About the Department

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The Department of English and Foreign Languages came into existence in May 2005. The Founder-Head of the Department was Prof. M. Solaiyan. Since its inception, the Department has been serving the five-fold objectives of Higher Education -- "PEARL"(Pedagogy, Extension, Application, Research and Learning). It offers Post-Graduate, Master of Philosophy, and Doctoral Research Programmes to cater to the intellectual needs of students belonging to Sivagangai, Ramanathapuram Districts and also to other regions of the country. Further the Department runs Certificate Courses in French and German. It provides opportunities for students interested in acquiring language skills through well-equipped Language Laboratories. This Department has attracted students from China, which is a matter of pride and it functions with highly qualified, competent, and well-trained faculty who have expertise in their respective fields; and they employ modern pedagogical techniques to hone the skills of students.

The English Department has a well-equipped library with latest reference books and a Computer Lab that has been modernized at a cost of rupees fifteen lakhs. Workshops, seminars, conferences, symposia, webinars and training programmes are conducted on a regular basis; and in fact, they all contribute to the knowledge empowerment of students and scholars of the Department which also utilises the erudition and scholarship of Visiting Professors such as Prof. L. Thirunavukkarasu and Prof. A. Antony Samy.

Prof. S. Subbiah, Former Professor and Head, Department of English and Foreign Languages, who later became the Vice-Chancellor of the University, made many accomplishments which took the University to the next level. Currently Prof. P. Madhan, heads the Department.

Vision

1. To establish an exclusive Centre for Translation Studies, thereby translating Classical Tamil Literary Works into English and vice-versa.
2. To transform the students into knowledgeably competent individuals who can become high-profile Bureaucrats, English Teaching Professionals, Journalists, and Future Leaders.
3. To collaborate with leading European Universities in general and British Universities in particular and make use of overseas experts' expertise for the progress of the students.
4. To empower students from underprivileged milieus and ascertain their professional progress by means of English Language Teaching.

Mission

1. To accord impetus to translation endeavours and ensure the qualitative transfer of English literary works into Tamil and vice-versa.
2. To sustain the intellectually illuminating ambience at the department where students keep abreast of the latest and cutting-edge developments in the domain of literature.
3. To invite European Subject Experts for Webinars, Seminars, and Conferences on a regular basis and build a long-term academic and research association with them.
4. To use English Literature as an instrument of social progress and betterment of students.

Salient Features of the Department

1. The profiles of Faculty Members are rich with their publications. Project execution experience of the faculty has led to good research output.
2. Remedial teaching is offered to slow learners.
3. Special Coaching Classes are arranged periodically for the benefit of rural students.
4. Interdisciplinary electives are offered. (English for Mass Media, Business Communication, Office Automation and Essentials of Educational Psychology)
5. Opportunities are provided for the students to acquire fellowships and grants from different funding agencies.
6. Through Developing of English Eloquence Programme (DEEP Club), the Department conducts classes for strengthening communication skills of the students of other departments.
7. Special coaching classes are organized for SLET / NET exams.
8. Students sharpen their listening and speaking skills through conventional methods and also through computerized language laboratory.
9. The Department library is equipped with the latest reference books & journals.
10. Final year students get placement opportunities in established educational institutions through Placement Cell - organized Campus Interviews.
11. Eminent professors and erudite scholars across the country and also from international universities deliver special lectures periodically.

Accomplishments of the Department

1. A group of six Chinese Students studied B.A. English in this Department during 2005-2006. In the same academic year, another batch of three Chinese Students studied a three-month course in Communication Skills in the Department under the Cultural Exchange Programme.
2. The Department has so far organized six International Conferences, five National Seminars,15 International Webinars and numerous invited guest lectures. To enhance the competency of the teachers of Alagappa University, it organized a one-month British Council-Sponsored Workshop.
3. Through the Placement Cell of the Department, most of the M.A., M.Phil. and Ph.D. Degree holders of the Department find placements and they are serving in various institutions in Tamil Nadu (Universities, Colleges of Engineering, Arts and Science, Polytechnic and Higher Secondary Schools). It is a major achievement of the Department.
4. Students and scholars of the Department receive good exposure through the special lectures delivered by national and international level experts.
5. Under the instructions from the Higher Education Department of Tamil Nadu, the Department of English and Foreign Languages in collaboration with TANSCHE (Tamil Nadu Higher Education Council) developed study materials on the title Professional English for the undergraduate students of Arts and Science College in Tamil Nadu in 2021.

Discourses by Distinguished International Experts

It is a matter of pride for the Department that during this assessment period it has organized as many as 14 International Webinars on themes of both Conventional and Contemporary relevance by inviting erudite Professors from University of London, Central University of Florida, USA, Seattle University, USA, Bristol University, London, University of Mannheim, Germany, Central Washington University, USA, University of Jaffna, Sri Lanka, Jahangirnagar University, Bangladesh, City University of Dakha, Bangladesh, Wuhang Polytechnic University, China etc.

The Overseas Subject Experts who delivered lectures included:

1. Prof. Nalini Iyer from Seattle University, Washington DC, U.S.A
2. Dr.T.Karunakaran, Senior Professor from Jaffna University,
3. Prof. Laizu Nasrin of Jahangirnagar University Dakka, Bangladesh
4. Prof. Dono Usmanova, from Fergana State University, Uzbekistan
5. Prof. Robert Frazer, from Open University, Faculty of Arts Royal Holloway, University of London
6. Prof. Boothenia Majoul from University of Carthage, Tunisia
7. Dr. Amrita Ghosh, Assistant Professor of South Asian Literatures, Dept. of English, University of Central Florida, U.S.A
8. Dr. Pernelle Lorette, Academic Employee, University of Mannheim, Germany
9. Prof. Helen Fulton from Bristol University, England

Placement Opportunities

M.A., M.Phil., and Ph.D. holders from this Department get placements in schools, colleges, universities, government sector and companies through career opportunity fares organized by the Department. Besides, they are competent enough to serve in executive positions and other functional areas of management.

Fellowships

Opportunities to acquire fellowships from different funding agencies such as the MHRD, the UGC, Jawaharlal Nehru Memorial Fund and IGNOU have been provided to Research Scholars. Five scholars are pursuing Doctoral Research under Rajiv Gandhi National Research Fellowship (RGNRF) and one scholar is a recipient of Alagappa University Research Fellowship (AURF).

Organization of Conferences / Workshops / Symposia/ Seminars

The department promotes interaction among research scholars, experts and language specialists which is vital for sharing of experience and dissemination of innovations. Hence it organizes Conferences, Workshops, Symposia and seminars at national and international levels. Conferences on themes of significance and relevance like 'Changing Paradigms in the Teaching of English', 'Communication Skills', 'Classical Literature: East and West', 'Emerging Trends in Teaching Language and Literature', 'Trends in Modern Literature: East and West' were organized where delegates and Key Resource Persons from Canada, Bangladesh, Greece, Malaysia, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Oman and professors from various Universities of India shared their expertise and gave a rich literary feast to the participants.

Contact Us

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