas and events of the French Revolution. The first two weeks introduce the study of history. Methodological skills will be developed, and students look at the different kinds of text available to the historian as well as the value of contemporary texts in the understanding of the Revolution's historical context. In the following two weeks, students examine the ideas of the philosopher Jean-Jacques Rousseau, whose thought inspired the revolutionaries. His relevance to modern democracy is considered. Finally, the importance of historical context in art history is demonstrated in a study of Jacques-Louis David, the 'official' painter at the time of the French Revolution.
Block 4 The Modern World: This block opens with the 1832 Reform Act in England and the extension of political involvement to the mass of the populace. Primary source documents relating to the event are studied in considerable detail, using the methodology for handling source material that was taught in Block 1 and practised in Block 3.
In the final literature unit, the text used is George Bernard Shaw's play Pygmalion. This play expresses the changing expectations of the populace as the nineteenth century moved into the twentieth. In G.B. Shaw's play (of 1912), a flower girl is transformed into a duchess - with ensuing problems. The play also has strong language interest, with reference to variation in English dialects. Also studied in detail are the dramatic structure of the work, characterization, theme and dialogue.
Block 5 Looking Back, Looking Forward: The final week of study brings together themes and issues from the course. This consolidation material enables students to reflect on what has been learned, and on the skills and knowledge that they carry forward in their studies in subsequent years.
A210A: Approaching Literature (I): The Realist Novel & Shakespeare and the Canon (8 credit hours))
The broad aims of A210A: The Realist Novel & Shakespeare and the Canon are:
To introduce students to two current approaches to literature:
- through the concept of genre (The Realist Novel);
- through the idea of a great author in the canon of literature (Shakespeare and the Canon).
To introduce students to a wide range of literary texts, mostly written in English, from the second half of the sixteenth century through to the mid-nineteenth century. To prepare students for the study of literature and drama at more advanced levels, so that they will be able to proceed to study literature courses at higher levels.
A210A was part of A210: Approaching Literature which was designed to be delivered over one academic year.
For practical purposes A210 is divided into two independent courses:
- (i) A210A: Approaching Literature (I): The Realist Novel & Shakespeare and the Canon
- (ii) A210B: Approaching Literature (II): Romantic Writings
The two new courses are independent of each other.
Relationship Between A210A & A210B:
Important note: None of the two courses is a prerequisite for the other.
A210A and A210B are treated as independent courses for purposes of student registration.
A210A and A210B are also independent courses for purposes of assessment. This means that you will be assessed independently for each course and that you have to pass each of the two courses. The marks you earn in each of A210A and A210B will be entered separately onto your transcript.
The teaching/learning materials used in A210A will not be used in A210B.
Course Structure /Organization
A210A is divided into two blocks; each of which concentrates on a different approach to the study of literature. The structure of each block is summarized below:
Block 1: The Realist Novel: focuses on genre which is one of the most familiar ways of studying literary texts, taking the nineteenth-century realist novel as a well-known and accessible example of a literary genre. The block considers two major aspects to genre as a defining category: the formal and the historical. Whereas Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice illustrates the mainstream characteristics of the realist novel, Charlotte Bronte's Jane Eyre is presented as a discussion text which challenges the mainstream. Charles Dickens's Great Expectations and Ivan Turgener's Fathers and Sons broaden the scope of the study in both literary and historical terms. There are extracts from critical writings which help the students understand the novels which they study in this block.
Block 2: Shakespeare and the Canon: This block approaches literature through the idea of the great author and the literary canon, and asks why one author achieves canonical status rather than another. The 'great author' considered is William Shakespeare. Four Shakespeare plays are studied, both as individual plays and as texts contributing to the canon:
Henry V, Othello, Julius Caesar, and As You Like It. The cultural, historical and political conditions of production of all four plays are discussed and the differences between reading the texts of plays and studying performances, in stage, video, film and audio versions, are also explored.
A210B: Approaching Literature (II): Romantic Writings (8 credit hours)
The broad aims of A210B: The Romantic Writings are:
1. To introduce students to the current approach to literature through period studies (Romantic Writings)
2. To introduce students to a wide range of literary texts, mostly poems written in English during the Romantic Period 1780-1830.
3. To prepare students for the study of literature and poetry at more advanced levels, so that they will be able to proceed to study literature courses at higher levels.
A210B was part of A210: Approaching Literature which was designed to be delivered over a one academic year.
For practical purposes A210 is divided into two independent courses:
(i) A210A: Approaching Literature (I): The Realist Novel & Shakespeare and the Canon
(ii) A210B: Approaching Literature (II): Romantic Writings
Relationship Between A210A & A210B:
The two new courses are independent of each other. This means the following things:
- None of the two courses is a prerequisite for the other.
- A210A and A210B are treated as independent courses for purposes of student registration.
- A210A and A210B are also independent courses for purposes of assessment. This means that you will be assessed independently for each course and that you have to pass each of the two courses.
- The marks you earn in each of A210A and A210B will be entered separately onto your transcript.
- The teaching/learning materials used in A210B will not be used in A210A.
Course Structure /Organization
A210B consists of only one block: the Romantic Writings.
This block explores the cultural and historical significance of the Romantic period in both Britain and Europe, using a wide range of poetry and prose from the period 1780-1830. The role of the Romantic artist, Romantic allegory, colonialism and the exotic, and women writers and readers in the Romantic period are among the issues raised in the book, Romantic Writings, which forms the basis of your study.
The literary texts studied include works by well-known English Romantic writers: William Wordsworth, Samuel Taylor Coleridge, William Blake, Percy Bysshe Shelley, Lord Byron and John Keats. A range of poetry by women writers is used as the discussion 'text' to examine the issue of gender in the Romantic movement and the Romantic period. Study of two prose texts - Heinrich von Kleist's The Betrothal on Santo Domingo and E.T.A. Hoffmann's The Sandman - adds European and prose perspective
on these issues.
The relationship between the components of the course together with an indicative timetable of study is delineated in the course Study Calender.
U210A - The English Language: past, present and future (Part I) (8 credit hours)
U210A is the first of two connected courses, U210A and U210B.
Together, the two courses provide a detailed discussion and presentation of the historical development of English from its early beginnings to the present; the different registers of English; English in a social context; the relationship between English, culture and national identity; the influence of modern technology on English and the way it is used; and economic, cultural, and political issues arising from the spread of English in the world.
The course aims to:
- provide students with an understanding of the history of English, how the language continues to develop and change, and how it is used in a variety of contexts and for a variety of purposes;
- provide students with an introduction to the study of English - how the language may be researched, described and analysed;
- enable students to relate evidence from research and other sources to their own experiences of English;
- provide opportunities for students to carry out analyses of spoken and written English.
Course Structure /Organization
U210A, the first of the two courses, is divided into four major blocks corresponding to the four general aims of the course:
- Block 1: History of English;
- Block 2: Varieties of English (variation in phonological, grammatical and stylistic aspects);
- Block 3: English in Use (from everyday talk to rhetoric);
- Block 4: English as Art (the literary wealth of English)
In addition to course books and set books the teaching materials for U210A comprise audio and video materials as described below.
The audio materials deal with various aspects of English:
- history and change in English - what early varieties of English may have sounded like, and the development of different Englishes in different parts of the world;
- some linguistic characteristics of contemporary varieties of English, and how individual speakers continually vary the way they speak;
- the use of English in various contexts - everyday conversations and letter writing; English in industry and commerce; 'legalese'; public speaking in English;
- creative uses of English, from popular music to the literature canon; writers talking about their own language and cultural backgrounds, and how these have influenced their work.
The visual materials, on the other hand, focus on examples of language use where it is particularly helpful to see contextual information or nonverbal features. Topics include:
- how linguists collect and analyse examples of speech;
- how speech varies in different contexts;
- how English is used in different contexts: English in work, public speaking, and storytelling.
Some Questions the Course Answers
- Most people would find Old English unintelligible and Middle English hard to read. Why has the language changed so much?
- Many people have strong ideas about standard and non-standard English. What is Standard English and what is non-standard English? What is the differentiation between the two based upon and how valid is it?
- The spread of English to territories outside England led to the creation of new forms of English. How and why did this happen? Did these new forms of English play any role in the development of national identity?
- English is nowadays the most commonly used language all over the world. Is there something special about English that makes it a lingua franca, or is its dominant position related to cultural, economic, and political hegemony and imperialism?
- How is English used in different registers? How is it used creatively in poetry, drama, and the theatre? What is the appropriate English to use for literature? Is it Standard English, non-standard English or a hybrid non-standard standard English?
U210B - The English Language: past, present and future (Part II) ( 8 credit hours)
U210B course provides a detailed discussion and presentation in block one of the major theories on language learning in monolingual and bilingual contexts; block two introduces strategies on language teaching, block three discusses the emergence of new genres of English resulting from the advances of technology, and block four evaluates the spread of global English.
The course aims to:
1. equip students with a wider understanding of the English language as it is used by people in monolingual and multilingual contexts
2. introduce major theoretical debate on language learning
3. provide a discussion on the main strategies of teaching English
4. bring about an understanding of how technology is used in the creation of multimodal texts in English
5. evaluate the factors that led to the development of global English and positive and negative views associated with this spread
Course Structure /Organization
U210B, is the second of the two courses, divided into four major blocks corresponding to the four general aims of the course:
Block One examines theories on language learning:
- First Language Development
- English in the Repertoire
- Learning to read and write in English
- English as a Classroom Language
Block Two looks at trends in language teaching:
- History of English Teaching
- Issues in English Teaching
- English for Speakers of Other Languages
- English in the Academic World
Block Three examines the role of technology in creating new texts in English
- Text, time and Technology in News English
- Visual English
- English in Cyberspace
- Market Forces Speaks English
Block Four looks at the spread of English and positive and negative views on it
- Global English, Global Culture
- In addition to course books the teaching materials for U210B comprise
- audio and video materials [described in Section 3 above].
The audio materials deal with various aspects of English:
- Learning English in monolingual and bilingual settings
- Teaching English in different contexts
- English and technology
- The global spread of English
The visual materials, on the other hand, focus on examples of language use where it is particularly helpful to see contextual information or nonverbal features. Topics include:
- how English is learnt in bilingual contexts
- how English is taught in different contexts
- aspects of multimodal texts
- English and other languages
Some questions that are answered in the Course
- How does children's language develop in the early stages?
- What are the influences of caregivers and family members on these early stages?
- Are patterns of language acquisition identical in all languages?
- How was English defined as a subject and what methods were used to teach it?
- What factors affected the teaching and learning of English in the twentieth century?
- What new forms of communication are brought about by technology and how do these affect the spread of English?
- How has the global use of English been encouraged and discouraged, and for what reasons?
- How has the global spread and use of English been perceived in different parts of the world?
A319 - Literature in the Modern World A&B: (8 credit hours each)
The main aim of this third level course is to increase your skill in and enjoyment of reading literature, while helping to deepen your understanding of some of the main features of the twentieth-century texts we have selected for study.
The broad aims of this course are:
- to introduce you to a wide selection of twentieth-century prose fiction, poems and plays, written chiefly between 1920 and 1990;
- to increase your understanding of methodological approaches and theoretical issues relevant to the study of literature;
- to explore a number of key factors responsible for the shift from 'English literature' to 'literature in English';
- to develop your awareness of the relationship between literature and history.
This OU-based course was originally designed to be delivered over one academic year.
For practical purposes the course is divided into and delivered as two equal parts, each constituting an independent course as follows:
- A319A: Literature in the Modern World Part (I)
- A319B: Literature in the Modern World Part (II)
Each course is allocated 8 credit hours and is delivered over one 16-week semester.
Relationship Between A319A & A319B:
- A319A is a prerequisite for A319B. This means you cannot register in A319B unless you have passed A319A.
- A319A and A319B are treated as independent courses for purposes of student registration.
- A319A and A319B are treated as independent courses for purposes of assessment. This means that you will be assessed independently for each course and that you have to pass each of the two courses. The marks you earn in each of A319A and A319B will be entered separately onto your transcript. For more details see Section 8 below.
- Some of the teaching/learning materials used in A319A will be also used in A319B. This means you will receive a complete course kit upon registering in A319A.
Course Structure/Organization
The structure of A319 is partly chronological and partly thematic, and the set texts represent three kinds of writing - prose fiction, poetry and drama beginning in the 1920s and ending in the 1990s. The course is divided into six blocks, each organized around a theme which is explored through a variety of literary and theoretical texts (except Block 1, which serves as an introduction to the course as a whole). Each theme is the focus of a Block Text, which provides guided discussions of the course literary and theoretical readings. Further discussion and analysis of course material is supplied through the audio CDs. In addition, students attend 30 two-hour tutorial sessions .
Divided into thematic blocks, the course is designed to discuss three distinct areas:
- Set texts representing prose fiction, poetry and/or drama
- One of the course themes
- Theoretical and methodological issues relevant to the study of literature
- A319A
A319A consists of three blocks: 1, 2, and 3 as described below.
Block 1: Introduction presents the formal analysis of prose fiction, poetry and drama. This block also introduces some of the major theoretical approaches to be used in the course and offers an overview of the course as a whole, primarily structuralism, Marxism and European feminism.
Block 2: The Impact of Modernism explores the explosive international cultural movement, which brought the European tradition of High Culture to an end and set the stage for twentieth-century writing. This block begins to develop the analytical approach to the three forms of writing introduced in Block 1, and begins our discussion of two courses
themes: 'language and gender' and 'literature and ideology'.
Block 3: Literature and Ideology: This block comprising two parts introduces one of the central issues in the course; namely the relationship between literature and ideology. Part 1 introduces students to the concept of ideology and discusses a range of different definitions of the term. It then explores one reaction to Modernism amongst English writers in the aftermath of the First World War: the elaboration of a potent - often unconscious and contradictory - ideology of 'Englishness'. Part 2 considers the idea of ideology in relation to language and gender, and takes up a theme that runs right through the course, the relationship of women to the literary canon.
The relationship between all these components, together with an indicative timetable of study, is illustrated in the table in the Course Study Calendar.
o A319B
A319B consists of three blocks: 4, 5, and 6 as described below.
Block 4: End of Empire: This block explores the reverberations within British literary culture of the dissolution of the British Empire through a detailed engagement with and analysis of E.M. Forster's novel A Passage to India (1924), and a selection of British poetry, 1950-1980. Additionally, the block exposes students to the major tenets of Edward Said's study of 'Orientalism'.
Block 5: New Writings in English: This block aims to explore the richness and variety of these 'new writings' through three principal means. First a study of a selection of major texts from outside the United Kingdom will demonstrate the phenomenal upsurge in literary creativity in English in countries formerly of the British Empire. This will be further revealed through a discussion of certain key themes (history, identity, exile, language and the sense of place), and the contribution of these 'new writings in English' to a redefinition of the English literary canon. Finally, an exploration of the range of literary forms and voices from several countries will show the richness and variety of these 'new writings'.
Block 6: Literature and History: This block involves the study of a number of literary texts from the point of view of their relationship to history. It aims to explore the relationship between literature and history, and to develop an understanding of this relationship by the study of a selection of texts from two main genres: poetry and prose fiction. Furthermore, by foregrounding the relationship between literature and history, this block aims to suggest a productive new perspective to the course as a whole.
The relationship between all these components, together with an indicative timetable of study, is illustrated in the table in the Course Study Calendar.
E300 - English Language and Literacy A&B: (8 credit hours each)
The overall aim is to provide knowledge and understanding of how language is used in a social matrix/context. In broad terms, you will acquire:
- an understanding of the social dimensions of language;
- skills in the functional analysis of language, especially English, in order to gain an insight into how language 'functions' in different social contexts;
- skills in analysing and understanding how language is used to promote ideological goals, thus entailing recognizing the extent of the power of language.
E300 was originally designed by the British Open University (OU) to be delivered over a single academic year.
For practical purposes the course has been divided by AOU into two equal parts, each constituting an independent course as follows:
(i) E300A: English Language and Literacy: Part (I)
(ii) E300B: English Language and Literacy: Part (II)
Each course is allocated 8 credit hours and is delivered over one 16-week semester.
Relationship Between E300A & E300B:
- E300A is a prerequisite for E300B. This means you cannot register in E300B unless you have passed E300A.
- E300A and E300B are treated as independent courses for purposes of student registration.
- E300A and E300B are treated as independent courses for purposes of assessment. This means that you will be assessed independently for each course and that you have to pass each of the two courses. The marks you earn in each of E300A and E300B will be entered separately onto your transcript.
- Some of the teaching/learning materials used in E300A will also be used in E300B. This means you will receive a complete course kit upon registering in E300A.
Course Structure /Organization
o E300A
E300A consists of three parts/blocks: 1, 2, and 3 as described below:
Part/block 1 (Introduction and sociolinguistics) enables learners to know more about the contribution of sociolinguistics to their understanding of how language, especially English, is used in a wide variety of social contexts. This part also explains why people switch from one style or register to another in different speaking situations.
The social functions fulfilled by language in starting, maintaining and ending a discourse are also explored in this part especially in Holmes' set book An Introduction to Sociolinguistics.
Part/block 2 (Halliday and functional linguistics) looks at the structure of different types of discourse, in spoken, written, and other types of expression. The factors which influence our selection of language forms, including the relationships between interlocutors and the situation where the discourse takes place are also discussed. This part draws on the set book The Functional Analysis of English: A Hallidayan Approach.
Part/block 3 (Discourse analysis) begins the study of discourse analysis. It focuses on the text itself (oral, written or other) and looks at how it can be analyzed critically and with reference to the surrounding context. This part is especially informed by the material included in the set book Language and Power.
o E300B
E300B consists of two parts/blocks: 4 and 5 as described below:
Part/block 4 (Language and literacy practices) shifts attention from studying texts to the contexts where these texts take place. This shift of attention involves consideration of cultural values, how the society is organized and how language and literacy operate in various cultural and ethnographic settings, thus gaining more knowledge of the relationship between language, literacy and anthropology.
Part/block 5 (The politics of literacy and the position of English) widens the scope again to encompass the functions of literacy in a wider perspective, the changes that have taken place in English usage and the role it plays all over the world. This necessarily involves bringing into focus various accounts of multilingualism, the role played by the English language, and the consequences of literacy.
E303 - English Grammar in Context (A&B): (8 credit hours each)
The overall aim of this course is to show how a knowledge and understanding of English grammar can be applied in practical and useful ways.
In broad terms, upon completing this course you will acquire:
an understanding of the major characteristics of English grammar skills in grammatical analysis and interpretation in order to gain an insight into how English 'works' in real-life contexts skills in applying grammatical understanding in order to evaluate and, where appropriate, improve the quality of spoken and written texts.
This OU-based course was originally designed to be delivered over one academic year. For practical purposes the course is divided into two equal parts each delivered as an independent course as follows:
- (i) E303A: English Grammar in Context: Part (I)
- (ii) E303B: English Grammar in Context: Part (II)
The Relationship between the two parts (E303A & E303B) is as follows:
- E303A is a prerequisite for E303B. This means you cannot register in E303B unless you have passed E303A.
- E303A and E303B are treated as independent courses for purposes of student registration.
- E303A and E303B are treated as independent courses for purposes of assessment. This means that you will be assessed independently for each course and that you have to pass each of the two courses. The marks you earn in each of E303A and E303B will be entered separately onto your transcript. For more details see Section 8 below.
Some of the teaching/learning materials used in E303A will also be used in E303B. This means you will receive a complete course kit upon registering in E303A. See Section 4 below.
Course Structure /Organization
E303 is divided into five blocks; each organised around a main textbook with accompanying CD-ROMs and guided readings from the specially-compiled Course Reader and Readings Booklet. The course makes use of a reference grammar book - the Longman Student Grammar of Spoken and Written English (see details in Section 4 above).
You are referred to particular sections of this to read during your study of the course books, but it is always available if you want to read more about particular grammatical features.
The computer-based elements of the course (the Activities CD-ROM and the Concordancer and Corpus CD-ROM) are generally concentrated towards the end of each study unit, so that you can take your books with you and work on them without having a computer nearby, and then do all the computer-based work together in a block later . The main content of each of the Blocks is described below.
o E303A:
E303A consists of three blocks: 1, 2, and 3 as described below.
Block 1 [Getting started: describing the grammar of speech and writing] introduces you to some basic concepts and skills which will be built on in later parts of the course. The main focus is on how spoken and written English differ. You are intr oduced to some basic grammatical structures such as clauses and phrases, and you compare how they function in speech and writing. You will become familiar with these concepts through a variety of activities, including interactive exercises on the Activities CD-ROM. The use of audio will enable you to explore how meaning can be realised in sound (for example, through patterns of intonation). You will also be given hands-on practice inlearning to explore English grammar via the use of electronic databases, or corpora, using specialised computer software on the Concordancer and Corpus CD-ROM. The Corpus Tasks booklet explains how the Concordancer and Corpus CD-ROM fits into your studies, so it is best to refer to this before using the CD-ROM. You will be systematically introduced to the concordancer in Unit 2.
There are seven units in Block 1, as follows:
Unit 1: Grammar in context
Unit 2: Corpus and grammatical description
Unit 3: The units of grammar: function and form in spoken / written English
Unit 4: The noun phrase
Unit 5: The verb phrase
Unit 6: Understanding complexity in and around clauses
Unit 7: Intonation: turning pandas into killers
Block 2 [Getting Inside English: interpreting texts] continues the exploration of how English grammar varies, focusing in particular on its use in the news media, academic writing and fiction. For example, how are opinions expressed in face-to-face conversation as opposed to, say, newspapers or academic journal articles? Through a mix of readings and hands-on activities you will investigate a wide range of texts, providing you with insight into how written English varies according to the purposes of everyday situations. In particular you learn to interpret systematically the meanings made by texts, by understanding how grammar creates different kinds of social relationships and represents social reality in different ways depending on factors such as who we are communicating with and what our agendas are. You will continue to develop concordancing skills and will compare the results of your own mini-corpora with those of your reference grammar.
There are four units in Block 2, as follows:
Unit 8: Ways of speaking: exploring linguistic variability
Unit 9: Packaging and staging information
Unit 10: Positioning and persuading
Unit 11: The angle on the word
Block 3 [Getting Practical: evaluating everyday text] continues to explore grammatical variation but focuses increasingly on developing a critical orientation to English use. We take an even closer look at grammatical choices and see that even within particular types of texts, such as novels or newspapers, there is significant grammatical variation
which influences how meanings are expressed and importantly, how they are received. Through learning how these choices operate you may be better able to refine your own writing and recognise how other people are using grammar to evoke particular reactions from you. You will be expected not only to describe, interpret and evaluate texts but also to apply your grammatical knowledge and analytical skills as a means of judging and improving the communicative effectiveness of a range of everyday texts.
There are five units in Block 3, as follows:
Unit 12: Getting interpersonal: the grammar of social roles and relationships
Unit 13: Construing human experience: grammar, representation and point of view
Unit 14: Organising messages
Unit 15: Making a text hang together: the role of lexical cohesion
Unit 16: Making a text hang together: the role of grammatical devices
E303B
E303B consists of two blocks: Block 4 and Block 5 as described below.
Block 4: [Getting Down to it: undertaking research] introduces you to research studies on English through grammatical analysis and paves the way for the project work that you undertake later. Thus it moves away from the explicit teaching of grammar to its applications in research settings. Research methods relevant to analysing English in context are highlighted. You will be taken through the stages of designing, conducting and writing up a research project, with examples from actual research. Studies using different methods and in different contexts are analysed in depth to demonstrate different methods and applications. You are encouraged to consider whether alternative methodologies would have been suitable and thereby to build up a critical view of research.
There are five units in Block 4, as follows:
Unit 17: The context of language research
Unit 18: Designing a research project
Unit 19: Data collection for lexicogrammatical research
Unit 20: Critical linguistic approaches
Unit 21: Evaluating research
Block 5 [Getting to Work: putting grammar into professional practice] demonstrates how the grammatical principles and skills that you have acquired throughout the course may be applied in many areas of professional life. We draw on the perspectives of practitioners (such as educators and translators) whose daily judgements are underpinned, whether consciously or unconsciously, by grammar. We hope to stimulate your enthusiasm for grammatical analysis by raising your awareness of some of the ways in which grammar may be applied to the practical world of work - for example, how a close analysis of the grammar of witness statements can influence the outcome of criminal trials, or how an interpreter's awareness of grammar can affect the outcome of diplomatic discussions.
There are four units in Block 5, as follows:
Unit 22: Using grammar to establish the facts
Unit 23: Putting grammar into translation
Unit 24: Putting grammar into the dictionary
Unit 25: Putting grammar into educational practice.
Project: Towards the end of the course, you will be referred to the Project Guide. This advises you how to plan and carry out a piece of small-scale language research, taking you through the stages of preparing the project proposal, carrying out the research and writing it up. The relationship between all these components, together with an indicative timetable of study, is illustrated in the table in the Study Calendar.
1.8.2. Faculty Requirements
EL120: English Phonetics and Linguistics (4 credit hours)
This is an introductory course in English phonetics and linguistics that aims to:
- introduce you to both phonetics and linguistics in a simple and practical manner,
- give you ample practical training in the two disciplines,
- acquaint you with basic terminology used in phonetics and linguistics,
- prepare you for the more advanced language courses in the BA programme in English Language and Literature & the BA in ELL with BS
The first part of the course, the phonetic/phonological component, deals with English sounds [Units 2-6]. This component is practical in nature and aims at equipping you with necessary skills that will enable you to:
- identify and recognize English sounds,
- listen to English sounds produced by native speakers of the language,
- look up the pronunciation of words in pronouncing dictionaries,
- use phonetic symbols to transcribe English words and texts,
- mark stress on syllables
The linguistic component aims to introduce you to the study of human language. It particularly highlights current trends in linguistic thinking and introduces you to the study of the various language aspects/components: word structure; sentence structure; meaning; utterances beyond sentence boundary [discourse/text]
The course is structured to provide you with the basic concepts in the general field of linguistics of the latter half of the twentieth century and the beginnings of the twenty-first century .
EL121: The Short Story and Essay Writing (4 credit hours)
This introductory course is designed to teach you basic skills and concepts you will need to pursue more advanced courses in the BA programme in ELL. A required course for ELL students, it will also serve the general student population at AOU as a University Elective.
The course is divided into two parts: the Short Story and Essay Writing.
In the first part you will study the Short Story genre as a means of introducing you to basic literary concepts and terminology. Representative world short stories by well-known writers will be explored through basic elements of the genre (setting, character, point of view, plot and theme). This part of the course will train you in literary analysis and
expand your literary appreciation.
The second part of the course focuses on Essay Writing, teaching you the basic skills and concepts you will need to produce written assignments in a proper academic style. You will be guided through the pre-writing, writing and post-writing phases of an academic essay, practising skills and receiving feedback from tutors and peers throughout this process.
You will be trained in the areas of critical reading, thinking and writing, practising these concepts by producing summaries, critiques and syntheses of thematic readings. This part of the course will culminate in your writing a TMA [Tutor-Marked Assignment] based on thematic readings of ?he hero.
1.8.3. English Communication Skills Courses 6
The English Communication Skills Programme (ECSP) is a theme-based integrated skills programme for intermediate and advanced learners that consists of two consecutive courses:
6 Some students whose level of proficiency in English is judged to be inadequate are required to enroll in the English Orientation Programme, which is a two-level (non-
credit) programme of face-to-face instruction. Time allotted for each level is ten hours per week for one semester.
1. EL111: English Communication Skills I, and
2. EL112: English Communication Skills II.
In both EL111 and EL112, all four skills (listening, speaking, reading and writing) are developed systematically and integrated through relevant tasks. Language functions, grammar points and new vocabulary items are fully integrated in both oral and written skills. The reading and listening texts, on the other hand, explore high-interest universal topics and together with the accompanying tasks/activities are meant to develop the reading, writing, listening, speaking and study skills which the student will need to meet the demands of open learning university education.
The ECSP is not concerned with the accumulation of information. It is a skill-building programme, enabling the student to do things with English:
speak with ease and confidence, communicate with different types of people, discuss academic, social and professional matters, listen to news in English, watch TV programmes, read newspapers, magazines and references, write personal and business letters, write reports and articles, etc. Briefly then, a high level of proficiency in English is a prerequisite for academic, social and professional success.
The idea behind asking all AOU students to take two courses in English during their first year of study is very simple. Students need English not only to be able to pursue their university education but to utilize English, the lingua franca of the world, to communicate with the world at large.
They will also need English in their current or prospective job or business. Almost all jobs and businesses nowadays require a high level of proficiency in English.
EL111- Course Objectives (3 credit hours)
By the end of this course the student should be able to:
- listen to and comprehend varieties of English discourse spoken at normal speed,
- speak correctly and fluently with near native-like pronunciation, intonation and accent,
- communicate with ease and confidence on a variety of daily topics as well as on topics related to his/her university education, using appropriate structures, diction and idioms,
- read and understand a variety of English texts of varying length, complexity, styles and genres,
- write different types of paragraphs (descriptive, narrative, argumentative, definition, process) and different letter types (personal letters, letters of inquiry, letters of application, etc.) using appropriate punctuation marks, writing mechanics and cohesive devices, and
- summarize different types of texts correctly and efficiently.
The specific objectives subsumed under each of the above general objectives are listed and defined separately for each lesson in the Summary of Skills chart at the beginning of the Student Book.
EL112- Course Objectives (3 credit hours)
EL112 BUILDS upon the various skills that students are expected to have learnt in EL111 and thus the two constitute one organic whole.
The general objective of EL112 is to raise the student's level of proficiency in English to an advanced level. In particular it aims to:
- develop the reading skills which students need to meet the demands of open learning university education,
- augment students' writing ability up to a level whereby they can write legibly on material in higher-level university courses,
- upgrade the student's listening & speaking ability to the same level,
- develop the student's study skills.
By the end of this course the student should be able to:
- acquire native speaker's proficiency and communicative competence,
- listen to lectures, seminars, TV programmes and take relevant notes,
- read authentic material and summarize in an efficient manner,
- write different types of essays, reports, and term papers.
1.8.4. University requirement courses & university electives Descriptions of these courses can be accessed from AOU website: www.arabou.org.
2. BA (JOINT HONS) IN ENGLISH LANGUAGE AND LITERATURE WITH BUSINESS STUDIES BA (Joint Hons) ELL with BS (OUVA)
2. 1. Why ELL with Business Studies
Introducing a new specialisation in ELL with BS serves to meet the requirements of national and regional socio-economic development and market demands. Furthermore, it is a reflection of AOU policy of promoting Joint Honours programmes and multidisciplinary studies. It is expected to enhance students' employability.
The FLS believes that the launching of a strong and viable BA (Joint Hons) Programme in ELL with BS will help AOU realise its mission in:
- promoting a high-quality system of distance learning;
- providing students with distance learning programmes that address their academic and vocational needs;
- fostering an open and equal opportunity environment conducive to intellectual development, and to both theoretical and applied research;
- preparing students for further and more advanced study; preparing and qualifying students for employment in regional and global markets;
- graduating students who can appreciate other human cultures and heritages and who can communicate with the world at large, understand it, and make themselves understood in it.
Secondly, the proposed programme will meet market demands. Indeed, the proposed programme is in high demand in all Arab countries.
Statistical evidence that the BA programme in ELL and the BA programme in Business are in high demand in Arab countries can be seen from the large number of students admitted into the two AOU programmes annually. Admission for the first semester of the academic year 2006/2007 was as follows: ELL (1961) and Business (6557). A
combination of ELL with Business Studies is expected to attract even larger numbers of students.
2. 2. Programme Objectives
(i) General Objectives
Your studies will:
- provide you with a broad understanding of the English language, including its history, contemporary use and development as a global language
- provide you with a wide-ranging introduction to literary texts that have been either written in English or translated into English
- develop your skills of analysis and interpretation of both literary and non-literary texts, including spoken, written and multimodal texts
- enable you to develop a critical understanding of the range and variety of traditions and approaches to the study of literature and language
- provide you with opportunities to develop conceptual and communication skills, and to progress towards more independent thinking and judgment.
- provide you with a general understanding of business organisations, their key elements, wider considerations such as environments, markets and processes, and how all these work together.
- enable you to have insight into essential business functions such as marketing, accounting and finance
- enable you to analyse how businesses develop strategies, handle risk and take decisions,
- develop your practical skills, in particular IT and numerical skills
(ii) Specific Objectives
On successful completion of the Programme, you will be able to: communicate in English with ease and confidence on everyday matters, as well as on matters relating to your university education and to your career;
- read, understand, discuss, and evaluate different types of authentic texts comprising essays, research papers, poems, novels, and plays;
- express yourself orally and in writing on issues pertaining to different modes of language use, literary analysis, and business-related matters;
- read extended language, literature, and business texts, distinguish facts from opinions, and both analyze and evaluate different genres and registers ;
- write reports and articles of high academic quality;
- use and present material in written and spoken form in a clear and effective manner;
- demonstrate accurate and effective note-taking, summarizing, and editing skills;
- demonstrate techniques for using source materials transmitted through the medium of English;
- use reference material successfully, including bilingual and monolingual dictionaries and grammar books.
2.3. Programme Learning Outcomes (adapted and enlarged from OU website: www.open.ac.uk)
The programme provides an opportunity for students to develop and demonstrate knowledge and understanding, qualities, skills and other attributes in the following areas:
(A) Knowledge and understanding of
- the use of English to communicate fluently and appropriately for a variety of purposes;
- the cultures and societies where English is used and the similarities and dissimilarities of aspects of those cultures or societies in comparison with their own.
- a substantial number of authors and texts in English (or translated into English), including texts written in English outside the UK;
- the character and conventions of the principal literary genres - poetry, fiction and drama, and of other kinds of writing and communication;
- the history of English, its contemporary diversity, its role as a global language, and its use in a range of contexts in different parts of the world;
- debates surrounding the historical and temporary position of English in relation to other languages and language varieties;
- how literature and language both reflect and impact upon cultural change and difference; and of the way texts are written and received within literary, cultural and socio-historical contexts;
- how language and literature can be described and analysed;
- how human language is acquired and taught;
- the nature of linguistic evidence and different methods used in the collection and analysis of language data;
- different theoretical approaches to the study of literature, language and literacy.
in the field of Business Studies:
how and why business organisations are structured and how they operate within, and are affected by, market forces;
how their key processes are designed and work and how they are positioned in, and influenced by their environments;
the different internal and external elements of a business and the context in which a business operates;
business structures, cultures and the political, social, economic, technological and ethical considerations affecting business;
how and why distinct business functions have developed, and how they are integrated;
the role of functions in organisations' interactions with their environments;
how organisations make strategic decisions: rationality and routines, decision methods and decision processes;
the role of strategy and planning, notions of core competence, strategic innovation;
a range of policy and environmental concepts, issues and cases that demonstrate the effect of the macro environment on organisations.
(B) Cognitive skills - be able to
- use language creatively and accurately for a range of purposes and audiences, engaging with and interpreting layers of meaning within texts;
- develop critical skills in the close reading and analysis of diverse texts;
- acquire complex information of diverse kinds from a variety of sources (such as academic libraries, the internet, CD-ROMs, and corpora)
- learn and use appropriate linguistic and critical terminology to describe and analyse texts;
- synthesize information and ideas drawn from varied sources and critically evaluate explanations, arguments and theories;
- engage with different interpretations of texts, relate abstract oncepts and theories to specific texts.
In the field of Business Studies:
- have analytical and presentation skills appropriate for business studies;
- appreciate the ways that business functions are structured and operate in different contexts (sector, country, organisation, etc. );
- recognize assumptions, evaluate statements on the basis of evidence, detect false logic or reasoning, see implicit values,
- compare arguments, define terms adequately and generalise appropriately;
- collaborate with others and work in a team to achieve a common goal.
(C) Key skills - be able to Communication
- communicate effectively in English in everyday situations and semi-specialised contexts, using standard oral and written means of communication and showing awareness of communication purpose and intended audience;
- identify relevant material from a variety of sources, including multimedia material;
- read, synthesize and evaluate the significance of substantial quantities of material;
- gather and analyse data to support problem-solving techniques in response to questions posed by the study guides, activities and assignments;
- present sustained and persuasive arguments cogently and coherently;
- reference sources in an appropriate way;
- have numeric and presentation skills appropriate for business studies.
Information Technology
- use information technology skills to access, store, manage and present data effectively;
- use relevant computational tools and software packages where appropriate for the analysis of data.
Application of number
- understand, interpret and discuss basic statistical data in the form of graphs, tables and diagrams;
- interpret and use numeric information and convert it to non-numeric textual language (and vice versa) where appropriate.
Improving own learning and performance
- work independently, scheduling tasks and managing time effectively;
- study and learn more independently, and from a variety of different media and teaching methods;
- identify and use sources of support;
- make use of feedback from a tutor to improve performance;
- monitor and reflect on personal progress.
(D) Practical and/or professional skills
- use and present material in English in written and spoken form in a clear and effective manner;
- demonstrate accurate and effective note-taking, editing, transcription, and summarising skills;
- demonstrate techniques for using English source materials [printed; online; AV, etc. ]; including bilingual and monolingual dictionaries , pronouncing dictionaries, and grammar books;
- demonstrate analytical and problem-solving skills related to academic tasks;
- use reference material successfully, use communication tools, such as recordings, telephone-conferencing, ICT-based tools;
- conduct research and present findings on business and management issues for a project informed by the range of business data, research sources and appropriate methods you have learnt;
- transfer and use relevant key skills (see section C above) in the workplace context;
- use the more specific knowledge, analytical skills and methods of language and literature studies as well business studies as a strong basis for work in many professions
2. 4. Degree Requirements
The BA Programme in English Language and Literature (ELL) with Business Studies (BS) [BA (Joint Hons) ELL with BS] has been developed and will be delivered by AOU. It has been validated through a process of external peer review by UKOU as being of an appropriate standard and quality to lead to the Open University validated award of:
BA (Joint Hons) ELL with BS (OUVA).
The programme comprises 130 credit hours which can be completed over a four-year period of full-time study. The breakdown of credit hours and courses needed to complete the programme is as follows:
