Linguistics and literary studies in Brussels

3 ECTS credits
90 h study time

Offer 1 with catalog number 4021395ENR for all students in the 1st and 2nd semester at a (E) Master - advanced level.

Semester

1st and 2nd semester

Enrollment based on exam contract

Impossible

Grading method

Grading (scale from 0 to 20)

Can retake in second session

Yes

Taught in

English

Faculty

Faculty of Languages & Humanities

Department

Linguistics and Literary Studies

Educational team

Ann Peeters (course titular)

Activities and contact hours

26 contact hours Lecture
12 contact hours Independent or External Form of Study

Course Content

Brussels is often considered the multilingual heart of Europe. Not only is the city the capital of an officially trilingual state, it also hosts a wide variety of nationalities and cultures. This results in a social, cultural and linguistic variety that cannot be found in many cities around the globe.

Furthermore, Brussels has been home to some of the world's most famous authors (Alexandre Dumas, Lord Byron, Emily Brönte, Honoré de Balzac, Charles Baudelaire, Arthur Rimbaud, ...). We also find descriptions of Brussels and its inhabitants in several literary works.

This course offers an introduction to multilingualism, literature and interculturalism in Brussels, both through a series of lectures and assignments to be carried out in Brussels.

Course material

Digital course material (Required) : Presentations of lectures, Ann Peeters

Additional info

All classes will be recorded.

Learning Outcomes

General Competencies

Learning outcomes:

- students gain insights in the linguistic variety of Brussels
- students gain insights in the richness of the Brussels' literary context (literature in Brussels and literature on Brussels)
- students are able to integrate textbook knowledge and off-campus visits and conferences
- students are able autonomously to present their findings in an academic paper and during an oral exam
- students learn to work in an international, multilingual and multicultural team for a group assignment
- students are able to observe and analyse the complex multilingual and multicultural context of Brussels

Grading

The final grade is composed based on the following categories:
Oral Exam determines 60% of the final mark.
PRAC Practical Assignment determines 20% of the final mark.
SELF Teamwork determines 20% of the final mark.

Within the Oral Exam category, the following assignments need to be completed:

EXAM with a relative weight of 12 which comprises 60% of the final mark.

Within the PRAC Practical Assignment category, the following assignments need to be completed:

ASSIGN with a relative weight of 4 which comprises 20% of the final mark.

Within the SELF Teamwork category, the following assignments need to be completed:

Exam Other with a relative weight of 4 which comprises 20% of the final mark.

Additional info regarding evaluation

The final evaluation for this course consists of three parts:
1. Oral exam (attendance of three lectures offered in the framework of the course + oral exam)
2. Individual paper (written assignments on 1 conference, cultural visit or cultural event related to multilingualism in Brussels + 1 conference, cultural visit or cultural event related to literature in Brussels + 1 conference, cultural visit or cultural event related to interculturalism in Brussels);
3. Group paper (group paper related to multilingualism and/or interculturalism)

Before the deadline (May 1st), students are expected to hand in:

a) three individual papers:
- summary of an conference, cultural visit or cultural event related to multilingualism, as well as a general conclusion, based on both scientific sources and personal insights
- summary of an conference, cultural visit or cultural event related to literature in Brussels, as well as a general conclusion, based on both scientific sources and personal insights
- summary of an conference, cultural visit or cultural event related to interculturalism, as well as a general conclusion, based on both scientific sources and personal insights

b) the group assignment

Further instructions for the papers will be communicated during the first course.

Participation to the oral exam is possible only after the submission of the individual papers and group paper.

Students must participate in all parts of the evaluation process in order to pass the course. Absence of a mandatory part of the evaluation leads to an absence as a final result.

Students can transfer the results of those parts of the evaluation process for which they have already obtained a pass mark to the next exam session.

Allowed unsatisfactory mark

The supplementary Teaching and Examination Regulations of your faculty stipulate whether an allowed unsatisfactory mark for this programme unit is permitted.

Academic context