Message from the Head of Department

Message from the Head of Department

The Department of English Language and Literature at Shue Yan hosts the Bachelor of Arts with Honours in English, a programme which is unique in its curriculum design.  The programme includes courses in four areas – literature, linguistics, translation and cultural studies. In its integration of these four streams the programme offers the opportunity for interdisciplinary explorations of the English language. 

The programme encourages both teachers and students to be creative in their exploration of knowledge spanning not only the four streams which structure the programme, but also the visual arts, cinema, philosophy, ecology, the humanities, print culture and media culture. Students will explore and analyse a rich variety of cultural texts from Japanese manga and anime to video games, TV drama and films to contemporary and classic works of English Literature as well as Literature in English and creative non-fiction.

For some time now, the Department has offered research postgraduate programmes leading to the award of an MPhil or PhD in a wide range of different areas related to the research interests of staff in the department. For information please refer to the 'Postgraduate Study' section of this website.

The Department offers Minor Programme in Literary & Cultural Studies, and Linguistics & Translation as well as elective courses in the French languague. 

An important part of the Department’s work is the provision of English Language support to all students of the University. Our compulsory courses – English Usage I & II and English Writing I & II – support students undertaking academic studies through the medium of English in the three faculties of the university, the Faculty of Commerce, the Faculty of Arts and the Faculty of Social Sciences.

Staff of the Department provide General Education courses is in a range of subject areas including: Hong Kong Kung-fu Novels, Films and Chinese Culture, The Language of the Mass and Social Media, Appreciating Cantopop Lyrics, Intercultural Communication, Visual Representation of Animal Rights and Human-animal Relationship, Gender and Culture in Asia, Accent and Identity in Films, Science, Film and Fiction, Gender/Sexuality in Literature and Films, Nature and Spirituality and Digital Games -- Reality, Simulation, Interactivity.

Finally, our teachers and students and contribute to the work of the Language Centre. 

Graduates from our programmes are employed in an array of professions, ranging from language teaching to administrative jobs to work in the creative industries. A significant number of them also pursue a higher degree in local and overseas postgraduate programmes.