Department of English Studies
Aims and Objectives
The Department's modules aim to develop the following transferable skills:
- analytical skills: the ability to think rigorously and critically about ideas and propositions and to assess the validity of arguments;
- reading and interpretative skills: the ability to understand the complexities and varieties of the ways in which texts communicate meaning and to be able to read them with sensitivity to nuance and effect;
- communicative skills: skill in discussion, argument and debate, the ability to formulate a point of view and to present, develop, illustrate and defend it orally;
- research skills: the ability to distinguish relevant data, to locate and gather it from a variety of sources, and to record it in an accessible fashion;
- writing and presentational skills: the ability to structure a written argument, to select supporting evidence, to write confidently with clarity and lucidity, and to present written work with consistent use of bibliographical and typographical conventions;
- independent learning and study skills: the ability to work alone, to locate useful information, and to record and deploy it pertinently;
- time management skills: the ability to plan work ahead, to structure time purposefully and the discipline to carry out what is planned to meet deadlines;
- interpersonal skills: the ability to work co-operatively with others, to take part in joint projects and to accept criticism.
The objectives by which these aims will be realised include:
- extensive reading in English poetry, prose and drama, from within and beyond the United Kingdom, and from a variety of different times and cultures;
- analysis of the English language, its structural, functional and creative aspects, its history and diversity;
- analysis and discussion of literary texts, of their historical and cultural contexts, and of contemporary critical ideas and theory;
- participation in small groups of varying size and composition, both through discussion and, individually, in pairs and in a team, through the delivery of oral presentations;
- the regular writing of essays in a continuous assessment system which provides regular feedback;
- the use of a critical vocabulary and of current concepts in critical theory;
- the independent preparation, under supervision, of a 15,000 word dissertation on an individually chosen topic.
Mission Statement
In six key areas the Department of English Studies seeks to achieve the following aims:
- Teaching: to engage with the variety and complexity of English Studies at all levels, providing a stimulating mix of traditional and contemporary approaches through extensive staff collaboration and interchange.
- Research: to foster staff and postgraduate research; to develop research expertise in specific areas and groupings; to enable participation in national and international circles at the highest level.
- Quality: to monitor and develop the quality of student learning through the judicious use of internal and external mechanisms; to provide a sense of intellectual community at all levels of the Department.
- Access and Outcome: to promote access to the subject, paying attention to the future employment skills of graduates in English Studies and cognate areas.
- Excellence: to develop English Studies at Stirling as a centre of excellence in a national and international context, linking with other educational institutions wherever appropriate.
- Development: to help individuals and staff teams to secure external resources for the furtherance of these aims; to administer external and internal resources efficiently and productively.
