English

Year One: (Semester One)

ENGL. 151: INTRODUCTION OF LITERARY STUDIES 1 (2,1,2)

This course is devoted to the study of poetry. It will define and distinguish the main forms of poetry – the epic and the lyric, and go on to distinguish the sub-forms of the lyric – the elegy, the ballad, the ode and the sonnet. The study of all these forms will focus on the basic structural/formal, stylistic and/or thematic elements that distinguish poetry from other genres and also distinguish one form or sub-form of the genre from another. For each form or sub-form of poetry discussed, a number of landmark texts will be studied to provide a practical illustration of the theories, principles and concepts studied.

 

ENGL. 153: FUNDAMENTALS OF ENGLISH GRAMMAR 1 (2,1,2)

This course aims at equipping students with knowledge of grammatical structures necessary to guarantee a competent use of English. It introduces students to the fundamentals of grammar and varieties of writing. There will be instruction on the structuring of English sentences, paragraph development and cohesion, essay writing and discourse. It also includes work on using sources and referencing skills.

 

ENGL. 155: INTRODUCTION TO AFRICAN LITERATURE (2,1,2)

The introductory segment of this course aims at introducing students to the corpus, scope variety and depth of orality. It is to create the crucial first insights into the existence of a large mass of literature that is authentically indigenous African and therefore worth recognising as the first step in the study of African literature. The second segment surveys the genesis of written African literature and ends with a survey of the modern era of African writings.

 

ENGL. 157: COMMUNICATION SKILLS 1 (2,1,2)

This is a remedial course aimed at correcting common grammatical errors in the students’ use of English. The course takes all first year students through a review of English grammar, and is a required course. The objective is to revise grammatical usage in preparation towards effective speaking and writing. The emphasis here is on usage of grammatical and lexical items. Topics such as spelling, parts of speech, punctuation, subject-verb agreement, misrelated and ambiguous constructions, sentence fragments and skills such as reading, comprehension, summary and paragraph writing will be taught.

 

MATH 153: STATISTICAL METHODS 1 (2,1,2)

Introduction to the study of statistics: General introduction to the nature, uses and some basic concepts of statistics. Descriptive analysis of data: Organisation and presentation of data; measures of central tendency and dispersion; measures of central tendency and dispersion, quartiles, percentiles, skewness and kurtosis. Elementary Probability Theory: Random experiments, definition of terms and measure of probability. Some basic laws of probability involving compound events, computation of probabilities involving simple events, application of counting techniques.

Random Variables and Probability Distributions: concepts of random variables, definition and properties of

.

CMS. 183: INTRODUCTION TO COMPUTERS 1 (2,1,2)

What is a computer? Classification of computers. Hardware – Memory, Central Processing Unit, Input/output Devices. Software – System, Applications, Utility, Translators, Programming language and others. Disk Operating System (DOS) and Windows as Operating Systems. Word Processing Software: Microsoft Word.

 

Year One (Semester Two)

 ENGL. 152 INTRODUCTION TO LITERARY STUDIES II (2,1,2)

The course focuses on the study of drama and prose and their various forms. The study will consider elements that distinguish the two genres from each other. With the novel, forms like the novella, the novelette, the short story etc will be studied with emphasis on aspects like plot, character, narrative techniques and point of view. The formal/structural and stylistic elements of the essay also constitute an important component of this course. For each genre landmark texts that illustrate the main elements discussed will be studied for practical appreciation.

 

ENGL. 154: FUNDAMENTALS OF ENGLISH GRAMMAR II (2,1,2)

This course covers the following topics: definitions, interpretations and types of clauses; definitions, structural types and functional types of sentences; and the study of errors associated with sentences structures.

 

ENGL 156: ENGLISH COMPREHENSION AND SUMMARY (2,1,2)

The objective of this course is to enable students to understand and appreciate language and to use it confidently for a variety of purposes, with a variety of audiences and in a variety of situations for communication, personal satisfaction and learning. In this course, students will develop the ability to express other people’s ideas in their own words and include them in their own writing successfully. This course teaches language and structures used for description, discussion and evaluation. Students will listen and read to:

• Expand their vocabulary
• Explore thoughts, ideas, feelings and experiences
• Comprehend literature in oral, print, visual and multimedia forms, and respond critically and creatively
• Manage ideas and information.

 

ENGL. 158: COMMUNICATION SKILLS II (2,1,2)

This course is designed to continue the process of helping students to become better communicators. Here, the emphasis is on business and technical communication so as to equip students with the relevant tools of communication necessary for functionality in business in a competitive world in which effective communication is crucial for success. Topics such as Communication in Organisations, Memos, Briefs, Letters and CVs, Reports, Minutes, Proposals, Oral Communication and Presentation skills will be taught.

 

MATH. 154: STATISTICAL METHODS II  (2,1,2)

Some special probability distributions: binomial, Poisson; Geometric Multinomial, Hypergeometric. Normal and Exponential Distributions.

Inferential Analysis of Data: Sampling Methods; Sampling Distributions of the Means and Proportion Errors; The use and reading of Normal (Z), t -, F and Chi-Square (2) Distribution Tables in Inferential Analysis. Point and interval Estimation of Parameters – Means and Proportions. Hypothesis Testing – Significance Test for Means and Proportions

Probability: definition of some basic terms; conditional and independent events; some basic laws and rules in probability; random variables; discrete distributions; binominal and Poisson; continuous distribution: normal sampling theory.

 

CSM. 184:  INTRODUCTION TO COMPUTERS

Spreadsheet Software: Microsoft Excel

Relational Database Software: Microsoft Access.

 

Year Two: (Semester One)

ENGL. 251: SYNTAX 1

This is a two-part course which introduces students to the general principles that underlie how words are combined into phrases and sentences. Here, students are introduced to the key concepts and theories in the study of language. The first semester component will focus on word classes and phrase structure.

 

ENGL. 253:  PRACTICAL APPRECIATION

This course is designed on the assumption that students in any literature class should encounter not only good writing by skilled writers, but also the pleasure that emanates from understanding such writings. Therefore the course offers some instruction in reading, and responding—in writings – to literature be it prose poetry or drama. The course provides students with abundant opportunities for discussion, analysis and evaluation of representative texts from all the genres. The objective of these exercises is primarily to help students sharpen their skills to enable them to better engage texts, and to interpret and respond appropriately to them, orally and in writing.

 

ENGLISH. 255: BASIC COMPOSITION (2, 1, 2)

This course is designed to help students of English develop skills in composition through a step-by-step approach to writing. The course combines a review of appropriate grammatical structure with extensive practice in rhetorical strategies and techniques. It covers topic sentences, organizing and developing effective detailed support of the controlling idea; outlining; common patterns of exposition. Students will also read and discuss model essays to help them understand and practice the art of essay writing. The study of these model essays should introduce students to the ways in which writers use language to inform, persuade or manipulate. Students are expected, in their written presentations, to demonstrate competence in each of the following four areas:

 

• Observation of conventions of standard grammar and usage, and the employment of conventional sentence structure;
• Understanding of the subject;
• Coherence and consistency in the development of thesis; and
• Editing skills.

 

ENGL. 257:   17TH – 18TH CENTURY ENGLISH LITERATURE (2, 1, 2)

This course is a general study of the major literary trends and authors within the stated period together with the historical events that compose and surround them. It is designed to introduce students to literary text as one of the most vital areas of human experience, and to literature as a reflection of events as well as an active event itself. Major genres of this period – poetry, drama and the novel – will be surveyed; and this survey will be complemented by representative texts by major poets, playwrights, and major contributors to the development of the English novel.

 

ENGL. 263: LITERATURE IN ENGLISH (POETRY AND DRAMA) (1, 1, 1)

This is a basic course in literature, introducing participants to opportunities to enjoy and to love the world of books. Special consideration will be given to language as the primary vehicle of literature. The course will also draw on the vast stock of Africa’s oral literary heritage and performance traditions. Given the wide range of disciplinary backgrounds and interests of the students who are expected to take this course the selection of texts will take into consideration the interrelations of literature and other disciplines. The course, this semester, will focus on poetry and drama.

 

Year Two (Semester Two)

ENGL. 252: SYNTAX II (2, 1, 2)

The second component of the Year Two Syntax course is a systematic and rigorous survey of the structure of contemporary English syntax. It involves the examination of basic grammatical structures of modern English and introduces students to clauses and sentences. The different sentence types, sentence structures and syntactic processes will be taught. The course also explores usage problems associated with contemporary grammar both in speech and in writing.

 

 

ENGL. 254:  PHONETICS (2, 1, 2)

The course deals with the description, transcription and acoustic analysis of human speech sounds. Topics include Speech Organs, Airstream Mechanisms, Phonation Types, Stricture Types and Articulation, Vowels and Consonants, Supra-segmentals and Acoustic Phonetics

 

 

ENGL. 256:  19TH CENTURY ENGLISH LITERATURE (2,1,2)

The 19th century has been variously described as the age of the novel and of prose but definitely not that of drama. In terms of poetry, the age divides into the Romantic and Victorian or latter Romantic phases. Therefore the major components of this course are Romantic poetry, and the Victorian poetry and novel.

 

ENGL. 258: GHANAIAN LITERATURE (2,1,2)

The objective of this course is to deepen insight into Ghana’s literary heritage. It follows from the Introduction to African Literature course of Year One to afford a survey of the written literature of Ghana. It commences from the pioneer writings of the Gold Coast intelligentsia, and takes a look at the pre-independence writings and writings of the modern era.  Works to be studied include poetry, short stories, novels, plays and prose writings of major authors of the nation.

 

ENGL. 264: LITERATURE IN ENGLISH

This course has as its main components the study of folktales, short stories and the novel. African and Western texts representative of this genre shall be used to illustrate the language, themes, and the literary devices employed for these different types of fictional expressions.

 

 

Year Three: (Semester One)

 ENGL. 351: RESEARCH METHODS IN ENGLISH I (3.1.3)

This is a year-long course aimed at equipping participants with the requisite research and report writing skills. In this first component, students will be introduced to definitions, types, importance of, and key concepts in research as well as to research design, techniques and methods of data collection, probability and non-probability sampling designs and sources of data.

 

 ENGL. 353:  20TH CENTURY ENGLISH POETRY

This course aims at introducing students to the “new poetry” of the twentieth century. Emphasis will be on both form and content. The term modernism will be defined and its effects on the poetry of this period discussed. Wilfred Owen and other so-called “war poets” will be studied not only to show their revulsion for war but also their method of portraying this in the poetry will be studied. So will his use of myth, symbolism and literary allusions. The fusion of history and myth and symbolism in the poetry of Yeats as well as the works of other modern English poets will be studied.

 

ENGL. 355:  PRACTICAL APPRECIATION

This course is designed on the assumption that students in any literature class should encounter not only good writing by skilled writers, but also the pleasure that emanates from understanding such writings. Therefore the course offers some instruction in reading, and responding—in writings – to literature be it prose poetry or drama. The course provides students with abundant opportunities for discussion, analysis and evaluation of representative texts from all the genres. The objective of these exercises is primarily to help students sharpen their skills to enable them to better engage texts, and to interpret and respond appropriately to them, orally and in writing.

 

ENGL 357: LANGUAGE AND COMMUNICATION (3,1,3)

This is both a theoretical and practical course that is designed to help students develop advanced communication skills – oral, aural, and written. It should also help students to be conversant with registers and varieties of English for specific occasions, help them develop oratory skills for all occasions; prepare students for future executive positions; and enable students to offer informed opinion on texts. The course will cover the following relevant topics: the nature and meaning of communication; the nature of spoken and written communication; the written communication (encoding and decoding); and oral communication and the importance of audience analysis, pre-delivery, delivery and rhetorical techniques.

 

ENGL. 359: ADVANCED COMPOSITION

This course builds upon the foundation put in place in the Basic Composition course of Year Two. The first and smaller component is a review of pre-writing processes, identification of styles of expression and methods of argument. The knowledge accrued from English language and English language-related courses of earlier years is expected to be brought to bear on the art of writing of this advanced level. Students will study model diagnostic, personal, comparative/contrast, expository, persuasive essays as well as the use of language in writing to inform, persuade or manipulate.

 

Year Three (Semester Two)

 ENGL. 352: RESEARCH METHODS IN ENGLISH II (3,1,3)

This course focuses mainly on research methods for composition of documents in literature and language, such as research and “response” papers on literary works, and critical essays, and the application of literary theory to such writings. The emphasis will be on the writing process, the technical details of the research report.

 

ENGL. 354: 20TH CENTURY ENGLISH NOVEL (3,1,3)

This is a study of the metamorphoses of the English novel from 1870 to the present time. The study covers the forms of, and the influences on, the 20th Century novel from “modernism” to “postmodernism,” to structuralism” to “post-structuralism.”It offers students the opportunity to explore the radical novelistic techniques, new conventions of characterization, and the modern obsession with the intricacies of the human mind. The study also focuses on how the century’s English novels are part of a wider philosophy that often subverted conventional cultural, social, psychological and literary boundaries, merging cultures, art forms and disciplines.

 

ENGL. 356: 20TH CENTURY ENGLISH DRAMA  (3,1,3)

The course takes in the works of mostly Anglo-Saxon playwrights such as George Bernard Shaw, T.S. Eliot, John Osborne, Harold Pinter and Samuel Beckett. Others like the German Bertolt Brecht are referred to when the interest arises, particularly in reference to his theory and practice of the “alienation effect” in theatre. Realism in the theatre dating back to the Scandinavian Ibsen; the concept of the hero or anti-hero; the revival of poetic drama in Eliot’s work and his interest in classical elements like the chorus will be studied together with the concept of the absurd and the philosophy of existentialism as applied in Samuel Beckett’s plays, derived from Ionesco, Camus and Sartre.

 

ENGL 358: STUDIES IN THE SHORT STORY (3,1,3)

This course focuses on the emergence of the short story as a genre that has indeed become quite independent from the novel. Historical and social circumstances that gave it birth will be studied. Students will study the structural qualities and themes of a number of representatives short stories from Europe, North America and Africa’s finest short story writers.

 

ENGL. 360:  SOCIOLINGUISTICS (3,1,3)

Sociolinguistics is an attempt to find correlations between social and linguistic structures. It is concerned with investigating the relationship between language and society, with the goal being a better understanding of the structure of language and how it functions in communication as well as the social factors that influence language use. Topics to be covered include the definition of sociolinguistics; language dialect and varieties; language codes; language and culture; language and ethnicity; linguistics etiquette; and language and sex.

 

Year Four: (Semester One)

 ENGL. 451: HISTORY OF THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE  (3,1,3)

History of the English Language is a survey of the development of English from the earliest times through Old English, middle English to the modern English period, highlighting significant influences that shaped this development. Related topics include the lineage of English, the growth of its vocabulary within internal and external influences, spelling and pronunciation in the process of codification, the search for new standards, the spread of English in North America, Asia and Africa, and its promotion as a world language, with special reference to Ghana and Ghanaian English.

 

ENGL. 453: ADVANCED SYNTAX (3.1.3)

The course is designed to deepen students’ knowledge of grammar and syntax. It reinforces and further develops students’ writing skills. It concentrates on co-ordination and subordination as grammatical processes. The course covers types of sentences, co-ordination of clauses, coordinators, subordination, and rank-shifting.

 

ENGL. 455: MASS COMMUNICATION – PRINT MEDIA (3,1,3)

This course aims at introducing candidates to Mass Communication generally, with special reference to the Print Media. Its outline includes the definitions of mass communication and news; the history of the print media in the USA and in Ghana; types of printed communication; personnel and operations of the newsroom; specialised. Newsmen; newspaper format; canons of journalism and qualities of a “good” newspaper. Students are encouraged to read local newspapers and magazine, and take keen interest in the functions of the print media. Every lesson should be preceded by a discussion of current news items.

 

ENGL 457: CONTEMPORARY GHANAIAN LITERATURE (3,1,3)

This course is built upon the introductory Early Ghanaian Literature course of Year Two. Students of Ghanaian literature need to know more about the contribution of such great writers as Efua Sutherland, Ayi Kwei Armah, Mohammed Ben Abdallah, Ama Ata Aidoo, Asare Konadu, Atukwei Okai, Kofi Anyidoho, Amma Darko, Kofi Awoonor, Amu Djoleto and Francis Selormey to the literary culture of contemporary Ghana.

 

ENGL. 459:   APPLIED SHAKESPEARE (3,1,3)

This course offers a study of issues of contemporary African (Ghanaian) life and culture in the light of Shakespearean literature. Gender issues, the theatre and popular drama (concert party), superstitions, and a variety of social activities (celebrations), among others, will be discussed as they are reflected in selected writings of Shakespeare.

 

 

Electives

 ENGL. 461: INTRODUCTION TO COMPARATIVE LITERATURE (3,1,3)

This course is designed to introduce students to Comparative Literature as an academic discipline and to create sufficient interest in the subject for further work in this discipline. It surveys the development of the discipline vis-a-vis origins and presents a brief history. The study specifically focuses on dimensions, approaches, definitions, generic considerations, and some aspects of category and practical textual study. The reading list will span selected writings of writers such as Aristotle and Virgil, through Dante, Chaucer, Shakespeare, Milton, Pope, Hardy to Ghana’s Efua Sutherland.

 

ENGL 463: AMERICAN LITERATURE (3,1,3)

This course aims at introducing students to American literature of the 19th and 20th centuries. Emphasis will be placed on the novelistic genre, but students will be advised to spread their readings to other genres. Students will cover Hawthrorne and Puritan New England; the novel as Romance; Mark Twain and the Mississippi; the role of immigrants in the development of the nation; the Negro novel; and black poetry.

 

ENGL. 467: LITERATURES OF THE BLACK DIASPORA (3,1,3)

This elective course is aimed at addressing and representing the literary experience and contributions of black writers in the Diaspora. Representative texts that are studied – fiction, drama, poetry, and the essay – are selected from the North American as well as the Caribbean Diaspora.

 

ENGL. 469:  FEMALE WRITERS I (2,1,2)

This course is intended to make up for the rather slight focus literary works of African female writers have always received. It is designed to draw attention to the fact that the volume of female writing in African literature has appreciably increased in contemporary times. The thematic concerns of female writers – cutting across both men’s and women’s issues – pose various developmental challenges that require appropriate responses from Africans in the desire to promote social and economic growth of Africa. The course will concentrate on the writings of West African female writers such as Ama Ata Aidoo, Efua Sutherland, Abena Busia, Amma Darko, Buchi Emecheta, Flora Nwapa, Mariama Ba and Aminata Sow Fall.

 

Year Four (Semester Two)

 ENGL. 452:  SEMANTICS (3,1,3)

This course provides a core detailed discussion of meaning in language and the way meaning is expressed through words and sentences. It deals specifically with word meaning and sentence interpretation. It offers comprehensive discussion of issues such as semantic relations, sense relations, semantic roles, semantic change and structural ambiguity and interpretation.

 

 ENGL. 454: MASS COMMUNICATION – ELECTRONIC MEDIA (3,1,3)

This course is an introduction to the history and development of radio and television broadcasting as well as techniques used by these media in the world in general, and in Ghana in particular. The course exposes students to a new world of knowledge and experience closely related to traditional English language and literature courses. Complementing the course in Mass Communication – Print Media, this course broadens the opportunities for postgraduate studies in communication for students who are desirous of branching off from pure English studies into related areas where their studies in English language and literature can stand them in good stead. Topics covered by this course include the development of radio and television; news gathering and techniques for recognizing, gathering and determining news worthiness; the variety of tradition of film in television broadcasting, the broadcast journalism profession; and the role of electronic journalism in the community. Some practical work involving creating programmes and observing radio and television broadcasting techniques by students, form part of this course.

 

ENGL. 456: INTRODUCTION TO PUBLIC RELATIONS STUDIES (3,1,3)

This course aims at introducing students to both the theory and practice of public relations. The study focuses on the nature of the profession, its role in the society, its audience; internal and external publics; PR research methods; PR communication and its use of the media; panic prevention; ethics of PR; details of PR work; PR in action; PR writing – its form and style.

 

ENGL. 458: APPLIED TOPICS IN LITERATURE (3,1,3)

This course aims at studying selected works of literature against the background of the epochs that gave rise to them. Authors with a profound social conscience such as Blake, Wordsworth, Coleridge, Dickens and Owen will form the focus of the study; however selection from relevant texts produced by African writers will also be studied. Issues raised by Blake in the Songs of Innocence, Songs of Experience; and Vision of Albion, for example, will be studied closely. Such topics as child labour, corruption among the clergy, prostitution, marital problems, sexually transmitted diseases, etc. will be examined. Wars and problems associated with them as presented by Wordsworth in the Salisbury Plain Poems, Robert Southey in Joan of Arc, and Owen in his poetry will be examined. Issues on gender, industrialization and other socio-cultural issues of interest to both students and instructors, and of some importance to contemporary life may be selected for study. In all discussions, literary texts will be used illustratively.

 

 

Electives

ENGL. 460: MODERN AFRICAN LITERATURE:

This course continues the study of African literature began with the introduction to the study of African literature in the first year. More modern representative texts in poetry, prose and drama written between 1980 and the present day would be studied. The emphasis in this course would be on topical themes and stylistic trends.

       

ENGL. 468: ADVANCED PRACTICAL APPRECIATION (3,1,3)

This is a practical appreciation course designed for students who desire a more advanced grounding in responding critically and more intensively to literary writings. It offers instruction in writing, and is aimed primarily at helping students to read and to respond – in writing – to literature. Students will have opportunities to value different works as works of art, and to value them for the light they throw on other works of literature, and of life. Behind this exercise is the assumption that good writing – the accurate report of powerful thinking and feeling – is a response to and an interpretation of life.

 

ENGL. 470: FEMALE WRITERS OF AFRICA II  (3,1,3)

This course is a follow-up to ENGL. 469, and is designed to draw attention to the large volume of female writings in contemporary African writings. Thematic concerns covering politics, contemporary social issues, cultural practices and feminism will be explored. This course will focus on the writings of female writers of the rest of Africa such as Bessie Head, Nadine Gordimer, Grace Ogot, Tsitse Dangeremba, Grace Akello and others.

 

ENGL 472: THE TEACHING OF ENGLISH II

This is a follow up to ENGL 363 which is more theoretical in content. Students would be exposed to the practical aspect of all the principles and skills learned in the first semester. The major practical training exercises would cover:

• Lesson plan preparation
• Presentation of language lesson
• Preparing evaluation tests etc

There would be field and outreach trips to basic, junior and senior high schools for the establishment of reading clubs, observation of classroom teaching and practice teaching.

 

ENGL. 490:  DISSERTATION (0.1.3)

Dissertation writing in English covers creative writing; book analysis and review; comparative studies of texts from different cultures; research into language teaching and use; oral literature; and research into mass communication – print and electronic media. Once topics have been selected and approved, students will receive supervision for their research and writing.