Programme Title

BA English and Irish

Final Award
(exit route if applicable for Postgraduate Taught Programmes)

Bachelor of Arts

Programme Code

ENG-BA-JS

UCAS Code

QQ53

HECoS Code

100320

ATAS Clearance Required

No

Mode of Study

Full Time

Type of Programme

Joint Honours Single

Length of Programme

3 Academic Year(s)

Total Credits for Programme

360

Exit Awards available

Teaching Institution

Queen's University Belfast

School/Department

Arts, English and Languages

Framework for Higher Education Qualification Level 
www.qaa.ac.uk

Level 6

QAA Benchmark Group
www.qaa.ac.uk/quality-code/subject-benchmark-statements

English (2015)

Accreditations (PSRB)

Does the Programme have any approved exemptions from the University General Regulations
(Please see General Regulations)

N/A

Programme Specific Regulations

Each level requires 60 CATS in English and 60 CATS in Irish.

Unless exempted by the Head of School on the basis of prior learning or exceptional personal/medical circumstances, students are normally required to attend a total of six weeks in the Gaeltacht in Ireland at an approved place of residence. This consists of 3 weeks between Level 1 and Level 2 and 3 weeks between Level 2 and Level 3.
Transferring from Single to Joint Honours:
On completing Level 1 a Single Honours student in either of English or Irish who has completed 40 CATS at Level 1 in the other subject and has achieved an average mark across the 40 CATS of 60 or above may be admitted to this Joint Honours Programme subject to having obtained the approval of the Adviser of Studies in the subject in which they have only 40 CATS.

Students will be notified each academic year of the optional modules being offered in the following academic year. Students are advised that not all optional modules will necessarily be offered in each academic year. Also, the delivery of a module may be subject to a minimum number of enrolments as well as unforeseen circumstances (eg illness of a member of staff). The range and content of optional modules will change over time as degree programmes develop and students' choice of optional modules may also be limited due to timetabling constraints.

Students with protected characteristics

The School work with placement providers and partner institutions to ensure that students with disabilities are able to complete residence requirements.

Are students subject to Fitness to Practise Regulations

(Please see General Regulations)

No

Learning Outcomes: Cognitive Skills

On the completion of this course successful students will be able to:

exercise sound, reasoned judgment;

recognise and appreciate the varying effects of different literary and linguistic forms of expression;

respond to, and differentiate between, different ideological and theoretical positions;

appreciate a variety of textual and cultural perspectives on academic enquiry;

analyse and interpret material from different geographical, cultural, and temporal contexts
think independently, originally, and self-reflexively;

demonstrate a capacity for critical reflection and judgment in the light of evidence and argument;

discriminate between substantive and peripheral concerns in their understanding of literary and linguistic issues;

identify, collate and organise relevant data and information from a variety of primary and secondary sources in support of their argument;

synthesise relevant information and exercise critical judgement, primarily through essay writing;

understand complex tasks and an ability to present appropriate solutions in written form;

work autonomously, manifested in self-direction, objective-setting, prioritising and time-management;

reflect on their own learning, seeking and making use of constructive feedback;

produce intellectually coherent academic analysis within word limits and time deadlines;

apply requisite referencing and presentation formats in the production of written analyses;

structure, manage and adapt strategies for self-directed independent research.

Teaching/Learning Methods and Strategies

Seminars offer a variety of tutor-led and student-led learning opportunities as well as a more sustained opportunity to debate and evaluate a breadth of knowledge gained independently from directed reading and from the sharing of resources and information.

Group presentations encourage students to pursue their own interests, collaborate with peers, negotiate the demands of teamwork and develop their understanding of a topic.

Through class discussions, sometimes assigned to pairs or sub-groups, students develop a comparative understanding of different approaches to material and the ability to formulate their own arguments and responses.

Student-centred learning situations encourage the ability to present and summarise knowledge to peers in a coherent, structured form, and to further enhance organisational and inter-personal skills.

Writing skills tutorials and lectures develop essay-writing on stylistic, structural, rhetorical and bibliographical levels. The ability to collate and obtain information is developed through introductory training in the use of libraries and online resources.

In all modules, students are encouraged to refer to current critical and theoretical debate in order to form their own judgement of the text or data in question. They work towards a number of deadlines for formative and summative work, and for class presentation, thereby learning to prioritise assignments and objectives, and in doing so hone their time-management skills.

Methods of Assessment

Examinations and essays require that students demonstrate coverage of material, appropriate methods of analysis, the ability to discriminate between arguments, and the ability to form an independent argument.

Written exams help students gain a knowledge of a topic that can be readily and directly applied to a set problem or question, and also test their ability to select relevant information and to write clearly and concisely within a set time.

Group presentations encourage students to pursue their own interests and develop their understanding of a topic.

Extended essays test their ability to order and shape information, and to recognise ways in which to present and prioritise material.

Dissertation work (for students taking ENG3000 or ENL3000) is a programme of independent study agreed between student and supervisor, leading to the writing and submission of an extended essay (thesis).

Feedback is provided for each type and instance of assessment and students may seek dedicated feedback sessions with course tutors.

The Personal Tutor system facilitates student reflection upon academic performance and assists in developing strategies for improvement.

Learning Outcomes: Knowledge & Understanding

On the completion of this course successful students will be able to:

understand the key concepts that are used to undertake literary, textual and historical analysis;

display a broad knowledge of a range of periods in literary history, including literature before 1660, and an understanding of the social and political contexts in which texts are both written and read;

understand the rhetorical, stylistic and aesthetic strategies of the different genres of prose fiction, drama and poetry;

address major themes in the history of society and culture as well as theoretical approaches to literature and language, and moving images;

display familiarity with a range of theoretical approaches to literature and language, and with the key critical debates that form and inform the disciplines themselves;

Teaching/Learning Methods and Strategies

Knowledge and understanding are developed through lectures, tutorials, seminars (many of which will be enhanced by learning aids such as hand-outs, and key readings available online through Queen’s Online) and through the assessment and feedback process.

Lectures and tutorials together provide knowledge and the opportunity to discuss, evaluate and apply that knowledge to texts.

Seminars offer the more sustained opportunity to debate and evaluate a breadth of knowledge gained independently from directed reading and from the sharing of resources and information.

Extensive background reading is required throughout the pathway, developing students’ specialist knowledge of particular genres and periods of literature in addition to a broad base of knowledge about literary history.

Methods of Assessment

A range of assessment methods ensures that these skills are evaluated in different ways.
Formative written work assists the development of understanding, critical judgment, and independent thought, both through the feedback given, and through the process of writing itself.

Examinations, essays and seminar presentations and language project work require that students demonstrate coverage of material, appropriate methods of textual and linguistic analysis, the ability to discriminate between arguments, and the ability to form an independent argument.

exhibit a detailed knowledge of spoken and written forms of Irish (including register and dialect);

critically understand Modern Irish literature and show a knowledge of key aspects of contemporary Irish-language culture.

Teaching/Learning Methods and Strategies

Language classes enable the development of grammatical accuracy, range of vocabulary and idiom, awareness of register, and fluency in Irish. Language exercises may include comprehension, résumé, essay, prose and translation.

Oral classes in small groups develop spoken-language skills.
The period of residence in the Gaeltacht allows students to improve their linguistic ability and their knowledge of the Irish language.

Methods of Assessment

Students complete a series of written exercises per semester. Individual feedback on these assignments enables students, with the help and guidance of the tutor, to address areas of difficulty and thus develop their linguistic knowledge and understanding.

Language examinations test students’ ability to translate into and from the target language, textual comprehension and their ability to formulate and structure arguments in the target language.

Oral examinations enable students to demonstrate their ability to analyse, present material and pursue high-level discussion in the target language.

understand the role of the Irish language in contemporary Irish society and identity;

display an advanced understanding of how Irish culture uses language to express, communicate and develop its identity and interests;

demonstrate knowledge of historical forms of the language and earlier phases of Gaelic literature.

Teaching/Learning Methods and Strategies

Lectures and tutorials together provide knowledge and the opportunity to discuss, evaluate and apply that knowledge to texts and real world contexts. They also provide specific contextual and theoretical information as well as offering practical examples of different critical approaches.

Seminars offer a variety of tutor-led and student-led learning opportunities as well as a more sustained opportunity to debate and evaluate a breadth of knowledge gained independently from directed reading and from the sharing of resources and information.

Through class discussions, sometimes assigned to pairs or sub-groups, students develop a comparative understanding of different approaches to material and the ability to formulate their own arguments and responses.

The period of residence in the Gaeltacht allows students to improve their linguistic ability and their knowledge of the Irish language.

Methods of Assessment

Examinations and essays require that students demonstrate coverage of material, appropriate methods of analysis, the ability to discriminate between arguments, and the ability to form an independent argument.

Written exams help students gain a knowledge of a topic that can be readily and directly applied to a set problem or question, and also test their ability to select relevant information and to write clearly and concisely within a set time.

Group presentations are used to encourage students to pursue their own interests and develop their understanding of a topic.

During the period of residence abroad, students complete a learning journal and a reflective report, in which they document and analyse their insights into the Target Language culture.

Learning Outcomes: Subject Specific

On the completion of this course successful students will be able to:

read texts with a developed awareness and appreciation of their formal, structural and generic properties;

assess critical interpretations of the ways in which different cultural and historical contexts inform the reading and writing of texts;

analyse the forms, function, and development of language;

utilise a critical vocabulary and engage with different critical perspectives in the analysis of texts;

be aware of key debates concerning the development of the discipline of literary criticism;

carry out various forms of research for essays, projects, and/or dissertations involving sustained independent enquiry;

formulate appropriate research questions and employ appropriate methods and resources for exploring those questions;

select and utilise primary quotation and secondary critical material in the formulation of an argument;
display familiarity with bibliographic convention and should be able to research, reference and present written work according to the requirements of the subject area;

Teaching/Learning Methods and Strategies

Lectures provide specific contextual and theoretical information as well as offering practical examples of different critical approaches.

Tutorials and seminars allow for close reading of texts in a group situation, while developing students’ ability to formulate their own arguments and responses.

Formative work – both written and oral – enables students to combine the knowledge and skills developed through lectures and tutorials, and to formulate, and receive feedback on, their own independent arguments.

Student-centred learning situations encourage the ability to present and summarise knowledge to peers in a coherent, structured form, and to further enhance organisational and inter-personal skills.

Module and programme information and style sheets guide students in their choice of, access to, and citation of relevant secondary materials.

Methods of Assessment

Assessment methods vary in accordance with the specific learning outcomes of particular modules as detailed below or in the Arts, English and Languages Handbook.

Formative written work assists the development of understanding, critical judgment, and independent thought, both through the feedback given, and through the process of writing itself. Analytical, discursive, interpretive and critical exercises – both formative and summative – test students’ ability to engage with, analyse, contextualise, interpret and criticise relevant material.

All assessment methods, whether the dissertation, essays or oral presentations, aural tests or examinations, require students to demonstrate the English subject skills which are detailed in the Marking Criteria and the English Assessment and Feedback Policy made available in Module Resources.

communicate fluently and effectively with native Irish speakers in both oral and written contexts;

demonstrate a high level of understanding of oral and written forms of Irish;

deploy an appropriate range of vocabulary, structures and registers;

describe and analyse main grammatical features of Irish, and to draw on a wide variety of resources to refine and improve their knowledge and understanding of the language;

Teaching/Learning Methods and Strategies

Through the wide variety of exercises used in written- and spoken-language classes (presentations, debate, résumé, essay, comprehension, grammar tests, prose, translation), a whole range of language skills is developed and assessed. These include: knowledge and understanding of vocabulary, and of the structures and registers of language; translation skills; the structuring and development of arguments in Irish; fluency and idiom; summary and synthesising skills; planning and composing oral presentations/exposés. Grammatical knowledge is under constant review, and explanation, description and analysis of grammar forms an important part of language classes.

Methods of Assessment

Students complete a series of written exercises per semester. Individual feedback on these assignments enables students, with the help and guidance of the tutor, to address areas of difficulty and thus develop their linguistic knowledge and understanding.

Language examinations test students’ ability to translate into and from the target language, textual comprehension and their ability to formulate and structure arguments in the target language.

Oral examinations enable students to demonstrate their ability to analyse, present material and pursue high-level discussion in the target language.

understand, evaluate and analyse a wide variety of texts and ideas from and about the Irish language;

synthesise ideas and develop arguments in Irish and English drawing from a wide range of diverse sources;

deploy high-level critical concepts specific to linguistic, cultural, literary and language-based studies;

develop independent insight into central features of Irish language and culture, and to appreciate and engage with a culture other than their own.

Teaching/Learning Methods and Strategies

In the course of their programme, students have the opportunity to study literary, linguistic, historical, visual or cultural topics.

Lectures and seminars together provide knowledge and the opportunity to discuss, evaluate and apply that knowledge to texts and real world contexts. They also provide specific contextual and theoretical information as well as offering practical examples of different critical approaches.

Seminars offer a variety of tutor-led and student-led learning opportunities as well as a more sustained opportunity to debate and evaluate a breadth of knowledge gained independently from directed reading and from the sharing of resources and information.

Students are encouraged to develop their own responses to Irish culture, particularly by means of the time spent in the Gaeltacht.

Methods of Assessment

Examinations and essays require that students demonstrate coverage of material, appropriate methods of analysis, the ability to discriminate between arguments, and the ability to form an independent argument.

Written exams help students gain a knowledge of a topic that can be readily and directly applied to a set problem or question, and also test their ability to select relevant information and to write clearly and concisely within a set time.

Group presentations are used to encourage students to pursue their own interests and develop their understanding of a topic.

During the period of residence abroad, students complete a learning journal and a reflective report, in which they document and analyse their insights into the Target Language culture.

Learning Outcomes: Transferable Skills

On the completion of this course successful students will be able to:

manage time efficiently and effectively;

demonstrate basic word-processing and IT skills;

collate and process information from a variety of sources;

use libraries and online resources;

respond positively and productively to feedback on work;

think both creatively and maturely in diverse intellectual situations;

use their knowledge in cogent, communicable ways to present arguments and clarify complex issues in both oral and written forms;

display interpersonal skills and the ability to work productively in a group context;

demonstrate effective oral and written communication skills;

Teaching/Learning Methods and Strategies

Student preparation for seminars requires them to read a variety of material and discuss this with their peers and the tutor. They may make individual or group presentations analysing the material in class.

Class presentations and student interaction hone communication and rhetorical skills. Student centred learning situations encourage and test the ability to present and summarise knowledge to their peers in a coherent, structured form, and inter-personal skills are developed in seminars and tutorials.

Seminar preparation, research for presentations.

Methods of Assessment

Examinations and essays require that students demonstrate appropriate methods of analysis, the ability to discriminate between arguments and evaluate information, and the ability to form a cogent, independent argument.

Written exams test students’ ability to select relevant information and to write clearly and concisely within a set time. With coursework essays, students are required to adhere to strict deadlines.

Individual and group presentations.

take notes and summarise accurately and effectively;

Teaching/Learning Methods and Strategies

Lectures, seminars.

Methods of Assessment

Examinations and essays require that students demonstrate appropriate methods of analysis, the ability to discriminate between arguments and evaluate information, and the ability to form a cogent, independent argument.

Written exams test students’ ability to select relevant information and to write clearly and concisely within a set time. With coursework essays, students are required to adhere to strict deadlines.

Individual and group presentations.

demonstrate self-reliance, initiative, adaptability and intercultural awareness;

Teaching/Learning Methods and Strategies

Gaeltacht placement

Methods of Assessment

Learning journal and reflective report for the Gaeltacht experience.

understand the role and use of feedback in assessing and improving performance;

respond constructively to criticism.

Teaching/Learning Methods and Strategies

Students receive feedback on their formative and summative work and may seek further feedback in one-to-one meetings with tutors.

Engagement with Personal Tutors promotes student reflection upon academic performance. Personal Tutors also discuss career options with students; and the Schools work closely with the Careers Liaison Officer to present students with information on possible careers.

Methods of Assessment

Feedback (on Queen’s Online, on draft materials, or in class) provides students with an ongoing feedback experience throughout their degree.

Each student is allocated a Personal Tutor in stage 1 and meets with him/her throughout the duration of the degree programme.