The department started functioning in the year 2004 and started an innovative five-year Integrated M. A. English Language and Literature in the academic year 2012-13 (with 35 students). The program offers a comprehensive study of British literature, and opens up opportunities as it includes job-oriented courses like Journalism, English Language Teaching, Creative Writing, Film Studies and Translation Studies as electives. It will give the learners an impeccable command of the English language. Its unique feature is that it offers a course in spiritual literature with the objective to help the students develop a healthy, noble vision of life. We have been offering courses to the three schools – ASE, ASA and ASBT. Several courses are being offered on communication skills including Communicative English, Professional and Technical Writing, Business Correspondence, Insights into Life through English Literature. A high-point of our Integrated M.A. Programme is the research project that encourages individual initiative and self-study on the part of the students. An M.A programme in English Language and Literature was started in 2015. Emerging areas of study with an array of specialized electives make for an M.A. programme that is a mix of the conventional and the new.
The Department of English, since its formation, has been focusing on promoting the communication skills of students entering the portals of technical education as well as higher education in Amritapuri Campus. The students are put through training in English for Professional Communication and Business Correspondence during their first semester. The objectives of teaching English have undergone continuous changes in the last two decades. Language is now increasingly being recognized as more psychology than reason, more culture than intellect and more usage than grammar.
What we need today is a practical vision for framing the curriculum, based on modern advanced theories to suit the present times and that it needs regular updating. Thus, curriculum revision has been implemented to consolidate and strengthen the language skills of our target groups, in consultation with experts in the field, also keeping in mind that with the paradigm shift from the Mere exercise of Writing to Communication, stress is more on Interactive English. To enhance the power of imagination and creative writing, activities such as developing a story from a given outline or from a given beginning, converting episodes into dialogues and then developing them into a short play etc. have been included.
The department of English currently offers 3 programmes: 5 Year Integrated M.A English Language and Literature, M.A English Language and Literature and Doctoral Programme in English.
To equip the learners with essential language skills vital for employability, while instilling in them the maturity for aesthetic enjoyment, for understanding and appreciating values – social, cultural, and spiritual so that they are moulded into responsible human beings.
Prayaana is the English literary association to promote knowledge of, and scholarly interest in various literary genres and also focuses on extra-curricular activities on the campus. The club organizes literary weeks comprising debate, quiz and creative writing competitions, invited talks by eminent scholars and also various contests aiming at developing the personality of students.
