The bachelor’s degree in English Language and Literature is a four-year program at the undergraduate level that offers to the students the opportunity to engage in the study of language, linguistics and literature. Students are immersed in the practice of the four language skills, the basic theory of linguistics, the appreciation of English and World literature originally written in English or in translation, and critical theory and its application. The main language courses introduce the students to the skills of academic reading and writing and offer them the opportunity to become aware of the features of academic reading and to practice academic writing. Courses in oral communication afford students the opportunity to speak to an audience and to practice public speaking in a variety of settings. Once accepted into the major, students are expected to successfully complete a course on research skills in Language and Literature and become well acquainted with the APA and MLA documentation styles. On the other hand, linguistics courses highlight the complexity and regularity of language as well as language use. Exposing students to data from a variety of language backgrounds and settings allows them to approach their own language differently and critically. Exposure to the world of English literature (originally written in English or translated into it) avails to the students valuable foreign cultures and histories; critical, social, political, and philosophical theories; ethnicities and gender-related topics. Upon completion of the program, the students are expected to develop the necessary research, critical and analytical skills that would serve them in the world of academia and beyond. The totality of these skills and knowledge prepares the students to pursue graduate studies or to join the multicultural work environment in Palestine or multinational workforce globally. Accordingly, students are offered a variety of theoretical and practical courses in the specified fields offered by a specialized and dedicated faculty. Along with their major program, students of the English Department are required to complete 24 credit hours of a minor in one of the following fields, Translation, Business, Journalism, French, or Psychology.

Program Learning Outcomes

Knowledge:

Demonstrate knowledge of literature as a discipline with all its elements and terminology.
Demonstrate core academic knowledge of a range of literary texts from the medieval period to the present day.
Identify and use key concepts and theories in literary criticism to interpret literary texts.
Distinguish different linguistic concepts and terms.
Demonstrate common knowledge of linguistic universals.
Demonstrate proficiency in the four language skills (reading, writing, listening, speaking) at the level of 550 of TOEFL exam or at 5 of the IELTS exam, and at B1in the DELF (good level of B1).
Analyze language at different language levels (phonological, morphological, syntactic, semantic and discoursal).
Evaluate the proper use of language skills in different types of discourse.

Practical Skills:

Employ higher-level thinking skills in approaching literary and critical texts.
Communicate core academic knowledge through the different mediums of writing, oral communication, and research skills.
Show the ability to transfer knowledge from one component to the others within the same discipline and across disciplines.
Compare languages (English and Arabic) within the same linguistic framework.
Apply major concepts and terms in discourse analysis (Literature and Language).
Demonstrate the ability to read with ease and interpret materials and texts in his or her academic area
Demonstrate control of sentence, paragraph and essay structures sufficient to compose in various academic and non-academic contexts.
Identify the elements that make-up a conversation and a lecture.

Transferable Skills/Attitudes:

Employ the acquired knowledge in criticism and interpretation in a variety of contexts.
Show openness to and respect for the variety of cultures, religions and political affiliations that they come in contact with.
Adapt and transfer research skills and critical methods of the discipline into familiar and unfamiliar contexts including the work environment.
Interact orally in a variety of social and academic contexts.
Develop a range of subject-specific and transferable skills, including high order conceptual, literary and communication skills of value in graduate studies and/or employment.