MASTER OF ARTS LANGUAGE AND MULTICULTURAL COMMUNICATION (MATI)
| Module Code | Module Name | Description |
|---|---|---|
| MLLP501 | Theories of Composition | This module exposes students to various competing theories that guide the creation of works of literary and artistic products. The students must link the creative processes to the historical, cultural and political contexts that inform particular theories and practices. The theories will provide frameworks that inspire the selection and adoption of appropriate creative literary and artistic methods necessary for the production of products that address real life problems. The following topics will be covered under specific creative methods in literature and art: Classicism, Romanticism, Symbolism, Critical Realism, Socialist realism, Modernism as in; Expressionism, Surrealism, Existentialism, Abstractionism, Pop art and others. By the end of the module students will be expected to produce and submit portfolios that reflect their appreciation of the technical and intellectual processes and skills required in producing viable literary and artistic products in tandem with selected theoretical thrusts of their choice |
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MLLP502 |
Creative Arts Industries | This module exposes students to the range of economic activities which are concerned with the generation and exploitation of information and knowledge which are commonly referred to as the creative arts industries. With the creative arts increasingly becoming the economic resource of the 21st century, students are expected to gain knowledge of the various creative arts/cultural industries that drive knowledge production and information dissemination in the 21st century and position themselves to partake in this production and dissemination in content production, innovation, creative arts management and administration. The following topics will be covered: creative arts production, editing, publishing, digitalisation, marketing, blogging, podcasting, creative arts management, software development for the creative arts, film, music, video gaming, television & radio and the creative arts, social media and the creative arts and so on. |
| MLLP503 | Issues in Zimbabwean Literature | The module focuses on topical issues on representative Zimbabwean fiction, poetry and drama in relation to the various phases of the country’s history. It considers how literature has evolved over time and how it is used to reveal and interpret major concerns in society. The course presents students to the art of fiction, biography and non-fiction writing. Geographically ranging from Zimbabwe and the Zimbabwean diaspora, the course focuses on literature that aims to represent actual lives. Genres of fiction and non-fiction writing such as biographies and autobiographies of public figures and intensely private modes of correspondence such as the journal and diary will be studied. Writers are selected from Zimbabwe and the work of Zimbabweans living abroad on the basis of their contribution to the political, social, intellectual, economic, religious, moral, philosophical, artistic and aesthetic development of humanity in Zimbabwe and the world. The course traces the issues that inform the experiences of Zimbabweans from the pre-colonial times right up to the post-independence period. A variety of texts written in Zimbabwe’s official languages will be selected from the general list from time to time subject to availability. The course examines how Zimbabwean novelists, short story writers, poets and dramatists understand and portray their societies’ experiences, hopes and aspirations. It equips students with the skills to read historical and critical works by Zimbabwean writers and thinkers to enhance their grasp of the major issues highlighted in creative writing. |
| MLLP504 | Discourse Analysis | The module focuses on linguistic analysis of connected writing and speech. The module considers both the interactional structure and the social principles (pragmatics) that influence the production and interpretation of discourse. Students will use discourse skills in areas of media analysis, author and speaker identity, speech writing and presentation, idea pitching, persuasion, negotiation, etc. Students will be able to produce language and literature pieces that are contextually conceptualized. These include communication strategies, negotiation manuals and speech designs. |
| MLLP505 | Creative Writing; Short Forms | This module builds on an undergraduate module that exposes students to the history and various facets and tenets of the short fictional forms of writing. The students will use this knowledge to create fictional designs and products that inspire society to cope or deal with real life experiences. The module is practical in nature and allows students to work with established writers, writers’ organisations and publishers that have specific experiences and traditions. It is expected that the students will leverage on this exposure to develop a critical thinking approach and a gaze that enable them to connect literary energies and outcomes with specific socio-cultural needs. By the end of the module students will be expected to produce and submit portfolios that reflect their appreciation of the technical and intellectual processes and skills required in producing viable literary and artistic products. |
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MLLP506 |
Orature and Cyberture | This module is designed to broaden and deepen students’ understanding and appreciation of the theories, debates, concepts and principles of African oral literature and the evolving oralities in cyberspace. With orality taken as the source for written and orature as the raw material for literature, this module is vital because it enhances the use of various oral genres in the writing of modern literary works. It is essential in cultivating students’ self-confidence as Africans for continuous literarisation of the oral and oralisation of the literary. The module enables students to appreciate and understand the evolving nature of various oral genres and recognise their efficacy in contemporary Africa in the context of the multimedia and technological environment that promotes cyborality. It provides an opportunity for students to examine and problematise the genre, as a concept, a heuristic tool, category of study and measure of development in the digital age in three ways or senses. Firstly, students start by considering the ways that more conventional literary and cultural narratives have dramatised or represented the digital revolution or age of the internet. Secondly, students look at narratives that have been disseminated digitally and which use digital technology like mobile apps or GPS systems. Finally, students engage genres across a range of forms, including socio media theatrics, tabloidisation of the unusual and the trending, evolving jocosity, game narratives, web series, digital music and its micro-genres, as well as collaborative fiction that uses the internet to tell/build stories collaboratively or interactively. By doing this, students do not only map out new genre categories but also look at how the digital revolution invites them to challenge the confines and hierarchies of the genre. The ultimate objective is to have students fully appreciate orature and evolving oralities in cyberspace as a comprehensive expression of a nation’s life, its rich literary legacy, and its lived experiences as well its agenda – historically and currently. |
| MLLP508 | Editing, Theory and Practice | The module equips students with editing skills which are essential in the learning, research and reporting of research results. They are also crucial in publishing written texts because for knowledge to be clearly communicated, it should be effectively put across. Students are introduced to both theories and types of editing. Since the course combines both theory and practice in editing, the latter involves the application of theoretical editing skills and knowledge to various types of manuscripts and documents using types of editing such as manuscript critique, developmental editing, line/technical editing, copy-editing, stylistics editing and proof-reading. Graduates find employment opportunities in publishing and media houses and can also work as freelance editors. |
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MLLP509 |
Research Methods in Literary and Cultural Practice | The module provides students with an understanding of the diversity of methods of research in literary and cultural studies at postgraduate level. It is highly practical in nature and equips students with critical skills to carry out diverse forms of research in the discipline and beyond. The approach adopted in the module is grounded on the awareness that literary and cultural studies exist within a socio-political, cultural, ideological and aesthetic context. Researching on them is critical for understanding the environment and providing solutions to contemporary, national, regional and global challenges. The module focuses on the essence of research in understanding and negotiating spaces within the literary and cultural areas and for the production of goods and services. The module gives students the chance to fully appreciate how mixed research methods can be applied to literary and cultural studies and how the synergy of these approaches opens up possibilities for increasing production in the discipline. Students are presented with an opportunity of grasping what informs literary and cultural productions from the conception of the idea itself and the many factors influencing it, to the actual production and marketing. The module will focus on both qualitative and quantitative methods and their application in Literary and Cultural practice to encourage interdisciplinary researches. |
| MLLP510 | Literary and Cultural Translation | This module equips students with translation skills and strategies mainly focusing on literary texts. The module foregrounds the intersections between literature and culture in translation. Such intersection is critical in detecting cultural assumptions underlying writings from a different time or society. The module engages major theoretical and procedural premises as well as debates that have shaped major trends in literary translation. It pays attention to the aesthetic and practical considerations concerning the art and craft of literary translation. Students should be able to effect translations of different literary texts which will allow them to pursue work within publishing houses, media houses, diplomatic offices, non-government organisations, government institutions and agencies. |
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MLLP511 |
Publishing and Marketing | This comprehensive module provides a solid creative learning and professional foundation in virtually all areas of literary publishing and marketing. Its curricular centres on the promotion and distribution of a variety of texts, and also covers aspects of creative writing, editing, design, reviewing, The various challenges encountered in literary editing, publishing and marketing will be examined to equip the would-be publishers with technical know-how and confidence to tackle these challenges. The module reviews the broad range of traditional and digital publishing considerations, from a historical perspective of the industry to a careful review of emerging technologies. The module pays special attention to issues of ethics, editorial design, copyright laws as well as general marketing and business practices. It requires students to participate in workshops, projects and internships related to their interests, in order to equip them with strong writing skills, knowledge about the history of the publishing industry and the significance of copyright laws. Students are prepared for a variety of positions in the publishing industry as editors, business professionals, marketing professionals, designers, and, from a technological dimension, secure employment in an I.T. or technological environment. |
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MLLP512 |
Creative Writing: Long Forms | Through analysis and involvement, this module exposes students to various basic facets of a single long fictional literary form like the novel or the play or the film or autobiographical writing etc, (depending on the availability of expertise and materials in a given semester). In this novel writing module, which progresses by way of workshops, the student will learn how to write a novel through exploring techniques like dramatic scene, character sketches, dialogue and scene by scene construction--the building blocks of all novels. The goal of the novel writing module is to present these techniques and get the student started on novel writing as a process. By the end of the module students will be expected to produce and submit portfolios that reflect their appreciation of the technical and intellectual processes and skills required in producing viable literary and artistic products. |
| MLLP513 | Writing for Children | Through theory and practice, this module exposes students to various basic facets of writing for children in Zimbabwe, Africa, Europe and the rest of the world. Students learn about the various sub-genres of children’s and young adult writing, including board and picture books, and writing fiction and nonfiction for middle and young adult readers. There will be an overview of the main craft ingredients that are required when attempting to write a successful book for a younger audience including several elements of the craft: point-of-view, character, plot, setting, tone and dialogue. At the end of the course, students should be able to understand the market - who exactly are you writing for? To Identify what works about successful stories, across a range of texts; to create strong settings, stand-out characters and convincing dialogue; to Edit and revise your writing, including when to cut; and to understand what agents and publishers are looking for in a publishable manuscript - the practicalities as well as the indefinable it. |
| MLLP507 | Community Project | The module entails hands-on, experiential learning experience were students apply academic skills to real-world community challenges. Students get the chance to collaborate with local organizations or communities and apply theoretical knowledge to practical problems, develop problem-solving, teamwork, and communication skills. Students get the opportunity to reflect on learning and impact |
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MLLP570 |
Dissertation/ Portfolio/ Project | A student will be required to either write a dissertation on an approved topic addressing certain pertinent issues in their discipline and/or industry, which may be related to any of the modules studied, or to carry out an independent project that is aimed to give solutions to a certain identified problem(s). This may entail developing a model to be used in the teaching/learning of discipline, developing a software/system to be used by a specific company/organisation to improve efficiency. Where applicable, such projects may be conducted in partnership with selected organisations, and they will be tested for effectiveness, accordingly. Meriting projects will be patented and commercialised as may be necessary. While dissertations will be an individual effort, projects may be carried out in teams of approved partnerships from the same programmes or drawing participants from other specialties |
