Faculty of Arts English language

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Faculty of Arts

Table of Contents

1. Prerequisites
2. English language assistance
3. Requirements for a major
4. English language subjects
    4.1. First year
    4.2. Second/third year
5. Combined honours entry
6. Honours requirements
7. Further study
8. For more information
Subject Lists
    Subject descriptions
        Fourth-year subjects

Convener: Dr Jean Mulder

The English language program enables students to specialise in the English language by studying it from a number of perspectives: communicative, grammatical, semantic, historical, developmental and pedagogical. To speak and write the world's most widely used language effectively, we need to understand its history, its supple and intricate grammar, and the status of its many social and geographical varieties.

English language is a Faculty of Arts interdepartmental program which is housed in the Department of Linguistics and Applied Linguistics. It draws from subjects in the departments of Linguistics and Applied Linguistics, English, and the Centre for Communication Skills and English as a Second Language.

The English language program may be undertaken as a major independently of other areas of study. It is also a useful complement to studies in English, linguistics and applied linguistics, a language, Australian studies, American studies, or women's studies.

1. Prerequisites

The program commences at first year and there are no prerequisites for entry at this level.

Prerequisites may exist for some of the program's second/third-year subjects. Students are advised to consult the relevant area of study entries in this Handbook to make sure that they meet the prerequisites for their chosen subjects. Existing prerequisites may be waived for students undertaking an interdepartmental program. If you do not meet the existing prerequisites, please consult with the relevant subject coordinator for permission to enrol.

2. English language assistance

Although the program assumes a good mastery of English, overseas students and local students of non-English speaking background who need to consolidate their proficiency in either spoken or written English may wish to take some units offered by the Centre for Communication Skills and ESL. The appropriate subjects offered at first year are:

Students should note that no more than two of these subjects may be credited towards a major in English language. However, only one may be counted toward the first-year component of the major which must include the completion of the compulsory subject 175-106 The Linguistics of English. The second of these subjects may be counted as 12.5 points toward the second-year component of the major.

3. Requirements for a major

A major in English language usually consists of nine 12.5-point subjects, (112.5 points). It comprises:

• two first-year subjects in English language which must include 175-106 The Linguistics of English; and

• second/third-year subjects in English language (87.5 points). These must include:

  • 175-021 Grammar of English; and

  • either

  • 175-010 Second Language Learning and Teaching or

  • 175-011 Discourse & Pragmatics

  • and five subjects from the list of optional subjects below.

4. English language subjects

4.1. First year

Students must take two of the following first-year subjects towards their major in English language:

4.2. Second/third year

Students must take the following compulsory subjects and five optional subjects towards their English language major:

5. Combined honours entry

Currently there is no pure honours program in English language. This means that students must combine fourth-year honours in English language with another area of study.

The prerequisites for entry to combined honours in English language are:

• completion of all the requirements for the BA; and

• completion of a major in English language; and

• an average grade of H2A or higher over the second/third-year subjects within the major; and

• admission to honours in another area of study within the Faculty of Arts.

Entry to honours must be approved by the convener of English language and the Faculty of Arts honours course adviser.

6. Honours requirements

Students undertaking combined honours in English language must complete:

• 175-518 English Language Thesis (37.5 points); and

• two honours subjects in English language from the list below (25 points); and

• three honours subjects in the combined area of study (37.5 points).

or

• honours thesis in the combined area of study (37.5 points); and

• two honours subjects in the combined area of study (25 points); and

• three honours subjects in English language from the list below (37.5 points).

7. Further study

A Bachelor of Arts which includes English language can lead to graduate studies in English, linguistics or applied linguistics.

8. For more information

Department of Linguistics and Applied Linguistics
Fifth Floor, Arts Centre
The University of Melbourne
Victoria 3010
Tel. +61 3 8344 5488
Email: enquiries@linguistics.unimelb.edu.au
Web: http://www.linguistics.unimelb.edu.au

Subject descriptions

Fourth-year subjects

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