| Unit name | Language, Ethics and Communication |
|---|---|
| Unit code | MODLM0090 |
| Credit points | 20 |
| Level of study | M/7 |
| Teaching block(s) |
Teaching Block 1 (weeks 1 - 12) |
| Unit director | Dr. Nunes Vieira |
| Open unit status | Not open |
| Units you must take before you take this one (pre-requisite units) |
None |
| Units you must take alongside this one (co-requisite units) |
Research Methods in Translation and Interdisciplinary Studies Translation Practice and Analysis (Multilingual) |
| Units you may not take alongside this one |
None |
| School/department | School of Modern Languages |
| Faculty | Faculty of Arts, Law and Social Sciences |
Why is this unit important?
The unit will prompt you to engage with important questions around ethics and the power of language. Texts ‘do’ things – irrespective of the stories you wish to tell, effective communication requires you to be critically aware of the performative properties of verbal and non-verbal communicative codes and their different uses across languages and cultures.
How does this unit fit into your programme of study?
This unit will equip you with the core terminology and conceptual understanding required by other units on the programme. Although you will be expected to extrapolate from the unit in pursuing your own academic interests, what you learn here will be a solid starter pack. You will develop the theoretical confidence necessary for further intercultural studies.
An overview of content
The unit examines theories of language and cross-cultural communication as well as the ethical implications of applying these theories. You will learn about pragmatics and multimodality. You will also learn about how core approaches to normative ethics (e.g., utilitarianism, deontology and virtue ethics) may engender different ways of framing and conceptualising important social phenomena.
How will students, personally, be different as a result of this unit
You will become a more confident communicator by referring to specific theoretical frameworks needed for critical reflection and inquiry into the challenges of multilingual communication in the 21st century.
Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of the unit, you will be able to:
The unit includes independent research and analysis as well as a formative group presentation. The teaching will be delivered through seminars, lectures and interactive thought experiments. You will be invited to organise study groups and to share findings from your independent research. The summative assessments mirror activities you will be expected to perform elsewhere on the programme and in academic life more broadly: reviewing a book and presenting a compelling argument in the form of an essay.
Tasks which help you learn and prepare you for summative tasks (formative):
The unit’s practical tasks, outlined below under “How you will learn,” are each geared towards an aspect of the two summative assessments.
Tasks which count towards your unit mark (summative):
15-minute group book review podcast (30%) [ILOs 1–2]
2,500-word essay (70%) [ILOs 1–4]
When assessment does not go to plan
When required by the Board of Examiners, you will normally complete reassessments in the same formats as those outlined above. However, the Board reserves the right to modify the form or number of reassessments required.
Details of reassessments are normally confirmed by the School shortly after the notification of your results at the end of the academic year.
If this unit has a Resource List, you will normally find a link to it in the Blackboard area for the unit. Sometimes there will be a separate link for each weekly topic.
If you are unable to access a list through Blackboard, you can also find it via the Resource Lists homepage. Search for the list by the unit name or code (e.g. MODLM0090).
How much time the unit requires
Each credit equates to 10 hours of total student input. For example a 20 credit unit will take you 200 hours
of study to complete. Your total learning time is made up of contact time, directed learning tasks,
independent learning and assessment activity.
See the University Workload statement relating to this unit for more information.
Assessment
The assessment methods listed in this unit specification are designed to enable students to demonstrate the named learning outcomes (LOs). Where a disability prevents a student from undertaking a specific method of assessment, schools will make reasonable adjustments to support a student to demonstrate the LO by an alternative method or with additional resources.
The Board of Examiners will consider all cases where students have failed or not completed the assessments required for credit.
The Board considers each student's outcomes across all the units which contribute to each year's programme of study. For appropriate assessments, if you have self-certificated your absence, you will normally be required to complete it the next time it runs (for assessments at the end of TB1 and TB2 this is usually in the next re-assessment period).
The Board of Examiners will take into account any exceptional circumstances and operates
within the Regulations and Code of Practice for Taught Programmes.
