M.A. seminars 2024–2026 in the extramural programme in English Philology

What is this list?

This is a list of M.A. seminars we intend to launch in our extramural programme in English Philology (Filologia angielska) whose first year of study is 2024; that is, the seminars are planned to start in 2024 and end in 2026, at the end of the two-year M.A. programme.

What about these seminars?

Part of the admissions procedure for the M.A. programme is an interview. The interview you take part in is with a small committee of our teachers headed by your prospective M.A. thesis supervisor, the teacher whose seminar you intend to join upon becoming a student in the programme. At some point between your registration for the given programme—see the easy step-by-step instruction linked to here—and the day of the interview we may contact you to ask about your preferred M.A. seminar. Your task is easy: browse this list for seminars on offer and let us know, when asked, which seminar is your favourite. We will take note of it and ensure your interview is with the right committee.

Please note: We do not guarantee that upon admission to the programme you will be able to join the preferred seminar. Enrolment into a particular seminar is subject to conditions such as the total number of candidates, the overall result of your enrolment process, and others.

How to navigate the list?

As you scroll the page down, you will note headers with names of the seminars planned for the 2024–2026 study cycle, with the name of the teacher and the description of the seminar below.

Literature as texts of conduct: Lessons on rules, prohibitions and sanctions in British and Irish literature of the Long Eighteenth Century

dr Katarzyna Bronk-Bacon

Description

In the Preface to his Dorian Gray, Oscar Wilde stated that “[a]ll art is quite useless”, which is read as a pre-emptive defence strategy and apology for the allegedly shocking plot of his novel or as his acknowledgement of the tenets of aestheticism. However, even Wilde found out that contemporary readers didn’t treat literary works as objects of beauty only. Literature, even of the popular kind, does have a function – it advises, teaches, warns, scares into submission and incites to rebellion. It is a reflection of its times as well as a distorted mirror which is purposefully used not to expose the truth behind the veneer of contemporary ideologies. Fiction delights with escapist pleasures; threatens with gothic and sublime visions; mollifies with promises of utopian order or horrifies with apocalyptic nothingness.

This MA seminar will explore all of the aforementioned options in search for the lessons on personal (i.e. gender, class, age), cultural, religious or moral and political lessons which writers aimed to perpetuate via their fiction or drama, and which the readers were overtly or subconsciously imbibing. While the main timeframe our explorations will be the Long Eighteenth Century, comparative theses looking further into the nineteenth century may be allowed.

This MA seminar is for students with open and inquisitive minds, ready to decode literature and culture in search for overt and subconscious patterns that societies are (sometimes forced) to acknowledge and live by. It is for students who enjoy critical reading and are willing to engage in thorough critical research. It is for you if YOU (and not ChatGPt) enjoy writing about literature. Prior study of the history of British literature is more than welcome, but general knowledge of historical and cultural periods is equally beneficial. Students willing to write about old age and ageing (age studies) are more than welcome.

Media, culture and society

prof. UAM dr hab. Janusz Kaźmierczak

Description

The seminar will focus on the representations carried and the role played by the media in modern society, and in so doing it will introduce the students to media theory and research. The conceptual and methodological apparatus thus built will enable the students to complete their MA thesis projects that will involve studying the representations carried or the role played by the media in British or American culture, or investigating links between British, American and Polish culture as observed in the media. Of special interest will be all forms of connection between media and literature. Accordingly, in addition to the theoretical input, the seminar will offer guidance in developing and applying research skills, including making library searches, assessing sources, as well as planning and writing MA theses.

Candidates for the seminar should have a keen interest in the modern media and in media and cultural theory, as well as a good background knowledge of British and American culture. For the interview, they are also encouraged to acquaint themselves at least with parts of the books listed in the “Select bibliography” section.

Select literature

  • Fiske, John. 1990. Introduction to communication studies. London: Routledge.
  • Lindgren, Simon. 2022. Digital media and society: Theories, topics and tools. (2nd edition.) London: Sage Publications.
  • Thwaites, Tony, Lloyd Davis and Warwick Mules. 1994. Tools for cultural studies: An introduction. Melbourne: Macmillan.
  • Turow, Joseph. 2017. Media today: Mass communication in a converging world. (6th edition.) New York: Routledge.

M.A. seminar in English cuddly linguistics

prof. UAM dr hab. Marcin Krygier

The aim of this seminar is to guide students through the process of conducting research leading to an M.A. thesis in English cuddly linguistics.

What is cuddly linguistics?

Language is a human activity, and it is impossible to study it without acknowledging the connection between language as an abstract phenomenon and its use(rs). Cuddly linguistics rejects theorising for theory's sake, focusing instead on what speakers do with language as well as what language does to speakers.

Possible study areas

The following broadly defined areas of interest can be pursued in this seminar: language and/in society (+\- sociolinguistics), language and extralinguistic reality (+/- pragmatics), language and meaning (+/- semantics), and language and history (+/- historical linguistics). Theoretical topics are possible but only upon individual consultation (except theoretical syntax, which is evil), applied linguistic topics are NOT possible.

Contents of the seminar

In the first year we will discuss practicalities of writing a M.A. thesis as well as review possible areas of study and research topics. The second semester will be focused upon defining your research interests, planning your research, and conducting a literature review. It will lead to a production of a rough (very) draft of your theoretical chapter (approximately 15 pages). The summer break and the second year will see you carrying out your research, analysing your data, and writing up your thesis. If you need reassurance that this seminar is for you, drop me a line at mkrygier@amu.edu.pl.

Suggested reading

The variety of possible topics means that any general textbook in linguistics will serve as a starting point for your work. Some recommended titles are:

  • Bauer, Laurie. 2012. Beginning linguistics. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan.
  • Fromkin, Victoria, Robert Rodman & Nina Hyams. 2003. An introduction to language. (9th edition) Boston, MA: Wadsworth.
  • Yule, George. 2014. The study of language. (5th edition). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

Bridging the gap: Overcoming obstacles in the research-practice relationship

prof. UAM dr hab. Paweł Scheffler

Description

The relationship between research and practice in various fields, for example, medicine, public health, engineering, and particularly in education, is pivotal yet often fraught with challenges. Research provides evidence-based insights that can enhance educational practices, but implementing these findings in real-world settings encounters several obstacles. One major challenge is the gap between research language and practical application, where findings may be presented in complex, jargon-heavy language inaccessible to practitioners. Additionally, there is often a lack of resources, including time, training, and financial support, which hampers the translation of research into practice. Overcoming these barriers requires fostering strong partnerships between researchers and practitioners in various fields, ensuring ongoing professional development, and creating accessible, practitioner-friendly research summaries. By emphasizing collaborative efforts and practical dissemination strategies, the gap between research and practice can be bridged, leading to more effective and informed practices.

In this seminar, we will focus on the obstacles to implementing research findings and the proposals to overcome them in the educational sector. We will also devote time to research methodology to prepare students for their own research projects.

Selected literature

  • Loewen, S. (2020). Introduction to Instructed Second Language Acquisition, Second Edition. New York: Routledge.
  • Marsden, E. J. & Kasprowicz, R. E., (2017). ‘Foreign Language Educators’ Exposure to Research: Reported Experiences, Exposure Via Citations, and a Proposal for Action.’ The Modern Language Journal. 101, 4, 613–642.
  • Sato, M., Loewen, S. & Pastushenkov, D. (2021). ‘Who is my research for?’: Researcher perceptions of the research-practice relationship. Applied Linguistics, 1-26.