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Master of Arts in English Studies
Programme
Master of Arts in English Studies
文學碩士(英語語言)
Award Title
Master of Arts in English Studies
文學碩士(英語語言)
Offering Academic Unit
Department of English
Mode of Study
Combined mode

Normal Period of Study
- 1 year (full-time)
- 2 years (part-time/combined mode)

Maximum Period of Study
- 2 years (full-time)
- 5 years (part-time/combined mode)

Credit Units Required for Graduation
30

Programme Aims
The programme aims to provide practicing and potential teachers of English with a critical understanding of theory and research in English language, linguistics, and literary and cultural studies, and explore how they can apply this understanding to their own teaching in diverse sociocultural contexts. Students will develop a critical understanding of theory and research on the linguistic, psycholinguistic, sociolinguistic, literary, cultural and educational issues central to second language learning and teaching, along with the practical skills they need. They will also deepen in their knowledge of literary and cultural studies in the context of education.

Programme Intended Learning Outcomes (PILOs)
Upon successful completion of this Programme, students should be able to:
  1. evaluate and analyze the role of languages in diverse sociocultural contexts and multilingual societies;
  2. understand language variation in social and professional contexts;
  3. critically analyze literary and popular cultural texts, new media, new genres and literacy practices;
  4. evaluate key issues in literary and cultural studies, including genre, movements, paradigms of national and transnational literatures, and the practice of creative writing;
  5. analyze how socio-political and cultural categories and issues are created through everyday public discourses, including political, media and business discourse;
  6. conduct research and specialise in specific areas related to English studies.
Stream in Teaching English as a Second Language
Upon successful completion of this Programme, students should be able to:
  1. evaluate and analyze the role of languages in diverse sociocultural contexts and multilingual societies and the implications for language education;
  2. apply language teaching skills in the light of current language learning, discourse, and pedagogical theories;
  3. understand and analyze theoretical issues and practices in Teaching English as a Second Language;
  4. critically analyze popular cultural texts, new media, new genres and literacy practices;
  5. analyze how socio-political and cultural categories and issues are created through everyday public discourses, including political and media discourse;
  6. conduct research and specialise in specific areas related to English studies.
Stream in Literary and Cultural Studies
Upon successful completion of this Programme, students should be able to:
  1. evaluate and analyze the key theoretical paradigms of literary and cultural studies today, including genre studies, literary forms and movements, types of national literatures and the transnational characteristic of contemporary literary and cultural production; 
  2. analyze the aesthetic and creative aspects of literature and apply creativity to the teaching and learning of English;
  3. apply critical thinking and reading skills to the interpretation and teaching of literature and popular culture;
  4. analyze how socio-political and cultural categories and issues are created through literary and cultural forms, including new media;
  5. conduct research and specialise in specific areas related to English studies.

Programme Requirements


1. Core Courses (18 credit units)
For 2015 and subsequent cohorts:
Course CodeCourse TitleCredit Units
EN5450Literary and Cultural Studies3
EN5461Language in Its Social Context3
EN5491Discourse Analysis3
EN6471Research Methods in English Studies3
EN6941Dissertation6

2. Electives (12 credit units)
For 2015 and subsequent cohorts:
Course CodeCourse TitleCredit Units
EN5315Genre Analysis of Specialized Discourse3
EN5316Issues in ESP3
EN5464English Phonetics and Phonology3
EN5465Second Language Acquisition3
EN5466Testing and Evaluation in Language Studies3
EN5490Grammar and Lexis3
EN6313Graduate Creative Writing Workshop3
EN6483Teaching Language, Literature, and Popular Culture3
EN6494New Literacies and Language Learning3
EN6495Approaches to Language Teaching3
EN6505Curriculum Design in Language Studies3
EN6506Corpus Approaches to Language Studies3
EN6507World Englishes3
EN6508The Western Canon3
EN6509Postcolonial Literature3
EN6510Asian and Asian Diaspora Literature in English3
EN6511Practical Teaching for TESL3
EN6512Special Topics in English Studies3
EN6513Human Rights Literature and Culture3
EN6514The Long Nineteenth Century: From Romanticism to Modernism3
EN6515Medieval and Fantasy Literature3
EN6516Sexualities, Desire, and the Body in Modern British Literature3
EN6517Space, Place and Culture in Modern Literature3
EN6518Travel Writing3
EN6952Instructional Strategies in ESP3
EN6958Persuasive Communication3

Students who choose to take the MAES with an added stream need to take the corresponding electives as detailed below. Students may only gain one stream:

Stream Electives
For 2015 and subsequent cohorts:
Master of Arts in English Studies (Teaching English as a Second Language) Take both these electives:
EN5465 Second Language Acquisition
EN6495 Approaches to Language Teaching
Master of Arts in English Studies (Literary and Cultural Studies) Take both these electives:
EN6508 The Western Canon
EN6509 Postcolonial Literature

Professional Recognition
The Education Bureau has approved the MAES for inclusion in the SCOLAR list of recognized English language major degree programmes and the list of “Programmes Accepted for Grants under the Professional Development Incentive Grant Scheme for Language Teachers”. The Education Bureau has also accepted both as an English language major degree for meeting the Language Proficiency Requirement (LPR).