Academic Master’s Program in English Language and Literature (Secondary Discipline Code: 050201)

Release time：2025-09-03 13:52:09

School of English and International Studies (SEIS), Beijing Foreign Studies University.

The curriculum below lists general compulsory courses, university-wide academic literacy options, and major requirements and electives across tracks in literatures in English, linguistics/applied linguistics, and area studies (American, British, Australian, Canadian, Irish Studies; Foreign Language Teaching Materials). “Total Hours” = contact hours; “Semester” indicates the recommended term of offering.

Table 1. General Compulsory Courses

Course Title----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------	Total Hours	Credits	Semester
Theory and Practice of Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era	32	2	1
Marxism and Methodology of Social Sciences	16	1	2
Foreign Language / Second Foreign Language	128	4	1-2

University-wide Academic Literacy Courses (choose at least one, 2 credits)

Course Title----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------	Total Hours	Credits	Semester
Frontiers in Language Studies	32	2	1
Frontiers in Literature Studies	32	2	1
Frontiers in Translation and Culture Studies	32	2	1
Frontiers in Area Studies and Global Governance	32	2	1

Table 2. Major Compulsory and Elective Courses

The following subtables list Major Compulsory requirements and Major Electives by track/research direction.

2.1 Center for Literatures in English — Major Compulsory

Course Title----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------	Total Hours	Credits	Semester
Bibliography and Research Methods	32	2	1
Classical Western Literary Theories	32	2	1
British Romantic Poetry	32	2	1
Contemporary Western Critical Theories	32	2	2
Narrative Theories of Novels	32	2	2

2.2 Linguistics and Applied Linguistics — Major Compulsory

Course Title----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------	Total Hours	Credits	Semester
Syntax	32	2	1
Research Methodology in Linguistics and Applied Linguistics	32	2	2
Semantics	32	2	2
Second Language Acquisition	32	2	3
Introduction to Cognitive Linguistics	32	2	4

2.3 Foreign Language Teaching Materials (China National Research Institute for FL Teaching Materials) — Major Compulsory

Course Title----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------	Total Hours	Credits	Semester
History and Research Methods on Foreign Language Teaching Materials	32	2	1
Foreign Language Curriculum, Teaching Materials and Teaching Methods	32	2	2
Research Methodology in Linguistics and Applied Linguistics	32	2	2
Second Language Acquisition	32	2	1
Applied Linguistics: Theory and Practice	32	2	3

2.4 American Studies Center — Major Compulsory

Course Title----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------	Total Hours	Credits	Semester
Major Issues in U.S. Social and Cultural History	16	1	1
American Studies: Theories, Perspectives & Approaches	32	2	1
Research Methods	32	2	2
Lecture Series on American Studies	32	3	1-4
Academic Writing	32	2	1-2

2.5 Cross-track Required Courses (British/Australian/Canadian/Irish Studies)

Course Title----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------	Total Hours	Credits	Semester
Methodology for Area Studies	32	2	2
Cultural Theories and Cultural Studies	32	2	3
Theories in Political Research	32	2	3

2.6 British Studies Center — Major Compulsory

Course Title----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------	Total Hours	Credits	Semester
Contemporary British Political History	32	2	1
Contemporary British Society	32	2	1
Contemporary British Culture	32	2	1
British Constitution and Government	32	2	3

2.7 Australian Studies Center — Major Compulsory

Course Title----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------	Total Hours	Credits	Semester
Australian History	32	2	1
Australian Government and Political System	32	2	3
Australia and China Relations	32	2	3
Australian Economy and Its Economic Relations with China	32	2	4

2.8 National Center for Canadian Studies — Major Compulsory

Course Title----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------	Total Hours	Credits	Semester
Introduction to Canadian Studies	32	2	1
Canada’s Multiculturalism	32	2	1
Memo Writing for Policymakers and International Organizations	32	2	2
A Sociological Approach to Spiritual Culture: Cases from China and Canada	32	2	3
Culture and International Politics	32	2	3
Canadian Diplomacy	32	2	4

2.9 Irish Studies Center — Major Compulsory

Course Title----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------	Total Hours	Credits	Semester
Irish History	32	2	1
Irish Literature	32	2	1
Irish Politics and Diplomacy	32	2	2
Irish Cultural Studies	32	2	2

2.10 Center for Literatures in English — Major Electives

Course Title----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------	Total Hours	Credits	Semester
18th Century British Literature	32	2	1
Selected Readings of Shakespearean Drama	32	2	1
Contemporary British Poetry	32	2	2
Practical Criticism	32	2	2
British and American Drama	32	2	2
19th Century American Fiction	32	2	2
20th Century British Fiction	32	2	3
19th Century British Fiction	32	2	3
Modern American Fiction	32	2	3
Contemporary American Fiction	32	2	3
American Modernist Poetry	32	2	3
Western Marxist Critical Theory	32	2	4
Consumer Culture & Literary Representations	32	2	4
American Women’s Fiction	32	2	4
Chinese American Literature	32	2	4
Contemporary American Poetry	32	2	4

2.11 Linguistics and Applied Linguistics — Major Electives

Course Title----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------	Total Hours	Credits	Semester
English Stylistics	32	2	1
Phonetics1	32	2	1
Academic Writing in Linguistics and Applied Linguistics2	32	2	1
Schools of Western Linguistics	32	2	2
History of and Research Methods on Foreign Language Teaching Materials	32	2	1
Foreign Language Curriculum, Teaching Materials and Teaching Methods	32	2	2
Morphology	32	2	2
Pragmatics	32	2	3
Applied Linguistics: Theory and Practice	32	2	3
Discourse Analysis	32	2	3
Psycholinguistics	32	2	4
Introduction to Functional Linguistics	32	2	2
Language Testing and Assessment	32	2	4
Sociolinguistics	32	2	4

2.12 Foreign Language Teaching Materials — Major Electives

Course Title----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------	Total Hours	Credits	Semester
English Stylistics	32	2	1
Phonetics	32	2	1
Academic Writing in Linguistics and Applied Linguistics	32	2	1
Syntax	32	2	1
Semantics	32	2	2
Schools of Western Linguistics	32	2	2
Morphology	32	2	2
Introduction to Functional Linguistics	32	2	2
Pragmatics	32	2	3
Discourse Analysis	32	2	3
Introduction to Cognitive Linguistics	32	2	4
Psycholinguistics	32	2	4
Language Testing and Assessment	32	2	4
Sociolinguistics	32	2	4

2.13 American Studies Center — Major Electives

Course Title----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------	Total Hours	Credits	Semester
Cultural Sociology	16	1	1
Western Civilization with Chinese Comparisons	32	2	1
American Constitution	32	2	1
American Diplomatic History	32	2	1
American Sinology and Chinese Culture	32	2	2
History of Sino-U.S. Diplomatic Relations	32	2	2
American Trade Policy	32	2	2
American Economic History	32	2	2
Media Discourse Analysis	16	1	3
American Film: Theory and Practice	16	1	3
Cross-border Migration between the U.S. and China	16	1	3
America and the Indo-Pacific	32	2	3
American Government and Politics Today	32	2	3
Quantitative Research Methods	32	2	3
American Intellectual History	16	1	4
Rediscovering American Art	16	1	4
Foreign Policy Making of the U.S.	16	1	4
American Policies on Non-traditional Cross-Border Issues	16	1	4
Social Stratification in the U.S.	16	1	4
Migration Studies	16	1	4

2.14 British Studies Center — Major Electives

Course Title----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------	Total Hours	Credits	Semester
British Foreign Policy in the Post-War Era	32	2	2
European Integration: History and Policies	32	2	2
Issues in British Economy and Society	32	2	3
Britain on the Screen	32	2	4
British Media	32	2	4
New Issues in British Studies	32	2	4
A Brief History of Britain	32	2	4

2.15 Australian Studies Center — Major Electives

Course Title----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------	Total Hours	Credits	Semester
Australian Literature	32	2	1
Australian Language and Culture	32	2	1
Australian Society and Culture — A Cinematic Approach	32	2	2
Australian Gender Issues	32	2	2
Development of Australian National Identity	32	2	2
Translating Australian Literary Works into Chinese	32	2	2
Social Issues in Australia	32	2	3
Australia and International Organizations	32	2	3
Australian Urban Studies	32	2	4

2.16 National Center for Canadian Studies — Major Electives

Course Title----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------	Total Hours	Credits	Semester
Power Shifts in History	32	2	1
Advanced Readings in Chinese and Western Canons	32	2	1
Contemporary Issues and Policy Alternatives in Canada	32	2	2
Research Methodology in Area Studies and Academic Writing	32	2	4

2.17 Irish Studies Center — Major Electives

Course Title----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------	Total Hours	Credits	Semester
Irish Language (I)	64	2	1
Irish Language (II)	64	2	2
Contemporary Irish Fiction	32	2	3
New Developments in Irish Studies and MA Thesis Writing	32	2	4
Issues in Irish History and Culture	32	2	4
Introduction to Celtic Studies	32	2	4

2.18 General Electives Open to All Tracks

Course Title----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------	Total Hours	Credits	Semester
Understanding Contemporary China: Advanced Chinese–English Translation	32	2	1 or 3
Understanding Contemporary China: Advanced Chinese–English Interpretation	32	2	2 or 4

This translation reflects the official curriculum for the Academic Master’s Program in English Language and Literature (Secondary Discipline 050201) at SEIS, Beijing Foreign Studies University.

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