University of Balamand UOB Department of English Language and Literature

An Overview
The Department of English Language and Literature consists of professors who are a mix of Lebanese and foreign nationals. The Bachelor of Arts (BA) in English offers a rich exposure to language and literature. Courses are taught in an engaging and interactive style that stimulates creativity and critical thinking.
The philosophy of the Department towards language development promotes interdisciplinary cooperation which gears the student toward academic success through a curriculum designed to address every language need. It is widely recognized that the study of English and the resulting command of the language are inherently linked to the success of students both at university and in their future careers.
 
Why English as a major?
The study of English prepares students for almost every profession. Both the commercial and government sectors readily recruit English majors because of their understanding of social, cultural and literary matters, as well as their ability to critically evaluate an article or book and then make an intelligent and telling response to it. Such a skill earns considerable cachet in the professional world.
Some areas in which English majors regularly pursue careers are:
Education Law The Media
Politics Translation Fine Arts
Journalism Management Government
Tourism Social Services
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Graduates in English are also uniquely prepared for pursuing higher degrees in a wide variety of disciplines, especially those requiring analytical and creative thinking, together with a facility for precise communication.
Coursework in the departmental program is wide-ranging and includes linguistics (the study of language: phonology, morphology/syntax, semantics), discourse analysis, and literary criticism. The important periods of literature are covered in core courses, along with a variety of electives that include drama, romantic poetry and prose, creative writing, and both cinema and gender studies. These courses represent a rare opportunity to explore in depth the worlds of language, literature, culture and the human condition.
 
What makes UOB special?
The undergraduate program provides a major course of study leading to the degree of Bachelor of Arts in English Language and Literature
The Department of English offers the higher degree of Master of Arts in English Language and Literature, specializing in either literature or English language teaching.
All professors teaching in the BA and MA programs are PhD holders and are active in research. A number of them are foreign nationals.
 
The degrees UOB offers
Degree Years
BA in English Language and Literature Bacc + 3
MA in English Language Teaching Bacc + 5
MA in English Language and Literature Bacc + 5
Minor in Creative Writing
Minor in English Language and Literature
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The BA Program
To obtain a BA in English, a student must achieve an average of not less than 70% in his/her major while fulfilling the following requirements:
I. University Requirements
   12 credits in Cultural Studies
   6 credits in English
   1 credit in the library course
II. Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences Requirements
   2 credits in general courses (computer, physical education, or environmental sciences)
  3 credits in Arabic
III. Departmental Requirements (i.e., within the discipline of English)
   36 credits in core courses
   12 credits in major electives
IV. Elective Requirements
   18 credits to be chosen from outside the Department of English
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Required (core) courses for the BA
Course title
Classical Foundations to English Literature     3 credits
Approaches to Literature: Ways of Reading   3 credits
Literature I: Renaissance to Romanticism       3 credits
Literature II: 1800 to Present Day 3 credits
Comparative and World Literatures 3 credits
Introduction to Literary Criticism 3 credits
History of the English Language 3 credits
Linguistics I 3 credits
Linguistic II 3 credits
Creative Writing 3 credits
ELT Pedagogy 3 credits
Senior Seminar 3 credits
 
The major electives required to earn 15 credits cover a wide range of interesting topics such as Literature and Film, Modern English Literature, and Modern English Drama.
MA in English Language Teaching (ELT)
3 credits in Research Methodology
6 credits for the Master’s Thesis or non-thesis track Project
21 credits in a specialized area of theory or practice such as Second Language Acquisition, ELT Methodology, Testing and Assessment, and ELT Management
 
MA in English Language and Literature
6 credits for the Master’s Thesis
9 credits in the core courses of Literary Theory and Methods, Legacies of Romanticism, and Literature, Post-Colonialism and National Identity
15 credits in courses that reflect the specialist interests of the course professors
 
UOB facilities
English Language Center (ELC), a service run by the Department to provide free tutorial assistance to students whose English needs improving.
Four rooms specifically designed for language teaching and thus acoustically adjusted and equipped with the latest electronic aids.
A graduate seminar room complete with a conference table, computer and smart board.
 
Technology
Two computer labs with state-of-the-art computers
Various software programs that foster language development
Smart-board technology
Surround-sound systems for listening exercises in the teaching labs
 
How to Join the Department of English Language and Literature
Admission
Candidates may enroll in the academic programs of the Department in the fall or spring semesters, on a full-time or part-time basis.
The Faculty also accepts eligible transfer students or students switching from other majors.
 
Tuition and Financial Aid
  • The University of Balamand, while maintaining a high level of instruction and offering advanced facilities, makes every effort to keep tuition costs affordable.
  • Students accepted as undergraduates for a major in FASS are granted a scholarship representing a 25% reduction in tuition fees. They can also apply for financial aid worth a further reduction of up to 20%.
  • Students accepted onto the graduate program are granted a scholarship representing a 50% reduction in tuition fees. They can also apply for a  graduate assistantship in the Department,     this earning them some financial reward.
  • Part-time employment of up to 15 hours a week is open to all regular students at the undergraduate level.
  • Payment of tuition fees is made in installments.
These can be modified by special arrangement according to individual need.
Additional Information?
University of Balamand,
Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences,
P.O. Box 100,
Tripoli, Lebanon
Tel.: 961-6-930250 extension: 2433
Fax: 961-6-930241
Home page: www.balamand.edu.lb