Kommentiertes Vorlesungsverzeichnis (KoVo) / List of Courses - Summer 2024
Use the tabs above to find the list of courses offered for your semester, including detailed course descriptions.
You can also download the list of courses as a PDF document:
Older course descriptions can be found in the Archive.
2024-04-04: online version of the SS24 KoVo with updated time
2024-04-14: online version of the SS24 KoVo with updated seminars - Genre Metagenre cancelled
Please check the KoVo regularly for updates and changes. Only the university's lecture list is legally binding. This KoVo is just a service by the English Department.
Dear Students,
Welcome to the new semester! We hope that, once again, we have compiled an exciting and inspiring course programme for you.
As in previous semesters, course registration will be handled individually. Be sure to check the coursespecifics closely and to register for all of your courses on time so that you are able to receive any additional course information from your lecturers directly. You will find information concerning registration procedures at the bottom of the respective course descriptions. If the course makes use of OPAL, be sure to click on the enrolment option on the course’s OPAL page.
We have tried to finalise the timetables for the semester, yet some changes may still occur. Stay up-to-date by reading notifications sent through the English Mailing List and by visiting our homepage.
The course program will be updated on a regular basis as changes come in.
Unless stipulated otherwise, all courses start in the week of 2 April 2024.
Stay healthy and stay motivated in summer 2024,
Your English Department staff
Note: Please make sure to check your university email regularly since OPAL uses this address by default. Alternately, you can also impose a forwarding rule in the university mail program to the provider of your preference.
Beginning of the lecture period
7 and 10 April
No classes, public holiday
No classes, public holiday
No classes, public holiday
No classes, public holiday
Examination period
ERASMUS meeting for 4th and 6th semester students
The general course requirements are issued by the lecturers of the English Department and aim at improving the cooperation in class as well as student’s academic skills. The requirements establish a fair working atmosphere and are binding for all students.
Active participation is required for success in your courses.
- Come to class. If you know you cannot attend regularly (at least 12 sessions/80%) for some reason, please speak to your lecturer right away. You will need to arrange how you will participate and interact with other students attending the seminar. Students who are absent frequently may receive additional tasks to complete for the subsequent session. Additionally, the lecturer may include short tests in class that are part of the Prüfungsvorleistung (PVL) or Prüfungsleistung (PL).
- Come to class ready to participate. You should be eager to answer questions of the lecturer and participate in discussions with your peers.
- You need to be able to discuss the assigned readings. This usually entails reading a set text more than once and engaging with it in some way. Write down its main ideas and take note of any terms or concepts that are introduced in the text. What questions do you have for the lecturer and your fellow students? Please remember that we are all responsible for reaching the course objectives and that your participation is also important for the other students in the class. Students who do not prepare for the session may be asked to leave.
- For student presentations, you are required to meet with your lecturer at least two weeks prior to the presentation to discuss its structure as well as its content. You should also send the presentation to the lecturer at least one week prior to the presentation. If you do not do this, you may lose your presentation slot. Alternative dates will only be given in case of illness.
- Using smartphones in class not only distracts you but also your lecturer and your peers. Therefore, you should refrain from using them during class – except if the lecturer asks you to use it for a specific task or classroom response system.
Additional tasks and supplementary reading can increase your learning and help you reach your short-term and long-term academic goals.
In addition to the course requirements, you should complete additional tasks to further advance your progress in the course. Be sure to speak to your lecturer if you need more ideas for self- study. Here are a few suggestions:
- Try to find a second complementary text that relates to the assigned reading and analyse how it corresponds to the set text.
- Search for an academic video that relates to the text.
- Share what you learn during your self-study with your classmates, e.g. by uploading articles or adding links to the course’s OPAL website.
It is essential to follow each section’s guidelines, requirements and citation styles (APA/MLA/Chicago) for writing term papers and theses.
Lecturers will inform you about the specific guidelines for written papers and the due dates for handing them in during the respective course and semester. Please note the following:
- Structural and stylistic standards need to be followed. They will usually be explained in class, summarized on a handout, or, if necessary, discussed during the lecturer’s office hour. If you do not follow the requirements, the lecturer can deduct points in the paper. This is especially important for BA students who have already attended a research colloquium in their 4th or 6th semester and MA students in their 3rd semester.
- The thesis, argument and/or outline have to be discussed with your lecturer before you start writing. Otherwise the lecturer can refuse to accept your paper.
- The due dates for term papers are fixed for every individual semester and will be announced at the beginning of the semester. Extensions can only be granted with previous notification by the student on the basis of a reasonable cause (e.g. sickness, impairment, family emergencies). Term papers that are handed in after the due date without early notification (at least one week prior to the due date) or a sufficient cause will receive a failing grade (5.0).
Be sure to talk to your lecturers right away if you have any questions about the course requirements.
| Area | Person |
|---|---|
| Student Advisor | Dr. Mandy Beck |
| Language Program and Semester Abroad Requirements | Dr. Isabelle van der Bom |
| ERASMUS | Prof. Dr. Cecile Sandten Prof. Dr. Christina Sanchez-Stockhammer (all other universities) |
Several courses may also be taken by students not enrolled in the English and American Studies programme. These are marked separately. The numbers indicate the appropriate semester of study.
- B_AA = B.A. Anglistik/Amerikanistik
- B_EG = B.A. Europäische Geschichte
- B_Eu = B.A. Europastudien
- B_Ge = B.A. Geschichte
- B_InEn = B.A. Informatik NF Englisch
- B_Ko = B.A. Interkulturelle Kommunikation
- B_MK = B.A. Medienkommunikation
- B_MP = B.A. Print & Media Technology PMT
- B_Pä = B.A. Pädagogik
- B_Ps = B.A. Psychologie
- M_AA = Master Anglistik/Amerikanistik
- M_Ge = Master Geschichte
- M_GI = Master Interkulturelle Germanistik
- M_In = Master Informatik
- M_Ko = Master Interkulturelle Kommunikation
- M_MK = Master Medienkommunikation
- SELAEn = Lehramt Grundschule
Two translation courses are part of the MA curriculum.
Do you have a certificate for German at the A1, A2, or B1 level? You are not required to take the Translation classes in the Practical Language Program (Translation English-German; Translation German-English). Instead, you may take German language classes at the Language Centre, but you must register for these courses online through OPAL (found under “Sprachenzentrum” / “Deutsch als Fremdsprache”).
Do you have a certificate for German at the B2 level? You can take the C1-level German course at the Language Centre. After you have completed the C1-level German course, you may take the Translation German-English course the following semester. If you do not want to attend the Translation German-English course, you may attend a specialisation course at the C1 German level (e.g. Wissenschaftliches Schreiben) instead, but you must register online through OPAL (found under “Sprachenzentrum” / “Deutsch als Fremdsprache” or “Wissenschaftliches Schreiben”).
If you have any questions, please contact the Practical Language Programme Coordinator
Dear ERASMUS Students,
Welcome to the English Department at Chemnitz University of Technology! We hope you will enjoy your stay in Chemnitz.
You are welcome to attend many of the Bachelor's seminars offered by the Department. These courses have "ERASMUS" below their titles.
Registration for the classes is usually either by email or through our learning platform OPAL (the modality for each class is indicated in the course catalogue). Should you not have access to OPAL yet, please write an email to the corresponding teacher of the class as soon as possible.
Erasmus students who would like to improve their English language skills are welcome to attend the course Vocabulary Building after completing the Placement Test
The Placement Test has two parts: 1) a computer-based part which tests your writing, grammar and reading skills, and 2) an oral part which evaluates your speaking and pronunciation skills.
To take the computer-based part of the exam, you must obtain your TUC login (a combination of username and password) from the Universitätsrechenzentrum several days prior to your test date and bring the login information and your student ID with you when you come to take the test.
To sign up for the Placement Test or get more information, please send an email to the Practical Language Programme Coordinator, Dr. Isabelle van der Bom: isabelle.vanderbom@…
Please send the following information:- your first and last name
- the name and city of your home university
- the name of your Erasmus coordinator
You will then receive further information about available test dates and times.
As many of you have noticed or will notice soon, many people expect students of English to be able to speak and write perfectly. While we know that such expectations are often exaggerated and unrealistic, we still strive for our students to achieve a very good command of English. Apart from the importance of sound language skills for your later professional career, you need to be proficient in the language as a basis of your course work: reading books and scientific articles, writing term papers, giving presentations and participating in class discussions are only a few of the areas you will need good English skills for to be successful in your studies.
In order to help students with the admittedly long and laborious task of enhancing foreign language skills to a level adequate for the academic world, the English Department offers Practical Language Courses (PLCs) targeting the language problems of our students. Yet, students need to keep in mind that these courses merely represent the MINIMUM of the time and energy that you should invest to improve your linguistic competence sufficiently. In other words, you will need to spend more time on developing your skills outside of class, for example by reading (e.g. English and American newspapers and magazines, available in the library and, perhaps more conveniently, on the Internet), listening (e.g., English TV or radio channels or listening sources on the Internet), writing, speaking, and practicing grammar and vocabulary via training websites or CD-ROM applications.
In addition, students need good reference books to work effectively and successfully. Some helpful resources, including online language learning websites, can be found on this page.
The European Credit Transfer System (ECTS) is a standardized system for the approval of university courses within the European Union. It gives students the opportunity to have their academic credits recognized at any university within the EU. This applies not only to students from TUC who partake in an exchange program but also to our guests and those who change their place of study within Germany or the EU. The ECTS is running parallel to the credit systems already existing at the respective universities.
The ECTS consists of two components:
- In the credit system, course achievements – the amount of work required of a student for the individual courses – are evaluated annually.
- The grading scale has been implemented to guarantee a common European standard for the assessment of individual achievements (from A = excellent to F = fail). However, if an ERASMUS student’s university uses another system, we can convert everything.
For the courses at our department, students will receive Credit Points according to the type of course they attend:
- Lecture: 3 Credits
- Seminar/Übung: 5 Credits
- Practical Language Course: 3 Credits (2 LVS), 6 Credits (4 LVS)
BA 2 Courses
BA2 Basismodul 1.1: English Language Training: Basics
Phillips, Jeff, B.A.
Ü: Pronunciation
SELAEn2
Please note: This course is not open to ERASMUS or exchange students.
Content
This course is intended to complement students' theoretical phonology/linguistics studies. A foundation for the course is laid with an introduction to the International Phonetic Alphabet. Using a range of media, we will look at the articulation of specific English sounds in different varieties of English, giving particular attention to those areas of English pronunciation that tend to be problematic for German speakers. The course puts focus on listening (and transcription) of standard dialects of English, and time is spent on in-class controlled-speech exercises to help students understand and, ultimately, reduce their individual pronunciation problems.Objectives
By the end of the course, students:
- By the end of the course, students will be able to:
- read IPA transcriptions of native English speakers and transpose these into normal orthography
- write a broad (IPA) transcription of sentences spoken by (standard) native speakers of English
- identify and hear the difference between the standard English sounds, regardless of (standard) dialect
- hear, identify and understand certain supra-segmental aspects of pronunciation (strong versus weak forms, linking, stress and intonation)
- and approximate the pronunciation of one variety in their own speech.
Prerequisites
Successful completion of PVL Integrated Language Course (ILC).Requirements
Successful completion of PVL Integrated Language Course (ILCLiterature/materials
Students are asked to purchase the course pack (file number 44) from the university print services shortly before the first meeting.
Phillips, Jeff, B.A.
Ü: Vocabulary Building
B_AA__2, SELAEn2, Erasmus
Registration info: Please register on OPAL by 01 April 2024:
Please note: This course is open to ERASMUS and exchange students.
Content
This course is designed to help students consolidate and improve their vocabulary as well as their vocabulary building skills. The course focuses on the general and specialized vocabulary found in informational texts (e.g. newspaper articles) as well as academic discourse (Academic Word List etc.). It helps students expand their command of English lexis by looking beyond the simple ‘meanings’ of words to other aspects like affixation, word formation, collocations, register, and style. It also addresses a variety of vocabulary building strategies including dictionary and thesaurus skills. There will be special sections on the use of transition words and the language of academic texts and presentations.Objectives
By the end of the course, students:
- By the end of the course, students are able to:
- understand and use general and specialized vocabulary usage in newspaper articles and academic texts
- use both British and American dictionaries as well as thesauri and on-line reference materials
- use at least three vocabulary building strategies
- and give a short talk with appropriate introductory, transitional and concluding phrasing.
Prerequisites
Successful completion of the Foundation Course (FC).Requirements
A 90-minute written PL exam.Literature/materials
Students are asked to purchase a copy of the book: Mann, Malcolm & Taylore-Knowles, Steve., (2008). Destination C1 & C2 Grammar and Vocabulary. Student's Book. United Kingdom: Macmillan. ISBN: 978-0-230-03541-6 and course pack (file number 40) from the university print services shortly before the first meeting
BA2 Basismodul 1.4: Academic Skills & Information Technology
McCafferty, Patrick, Dr.
Ü: Academic Study Skills & Information Technology
B_AA_2, Erasmus
Registration info: Please register on OPAL by 01 April 2024:
Content
This course serves as an introduction to the academic endeavor. Students will be introduced to the value of scholarly and peer-reviewed work and the standards and practices of various research communities. They will learn how to study independently and self-organize effectively as well as how to access and keep track of suitable resources using electronic databases, reference management systems and AI-powered tools such as Zotero and ResearchRabbit. Students will also gain insight into identifying sources and author intent, acquire vocabulary and formulations, and receive guidance on structuring and organizing academic papers. They will apply these skills to their own research, exploring search strategies for academic databases and electronic journals and learning to critically evaluate their findings based on relevance and reliability. Additionally, students will be made familiar with various citation standards and develop the necessary skills to apply academic literature in their writing.Objectives
By the end of the course, students:
- Objectives: By the end of the course, students are able to: • find resources using the TU Chemnitz library catalogue.
- find resources using EBSCOhost.
- evaluate the content and quality of various text types.
- produce texts that adhere to various academic citation styles.
- understand the place of induction, deduction and the scientific method.
- learn independently and self-organizedly.
Prerequisites
NoneRequirements
Term paper (ASL) of ca. 1200-1500 words. The admission requirements for the ASL paper will be stipulated by the instructor and announced in class.BA2 Modul:English Literatures and Cultures: Contexts
Sandten, Cecile, Prof. Dr.
Ü: History of Literatures in English: From Romanticism to the Present
B_AA__2, BA_AA_4, SELAEn6, B_Ge__2, B_Ge__4, SGPhilSS, ERASMUS
Registration info: Please register for this course on OPAL by 28 March: TBA
Content
This lecture course provides an overview of literary history primarily in Great Britain. It covers literary movements such as Romanticism, Victorianism, Edwardianism, Modernism, Postmodernism, and Postcolonialism. The lecture course will focus on selected texts that represent each historical period and the literary movement associated with this time period. In addition, the course will introduce students to the governing principles of English literature that shaped its literary heritage and history.Objectives
By the end of the course, students:
- Prior to introducing the key figures of the literary movements, each period will be situated in its historical and cultural contexts. As such, the lectures will move beyond mere factual introductions in order to both contextualise and characterise the socio-political predicaments of the respective literary figures and genres.
Prerequisites
Students have to successfully accomplished the lecture “History of Literature in English: From the Renaissance to Romanticism”.Requirements
As part of the credit points, regular participation is strongly recommended. In addition, students are expected to read the assigned texts for the lecture course. For the successful completion of this course, students have to write one essay at the end of the teaching period (PL: BA_AA_2; ERASMUS). SELAEn6 students have to write three lecture minutes from three lectures of their choice (processing time: three weeks after the end of the lecture period).Literature/materials
1.Poplawski, Paul (ed.) (2017): English Literature in Contexts. Cambridge: Cambridge UP. A reader with primary texts will be made available at the beginning of the semester in a reader (via OPAL).
BA2 Modul: English Language and Culture: Basics
Karmakar, Indrani, Dr.
S: Theories and Methods
B_AA__2, SELAEn6, B_Pä__4, Erasmus
Registration info: Please register via email (indrani.karmakar@phil.tu-chemnitz.de) with your name, matriculation number, study programme, semester and the title of this seminar by 28 March.
Content
This course provides an accessible introduction to the theories and methods in literary studies and its four pillars: author, text, reader, and context. We will engage in critical investigations of five influential theoretical approaches in our field: Marxism, Psychoanalysis, Gender and Queer Theory, New Criticism and Formalism, and Postcolonial Studies. For each of these five areas, there will be a discussion of a seminal theoretical text in the first week, followed by a hands-on session in the second week, in which we will use the theoretical/methodological framework to analyse a given literary text (a poem or a short story). In addition, the seminar will provide students with useful tools and methods to analyse literary texts.Objectives
By the end of the course, students:
- Like all scientists, scholars of literature need methods in order to engage with their objects of study (i.e. literary texts). The methods and theories presented in this seminar will enable students to study literature from different perspectives and with greater precision than before. In other words, we will put the “Wissenschaft” into “Literaturwissenschaft”.
Prerequisites
Successful completion of the lecture Introduction to the Study of Literatures in English. You are required to carefully study alternately a complex theoretical text and a short literary text (a poem, a collection of poems, a short story) from week to week.Requirements
Active participation in every session of the class is expected (there will be regular in class reading quizzes). PL (for B_AA__2): Term paper (10-12 pages) (see Studienordnung, p. 1349) PL (for SELAEn6, B_Pä__4)Literature/materials
A reader with seminal material will be made available at the beginning of the semester.
BA2 Introduction to Anglophone Area Studies
Stolz, Klaus, Prof. Dr.
V: Comparing Britain and the US 271434-101 (Stolz)
B_AA__2, SELAEn4, B_EG, B_EuKA, B_EuSA, B_EuWA; B_InEn, B_Ko__2, B_Pä__2, B_Ps__6, M_In, M_Ko
Content
This lecture is a sequel to the winter term lecture “Theories and Methods in Anglophone Area Studies”. It provides a comparative perspective on the major features of British and United States culture, society and politics. Each lecture will set out major conceptual frameworks before discussing the similarities and differences between the two countries.
Objectives
Students will be familiarized with major concepts of comparative social research as well as with the results of empirical studies on the characteristics of British and US American culture, society and politics. This will allow students to understand historical developments and current workings of British/US society and the political systems in the two countries. Focussing on major divisions and problems it will enable students to address these problems from a social science perspective and prepare them to be able to contribute to solving them.
Prerequisites
Students should have completed the lecture “Theories and Methods of Anglophone Areas Studies” (winter term). They should have read extensively on British and US American history (especially texts recommended in the last lecture). There will be a written test about US and UK history in the second meeting of this lecture.
Requirements
Written exam: 90 minutes (last week of semester)
BA2 Kernmodul 2.2: Applied and Cognitive Linguistics
Sanchez-Stockhammer, Christina, Prof. Dr.
V: Introduction to Applied and Cognitive Linguistics 271431-102 (alt)
B_AA__2, SELAEn2, SELAEn4, B_InEn3, M_In__1, M_In__3, Erasmus
Registration info: Please register via OPAL by 25 March:
Content
This lecture gives you an overview of the many fascinating aspects of language that English linguistics is concerned with and various contexts in which linguistic insights can be applied to real-world situations. We will cover a very wide range of topics, such as text linguistics (how text is structured), lexicography (how to write a dictionary), cognitive linguistics (how language works in the mind) and forensic linguistics (how linguistics can be used to solve crime cases), and you will be introduced to corpus linguistics as one of the most commonly used methods in the field of Applied Linguistics. Some of the approaches discussed also have a practical or job-oriented perspective.Objectives
By the end of the course, students:
- After attending this lecture successfully, participants
- have a basic understanding of the major areas of applied linguistics
- have a basic idea of how to conduct corpus-linguistic research
- are able to carry out various types of analysis (e.g. identify and describe a text’s register or cohesive devices)
Prerequisites
NoneRequirements
In-class examination during the last week of the teaching period.Sanchez-Stockhammer, Christina, Prof. Dr.
S: Applied and Cognitive Linguistics: Exploring language and the human mind with corpora
B_AA__2, B_AA_4, B_InEn4, SELAEn4
Registration info: Please register via OPAL by 25 March:
Content
Corpora are machine-readable text collections that represent a particular language (variety) and can be searched for linguistic patterns. The use of corpora is currently one of the standard methods in linguistic research. This course will give you a hands-on introduction to the most important corpora of the English language (e.g. BNC, COCA, COHA). You will learn the principles underlying corpus compilation, use these to compile your own small sample corpus, and carry out corpus analyses using freely available software (e.g. AntConc and WordValue). We will consider how corpora can be used to investigate the English language, to explore the human mind and to contribute to fields like lexicography and language teaching. Participants will get inside views of the teacher’s own corpus linguistic research (e.g. on Star Wars-derived vocabulary in the English language) and experience the ongoing compilation of the German-English TransGrimm fairy tale corpus first hand. All participants are required to give a presentation in class. Topics will be developed jointly based on the participants’ preferences. Assignments written in this class need to involve empirical corpus-based research.Objectives
By the end of the course, students:
- By the end of this course, participants will be able to
- devise their own corpus-linguistic studies
- use existing corpora
- compile their own corpora
- analyse corpus data using different software
Prerequisites
NoneRequirements
Coursework (10-12 pages).Literature/materials
1. Sanchez-Stockhammer, Christina & Peter Uhrig. 2024. “I’m gonna get totally and utterly X-ed.” Constructing drunkenness. Constructions under construction. Yearbook of the German Cognitive Linguistics Association 11(1). 121-150. https://doi.org/10.1515/gcla-2023-0007.
2. Sanchez-Stockhammer, Christina. 2023. The impact of Star Wars on the English language: Star Wars-derived words and constructions in present-day English corpora. Linguistics Vanguard 9(3). 233-245. https://doi.org/10.1515/lingvan-2023-0029.
Trixi Kind
T: Applied Linguistics
B_AA__2, SELAEn2, SELAEn4, B_InEn3, M_In__1, M_In__3, Erasmus
Content
Akan, Cansu, M.A.
S: Applied and Cognitive Linguistics- Unlocking Language through a Survey of Core Concepts
B_AA__2, B_AA_4, B_InEn4, SELAEn3, Erasmus
Registration info: Please register on OPAL by 31.03.2024.
Content
This course offers a comprehensive survey of key topics in Applied Linguistics, exploring its core concepts, methods, and literature. It provides a foundational exploration of the dynamic field that bridges the gap between theory and real-world language use. The course unpacks the interdisciplinary nature of the field and its practical applications in language education and beyond. Topics covered include but are not limited to first and second language acquisition, processing and cognitive aspects of language use, and language instruction.Objectives
By the end of the course, students:
- By the end of this seminar, participants will:
- be familiar with key concepts, theories, and methodologies within the field of Applied Linguistics.
- enhance their understanding of language acquisition processes and language use through a cognitive lens.
- have a basic understanding of the implications of Applied Linguistics in language teaching and learning.
- apply critical thinking skills to analyse and synthesize various theories within the field of Applied Linguistics.
Prerequisites
Successful completion of “Foundations of English Linguistics” module. (TUC students only; does not apply to Erasmus)Requirements
Active participation in class, presentation and a final written term paper (10-12 pages) (PL) Exam number: 71231BA 4 Courses
BA4 Basismodul 1.2: English Language Training: Skills
McCafferty, Patrick, Dr.
Ü: Speaking and Presentation Skills in a Multimedial Context
B_AA__4, SELAEn4
Registration info: Please register on OPAL by 01 April 2024:
Please note: This course is not open to ERASMUS or exchange students.
Content
This course is designed to develop and improve students’ presentation skills. Students will be exposed to and practice a variety of presentation styles including persuasive (argumentative), informative and explanative/instructive. Presentation delivery including body language, eye contact and voicing will be highlighted and the structure of an effective presentation, including the use of effective visuals aids, will be emphasized. The course will also expose students to the art of debating and how to facilitate and participate in group discussions to become an effective group leader/member. Students will be required to give critical feedback to their peers and to evidence adherence to feedback in subsequent presentations. Although the focus of the course is on oral communication, there will be some research required in order to provide a realistic level of Content: in the presentations and discussion/debate.Objectives
By the end of the course, students:
- By the end of this course, students will
- have improved their understanding of presentation styles in English
- have improved their delivery of presentations in English
- have increased their confidence and effectiveness in presenting in English
- have obtained a high degree of spoken accuracy and fluency
- be able to use a variety of visual aids to support their oral delivery
- be able to facilitate and participate in group discussion and debate
- and be able to provide and adhere to critical feedback.
Prerequisites
Successful completion of Module 1.1 English Language Training: Basics and of Listening (PVL).Requirements
15-minute oral examPhillips, Jeff, B.A.
Ü: Writing
B_AA__4
Registration info: Please register on OPAL by 01 April 2024:
Please note: This course is not open to ERASMUS or exchange students.
Content
This course aims at improving the participants’ non-fictional writing skills with regard to students’ academic as well as professional careers. Students will learn how to write application documents in English (CV, Cover Letter, Statement of Purpose and Goals), which are important for their semester abroad as well as their professional life outside of university. In terms of academic writing, students will learn to write argumentative essays, a skill necessary not only for Practical Language Classes in general but also for written assignments and term papers in their other courses. We will look at writing from the process- rather than the product-perspective, emphasizing the steps of drafting and editing. Moreover, skills in summarizing and describing will be trained, and questions of style and register, the creation of coherence and cohesion as well as the accurate use of vocabulary and grammar will play a major role throughout the course.Objectives
By the end of the course, students:
- By the end of this course, students are able to:
- compose CVs, Cover Letters and Statements of Purpose and Goals
- compose argumentative essays
- compose summaries and descriptions
- make informed judgments concerning register and style of a given text
- and use stylistically appropriate expressions and structures in their own writing, esp. formal language.
Prerequisites
Successful completion of module 1.1 English Language Training: Basics and of Reading (PVL)Requirements
4 written texts (PL)Literature/materials
Students are asked to purchase the course pack (file number 41) from the university print services shortly before the first meeting.
BA4 Modul 2.4: English Literatures and Cultures II
Beck, Mandy, Dr.
Ü: Fairy Tales: Now and Then
BA_4, SELAEn4, B_Ko__4, B_Pä__4, SGPhilSS, Erasmus
Registration info: Please register via OPAL by 28 March:
Content
Despite of being one of the oldest genres in literary history, the fascination with fairy tales seems to be unbroken still today. The readership of fairy tales also goes far beyond children and young readers only, to which contemporary rewrites and recent film adaptations attest (e.g. Angela Carter’s story collection The Bloody Chamber, films like Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters (2013) or Red Riding Hood (2011)). Basically, everyone knows fairy tales since their childhood and yet it is hard to define what their essential characteristics really are: Do they have to include a prince or hero, a typical damsel in distress, an evil godmother, talking animals and some magical fairies? Do they have to take place in some far-away place in the past and are therefore entirely detached from the present problems of globalisation, environmental destruction, social inequalities, or climate change? Do fairy tales even have to be in some way educational (i.e. appeal to morality and benevolence) in order to serve their purpose? In order to illuminate these questions and discuss many other aspects surrounding the genre, we will look at the origins of fairy tales (e.g. oral tradition, folktales), their dissemination internationally, their characteristics, which (country-specific) variations occur as well as which role they play today (e.g. in form of rewrites, adaptions, etc.). Accordingly, this seminar offers a survey of basic and well-known fairy tales alongside lesser known examples to discuss genre-specific features and the evolution of a European fairy tale culture, in addition to different strands in fairy tale research and modern, digital methods to examine them.Objectives
By the end of the course, students:
- Students will explore the manifold forms of appearance of fairy tales via a range of texts. They will also be made familiar with different theoretical/critical approaches, such as structuralism, psychoanalysis, gender studies, etc., to analyse the texts further with regard to various issues. Apart from this, students will also be encouraged to choose a specific fairy tale to work on over the course of the seminar as an individual project to more deeply engage with its respective genesis, transmission, translation and modifications, as well as its reception and relevance in the fairy tale canon.
Prerequisites
In order to participate, students need to have completed the lecture course “Introduction to the Study of Literatures in English” successfully (does not apply to ERASMUS or international students).Requirements
The format of this seminar will consist of close readings, discussions and contributions. For the PVL, each student can either do an oral presentation (approx. 20 minutes) or complete a written task (1500-2000 words), and write a substantial seminar paper (10-12 pages) for the PL.Literature/materials
Texts will be made available via OPAL.
Sandten, Cecile, Prof. Dr.
Ü: History of Literatures in English: From Romanticism to the Present
B_AA__2, BA_AA_4, SELAEn6, B_Ge__2, B_Ge__4, SGPhilSS, ERASMUS
Registration info: Please register for this course on OPAL by 28 March: TBA
Content
This lecture course provides an overview of literary history primarily in Great Britain. It covers literary movements such as Romanticism, Victorianism, Edwardianism, Modernism, Postmodernism, and Postcolonialism. The lecture course will focus on selected texts that represent each historical period and the literary movement associated with this time period. In addition, the course will introduce students to the governing principles of English literature that shaped its literary heritage and history.Objectives
By the end of the course, students:
- Prior to introducing the key figures of the literary movements, each period will be situated in its historical and cultural contexts. As such, the lectures will move beyond mere factual introductions in order to both contextualise and characterise the socio-political predicaments of the respective literary figures and genres.
Prerequisites
Students have to successfully accomplished the lecture “History of Literature in English: From the Renaissance to Romanticism”.Requirements
As part of the credit points, regular participation is strongly recommended. In addition, students are expected to read the assigned texts for the lecture course. For the successful completion of this course, students have to write one essay at the end of the teaching period (PL: BA_AA_2; ERASMUS). SELAEn6 students have to write three lecture minutes from three lectures of their choice (processing time: three weeks after the end of the lecture period).Literature/materials
1.Poplawski, Paul (ed.) (2017): English Literature in Contexts. Cambridge: Cambridge UP. A reader with primary texts will be made available at the beginning of the semester in a reader (via OPAL).
BA4 Kernmodul 2.5: American Social and Cultural Studies
Ziesche, Daniel, Dr.
S: Left-Behind Communities in Comparative Perspective
B_AA__4, B_InEn4, B_Pä__4, SELAEn6, Erasmus
Registration info: Please register via OPAL by 01 April 2024:
Content
Left-Behind Communities have moved into the focus of academic attention since the 2016 election of Donald Trump, the Brexit decision and an influx in votes towards right-wing populist parties across democracies in Europe and elsewhere. At the same time, governmental programs addressed at these communities have taken various forms with different outcomes. The seminar will explore the concept and case studies of these communities within the US and beyond to track reasons for their demise, specific characteristics, the impact on voting behaviour and implications for policy makers.Objectives
By the end of the course, students:
- Participants will gain a deepened understanding of different dimensions of social, cultural and political inequalities within the American context. Within the seminar, methods and theories of comparative political and social science as well as cultural studies will be discussed and applied to case studies. Students will learn to critically engage, discuss and analyse different sources and data material.
Prerequisites
Successful completion of the lecture Einführung in die USA-Studien (passed exam)Requirements
Active participation in class, 15-minute oral presentation (PVL) and a written term paper of 10-12p (PL). SELAEn and Erasmus students can choose between writing a term paper or three essays which are to be handed in on specific dates during the lecture period.Literature/materials
A reader as well as an additional reading list will be provided via the OPAL directory of the course
Ziesche, Daniel, Dr.
S: Unionism and Labour Relations in the UK
B_AA__4, B_InEn4, B_Pä__4, SELAEn6, Erasmus
Registration info: Please sign up via OPAL by 01 Arpil 2024:
Content
After decades of membership losses and decreasing political significance, unions have moved to the fore in recent years, propelled by the impacts of the multiple crises societies are currently facing. The UK is no exception in this and unions and their most traditional form of protest within the labour struggle – the strike – have dominated headlines recently. While this affects traditionally highly organised sectors, workers in new and emergent industries also seek stronger organisation on a national and global scale. The seminar will address labour relations in the UK, the historical emergence and re-mergence as well as the social, political, and cultural relevance of unions today.Objectives
By the end of the course, students:
- Participants will gain a deepened understanding of the British political system as well as British society and culture. Within the seminar, methods and theories of political and social science as well as cultural studies will be discussed and applied to case studies. Students will learn to critically engage, discuss and analyse different sources and data material.
Prerequisites
Successful completion of the lecture Einführung in die GB-Studien (passed exam; except Erasmus)Requirements
Active participation in class, 15-minute oral presentation (PVL) and a written term paper of 10-12p (PL). SELAEn and Erasmus students can choose between writing a term paper or three essays which are to be handed in on specific dates during the lecture period.Literature/materials
A reader as well as an additional reading list will be provided via the OPAL directory of the course
BA4 Spezialisierungsmodul 5.1: Advanced English Language and Culture
Sanchez-Stockhammer, Christina, Prof. Dr.
S: Research Seminar - Linguistics and Language Teaching
B_AA__4, B_AA__6, SELAEn4
Registration info: Please register via OPAL by 25 March:
Content
This course provides students with a forum and appropriate tools for their upcoming Bachelor’s theses in English and Digital Linguistics. For instance, we will discuss how to develop and operationalise linguistic research questions, how to formulate hypotheses and how to collect, analyse and interpret linguistic data. This semester we will focus on the relation between linguistics, language learning and teaching. Among other things, we will discuss what future English teachers should know about linguistics, and explore how you can use linguistic tools and methods (e.g. WordValue and corpora) for exploratory language learning/teaching and to improve your own language skills. The participants will get to know learner corpora and have the opportunity to contribute to the PROcess Corpus of English in EDucation themselves. Furthermore, we will explore how to make learning about the English language and linguistics fun and collect/develop our own material. Participants are expected to give a presentation in class and will reflect on the content of the class in the form of a portfolio.Objectives
By the end of the course, students:
- By the end of this seminar, students can:
- retrieve relevant information from academic texts
- develop their own research questions
- draw on a wide range of research methods for their own research
- identify appropriate methods for specific research questions
- present and describe research data in an adequate manner
- work with corpora.
Prerequisites
Portfolio, including the research proposal/exposé written in the Research Colloquium I [271431-102]Requirements
In order to receive credits for this course (PL), students will have to work on their portfolios, including presentations (5000 words/10 pages). [271431-102]Literature/materials
1.Kreyer, Rolf. 2023. The linguistic toolkit for teachers of English: Discovering the value of linguistics for foreign language teaching. Tübingen: Narr.
2.Sanchez-Stockhammer, Christina. 2018. Wechselbeziehungen zwischen Englischer Linguistik und universitärem Sprachpraxisunterricht. In Elke Rößler (ed.), Wilhelm, Alexander und wir: Einheit von Lehre und Forschung im Fremdsprachenunterricht an Hochschulen, 359–377. Bochum: AKS-Verlag.
BA4 Spezialisierungsmodul 5.2: English Literatures and Cultures
Sandten, Cecile, Prof. Dr.
K: Examenskolloquium/Research Colloquium
B_AA__4
Registration info: Please register via e-mail (lisa-marie.poehland@zlb.tu-chemnitz.de) with your name, semester, student ID and status (e.g. ERASMUS) by Monday, 28 March 2024.
Content
The Research Colloquium is open to students who are preparing for their final oral and written exams. It is intended to give students a platform to present their projects and to raise questions and/or difficulties they may be facing at an early stage of their research. Further, students are encouraged to engage in critical discussions, and gain feedback from their peers concerning their research projects. We will also discuss a wide range of general topics and individual topics required for final exams.Requirements
The format of this seminar consists of a close reading of texts, of discussions and thesis presentations. Each student will present an oral report (approx. 15 minutes) (PVL).Literature/materials
A reader with seminal material will be provided at the beginning of the semester.
BA4 Spezialisierungsmodul 5.3: British and American Social and Cultural Studies
Stolz, Klaus, Prof. Dr.
K: Research Colloquium I
Registration info: Please enrol on the OPAL website by 1 April 2024
Please note: Format Blockseminar (dates tba) + OPAL tasks
Content
In this research seminar we want to rehearse and practice social science methods in Anglophone Area Studies. BA_4 can work on a research proposal for their BA thesis. BA_6 students can present their BA projects (research questions, literature review, conceptual frame, methods, structure etc.) in class. There will be separate sessions for BA_4 and BA_6 as well as meeting with both groups.Objectives
By the end of the course, students:
- This colloquium enables students to find a relevant BA research project and to complete it successfully.
BA 6 Courses
BA6 Basismodul 1.2: English Language Training: Skills
Phillips, Jeff, B.A.
Ü: : English Language Training: Skills
B_AA__6, SELAEn6
Registration info: Please register on OPAL by 01 April 2024:
Content
In this course, students will learn to translate texts both correctly and effectively. Various approaches to translating such as text analysis, text typology, contrastive analysis, free and narrow translation etc. will be used to assist the students in identifying and solving translation issues and problems. A range of texts and text genres will be used in order to provide students with hands-on experience in dealing with authentic texts and in developing strategies for dealing with a variety of texts in the future. Attention will be paid to such issues as interference, “false friends”, genre and register, structural differences between source and target language, cultural appropriateness, and transferring ideas versus word-for-word translations. Skills in working with dictionaries and reference books will be trained, and students will be introduced to research skills and research resources, especially those offered by the internet.Objectives
By the end of the course, students:
- By the end of this course students are able to:
- translate texts of various genres effectively and with an awareness of the target readership and culture
- recognize and use vocabulary appropriately with regard to register, style and genre
- apply translation principles and strategies successfully
- translate texts for various practical applications
- and use research tools to aid in translating.
Prerequisites
Successful completion of module 1.2 English Language Training: Skills.Requirements
90-minute written PL examLiterature/materials
Students are required to have good monolingual and bilingual dictionaries. In addition, they are asked to purchase the course pack (file number 42) from the university print services shortly before the first meeting.
BA6 Advanced Anglophone Area Studies
Stolz, Klaus, Prof. Dr.
S: Research Seminar(Stolz)
B_AA__6
Content
In this research seminar we will look at one nation of the Anglophone world in detail. Class discussions will include historical, social, cultural and political issues. Examining topical studies from a wide range of disciplinary perspectives, we will also critically reflect on the theoretical and methodological approaches used.
Objectives
This class pursues two major objectives. First of all, by concentrating on one nation of the English- speaking world only, this seminar allows students to look beyond the surface in order to gather a deeper and more differentiated insight into the process of nation-building. Secondly, our focus on topical studies allows them also to gather a deeper insight into the social research process. As such, this research seminar is meant to support students designing and conducting their own BA thesis projects.
Prerequisites
Requirements
Active participation in every session of the class, an oral presentation (PVL), and an oral exam (PL)
Stolz, Klaus, Prof. Dr.
K:Research Colloquium II(Stolz)
B_AA__6
Content
In this research seminar we want to rehearse and practice social science methods in Anglophone Area Studies. BA_4 can work on a research proposal for their BA thesis. BA_6 students can present their BA projects (research questions, literature review, conceptual frame, methods, structure etc.) in class. There will be separate sessions for BA_4 and BA_6 as well as meeting with both groups.
Objectives
This colloquium enables students to find a relevant BA research project and to complete it successfully.
Prerequisites
Requirements
BA6 Modul Lags: Anglistische Literatur- und Kulturwissenschaften (LAGS)
Sandten, Cecile, Prof. Dr.
S: SCHLINGEL: International Film Festival for Children and Young Audiences
SELAEn6, StGenSS, NO ERASMUS
Registration info: Please register for this course on OPAL by 28 March: TBA
Content
Storytelling is an ancient form of entertainment and education – from the epics by the Greek poet Homer, the medieval sagas of gods and heroes to orally transmitted folk tales in a broad range of countries. For more than 100 years cinema has been the continuation of this tradition – on celluloid. Therefore, an educational program for children and young adults does not only include the studying of texts, but also films. Since 1996, the International Film Festival "SCHLINGEL" has provided a great forum for this task. It offers young viewers the opportunity to watch international, often independent films that would otherwise be unknown to a German audience. The films, whose heroes are primarily children and young adults, tell exciting stories and convey profound messages that are both universal, and conversely, culturally specific. More than 160 films from a broad range of countries will be screened during the festival week. In addition, international guests (e.g. film directors, young actors) as well as international juries will be present throughout the festival.Objectives
By the end of the course, students:
- In this seminar, students will first be provided with theoretical texts related to children’s films as well as hands-on material with regard to film analysis techniques that will help them to deepen their understanding of films and support them in the creation of educational material for children. Secondly, students of this seminar will learn how to translate the subtitles of a film and be introduced to tasks that are required for the active participation in the film festival. Since the Chair of English Literatures cooperates with the "SCHLINGEL" Film Festival, students of this seminar will be requested to participate actively in support of the festival (25/09 – 03/10/24).
Requirements
Active participation in every session of the class is expected. A presentation (partner or group work) is also expected as part of the general course work. A long and short film description as well as a pedagogical materials hand-out or, alternatively, a film subtitle translation is required for the course exam (SELAEn6 and other participants). Ideally, students participate in actively in the SCHLINGEL Film Festival.Literature/materials
A reader with seminal material will be made available in the OPAL.
BA6 Spezialisierungsmodul 5.2: Advanced English Literatures
Beck, Mandy, Dr.
S: Genre and Metagenre
B_AA__6
Registration info: Please register via email (mandy.beck@phil.tu-chemnitz.de) until Monday, 3 April 2024.
Content
“Genre” is a collective term for a sort of texts that have specific characteristics in common with regard to form, content, style, or even function. Apart from the major genres of poetry, fiction and drama, there are numerous subgenres (e.g. sonnets, short stories, comedies, etc.) or in-between genres (e.g. epic, dramatic monologue, novel in verse, dialogue novel, closet drama, etc.), but also other variations that escape clear-cut categories, because they challenge or reflect on generic conventions. The ambiguities of certain literary texts, especially from the twentieth century, are furthermore indicated by categories such as “metatheatre” (Lionel Abel) and “metafiction” (Linda Hutcheon), or self-reflexive literature in form of the “anti-novel”, the “anti-play” and experimental poetry. Therefore, this seminar deals with literary genres beyond the conventional classifications, in order to discuss the wide scope of literature’s reinvention in the twentieth century. In addition to a survey of the main genres and their core features, we will focus on texts that deviate from them, as Samuel Beckett's shorter plays Act Without Words I & II, What Where, Angela Carter's longer fiction, or poetry by Edwin Morgan, Stevie Smith and others. These readings will be enhanced by relevant theoretical texts on different genres, narratology, postmodern writings, experimentalism, gender and more.Objectives
By the end of the course, students:
- This seminar seeks to re-evaluate the reliability of generic features of literary texts for a categorisation and analysis, thereby making students aware of the texts' playful engagement with common expectations towards genres. On top of that, various issues will be explored on the basis of theoretical/critical material, such as self-reflexiveness, experimental and subversive strategies.
Prerequisites
In order to participate, students of English and American Studies need to have completed the Kernmodul 2.3 English Literatures and Cultures I and 2.4 English Literatures and Cultures II successfully. Requirements for CreditRequirements
Close readings of primary, theoretical as well as secondary texts, discussions and oral presentations. For the PVL, each student can either do an oral presentation (approx. 20 minutes) or complete a written task (1500-2000 words). The module 5.2 will be completed with an oral exam of 30 minutes (one topic from this seminar and one topic from the research colloquium).Literature/materials
A reading list will be announced at the beginning of the semester. A reader with secondary texts will also be available at the Copyshop Dietze (Reichenhainer Str. 55).
BA6 Spezialisierungsmodul 5.1: Advanced English Language and Culture
Sanchez-Stockhammer, Christina, Prof. Dr.
K: Research Colloquium English Linguistics
Registration info: Please register via OPAL by 25 March:
Content
This course accompanies students through the BA writing process and provides them with presentation skills for academic conferences. We will have a mixture of presentations and discussions of linguistic topics in the broadest sense as well as presentations by invited guest speakers. Student suggestions are very welcome.Objectives
By the end of the course, students:
- By the end of the course, students will be able to
- write a project proposal and an abstract for their projects
- present their research projects to an academic audience
- critically evaluate their projects and discuss their own work within a wider research context
- discuss linguistic research papers
Prerequisites
Successful completion of module 2.1 English Language and Culture [alte Studienordnung]Requirements
Alte Studienordnung: PVL: Throughout the semester, students are required to work on their portfolios including a BA proposal/exposé (2,500 words, 5 pages). [271431-105] Neue Studienordnung: The participants are required to write an abstract and give an ungraded presentation on their Bachelor's thesis project.Literature/materials
<p>Bortz, Jürgen & Nicola Döring. 2006. Forschungsmethoden und Evaluation: für Human- und Sozialwissenschaftler. 3rd edn. Heidelberg: Springer.</p>
Sandten, Cecile, Prof. Dr.
K: Examenskolloquium/Research Colloquium
B_AA__6
Registration info: Please register for this course on OPAL by 28 March.
Content
The Research Colloquium is open to students who are preparing for their final oral and written exams. It is intended to give students a platform to present their projects and to raise questions and/or difficulties they may be facing at an early stage of their research. Further, students are encouraged to engage in critical discussions, and gain feedback from their peers concerning their research projects. We will also discuss a wide range of general topics and individual topics required for final exams.Requirements
The format of this seminar consists of a close reading of theoretical and primary texts, of discussions and presentations of students’ own writings (e.g. title, abstract, introduction). Each student will present an oral report about their thesis (approx. 15 minutes).Literature/materials
A reader with seminal material will be made available in due course.
MA 2 Courses
MA2 Schwerpunkt Modul Digital Skills
Coelho, Sasha, M.A.
S: Current Topics in Digital Linguistics
M_AA__2, M_SM__2
Registration info: Please sign up on OPAL by April 1st, 2024:
Content
This course equips you to use the basic technologies to analyse linguistic data. The content of the course is structured to cover the following: 1. Introduction to HTML and CSS: • Understanding the basics of HTML and CSS for web development. 2. Web Scraping: • Techniques and tools for extracting data from websites. • Practical applications of web scraping in linguistic research. 3. Basics of Python and the NLTK Library: • In-depth exploration of the Natural Language Toolkit (NLTK) in Python. • Application of NLTK for linguistic analysis and text processing. 4. Word Value • Familiarity with the Word Value in conducting corpus frequency searches and creating customized color-coded lists of linguistic items for your own data. 5. Corpus Linguistics Study: • Compiling a corpus and analysing the data 6. Sentiment Analysis: • Understanding the principles of sentiment analysis in textual data. • Application of sentiment analysis techniques using Python NLTK library.Objectives
By the end of the course, students:
- By the end of the course, students will:
- Be familiar with the basics of HTML CSS, Web Scrapping, Python NLTK Library and Word Value
- Be able to design, create and conduct a corpus linguistics study as well analyse the sentiment of textual data
Prerequisites
NoneRequirements
Active participation, group assignment as well as a final written term paper of 15-18 pages using the technologies covered in class.MA2 Basis Modul Digital Skills
Schluer, Jennifer, Jun.-Prof. Dr.
Ü: Digital Teaching
M_AA_2, ERASMUS
Registration info: Please register via OPAL (“Registration” button) by April 02, 2024:
Please note: The seminar will be taught in a blended format. Please find all relevant information in the syllabus. First meeting (April 4) online at https://webroom.hrz.tu-chemnitz.de/gl/jen-bjt-t3r-tkl Second meeting (April 11) on-site at Weinholdbau, room 2/W035.
Content
In this course, you will develop strategies for selecting, designing and utilizing digital resources in a pedagogically appropriate way, i.e. based on the intended learning objectives and learner needs. In particular, the seminar seeks to foster your ability to create digital teaching materials in a student-centered manner by placing special emphasis on digital communication and collaboration skills. In that regard, you will carry out a practical multimedia project in which you develop digital materials collaboratively and independently. We will also explore the use of AI in the creation of teaching and learning materials and critically reflect on its affordances and limitations. Moreover, you will exchange digital peer feedback throughout the course to improve your drafts before submitting the final project.Objectives
By the end of the course, students:
- By the end of the course, students should be able to describe and critically assess existing models of digital pedagogy by focussing on a meaningful integration of digital tools in teaching, produce an educational video and design engaging learning activities collaboratively and independently by applying principles of socio-constructivism and multimedia learning, exchange digital peer feedback on the drafts of the video and test the materials with a peer group, present the final multimedia project and critically reflect on it in the module paper by drawing on the contents from both courses (Digital Learning & Digital Teaching), the feedback they have received as well as relevant theoretical and methodological literature.
Prerequisites
Digital SkillsRequirements
Multimedia project and module paper (PL)MA2 Basis Modul Multimedia Skills
van der Bonn, Isabel, Dr.
Ü: Multimedia Skills
M_AA_2, ERASMUS
Registration info: Please register via OPAL (“Registration” button) by April 02, 2024:
Content
The ability to communicate accurately and fluently in English is an essential skill in many professional
settings and thus critical for future career success. This course is designed to extend students’
English communication skills in a variety of professional settings. Students will polish their presentation skills and engage in debate and discussion during the sessions. The focus of this course will be on effective communication in digital and non-digital settings. Through a variety of real-life situations and tasks, students will practice and improve their active participation as both facilitators and presenters in conferences, business meetings and interviews.
Objectives
By the end of the course, students:
-
demonstrate a high degree of precision, appropriateness and ease using English in various
kinds of presentation situations
-
present a clearly structured argument in a style appropriate to the context,
-
manage and participate effectively in online business meetings and participate successfully in online job interviews
Prerequisites
NoneRequirements
25-minute online presentation (ASL). The admission requirements for the ASL exam will be
stipulated by the instructor and announced in class
Ivanova, Marina, Dr.
Ü: Digital Teaching
M_AA_2, M_SM_2
Registration info: Please register via OPAL (“Registration” button) by April 02, 2024:
Content
In this course we will discuss possible criteria for what constitutes a good translation and how to approach different genres targeting different audiences. We will identify possible ways of dealing with challenging aspects such as the translation of culture-specific concepts and metaphorical language, and will discuss the appropriateness of sample translations. We will work with online tools (e.g. dictionaries, corpora, machine translation tools, Computer-Assisted Translation (CAT) tools and localisation software), and consider the special case of film dubbing, digital media formats (e.g., restrictions due to mobile application layout) and literary translation. Finally, we will investigate the performance of machine translation tools such as DeepL and Google Translate in combination with post-editing tools such as DeepL Write and discuss recent technological developments in the field. In this course we will discuss translation from and into English from a general linguistic perspective. We will use examples from German and other languages, which will allow participants from different linguistic backgrounds and levels to actively participate in the discussion. The practical translation part can either be a translation from any language into English or from English into German.
Objectives
By the end of the course, students:
- identify various levels of equivalence
- justify their own decisions when translating
- discuss a translation’s quality
- deal with challenging translation issues
- apply theoretical considerations to their own practical translation projects
Prerequisites
NoneRequirements
A project report (4,000 words / 8 pages) on a practical translation task (PL).
MA2 Basis Modul : Cultural Encounters
Sandten, Cecile, Prof. Dr.
S: Reading Refugee Tales
M_AA__2, M_GI__2, SGphilSS, NO ERASMUS
Registration info: Please register for this course on OPAL by 28 March. TBA
Please note: Please register for this course on OPAL by 28 March. TBA
Content
Refugee Tales, edited by David Herd and Anna Pincus, convey a critique of the inhuman side of asylum seeking, refugeeism and indefinite detention, including the aesthetic terms. The critical tone of the tales’ voices, told either by well-known writers after their interviews and conversations with refugees, detainees and asylees, or by the refugees and detainees themselves, is even more remarkable in the context in which they have been written: the tales go against the grain of the dominant discourse of flight, refugeeism and asylum seeking, as they employ a form of telling, walking and writing back to a centre that has ruthlessly enforced its boundaries. It is called “indefinite detention.” Thus, the tales enact a means of political intervention against the inhuman and unjust practice of indefinite detention in Great Britain.Objectives
By the end of the course, students:
- Since the Refugee Tales project was inspired by Geoffrey Chaucer's Canterbury Tales, in this seminar, students will first read a few tales from Chaucer's tales to get engaged in the stories’ ideas: story-telling, pilgrimage, kaleidoscopic view on society. In a second step they will then embark on the four collections of Refugee Tales and read selected tales. Accordingly, students will address issues such as transnational migration, mobility, and the pre-flight and flight experiences of asylum seekers, detainees and refugees. In doing so, they will explore in which ways the experiences of adults and (un)accompanied minors are depicted in these textual narratives. In addition to the close readings of texts, students will gain insights into various theories on citizenship, and social and political approaches to asylum, refugeeism, as well as indefinite detention through hands-on materials. Furthermore, they will learn the conceptual distinctions between literary genres such as the short story, life-writing and epic poem. Students will have to organize excursions to museums/exhibitions, refugee supporting/migration institutions and a solidarity walk as part of their practical skills acquistion.
Requirements
Active participation in every session of the class is expected. A final term paper (15-18 pages) are required for the module exam.Literature/materials
A reader with seminal material will be provided at the beginning of the semester (OPAL).
MA2 Schwerpunktmodul 5.1: Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL)
Maschke, Katharina, M.A.
S: Curriculum Planning & Materials Development
M_AA_2
Registration info: Please register via OPAL by March 27, 2024: bit.ly/49KJjyV
Content
In this seminar, you will develop a variety of materials based on previously discussed approaches and scenarios. You will learn how to turn the theoretical background acquired in last semester’s seminar Introduction to English Language Teaching into practice by creating a course plan, lesson plan, and teaching activities. As a guide in this process, we will have regular face-to-face and online meetings, as well as consultations for your working groups and individually. All your work in this upcoming course will be embedded in theories, literature, and methodologies of language teaching, always oriented towards the determined learning objectives and environment. As the final assignment, you will submit a portfolio including the plans and materials you have developed in groups and individually.Objectives
By the end of the course, students:
- By the end of the course, students should be able to
- describe relevant principles and criteria of curriculum planning and materials development,
- develop learning and teaching materials as well as lesson plans for different purposes, learner groups and settings (face-to-face, blended learning and online teaching),
- critically reflect on the plans and materials they have created,
- and suggest adaptations of their learning and teaching materials for differentiated instruction (proficiency levels, linguistic and cultural heterogeneity etc.).
Prerequisites
Introduction to English Language TeachingRequirements
Portfolio (PL)MA2 Schwerpunktmodul 5.3: English Literatures, Postcolonial Theories and Literatures
Karmakar, Indrani, Dr.
S: Contested Motherhood
M_AA__2, M_SM__2, NO ERASMUS
Registration info: Please register via email (indrani.karmakar@phil.tu-chemnitz.de) with your name, matriculation number, study programme, semester and the title of this seminar by Wednesday, 28 March 2023.
Content
Motherhood remains a constitutive element of gender in most cultures and a divisive issue, precipitating a gamut of contradictory ideas from glorification to self-effacement. As cultural production, literary fiction has long grappled with maternity, responding to and engaging with dominant discourses of motherhood and its related concerns at specific locations and cultures or intersections of cultures (as in the context of migration and diaspora in our increasingly globalised world). This course inquires into the literary representation of motherhood in contemporary Anglophone literature, paying particular attention to what can be termed as “non-normative” forms of the maternal. Locating the texts within the larger socio-cultural contexts they emanate from, the course explores how literature grapples with motherhood’s intersection with such identity constituents as race, class, gender and sexuality, and maternity’s intimate connection with concepts of otherness, liminality, subversion, among others.Objectives
By the end of the course, students:
- Students will be introduced to a corpus of contemporary Anglophone literature as well as theoretical texts related to gender and maternal, transnational feminism, postcolonialism and world literature. Students will be able to contextualise the literary representations and build on the ideas of ‘writing back’ and ‘counter- narratives’ they learnt from the previous course. Finally, students will be able to examine how motherhood is narrativised: how the literary aesthetics and formal aspects contribute to the writers’ representation and refiguring of the maternal.
Prerequisites
Completion of the seminar “Postcolonial Shakespeare Rewrites”.Requirements
Active participation in every session of the class is expected and a final term paper (15-18 pages) is required for credits.Literature/materials
A Reader will be made available before the beginning of the semester.
MA2 Schwerpunktmodul 5.4: Comparing Societies, Politics, and Cultures
Stolz, Klaus, Prof. Dr.
S:
M_AA__2, M_In__2, M_In__4, M_Po__2, M_Po__4, Erasmus
Registration info: Please register via OPAL by 1 April 2024: TBA
Content
Wales is probably the least known constituent nation of the United Kingdom. In this seminar we will discuss studies focussing on different aspects of Welsh nationhood, historical, cultural, social and political. We will raise questions like where do the Welsh come from, what does it mean to be Welsh, how and when is Welshness politically mobilised. In doing so we will analyse how – in the words of the eminent Welsh historian Gwynn A. Williams – “the Welsh make and remake Wales day by day”, but also how social scientists try to make sense of these conscious and unconscious processes of nation-building.Objectives
By the end of the course, students:
- Based on the seminar “Theories & Methods” in the first semester, this is the first of two seminars in which the tools of comparative social research will be applied. Looking at one social group from a variety of disciplinary, theoretical and methodological perspectives serves at least two different objectives: 1. it is meant to give students a deeper insight into the various aspects of Wales and Welsh national identity. And 2. it provides students with an ideal training ground to sharpen their conceptual and analytical tools and to discuss theoretical and methodological questions.
Requirements
Active participation in every session of the class, oral presentation and a term paper (PL).Literature/materials
Please see OPAL website of the seminar: TBA
MA 4 Courses
MA4 Professional Skills
Van der Bom, Isabelle, Dr.
Ü: Project Management and Digital Project Communication
M_AA__4
Registration info: Please register on OPAL by 01st April 2024: https://bildungsportal.sachsen.de/opal/auth/RepositoryEntry/43644715027
Content
This course combines the principles of project management with the values of service learning to provide students with an applied, professional learning experience. Project Management is the planning, organizing, executing, communicating, and controlling resources to achieve specific goals within defined constraints such as time, cost, and scope. Service learning is an educational approach that integrates meaningful community service with academic learning, allowing students to apply their academic knowledge to real-world situations while addressing community needs. By integrating hands-on service projects with academic learning, students have the chance to make a positive impact in their communities whilst developing essential project management skills. Students will first receive an introduction to various project management methods (e.g. setting milestones and tracking progress) to enable them to carry out their own projects. This year, students will then be able to choose between the following two projects: 1. Teaching English to seniors and developing educational materials for the classes. 2. Translating for various Chemnitz European Capital of Culture 2025 endeavors. The students will work in groups to define their project goals, set milestones, carry out individual project stages and provide external stakeholders with the finished product and/or service. The class comprises a large variety of teaching formats including sessions with structured theoretical input, sessions with close reading of research literature, workshop-like sessions with a practical focus, sessions with question-and-answer opportunities for the individual project groups and presentations of the individual groups’ results.Objectives
By the end of the course, students:
- By the end of the course, students are able to:
- plan and execute a project within a given timeframe (e.g. define project goals, define milestones, tracking progress)
- evaluate a project’s steps and outcome
- know how to find and assess sources of a given topic,
- contribute to a real community project.
Prerequisites
NoneRequirements
Besides regular attendance and active participation in the seminar, participants need to execute a real-life group project and hand in a portfolio. The portfolio includes the learning outcomes of the class and a written project report.MA4 MA Thesis and Colloquium
Van der Bom, Isabelle, Dr.
S: Thesis Consultation
M_AA__4
Registration info: Please register on OPAL by 01 April 2024:
Content
In addition to the subject-specific input students receive from their supervisors while writing their Master’s thesis, there is a wealth of assistance offered in individual thesis consultations at the heart of this course. Whether your queries pertain to formulating a research question, staying on topic, academic language, determining when to stop writing, revising, editing, proofreading, publishing your thesis or anything in between, you will have access to detailed feedback, guidance and coaching wherever it is required. The course will begin will include group sessions, writing workshops and individual consultation appointments.Prerequisites
Students are expected to have completed their coursework and should be actively working on their thesis.Schluer, Jennifer, Jun.-Prof. Dr.
K: TESOL Research Colloquium
MA_AA__4
Registration info: Please register via OPAL (“Registration” button) by April 02, 2024:
Please note: The seminar will be taught in a blended format. Please find all relevant information in the syllabus. • First meeting (April 4) online at https://webroom.hrz.tu-chemnitz.de/gl/jen-bjt-t3r-tkl • Second meeting (April 11) on-site at Weinholdbau, room 2/W044.
Content
The Master project is the final milestone of your degree program. In the field of TESOL, there are many possible topics. For example, you can analyze the use of e-learning applications, textbooks, videos or other multimedia contents, you could conduct surveys and interviews with teachers or students, you can create materials on your own, implement them and explore their usability or effectiveness, you could critically analyze curricula or teaching sessions and derive recommendations for improvement. Ideally, you will have thought about potential topics and searched for some relevant literature before course start. Please also check out the TESOL website to gain some inspirations: https://www.tu-chemnitz.de/phil/english/sections/tesol/research.php The course will provide you with the opportunity to discuss and refine your plans for your MA project. You will be asked to present your ideas and thesis proposal and to provide feedback to your peers at various stages. Note: The course will also be open to (prospective) doctoral students in the field of TESOL at TU Chemnitz.Objectives
By the end of the course, students:
- By the end of the course, students should be able to
- delimit a research topic and specify the research question(s) for their thesis,
- describe different research methods and select those that fit their research goals,
- sketch a research design and timeline for their research project,
- analyze empirical data, also by using specialized software for quantitative and qualitative analysis,
- present their research project ideas and/ or thesis in written, oral and multimodal ways,
- provide feedback to their fellow students by using various (digital) feedback methods and engaging in critical discussions.
Prerequisites
Successful completion of the TESOL module before the end of summer term 2024Requirements
Presentation of the research project (details will be announced in the seminar/syllabus)Literature/materials
Relevant literature and resources will be provided (see syllabus for details). Please also watch the following introductory video at course start: Schluer, J. (2021). Academic Writing and the Research Process. https://youtu.be/yks8AC_Op_M [Video].
Other Courses
Other: Doctoral Colloquium, Doktoranden- und Postdoc-Ausbildung
Sandten, Cecile, Prof. Dr.
K:
Content
This course aims to provide support for post-graduate students who are developing their dissertation ideas and first draft outlines. The focus of this seminar will be on research in English Literature (including close readings of secondary theoretical texts and primary texts, but also the students’ own written work). Post-graduate candidates who engage in interdisciplinary approaches and topics beyond English Literature are most welcome to participate to enhance the group’s interdisciplinary awareness.Objectives
By the end of the course, students:
- This seminar will also offer special supervision through individual counseling. Moreover, the seminar will support doctoral and post-doctoral candidates on a professional level, especially with regard to topics such as scholarly writing for publication, pedagogic issues of teaching at university level, as well as information on how to apply for positions in the job market. In addition, support to present their work at (international) conferences will be given, as well as information on careers and funding support for scholarship applications and opportunities for gaining key supplementary qualifications (in cooperation with the Zentrum für den Wissenschaftlichen Nachwuchs at TUC).