Minor Certificate Programme in Philosophy, Economics and Politics (PEP) Coordinater: Prof. Reena Cheruvalath

The Department of Humanities and Social Sciences of BITS Pilani, K K Birla Goa Campus offers a Minor Certificate Programme in Philosophy, Economics and Politics (PEP). All first degree students who declare their option to pursue the minor program before the end of the first year and at the beginning of the second year of their enrolment are eligible to opt for this programme in addition to the major degree program(s) they are enrolled in. A minor in PEP would allow a student to obtain a concentration in an area other than his/her major discipline(s) by using the open elective slots.

Objectives of the Minor in PEP:

The Minor in Philosophy, Economics & Politics (PEP) which includes a broad spectrum of courses aims at training students in a set of approaches with which an understanding of the social and human world we live in can be attempted. As such introductory training in three core disciplines will be provided to enable the student to ‘think through’ the economic, political and normative questions of our societies. Besides developing these core competencies the student will also choose three more courses from a pool of electives to dwell in specific areas of interest to him/her. The minor would particularly interest and enthuse those students who wish to complement their expertise in science and engineering with a grasp of the humanities and social sciences. [For details about the courses see Appendix A]

Prerequisites for the Programme

• A minimum of 4.5 CGPA is required to enroll in Minor in PEP.
• A student will be required to complete at least 6 courses (18 units minimum) for a Minor in PEP. If the three Humanities electives (Major Degree requirement) are taken from the Minor list of courses, they can be counted for both the Major and the Minor.
• Courses for a minor in PEP will include (i) core (i.e. mandatory) courses and (ii) elective courses (i.e. to be chosen from a pool). (See Appendix A)
• Beyond this the responsibility of completion of coursework lies with the student.
• At most 2 courses of the minor requirement may be met from the General Institutional Requirement (excluding Humanities Electives) and the Discipline Core(s) of the major degree program(s) of the student. [These are courses named explicitly in the program chart of the student.]
• No course may be used for two minors or for two majors and a minor.

Process of Admission:

• A student must declare his/her option to pursue a minor in PEP before the end of the first year of his/her enrolment.
• Coursework completed before admission into the minor programme would be applicable towards the minor requirements.
• Admissions Office will announce those who are admitted. A student may be admitted only in one minor program.

Fee:

• Each student admitted to a minor for AY 2015-16 must pay a fee of Rs. 12,600 in addition to fees for the semesters / summer terms enrolled in.
• The fee is payable in two installments – Rs. 6300 at the time of admission and Rs. 6300 on completion of requirements.
• Admission fees will be revised in subsequent years as per Institute norms.

Completion:

• On completion of the requirements and payment of fees, a student will be issued a certificate.
• A student will not be able to obtain a minor certificate if he/she has not completed the requirements of at least one (major) degree programme.

Appendix A

Courses:

Core Courses:

List of electives:

Minimum Units Required: 18 [All 3 core courses from (1) and any 3 electives from (ii)]

Note: If the three humanities electives (Major Degree requirement) are taken from the Minor list of courses, they can be counted both for the Major and the Minor.

BITS Pilani, K. K. Birla Goa Campus
Department of Humanities and Social Sciences
MINOR CERTIFICATE PROGRAMME OPTION FOR FIRST DEGREE STUDENTS
English Studies
Coordinator: Dr. Amitendu Bhattacharya
(amitendub@goa.bits-pilani.ac.in)

Like many other languages, English has a rich linguistic, literary and cultural heritage. The classic literary masterpieces of English are still widely read and appreciated. With an amazing stock of about one million words, the language has evolved over centuries and is now considered as the pre-eminent means of communication in the various sectors such as business, diplomacy, mass media, education, etc., across the globe. Though English has been enjoying a high status and has been playing a pivotal role in the Indian academe, students of Engineering and Science could hardly get any opportunity to understand and appreciate the nuances of English language and literature during their academic careers. A Minor in English Studies may serve as an attractive option to many of them from a diverse Engineering and Science disciplines to develop a deeper understanding into the various aspects of English language and also to enrich their aesthetic and analytical faculties by critically studying the literary works.

The Minor in English Studies introduces students to the language and literary canons, and renders them with adequate exposure not only to the cultural and linguistic aspects but also to practical applications of English language and literature. In particular, the core and elective courses included in the Minor would encourage students to acquire a critical understanding of literary and linguistic analyses, and the capacity to engage meaningfully in analysis, interpretation, and explanation. The Minor also gives an opportunity for students to choose modules and develop their own interests in language or literature. Students who follow the Minor will have an enhanced understanding of the nature of the English language and literature and also of the tools needed for further independent exploration of literary and linguistic phenomena.

Suggested Pool of Courses:

Core / Compulsory Courses:

1. GS F241: Creative Writing
2. HSS F337: English Literary Forms and Movements

Electives:

( Any three electives but at least one should be chosen from each list . In other words, one language and two literature courses or vice versa)

Language Courses

• HSS F342: Advanced Communicative English
• GS F244: Reporting and Writing for Media
• GS F245: Effective Public Speaking
• GS F221: Business Communication
• HSS F222: Linguistics
• HSS F228: Phonetics and Spoken English
• HSS F227: Cross Cultural Communication

Literature Courses

• HSS F221: Readings from Drama
• HSS F316: Popular Literature and Culture of South Asia
• HSS F327: Contemporary Drama
• HSS F335: Literary Criticism
• HSS F336: Modern Fiction
• HSS F338: Comparative Indian Literature
• HSS F340: Postcolonial Literatures
• HSS F399: Introduction to American Literature
• HSS F349: Ecocriticism

Note:

• A minimum of 5 CGPA is required to enroll in Minor in English Studies
• A student will be required to complete at least 5 courses (15 units minimum) for a Minor in English Studies.
• If the three Humanities electives (Major Degree requirement) are taken from the Minor list of courses, they can be counted both for the Major and the Minor.
• All enquiries regarding admission and eligibility should be directed to the Admissions and/or ARC offices.

Course Description:

HSS F342: Advanced Communicative English

The primary objective of this course is to enhance the English proficiency of students so that they can listen, speak, read and write more effectively. Focus will be given on all the four language skills through the topics chosen and the activities designed for this course. Topics covered include English sounds, accent, intonation, vocabulary extension, listening and reading comprehension, conversations, dictogloss, principles of effective writing, writing statement of purpose, thesis statements, critical essays, book reviews and term papers. It’s a practice-oriented course.

HSS F337: English Literary Forms and Movements

This course aims at providing an insight into the major forms of English literature and the social, cultural and political movements that were instrumental in producing literary masterpieces. It is a comprehensive survey, in sequential order, of the major periods, authors, literary trends and movements from the Old English Period to the Modern Age. By placing authors, genres and events within their particular social, political and historical contexts, this course prepares the student to make further forays into specific genres and periods in English literature.

GS F241: Creative Writing

The objective of this course is to familiarize the students with the nature and functioning of creative writing. In addition to introducing the basic tenets of creative writing to the students, the course will encourage them to acquire the techniques of constructing events, characters and writing poems and short stories, and also to create in them the ability to appreciate writing of all sorts. The course will focus not only on fostering the latent creative ability in the students to generate works of art but also on enabling them to display and nurture their critical and communicative skills.

GS F244: Reporting and Writing for Media

The objective of the course is to help the learner understand basic concepts of news writing and reporting. The course will mainly focus on print media and enable the students to learn various formats of news writing. The course will further acquaint the students with journalistic ethics and familiarize them with different kinds of headlines.

GS F245: Effective Public Speaking

The objectives of the course are to improve the students’ speaking skills in various professional contexts and to enable them to develop the art of public speaking. The course is practice-oriented and is designed to develop the necessary skills through actual practice in presenting information, giving seminars, participating in group talk etc.

HSS F222: Linguistics

Linguistics is the scientific study of Language. The course focuses on the study of the fundamental concepts of language and the role it plays in society. The linguistic tools and methodologies learnt in this course will enable learners to describe and analyze language systems in terms of as phonology (sound systems), morphology (word formation) and syntax (sentence organization). The course will also introduce learners to sociological and psychological factors related to language acquisition and usage. Study of psychological factors will help the learner to understand the linkage between the functioning of brain and mind in language acquisition and production. An analysis of sociological factors will enable the learner to understand the significance and impact of societal values and norms on language acquisition and production.

GS F221: Business Communication

The main objective of the course is to enhance the communication skills both oral and written, required for various managerial activities such as conducting and participating in interviews, discussing in groups, presenting in teams, speaking in public, giving instructions, conducting meetings etc. It will also deal with communication methods employed in various business scenarios like advertising, formal meeting, CSR, Business correspondences of different types, Proposals and B plans.

HSS F221: Readings from Drama

The course will trace the history of evolution of drama from its Grecian origin to the Miracle and Morality Plays of the church to its modern 20th century form. Along the way, Aristotle’s philosophy of the purpose of drama will be the framework of understanding the technical aspect of drama. The objective of Drama is “to hold, as 'twere, the mirror up to nature” (Hamlet, III.ii.21-22). Drama represents ‘the web of our life, which is of a mingled yarn, good and ill together: our virtues would be proud if our faults whipped them not; and our crimes would despair if they were not cherished by our own virtues”. All’s Well that Ends Well (4.3.84). Plays such as a).Macbeth, Henry V, Measure for Measure–William Shakespeare, b). The Way of the World-William Congreve, c). The Rivals-Richard Brinsley Sheridan, d). Pygmalion-G.B.Shaw, e). Murder in the Cathedral-T.S Eliot will be enacted in the classroom through reading of the texts followed by a critical analysis of the characters, plot, historical background of the play and the playwrights’ perspectives and its relevance in modern day context will help in developing the learners’ skills of critical analysis, creative writing.

HSS F335: Literary Criticism

The course introduces various trends in the critical analysis of literary texts from the classical to the modern times. It will familiarize the learner to poetry, short stories and excerpts from drama to understand how they have been evaluated / analyzed. By reading a few essays on criticism from the Classical, Renaissance, Neo-classical, Romantic, Victorian and Modern traditions the learner will apply critical concepts to literary texts.

HSS F336: Modern Fiction

This course charts the modern period of fiction writing, technically from Joseph Conrad to the present. This course will introduce the key currents of modernism and modernity and challenge students to examine some major modern novelists like James Joyce and Aldous Huxley (among others). Attention will be paid to themes, narratives, styles and also to the application of some critical theories to these literary works.

This course in intended to acquaint students with possibilities of understanding and analyzing various discourses involved in literature. The artistry of the writer in creating the work enhances further possibilities of similar contributions by the students to literature. Cross references would be made between the works so as to bring in comparisons between the writers and their works.

HSS F340: Post Colonial Literatures

Post Colonial literature refers to the literary and cultural production of the people belonging to nations formerly colonized by European powers. Theoretical discourses on the effects of colonization will be of particular relevance to countries like India (which was an ex- British Colony). The course focuses on the cultural and political implications of colonization and learners will have a contextual understanding of post colonial theory by relating it to their ‘lived reality’. This course will analyze Post- colonial texts (from India, Africa, Native peoples in Australia, Canada and North America) which discuss the aftermath of the imperial process. There will be an in-depth discussion on Orientalism and Euro-centrism, De-Colonization and Empire, Politics of racism, representation and language. Knowledge of these Post-colonial critical concepts will enable learners to examine the psychological, cultural and political ramifications of the colonial experiences in the post colonial world (like India) by reflecting on their own social, historical and political contexts.

HSS F 399: Introduction to American Literature

This introductory course has 4 distinct objectives. First, it will introduce students to the vastness of American literary output from the colonial period (1500s) to the end of World War II (1945). Second, it will enable students to see how American literature has changed, mutated, and developed a life of its own because of long-standing conflicts (both internal and external) and because of social and political forces that have moulded the nation as very distinctive and yet similar in some respects to European nations. Third, this course will let students appreciate the variety of concerns (intellectual, political, social, and economic) that allow a national literature to take root and flourish despite a multitude of conflicting agendas. Finally, it will allow students to understand the deep connections between language, society, and culture in the United States.

This course charts the socio-cultural and literary history of the United States since the landing of the Pilgrims from The Mayflower to the decisive American victory over the Axis powers in World War II. This course will be taught in 5 parts. The first, 1500- 1700 will cover the establishment of Plymouth Plantation and the establishment of early Puritanism. The second, 1700-1800, will cover the influence of Enlightenment thought on American life and letters and deal with the consequences of the Revolutionary War on literature. The third, 1800-1865, will cover the period of American Literary Nationalism, the westward expansion, and end with the American Civil War. The fourth, 1865-1914, will cover the Reconstruction period, the Mexican War, imperial expansion to the Southwest, the building of transcontinental railroads, the American frontier issue, industrialization and transformation of American life and their effects on the literary marketplace. The fifth, 1914-1945, will cover the period between the 2 world wars, the Great Depression, Modernism and Modernity in American life and letters, Harlem Renaissance, the increasing presence of science and technology as they touch everyday American life.