An Investigation On Curriculum Design Of The Master’s Degree Program-Foreign Linguistics And Applied Linguistics

Curriculum design determines the core of cultivating plan in different types of schools,while as an important part in higher education,postgraduate education,of which its curriculum design directly influences the realization of fostering advanced talents.Since the Ministry of Education issued a notice in 2009 to reduce the enrollment of academic postgraduates and increase that of professional degree postgraduates,promoting strategic transformation of our postgraduate education from cultivating academic talents to practical talents.In this circumstance,research on the curriculum design of academic postgraduates becomes more crucial.And as an old academic degree program in English major,the master’s degree program:Foreign linguistics and applied linguistics(English linguistics for short),investigation on its curriculum design could contribute to discussing whether it is necessary to intensify practice in theory learning to adapt itself to the changing and developing academic environment and the social needs for practical talents.From the related literature reviews,studies at home and abroad on English postgraduates’ curriculum design are scarce.Domestic studies on curriculum design mainly adopted needs analysis,or documentary and comparative methods,which lack empirical nature.Hence this study,based on Schwab’s practice-based curriculum theory and previous research results on the curriculum design of English major,especially of English linguistics,set out to explore the condition of English linguistics postgraduates’curriculum design,aiming at finding out potential problems and further proposing suggestions on improvement,meanwhile enriching relevant studies on English postgraduates’ curriculum design.The study mainly involved three research questions:(1)How do the students evaluate current curriculum design of English linguistics in CCNU?(2)Within the basic connotations(curriculum objective,content,structure and implementation)of curriculum design,what are the main problems?(3)What are the possible reasons for the problems?Altogether 52 postgraduates of English linguistics in 2014 and 2015 participated as subjects in the study.Combining research methods of questionnaire and interview were adopted:all the 52 students filled in the questionnaires and later 6 of them and 3 teachers were invited to be interviewees.It was found that students’ evaluation on curriculum design is quite conservative implied by the data from the questionnaire survey,yet they are not satisfied with many aspects in the curriculum design in the following interviews.Two kinds of reasons may explain the difference,on the one hand,students’ complaints on curriculum design are based on their own demands for course learning;on the other,they are also introspective,admitting their lack of enthusiasm and clear goals in learning.Moreover,results revealed that students tend to learn practical knowledge more relevant to their future career objectives:elementary and secondary school teachers,which is different from cultivating objectives,so they hold that theory is disjointed from practice in course contents.This may ascribe to teachers’teaching methods,students’ repertoire of theoretical expertise as well as realistic factors like course period,etc.The most prominent problems were found in curriculum structure,such as the lack of practice session and elective courses,and irrational arrangement concerning course term.Various factors may be attributed to these problems,including the absence of mutual communication on students’ needs and real condition among teaching administrators,teachers and students.Besides,it was also found that in curriculum implementation,problems of teachers’ overuse of students’ presentation and singular assessment existed.This may stem mainly from teachers’ insufficient devotion.The present study offers some suggestions to the three parties:teaching administrators,teachers and students,hoping to optimize the curriculum design of English linguistics.The administrators should adjust curriculum structure to better fit the needs of students and society,like carrying out practicum for students.Teachers including supervisors should provide timely help and guidance for students concerning course learning and future employment.More importantly,postgraduates themselves should form clear goals and take initiative in study to intensify necessary theoretical knowledge reserve.