MALS Self-evaluation Document 2010

Academic Consultation Panel Visit 2010

Self-Evaluation Document of the MALS Programme

  1. Preamble

The Master of Arts in Language Studies (MALS) programme is a taught master’s degree jointly taught by the academic staff of the Department of English Language and Literature (ENG) and the Language Centre (LC). It has been run for 18 years under the Arts Faculty. The programme brings together theoretical concerns of language and discourse, language teaching and learning, as well as their applications. It engages the theoretical and applied dimensions of:

  1. Language structure, including phonology, morphology, syntax and semantics, and
  2. Language use in society, including spoken and written discourse, pragmatics, language learning and development, English as a world language and language course/curriculum design.

As the specializations of the Department of English Language and Literature and the Language Centre are closely-related, they are the logical providers for the delivery of the programme. The two departmentshave formed a critical mass which is able to provide a holistic perspective on language phenomena in society.

  1. Mission

There is an emerging consensus that people who are well-informed about language are able to play a significant role in a range of institutional contexts. The MALS programme strives to disseminate knowledge relevant to such contexts and, by doing so, to serve the interests of society. The programme makes language structure and language use in societal context its focus, and is therefore instrumental in facilitating the awareness of the nature and the functions of language.

The mission of the MALS programme is to respond to the linguistic needs of a wide range of professionals including educators, translators, executives and language specialists. The programme perceives its role as to enhance the awareness of the discursive needs and challenges arising from a unique regional mix of three languages (Cantonese, Putonghua and English) in Hong Kong and the wider Chinese context.

  1. Aims and intended learning outcomes

3.1Programme aims

The MALS programme is designed as a programme of study which addresses the questions of language description and language use. The questions of language use arise in the Hong Kong community from being exposed to the pressures of English as a world language to the demands and importance of Putonghua after 1997. The programme aims at responding to the needs of linguistic sophistication in Hong Kong with regard to Chinese and English language issues for the following professions, but not limited to:

-Language teachers in primary, secondary and tertiary sectors;

-Administrators and language officers;

-Translators;

-Executives and professionals; and

-Language learners

The central aim of the programme is to produce graduates with an informed, professional approach to language issues so that they can be effective problem-solvers in a changing environment.

3.2Programme intended learning outcomes (PILOs)

By the end of the programme, students should be able to:

  1. Demonstrate an informed understanding of the nature of language and communication, their interrelatedness and their functions in society;
  2. Apply the appropriate theoretical concepts in making principled decisions on language issues and in their professional spheres of action;
  3. Undertake systematic investigation of the nature and impact of regional, social and pragmatic variables on language in the Hong Kong context;
  4. Demonstrate familiarity with current issues of language theory and language use; and
  5. Apply their critical thinking and research skills in language studies to other fields beyond linguistics.

The PILOs are in alignment with the University’s seven graduate attributes (GAs) (Appendix 1) namely knowledge (GA1), thinking (GA2), learning (GA3), communication (GA4), skills (GA5), citizenship (GA6) and teamwork (GA7) in the following priority:

(1) Thinkingability;

(2) Ability to communicate;

(3) Ability to learn;

(4) Skills;

(5) Knowledge;

(6) Citizenship; and

(7) Teamwork.

Table 1 presents an overview of the alignmentresults.

Table 1: PILOs and alignment with HKBU Graduate Attributes

PILOs/HKBU Gas / GA1
Knowledge / GA2
Thinking / GA3
Learning / GA4
Communication / GA5
Skills / GA6
Citizenship / GA7
Teamwork
By the end of the programme, students should be able to:
1 / Demonstrate an informed understanding of the nature of language and communication, their interrelatedness and their functions in society. / X / X / X / X / X
2 / Apply the appropriate theoretical concepts in making principled decisions on language issues and in their professional spheres of action. / X / X / X / X / X
3 / Undertake systematic investigation of the nature and impact of regional, social and pragmatic variables on language in the Hong Kong context. / X / X / X / X / X / X
4 / Demonstrate familiarity with the current issues of language theory and language use / X / X / X / X / X
5 / Apply their critical thinking and research skills in language studies to other fields beyond linguistics / X / X / X / X / X / X
3 / 5 / 5 / 5 / 5 / 2 / 2
  1. Programme curriculum and course syllabuses

The programme requires students to complete 27 units of study, covering five core courses (15 units) and two to four electives (6 to 12 units). Students can opt for either the dissertation mode or the non-dissertation. The dissertation mode requires students to study two electives (6 units) and write a dissertation that carries 6 units. The non-dissertation mode requires students to study four electives (12 units). With the approval of the MALS Programme Team and of other departments concerned, students may take one course from other taught postgraduate programmes of the University in lieu of one elective.

The five core courses provide foundation knowledge about language. They include:

LANG 7110 Research Methodology(3 units)

LANG 7401 Introduction to the Study of Language: Part I (3 units)

LANG 7402 Introduction to the Study of Language: Part II(3 untis)

LANG 7510Language in Society(3 units)

LANG 7610 Discourse Analysis(3 units)

A range of elective courses are provided. They prepare students for special applications of language analysis. They are offered subject to the teacher availability in the respective semester or academic year.The electives include:

LANG 7390 Special Topic in Language Studies(3 units)

LANG 7530 Language Curriculum(3 units)

LANG 7540 Language for Specific Purposes(3 units)

LANG 7550 English as a World Language (3 units)

LANG 7570 Language and Education(3 units)

LANG 7580 Language Development(3 units)

LANG 7600 Comparative Studies of English and Chinese Grammar(3 units)

LANG 7630 Pragmatics in Language Learning and Teaching(3 units)

LANG 7640 Grammar of Modern English(3 units)

LANG 7650 Advanced Seminar in Language and Gender(3 units)

LANG 7660 Linguistics and Liberal Thinking(3 units)

A course syllabus and its alignment with the PILOs areprovided in Appendix 2. As for other course syllabuses, please refer to item ____ in the ACP Document File.

5.Programme management structure

5.1Executives

5.1.1 The Programme Director

  • Administers the programme and directly reports to the Dean of the Faculty of Arts.

5.1.2 Programme Executive Group (PEG)

  • Consists of the Director, one representative from the Department of English Language and Literature and one representative from the Language Centre;
  • Supports the operation of the programme; and
  • Meets 1-2 times during a semester.

5.2Committees

5.2.1Programme Management Committee (PMC) (Management)

  • Consists of the Director, the academic staff of both departments, the Dean, Heads of ENG & LC, and Student Representatives;
  • Discusses and decides on curriculum and programme development issues; and
  • Meets 1-2 times during a semester.

5.2.2 Programme Management Committee (PMC) (Examination)

  • Consists of the Director, course instructorsand the Dean;
  • Discusses and decides on examination and assessment issues; and
  • Meets once during a semester or twice during an academic year.

5.2.3 Advisory Committee (AC)

  • Is in conjunction with the Department of English Language and Literature;
  • Assists planning and reviewing the programme in relation to community needs and future development; and
  • Is usually convened once a year.

5.2.4 Academic Advisorof studies

  • Provides academic counseling, guidance and assistance for students during their study.

6Quality assurance processes

6.1Curriculum revisions

The MALS curriculum is reviewed and revised at least once every three years.Each revision has to be approved by the Arts Faculty Board and the Senate. Since the last ACP visit in 2003, the programme has undergone four major curriculum revisions.

(1)AY2004-2005: In response to the new funding condition (from government-funded to self-funded) and to be in line with the new institutional decision on graduation requirement, the MALS programme offered the dissertation and the non-dissertation modes.

(2)AY 2005-2006:The MALSprogramme adopted both full-time and part-time study modes, offered a flexible study structure which allowed students to complete the study from one year (full-time) to a maximum of three years (part-time), and granted exemption to PGSK graduates. The revision allowed students to decide on their length and structure of study in accordance with their needs.

(3)AY 2006-2007:The MALS programme unified all courses to 3 units so as to be in line with the institutional decision.

(4)AY 2007-2008:The MALS programme began to offer one elective in summer (i.e., from May to June period) in response to student demand.

The revisions are evidence of the programmeteam’s effort in response to the institutional and UGC’s decisions, as well as the needs of students and Hong Kong society.

6.2Review of individual course syllabuses

In addition to the large-scale curriculum revisions, the syllabuses for individual courses are regularly reviewed by respective teachers, taking into account the students’ feedback and institutional requirements. Individual course syllabuses have been recently revised in alignment with the institutional outcome-based teaching and learning (OBTL) objectives and graduate attributes (GA).

The MALS OBTL- and GA-based course syllabuses were approved by the Arts Faculty Board in May 2010.

6.3Preparation of new course syllabus

Since 2003, eight new course syllabuses have been proposed in response to the evolving interests and needs of teachers and students. The eight new courses are:

LANG 7550 English as a World Language(3 units)

LANG 7570 Language and Education(3 units)

LANG 7580 Language Development(3 units)

LANG 7600Comparative Studies of English and Chinese Grammar(3 units)

LANG 7630Pragmatics in Language Learning and Teaching(3 units)

LANG 7640 Grammar of Modern English(3 units)

LANG 7650Advanced Seminar in Language and Gender(3 units)

LANG 7660Linguistics and Liberal Thinking(3 units)

The following procedures are adopted for the revision of course syllabuses or preparation of new course syllabuses:

  1. Individual staff members submit their revised or newly created syllabuses to the Programme Director, who passes them to the PEG and then the PMC (Management) for review and discussion; and
  2. The Programme Team discusses the revised/new syllabuses at a PMC (Management) meeting and approves them with amendments if necessary.

6.4Design of student assessment

The mode of student assessment is clearly stipulated in each course syllabus. The assessment method and focus are in alignment with the programme intended learning outcomes (PILOs) and HKBU seven Graduate Attributes (GA). Table 1 has clearly shown that ‘thinking, communication, learning and skills’ are the four highly-valued GAs in the programme. The four GAs are the reference points for course instructors when they devise assessment tasks.

To ensure objectivity and calibration in marking, each course instructor selects a high, a mid and a low quality term papers to be calibrated by a second reader. A dissertation is examined by two internal markers, one of whom is the student’s supervisor. Both the principal supervisor and the second reader should agree on a final grade. If the principal supervisor and the second reader have divergent views on the dissertation, a third reader will be appointed to adjudicate the case.

6.5Evaluation of the course by students

A student representative of each year collects students’ feedback and presents it at a PMC (Management) meeting every semester. Moreover, the Programme Director could access teaching staff members’ teaching evaluation results upon the consent of the Head of LC and ENG..

In addition, the MALS programme administers an online exit questionnaire ( collect graduating students’ comments on the programme at the end of each academic year. Their comments are generally positive. Since 2006, an average of 87.3% of students agreed or strongly agreed that the quality of the programme was high. Eighty-one percent of students agreed or strongly agreed that the programme has served their needs.

The programme takes student evaluations seriously. Their evaluations are useful inputs for the improvement of the programme in various aspects such as course design, teaching methodology and modes of assessment.

6.6Course report

The programme has developed a reporting system to ensure effective communication within the team. Each instructor compiles a report on the courses/he has taught which includes:

6.6.1A working syllabus

-the intended learning outcomes

-the sequence of topics

-textbooks and other assigned readings

-content of assignments, tests and any other forms of assessment

-teaching methods

6.6.2Lecture handouts

The reports are kept in the Programme Office. They are open to all colleagues for reference. The information helps establish the cohesion and coherence of the curriculum, and encourages instructors’ efforts to coordinate or collaborate with other instructors in their teaching.

7Teaching method and assessment of student performance

Teaching is conducted through lectures and small group in-class or online discussions. Lectures and assigned readings are for the introduction of new concepts and ideas. More interactive modes of learning such as in-class or online discussions, presentations and workshops help to consolidate knowledge, reinforce awareness of and apply some theoretical concepts and ideas. Some instructors make use of the Moodle system to assist their teaching.

The MALS staff members have adopted a variety of assessment methods, including essays, term papers, take-home and in-class tests, and oral presentations. All of them are in line with the PILOs, assessing the students’ ability to think critically, argue and communicate ideas coherently in their work. As described in 6.4 Design of student assessment, a high, a mid and a low quality term paper are calibrated by a second reader so as to ensure objectivity in marking.

8. Teacher profile

The MALS programme is taught by a team of vibrant and professional academic staff from the Department of English Language and Literature and the Language Centre. The expertise of the teaching staff covers both Linguistics and Applied Linguistics, including but not limited to psycholinguistics, sociolinguistics, discourse, phonology, grammar and pedagogy. Their CVs can be found in the ENG’s and the LC’s self-evaluation documents.

Academic staff from the Department of English Language and Literature:

Dr. Hiroko ITAKURA

Dr. Kenneth KONG

Dr. Hans LADEGAARD

Dr. Lian-hee WEE

Dr. Suying YANG

Academic staff from the Language Centre

Prof. Kathleen AHRENS

Dr. Elizabeth BANKOWSKI

Dr. Yue-yuan HUANG

Prof. Tony HUNG

Dr. Cynthia LEE (Programme Director)

Dr. Dan-huai LU

  1. Student profile

Before the AY 2005-2006, the MALS programme was a part-time master’s degree programme. The majority of students were school teachers, with some translators and executives from other professions. Since the adoption of both full-time and part-time study modes in AY 2005-2006 when the programme was self-funded, there has been a change in the student profile. The number of full-time students soared from 4 inAY 2005-2006 to 22 inAY 2010-2011. The proportion of Mainland and Hong Kong full-time students rose from 0:4 inAY 2005-2006 to 17:5 inAY 2010-2011. In contrast, the number of part-time students dropped from42 inAY 2005-2006 to 12 in AY 2010-2011. Noticing the increasing number of full-time applicationsfrom the Mainland in particular and the mission of the programme to serve the local community, the programme has tried its best to strike a balance between the proportion of full-time and part-time applicants as well as that of Mainland and Hong Kong applicants on the one hand, and to recruit part-time applicants from different professions on the other. As the programme focuses on the use of language and its applications, it is of great relevance and attraction to the teaching profession. Thus 83% of part-time students still came from the teaching profession in AY 2010-2011.

Table 3 presents a summary of student profiles from AY 2005-2006 to AY 2010-2011. From 2005 to 2008, the majority of students were part-timers mainly from the teaching profession, followed by translation, customer service and project management in Hong Kong. From 2008 to 2010, the number of full-time students kept rising and the majority of them were from the Mainland.

Table 3: Student profile from 2005 to 2010

Academic Year / Total No. of Students / Occupation / Number (%)
2005-2006 / 46
Full-time: 4 (all local)
Part-time: 42 / Teacher (Primary/secondary teachers, Teaching Assistant, Teaching Associate, English Tutor) / 41 (89.14%)
Full-time Student / 3 (6.52%)
Translator / 1 (2.17%)
Employment-assistant Coordinator / 1 (2.17%)
2006-2007 / 35
Full-time: 7 (Mainland : 1; local: 6)
Part-time: 28 / Teacher (Primary/secondary teachers, Teaching Assistant / 27 (77.14%)
Full-time Student / 7 (20.00%)
Programme Officer / 1 (2.86%)
2007-2008 / 29
Full-time: 9 (Mainland : 6; local: 3)
Part-time: 20 / Teacher (Primary/secondary teachers) / 21 (77.14%)
Full-time Student / 7 (20.00%)
PR Officer / 1 (2.86%)
2008-2009 / 32
Full-time: 14 (Mainland : 7; local: 7)
Part-time: 18 / Teacher (Primary/secondary teachers, tutors, Teaching Assistant, English Instructor / 17 (53.12%)
Full-time Student / 14 (43.75%)
Research Officer / 1 (3.13%)
2009-2010 / 46
Full-time: 28 (Mainland : 17; local: 11)
Part-time: 18 / Teacher (Primary/secondary teachers, Tutor, Teaching Assistant, Research Assistant) / 20 (41.57%)
Full-time Student / 24 (52.17%)
Project Manager / 1 (3.13%)
Customer Services Representative / 1 (3.13%)
2010-2011 / 34
Full-time: 22 (Mainland : 17; local: 5)
Part-time: 12 / Teacher (Primary/secondary teachers, Tutor, Teaching Assistant, Instructor, Teaching Associate) / 12 (35.30%)
Full-time Student / 19 (55.88%)
Sales Associate/Coordinator / 2 (5.88%)
Project Officer / 1 (2.94%)

The number of full-time applications is expected to rise in the next few years.

  1. Strategic considerations and future plans

The Programme plans to further promote the image and profile of the programme. The following actions have been taken.

10.1Image and profile of the programme