Undergraduate English

Undergraduate English

What is English?

What do novels, poems, memoirs and new media tell us about our contemporary culture and the social and creative worlds of our past? We explore the richness of literature and language to develop tools for understanding our complex society and to appreciate the work of the imagination in changing the world.

Why Study English at UAlberta?

Our award winning teachers and researchers will help you discover, think and see in new ways within a dynamic workshop environment. Students have access to internationally renowned professors and can take courses spanning a broad range of topics, cultures, histories and perspectives. You can study Medieval, Canadian, Indigenous, queer and children's literature. Your studies can include popular culture, creative writing, film studies, video games and new media. Students at all levels of study are eligible for a large number of awards and prizes, many of substantial cash value, distributed annually.

BA English Major

BA Honors in English

BA Minor in English

Interested in the BA in English program? Learn more here.

Sub-disciplines within English

Cultural Studies - the analysis of the political dynamics of present-day culture, including its historical foundations, defining traits, and conflicts.

Print Culture - the study of the history, making, and impact of printing and printed forms since the invention of the printing press in the early fifteenth century.

Media Studies - the study of the content, history, and effects of various media-especially mass media-including newspapers, magazines, television, film, sound recordings, and the Internet.

What can I do with an English degree?

Students gain effective communication skills and enhance their analytical and critical thinking skills, traits highly valued by many employers. Pursue jobs in communications, professional writing, games development, media and public relations, journalism, public policy, publishing/editing, digital archiving, fundraising and web development. A degree in English provides a great launching pad for law school and library science.