B. A. (Honours) in English Language and Literature Programme

Programme Objective:
This programme is aimed at training students to be able to use the language for scholarly and practical purposes. It will provide an excellent preparation for any profession requiring a high degree of skill and comprehension in oral and written communication. The English major is a widely recognized and respected preparation for graduate degree in teaching, creative writing, translation, journalism, information technology, management and administration.

Admission Requirements:

Minimum qualification for applying for admission in the BA (Hons.) in English Language and Literature is:

a) GPA of below 3.00 in SSC and HSC are not acceptable.

b) A Level and O Level Candidates must fulfill the criteria of having GPA 3.00 in both O level and A Level examinations. Candidates should pass minimum 5 subjects in O level and minimum 2 Subjects in A Level. However, department wise admission criteria should also be fulfilled.

Candidates with break of study of more than two years will have to apply separately stating the cause of break of study. All candidates will have to appear for a written admission test in English, Logical Reasoning and General Knowledge.

For the purpose of admission, international applicants are defined as all persons who are not citizens of Bangladesh. International applicants who seek admission at the UAP must meet the same academic standards for admission as those required of local students. Since there are variations in educational systems throughout the world, international applicants will be selected in the department on the basis of their academic background, proficiency in English and General Knowledge, probability of success in the curriculum, and certification of adequate financial resources.

Exemption from Admission Test:
Following categories of candidates are exempted from the written Admission Test:
 
a) Candidates who have a GPA of 3.50 (without 4th subject) in both SSC and HSC from Arts & Commerce group.
 
b) Candidates who have 5 A’s in O levels and 2 A’s in A levels.

All exempted candidates will have to face an interview to determine verbal proficiency in English.

Transfer of Credits:
Credits earned at previously attended colleges and universities will be evaluated for acceptance toward the UAP degree by qualified university academic faculty members. Transcripts from previously attended institutions must be submitted.


Requirements:
A student needs to complete a total of 40 (forty) courses containing 3 (three) credits each. Thus, the total credit requirement for BA Honours in English Language and Literature is 120.

Faculty:
The department has appointed faculty who has a broad range of professional competence in literature and language, and who are trained to teach courses in language study, linguistics, translation, world cultures, world literature and teaching English as a foreign language.

Teaching Methods:
Students work through a combination of lectures, seminar groups and written assignments. Students receive lectures and instructions in various topics and skills through latest methods of teaching in well-equipped classrooms. They are also given the opportunity to practice their knowledge and skills as the course progresses.

Private study is much more important at university level than traditional studies. Classroom lectures and tutorial classes would be delivered in a way so that the students are encouraged to do independent study at home or at the campus using resources from the UAP library.

Performance Evaluation:

The total performance of a student in a given course is based on a scheme of continuous assessments.

Total mark distribution for each course is as follows:

(a) Assessment:

Marks for assessment will be given by the course teacher through class tests, quizzes, assignments, presentations, class performance, class attendance, etc. There should be at least (n+1) where ‘n’ is the number of class tests for a course. The course teacher must submit a copy of marks of Assessment (mentioning the fractions in class tests, quizzes etc.) of his course to the Head of the department.

(b) Mid semester Examination:

Mid semester examination will be held according to the academic calendar published by the university at the beginning of a semester. The classes will remain suspended during the mid semester examination which is to be completed within 1 week.

(c) Semester Final Examination:

Semester Final examination will be started after one week’s recess as preparatory leave at the end of regular classes for a semester. The time duration of each examination will be 3 (three) hours for a 3 (three)-credit course. A student is required to attend at least 75% of the classes held for every course in order to sit for the semester final examination as well as repeat examinations.

Grading System:

Students are given letter grade in each course equivalent to a certain number of grade points. The University of Asia Pacific (UAP) follows the letter grades and grade points similar to those introduced by the University Grants Commission (UGC) in the uniform grading system for all the public and private universities of Bangladesh. The Letter grades and their corresponding grade points are as follows:

Grade ‘E’:    Grade ‘E’ means Exemption. A student admitted to the UAP with credits earned by him or her in other university/Academic Institution and are therefore exempted at the UAP.

Grade ‘I’:     Grade ‘I’ means incomplete work. Grade ‘I’ may be given to a candidate when s/he fails to appear at the semester final examinations only for reasons beyond his/her control. Grade `I' shall be converted to the actual grade obtained by the students when available by the following semester. Otherwise grade ‘I’ shall be converted to an ‘F’ grade and the student has to register for the particular course with payment of usual fees.

Calculation of Grade Point Average (CGPA):

A student’s performance is evaluated by the number of credits that s/he has completed satisfactorily and the weighted average of the grade points that s/he has achieved. The Grade Point Average (GPA) is computed in the following manner:

GPA =

The grade points are points against letter grades A+, A, A-, B+, B, B-, C+, C and D. Credits are for those courses attempted at this university only.

If a student fails to achieve at least 40% mark in a course S/he will get ‘F’ grade in that course. Absence in the final examination held at the end of each academic semester will also result in ‘F’ grade.

Academic Transcript:

Academic Transcript contains the courses studied, Credit(s), grade(s), GPA’s and CGPA’s earned or obtained by the student at this University. The credits earned at an institution other than the UAP shall be shown separately.

Repeat Examinations:

A student would be allowed to appear at the Repeat Examinations in case s/he fails in three theory courses or less but not exceeding 10 credit hours. The results of Repeat Examinations would be published within three weeks from the date of publication of the results of the Semester Final Examination concerned.

Repeat Examinations on theory courses would be held on 50 percent of marks for each course and the marks for Class Assessment and Mid Semester Examination would be carried. There shall be no repeat examinations for sessional courses. The maximum grade
to be obtained by a student in a repeat examination would be ‘B’- (equivalent to 60%).

The following grading system would be followed in the repeat examinations:

60% and above           :           B­         (B Regular)
55% to less than 60%  :           B-        (B Minus)
50% to less than 55%  :           C+       (C Plus)
45% to less than 50%  :           C­         (C Regular)
40% to less than 45%  :           D        
Less than 40%             :           F         

Re-examination of Answer Scripts:

Re-examination of final examination answer scripts may be permissible. A candidate can apply for re-examination of any answer script of final examination to the Controller of Examinations through their advisor and the head of the department on payment of Tk.200/- (two hundred) only per script within 7 (seven) working days from the publication of final results. No such application shall be entertained after the time. While re-examining such answer scripts the examiner shall re-examine the scripts thoroughly and shall award a grade, which shall be treated as final.

Improvement of Grades:

The provision for improvement of grades applies to those only who obtained a grade C or lower in any course. Such candidates may be allowed to improve their grades by surrendering the earlier grade obtained by him or her. This provision for improvement of grades in any semester final examination can be divided into two categories:

Category A:

1.   For improvement of grades, a student will be allowed to repeat a maximum of four courses during this four-year programme.

2.   For availing such provision of grade improvement a candidate will apply to the Controller of the Examinations through the Head of the department with a fee of Tk.3,000 /- (taka three thousand only) per credit hour. A student may apply for such provision any time during his or her study in the University of Asia Pacific but not beyond two weeks after the publication of his/her final semester results.        

Category B:

1.   A cumulative grade point average (CGPA) of minimum 2.25 is required for graduation. A candidate whose CGPA is below 2.25 shall have to increase his or her CGPA to the minimum requirement within two consecutive semesters failing which S/he shall be placed under academic provision.

2.   Candidates requiring to increase their CGPA under this category shall apply to the Controller of Examinations throuah the Head of the Department concerned with the payment of Tk.3,000/- (taka three thousand only) per credit hour.

Number of Semesters in an Academic Year:

There will be two semesters: - Fall and Spring Semester in an academic year. In addition to these two regular semesters, there may be a short semester in the intervening period between the end of Spring Semester and commencement of Fall Semester. During this short semester, students according to their needs, may take additional courses either to make up deficiencies in credit and grade point average (GPA) requirements, or to fulfill the credit requirements for a BA (Hons.) in English Language and Literature degree and thus spending less time than the normal duration.

Duration of Semesters:

Duration of each of Spring and Fall Semesters will generally be 18 weeks which may be used as follows:

Regular Semesters
Classes                                                                    15 weeks
Recess before examination                                         01 week
Semester final examination                                         02 weeks
Total                                                                      18 weeks        

Short Semesters
Intensive classes                                                       07 weeks
Semester final examination                                         01 week
Total                                                                      08 weeks        

Assignment of Credits and Attendance:

One lecture per week per semester will be equivalent to one credit. Thus, each three credit hour course will have three lectures per week throughout the semester. All students are expected to attend classes regularly. The University of Asia Pacific believes that regular attendance is essential for learning. As it has been already mentioned, a student is required to attend at least 75% of all the classes held in every course in order to sit for the final examination.

Absence During Semester:

A student shall not be absent from quizzes, tests, mid semester examinations etc., during the semester. Such absence will naturally lead to reduction in points/marks, which shall count towards the final grade. Absence in the final examination held at the end of each academic semester will result in F grade.

Conduct and Discipline:

A student should conform to the highest standard of discipline and shall conduct herself/himself within and outside the premises of the university in a manner befitting for a student of a university of national importance. He or she shall show due courtesy and consideration to the teachers and other employees of the university and render sincere co-operation to his or her fellow students. The students must also pay due attention and courtesy to the visitors.