9. UC/14 BA/1 UNIVERSITY OF CANTERBURY Te Whare Wānanga o Waitaha CUAP Proposal-New Qualification/Subject/Endorsement 2014 Section A Proposal Description Purpose of the proposal To introduce “English Language” (ENLA) as a major and minor subject in the Bachelor of Arts degree. Justification Linguistics is a broad subject, which can be studied from a range of different perspectives. One is a cross-linguistic approach in which students study the technicalities of linguistic analysis across many different languages. This is the focus of the current Linguistics major at the University of Canterbury, where students who major in Linguistics are equipped to deal with unfamiliar languages using the analytical tools of the discipline. Indeed, a specific learning outcome of the current UC Linguistics major is that students 'will become increasingly acquainted with languages other than English, and with cross-linguistic comparison'. However, another approach in the discipline, well attested internationally, focuses specifically on the English Language – on its structures, functions and contexts of use. There are many scholarly journals devoted to the linguistics of English (e.g. English Language and Linguistics, Journal of English Linguistics, English World Wide, World Englishes) and numerous academic societies that focus on the linguistic analysis of contemporary and historical English (e.g. The International Society for the Linguistics of English, the Society of Historical English Language and Linguistics). UC students cannot currently major in Linguistics and choose to focus on the study of the English Language beyond 100-level, because the required courses for the Linguistics major are designed, necessarily, so that students focus on cross-linguistic work. However, many students are interested specifically in studying the English language. This is particularly true if they want to move into a career involving English teaching (e.g. in secondary school, where the linguistic and sociolinguistic analysis of English form an important part of the NZ English curriculum, or if they want to teach English to speakers of other languages). International students who are interested in language often want their major to demonstrate their high competence in the use of English and their detailed and explicit understanding of how English ‘works’. It is very common internationally for the two approaches to Linguistics outlined above – a cross-linguistic perspective and a focus on the English Language – to exist side-by-side in the same department, offering students two different routes through the discipline (e.g. this is possible in the following UK institutions, and many more: University of Edinburgh, University of York, Lancaster University, Newcastle University). Such programmes are not common in New Zealand, however, despite their high popularity amongst students elsewhere. The UC Linguistics Department already offers courses which focus specifically on the study of the English Language, but above 100 level these courses are at the moment only available as optional extras and are not required as part of the Linguistics major. By the time the requirements of the Linguistics major have been met, students have little room in their schedule to add in courses specifically about the English language. We propose to build a new major – English Language – out of our existing courses that focus on the linguistics of English. This offers students a new pathway through the discipline of linguistics, and allows them to focus on English if they wish to do so. The Linguistics Department at UC is internationally renowned for its work on the linguistics of English. Every staff member in the department has published work on the structure or social contexts of different English varieties across the world, including New Zealand English (Heidi Quinn, Jen Hay), American English (Beth Hume, Jen Hay), and English in England (Kevin Watson, Lynn Clark) and Scotland (Lynn Clark). Kevin Watson is editor of the New Zealand English Journal, which is also based at UC. We also manage the largest database of spoken New Zealand English (the ONZE corpus) and spoken English from the north of England (The OLIVE corpus), providing not only research materials but also unique teaching resources. A new English Language major thus fits directly with existing research expertise in the UC Linguistics Department, and would further strengthen our research-teaching nexus. 1 9. UC/14 BA/1 Qualification The programme meets the CUAP definition for a major in the Bachelor of Arts degree. Acceptability of the programme and consultation We have carried out consultation with the following: Assoc. Prof Phillip Armstrong (English, HoD) Professor Paul Miller (Head of the School of Humanities and Creative Arts, UC) Dr Ronnie Davey, English and Literacy Education, UC School of Education Assoc Prof Una Cunningham, UC School of Teacher Education Tim Croft, International Partnerships Co-ordinator, UC AVC Maori, UC Dr Hunter Hatfield, President of the NZ Linguistics Society, Department of Linguistics, Otago. Prof Jonathan Culpeper, Director of Studies for MA English Language, Department of Linguistics and English Language, Lancaster University Dr Graeme Trousdale, Department of Linguistics and English Language, University of Edinburgh Prof Paul Kerswill, Department of Language and Linguistic Science, University of York NZ Secondary school teachers UC College of Arts Staff, via Heads of School UC College of Arts Teaching and Learning Committee UCSA UC Liaison team Current UC Linguistics students Feedback has been very positive. There is agreement that English Language will be a useful complement for students who wish to major in English at UC (i.e. as a double major), and there is also evidence that this connection will be recognised by school students (Phillip Amstrong, Paul Miller, Ronnie Davey, UC Liaison team). New Zealand school teachers support our view that the English Language programme will be of interest to students who do not study a foreign language, whereas the Linguistics major will continue to interest students who wish to focus on many different languages. Colleagues agree that the English Language major is likely to attract new international students who wish to advance their understanding of the structures of the English language (UC Liaison team, Tim Croft, UCSA). Colleagues overseas agree that the content of the major matches well with comparable international programmes. Paul Kerswill directly compared our proposed programme with prestigious English Language programmes in the UK (York, Lancaster, Sheffield, Newcastle) and confirmed that it is well balanced and aligns well with international offerings in the field. There is also clear recognition that it fits well with expertise of existing staff in the UC Linguistics Department. This is explicitly mentioned by the current President of the New Zealand Linguistics Society, Hunter Hatfield, who is also in support of the proposal. The following questions arose during the consultation process: Jonathan Culpeper, Professor of English Language at Lancaster University, asked about the learning outcomes of the programme, specifically noting that the fields of semantics and pragmatics were mentioned in the outcomes but that there was no specific course examining these areas. While there is no specific course in these areas, semantics and pragmatics is covered in LING102 From Babies to Adults: How experience shapes your language. However, since this is a 100 level course and so can only be an introduction to these areas, we have removed the specific learning outcome which deals with semantics and pragmatics. Students will still be exposed to these fields of study, but they will not form a major part of the programme. Paul Kerswill, Professor of English Language and Linguistics at the University of York, asked whether students could take the same set of courses and graduate with a Linguistics degree. This is not possible. At the moment, students must do a specific set of courses for the Linguistics major. These are different from the courses which are required for the proposed English Language major. As such, the English Language major represents a genuinely new combination of courses leading to a new degree. Paul Kerswill also asked whether students will have the necessary background in 2 9. UC/14 BA/1 phonetics to be able to cope with the content of ENLA210 Language Variation Across Space and Time. This course will have the same pre-requisites in the English Language programme as it currently has as an optional course in the Linguistics programme, and our experience is that students do indeed have the necessary background. Ronnie Davey, UC School of Education, asked whether we had considered offering this programme via distance learning. We already offer LING102 (/ENLA102) as a distance learning course on the UC STAR and Arts at a Distance programmes, and we would be keen in principle to consider broadening the distance delivery options for other courses, but distance delivery is not part of the current proposal. We will keep this in mind for the future. The full set of feedback received is available on request. Treaty of Waitangi This proposal is consistent with the university’s commitment to the principles of the Treaty of Waitangi. Course content in the more advanced part of the programme covers the use of English in New Zealand (in e.g. ENLA310 and ENLA320), raising students’ awareness of the linguistic context of the country (including both historical and contemporary issues) as well as their cultural understanding of, for example, the relationship between English and Te Reo Maori. Goals of the programme The proposal is to introduce English Language as a subject in the BA programme. The goals of the major in English Language are: 1. To equip students with knowledge of the structure of the English Language, including its sound systems and its grammatical systems. 2. To equip students with knowledge of the history of English, including the linguistic changes that took place in the transition from Old English to Middle English to Modern English. 3. To equip students with knowledge of the history of English in New Zealand, including knowledge of what early New Zealand English was like, and how it has changed over time. 4. To equip students with knowledge of the social contexts of English across the world, including how it varies according to different geographical and social settings. Outcome statement Graduates of English Language will have acquired knowledge of the structure, functions and contexts of use of English. They will know about the sound systems and grammatical systems of English, and they will understand how English varies in different historical, geographical and social contexts. English Language provides a foundation for any career which requires advanced communication skills and/or a detailed understanding of how English works, such as teaching, management, marketing, the media, and publishing. University graduate characteristics and Qualification graduate profile The graduate characteristics and graduate profile are developed in accordance with the 2011 ‘Subject Benchmark Statement for English Language’, produced by the Languages, Linguistics and Area Studies group of the UK Higher Education Academy. The learning outcomes below have been mapped to assessment requirements in ENLA courses. English Language graduates will have a detailed understanding of the form and function of English. This will include: the internal structure of contemporary English, including knowledge of its phonetics and phonology, morphology, syntax, and lexis; some of the main ways of analysing English text and discourse, including for example conversation analysis; some of the main theories of meaning and how meanings are influenced by context and negotiated by speakers; the history of English, including its ongoing development; the relationship between English and other languages; key geographical and social determinants of variation in English, including a number of the main regional varieties of English; the role of language in constructing individual and group identities; how language produces and reflects cultural change and difference; 3 9. UC/14 BA/1 Subject-specific skills Graduates who have studied English Language will have acquired a range of complementary analytical, critical and linguistic skills. These include: the ability to formulate a hypothesis, gather evidence, and construct an acceptable argument within the study of English Language; knowledge of the metalanguage appropriate for the discipline and the ability to use correctly a recognized formal terminology; critical skills in the close reading, description, analysis, or production of texts or discourses; ability to articulate knowledge and understanding of texts, concepts and theories relating to English and to the language faculty more broadly; awareness of the variety of Englishes in the world and intercultural awareness; Generic and transferable skills Graduates who have studied English Language will have acquired a range of transferable and cognitive skills, including: advanced literacy and communication skills and the ability to apply these in appropriate contexts, including the ability to construct and present coherent, concise and sustained arguments. competence in the planning and execution of project reports, essays, other formal writing and academic posters. the ability to abstract and synthesize information, and to organize the results appropriately. the ability to analyse data quantitatively, and to express the results of that analysis cogently and concisely. the ability to assess the merits and shortcomings of contrasting theories and explanations the ability to think and reason critically, to evaluate evidence and argumentation, and to form a critical judgement of one’s own work as well as the work of others, both in academic and non-academic domains. the ability to acquire complex data and information of diverse kinds from a variety of sources, including libraries, the internet, corpora, independent fieldwork and data collection. bibliographic skills appropriate to the discipline, including accurate citation of sources and consistent use of conventions in the presentation of professional and scholarly work. skills in accessing and manipulating data electronically, as well as a broad familiarity with information technology resources. effective time management and organizational skills, including the ability to work to a deadline and to handle a number of distinct projects simultaneously. The goals of the minor in English Language are: 1. To equip students with knowledge of the structure of the English Language, including its sound systems and its grammatical systems. 2. To equip students with knowledge of how English interacts with and is constrained by the social contexts in which it is used. This may involve focusing on some combination of the following: the sociolinguistics of contemporary English, the history of English, the recent history of English in New Zealand. (Exactly what the focus is will depend on which combination of ENLA courses a student decides to follow for the minor.) Subject-specific skills Students who minor in English Language will have acquired, at least: the ability to formulate a hypothesis, gather evidence, and construct an acceptable argument within the study of English Language; knowledge of the metalanguage appropriate for the discipline and the ability to use correctly a recognized formal terminology; critical skills in the close reading, description, analysis, or production of texts or discourses; The generic and transferable skills outlined above also apply. Programme overview 4 9. UC/14 BA/1 The English Language major will be a total of 135 points, comprising the following 5 core courses, all of which currently exist (note, these existing LING courses will be co-coded as ENLA courses – see below): LING101 The English Language, LING102 From babies to adults: how experience shapes your language, LING210 Language variation across space and time, LING310 New Zealand English, LING320 History of English. Students must also take either a further 30 points at 200-level or above from the available LING courses, or a further 15 points at 200-level from LING and 15 points at 200level from English (ENGL). The English Language minor will comprise a total of 75 points from ENLA courses, at least 45 of which must be at 200level or above. Existing LING courses will be co-coded as ENLA courses, as follows: Existing code and name LING101 The English Language LING102 From babies to adults: how experience shapes your language LING210 Language variation across space and time LING310 New Zealand English LING320 History of English Additional co-code and name ENLA101 The English Language ENLA102 From babies to adults: how experience shapes your language ENLA210 Language variation across space and time ENLA310 New Zealand English ENLA320 History of English The course descriptions for the proposed core courses: ENLA101 The English Language (LING101) (15 Points) This course introduces students to the study of the English language, its words, sounds and sentences. It also introduces the conceptual and analytical tools which linguists use to understand how languages are constructed. ENLA102 From babies to adults: how experience shapes your language (LING102) (15 points) What do babies know about language when they're born? And how do our experiences as we get older affect both how we use language and what we think about other people's language behaviour? Why, for example, do people think some languages, or some dialects, are 'better' than others? And is there any truth behind such beliefs? In this course we consider a range of research from the field of linguistics that addresses these and other questions. The role of language experience will emerge as a recurrent theme: the experience that the infant has with a particular language; how our early experience with language affects how we speak and how we listen, and how our beliefs about language are created and maintained in connection to other experiences in our social lives. ENLA210 Language variation across space and time (LING210) (15 points) Languages are not fixed; they vary across physical and social space and change over generations. These patterns of variation and change can be understood by studying the linguistic and social factors which affect language use. This course is an introduction to the sociolinguistic study of language variation and change. We examine how language varies both across individuals (e.g. according to a speaker's regional origin, gender, social class, ethnicity and age) and within individuals (e.g. how speakers adjust their language in different contexts depending on the social message they want to convey). Our consideration will include a detailed study of patterns of language change, with attention to changes currently taking place in English and other languages around the world. ENLA310 New Zealand English (LING310) (30 points) The entire history of New Zealand English can be tracked in the Origin of New Zealand English corpus (ONZE), housed at the University of Canterbury. Using this extensive collection of spoken language, we can compare the accents of the very earliest New Zealand born settlers to those of contemporary speakers, to examine how New Zealand English has changed. This allows us to answer interesting questions not only about New Zealand English but also about language change in general. This course has a practical focus which will provide hands-on experience in the analysis of New Zealand English. Students are trained in sociolinguistic methodology and in how to use the ONZE corpus, and are given the opportunity to conduct their own piece of research on language variation and/or change in New Zealand. 5 9. UC/14 BA/1 ENLA320 History of English (LING320) (30 points) English is not a single monolithic entity; it comes in many different varieties, depending on factors like geography, the social status of its speakers and whether it is used as a first or second language. In order to understand how English became so multi-faceted, this course traces the development of the language from its inception in 5th Century early Germanic Britain, through the various social changes that shaped its trajectory in the middle ages to its eventual spread to other shores where today it is a global lingua franca. Although the focus in this course will primarily be on the changing linguistic structure of English (i.e. how the phonological, morphological and syntactic system changed over a millennium), in order to understand why these changes took place, it will also be necessary to look at the changing society in which English was being used. This course will therefore offer both a linguistic and a social history of English. Plus 30 points from other courses on offer from the LING curriculum (200 level or above), or 15 points from LING (200 level) and 15 points from a course in the Department of English (200 level). The 100 level courses (ENLA/LING101 and ENLA/LING102) provide crucial foundational content. After this, students interested mainly in English would choose the English Language major and students who want a cross-linguistic perspective would follow the Linguistics major. An important part of the English language major curriculum concerns how English varies and how it has changed over time (e.g. ENLA210 examines dialect variation according to gender, social class, ethnicity, speaking style; ENLA320 traces the history of English from Old English > Middle English > Modern English and looks at the linguistic and social forces which shaped English in New Zealand). Another important theme is local, national and international identities (e.g. ENLA310 which is a research course focusing on how New Zealand English has developed from 1850 to the present day, using UC Linguistics' pioneering Origins of New Zealand English corpus). These two themes are important parts of the English curriculum in schools. As well as the core courses named above, we propose that students would also be allowed to choose one course from the English Department for credit towards their English Language major. We envisage that an English Language major would be usefully taken as a double major with English, and so allowing students to substitute an ENLA course for an ENGL course is a way of fostering the connections across our curricula. We propose to allow students to double major in Linguistics and English Language by adding the following note: Students who wish to double major in Linguistics and English Language must take the following four courses at 100 level: ENLA101 The English Language, ENLA102 From babies to adults: how experience shapes our language, LING103 How to Learn another Language and LING104 European Languages in Europe and beyond. In effect this means that students who wish to do a double major in Linguistics and English Language do the following courses at 100 level: English Language major: ENLA101 and ENLA102 Linguistics major: LING103 and LING104 This is necessary because ENLA/LING101 and ENLA/LING102 will be required for the Linguistics major and the English Language major, but courses can only be credited to one major subject. Since these two courses provide key foundational content for higher-level Linguistics and English Language courses, it is important that students pass these courses before progressing further. This additional regulation means that (1) Linguistics majors and English Language majors receive the same foundational content (from ENLA101 and ENLA102) which allows progression to 200 level courses, and (2) Linguistics majors receive additional content in the study of languages other than English (from LING102 and LING104), in line with the graduate profile for Linguistics. A more general note will be added to the requirements for a Linguistics Minor. Proposed teaching/delivery methods The programme will have a range of teaching methods including lectures, tutorials and practical laboratories. One unique feature of the programme will be that students will have access to the Origins of New Zealand English Corpus (ONZE), the largest database of spoken New Zealand English in the world. ONZE contains recordings of speakers born as early as the 1850s, allowing us to track the linguistic development of English in New Zealand. Students will use ONZE for class work and for research projects in ENLA210 and ENLA310. 6 9. UC/14 BA/1 Prescriptions for courses No new courses are required. Assessment and moderation procedures Assessment will be carried out by continuing Linguistics staff, along with part time tutors where appropriate. A broad range of assessment techniques will be used, including: phonetic transcription and syntactic analyses (ENLA101), traditional essays (ENLA102; ENLA310), methodological design and data collection (ENLA210), presenting quantitative data in graphical form (ENLA210, ENLA310); research reports (ENLA102; ENLA310), academic poster presentations (ENLA310). Resources No additional staff are required, as no new courses are being introduced. Every course in the proposed English Language major is already on offer as an optional course in the Linguistics major. All resources connected to these courses, such as library books and subscriptions to the most appropriate academic journals, are already in place. English Language is the field where expertise of staff in the Linguistics Department overlaps most, so we are confident that we can offer the required courses even when staff are unavailable for part of a year, e.g. because of sabbatical leave. Plans for monitoring programme quality The Linguistics Department will conduct the following quality assurance exercises: 1. Students will evaluate all courses via course and teaching surveys 2. Students will also submit their feedback on courses via a class representative, who will attend at least one meeting per semester, to discuss any issues. 3. Student numbers (including student retention and pass rates) will be examined each year by the Linguistics Department Head Review of the programme The programme will fall into the regular cycle of Programme Reviews and Graduating Year reviews. Statement re Section B Section B has been prepared and is available on request Proposed new regulations and prescriptions (use the Calendar Form at the end of Section A) Calendar Form New Qualification Regulations (i) 2014 Calendar, Page 11: Under ‘Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences’. ADD English Language (ii) 2014 Calendar, Page 219: After ‘English’ ADD English Language Major Students intending to complete the BA with a major in English Language must be credited with at least 135 points in English Language (not including ARTS 395), which must include the following: 100 level Required: ENLA101 and ENLA102 200 level 7 9. UC/14 BA/1 Required: ENLA210 plus EITHER (i) 30 points of Linguistics (LING) courses at 200 level or above, OR (ii) 15 points from a 200 level Linguistics (LING) course and 15 points from a 200 level English (ENGL) course. 300 level Required: ENLA310 and ENLA320 Minor Students intending to complete the BA with a minor in English Language must be credited with at least 75 points in English Language (not including ARTS 395) which must include at least 45 points at 200-level or above. (iii) 2014 Calendar, Page 222: Under the heading for the Linguistics Major 100-level requirements, after ‘Required LING 101 and LING 102’: ADD Students intending to double major in Linguistics and English Language must substitute LING103 for LING101 and substitute LING104 for LING102. (iv) 2014 Calendar, Page 222: At the end of the entry for the Linguistics Minor: ADD Note: Students who are majoring in English Language (ENLA) may not credit to a Linguistics Minor any Linguistics courses co-coded with courses that are credited to the English Language major. (v) 2014 Calendar, Page 244: Schedule B to the Regulations for the Bachelor of Arts: after ‘English’ ADD Course code ENLA101 Pts 15 2015 S1 15 S2 15 S2 ENLA310 Course title The English Language From babies to adults: how experience shapes your language Language variation across space and time New Zealand English 30 S1 ENLA320 History of English 30 S2 ENLA102 ENLA210 P/C/R/RP/EQ R: LING 101 EQ: LING 101 R: LING 102 EQ: LING102 P: ENLA 101 or LING 101 R: LING 203, LING 210 EQ: LING 210 P: ENLA 210 or LING 210 or LING 215 or LING216 or LING217 or permission of the Head of the Linguistics Department. R: LING 310 EQ: LING 310 P: ENLA101 or LING101 or permission of Head of the Linguistics Department. R: LING 320 EQ: LING 320 (vi) 2014 Calendar, Page 612: Course Catalogue: after ‘English’ ADD 15 Points 0.1250 EFTS This course introduces students to the study of the English language, its words, sounds and sentences. It also introduces the conceptual and analytical tools which linguists use to understand how languages are constructed. R: LING 101 EQ: LING 101 ENLA101-15S1 (C) Semester 1 ENLA 101 The English Language 8 9. UC/14 BA/1 15 Points 0.1250 EFTS What do babies know about language when they're born? And how do our experiences as we get older affect both how we use language and what we think about other people's language behaviour? Why, for example, do people think some languages, or some dialects, are 'better' than others? And is there any truth behind such beliefs? In this course we consider a range of research from the field of linguistics that addresses these and other questions. The role of language experience will emerge as a recurrent theme: the experience that the infant has with a particular language; how our early experience with language affects how we speak and how we listen, and how our beliefs about language are created and maintained in connection to other experiences in our social lives. R: LING 102 EQ: LING102 ENLA102-15S2 (C) Semester 2 ENLA 102 From Babies to Adults: How Experience Shapes Your Language 15 Points 0.1250 EFTS Languages are not fixed; they vary across physical and social space and change over generations. These patterns of variation and change can be understood by studying the linguistic and social factors which affect language use. This course is an introduction to the sociolinguistic study of language variation and change. We examine how language varies both across individuals (e.g. according to a speaker's regional origin, gender, social class, ethnicity and age) and within individuals (e.g. how speakers adjust their language in different contexts depending on the social message they want to convey). Our consideration will include a detailed study of patterns of language change, with attention to changes currently taking place in English and other languages around the world. P: ENLA 101 or LING 101 R: LING 203, LING 210 EQ: LING 210 ENLA210-15S2 (C) Semester 2 ENLA 210 Language Variation Across Space and Time 30 Points 0.2500 EFTS The entire history of New Zealand English can be tracked in the Origin of New Zealand English corpus (ONZE), housed at the University of Canterbury. Using this extensive collection of spoken language, we can compare the accents of the very earliest New Zealand born settlers to those of contemporary speakers, to examine how New Zealand English has changed. This allows us to answer interesting questions not only about New Zealand English but also about language change in general. This course has a practical focus which will provide hands-on experience in the analysis of New Zealand English. Students are trained in sociolinguistic methodology and in how to use the ONZE corpus, and are given the opportunity to conduct their own piece of research on language variation and/or change in New Zealand. P: ENLA 210 or LING 210 or LING 215 or LING216 or LING217 or permission of the Head of the Linguistics Department. R: LING 310 EQ: LING 310 ENLA310-15S1 (C) Semester 1 ENLA 310 New Zealand English 30 Points 0.2500 EFTS This course explores language variation and change, and illustrates these notions through a survey of the way in which English has varied and changed during its recorded history. It will look both at the social history of the language and the linguistic changes that have taken place over the last 1400 years. P: ENLA101 or LING101 or permission of Head of the Linguistics Department. R: LING 320 EQ: LING 320 ENLA320-15S2 (C) Semester 2 ENLA 320 History of English 9