The Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) Program in English Language and Literature
The Department offers an undergraduate program leading to the Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) degree, with the option to take a minor in another subject; a double major program, in which a student can work towards a second degree in another department at the same time; and a minor in English Language and Literature for students in other departments.
The focus of these programs is on providing students with the knowledge and conceptual tools needed to understand and develop perspectives on the contemporary world, and to express themselves clearly and coherently through critical thinking and reasoned argumentation, in the interpretation of literary texts as well as of art, music, film, and other cultural and societal forms and structures.
The department’s emphasis on critical thinking and interdisciplinarity is essential for broadening and refining students’ outlook; in addition to core courses, they are encouraged to take elective courses, offered both by the department and by other departments, on a wide range of subjects, from computer science to psychology to politics to the fine arts. And as language and culture are deeply interwoven, the study of literature and culture is the ideal milieu for expanding a student’s understanding and ability to communicate, which, together with the ability to think critically, are essential requirements for living in today’s world of information and technology.
Graduates of the Department of English Language and Literature have a wide range of career opportunities available to them, and students can expand these further during their studies through elective choices, minors, and the double major. Many graduates of the department become teachers; those interested in academic research and teaching continue their studies at the Master’s and Doctoral levels; Those interested in academic work pursue their interests at the Master’s and Doctoral levels; others find their place in the many areas of the private and public sectors where the critical thinking, language skills, versatility and adaptability of English Language and Literature graduates are sought after, from journalism and media work to translation, writing and editing; from international business, advertising and administration, to tourism and the travel industry.