English Language and Literature and Applied English

The Department of English Language and Literature was one of the first academic departments to be established at the University of Jordan in Aqaba. On the undergraduate level, the department offers two academic programs: English Language and Literature and Applied English. The variety of the English language programs the department offers is targeted at meeting the needs of the local labor market which is in dire need for translators, teachers, bankers, editors, and hotel staff. Since its foundation, the development of the programs has been geared towards both at the quantitative and qualitative levels. Faculty teaching in the department graduated from highly reputable universities in the United States, the United Kingdom and other European universities.

The Department of English Language and Literature aims to:
- Graduate distinguished scholars able to fluently and accurately communicate in  
   English in the workplace whether it is a school, a bank, a hotel, a company, etc.
- Provide graduates with the necessary scientific research skills which will help them 
  pursue their higher education.
- Acquaint students with the American and British cultures with the aim of making
   them both bilinguals and bicultural scholars.

The Department of English Language and Literature offers the following programs:

Undergraduate Level Programs:
Bachelor’s Degree in English Language and Literature
This program aims at enhancing students' knowledge of the English language, linguistics and literature. It aims at developing students’ language competence and performance. The study plan of this program consists of the following disciplines: language skills which include courses covering the four language receptive and productive skills; translation courses which acquaint students with translation theory and train students to translate texts of various types from English into Arabic and vice versa;  Language courses such as theoretical linguistics, phonetics, phonology, syntax , semantics and applied linguistics courses such as sociolinguistics, psycholinguistics and discourse analysis  and finally literature courses which cover the four modes of rhetoric: Fiction, drama, poetry, and nonfiction prose in addition to literary criticism.  Literature courses explore American and British literature: classical, medieval and modern.

Bachelor’s Degree in Applied English
This newly introduced program follows a practical approach to the study of language. English is meant to be applied in communicative and practical contexts. Practice rather than theory is the main concern of this program. The program aims at helping students have a command and mastery of the four English language skills: receptive and productive skills. The ultimate aim of the program is to graduate highly qualified personnel with a reputation of professionalism in the workplace in such areas as education, public relations, tourism, business, press, media, health, diplomacy, law and many others. The career prospects for graduates of Applied English include, but are not limited to, teaching, translation, journalism, law firms, media, banks and companies.

Graduate Level Programs
Master’s Degree in Translation
On the graduate level, the Department of English and Literature currently offers
a Master’s Degree in Translation. The program aims to provide students with thorough knowledge of translation theory and strategies and methods of proper translation and to train them to translate texts of various types from English into Arabic and vice versa. The study plan of the translation program consists of the following disciplines: First, translation theories, methods, strategies and research methodology in translation studies. Second, practical translation in various disciplines including translation in the field of politics and diplomacy, translation in the field of business administration, mass media translation, legal translation and literary translation. Third, consecutive and simultaneous interpretation. Career prospects for graduates of the M.A program in translation include, but are not limited to, university academia, media, journalism, law firms, business companies, hotels, and public and private sector institutions. In addition, some graduates might find job opportunities as consecutive and simultaneous interpreters or subtitlers.

Forthcoming M.A program (English Literature)  
As of next year, 2020/2021, the Department of English and Literature plans to offer
a new M.A program in English Literature.