Bachelor of Arts (Kiswahili)

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BACHELOR OF ARTS (KISWAHILI)

Candidates registered for the BA Kiswahili degree draw their major area of study from any one of the following three tracks:
Language & Linguistics; Literature & its application; and Translation theory & Practice specializations. All the three tracks will complement each other and unpack Kiswahili studies from the perspective of blending theory and practice while ensuring relevance and response to contemporary and market needs such as emergent issues pertinent to language use; language structures; language planning & economy; language identity, nationalism, regionalism & globalization; linguistic & literary creativity, application and communication, to mention a few. Language diversity, pluralism and multilingualism in the face of national, regional & global communication needs on one hand, and information packaging and dissemination on the other inspire the creation of the translation theory and practice track.

Structure

Years 1 & 2
These are formative years that aim to introduce and ground the student in the core areas of Language, Linguistics, Literature and Translation studies. At the end of year two, the student should make an informed choice on the track of specialization s/he wishes to follow in the third and fourth years. Consequently, the structure of course requirements for the first two years are as follows:

First Year

First Semester

Code	Course	Units
BKS 110	Introduction to Kiswahili Grammar	3
KIS 110	Introduction to Language and Linguistics in Kiswahili	3
KIS 111	Introduction to Kenya’s Linguistic Landscape	3
KIS 112	Introduction to Literary Appreciation in Kiswahili	3

Second Semester

Code	Course	Units
BKS 120	Communication Skills in Kiswahili	3
BKS 121	Language Use in Kiswahili	3
BKS 122	Kiswahili Language and Culture	3
KIS 120	Introduction to Kiswahili Literature	3

Second Year

First Semester

Code	Course	Units
BKS 210	Theory and Practice of Translation and Interpretational	3
BKS 211	Kiswahili Literature and Gender	3
KIS 210	Theory and Analysis of Kiswahili Literature	3
KIS 211	Phonetics and Phonology in Kiswahili	3
KIS 212	Pre-20 Century Kiswahili Poetry	3

Second Semester

BKS 220	Research Methods in Kiswahili	3
BKS 221	Theory & Practice of Translation and Interpretation II	3
KIS 220	Oral Literature in Kiswahili	3
KIS 221	Kiswahili Morphology	3
BKS 220	Research Methods in Kiswahili	3

Third Year

First Semester

Code	Course	Units
BKS 310	Kiswahili Field Course and Seminar I	3
BKS 311	Theatre Arts in Kiswahili	3
Literature Specialization
KIS 310	Prose Works in Kiswahili	3
KIS 311	History and development of Kiswahili	3
KIS 312	Kiswahili Children’s Literature	3
Translation Specialization
KIS 311	History and development of Kiswahili	3
KIS 313	Translation and Criticism	3
KIS 314	Linguistics and Language of Translation 3	3
Language and Linguistics Specialization
KIS 310	Prose Works in Kiswahili	3
KIS 311	History and Development of Kiswahili	3
KIS 315	Pragmatics and Conversational Analysis	3

Second Semester

Code Course	Units
BKS 320 Kiswahili Literary Devices and Criticism	3
Literature Specialization
KIS 321 Drama and Theatre for Interventions	3
KIS 322 Kiswahili Stylistics	3
KIS 399 Kiswahili in Development	3
Translation Specialization
KIS 320 Sociolinguistics in Kiswahili	3
KIS 399 Kiswahili in Development	3
KIS 324 Translation and Information Manipulation	3
Language and Linguistics Specialization
KIS 320 Sociolinguistics in Kiswahili	3
KIS 322 Kiswahili Stylistics	3
KIS 399 Kiswahili in Development	3

Fourth Year

Second Semester

Code	Course	Units
BKS 120	Communication Skills in Kiswahili	3
BKS 121	Language Use in Kiswahili	3
BKS 122	Kiswahili Language and Culture	3
KIS 120	Introduction to Kiswahili Literature	3

First Semester

Code Title	Units
BKS 410 Kiswahili Field Course and Seminar II	3
BKS 411 Editorial Methods	3
Literature Specialization
KIS 411 Modern Kiswahili Poetry	3
KIS 413 Kiswahili for Specific Purposes	3
KIS 414 Modern Kiswahili Drama	3
Translation Specialization
KIS 410 Kiswahili Semantics	3
KIS 411 Modern Kiswahili Poetry	3
KIS 413 Kiswahili for Specific Purposes	3
Language and Linguistics Specialization
KIS 410 Kiswahili Semantics	3
KIS 411 Modern Kiswahili Poetry	3
KIS 413 Kiswahili for Specific Purposes	3

Second Semester

Code Course	Units
BKS 412 Discourse Analysis	3
Literature Specialization
KIS 420 Kiswahili Syntax	3
KIS 421 Comparative Literature in Kiswahili	3
KIS 422 Kiswahili Literature and Health Issues	3
Translation Specialization
KIS 420 Kiswahili Syntax	3
KIS 423 Translated Literary Texts in Kiswahili	3
KIS 424 Translation and Localization	3
Language and Linguistics Specialization
KIS 420 Kiswahili Syntax	3
KIS 421 Comparative Literature in Kiswahili	3
KIS 425 Historical and Comparative Linguistics	3

Electives

Code	Course	Units
ANT 214	Language & Culture	3
BSS 206	Classical Sociology Theory	3
SOC 212	Sociological Analysis	3
SOC 301/ (BSS 206):	Contemporary Sociological Theory	3
SOC 304	Sociology, Sex & Gender	3
BSS 312	Contemporary Political Ideology	3
SOC 314	Formal Organization	3
SOC 319	Social Stratification	3
ANT 312	Urbanization & Culture	3
ANT 317	Culture Change and Socio-economic Development	3
SOC 403	Comparative Development Strategies	3
SOC 408	Sociology of Organizations	3
ANT 413	Gender & Development	3
ANT 415	Culture & Personality	3
BLL 415	Writing for the Media (LIT)	3

Objectives/Admission

Objectives

To train linguistics, literary and translation professionals capable of applying and utilizing Kiswahili in theirservice provision to society through various forms of deployment
To prepare graduates to understand the interplay between language, literature and the unique multi-faceted linguistic environment to be found in Kenya, East Africa and the entire African continent.
To enable learners to acquire competence in the use of Arabic and a variety of African languages through research and application.
To introduce and expose learners to the Language debate in Africa from national, regional and international perspectives with focus on global intelligibility on one hand and grassroots uniqueness on the other.
To foster an enhanced and rapid generation of research in African linguistics, literature and translation.
To prepare Kiswahili scholars capable of handling translation of information in various fields both in Kiswahili and other languages.
To prepare an all-round Kiswahili scholar-cum-translator and interpreter in restricted register/genres and also in a wide-range of fields, such as literature, politics, trade, commerce & economics; law, science, medicine,technology, etc.
To produce graduates capable of documenting, analyzing and applying hitherto undocumented African languages that are not necessarily their native language(s) through research.
To produce Kiswahili graduates who will work in various official and non official domains where English and other foreign languages are already in place so that the graduates’ contribution assists in making the dream of Kiswahili as another official language of Kenya a reality.

Admission Requirements
To be admitted into the degree programme, the applicant must fulfill the academic requirements as prescribed by Moi University.
In addition the applicant should have obtained at least a C+ in Kiswahili

Duration
The degree programme will take 8 (eight) semesters in four academic years (16-weeks).