Faculty of Arts English Language Studies

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Faculty of Arts

Table of Contents

1. Time commitment to study
2. Prerequisites
3. Diploma in Arts (English Language)
4. English language assistance
5. Requirements for a major
6. English language subjects
    6.1. First year
    6.2. Second/third year
7. Combined honours entry
8. Honours requirements
9. Further study
10. 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 interdisciplinary program which is housed in the School of Languages and Linguistics. It draws from subjects in the linguistics and applied linguistics and the English literary studies program.

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. Time commitment to study

As well as scheduled contact hours for lectures, tutorial and seminars a considerable additional time commitment is needed to complete the academic requirements of each subject.

A subject-specific time commitment to study will be provided by your lecturer or tutor at the beginning of semester to help you schedule your workload and successfully manage your time during the semester. In addition, general estimates of the total time commitment required to study a 12.5-point single semester subject in the Faculty of Arts can be found on Time commitment to study.

2. 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 interdisciplinary program. If you do not meet the existing prerequisites, please consult with the relevant subject coordinator for permission to enrol.

3. Diploma in Arts (English Language)

The Diploma in Arts (English Language) is only available to students who are currently enrolled in a degree course at the University of Melbourne. It consists of a three-year sequence of study, and adds one year to the duration of your degree.

Students must complete the first-year subject 175-106 The Linguistics of English, worth 12.5 points, and 87.5 points of second/third-year subjects, including one compulsory subject, one of two core subjects and five optional subjects. Alternatively, students who have previously completed the compulsory first-year subject may complete 100 points of second/third year subjects, including one compulsory subject, two core subjects and five optional subjects.

4. 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 ESL subjects. 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.

5. Requirements for a major

A major in English language usually consists of eight 12.5-point subjects, (100 points). It comprises:

• one first-year subject in English language (12.5 points). Students planning to undertake a major in English language may enrol in more than one first-year subject if they wish; and

• seven 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.

6. English language subjects

6.1. First year

Students must take one first-year subject towards their major in English language:

6.2. Second/third year

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

7. 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 honours in another program.

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 program within the Faculty of Arts.

For information on how to apply see Applying for Honours.

8. Honours requirements

Students undertaking combined honours in English language must complete:

• 175-517 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 combining discipline (37.5 points).

or

• honours thesis in the combining discipline (37.5 points); and

• two honours subjects in the combining discipline (25 points); and

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

9. Further study

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

10. For more information

School of Languages and Linguistics
Fifth Floor, Arts Centre
The University of Melbourne
Victoria 3010
Tel: +61 3 8344 5179
Fax: +61 3 8344 2613
Email: lal-enquiries@unimelb.edu.au
Web: http://www.linguistics.unimelb.edu.au

Subject descriptions

Fourth-year subjects

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