Department

The Department of English comprises three key areas of research and teaching, which are closely interrelated in our study programmes: Linguistics, Literary and Cultural Studies, and Applied Language Studies.

Teaching and research in Linguistics focuses on historical linguistics, varieties of English, pragmatics, bi- and multilingualism, lexicography, and corpus linguistics. The role of English as a global lingua franca renders these and other areas of (applied) linguistics all the more relevant to the world today.

In Literary and Cultural Studies, we cover a wide array of teaching and research areas concerned with different aspects of Anglophone literatures and cultures from the beginnings to the present and across different media. Current foci include the early modern period, postcolonial studies, literary and cultural theory, and cultural analysis.

In addition to being trained in discourse analysis, critical reading, and a broad range of different linguistic, literary, and cultural theories, all our students complete courses in Applied Language Studies. These courses are designed to enhance their English language proficiency in listening, speaking, reading, and writing, based on the latest research in the field.

The Department offers a variety of different study programmes that lead to BA-, MA-, and PhD-degrees and prepare students for a broad range of different careers in (higher) education, communication, and media-related sectors.