The MA in English programme aims to engage and empower students as autonomous seekers of knowledge in the existing literary genres and emerging branches of global literature at a scholarly level. It will provide the opportunity to integrate universal and local values of literature, and advance the ability to think critically and independently.

The programme also aims to help students to explore the interconnections among language, literature and culture. Students will develop a deep understanding of the linguistic features of English from a wide range of theoretical and applied perspectives. Furthermore, the programme will equip students with the intellectual perspectives; scholarly skills and requisite research and communication skills that will prepare them to critically evaluate scholarly works and conduct independent research.

On completion of the Programme student will be able to:

• Examine the evolution of English and its linguistic features.
• Engage in a critical evaluation of scholarly works of fiction and non-fiction.
• Apply critical theories for analysis and interpretations of works of fiction and non-fiction.
• Examine literary pieces in relation to their social, cultural, and political contexts.
• Engage in critical and creative discussions of issues central to literary studies across periods.
• Evaluate and analyse new and emerging trends in the study of English.
• Communicate complex ideas and information with precision and imagination.
• Develop advanced skills in theoretical argument, presentation and independent inquiry.
• Explore lesser-known literature and cultures within Bhutan and the South Asian region through reading and research.
• Develop the ability to form independent judgements and make comparative evaluations of texts.
• Write literary pieces to a publishable standard, with appropriate levels of technical skill, an awareness of audience/readership, effective and imaginative deployment of register, style and genre.
• Produce a well-researched scholarly paper in an area of their interest stemming from the study of this programme.

Practise academic honesty, incorporating prescribed reference skills, to acknowledge the source of information and scholarly conventions of presentation.

Graduates of the programme can avail career opportunities in various areasincluding teaching, writing, publishing, research, media and advertising, education, translation,in the government and private sectors.

The programme will focus on collaborative, small group and individual learning, and it will employ different strategies such as tutorials, discussions, presentations, workshops, guest lectures, seminars, symposiums, and maintaining portfolios. During the tutorial, students will be encouraged to discuss their ideas and interact with their fellow students, academic staff and guest lecturers. They are expected to play an active role in debating and presenting their work. This approach will help to develop and enhance their communication, analytical and critical thinking skills.

Videoconferencing will also be used to provide remote support and connect students to outside experts.  The learning teaching materials such as lecture handouts, notes quizzes, video pieces, commentaries teaching plans, semester plan etc. will be uploaded in VLE to enhance students learning.

Each student will write a dissertation on a topic of his or her choice, and as agreed between the student and the dissertation supervisor. The dissertation module will give students the opportunity to conduct independent and substantial research to explore the key research question presented in their proposal

REP503 Proposal Writing and Presentation in the second semester should help prepare learners to research and write the dissertation. In addition, students will have a series of practical seminars on the different conventions involved in the process of writing dissertations, such as choosing topics, the roles of supervisors, research methodology and academic writing skills.

The assessment approach aims to assess students’ critical thinking, analytical approaches, presentation skills; and to provide the autonomy in learning through continuous assessment tasks such as portfolios, written assignments, seminars, a symposium, case studies and class presentations. The assessment approach also incorporates the evaluation of symposium and enactment of one-act play. A semester end examination will be conducted for all modules except LAN607.

To pass a module, a student must obtain a minimum of 50% overall including both the continuous assessment (CA) and semester-end examination (SE). However, a student must obtain a minimum of 40% each in CA and SE.

The dissertation is equivalent to three modules worth 45 credits, which should be completed over a period of two semesters.

The examiners appointed by the college research committeewill evaluate the dissertation. The written research report will be evaluated for 60% and the seminar for 40% each in REP503 and REP504. A student has to pass both components with a minimum of 50% (30% for the written report, and 20% for the seminar). However, the final REP503 Proposal Writing and Presentation and REP504 Dissertation will be evaluated as one piece of work at the end of Year Two (Semester Three). If the student is not able to complete the dissertation within the stipulated period, at the discretion of the Board of Examiners, he/she is allowed to resubmit the work or to be assessed on it within a time limit set by the Board, on one occasion only (B8 7.4, The Wheel of Academic Law).  The maximum period of registration for full time students is four years.

A student is eligible for re-assessment if the number of failed modules is less than 30% of the total number of modules prescribed for the semester. Upon passing the failed module(s) in re-assessment, a student will not be awarded more than 50%, this being the minimum pass mark.

Student shall be eligible to repeat a failed module(s) up to two times where he or she:

• Has failed in their assessment of a module(s). In such an event, the student shall meet all assessment requirements of those modules, both CA and SE. For students under this category, attendance in lectures is not mandatory.
• Has failed more than 30% of the total number of modules prescribed for that semester. In such an event, the student shall meet all teaching, learning and assessment requirement of the failed modules. For students under this category, attendance in lectures is mandatory.
• For any particular semester, a student can not register for more than two repeat modules in addition to the modules prescribed for the semester.

The judgment of performance will be based on the prevailing university’s norms: