BA Modern Languages and Linguistics (German)(For students entering from September 2024 onwards)

Year 4

(Award available for year: Bachelor of Arts)

Learning outcomes

On successful completion of Level 3, you will be able to

1. demonstrate a coherent and detailed understanding of key terms and concepts associated with multiple areas of linguistics

2. critically evaluate specific approaches to the study of language, demonstrating an understanding of the role of empirical evidence in theoretical debates

3. Understand and communicate complex events and ideas drawn from everyday and specialised domains in the target language (in written and oral forms), and fully participate in everyday conversations and technical discussions

4. Recognise, analyse, and evaluate basic and advanced communicative resources of the target language: vocabulary, grammar, and script (if relevant)

5. Appraise and question the social norms and cultural values that frame the societies in which the target language is spoken

6. Develop an in-depth knowledge of the history, culture, and society of the countries where the target language is spoken

7. Apply creatively and independently the strategies to analyse and contextualise from the target culture conveyed in written and audio-visual formats (books, films, digital media content)

Skills Learning Outcomes
1. plan and carry out a thorough linguistic analysis of selected written and/or spoken data

2. demonstrate a thorough command of selected formal, qualitative and/or quantitative methods of linguistic analysis, and apply selected methods to unfamiliar data or theoretical issues

3. show an advanced command of specific techniques for analysing language data, at least including either phonetic transcription or syntactic annotation

4. address ethical and methodological issues involved in collecting and analysing data

5. independently summarize and synthesize complex ideas

6. present an extended coherent argument in an appropriate written or oral style, based on a substantial amount of independent research, with limited guidance

7. independently apply conventions of acknowledging and referencing source material

8. Actively seek, critically evaluate, and use creatively a range of sources of information and knowledge

9. Critically assess and construct sustained arguments supported by evidence and reasoning to challenge received knowledge and propose new ideas

10. Communicate effectively new information and knowledge in written and oral forms or through digital media

11. Critically reflect on, evaluate, and use creatively digital resources and tools to collect and communicate new information and knowledge

12. Work independently on a large individual project to a deadline

13. Make connections across perspectives and disciplines to propose new ideas and strategies

Assessment

You will be working towards the subject specific and skills learning outcomes by engaging with a variety of approaches to assessment, which will depend on the programme, language pathway, and modules that you take. At Level 3, assessment methods will typically include coursework in English (essays, commentaries) and the target language (short assignments collected in portfolios), oral presentations in English or the target language, exams in the target language that might include elements of English (for example, translation tasks), group projects, the production of podcasts and other digital artefacts. At Level 3, all students will work on one major independent research project. In Linguistics, assessment may include essays, exams, analysis tasks, group presentations, research proposals, and research projects giving students opportunities to develop key skills such as critical thinking, advanced problem solving, the ability to analyse authentic language data, synthesise information from multiple sources and critically evaluate current theoretical debates.