THE UNIVERSITY OF EDINBURGH
PROGRAMME SPECIFICATION FOR [INSERT NAME OF
PROGRAMME OF STUDY, e.g. M.A. Honours in Chinese
and German]1
1)
Awarding Institution: The University of Edinburgh
2)
Teaching Institution: The University of Edinburgh
3)
Programme accredited by: The University of Edinburgh
4)
Final Award: MA
5)
Programme Title: MA Joint Honours in Chinese and German
6)
UCAS Code:
Relevant QAA Subject Benchmarking Group(s): Languages
7)
Postholder with overall responsibility for QA: Dr Andrew Marsham
8)
Date of production/revision: April 2011
9)
External Summary (200-250 words)
The University of Edinburgh is the only university in Scotland to offer an Honours
degree in Chinese. Research interests of staff at the Scottish Centre for Chinese
Studies cover literature, translation, film, history and culture: the expertise of the
teaching staff was reflected in an excellent performance in the recent Research
Assessment Exercise. The Scottish Centre for Chinese Studies serves as a platform
to link China related research at University of Edinburgh and at other HEI's in
Scotland. The Confucius Institute was established in 2006. Within four years of
operation the Institute has developed into a comprehensive cultural centre. German
is one of the larger modern-language subject areas with circa 250 students, 6 fulltime members of staff, 1 part-time language tutor, and 2 German / Austrian
LektorInnen; several members of staff are native speakers of German.
German at Edinburgh attained an excellent result in the most recent RAE and is
rated consistently highly for teaching quality in the National Student Survey.There are
high-quality resources to support German students in Edinburgh. The University
possesses a large library with good stocks in most aspects of German studies.
German itself offers the Gibson Library with its collection of many primary and
secondary texts, together with reference works. The city of Edinburgh is also home to
the National Library of Scotland, one of the largest and best libraries in the UK, with
superb German holdings. All students have access to satellite TV and film viewing
facilities in the Language and Humanities Centre and excellent computing facilities.
German at Edinburgh also makes increasing use of e-learning facilities, via the
university’s WebCT platform which supports many aspects of teaching and learning.
There are also close links with the Scottish Branch of the Goethe-Institut in Glasgow,
while the Edinburgh German Circle offers a varied programme of events relating to
the life and culture of the German-speaking peoples. There is a sizeable community
1 The information contained in this Programme Specification should be used as a guide to the content of a degree programme
and should not be interpreted as a contract.
of native speakers of German in Edinburgh whose (extremely ecumenical) church
provides a further focus of interest.
10)
Educational aims of programme:
The programme aims to develop the student’s interest in and complex knowledge
and understanding of the target countries, including their language, history, literature,
culture and social issues. The programme offers society the resource of intellectually
trained individuals capable of acting as conduits of knowledge and understanding
between British and non-British cultures, as well as using the acquired knowledge to
contribute to the wealth creation of Britain and other nations. The programme is
taught within the School of Literatures, Languages and Cultures.
The programme aims to enable students with little or no previous knowledge of
Chinese language and culture to acquire and develop interest in and understanding
of Chinese speaking countries, including the Chinese language (Mandarin), history,
literature, culture and society. It offers society the resource of intellectually trained
individuals capable of acting as conduits of knowledge and understanding between
Britain and Chinese-speaking countries.
During the first two years, students attend a range of classes which provide a solid
foundation in the Chinese language (Mandarin). Together with courses on modern
Chinese society and culture as well as outlines on China's rich history from earliest
times to the present day students are well prepared for the third year of the
programme. The same pattern is repeated in German with language courses
supplemented by courses on culture and society.
For the third year of the programme students can choose whether to spend one
semester in Germany and one in China or the whole of the academic year in China
with a minimum of eight weeks in Germany.
In the fourth year students intensify their study on primary sources in courses on key
notions of classical philosophy and literature as well as courses on modern and
contemporary China and Germany.
The programme is taught within the School of Literatures, Languages and Cultures.
The main programme aims of the programme are
 to enable students to understand, evaluate and compare a range of theoretical and
methodological frameworks.
 to enable students to develop and apply their knowledge and skills to the
understanding and evaluation of issues and problems in the contemporary world.
 to enable students to develop and apply key generic skills in critical thinking,
research, oral and written articulation of information and argument.
 to equip students for progression to a wide variety of careers or to further academic
study.
11)
Programme outcomes:
11a)
Knowledge and understanding
1.
2.
3.
4.
Modern spoken and written Chinese (Mandarin) and German
Modern and classical Chinese and German literature
Chinese and German history and thought
Political and social issues related to Chinese and German speaking countries
5. Linguistic issues related to the Chinese and German languages (structure,
functions, registers, writing systems etc.)
6. Key methods and concepts of literary, historic and linguistic analysis
Teaching/learning methods and strategies
Chinese language is acquired through small-group classes, tutorials and regular,
assessed coursework. Additional support is provided through the self-access
facilities for language learning at the Language and Humanities Centre and the
Languages MicroLab. The third year abroad provides total immersion in the Chinese
language and culture.
Knowledge of Chinese literature, history, thought, culture and society is acquired
through a combination of lectures and tutorials or seminars including group
discussion and individual or joint presentations.
Acquisition of German is through tutorials and regular, assessed coursework.
Additional support is provided through the self-access facilities for Language
Learning in Language and Humanities Centre, the Languages Microlab, and the
recommended materials on the Web. The year abroad provides total immersion in
the target languages and culture.
Acquisition of German culture is through a combination of lectures and tutorials or
seminars including group discussions and individual or joint presentations.
Assessment
Testing on the knowledge base is through unseen written examinations in all areas,
combined with assessed regular language exercises and oral examinations in
Chinese language; and essays, coursework assignments and exams in Chinese
cultural studies.
For German, testing on the knowledge base is through a combination of assessed
regular language exercises, class presentation and unseen written examination,
coursework essays, extended essays and oral examination.
11b)
Graduate attributes: Skills and abilities in Research and Enquiry
1 to reason critically and cogently
2 to apply linguistic, literary and historical concepts
3 to identify and solve problems
4 to analyse and interpret
Teaching/learning methods and strategies
Intellectual skills are developed through the teaching and learning programme
outlined above. Each course, whatever the format of the teaching, involves
discussion of the key issues, practice in applying concepts both orally and in writing,
analysis and interpretation of material and individual feedback on work produced
Classes are given on literary, historical, social and linguistic concepts and on
approaches to translation. Throughout their studies, students take classes and
receive instruction in the target languages. The Year abroad further promotes the
active learning of the target languages to a high level.
Comprehensive bibliographies are provided for each course as are the guidelines for
the production of coursework essays, and extended essays.
Assessment
The variety of assessment methods employed all place great emphasis on the
learner’s ability to demonstrate the above skills through the production of cogent and
coherent written and oral responses to problems and tasks set. Essays produced in
the Honours years provide an especially valuable vehicle for the training of those
skills.
All the listed skills are primarily assessed through the assessed coursework essays,
and extended essays, skills are manifested in degree exams on the Literature,
Culture and History of the target languages and country/countries concerned.
11c) Graduate Attributes: Skills and abilities in Personal and Intellectual
Autonomy
graduates will be able to:
 process, structure and communicate ideas effectively and at an
advanced/near-native level of proficiency, both orally and in written form in
German, Chinese and English;
 communicate clearly and accurately, constructing cogent arguments;
 participate constructively and efficiently in group discussions, assessing and
responding effectively to the ideas of others; and
 communicate effectively in English to inform and educate others about
German and Chinese language and culture.
 demonstrate and exercise independence of mind and thought
Teaching/learning methods and strategies
All courses require written work, usually in the form of essays, and regular feedback
is given to the learners in order to develop their understanding and power of
expression. Teamwork and leadership skills are acquired through active
contributions to tutorials and seminars, both as group members and discussion
leaders. Time management is learned through the expectation to submit coursework
by prescribed deadlines notified at the outset of each course. Teamwork and
assessment and response to the ideas of others are developed in classes, seminars
and tutorials, which rely on discussion and interaction, as well as presentations by
individuals and groups of students. Independent work and self-reliance are
developed during the year abroad. IT skills are developed through University-wide
training courses and individual learning.
Assessment
Effective communication of ideas is an important criterion in assessing all areas of a
learner’s work, and the regular feedback and the final mark both reflect this.
Additionally, penalties are levied for late submission of essays and coursework
assignments. Structuring and communication of ideas, independent work, selfreliance, IT skills and assessment and response to the ideas of others are all
assessed through regular coursework essays. Although these are supervised they
are nevertheless a manifestation of the independent thought and research by the
learner. IT skills are assessed through the
11d)
Graduate Attributes: Skills and abilities in Communication
1 To speak, write and read Mandarin Chinese and German at an advanced level of
proficiency
2 To translate and interpret from and into Mandarin Chinese and German
3 To use the Internet and bibliographic resources in both Mandarin Chinese and
German
4 To communicate effectively in English to inform and educate others about Chinese
and German language and culture
Teaching/learning methods and strategies
Classes are given on literary, historical and linguistic concepts and on approaches to
translation. Throughout their studies, students take classes and receive instruction in
German and Mandarin Chinese language. The year abroad further promotes the
active learning of the two languages to an advanced level.
Comprehensive bibliographies are provided for each course, as are guidelines for the
production of essays and coursework assignments.
Assessment
All skills listed are primarily assessed through essays, and coursework assignments.
Use of the Mandarin Chinese and German languages and translating and interpreting
from and into Chinese and German are assessed by class and home exercises, tests
and degree examinations. The ability to gather information on Chinese and German
speaking countries and to present it effectively in English is assessed through degree
examinations on Chinese and German literature, history, thought, culture and
society.
Effective communication of ideas is an important criterion in assessing all areas of a
learner’s work, and the regular feedback as well as the final mark reflects this.
Additionally, penalties are levied for late submission of coursework essays and other
assignments. Skills are also assessed through the assembly of necessary
information for essays etc. and their production on PCs.
11e)
Graduate Attributes: Skills and abilities in Personal Effectiveness
graduates will be able to:
 work autonomously, setting their own goals, self-motivating and organising
their own learning;
 manage their time and priorities and working to both self-imposed and
external deadlines;
 collaborate effectively and productively with others in the process of learning
and presenting conclusions, exercising leadership skills as appropriate;
 confidently rely on their own intellectual capacities;
 exercise sensitivity to ambiguity and multiplicity of meanings; and
 confidently interacting with, and think about, cultural difference.
Assessment:
Skills are assessed through regular coursework, essays, and long essays, which
although supervised are nevertheless a manifestation of independent thought and
work/research by the learner and are further developed during the year abroad. Also
through the management of time to meet the various deadlines (all notified at the
outset of each course) for submission of coursework. The small classes in the final
year of the degree allow space for extensive discussion involving all the students.
11f)
Technical/practical skills
graduates will develop:
IT skills – the ability to use computers for word-processing, information
storage and for retrieving information from the world wide web, including the use of
foreign language symbols on the computer, or foreign-language computer keyboards;
and
library skills – the ability to use libraries for the recovery of information, and
related research skills, including the ability to discriminate between different sources
of information, suggested readings, and so on. Students are given instruction in how
to access material in Chinese through the use of internet resources. Students
routinely use Chinese word processing software to insert Chinese characters into
essays.
Assessment:
Skills for both languages are assessed by class and home exercises, tests and
degree examinations
12
Programme structure and features
The section presents the structure of the programme in relation to the
University’s Curriculum Framework. It must include:

SQCF credit points for each constituent course and each year of the
programme

Entry requirements, including requirements for second-year entry
where applicable

Progression requirements

Modes of study

Exit awards available at the completion of specific stages of the
programme
If not provided earlier in the programme specification, include information on
relevant factors from the University’s Strategic Plan, e.g. embedding in the
curriculum issues of social responsibility, sustainability, equality and diversity.
DEGREE PROGRAMME TABLE
Degree Programme Title:
MA with Honours in Chinese and German
1
OR
Chinese 1
East Asian Civilisation1
German 1B
German 1A
G
G
G
G
8
8
8
8
40
40
40
40
2
Chinese 2A
German 2
Chinese 2B
G
G
G
8
8
8
40
40
40
3
Chinese Year abroad (Combined Degree)
Language Acquisition through
Study Abroad
G
10
60
G
10
60
MEL Long Essay
German Language Paper 1
German Language Paper 2
German Oral
Course in German
Chinese Oral
Chinese Language 4A
Chinese Language 4B
Courses in Chinese
G
G
G
G
G
G
G
G
G
10
10
10
10
10
10
10
10
10
20
10
10
0
20
0
10
10
40
4
Requirements for Admission to Honours
Passes at 50% or above at the first attempt in all second year courses.
Final Assessment:
One unit of assessment is allocated to every 20 credits and constitutes one 20-credit paper.
The following are the twelve 20-credit papers on which the classification of the degree is
based. (Papers that for the purposes of degree classification acquire a weighting of 40 credits
are, therefore, listed twice).
1. German Language Paper 1
2. German Language Paper 1
3. German Language Paper 2
4. German Oral
5. Chinese Language 4A
6. Chinese Language 4A
7. Chinese Language 4B
8. Chinese Oral
9. German option
10. MEL Long Essay
11. Course in Chinese
12. Course in Chinese
13


Other Items
all students are assigned a Director of Studies on admission to the degree
programme, who oversees the course of the student’s degree programme,
offers advice on academic matters (including degree-progression) and should
be the student’s first port of call for course-related worries or concerns
student opinion is actively sought through participation in Staff-Student
Liaison Committees, through the election of class- and tutorialrepresentatives, and by the wide circulation and review of detailed student
questionnaires each semester.


LLC have a student support office, where students can go for advice on
degree transfers, course changes, authorised interruption of studies,
confirmation letters and general support. Information can be found at: http://www.ed.ac.uk/schools-departments/literatures-languagescultures/current-students/undergraduate-support
further information about Division of European Languages and Cultures can
be found at http://www.delc.ed.ac.uk/