of Korean literature, with consideration to socio-historical context and ... To read,
translate and critically assess Korean literary texts in the original. 4. To obtain a ...
Programme specification 2012/2013 School of Oriental and African Studies The following information forms the programme specification at the School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London. It gives definitive information relating to a programme of study and is written for a public audience, particularly prospective and current students. It is also used for other purposes such as initial programme approval, and is therefore produced at the start of the programme development process. Once approved, it forms the baseline information for all statements relating to the programme and is updated as approved amendments are made. CORE INFORMATION Programme title Final award Intermediate awards Mode of attendance
MA Korean Literature MA N/A Full-time (1 year) or part-time (2 or 3 years) N/A N/A March 2011
UCAS code Professional body accreditation Date specification created/updated
WHY CHOOSE THIS PROGRAMME? Why study at SOAS?
SOAS is unique as the only higher education institution in the UK specialising in the study of Africa, Asia and the Middle East. The School also has the largest concentration of specialist faculty concerned with the study of these areas at any university in the world. SOAS is consistently ranked among the top higher education institutions in the UK and the world and it also offers a friendly, vibrant environment for students in a diverse and close-knit community.
What is special about this programme?
This is the only postgraduate programme in the UK that specializes exclusively in the study of modern and traditional literatures in the Korean language, while also providing a solid background in comparative literature and critical theory. The programme suits anyone interested in the literary cultures of Korea, as well as students of literature with no prior knowledge of Korean literature who are looking for new areas of inquiry.
Who would it suit?
1
Incoming students will be expected to have completed at least the equivalent of two years of undergraduate Korean language study. Students with knowledge of classical Chinese (hanja) will be encouraged to read pre-modern texts in the original classical Chinese. The programme will benefit anyone wishing to pursue a research degree (MPhil/PhD) afterwards. It also provides a solid basis for anyone wishing to pursue a career in literary translation or publishing, particularly with a specific area focus. Students are required to take three taught courses and to write a dissertation of 10,000 words. Two of the taught courses are compulsory (Readings in Korean Literature [Masters]and the half-units Literary Traditions and Culture of Korea [Masters] and Trajectories of Modernity in 20th Century Korean Literature [Masters]); the third is selected from the list of optional courses. Students with no prior background in literary studies are strongly advised to select the first optional course, Theories and Techniques of Comparative Literature. Taught courses (per 1 unit) and dissertation each account for 25% of the final mark. Progress is assessed through essays, written examinations and a dissertation. The balance between coursework assessment and examinations varies from course to course and details can be found on the course description pages published on the SOAS website.
Programme structure
Assessment summary
ENTRY REQUIREMENTS SOAS has general minimum entrance requirements for registration for a postgraduate taught degree and these can be viewed at http://www.soas.ac.uk/admissions/pg/howtoapply/ Minimum upper second class honours degree (or equivalent). Incoming students will be expected to have completed at least the equivalent of two years of undergraduate Korean language study. 2
PROGRAMME AIMS What will this programme give the student an opportunity to achieve? The MA in Korean Literature aims to: • provide extensive, critical knowledge of pre-modern and modern Korean literary traditions; • develop advanced competency in reading and understanding literary works in Korean, and literary translation skills into English; • develop advanced skills in research, analysis, and critical method in the study of Korean literature, with consideration to socio-historical context and comparative approaches; • serve as a foundation for students who wish to pursue further research or work in the fields of literary translation, writing and publishing.
PROGRAMME LEARNING OUTCOMES What will the student learn? Knowledge 1. How to assess data and evidence critically from manuscripts and digital sources, solve problems of conflicting sources and conflicting interpretations, locate materials, use research sources (particularly research library catalogues) and other relevant traditional sources. 2. To obtain a solid knowledge of the texts and contexts of pre-modern and modern Korean literature. 3. To read, translate and critically assess Korean literary texts in the original. 4. To obtain a thorough grounding in the theories and techniques of comparative literature. Intellectual (thinking) skills 1. Students should become precise and cautious in their assessment of evidence, and to understand through practice what documents can and cannot tell us. 2. Students should question interpretations, however authoritative, and reassess evidence for themselves. 3. Students should broaden their intellectual perspective on literature, learn to assess and analyse Korean literary texts from a non-Eurocentric perspective, but also acquire sensitivity towards other perspectives on and views of literature. 4. Students should become aware of and think through the problems involved in applying a mainly “western” body of literary theory to Korean texts. Subject-based practical skills The programme aims to help students with the following practical skills: 1. Write good essays and dissertations. 2. Retrieve, sift and select information from a variety of sources. 3. Present seminar papers. 4. Listen and discuss ideas introduced during seminars. 5. Practice research techniques in a variety of specialized research libraries and institutes. 3
6. Increase reading ability in Korean. Transferable skills The programme will encourage students to: 1. Communicate effectively in writing. 2. Structure and communicate ideas effectively both orally and in writing. 3. Understand unconventional views and challenge pre-existing conceptions and ideas 4. Study a variety of written and digital materials, in libraries and research institutes of a kind they will not have used as undergraduates.
PROGRAMME STRUCTURE AND REQUIREMENTS FOR GAINING AN AWARD Structure, duration and requirements for gaining an award SOAS has standard requirements relating to the structure and duration of taught postgraduate programmes and for the award and classification of these programmes. Details can be found at http://www.soas.ac.uk/registry/degreeregulations/file60379.pdf Programme structure diagram Students take and successfully complete three taught courses and write a 10,000 word dissertation. Students taking the course part-time over 2 years tend to take 2 units in their first year and the remaining unit and the dissertation in their second year. Students taking the course part-time over 3 years tend to take one course unit per year. Below is a structure diagram for this programme. Level
Course code
Course title
Credit
Status
7
Year of study Year 1
15PJKC016
45
Compulsory
7
Year 1
15PJKH005
22.5
Compulsory
7
Year 1
15PJKH006
22.5
Compulsory
7
n/a
Readings in Korean Literature (Masters) Literary Traditions and Culture of Korea (Masters) Trajectories of Modernity in 20th Century Korean Literature (Masters) Course from the list of optional courses below
45
Option
7
n/a
45
Compulsory
15PJKC999
Dissertation in the Languages and Cultures of Japan
4
Notes
Students with no prior background in literary studies are strongly advised to select Theories and Techniques of Comparative Literature
and Korea
The availability of optional/elective courses may vary in a given academic session due to factors such as staff absence and student numbers. For an up to date list of courses running in a given academic session please refer to the degree structures as listed on the SOAS website for the degree programmes taught by each Department. Optional Courses • Theories and Techniques of Comparative Literature • Directed Readings in Korean Studies • Korean Advanced (Masters) • Practical Translation from and into Korean • Topics in History and Structure of the Korean Language In very exceptional cases (and if the student has sufficient background in literary studies AND an advanced knowledge of Korean), students may be permitted to take a course from other East Asian (Korean, Chinese, or Japanese) programmes as a minor provided that the course is directly relevant to the candidate’s dissertation. The Directed Readings course must not cover the same subject matter as one of the compulsory courses.
TEACHING, LEARNING AND ASSESSMENT What methods will be used to achieve the learning outcomes? Knowledge • Acquisition of 1 above through seminars and classes. Students are required to attend all classes, study extensively on their own and prepare non-assessed work regularly. • Acquisition of 2 and 3 through attending the compulsory courses (Readings in Korean Literature [Masters], Literary Traditions and Culture of Korea [Masters] and Trajectories of Modernity in 20th Century Korean Literature [Masters]), through both guided and independent reading in the literature, as well as through reading relevant secondary literature. • Acquisition of 4 through attending the compulsory course in Theories and Techniques of Comparative Literature. • Assessment: through unseen examinations, essays, course work and a dissertation. Intellectual (thinking) skills • Acquisition of 1 and 2 is fostered in all courses offered in the Programme, in that all courses will introduce information that will need to be assessed critically and will demonstrate that how conflicting interpretations arise from the same information. • Acquisition of 3 is fostered especially through classroom discussions between the students on the course, who hail from a wide variety of backgrounds, and are taught to communicate to each other not only their views about a particular story or poem, but also the literary views and values that underlie them, and that are often related to their cultural background. • Acquisition of 4 is fostered in all courses, but especially in the optional 5
•
Comparative Literature course. Assessment: through unseen examinations, course work, essays and a dissertation.
Subject-based practical skills • Acquisition of 1 through the writing of essays and dissertations. • Acquisition of 2 through additional seminars for the compulsory course, Literary Traditions and Culture of Korea (Masters) and Trajectories of Modernity in 20th Century Korean Literature (Masters), aimed at helping students to prepare for their term essays. • Acquisition of 3 through regular seminar presentations. • Acquisition of 4 through seminar discussion. • Acquisition of 5 through the setting of clear deadlines for the submission of written work. • Acquisition of 6 through the compulsory courses, especially Readings in Korean Literature (Masters). • Assessment: by unseen examination, dissertation, essays and course work. Transferable skills • Acquisition of 1 through essays, course work and dissertation, and additional seminars on compulsory courses. • Acquisition of 2 through seminar presentations, discussions and essays. • Acquisition of 3 through seminar lectures and discussions. • Acquisition of 4 though provision of detailed reading lists, including references to online materials, and by compulsory reading assignments familiarizing students with secondary sources related to the subject. • Acquisition of 5 through student seminar presentations and additional seminars. • Assessment: through unseen examinations, dissertation, long essays and course work.
REFERENCE POINTS What has been the basis for the design of this programme? 1. School learning and teaching strategy 2. Staff research 3. QAA framework for higher education qualifications
QUALITY ASSURANCE AND ENHANCEMENT SOAS has internal procedures to assure the quality of provision to be offered to students and to enhance the quality in the light of experience following delivery, taking into account the input of external experts and students. The procedures are set out in the School’s Quality Assurance Handbook and can be viewed at http://www.soas.ac.uk/add/qualityassurance/quality-assurance-handbook/.
6
SOAS is also subject to periodic external review from bodies such as the Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education and relevant professional and statutory regulatory bodies. The procedures described in the Quality Assurance Handbook are in place to provide a high quality student experience for those choosing to study at SOAS, and student input and evaluation of their experiences is greatly valued. Students make an input to the ongoing development of their programmes, and the environment in which they operate, in a number of ways, including: • formal student evaluation as part of the annual programme review; • student representation on School committees at various levels (through the Students’ Union) where many relevant issues are discussed.
FURTHER INFORMATION • • • • •
SOAS Vision and Strategy Statement; Postgraduate Handbook; Quality Assurance Handbook; UCAS website; QAA website.
7
