The Bachelor’s Degree Program
1) Objectives
The English Department aims to equip students with cognitive academic language proficiency and professional knowledge of linguistics, English literature and culture, as well as knowledge of Chinese language and culture. Students are expected to acquire knowledge of humanities and natural sciences, cross-cultural communication skills, and critical thinking abilities. They are also, by the curriculum, required to learn another foreign language besides English. After the four-year program, they can pursue graduate studies, in China and abroad, in such fields as linguistics, literature, culture, language education, interpretation, translation, or in cross-disciplinary fields of education psychology and neurolinguistics, or in other disciplines like law, business, management, and accounting. Students can also find jobs, in and outside China, in enterprises, state agencies, schools, working as interpreters, teachers, administrators and managers. Worthy of attention is that our students are specially prepared for administration and translation work associated with high-speed train and rail transit, a field to which Southwest Jiaotong University is dedicated.
2) Curriculum Design
To graduate, all students of the English Department should finish 162-credit courses, which consist of general education courses (43 credits), discipline courses (106 credits) and practice courses (13 credits).
(1) General education courses (43 credits)
Implemented by SWJTU, general education courses are listed as follows.
Course Modules |
Courses |
Details |
General Education Courses |
Thought morals tutelage and legal foundation |
3 credits，2nd semester，3 hours per week |
Conspectus of Chinese Modern History |
2 credits，1st semester，2 hours per week |
|
The Basic Principles of Marxism |
3 credits，4th semesters，3 hours per week |
|
Introduction to Mao Zedong Thought and Theories of Socialism with Chinese Characteristics I |
3 credits，5th semesters，3 hours per week |
|
Introduction to Mao Zedong Thought and Theories of Socialism with Chinese Characteristics II |
3 credits，6th semesters，3 hours per week |
|
Military Theory |
2 credits，1st semesters，2 hours per week |
|
Military Training |
1 credit, 1stsummer |
|
Second Foreign Languages I (French, German, Russian) |
4 credits, 4th semester, 4 hours per week |
|
Second Foreign Languages II (French, German, Russian) |
4 credits, 5th semester, 4 hours per week |
|
Second Foreign Languages III (French, German, Russian) |
4 credits, 6th semester, 4 hours per week |
|
English Education and Individual Development |
2 credits, 1st semester, 2 hours per week |
(2) Discipline courses (106 credits)
Discipline courses are mainly offered by the Department and are described as below:
science coursesandcore courses:（86 credits）
---Science courses : math + computer science（6 credits）
---core courses: English language skill courses（70 credits）+ required discipline courses（10 credits）
Discipline courses
（106 credits）
elective discipline courses (20 credits required and 36 credits offered)
Science Courses and Core Courses
Course Modules |
Courses |
Details |
Science Courses |
Math |
2 credits，1st semester，2 hours per week |
Computer Science |
2 credits，1st semester，2 hours per week |
|
Comprehensive Courses |
Comprehensive English I-IV |
24 credits，1st-4th semesters，6 hours per week |
Advanced English I-II |
8 credits，5th-6th semesters，4 hours per week |
|
Listening |
1) Basic English Listening 2) listening to News 3) Comprehensive Listening 4) Viewing, Listening and speaking |
1) 2 credits，1st semester，2 hours per week 2) 2 credits，2nd semester，2 hours per week 3) 2 credits，3rd semester，2 hours per week 4) 2 credits，4th semester，2 hours per week |
Speaking |
1) Pronunciation and Intonation 2) Communicative English 3) Public Speaking 4) English Debate |
1) 2 credits，1st semester，2 hours per week 2) 2 credits，2nd semester，2 hours per week 3) 2 credits，3rd semester，2 hours per week 4) 2 credits，4th semester，2 hours per week |
Reading |
1) Extensive Reading 2) Readings of Greek Mythology and the Bible 3) Reading English Newspaper and Magazines 4) Selected Readings in British and American Literature |
1) 2 credits，1st semester，2 hours per week 2) 2 credits，2nd semester，2 hours per week 3) 2 credits，3rd semester，2 hours per week 4) 2 credits，4th semester，2 hours per week |
Writing |
1) English Basic Writing 2) Narrative Writing 3) Expository Writing 4) Argumentative Writing 5) Academic Writing |
1) 2 credits，1st semester，2 hours per week 2) 2 credits，2nd semester，2 hours per week 3) 2 credits，3rd semester，2 hours per week 4) 2 credits，4th semester，2 hours per week 5) 2 credits，7th semester，2 hours per week |
Grammar |
English Grammar |
2 credits，3rd semester，2 hours per week |
Required Discipline Courses
Courses |
Details |
British and American Studies |
2 credits，4th semester，2 hours per week |
English-Chinese Translation AI-AII |
4 credits，5th-6th semesters，2 hours per week |
Linguistics AI-AII |
4 credits，5th-6th semesters，2 hours per week |
Elective discipline course module contains five areas, namely Chinese culture and traditional Chinese linguistics, western literature, western culture, linguistics and workplace English, which are illustrated below:
As seen from above, Chinese culture and traditional Chinese linguistics are required, which contribute to 4 credits. Students are required to take two module courses from four modules offered. Details of these courses are listed below:
Elective Discipline Courses
Course Modules |
Courses |
Details |
Chinese （Compulsory） |
1) Traditional Chinese Linguistics 2) Overview of Chinese Culture |
1) 2 credits，5th semester，2 hours per week 2) 2 credits，5th semester，2 hours per week |
Linguistics (Elective) |
1) Discourse Analysis 2) Introduction to Second Language Acquisition 3) Questionnaire Development and Analysis 4) English Varieties and Translation |
1) 2 credits，5th semester，2 hours per week 2) 2 credits，6th semester，2 hours per week 3) 2 credits，6th semester，2 hours per week 4) 2 credits，7th semester，2 hours per week |
Western Literature (Elective) |
1) History of British Literature 2) History of American Literature 3) Western Literary Criticism 4) Modern and contemporary English Literature |
1) 2 credits，5th semester，2 hours per week 2) 2 credits，6th semester，2 hours per week 3) 2 credits，6th semester，2 hours per week 4) 2 credits，7th semester，2 hours per week |
Western Culture (Elective) |
1) An Introduction to European Culture 2) A Selected Reading from Western Classics 3) Comparative Study of Chinese and Western Cultures 4) Sinology Abroad |
1) 2 credits，5th semester，2 hours per week 2) 2 credits，6th semester，2 hours per week 3) 2 credits，6th semester，2 hours per week 4) 2 credits，7th semester，2 hours per week |
Workplace English (Elective) |
1) Interpretation 2) Workplace English 3) Extensive Readings in Engineering English A1-AII |
1) 2 credits，5th semester，2 hours per week 2) 2 credits，7th semester，2 hours per week 3) 2 credits，6th-7th semester，2 hours per week |
(3) Practice courses (13 credits)
Practice courses are composed of innovation project, practice programs, and dissertation composition.
Innovation project has two credits, which are obtained through the completion of Student Research Training Program (SRTP), a university-level program, and the composition of 10 reflection reports of lectures attended.
Practice programs involve three packages of work, each of which is implemented within an academic year from Year One, Year Two to Year Three. Detailed information of these packages is revealed in the following table:
Subject |
Academic Year |
Objectives |
Major Contents |
English Language Skill Practice, 1 credit |
Year One |
Promote interest in learning and practice improving English language skills |
1. Public Speaking 2. Essay Writing 3. Attending lectures |
Translation Practice, 1 credit |
Year Two |
Practice translation skills; Use translation softwares to help doing translation; Learn about translation industry |
1. Visiting a translation cooperation; 2. Attending lectures involving translation work; 3. Finishing translation tasks assigned |
Learning about English Education and Society, 1 credit |
Year Three |
Practice teaching and developing interpersonal skills |
1. Sharing our college life; 2. Teaching reading 3. Life saving training program 4. Attending workplace lectures |