About Department
Introduction Mission Statement Objectives Future plane:
The Department of English Language and Literature was established in 1995, which is the same year The Hashemite University was established. The Department offers two Bachelor degrees; one is a Bachelor degree of Arts in English Language and Literature, and the other is a Bachelor degree of Arts in Literature and Cultural Studies. The Department's study plan maintains a balance between language teaching on the one hand, and literary instruction on the other.
The department is dedicated to providing good quality education in the fields of English language and literature at the undergraduate level using up-to-date curricula, and the fin-of-art-techniques, thus meeting the increasing demand on qualified human resources in these domains locally, regionally and internationally. HM King Abdullah II' 1999 National Initiative of mandatory English language teaching in both state and private schools starting from the first-grade, along with His vision of modernity and openness, have remarkably augmented this demand.
The department's primary goal is to educate students to respond to the needs of a contemporary information age. Training in critical thinking; improving the basic language skills, viz. reading, writing, listening and speaking; introducing a wide variety of world literature, and equipping students with means of linguistic analysis are also central to the department's mission. Moreover, the mission includes preparing students to conduct research, analyze, interpret, synthesize information, and plan and execute tasks with concision, clarity and accuracy. Serving the local community is also an integral part of the mission. Furthermore, the department aspires to contribute to the regional and global markets by providing well-qualified personnel armed with the required knowledge of English language and literature.
1. The teaching, learning and assessment strategy
Evaluating learning outcomes is an important element in the educational process. This evaluation is expected to show the extent to which the general objectives and aims of the program have been achieved. For tenure and promotion purposes, all faculty members are required to have their performance evaluated by students through a prepared questionnaire to assess the learning experience. Results are then informed to staff for improvement. This assessment measure is meant to give faculty a perspective to areas of improvement.
2. Teaching and Learning
We use a variety of teaching methods in our classes. While traditional lectures remain the main approach, we do apply other methods, such as oral presentations and research work1. To enrich classroom interaction, we encourage students to engage in group or pair work and discussions. In addition, students have the opportunity to use computer technology like doing POWERPOINT presentations, especially in oral skills classes. We also encourage our students to use the Internet in solving course problems. This service is widely available to our students on campus.
In addition to that we encourage our students to watch, comment on, and evaluate a variety of educational movies that enrich student's knowledge and learning experience (Some schedules have been made and announced in this regard). We also try to invite guest speakers from other universities to give lectures to students on topics relating to their field of study.
3. Assessment:
The assessment process is intended to determine the quality of the educational experience and the outcomes of the teaching process. Assessment measures also test students' performance to find the knowledge and skills they acquired as a result of attending the classroom lectures. Furthermore, this process covers any other learning tools used or requested by instructors (oral presentations and research papers). The tests are divided into three sets; first, second, and final examinations, in addition to the class participation. These various assessment methods are graded and discussed with students to provide feedback on their level of achievement.
the Department plans to do the following in the coming five years:
1- Establish unconventional MA programs in the various fields of comparative literature, linguistics, and translation.
2- Hold frequent international and referred conferences in the fields of literature, linguistics, and translation.
3- Expand its community services.
4- Enhance E-learning programs.
5- Increase mutual exchange programs for students and faculty.
6- Develop a strategy for representing students in Department's meetings.
7- Increase research funds for both faculty and students.
8- Maximize the academic and social interaction in both curricular and extracurricular activities.
9- Establish an online writing center that will help students learn the skill of writing for academic purposes.
10- Encourage international students to study at the department to enrich the diversity of the teaching-learning process.
11- Yearly revision of the study plan for both majors in the Department.