About our Department
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English Department was established in 1966. At that time, only 50 students enrolled each year. The number of students had increased to 100 (two classes) by 1970. The students of this period had the option to minor in a second foreign language. In 1990, 200 students (four classes) enrolled in English Department. Students in our department could minor in one of the following languages: French, German, Spanish, and Japanese. In 1998, 180 students (three classes) were enrolled in our department at the 2-year College of the Division of Continuing Education. In 1999, Wenzao was upgraded into a college, and recruited 120 students (two classes) for 2-year College in Day school, 60 students (one class) for 2-year College in the Division of Continuing Education. In 2001 there were 150 students (three classes) in the 4-year college of the Division of Continuing Education. Later in 2003, the 4-year College of Day School was established and enrolled 120 students. Meanwhile, the student number in the 2-year College of the Division of Continuing Education amounted to 110. In August, 2010, commissioned by the Ministry of Education, Wenzao enrolled 50 elite students (all of them scored above PR 90 in the first high school entrance exam) in the honor class in the 5-year junior college. On August 1, 2013, the proposal of restructuring was approved and Wenzao was officially re-named as “Wenzao Ursuline University of Languages.” As the first and only university of languages in Taiwan. Wenzao now has an academic framework that consists of four colleges: College of International Culture, Education and Foreign Affairs, College of European and Asian Languages, College of New Media and Management, and Ursuline College of Liberal Arts. Under these colleges, twelve departments, five graduate institutes, General Education center, Ursuline Education center, center for Teacher Education and other academic units are incorporated. English Department belongs to the College of International Culture, Education and Foreign Affairs. On August 1, 2016, The MA program in English was officially approved and established. The main feature of this program is English for Professional Communication (EPC), which focuses on the ability of Intercultural Communication. Ten graduate students were enrolled. |
Chairperson
Curriculum Design Concept
The courses are designed in response to current demands for the knowledge of international worldview in business, finance, tourism, communication, translation, interpreting, and thorough understanding of cross-cultural studies as well as English teaching. The ultimate goal of teaching is to cultivate students with a high degree of English proficiency, professional competence with grounding in the humanities and a global outlook.
Academic systems of Junior College and 4-Year College
There are two academic systems: Junior college and College. Both systems provide required courses in training language skills and elective courses in translation, commerce, economy, tourism, mass media, literature, cross-cultural studies, and English teaching.
Junior College program (grade 1-3 in Junior College)
The course designs are preoccupied with English language acquisition. Courses are designed with the goals of equipping students with skills in listening, speaking, reading and writing. Besides high proficiency of English, students are
also well-informed on the skills of public speech, research writing, and knowledge concerning language and culture. Students can choose one of the following foreign languages as their minor, including French, German, Spanish and Japanese. By the turn of the second and third year in Junior college, students would be separated into different classes according to their English level in listening and reading classes.
College program (Including 4th and 5th year of Junior college and College)
The curriculum designs in College focus on the undergraduates’ acquisition of advanced English proficiency. We offer a variety of courses such as Advanced Listening, English Advanced Reading, Professional Speech Presentation, Research Writing in English, and Language and Culture.
Three tracks in elective courses and compulsory courses
English Teaching:
The courses offered in this track are Introduction of English language teaching, Design of Teaching Materials, Introductions to Second Language Acquisition, Linguistics, Teaching Children English, The Application of Children’s Literature.
Commerce:
The courses offered in this track are Introduction to Business, Business Writing, Oral Business Communication, English for Secretary Skills, Public Relations.
Culture-related industry:
The courses offered in this track are, English literature, Short Fictions, Shakespearean Plays, Western Culture and Civilization, Introduction to Interpretation Skills, Simultaneous Interpretation, Translation on Literature, English News Reading, Introduction to Mass Media.