Courses for exchange students Autumn 2020 - Master's level

Important additional information for the 2020 autumn semester in connection to the corona pandemic: if teaching and examination cannot be conducted on campus, the courses will be offered in an online format instead.

Please note that some of the courses might be subject to change.
 

Autumn term 2020: 31 August – 17 January
Quarter 1: 31 August – 30 September
Quarter 2: 1 October – 2 November
Quarter 3: 3 November – 3 December
Quarter 4: 4 December – 17 January

English courses

The Department of Languages and Literatures offers a wide range of courses in English, all of which are also taught in English. We hope you will find a course that suits your own particular needs and interests.

Recommended levels of English proficiency

We use the Common European Framework for language proficiency (CEF) to give you an idea of the minimum and the recommended levels of English proficiency you should have in order to follow our courses. You can read more about the basic six-tier proficiency levels here: European language levels (CEFR)

From that site you can download a pdf document that describes the different levels. It is important that you know beforehand what level of proficiency is required from you, so please register in accordance with your proficiency level to avoid any problems. We offer two levels: an “absolute minimum proficiency level”, which you need to have reached to be able to follow the course. Expect, however, to work hard over the term in order to pass the course if you only have the minimum level. The second level is the “recommended” proficiency level, which you should have reached to follow the course without having to focus too much on improving your language skills.

How to read our System

We have subdivided the comprehensive CEF proficiency levels into an Upper and Lower “half". With the exception of A1, it takes more than a course, in the case of B levels a number of courses and the equivalent time, to master any of the six levels. With C levels even more is required. When we say, for instance, that you must have "B1 Lower", you should have been studying at the B1 level for quite some time and should not just have started a B1 course after completing an A2 course (there is a considerable difference between A and B levels in terms of required knowledge of the language). If that was the case, you would not be able to follow the course. When we require “B2 Upper”, it means that you should fulfil all the requirements in all four domains (as specified in the CEF pdf) and that you are working on the the requirements for B2. Bear in mind that C2 Upper is the equivalent of native proficiency.

Master's level

Minimum proficiency C1 - Lower, recommended C1 - Upper, or higher
 

EN2101 English literature and Continental Philosophy
Credits: 7.5, Pace: 25%, on campus and online (Quarter 1-4: August-January)

EN2104 Southern African Literature: Environmental Readings
Credits: 7,5, Pace: 50% day (Quarter 1: August-October)
This course offers an introduction to the literature of Southern Africa with a special emphasis on environmental representations. Shaped by a rich and complex history which often revolves around competing and conflicting claims to land and natural resources, these texts address the intersections of environmental concerns, sustainability and human rights. The large scale land appropriation and violent relocation of the majority of the population was modelled on Eurocentric ideas concerning the relation between humanity and the natural environment where indigenous populations were often seen as part of nature. The course will introduce students to a range of literary and theoretical texts which focus on the present day legacy of this history and its consequences for environmental concerns. We explore some of the historical, formal, political and ethical aspects of Southern African literature and discuss it within the framework of theories within Environmental Humanities.

EN2D12 English Literature, Criticism and Theory
Credits: 15, Pace: 100% (Quarter 3-4: November-January)
The two 7.5-credit modules “English Literature and Literary Criticism” and “Literary Theory” are integrated for teaching purposes, though each is examined separately. The integrated course is an introduction to major theories in current literary scholarship. There are four major areas, with three theories represented in each: history, text, subjectivity, and culture in a broad sense. The theories are studied in relation to literary texts selected from various periods and genres.

EN2121 English: The Language Instinct Debate
Credits: 7,5, Pace: 50% online (Quarter 3-4: November-January)
In recent years, it has become generally accepted to claim that the human capacity for language has genetic foundations. Using Steven Pinker's book "The Language Instinct" as a starting point, we examine this view of language (the so-called 'Chomskyan view'), and its influence on linguistics and linguistic research methods. Amongst other aspects, we will discuss the nature of language, its structure, myths about language acquisition, how linguistics analyse data, and to a certain degree how language is integrated with culture and history. During the course, we will also consider criticism of the Chomskyan view by reading alternative theories, such as the functional and cognitive paradigms outlined respectively in Geoffrey Sampson's "The Language Instinct Debate" and Terrence Deacon's "The Symbolic Species".

Japanese courses

No courses in English available Autumn 2020.

French courses

No courses available Autumn 2020.

German courses

TY2110, German: German Literary- and Cultural Theory in a European Context
Credits: 7.5, 25% (Quarter 1-4: August-January)
The course gives an insight into German-speaking literature and cultural theoretical issues and how these relate to a European context.

TY2121 German Post-War Literature I
Credits: 7.5, 25% (Quarter 1-4: August-January)
The course treats the history of German literature from 1945 to the present day. Different literary movements and perspectives are highlighted, for example early post- war literature, literary politicization, new subjectivity, post-modernism, Wende literature, migration literature. These are illustrated through studies of different canonized literary works.

TY2122 German, Theme Course on a German-Language Writer
Credits: 7.5, 25% (Quarter 1-4: August-January)
The course provides an insight into modern German literature based on a specific authorship. The course treats the central issues of the authorship and examines these from a narratological and literary-historical perspective. Special emphasis is placed on the importance of the narration for the creation of history and identity.

TY2211 German: Focus on Form in Language Teaching
Credits 10, 33% (Quarter 1-4: August-January)
The course deals with the traditions, frameworks and conditions that have influenced the didactics/methodologies of foreign languages with special focus on formal aspects. Various dimensions of the importance of formal aspects in language teaching are studied (the classroom, teaching materials, ICT). The content is related to various steering documents in Norway and Sweden.
The course consists of three parts: Focus on form in language learning (1 hec), Focus on form in the language classroom (1 hec), and Focus on form and computer-assisted

TY2214 Language, Politics, and the Public Sphere
Credits: 7.5, 50% (Quarter 3-4: November–January)
The relationship between language and politics is a central field for linguistic analysis,particularly in the context of Germanistics. This thematically oriented course introducespolitolinguistics as a research field and shows how language and politics can be studiedin a concrete way. Important analytical tools such as slogans, keywords, deonticmeaning, text and discourse are given a theoretical frame and are applied in linguisticanalysis. The close relationship of politolinguistics with rhetoric, discourse linguistics,conceptual analysis, language criticism, semantics and pragmatics is examined. Thecourse aims to provide analytical tools for the analysis of how politics and politicalvalues are communicated and constructed in public life through different uses oflanguage. Some current and historical political events in Germany are selected to showhow they can be analysed linguistically.

Interdisciplinary courses taught in English

SIK220, Language and Intercultural Communication
7.5 credits, pace: 50% (Quarter 1-2: August–November)
This course provides an introduction to the interdisciplinary concept of “intercultural communication” and how this is approached from a linguistic perspective. You will study basic theoretical, analytical and critical perspectives on the role of language in intercultural communication, while also focusing on the connections language has to cognition, culture and identity. You will also gain insight into different communicative strategies, and how these can be designed to conform to different cultures and fields of activity.

SIK221, Language and Society
7.5 credits, pace: 50% (Quarter 3-4: November–January)
This course addresses the role of language in society and the world’s linguistic relationships from a sociolinguistic and intercultural perspective. You will study how history, politics, economics and migration (to name but a few factors) can affect the language use of different groups, societies and nations, as well as discussing issues related to language and power, the linguistic market, minority languages and linguistic hierarchies, amongst other concepts.
The students are required to choose one of the following languages as their main field of study: African languages, Arabic, Chinese, English, French, German, Japanese, Russian, and Spanish.

SIK222, Intercultural and contrastive semantics and pragmatics
7.5 credits, pace: 50% (Quarter 1-2: August–November)
The course treats theoretical and methodological basics of semantics and pragmatics, with both diachronic and diatopic approaches. The student acquires tools to implement contrastive and cross-lingual analyses in different discourses and skills in using adequate methods in semantic and pragmatic analysis. Emphasis is placed on cultural linguistic phenomena and communicative strategies in intercultural communication. The students are required to choose one of the following languages as their main field of study: African languages, Arabic, Chinese, English, French, German, Japanese, Russian, and Spanish.

SIK223, Translating Languages and Cultures
7.5 credits, pace: 50% (Quarter 1-2: August–November)
The course provides knowledge and an understanding of what translating texts between different languages and cultures implies. The student is introduced to some of the basic concepts and theories in the field of translation studies. The student also practices analysis of translated texts on the basis of established methods within the discipline. The translator's role in and responsibility for the design of translations are also discussed as well as the function of translations in society and their importance for cultural exchange.
In the course, students specialize in their main field of study by applying different theories and methods to a material that is connected to the language studied as the main field of study. The students are required to choose one of the following languages as their main field of study: African languages, Arabic, Chinese, English, French, German, Japanese, Russian, and Spanish.

SIK224, Discourses
7.5 credits, pace: 50% (Quarter 1-2: August–November)
The courses provides skills in analysing discourses and their linguistic form in different cultures and activities from an intercultural perspective. Different discourse-analytical theories and methods are studied, as well as factors that can influence interpretation of discourses (for example communicative strategies, multimodality, etc).

SIK225, Research Methods in Linguistics and Intercultural Communication
7.5 credits, pace: 50% day (Quarter 1-2: August-November)

Other courses taught in English

• African languages courses
• Chinese courses
• English courses

Courses taught in Swedish

• SPL232, Göteborgs språkliga landskap
  7.5 hp, 50% (Quarter 3-4)
  Innehåll:
  Kursen ger studenten språkvetenskapliga och etnografiska verktyg för att synliggöra och diskutera sociala betydelser kopplade till språk, texter och symboler i det offentliga urbana rummet. Detta görs dels genom att introducera det tvärvetenskapliga studiet av språkliga landskap (Linguistic Landscapes), dels genom att låta studenterna genomföra en studie av språkliga landskap (företrädesvis i Göteborg). Genomgående betonas hur språkliga resurser i skyltar och urbana inskriptioner samverkar med andra meningsskapande resurser (t ex färg, bild, typografi, material och arkitektur) i skapandet av kulturella, sociala och rumsliga föreställningar och identiteter. Genom att löpande fråga hur samhälle, kultur och identitet representeras och återskapas i det språkliga landskapet, söker kursen främja medvetenhet om mångspråkig och multimodal kommunikation i offentliga urbana rum, samt uppmuntra till kritisk reflektion över hur globala flöden och processer påverkar lokala platser.
• SPL233, Ordinlärning och vokabulärundervisning i främmande språk
  7.5 hp, 25% distans (Quarter 1-4)
  Innehåll:
  Kursen ger en introduktion till aktuell forskning, teorier och metoder gällande ordinlärning och vokabulärundervisning i främmande språk. Kursen ger en inblick i vad det innebär att kunna ett ord, vilket ordförråd som kan vara nödvändigt att kunna som inlärare och vilka metoder som är effektiva för ordinlärning. Den tar också upp olika modeller och verktyg för vokabulärundervisning i främmande språk. Kursen innehåller också praktiska moment, där deltagarna får reflektera över ordinlärning och vokabulärundervisning.