Unit information: English of Arts and Humanities, Social Sciences and Law in 2014/15

Unit name	English of Arts and Humanities, Social Sciences and Law
Unit code	LANG00009
Credit points	20
Level of study	QCA-3
Teaching block(s)	Teaching Block 1 (weeks 1 - 12) Teaching Block 2 (weeks 13 - 24)
Unit director	Ms. Taylor
Open unit status	Not open
Pre-requisites	IELTS 6 overall with 5.5 in writing (minimum)or equivalent
Co-requisites	Academic Writing; Text Response; Academic Speaking
School/department	Centre for Academic Language and Development
Faculty	Faculty of Arts

Description including Unit Aims

This mandatory 20-credit unit for those students taking the International Foundation Programme with Arts and Humanities is one of a number of complementary units whose overall aims are to improve the language, academic literacy and subject knowledge required to succeed at university. This unit aims to develop language and academic literacies, but with a specific focus on understanding and operating in the discourse and ways of thinking in the disciplines of Arts and Humanities, Social Sciences and Law. It includes critical text and discourse analysis, structuring and organising ideas, argumentation and substantiation, reading for research, summarising and synthesising from sources, and participation in seminars and presentations.

Intended Learning Outcomes

At the end of this unit students will be able to:

• research and use reliable academic sources effectively;
• identify and evaluate arguments;
• develop and substantiate argument;
• distinguish fact from opinion;
• plan, write and edit literature reviews and essays;
• research, plan and deliver an academic presentation;
• research, plan and participate in academic discussions and seminars.

Teaching Information

Learning is facilitated in small group classroom sessions (12-16). Individual and group-based work is integrated as appropriate. In addition to textbook use, the course draws heavily on authentic academic texts. Use will be made of appropriate e-learning technologies.

Assessment Information

Portfolio of written work (50%):

• Annotated Bibliography (5 sources; 100 words per source);
• Literature Review (1000 words);
• Essay (1000 words);
• Essay (1500 words).

Essay (2000 words)(30%)

Viva (10%)

Presentation (10%)

Reading and References

• Gross, R.(1999). Key Studies in Psychology. Abingdon: Hodder &Stoughton.
• Cottrell, S. (2005). Critical Thinking Skills - Developing Effective Analysis and Argument. Hampshire: Palgrave Macmillan.
• Van den Brink-Budgen, R. (2005). Critical Thinking for AS Level. Oxford: How to Books Ltd.
• Open Yale Course. Psychology. http://oyc.yale.edu/psychology
• Johannsen, K. &H. Sanchez. (2007). Professional English - English for the Humanities. Boston:Heinle ELT.
• Walenn, J. (2008). English for Law in Higher Education Studies. Reading: Garnet Education.