English (BA)

Express yourself, engage with the world

Studying English exposes you to different kinds of critical reading and writing opportunities, such as the following:

• close, careful reading and listening practices
• more complex connections among texts, ideas, and perspectives
• larger, more complex ways of finding patterns and gaps in the cultural record via digital tools

Our professors are active researchers and writers in their fields. They are committed to helping you become an engaged citizen, actively imagining and creating your own future.

An English degree will help you develop a sophisticated understanding of what the literary arts have contributed throughout history and across the globe. In addition, a BA in English will help you hone critical communication skills that are key to your success in almost any career.

Acadia’s English program offers more than 60 full-year or half-year courses. All our courses are taught by specialists in literary and media studies. Our first-year classes will introduce you to a variety of novels, plays, poems, and essays. They will also provide you with strategies for developing a clear and persuasive writing style. As an upper-year English major, you will pursue your interests and broaden your experience of literature. Your courses will cover a range of periods, authors, genres, cultures, and critical approaches. Several creative writing courses are also available.

The honours degree is a major part of the English program. A course-based option is available if you do not wish to write a thesis. A creative writing honours thesis is also possible.

The Department of English and Theatre also offers a one-year program leading to the master’s degree in English literature. As a master’s student, you will participate in small seminar classes. You will work closely with a supervisor to complete a thesis that takes a fresh approach to a literary subject or a suitable editing project. Where possible, you will be offered the opportunity to gain teaching experience. The department welcomes a wide variety of scholarly and critical approaches, and its distinguished faculty have expertise in a broad range of literature in English.

• Any career requiring communication skills
• Creative/technical writing
• Education
• Editing/publishing
• Law

• Library science
• Media/entertainment
• Politics/civil service
• Public relations/marketing/advertising