Dear Students,
It is my pleasure to welcome you to the Department of English here at AUS.
Led by an internationally renowned and deeply student-focused faculty, the department serves you and the university in a number of important ways. Central to our efforts are the core writing and research courses we provide. Through a discussion-based pedagogy emphasizing academic and professional skills, our writing classes help you explore timeless questions and ideas while preparing you for the 21st century’s global, multicultural and knowledge-based workplace.
Our newly revamped Bachelor of Arts in English Language and Literature (BAELL) encourages you to examine the relationships between linguistics and literature, between the study of language and the reading of culture. We offer a wide variety of courses—from ENG 185 Playing With Texts, to ENG 332 The Psychology of Language, ENG 378 Literature as Film, ENG 315 Colonial and Post-Colonial Literature, ENG 300 Literary and Critical Theory, and ENG 385 Language and Gender—that integrate contemporary approaches to global literature and language studies with an interdisciplinary approach to studying important questions and texts. As a crucial component of the English major experience, we also encourage students to make connections with allied departments via our “Related Courses” electives. These classes—which include options such as WST 250 Women’s Voices Across Cultures, PHI 309 Ethics and the Environment, and THE 361 Playwriting—encourage you to view and interrogate things through multiple lenses.
A cornerstone of the department, our Master of Arts in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (MA TESOL) program prepares students to enter the education profession via a high-demand field. Employing a cutting-edge, internationally recognized and accredited curriculum, the MA TESOL program is distinctive for its small, seminar-style classes and the opportunity for students to engage in supervised teaching practice in real-world classrooms. Course offerings provide the balanced combination of practical and theoretical knowledge needed to teach English at various proficiency levels, and to prepare students for doctoral studies in areas related to language learning and teaching. The program’s focus on critical specializations like teaching methodology, language testing and the use of technology in language teaching classrooms ensures that our graduates have the pedagogical background and practical skills to step confidently into the job market. Our Graduate Teaching Assistant (GTA) program provides qualified students tuition credit and stipends to work alongside professors in conducting research.
Department of English faculty and students also collaborate on a number of co- and extra-curricular activities. Our English Fellows program offers students the chance to lead projects like the department’s e-journal Asrar: Dialogues from the Diaspora and organize events such as Open Mic Night where students and faculty come to read and perform creative work. Talented writers and students considering careers in teaching can also apply to tutor in the Writing Center.
Whether you are planning to major with us, complete a minor that complements your main degree, or simply take a class or two to pursue an interest in language, literature or writing, we welcome you and look forward to your voice joining our conversations.
Sincerely,
Dr. Paul Almonte
Head of Department
