A DESCRIPTIVE STUDY ON CURRICULAR SATISFACTION OF COLLEGE STUDENTS: THE CASE OF ENGLISH LANGUAGE AND LITERATURE AND ENGLISH LANGUAGE TEACHING DEPARTMENTS

Abstract

This study was conducted to explore the opinions of English Language and Literature (ELLS) and English Language Teaching (ELTS) undergraduates about the course content and course delivery modalities. Accordingly, this article includes the evaluative and comparative voices of ELLS and ELTS of their undergraduate education. In Turkey, the graduates of both departments can work as English language teachers upon completion of formal training and meeting various criteria. Although these departments adopt language-rich curricula throughout the formal training they offer, there are differences in terms of the courses offered and the delivery modalities followed. The main purpose of this descriptive research was to compare and analyze ELL and ELT departments in terms of course content, requirements, and the course delivery modalities through the eyes of undergraduate students. For data collection, two questionnaires developed by the researchers were used. The questionnaires included questions to elicit opinions about the courses offered, requirements, and the course delivery modalities. It was administered to 462 students enrolled in the mentioned departments at 7 state-run universities across Turkey. The findings suggested that ELLS feel more satisfied with their undergraduate training, that is, the overall curriculum they are offered. It is assumed that the findings drawn from the study will provide valuable insights to the curriculum developers. Given the scarcity of studies conducted on the effectiveness of curriculum, it is hoped that the current study will fill a gap in the related literature. Article visualizations: