School of English, Communication and Philosophy

Transcription

1 School of English, Communication and Philosophy Undergraduate Degree Programmes Entry

2 School of English, Communication and Philosophy Innovative Friendly Choice Academic excellence Supportive Cardiff University is one of Britain s leading teaching and research universities. Telegraph Guide to UK Universities

3 1 Skills for life International reputation Rewarding Outstanding results meet our students Insider Information - Find out more Want to know what life at Cardiff is really like? Our Insiders are real students studying a range of subjects. You can read their blogs, post comments and message them on Facebook and Twitter. To find out more go to:

4 2 Discover the Cardiff Experience A leading university... You ll be part of a Russell Group university one of the UK's world-class universities. You can choose from more than 300 degree programmes. The Cardiff University degree is known and respected worldwide with a substantial number accredited by the professions and other external bodies. in an outstanding city... You ll benefit from outstanding teaching in a research-led environment Cardiff is ranked in the UK s top 5 universities for research quality. Staff include a Nobel Laureate and numerous Fellows of the Royal Society and other prestigious institutions. You ll live in a friendly, compact and safe city with all your study, living and leisure needs within walking distance. Your money will go further at Cardiff with capital city attractions at provincial prices including one of the lowest average costs of living for university cities. 1 with able and motivated students... You ll be at a first choice university where demand for places is strong. You ll be at an international university with students from more than 100 countries. You'll be studying in an environment with able and motivated students who have high grades at A-level or equivalent. who have excellent career prospects. You can be confident of your future prospects typically, 95% of our students were employed or had entered further study within six months of completing their studies. 2 You ll be in demand Cardiff is among the top 25 universities targeted by employers seeking high calibre graduates. 3 Notes 1. Moneysupermarket.com Quality of Living Index HESA Destination of Leavers Survey High Fliers Research The Graduate Market 2015

5 Welcome 3 Welcome Contents Quality, opportunity, creativity, belonging. While some students may already know where and what they would like to study, many of you are now carefully weighing up your options. We are delighted that you are interested in what the School of English, Communication & Philosophy at Cardiff University has to offer you. This brochure, which details the distinctiveness and key strengths of the School s vibrant intellectual environment, is designed to help you make your choice. You ll find it is a School that values intellectual curiosity, informed debate, critical edge and creative thinking. The Cardiff School of English, Communication and Philosophy is one of the University s largest academic schools, with over a thousand undergraduate and postgraduate students studying on our various programmes. There are around 55 full-time academic staff, who work alongside a dedicated team of Professional Services colleagues. Our size and shape guarantee heft and visibility; at the same time, we are able to offer students a friendly, supportive and personalised culture something that is recognised in our excellent results in successive National Student Surveys. Our four Single Honours undergraduate programmes are English Literature, English Language, English Language and Literature, and Philosophy, and we also offer a suite of Joint Honours combinations. Each offers a wide range of modules and the freedom to choose (in an informed way), so that the degree you finally achieve has in large part been shaped by you. Our programmes are arranged in a way that guarantees helpful progression from Year 1 to Year 2, to your final year (and to further study), offering you the skills necessary not only for your academic studies at each stage, but also for life and employment beyond the School. Our teaching methods include lectures, seminars and workshops, supported by academic progress meetings with your Personal Tutor. Our assessment combines innovative new forms (many of them realworld-facing) with traditional methods. These elements work together to enable you to pursue your interests and develop your potential to the highest level. As befits a member of the prestigious Russell Group, we ensure that our teaching is backed by internationally recognised, top-quality research. In each of our disciplines (and across them, too), the School combines the highest levels of traditional scholarship with a record of innovation that has helped shape our fields and effect change in the world beyond. In the last national assessment of research, the Research Excellence Framework (REF) of 2014, English Language and Literature was ranked 10th out of 89 institutions for the significance, rigour and originality of its research (Cardiff University as a whole came in as number 5). We are also committed to reaching out and using our research to transform the world beyond the academy; in the REF, Philosophy was ranked 4th nationally for impact. As Head of School, I welcome new ideas from undergraduates and postgraduates alike. We are constantly forging new networks and devising ways of embedding your learning experience in the vibrant location of culture that is Cardiff s dynamic capital city. We offer you an inspiring undergraduate experience, and a real sense of opportunity and belonging. Professor Damian Walford Davies Head of School Cardiff: A capital city 4 Cardiff: A leading university 6 Living in Cardiff 8 Student Life 8 The School 10 The Degree Programmes 11 English Language 13 English Language and Literature 15 English Literature 17 Philosophy 19 What the students say Graduate Success - Careers and Employability 23 Applications 28 This brochure will provide you with more details of our programmes. We hope that they will give you more than just a flavour of what we have to offer you. However, we are always ready to answer any questions you may have, by telephone or , or when you come to Cardiff to visit. You will find appropriate contacts at the end of this brochure. Important information. Please read carefully. The University offers the information contained in this brochure as a guide only. It does not constitute a contract and is not binding on prospective students, students or the University. While the University makes every effort to check the accuracy of the factual content at the time of publication, some changes will inevitably occur in the interval between publication and the academic year to which the brochure relates (Entry 2016). For example, courses, entry requirements and typical offers may have changed in line with market and student demand, and research development. Applicants should not therefore rely solely on this brochure and should visit the University website ( for up-to-date information concerning course content, accreditation, and entry requirements for the relevant academic year when considering applying to the University. 3000ENCAP0615

6 4 Cardiff: A capital city Cardiff: A capital city Cardiff is a popular student city, relatively inexpensive and with a good range of nightlife and cultural venues. Times Good University Guide 2014 The University is alongside attractive parkland and is adjacent to Cardiff Castle and the city centre

7 Cardiff: A capital city 5 More online at: Cardiff is a thriving and attractive city which is widely recognised as an outstanding place in which to live and study. It combines all the advantages of a compact, friendly and inexpensive location with the cultural and recreational facilities of a modern capital city. Cardiff offers everything from the excitement of the city to the peace and tranquillity of the nearby coast and countryside. With its distinctive character, good quality of life, and growing national and international reputation, it hosts many high-profile cultural and sporting events, including international rugby, soccer, cricket and motor sport. When it comes to entertainment, Cardiff is well-equipped to satisfy student needs. There is a multitude of cafes, pubs and nightclubs. The City is home to the world-renowned Welsh National Opera, it boasts prestigious concert venues such as the Wales Millennium Centre, St David s Hall and the Motorpoint Arena, as well as the iconic Millennium Stadium, the National Museum and Gallery of Wales, several theatres and the historic Cardiff Castle. Cardiff is the location for award-winning television productions, including Dr Who, Sherlock, Torchwood and Casualty, and the Dr Who Experience in Cardiff Bay is a popular new attraction. The city is one of the UK s best shopping destinations, a status enhanced by the opening of the 750 million St David s Dewi Sant retail centre standing alongside pedestrianised shopping streets, indoor and outdoor markets, and a fascinating network of glass-canopied Victorian and Edwardian arcades. Cardiff also has more urban green space than any other UK city, and offers easy access to the countryside, coast and mountains. Lively, elegant, confident, cosmopolitan and ambitious are all words readily used to describe modern-day Cardiff. Together, the city and the University provide students with the Cardiff Experience, a lifestyle our students remember long after graduation. The Millennium Stadium nestles in the heart of the city, and is home to numerous sporting events and concerts throughout the year Don t just take our word for it Modern Cardiff combines the best of the old and the new...it has a relatively small population and is fairly inexpensive to live in. Close to the campus, the city centre has an array of shops and entertainment options to cater to all tastes and budgets. The Telegraph Guide to UK Universities Come and see for yourself Cardiff benefits from excellent road and rail links with Britain s other major towns and cities. London, for example, is two hours by train, and the M4 links both the west and south of England, as well as west Wales. Travel to the Midlands and to the North is equally convenient. The journey by road from Birmingham, for example, takes only two hours. The main coach and railway stations are both centrally placed, and Cardiff also benefits from an international airport. Cardiff is one of the UK s most successful retail centres Cardiff Bay, the city s waterfront

8 6 Cardiff: A leading university Cardiff: A leading university Cardiff University is one of Britain s leading teaching and research universities. Telegraph Guide to UK Universities 2014

9 Cardiff: A leading university 7 More online at: Cardiff University has an international reputation for excellence in teaching and research, built on a history of service and achievement since 1883, and recognised by our membership of the Russell Group of leading research-led universities. With attractive and compact campuses, excellent student accommodation, and a hugely popular Students Union, all within easy walking distance of each other in a thriving city, it is not surprising that Cardiff is a university of first choice among wellprepared applicants. We admit approximately 5,000 undergraduate entrants each year, the majority of whom are school and college leavers, and have high grades at A-level or equivalent. While competition for entry is strong, Cardiff is an inclusive university with a good record on widening participation and fair access, and we welcome applications, irrespective of background, from everyone with the potential to succeed at Cardiff University. The University s Cathays Park campus is located in and around the impressive Portland stone buildings, parks and wide treelined avenues that form Cardiff s attractive civic centre. The majority of academic schools are located here - just a few minutes walk from the city centre. The three academic schools offering healthcare courses (excluding Optometry and Pharmacy) are based at the Heath Park campus, approximately one mile away, which is also home to the University Hospital of Wales. Although dating from 1883, Cardiff is focused on the 21st century, and has modern stateof-the-art buildings and facilities. The University has invested substantially in its estate in recent years and most academic schools have benefited from major refurbishment, including new and wellequipped laboratories, lecture theatres, libraries and computing facilities. International opportunities are available via our Global Opportunity Centre. These include study, work and volunteering placements in 27 EU countries as well as international exchange opportunities. All students also have the opportunity to study a language in addition to their degree through the University s Languages For All programme. The University takes its environmental, safety and security responsibilities very seriously. It has comprehensive policies in place which are making great savings in energy consumption and, to support the safety and security of all members of the University community and their property, there is 24-hour security cover throughout the campus. What the Guides say [Cardiff] University is the acknowledged leader of higher education in Wales. It is the Principality s only member of the Russell Group of research-led universities and has two Nobel Laureates on its staff. It is our 2014 Best Welsh University. Times Good University Guide 2014 The University is as confident and forwardlooking as the city it s located in, and has an excellent reputation for the quality of its teaching and research. Almost 60% of its research is ranked as world leading and it is a member of the Russell Group of leading universities. Guardian University Guide 2013

10 8 Living in Cardiff Living in Cardiff As a fast developing capital city, Cardiff is a great place to be a student. It s large enough to offer you an exciting variety of activities and entertainment, but small enough for you to feel comfortable in. Accommodation Cardiff offers guaranteed University accommodation, good quality and value, and a range of residences to suit individual preferences and budgets. All first year undergraduates who apply during the normal UCAS admissions cycle (ie come to Cardiff as a firm or insurance applicant) are guaranteed a single occupancy place in University residences during the first year of study. Please see our website for full details: The University is continually investing in its student residences, and the views of students are taken into account at the design stage. Unusually for a civic university, most of our residences are within easy walking distance of lecture theatres, libraries, laboratories, the Students Union and city centre. There are 15 different residences, providing more than 5,500 study bedrooms and students can apply for the residences which best suit their preferences, interests and budgets. Some 70% have en-suite shower and toilet facilities and all halls of residence have computer network connection points and access to Wi-Fi. Fees depend on the facilities included and whether catered, part-catered or self-catered, but prices compare very favourably with those of other UK universities. Besides managing University property, the Residences Office maintains close links with the private sector and provides assistance to students seeking to rent or share houses or flats. Student Life The Students Union Cardiff Students Union is one of the biggest, best and most active in Britain. The Union recently opened a new venue called Y Plas which at night becomes a nightclub. Hosting live music, club nights, stand-up comedy, fashion shows and awards ceremonies, there s lots to keep you entertained from your first day to your last. Other facilities include a new food court, a bank, a print shop, a hair salon and a bookshop. The Lounge offers IT and Skyping facilities, meeting rooms and a chillout area, as well as snooker tables and multi-faith prayer room. The Union also has its own letting agency and an Advice and Representation centre. In addition, it is home to CU TV and Xpress Radio (the students own TV and radio stations) and more than 200 cultural, political, religious, social, sporting societies and clubs. Jobshop Jobshop is the Union s own student employment service and provides casual, clerical and catering jobs around the University to hundreds of students. All study bedrooms in the halls of residence have computer network connection points and access to WiFi The Fitness and Squash Centre is located at the heart of the main campus Y Plas is the Students Union high quality nightclub

11 Living in Cardiff 9 More online at: Students have access to a wide range of modern facilities, including Skype booths What the Guides say A place in one of the University s 5,300 single study bedrooms is guaranteed to all first year undergraduates applying through the normal UCAS admissions cycle. Guardian University Guide 2014 The cost of living for a student in Cardiff is generally lower than elsewhere in the UK. The Independent A-Z University Guide 2014 The Union offers an exciting entertainment programme, a comprehensive range of student support services and 150 clubs and societies. The Complete University Guide 2014 Key School of English, Communication and Philosophy University Buildings Student Residences How to find the School We are located in the John Percival Building, which sits at the heart of the Cathays Park campus, a short walk from the city centre, and next door to the Arts and Social Studies Library. The site is very close to Cathays railway station and is easily accessible from University halls of residence. The School occupies several floors of the John Percival Building with the main reception being on the ground floor.

12 10 The School The School The School of English, Communication and Philosophy has an international reputation for its teaching and research activities which, together with its friendly atmosphere and excellent staff/student relationships, offer students an education with personal and professional rewards that are valuable and lasting. The John Percival Building, home to the School Our degree programmes combine the highest levels of traditional scholarship with innovative approaches to our core interests in language, literature, and philosophy. The School welcomes high-quality students, to whom it offers the support of top-rated researchers for whom teaching is an integral part of their passion for their subject. We offer students the opportunity to aim high, and the means and facilities to succeed in their aims. We expect students to work hard, and we work hard with and for them. This produces excellent results and high levels of satisfaction. Our students achieve a much higher than average proportion of First-class or Upper Second degree results, and they reward us in the National Student Surveys with satisfaction rates for the quality of our teaching consistently in the 90%+ range. The sort of skills our subjects provide will make you not only attractive to your first or next employer, but will also develop qualities in you that will help you to adapt, develop and grow in ability well beyond the end of your degree. The School is located in the John Percival Building right next to the Arts and Social Studies Library and close to the Students Union. Both the city centre and the charming Sophia Gardens are a short walk away. We are also close to the University s modern residences as well as to the Cathays area for student housing.

13 The School 11 More online at: The Library is adjacent to the School Students have access to excellent IT facilities The Degree Programmes The School offers programmes in three subjects that, each in their own way, are fundamental to the development of career and life skills: English Language, English Literature, and Philosophy. Unlike disciplines that are narrowly associated with specific professions, these subjects have long elicited the satisfaction of students and enjoyed the respect of a wide range of employers. This is because they develop the ability to challenge common-sense assumptions and to understand, talk and write about complex texts and ideas in an independent, creative, critical and confident manner. They all involve a deep appreciation of language, its complexity and capacity to convey ideas and feelings and to make worlds in which to live. While providing robust grounding in the knowledge and skills specific to each discipline, our subjects set a premium on rigour of mind allied to intellectual and imaginative flexibility, an ability to appreciate multiple points of view, to make up your own mind, and to convey your view in a lively, precise and persuasive manner. These are qualities that stay with you, ensuring that you remain capable of adapting to changing professional circumstances. Furthermore, be it focused on great works of literature, philosophy, or other media, or on the way people communicate with each other, the experience provides you with rewarding personal capital for so many aspects of life. Degree Structure All of our programmes span three years and are characterised by giving students a high level of choice in how they construct their programme of study. Year One is a foundation year in which you are supported in making the transition to degree-level study and in adapting to University life. At Cardiff, we are in the unusual position of offering our students the opportunity to take additional subjects in Year One alongside the foundation modules for their degree programme. Most of our students use this year to study modules that we recommend as supporting and enhancing their work in their degree programme. Many choose all their subjects from modules offered in English Language, English Literature, and Philosophy, but some take the opportunity to explore another subject that was not previously available to them or to maintain an existing interest that they will not be taking to degree level. Students can make changes to their degree programme at the end of Year One if they decide they would like to continue with this extra subject in place of their original degree choice. Other than two modules that students of English Language are expected to take in the second year, the School also differs from many others in not having any other compulsory modules after Year One. Each programme is structured to provide a solid foundation in the subject which enables you to make informed choices about the balance of topics you select from our broad range of options. Second-year modules build on Year One to introduce further key areas of the subject, followed by more specialised modules in Year Three. While all our teaching is informed by research, the modules you take in your final year are even more closely related to the latest research, reflecting new work pursued by your lecturers. All modules throughout the programme are based on learning in small groups, alongside lectures. To guarantee small group teaching for all, we restrict numbers registered on our modules to give you the optimum experience. Variety, however, remains ample, and topics are structured in order to provide you with a coherent experience that you can customise to your own interests. In addition to the Single Honours programmes, the School also offers stimulating Joint Honours programmes that are designed to provide opportunities for interdisciplinary learning and study. Joint Honours students take two subjects, choosing half of their modules from each separate area. You can combine English Literature and Philosophy, or English Language and Philosophy. We have developed an integrated Single Honours degree in English Language and Literature, which is of particular interest to students planning for a career in school teaching. You can also combine any one of our subjects with a number of subjects taught elsewhere in the University see page 28 for a list of the variety of programmes available.

14 12 The School Personal Tutors On arrival at Cardiff, you will be allocated a Personal Tutor. He or she will be a key figure in your development. Personal Tutors have two roles. They are there to provide pastoral support with any issues that may arise on which they can either offer advice or direct you to the appropriate advisory service. More routinely, however, they will support you with the general progress of your studies helping you choose your modules and improve your performance. Personal Tutors offer regular office hours, and, as part of our feedback system, in Years Two and Three you will have two formal Academic Progress Meetings each year with your tutor to analyse the feedback you received the previous semester and give you advice on how to improve your performance and reach your full academic potential. You will normally retain the same Tutor throughout your degree programme, thus enabling an active role in guiding you through your studies and towards a specific career or postgraduate studies, including writing letters of reference. Teaching All the programmes emphasise the importance of student participation, attention to detail, close reading and analysis, evidence-based argument, open, adventurous discussion and respect for each other s contribution. Whichever subject and programme you select, you will encounter a variety of methods of teaching and learning. Lectures are designed to stimulate interest in the topic or text under study and to prepare you to engage critically with the reading for the module. At the core of all modules are seminars where the academic staff facilitate discussion of specific texts and issues, or provide practice in technical subjects or analytic skills, and in which students play a major role. We believe that these are an essential part of learning: they give you the opportunity to question and explore the material in more detail and in collaboration with others; they allow you to develop your skills in setting out your ideas and arguments and to enhance your ability to work productively with colleagues. Learning is further supported through Learning Central, the University s Virtual Learning Environment, where materials can be posted online and electronic discussion pursued. There are also opportunities for oneto-one contact with tutors. As you progress through the programme, gaining skill and confidence, you will be encouraged to take increasing responsibility for your own learning. Methods of assessment Assessment takes a variety of forms. You will have opportunities for formative writing on which you will receive feedback that will help you maximise your performance in formal assessments. Some modules are assessed by exams, many are assessed on the basis of coursework submitted during and at the end of the relevant semester, while others have both coursework and an exam. Some modules offer the opportunity of submitting a blended, creative and critical response for assessment. The programmes also include the possibility to complete a short dissertation on a topic of your choice. In our experience, a variety of methods of assessment is valuable in developing different skills and is also the approach that is fairest to the largest number of students. Student-Staff Panels In the same way that we are keen to provide feedback to our students, so we value the feedback you give us on our programmes and our teaching. Besides anonymous written feedback that you will be invited to give on individual modules and on your experience with us as a whole, which we take very seriously, you will also have the opportunity, if you wish, to participate in a Student-Staff Panel. The main purpose of the panel is to build a partnership between students and staff to work on issues of mutual concern, including the content of modules, seminars, teaching methods, assessment methods, and, more generally, any academically-related issues such as staff consultation time, or the dissemination of information. Representatives of the panels also sit on the Board of Studies responsible for the degree.

15 English Language 13 English Language English Language is concerned with the structure and use of English, and its many social, historical and geographical varieties. Studying it develops a critical approach to how discourse represents and shapes the world around us and an awareness of the cultural, social, historical and literary context in which texts are produced. It also builds valuable skills in data collection and systematic analysis. The multidisciplinary nature of English Language as a subject means that it equips students with an excellent combination of social science skills (technical analysis and systematic method) and humanities skills (flexibility, communication, critique). English Language at Cardiff has a distinctive character. As would be expected of any good English Language programme, you will be provided with a rigorous grounding in the analysis of the English language. Thus you will learn such essential linguistic tools as phonetics, grammar and discourse analysis from those who are helping develop those fields. Since we take a broad approach to language, you will also learn how to analyse the types of multimodal (e.g. word + image + sound) texts that predominate in contemporary and new media. Language description and analysis, though, is just the starting point. What makes Cardiff special is our focus on the intersection of language with culture, society, politics and mind. While arming you with technical skills of analysis, we then expect you to grapple with exciting theories that will enable you to take into account the multifarious aspects of the context of language use and interpret the communication in a complex and meaningful way. Our ability to provide this exciting approach to English Language is supported by the research conducted by staff in the School s internationally-respected Centre for Language and Communication Research (CLCR). The Centre has been responsible for leading many of the key developments in such areas as sociolinguistics (language and society), psycholinguistics (language and mind) and forensic linguistics (language and law). This cutting-edge research has been characterised by its social commitment and seeks to have a beneficial impact on society, for example in improving communication between doctors and patients, police and defendants, and in understanding Alzheimer s patients. All the Centre s staff are as dedicated to their teaching as they are to their research; they are committed to sharing their insights with you and enabling you to develop your own critical understanding and set of skills. The degree programme is organised in a way that provides the solid grounding needed to allow you to benefit fully from the strength and range of this cutting-edge and sociallycommitted research and to choose in an informed way from among the options available. Six core modules (four in Year One and two in Year Two) provide an excellent grounding in language description, analysis and interpretation. These cover all the essential elements of phonetics, grammar and lexical semantics (word meaning) and all the major theories of discourse analysis so that this common stock of knowledge and understanding can be drawn on in our many inspiring optional modules. The seminars supporting these core modules will also provide an integrated skills programme. Here you will learn a combination of study skills (e.g. how best to research through the library), academic skills (e.g. how to develop an argument in an academic essay) and critical thinking (how to engage critically with ideas and texts). We also offer an optional Year Two module in Research Methods particularly for those who wish to take a research-only module in Year Three.

16 14 English Language Building on this strong academic base, the programme offers clear academic progression allowing you to make informed choices as you expand your knowledge, build confidence in your skills, and develop your particular interests. The ten optional Foundation modules available in Year Two provide engaging introductions to a range of key areas of study in English Language: sociolinguistics, language and culture, language and mind, history of English, language and gender, functional grammar, language and mind, and others. The training provided by these modules prepares you to make your choice from among the more specialised, research-led extension modules available in Year Three. The Year Three modules are offered in the subject areas in which staff are currently working, thus giving you a unique insight into some of the most up-to-date and innovative work in English language research. These modules also often require you to gather and analyse your own data. Currently the modules address areas such as communication disorders, child language acquisition, persuasive communication, language learning and teaching, language and ideology, media communication, phonology, and corpus linguistics. Subject to certain preconditions, you also have the opportunity to do a project or dissertation, working under the supervision of an expert in your chosen area of research. We aim to provide a programme that you can personalise to your own requirements. We recognise that students are individuals with diverse interests and aspirations and we do our best to cater to these individual needs. We provide a set of carefully-designed core modules that guarantee a solid base for all, but then allow students, with the help and expert advice of their Personal Tutors, to carve out a programme that will best fit their interests and career aspirations. We have organised our programme to match a wide range of career options in such areas as education, the health service, the criminal justice system, the media, and careers in private organisations and the voluntary sector. Many of the optional modules are career coded, indicating that they are particularly relevant for one or more of these areas. With such information in hand, you and your Personal Tutor can discuss which modules will be particularly useful to you in terms of your interests and intended career or further education path. The focus throughout the degree is on developing your argumentative and critical skills, and on enabling you to become a careful, attentive, and informed reader, sensitive to the nuances of language and style and able to articulate your ideas both orally and in writing in a clear, fluent and effective style. Some of our modules also offer practical skills, such as the design of web pages and magazine covers. All these skills are central to a wide range of careers. Working in an interdisciplinary environment helps you develop vital employability skills for the modern world in which boundaries are constantly being broken and flexibility is a must. Our degree in English Language also prepares students well for postgraduate degrees both here in Cardiff and elsewhere. We currently offer MAs in Applied Linguistics, Forensic Linguistics and Language and Communication Research.

17 English Language and Literature 15 English Language and Literature The Single Honours degree in English Language and Literature provides you with the opportunity of specialising in two related academic disciplines. Many students find studying the two English subjects together both stimulating and rewarding as they interact with and illuminate each other. The degree programme in English Language and Literature is broad and wide ranging but also offers plenty of opportunities for specialisation. You will be encouraged to think about the way in which knowledge of the English language works in relation to literary analysis as well as how literary texts help us to understand the subtle working of language as it has shifted and changed over the centuries. But more than this, insights into such essential aspects as vocabulary and syntax provide new perspectives on the meanings of texts and, indeed, the meanings we read all around us every day in adverts, newspapers, official documents as well as visual texts. The course itself is carefully organised so that it provides a grounding in the two subjects in year one and then, in the following years, offers further flexibility so that you can pursue your interests as these develop. Within English Language, you will be provided with a rigorous grounding in the analysis of the English language. You will learn such essential linguistic tools as phonetics, grammar and discourse analysis from those who are helping develop those fields. Since we take a broad approach to language, you will also learn how to analyse the types of multimodal (e.g. word+image+sound) texts that predominate in contemporary and new media. Year One modules introduce students to the core elements of language description, analysis and interpretation. Year Two modules introduce a range of key areas of study in English Language: sociolinguistics, language and culture, language and mind, history of English, language and gender, functional grammar, language and mind, and others. Year Three modules are offered in the subject areas in which staff are currently working, communication disorders, child language acquisition, persuasive communication, language learning and teaching, language and ideology, media communication, phonology, and corpus linguistics. These modules also often require you to gather and analyse your own data.

18 16 English Language and Literature English Literature offers access to the whole chronological span of English literature, from the Anglo-Saxon period to the twenty-first century. You will be able to study writing in English from England, Wales, Ireland, Scotland, North America, the Caribbean, India, and Australia. Nor is the curriculum restricted to the printed word: we are intrigued by the connections between literature and film, art, music, history, language, and popular culture, and our teaching reflects these interests. English Literature Year One modules currently include Shakespeare and Chaucer, Reading and Identity, and Texts in Time In Year Two you can select from a range of period - and theme-based modules. These might include modules such as Shakespeare and Renaissance Drama, Gothic Fiction, Twentieth Century Crime Fiction and Creative Writing. By Year Three you will have gained experience of a variety of literary periods, topics, genres and approaches. Current topics include: Love, Death and Marriage in Renaissance Literature, Gothic Fiction - the Victorians, Hitchcock, Nineteenth Century Crime Fiction, Writing Caribbean Slavery, Shakespeare's Late Plays, Utopia: Suffrage to Cyberpunk and Creative Writing.

19 English Literature 17 English Literature English Literature at Cardiff has a long tradition of scholarship and agenda-setting innovation in the discipline; offering lively expert teaching on major works across all periods, we have always been committed to a very open view of English Literature, in which there is plenty of room for exploration. This approach is supported by internationallyrecognised research conducted across the breadth of literary periods and genres and critical theory. The strength, range and creativity of our scholarship enable us to offer a degree which is inclusive, challenging, diverse, and engaged. English at Cardiff is inclusive because our curriculum offers access to the whole chronological span of English literature, from the Anglo-Saxon period to the twenty-first century. You will be able to study writing in English from England, Wales, Ireland, Scotland, North America, the Caribbean, India, and Australia. Nor is the curriculum restricted to the printed word: we are intrigued by the connections between literature and film, art, music, history, language, and popular culture, and our teaching reflects these interests. It is challenging because it continues to be led by cutting-edge research and taught by active researchers who are also dedicated teachers. This means that we can help you engage successfully with new ideas that are shaping the future of the discipline. We aim to help you experience the study of literature in its various contexts as an opportunity to broaden horizons. There are no compulsory modules in English Literature after Year One. We give you choice but we also give you the skills and knowledge to make informed choices from a diverse range of options. Modules are grouped into three periods (pre-1700, Eighteenth and Nineteenth Centuries, Twentieth and Twenty-First Centuries) as well as a set of cross-period, thematic or theoryfocused modules, which also includes Creative Writing. This arrangement provides a coherently organised structure within which you have the freedom to construct a personalised programme that corresponds to your interests. You are free to follow a traditional programme covering multiple periods and genres or to build a more distinctive mix of modules combining literary study with analysis of other cultural forms.

20 18 English Literature Finally, English at Cardiff shares with the other subjects in the School a vision of its discipline that is relevant to the world in which we live. We do not think of literature as isolated from the rest of culture or separate from society. We are proud of our reputation for theoretically informed reading, bringing texts from all periods into dialogue with contemporary concerns about gender, identity, sexuality, nationality, race, the body, the environment, and digital technology. We also maintain a tradition in Creative Writing, taught by writers making their mark on contemporary culture. The programme is carefully organised to help you explore your subject with success. Year One is a foundation year designed to equip you with the skills for advanced study and to give you an overview of the subject that will enable you to make informed choices from the modules available in Years Two and Three. Single Honours students will need to take four 20-credit modules selected from topics that currently include An Introduction to the Novel and Poetry, and Reading and Identity, Texts in Time and Literature, Culture, Place, and two topics in Medieval and Renaissance Literature. In Year Two you can select from a range of period- and theme-based modules in which you will build on the foundation year, reading a variety of texts in their historical and cultural contexts. These might include modules such as Shakespeare and Renaissance Drama, Introduction to Romantic Poetry, Contemporary Women's Writing, as well as Ways of Reading, The Post 1945 American Novel and Creative Writing. We recommend that you use this year not only to pursue authors or periods you might already be familiar with, but to try out something new. Your Personal Tutor will be most happy to talk these options through with you. As we explained in an earlier section, all of these modules are taught by a combination of lectures and small-group discussion which will guide you and allow you to develop your readings in discussion with tutors and colleagues. By Year Three you will have gained experience of a variety of literary periods, topics, genres and approaches, developing your critical faculties and your skills in analysing texts and contexts. You will therefore be in an excellent position to choose between a range of more specialised modules in which you will be able to engage with current issues in research and scholarship in relation to authors and texts both well-known and possibly less well-known to you. Current topics include: Norse Myth and Saga, Shakespeare's Late Plays, Middle English Romance, Nineteenth- Century Crime Fiction, Gothic Fiction, Early Twentieth-Century Poetry, The Post-1945 American Novel, French Theory, and Hitchcock and there are more opportunities for developing your talents as a creative writer, if you wish. There is also the possibility of writing a dissertation on a topic of your choice, with the guidance of a supervisor. Central to the experience of an English Literature degree is the opportunity to develop your pleasure in reading and your critical understanding of culture under the guidance of leading researchers in the field. At the same time, building a pathway through the various periods and themes, gaining experience and confidence as you do, will enable you progressively to develop analytical and presentational skills that employers will value. The focus throughout the degree is on becoming a careful, attentive, and informed critical reader, sensitive to the nuances of language and style and able to articulate your responses to texts orally and in writing which is precise, stylish, and effective. Developing these skills through close engagement with powerful texts from different times, genres and cultural contexts, will leave you excellently equipped for the excitingly unpredictable and changing circumstances of the world after university. What you learn with us will also equip you well for postgraduate study. At Cardiff we offer MA programmes in English Literature, Critical and Cultural Theory, and Creative Writing. Poster from the Act One student drama society

21 Philosophy 19 Philosophy Philosophy is the study of the most general questions about reality, knowledge and ethics, questions whose answers are presupposed by most other subjects. We approach these questions from both the Anglophone and the European traditions in philosophy. Taking a philosophy degree with us will expose you to the competing answers that philosophers have put forward and to the arguments with which they attacked and defended them. Philosophy graduates are known for their incisive analytical abilities and their ability to construct and communicate clear arguments. Philosophy can be taken as a Single Honours degree or in combination with a wide range of other subjects as a Joint Honours degree. Studying philosophy develops your abilities to identify the reasons for people s claims, to find the assumptions lying behind those reasons, to critically assess both and to communicate all of this clearly and effectively. At Cardiff you will develop these skills through attending lectures, reading philosophical literature, taking part in discussion and writing essays. You will study morality including applied ethics, normative ethics and metaethics; political philosophy including political issues and the legitimacy of political institutions ; the philosophical aesthetics of art, music and literature; the nature of mind, thought, language and action; the fundamental nature of reality; the nature of knowledge. You will do this through studying some of the most influential writings in Western literature. Regular staff contact, small group discussion, and careful feedback on written work are central to our teaching. We realise that many of our students will not have had the opportunity to study Philosophy before as an academic discipline, and for the increasing number of those who have, it is still relatively new and demanding. We therefore structure the programme with great care so as to build progressively your critical understanding and creative philosophical skills.

22 20 Philosophy Year One consists in three modules that provide a comprehensive grounding in Philosophy. Mind, Thought and Reality is concerned with the nature of mind and the world and the relation between them and includes topics such as free will and arguments over the existence of God. Moral and Political Philosophy, introduces the central concepts, theories, arguments, and approaches of contemporary moral and political theory through considering such particular issues as global poverty, nuclear weapons, the relations between men and women, medical ethics, and the use of animals. Philosophy through Great Texts takes students through four of the most important and influential books on philosophy, from the ancient Greeks to modern times. Year Two is designed to build on this foundation through focused modules that provide a solid grounding in particular areas. Among the modules currently on offer in Year Two are Epistemology and Mind, Logic and Language, Metaphysics, French Philosophy, Kant and Heidegger, Contemporary Ethical Theory, and Contemporary Political Philosophy. There are no compulsory modules. Students are encouraged to follow the interests they developed at Year One, but also to consider what they would like to take in the following year. Year Three is our research-led year, where the modules reflect the current research interests of the staff who teach them. These build on, and are more specialised than, the Year Two modules. Essentially, students are reading and thinking about the very same texts that the module leader is thinking and writing about. Modules currently available at Year Three include Advanced Moral Philosophy, The Problem of Consciousness, Philosophy and Literary Theory, Moral Psychology, Metaethics, Feminist Philosophy, and Nietzsche. There is also the opportunity for independent research in the dissertation module. This allows you to develop your own arguments on a particular issue with careful supervision from a member of staff. As in Year Two, no module is compulsory. There are two related aspects of the Philosophy programme at Cardiff that mark it out among Russell Group universities. While we do cover the full range of contemporary philosophical concerns, we are unusual in offering a particularly rich range of modules on ethics, broadly construed. The other is that our research and teaching is spread equally across both the analytic and Continental styles of Western philosophy. For historical reasons, most philosophy programmes in the UK are almost entirely analytic. Some are almost entirely Continental. Only a very few are evenly balanced across the two approaches, allowing students to develop a full understanding of both with the possibility of an informed choice to specialise in one approach or the other. Only a very few are evenly balanced across the two approaches, allowing students to develop a full understanding of both with the possibility of an informed choice to specialise in one approach or the other. The Honours degree is of course an excellent preparation for postgraduate study. At Cardiff we offer MA programmes in Ethics and Social Philosophy and in Analytic and Modern European Philosophy.

23 What the students say What the students say... We always value feedback from our students and why they chose to study at Cardiff. I knew that Cardiff had a good academic reputation, but I had also heard so many good things about the University from people who had already been here. The English Literature course really appealed to me because it is very diverse. In the first year you can study English with two other subjects. The list of modules to choose from is vast and there is definitely something for everyone. The teaching is incredibly interesting and informative. The lecturers encourage you to think independently and research your own ideas while providing helpful encouragement and advice. I would like to go on to do a Broadcast Journalism Masters when I finish my degree. The University s newspaper, magazine, radio and TV stations are all run by students and are a brilliant way to gain media experience. Cardiff is a brilliant place to study and live - I defy anyone not to enjoy themselves! Zoe Bridger English Literature If I had to pick one thing about why I think my course has been so great an experience, I would pick the lecturers. They're inspiring and passionate about their subject and they explain the myriad of issues and ideas dealt with in the subject so well that they'll stick with me for life. The Philosophy course taught at Cardiff also focuses on both the analytic and Continental traditions which means that we have a large choice of what parts of philosophy we want to specialise in. Simon Booth Philosophy I graduated from English Language Single Honours in July The degree exceeded my expectations on so many levels - not just the diversity of the courses on offer within the discipline (for instance, studying how people communicate on Facebook and YouTube alongside highly detailed functional grammatical analysis!) - but also how much more I ended up enjoying studying than I thought I would. I can honestly say that my years in Cardiff as an undergrad were some of the best of my life. So much so that I stayed on to pursue further study at Masters and PhD level. I just can t get enough, as the saying goes! Michael Willett English Language When I decided I wanted to study Philosophy at University, I knew Cardiff was the place for me. The modules offered are diverse and stimulating, and because none are compulsory you are free to study what appeals to you. Whether you are interested in analytic, Continental, political or even experimental philosophy, there will be a module and a lecturer who shares your interest. All the staff are friendly, approachable, and unfailingly supportive both academically and personally. Lectures are engaging and seminars always enjoyable; we always have a good discussion and frequently have a laugh. Studying Philosophy at Cardiff has been one of the best decisions of my life. Three years just isn t enough! Rebecca Hill Philosophy Did you know? In the National Student Surveys the School s teaching has consistently been rated at 90%+ for student satisfaction.

24 22 What the students say... English Language had always been a subject that interested me, but it wasn t until I finished my degree at Cardiff University that I realised its importance in shaping my future profession. The writing, style and deadline keeping abilities I developed throughout the course and in writing my dissertation have been extremely useful, both personally and in terms of employment. The ability to analyse sentences at a grammatical level and understand just what makes a piece of writing clear and enjoyable has proven invaluable for both my MA studies and full-time employment. Michael Brown English Language The degree gave me a great knowledge of speech and language, child language development, communication disorders and aspects of psychology. Therefore I had a fantastic baseline to train as a Speech and Language Therapist. After graduating I undertook a two-year postgraduate degree at University College London MSc Speech and Language Sciences to become a Speech and Language Therapist. Laura Gratton English Language

25 Graduate Success - Careers and Employability 23 Employability and Careers Our graduates are sought by all kinds of employers looking for people with a high level of verbal ability, experience in self-expression, and confidence in writing and analysing the written and spoken word. We have referred to a number of employability skills in the description of our programmes and the learning experience we offer. As we have sought to emphasise, these skills are much valued by employers across a broad range of professional activity precisely because they make you an independent, thoughtful, and articulate individual, capable of applying these high-level skills to a remarkable range of contexts in reliable and creative ways. But these skills do not stop there: like the texts and issues you will have studied, they remain relevant to your life as a cultural agent and citizen in the contemporary world. You will have shown yourself to have a special ability to solve problems. You will be able to: grasp complex issues with confidence ask the right questions of complex data and texts have an imaginative appreciation of different views and options analyse these critically and reflectively identify and apply relevant data propose imaginative solutions of your own that are rooted in evidence and critical analysis do so clearly, concisely and persuasively in writing and speech. Your successful experience with us will also have demonstrated your ability to work independently. You will have shown yourself able to: work to deadlines and priorities, managing a range of tasks at the same time articulate well-researched ideas with the right degree of assertiveness learn from constructive criticism and incorporate its insights in revising your work and in future work on different topics demonstrate enterprise and initiative in researching your topics and developing your point of view. You will also have learnt to work as part of a team, developing qualities of respect for the ideas and arguments of others and a collaborative approach to inquiry and problem-solving. Finally, you will have practised and developed a range of communicative skills, including the use of IT programmes and digital media. Careers and Employability Service The University offers a careers and employability service for students, graduates and postgraduates. You can access careers information, explore your options and speak to a consultant who can advise you of opportunities relating to your degree or preferred field, including advice on postgraduate degrees. The service offers guidance on preparing a CV and job applications and gives you the chance to meet and network with top graduate recruiters at Careers Fairs and events. If you are looking for work experience, the careers service can assist with planning and organising your placement. Postgraduate students in the School receiving Higher Education Academy-accredited awards for developing teaching skills during their studies

26 24 Graduate Success - Careers and Employability Where did they go? Employment and further study English Language Degrees in English Language combine the best of humanities skills (flexibility, communication, critique) and social science skills (technical analysis and systematic method). Common destinations include primary and secondary school teaching, TEFL, marketing and PR, sales and advertising, the civil service and public administration. English Literature English Literature graduates have excellent analytic and communication skills that fit them for a full range of professions and further training. Their cultural expertise and intellectual abilities are valued in the public and private sector, and in contexts as varied as the classroom, the law courts or the media. Philosophy Because of the transferable nature of the skills that the study of Philosophy develops, the kinds of jobs that Philosophy graduates go on to are extremely diverse. These include: the civil service; other government and public sector administration bodies; the charity or not-for-profit sector; non-governmental organisations (NGOs); teaching; sales and advertising. 14% 13% 16% 21% 7% 73% 25% 59% 71% 6 Key figures 2010/11 Employment 73% Industry 9% Professions/Commerce 63% Public Service 28% Further Study 14% Work & Further Study 13% Key figures 2010/11 Employment 59% Industry 16% Professions/Commerce 65% Public Service 19% Further Study 25% Work & Further Study 16% Key figures 2010/11 Employment 71% Industry 0% Professions/Commerce 65% Public Service 35% Further Study 21% Work & Further Study 7% Further Study Cardiff University MA Forensic Linguistics MA Applied Linguistics MA International Public Relations Bournemouth University MA Advertising & Marketing Communications Chester College of Law Graduate Diploma Law Exeter University PGCE Secondary Further Study Cardiff University MA English Literature MA Creative Writing PG Diploma Newspaper Journalism Bristol University MA in Town & Country Planning Central School of Speech & Drama MA Advanced Theatre Practice College of Law, Moorgate Law Conversion Course Oxford University MA Mediaeval History Further Study Cardiff University MA in Ethics and Social Philosophy Kings College MA Philosophy Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama Graduate Diploma in Acting Reading University MSc Real Estate and Planning * Due to the rounding of figures, the percentages shown may not total 100%.

27 The way we live now 25 The way we live now Here, six former students of the School give an insight into what they ve been up to since graduating, and offer some tips for students looking towards life after their degree. The Features Writer Amy Grier graduated in 2008 with a BA in English Literature and quickly joined the Evening Standard Magazine. She has worked as a Features Writer for Stylist Magazine since its launch in I went to university knowing I wanted to go into journalism which, looking back, was lucky. The people who struggled seem to be the ones who didn t have a clear view of where they saw themselves after three years of study. I had already done a few internships by the time I started my first year but continued to do more and wrote both for Quench and Gair Rhydd from the outset. In my third year I became arts editor for Quench but I always knew that, the minute I graduated, I would go straight home to London and try to get into a national paper or magazine. If you do have a passion or a speciality, indulge it. It could be what sets you apart in a very crowded market place. I was persistent to the point of madness. I ed every editor and every commissioning editor; I stalked journalism job websites like Gorkana ( I went everywhere from the Telegraph to Time Out and eventually got a month long placement at the Evening Standard Magazine (ES). I ended up staying a year, taking on two regular pages and becoming their unofficial features assistant. They refused to give me a full time position but by that time I had heard about the launch of a new free women s magazine called Stylist. It was all quite secret but I ed the Editorial Director asking if he wanted any help with the launch. He said yes. I quit my job at the Standard and started at Shortlist Media the next day. At first there wasn t a job to be had. I was just a contributor, but as the magazine launched and the work piled up, I kept getting asked to stay on and, after six months, they made me Junior Writer. I managed to carve out a niche for myself as a massive foodie which helped. It helped distinguish me from anyone else who might come along and try and do that job. If you do have a passion or a speciality, indulge it. It could be what sets you apart in a very crowded market place. Stylist has gone on to win a handful of awards including best new launch and best editor. I have been promoted to Features Writer and done exclusive interviews with everyone from the cast of Sex and the City to former Home Secretary Jacqui Smith and Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg. As a former English boffin, meeting and interviewing Carol Ann Duffy was a professional highlight. It has been very hard work; launching a magazine means long hours, very little pay and a lot of responsibility but it s all worth it when two years later you know you ve helped to create something which women genuinely love. A month ago I won the PTC new consumer journalist of the year award, beating off competition from other more established titles like Company, Readers Digest and More! I might moan about it occasionally (when I m up against a hellish deadline and working on a Sunday) but I love my job. The skills I learned at Cardiff still stay with me to this day. Learning to write those tight 1,600 word essays was perfect practice for structuring a 3 page (1,500 word) feature and the more I go out and meet people, the more I realise that the media industry is full of people from Cardiff. Whether it s PR, publishing, journalism or digital media, there are so many options at your fingertips with an English BA behind you. The Business Change Manager Katie Haylock graduated with a Masters in English Literature in September During her time at Cardiff, Katie was editor of the arts section of Quench, and worked as a media correspondent for Cardiff City Football Club, among other extra-curricular activities. She joined the Business Change Management Graduate Scheme for Zurich Financial Services in the summer of This time two years ago I was a student, shaking my jean pockets free of those precious few pounds with which I could buy food at Café 37. I didn t have the correct change to buy a fry-up let alone consider how I intended to earn enough money to get a mortgage or fund a plush holiday in a few years time. It was these moments of fear which convinced me to start thinking smart. In a mass market of Bachelor degrees I decided to give myself a unique selling point: a MA in English Literature. The world of Shakespeare, Milton and Hardy has collided with the world of Sugar, Brady and Branson. The course was small and intimate (classes were between five and 12 students), which enabled me to get to know my peers and lecturers much better. The choice of topics surpassed my initial expectations: I was able to discover new authors and write about books which really meant something to me (think the dark satirical prose of Gwyn Thomas and the comic yet poignant words of Niall Griffiths).