The English Literature Department of the School of Foreign Languages at Beihang University is distinguished by its quality BA, MA, and PhD programs of literature in English, brought in line with international norms. It is featured by its distinguished professors, favorable academic atmosphere, and advanced educational philosophy. All its teaching staff are meanwhile active researchers, working at the cutting edge of their various fields such as British Literature, Biblical Literature, American Poetry, Women’s literature, African-American literature, Jewish literature, Comparative Literature, and Critical Theory. A broad range of teaching and research interests allows the department to offer an unusually large variety of courses in all areas and aspects of literature in English from the Anglo-Saxon period to the present day. It also encourages the students to develop various interests in critical theory, creative writing and cultural studies.
The Department offers a variety of undergraduate courses, graduate courses and seminars at all levels to provide a rich academic atmosphere for the students to pursue their intensive study. At the undergraduate level, the Department teaches analytical and critical reading, effective writing, and the values of human experience and culture through well designed literature programs. The focus of teaching is mainly placed on the training of Students’ fundamental skills such as creative and critical thinking and writing, problem solving abilities, as well as communication skills. At the graduate level, the students engage in a vigorous and comprehensive study of literature and culture, cultivate an understanding of individual authors, literary movements, and genres in a comparative, critical context. Its PhD program encourages original studies in fields of literary and cultural studies.
The Department offers curricula that foster creativity as well as intellectual partnerships of the students with their advisors. The students develop their own programs of study in consultation with their major advisors and design their own courses of study within a broad framework laid down by the department. Outside school hours, they are also encouraged to create informal reading groups to learn from each other. In addition, the Department invites guest speakers both at home and abroad for readings and seminars. The annual Graduate Students Academic Forum invites speakers of international significance for literary studies. The students and faculty are all active participants in many interdisciplinary lectures and seminar series. The department is committed to working closely with other institutions to advance, support, and celebrate the critical study of literature in all its forms.
The Department encourages its students to develop as independent learners and thinkers by developing their critical, analytical and comparative skills by engagement with a wide range of texts written in English. It pursues a curriculum that is broad and balanced in respect of historical and generic range, analytical approach, depth, and conceptual sophistication. Its purpose is to teach literature energetically and imaginatively with every intention to inspire students to read deeply, think and argue cogently, and write convincingly. It also aims to produce culturally-literate students ready to find jobs in a variety of rewarding careers which demands articulate and highly literate graduates. After graduation, the students could take jobs in the fields of education, journalism, advertising, marketing, editing and publishing.
The Department of English Literature welcomes prospective students to join the warm family which provides a rare opportunity for them to pursue their academic dreams.
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Authored by Min SONG