Foreign Language and Literature

Discipline Code: 0502      English Name: Foreign Languages and Literature

I Introduction of the Discipline

The first-level discipline of Foreign Language and Literature is mainly engaged in research on linguistic theory and applied linguistics, research on policies, major events and their impacts in the fields of politics, economy, military, culture, diplomacy, etc. of the countries concerned in the world, as well as comparison of Chinese and foreign cultures and research of intercultural communication.

For the discipline of Foreign Language and Literature of Chang'an University, the first-level master's degree authorization right of Foreign Language and Literature was approved in 2018, on the basis of original second-level master's degree authorization point Foreign Linguistics and Applied Linguistics. At present, this discipline owns excellent teaching staff including young scholars of Thousand Talents Plan in Shaanxi Province. In the past five years, the team has presided over 7 national scientific research projects and 12 provincial scientific research projects. For this discipline, there is a university level scientific research institution -- Institute of Foreign Languages and Literatures (IFLL), as well as a language cognition laboratory. The research achievements of this discipline are rich in the fields of functional linguistics, discourse analysis, cognitive linguistics, applied linguistics, etc.; This discipline has distinctive features in research on the United States in Cold War, with certain academic results achieved.

II Training Objectives

The postgraduates trained in this discipline shall love their motherland and support the leadership of the Communist Party of China. They will adhere to the guidance of Xi Jinping's socialist thought with China's characteristics in the new era, and establish a correct world outlook, life outlook and value outlook; they shall have mastered systematic basic theory and professional knowledge of foreign languages and literature, understood basic characteristics and new academic trends of this research field, grasped basic research methods for this discipline, acquainted themselves with and abided by general norms of academic research; grasped certain ability to speak and written and read professional foreign language materials related to this discipline with a second foreign language; had basic ability to engage in research of foreign languages and literature and was competent for the research work, and teaching work of professional courses related to this discipline.

III Major Research Directions

01 Foreign Linguistics and Applied Linguistics

02 International and Regional Studies

03 Comparative Literature and Cross-Cultural Studies

IV Training Mode

In training of academic degree postgraduates, the combined mode of curriculum learning and scientific research is adopted, that is, the postgraduates shall not only master the basic theory and expertise in all aspects of foreign languages and literature, but also grasp the basic methods for scientific research and the writing rules for postgraduate dissertations, and they shall have the ability to engage in scientific research in foreign languages and literature. In guidance mode, the combination of instructor responsibility system and collective training of the instructing group is adopted, the system of regular discussion between instructors and students shall be adhered to, and the postgraduates shall be encouraged to participate in high-level academic conferences at home and abroad and academic salons organized by the School of Foreign Studies and make academic reports.

V Educational System and Study Duration

The educational system for academic degree postgraduates is 3 years, the maximum study duration is 4 years, and the maximum study duration for postgraduates who have taken a suspension for entrepreneurship is 6 years.

VI Curriculum and Credit Requirements

The postgraduates in this discipline shall obtain at least 30 credits from curriculum learning.

VII Training Links

The training links for postgraduates of this discipline include curriculum learning (30 credits) and other links (5 credits), and other links are curriculum learning, scientific research practices, academic exchange, research proposal, mid-term assessment, preliminary thesis defense, thesis defense, etc. During curriculum learning, the postgraduate need to systematically and comprehensively master professional knowledge and research methods necessary for research of foreign languages and literature. In scientific research practices, the postgraduate shall use their knowledge and methods to put forward research problems, design research methods, and verify and improve their topics selected by participating in domestic and international academic conferences and academic salons organized by the school. As per the requirements of the School of Foreign Studies, they shall participate in capstone presentation, receive mid-term assessment, accept blind peer review of the dissertations after the preliminary thesis defense of the dissertations, and participate in dissertation defense after blind peer review of the dissertations.

VIII Dissertations and Academic Achievements

For the dissertations and academic achievements of postgraduates of this discipline, the relevant provisions such as Implementation Rules for Granting of Master's and Doctoral Degrees in Chang'an University, Measures for Accreditation of Academic Achievements of in Postgraduates' Application for Degrees in Chang'an University, Writing Rules for Postgraduate Dissertations in Chang'an University, etc. shall be followed. On this basis, before applying for master's degree, the postgraduate of this discipline must attend at least two national academic conferences, and contribute to the conferences.