Delivered at:: School of Foreign Languages

Course type:: Elective course

When:: 1 year, 1, 2 module

Instructors

Bagrintseva, Natalya

Kolykhalova, Olga A.

Full Syllabus Ask Question

Abstract

The course encourages students to develop lifelong knowledge and skills, including but not limited to a balanced understanding of the heritage and history of countries which constitute the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (that is, England, Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland), their cultural settings, geography, society, political system, holidays, and everyday life in general. The course combines various activities, including discussions, oral presentations, debates, quizzes, etc. It also envisages various research projects conducted in small groups on a wide range of topics related to its subject matter. This syllabus sets minimal requirements for the knowledge and skills of students and determines the contents of the course. It targets both lecturers and teaching assistants, and 1st-year undergraduate students of the Foreign languages and intercultural communication programme, to whose needs it is specifically tailored.

Learning Objectives

● to enhance cultural awareness and competence
● to study the bulk of the heritage and history of English-speaking countries (England, Wales, Scotland, Province of Northern Ireland), their geography, political and social systems, cultural settings, and everyday life in general;
● to engage with, reflect upon, and respond to a range of key historical issues (significant events, data of the given period, power and influence of specific political leaders, etc) as well as to discuss their importance to the modern-day state;
● to develop lifelong knowledge and skills which will enable students to apply their knowledge in professional, scientific, and interpersonal communication in the multi-cultural world of today

Expected Learning Outcomes

To know the major concepts of British history and social life.
To be able to search and analyse statistical data, academic, reference, and historical literature on cultural, political and social life of the UK.
To be able to critically evaluate information and produce clear, informed, independent opinions and judgements on English media texts.
To know the major concepts of British history, political and economic spheres (to be able to describe and analyse the political development of the UK, its system of government, and the party system; to be aware of the current political situation in the country and modern-day political issues).
To be aware of the key terms and culture-specific language units.

Course Contents

НИС 2. Тема 8. Русские в Оксфорде: краткий обзор истории.
Русских студенты с петровских времен. Представители российской аристократии и даже члены царской семьи (конец XVIII и XIX век). Первые россияне, получившие почетную степень доктора гражданского права в Оксфорде. Отпрысков крупных аристократических родов России в Оксфорде (XIX – начале ХХ века). Русские в Оксфорде после революции. Русские в Оксфорде после смерти Сталина. Русский Оксфорд после падения «железного занавеса».
PART 3. British politics, economy and international relations.
• Political development of the country. Parliament. The party system in Parliament. The Government. The PM and his/her role in the political life of the country. • Colonization and the British Empire. The Commonwealth. International relations. Brexit. Russia and the UK. • The economic development of the country: from the Industrial Revolution to the post-Brexit UK economy.

Assessment Elements

Attendance and participation in lectures and seminars
Lecture attendance is compulsory for everyone taking the course. As a measure of engagement with the course, it is very important for learning. Students should be aware of the fact that every issues covered during the lecture may be assessed through quizzes. Active participation in group discussions and in-class assignments is required at every seminar and will be evaluated according to the criteria (see below). Students are to prepare for every class and to be active in class discussions.
Creative activities
Creative activities include making presentations and current news reports throughout the course as a way for students to demonstrate understanding and mastery in their own unique way. Each student must take part in such activities at least once in two modules. If a student has taken up a report but has to miss the class, they must find a replacement (another student who will agree to do the report in their place). Otherwise, the student will get a zero regardless of any excuses. The grade for creative activities is the average grade of all the reports and presentations made by the student during the course.
Quizzes
During seminars, ongoing quizzes will evaluate students’ understanding of required topics, content of required reading and/or lectures. It is up to the instructor to decide whether to give a quiz or not; students may not be warned about it in advance. The grade depends on the percentage points a student gets for the quiz (see below). Quizzes are compulsory and final and cannot be retaken. If the absence is excused, the grade for the quiz is not taken into the account. The grade for quizzes is the average grade of all the quizzes and tests taken by the student during the course.
Self-study activities
As part of the British Studies syllabus, every student must take a free online course on a topic related to the history and culture of the UK, intercultural studies or the English language. The list of recommended MOOCs is given at the beginning of the term
The final project
The final project includes two parts:  submitting a research paper (50%)  making a presentation (50%) As part of their assessment students are to do projects on British economy, politics, culture and arts. They choose a part of the UK and an area that they would like to focus on: elections, industries, art, music, architecture, fashion, festivals, museums, etc. A project is an in-depth study of an issue in the chosen area. The project includes a research paper and an oral presentation. In reporting on the project, students should show that they can: identify a significant issue relevant to British studies; collect relevant up-to-date information about the issue; analyse, interpret and discuss the information; draw conclusions; and write and present a paper in accordance with academic standards at the undergraduate level. Students must prepare and present their project together as a team. Group projects can contribute to student learning, retention and overall academic success. Properly structured, group projects can reinforce skills that are relevant to both group and individual work, including the ability to:  break complex tasks into parts and steps;  plan and manage time;  refine understanding through discussion and explanation;  develop stronger communication skills. Group projects can also help students develop skills specific to collaborative efforts, allowing students to:  tackle more complex problems;  delegate roles and responsibilities;  pool knowledge and skills;  establish a shared identity with other group members.

Interim Assessment

Interim assessment (2 module)
0.25 * Attendance and participation in lectures and seminars + 0.25 * Creative activities + 0.15 * Quizzes + 0.1 * Self-study activities + 0.25 * The final project

Bibliography

Recommended Core Bibliography

Middleton, R. (2010). The Oxford Handbook of British Politics. By Matthew Flinders, Andrew Gamble, Colin Hay, and Michael Kenny. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsbas&AN=edsbas.93428C94
составители Е. В. Краснова, В. В. Панкова - История английского языка. Староанглийский период. The History of the English Language. Old English period: учебное пособие - Издательство "ФЛИНТА" - 2017 - 88с. - ISBN: 978-5-9765-2851-2 - Текст электронный // ЭБС ЛАНЬ - URL: https://e.lanbook.com/book/92746

Recommended Additional Bibliography

Oakland, J. (2003). British Civilization : A Student’s Dictionary (Vol. Second edition). London: Routledge. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsebk&AN=658663

Bachelor’s Programme 'Foreign Languages and Intercultural Communication'

History and Culture of Great Britain