About :
The Faculty of Language Studies (FLS) was established in 2002, at the very start of AOU. At present, it offers a BA Programme (Hons) in English Language and Literature in all centres of KSA. The programme is based on the Open University courses in the UK and uses textbooks and approaches of the highest international standards. Demand on the offered programmes is growing, as both are relevant not only to students’ intellectual and knowledge growth, but also to their career needs. While the programme – English Language and Literature – is essentially made up of courses within the traditional, interrelated realms of language, literature and linguistics, it does venture also into the spheres of discourse analysis, pragmatics and culture. Clearly, a BA programme in English Language and Literature enables the graduates of the programme to be competent in the fields of linguistics and English Literature, two fields essential to any intellectual, well-rounded person’s education and to any society’s needs – stressing here that English literature has actually expanded over the years to include all literatures written in (or even translated into) English. Such crucial development comes with the aim of catering to students’ global education and outlook – a must in today’s world. But a degree in language and literature also qualifies students for the workplace. Graduates of literature and linguistics develop a command of the language that transcends their specific fields of study to include the language of journalism, media, the marketplace, politics, etc. After all, a programme in English Language and Literature graduates students in possession of excellent language communication skills, both oral and written. Recently, we have been working on developing the programme, giving students a more solid background in language and offering them more options. Toward the former end, we have just introduced new courses like Oral and Presentation Skills; toward the latter, we have introduced a new course on Children’s Literature. Needless to say, during each validation, some of our courses were replaced with new courses.
Vision & Mission
Faculty of Language Studies (FLS) was established with the aim of offering an experience in language learning that is not offered in much (if not all) of our part of the world. It was not intended to be “just another faculty.” Additionally, the idea of “open” education in the sphere of languages, in particular, is not only an elegant and advanced idea, but also – one would argue – a necessity. We can no longer afford to continue to teach and learn in traditional, old-fashioned ways. The world we live in, which has changed dramatically in the past two decades, offers so much potential and so many new tools and variables. We have to “open” ourselves to this potential and we have to make use of these tools; and, naturally, adapt to the variables and use them to our advantage. Undeniably, some levels of the traditional face-to-face methods of delivery are still relevant in some ways, and even necessary; but we have to tutor and learn in new ways. This is why the program was established.
The mission of the program of English Language & Literature (ELL) is to qualify the graduate of this program with a balanced understanding of the English Language and Literature in order to achieve a number of educational goals and objectives that are commensurate with expected diverse work demands in different areas related to the use and application of the English language and its associated literature. The ELL program offers a set of integrated courses that enable graduates to engage in diverse areas of this program and qualify them with a balanced understanding of English language and literature in order to achieve a number of educational objectives.
