Ethiopian Languages and Literature-Awgni

Official Name: Department of Ethiopian Language(s) and Literature – Awngi

The Bachelor of Arts Degree in Ethiopian Language(s) and Literature – Awngi is the new national program with a standardized curriculum. Its goal is to provide graduates who have good knowledge, skills, and competence in the vast areas of the Awngi language with a remarkable degree of attitude and moral standards so that graduates of this program can play an exemplary role in the community as well. In this regard, Injibara University broadly recognized the importance and relevance of launching this program, as the program’s relevance has already been evaluated and validated by concerned bodies. Thus, the program was officially inaugurated under the College of Social Science and Humanities by admitting summer students in 2021.  

Currently, as of 2024, the department is offering courses for undergraduate students in regular, extension and summer programs.  The department of Ethiopian Language(s) and Literature – Awngi, is started teaching-learning process in 2022/2023.

In parallel to offering relevant, efficient and quality education and training; the department has a mission of conducting demand driven research and rendering efficient community services in the following  areas; such as language use, language development, language instruction, teaching materials preparation and edition, training for media professionals, public relation experts, elementary and secondary teachers,  training on culture development for cultural experts etc.

There are currently 5 active academic staff members on duty.

Major Rationales of the Program

As a multi lingual & multi-cultural nation, Ethiopia needs well-qualified and professional language experts required to serve in different sectors in the nation. As to what the ministry of the FDRGE stated, well-qualified professional experts can be prepared when they are taught by teachers having at least BA degree qualification in the field of the study. But, in this case, the high school students are being taught Awngi language by teachers possessing diploma level certificate in teaching the language. In addition to this, some of these teachers are teaching the language without being certified in teaching the language. The same is true that in Injibara College of Teacher Education, teachers teach the Awngi language without being certified at any level to teach the Awngi language. This condition is likely to harm quality of education.

To alleviate this problem, Injibara University took initiative to launch BA Degree Program in Awngi Language and Literature. To do this, the university set up a team of experts that develop a BA Degree Program curriculum in Awngi Language and Literature. Educational, language, and cultural experts included in the team were drawn from Injibara university academic staff, the Awi zone education department office, Injibara College of Teacher Education, and the Awi Zone Cultural & Tourism Office. In developing the curriculum, the team of experts shared experience from Arba Minch University, Wolayita Sodo University, and Hawasa University which had been running BA Degree Program in nationality language and literature. In addition to this, the curriculum development team conducted a need assessment with the local community and different stake holders. The experience shared from other universities and the need assessment conducted with the local community and stake holders has indicated that opening BA Degree Program in Awngi Language and Literature is necessary to solve shortage of professionals qualified in Awngi Language and Literature. In addition, this program creates educational opportunities for diploma graduates in Awing Language.

As the need assessment result showed, the qualified professionals to be prepared by this program are needed to:

• Serve in the language in primary schools, secondary schools, colleges, universities, print and broadcast media, and different public and private offices/organizations like public relation offices.
• Develop and preserve the Awi Culture.
• Preserve the language and develop it to a standardized written language.
• Document and study the rich repository of different genres of literature which are predominantly possessed orally by speakers of the Awngi Language. Doing this is vitally important because these literary resources have great value in reflecting the philosophy of the society.

Vision, Mission, goal and Objectives

Vision

To see Awngi being a language of Education, Research, Science, Technology, Business, Art and Spiritual Aspects in 2030 E.C.

Mission

Producing qualified graduates, conducting problem solving research, and providing need-based community services.

Goal of the Program

• Producing professionals qualified in Awngi Language and Literature.

 Objectives of the Program

The objectives of the program are:

• to equip students with basic Awngi language skills and knowledge needed for various purposes in the society;
• to equip students with knowledge of how human language functions or the scientific study of the language;
• to enable students to appreciate and criticize literary works;
• to enable students to conduct research in their field of study;
• to equip students with communication and public relation skills as well as media use;
• To enable students to translate and interpret various discourses..

Values

The Department of Ethiopian Language(s) and Literature -Awngi has taken the following core values of the university:

• Customer First: priority should be given the customers.
• Quality in All: makes quality its priority in every aspect of its activities.
• Indigenous Knowledge: values and incorporates indigenous knowledge and perspectives.
• Diversity and Tolerance: promotes diversity, inclusion, and tolerance.
• Ethical Commitment: upholds the highest standards of ethics and integrity.
• Sustainability: prioritizes environmentally sustainable practices and solutions.
• Care for the Community: strives to change and solve the problems of the community.
• Equality in All: treats everyone equally regardless of color, religion, gender, disability or ethnic background in all service and resource provisions.
• Equity in All: encourages fair access of resources and services to all groups of society.
• Recognition: we value, respect and appreciate ideas and contributions of others to the growth and transformation of the Department.
• Democratic Thinking: promotes the freedom of expression and culture of participatory decision making.

Management Structure

The chief executive of the department is the head of department.

Admission Requirements

Entry to the Bachelor of Arts in Ethiopian Language(s) and Literature –Awngi is allowed to students who have completed their preparatory education in the field of social or natural sciences and also successfully passed first-year freshman courses. These students are generally eligible to be admitted to the departments or program’s regular and continuing education programs. The University shall set different entry requirements for enrollment in the continuing education programs.

Duration of the Study

Duration of the program set for successfully completing the BA program in Awngi Language and Literature is four year or eight semesters. All the courses of the program will be proportionally distributed to 8 semesters. The program will be offered in regular, weekend and summer programs.

Graduate Profile

On completion of the program, graduates should be able to acquire the following competences:

• read texts to assess how writers achieve their purposes with their intended audiences;
• demonstrate ability to analyze and write for various rhetorical situations;
• develop interpersonal and oral communicative skills;
• write an essay using multiple sources and appropriate techniques and styles;
• demonstrate ability to translate texts from Amharic and English to Awngi and vice versa
• understand basic linguistic principles to undertake language study;
• use Awngi Language with high level of accuracy and fluency in listening, speaking, reading, and writing activities;
• teach Awngi Language in primary and secondary schools, colleges, and universities correctly;
• analyze reading texts and literary works for its structure and characteristic stylistic features;
• master the conventions and techniques of literary criticism;
• prepare seminars, and forums in Awngi Language’s
• facilitate discussions and meetings in Awngi Language;
• Use appropriate and standardized Awngi Language for business communications (writing memos, letters, minutes, reports, presentations, notices etc.);
• interpret discourses and translate from and into the Awngi language;
• develop efficient and effective techniques for generating, organizing, drafting, and editing written texts;
• conduct a professional and critical analysis of literary works in Awngi Language;
• conduct research in Awngi Language;
• Facilitate and run public relations in Awngi Language.
• Understand multilingual and multicultural issues in multilingual and multicultural countries to understand basic features of Ethiopian languages;

Professional Profile

The program aims to produce graduates who can provide professional services at governmental, non-governmental, private, and institutional levels, both nationally and internationally.

Graduates of this program are expected to be: but not limited:

• Teachers/instructors and consultants
• Media & Communication Experts
• Educational Experts
• Public Relation experts
• Theatrical Experts
• Literature experts
• Language experts
• Translators
• Researchers
• Culture Experts

Module and Course Clusterization

This program consists of six Modules. The first module is the Common Courses Module and the courses clustered in it are supportive courses. The rest five modules are professional compulsory modules in which each thematic module has its own thematically clustered courses that are professional courses of Awngi Language and literature. Both the Common Courses Module and the five professional compulsory modules along with the courses clustered under each module are briefly listed as follows:

The First module is made to have 16 freshman common courses, which are Supportive common courses to the freshman students according to the new education and training policy at the university level, to be delivered in the first year, first and second semester, for learners of the program which is given by Freshman College. The courses clustered under this module are: Logic and Critical Thinking; Economics; Entrepreneurship; Communicative English Skills I; Geography of Ethiopia and the Horn; Mathematics for Social Sciences; Physical Fitness; Introduction to Emerging Technology; Social Anthropology; General Psychology; Communicative English Skills II; Civics and Moral Education; Global Trends; History of Ethiopia and the Horn; Amharic Composition and Inclusiveness.

The Second professional thematic module– which is named as ‘Language Skills Area

Core Modules, has 6 professional courses under it. These are: Awngi Reading Skills, Awngi Critical Reading and Text Analysis, Awngi Oral Communicative Skills, Awngi Composition I, Awngi composition II, Workshop in Text Editing

The Third thematic professional module– which is named Language and Linguistics Area Core Modules has 7 courses: Introduction to Language and Linguistics, Awngi Phonetics and Phonology, Awngi Morphology and Syntax, Language and Society, Translation Theories and Practice, Issues in Multilingual and Multi-cultural Society, Survey of Ethiopian Languages

The Fourth Module is entitled by Literature (Oral & Written) Area Core Modules consisting of 11 courses, namely: Fundamentals of Literature, Survey of Ethiopian Literature, Introduction to folklore, Awngi Oral Literature, The Novel, The Short Story, Introduction to Drama, Awngi Poetry, Children Literature, Practical Literary Criticism, and Workshop in Creative writing.

The Fifth module is entitled Journalism and Writing for Media Area Core Modules consisting of 5 courses. These are: Introduction to journalism, Introduction to Communication Theories, Introduction to Public Relations & Practical attachment, Writing for Media, News reporting and analyzing in Different Fields.

The Sixth one is the Research Methods and Practices Area Core Modules comprising 4 courses, namely; Research Methods, Internship, Seminar on selected topics, senior essay.

Click the links Below to see all Details about the Staff:-

• Staff