English and Spanish

Bachelor's degree

In Belfast City

£ 9,250 + VAT

Description

  • Type

    Bachelor's degree

  • Location

    Belfast city (Northern Ireland)

  • Duration

    4 Years

  • Start date

    Different dates available

Overview English Studies at Queen's brings together a variety of specialist approaches under a single subject heading. Our literature modules encourage students to look at a writer's works in the context of the era, the cultural background, and the literary genres to which these works belong. They also introduce students to critical theories such as feminism, structuralism and post-structuralism, which are now a significant part of literary studies. Our language modules (also available on the Linguistics pathway, see page 196) encompass the study of language structure and function, including the day-to-day use of the language and the major influences which have shaped it over the last millennium and a half.   Why Queen's?English Studies at Queen's represents one of the most diverse areas of study and research in the Humanities, one that already has a worldwide reputation in its specialist fields of interest. The Seamus Heaney Centre for Poetry, under the auspices of the School of English, is the first Centre of Excellence for poetry in Ireland and its director is the internationally-renowned poet Ciaran Carson. It provides resources for emerging and established poets, researchers and critics, and serves to link creativity to criticism and academic scholarship, and ensures that the dynamic tradition of poetry at Queen's extends to a wide audience and is of benefit to students, writers, and the community.   Share this course Share

Facilities

Location

Start date

Belfast City (County Antrim)
See map
University Road, BT7 1NN

Start date

Different dates availableEnrolment now open

About this course

Entry Requirements   Selection Criteria In addition to the entrance requirements below, it is essential that you read the How We Choose Our Students pdf prior to submitting your UCAS application. Entrance Requirements A-level: ABB including A-level English and Spanish. Note: for applicants who have not studied A-level English then AS-level English (grade A) would be acceptable in lieu of A-level English. Beginners and Post-AS Spanish pathways are also available (see subject requirements for Spanish). Irish Leaving...

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Subjects

  • English
  • Writing
  • Poetry
  • Irish
  • Teaching
  • Quality
  • Grammar
  • English Language
  • Works
  • Quality Training

Course programme

Course Content (including module information)

Stage 1

There are six English modules in Stage 1, including English Language and Creative Writing. Joint Honours students take three English modules, whilst Single Honours students take six English modules.

Stage 2

In the second year, students choose from modules in:

  • Eighteenth-Century and Romantic Literature
  • Foundations for Speech Analysis: The Phonetics of English
  • History of English:Studying Language Change
  • Introduction to Shakespeare and Renaissance Drama
  • Introduction to American Writing
  • Irish Literature
  • Late Medieval Literature
  • Literature and Society, 1850-1930
  • Mapping the Anglo-Saxon World
  • The English Language: Language and Power

Stage 3

In the third year, students choose from a representative range of specialist modules, including:

  • Broadcasting and Identity
  • Broadcasting in a Post-Conflict Society
  • Contemporary Indian Literature in English
  • Contemporary Irish and Scottish Fiction
  • Contemporary Literature: Poetry and Precariousness in the Twenty-First Century
  • Contemporary US Crime Fiction
  • Digital Textualities and the History of the Book
  • Irish Gothic
  • Language in the Media
  • Literature and Science in the Nineteenth Century
  • Shakespeare on Screen
  • Literature and the First World War
  • Marvels, Monsters and Miracles in Anglo-Saxon England
  • Renaissance Performance, Gender, Space
  • Representing the Working Class
  • Special Topic Irish Writing Special Topic Creative Writing
  • Speech Worlds: Phonetics and Phonology in Communication
  • Stylistics: Bringing Language and Literature Together
  • Stevens and Bishop
  • Televising the Victorians
  • The Structure of English
  • Women’s Writing 1660-1820
  • Writing New York, 1880-1940

Assessment & Feedback

Assessment: The way in which you are assessed will vary according to the Learning objectives of each module. Some modules are assessed solely through project work or written assignments. Others are assessed through a combination of coursework and end of semester examinations. There are also oral examinations which enable students to demonstrate their ability to analyse and present material in French and pursue high-level discussion in the target language. Details of how each module is assessed are shown in the Student Handbook which is provided to all students during their first year induction.

Feedback (general): As students progress through their course at Queen’s they will receive general and specific feedback about their work from a variety of sources including lecturers, module co-ordinators, placement supervisors, personal tutors, advisers of study and peers. University students are expected to engage with reflective practice and to use this approach to improve the quality of their work. Feedback may be provided in a variety of forms including:

  • Feedback provided via formal written comments and marks relating to work that you, as an individual or as part of a group, have submitted.
  • Face to face comment. This may include occasions when you make use of the lecturers’ advertised “office hours” to help you to address a specific query.
  • Placement employer comments or references.
  • Online or emailed comment.
  • General comments or question and answer opportunities at the end of a lecture, seminar or tutorial.
  • Pre-submission advice regarding the standards you should aim for and common pitfalls to avoid. In some instances, this may be provided in the form of model answers or exemplars which you can review in your own time.
  • Feedback and outcomes from practical classes.
  • Comment and guidance provided by staff from specialist support services such as, Careers, Employability and Skills or the Learning Development Service.

Once you have reviewed your feedback, you will be encouraged to identify and implement further improvements to the quality of your work.

Learning and Teaching

At Queen’s, we aim to deliver a high quality learning environment that embeds intellectual curiosity, innovation and best practice in learning, teaching and student support to enable students to achieve their full academic potential.

On the English and Spanish degree programme we do this by providing a range of learning experiences which enable our students to engage with subject experts, develop attributes and perspectives that will equip them for life and work in a global society and make use of innovative technologies and a world class library that enhances their development as independent, lifelong learners. Examples of the opportunities provided for learning on this course are:

  • Lectures: introduce basic information about new topics as a starting point for further self-directed private study/reading. Lectures also provide opportunities to ask questions, gain some feedback and advice on assessments (normally delivered in large groups to all year group peers).
  • E-Learning technologies: Information associated with lectures and assignments is often communicated via a Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) called Queen’s Online. A range of e-learning experiences are also embedded in the degree through, for example: computer-based grammar learning packages in the Language Centre; interactive group workshops in a flexible learning space; IT and statistics modules; podcasts and interactive web-based learning activities; opportunities to use IT programmes associated with design in practicals and project- based work etc.
  • Seminars/tutorials: Significant amounts of teaching are carried out in small groups (typically 10-20 students). These provide an opportunity for students to engage with academic staff who have specialist knowledge of the topic, to ask questions of them and to assess their own progress and understanding with the support of peers. You should also expect to make presentations and other contributions to these groups.
  • Language classes: Almost all of the teaching in Modern Languages is carried out in small groups (typically 10-20 students). Written language classes meet for two hours each week, and involve intensive work on developing linguistic competence, vocabulary, idiom, knowledge of grammar, comprehension and translation skills, essay-writing skills etc. Students should expect to prepare work in advance of each of these classes, where they will receive regular written and oral feedback on their work.
  • Oral classes: Where you will have opportunities to develop oral skills and apply grammar and vocabulary in real-life, practical contexts and through the study of topics related to contemporary France. All these classes are taught in very small groups (typically 6-12 students) and are facilitated by native speakers.
  • Year Abroad: This is a significant learning and employability enhancement opportunity during which you can study at university, work as an English-Language Teacher, or undertake a paid work placement in a French-speaking country. This feature of our degree programme gives students the opportunity for personal and professional development, further develops communication and language skills, and the experience of living abroad is important for developing intercultural awareness.
  • Self-directed study: This is an essential part of life as a Queen’s student when important private reading, engagement with e-learning resources, reflection on feedback to date and assignment research and preparation work is carried out.
  • Supervised projects: In final year, you may choose a Dissertation module from the English curriculum which requires you to carry out a significant piece of research on a topic that you have chosen. You will receive support from a supervisor in English who will guide you in terms of how to carry out your research and will provide feedback to you on at least 2 occasions during the write up stage.
  • Personal Tutor: Undergraduates are allocated a Personal Tutor during Level 1 and 2 who meets with them on several occasions during the year to support their academic development.

Additional information

Career Prospects Studying for an English and French degree at Queen’s will assist you in developing the core skills and employment-related experiences that are valued by employers, professional organisations and academic institutions. Graduates from this degree have the proven ability to analyse subjects in depth and develop coherent arguments in written and verbal form, as well as linguistic fluency and experience of living and working abroad, all of which are highly sought after skills in a global job market. In a context where over half of all...

English and Spanish

£ 9,250 + VAT