BA English Language and Culture
- Leiden, Netherlands
- The Hague, Netherlands
BA
DURATION
3 years
LANGUAGES
English
PACE
Full time, Part time
APPLICATION DEADLINE
EARLIEST START DATE
TUITION FEES
EUR 2,694 / per year *
STUDY FORMAT
On-Campus
* First year bachelor students: the statutory tuition fee of the academic year 2023-2024 for first-year bachelor students is €1157.
Key Summary
In today’s world English is everywhere – from literature to films, from trade to international politics. Would you like to know more about this fascinating language and the cultures it represents, while learning to speak, write and read English at an advanced near-native level? Our English Language and Culture BA programme covers English in all its aspects, from the early middle ages to the present day.
Why English Language and Culture?
English is a truly global language, the mother tongue of approximately 380 million people, and spoken as a second language by over a billion more. As an English bachelor’s student in Leiden, you will acquire an excellent command of spoken and written English, while also learning to understand the language structure and the mechanics behind language acquisition. Moreover, you will have the chance to study the culture of Great Britain and other English-speaking countries in-depth, while analyzing the relation between language changes and societal changes over the ages. Our program offers plenty of opportunities to read and study the rich literature of the English-speaking world, from Shakespeare to Derek Walcott, and from Beowulf to Zadie Smith. You will also get a taste of the Middle Ages while exploring texts in their original Old and Middle English.
Tailor-made programme
In the second and third year, you will be able to tailor the programme according to your interests by taking several specialisation courses. Also, in the third year, you will have the opportunity to choose a minor, do an internship or study abroad. This will allow you to prepare in the best possible way for the job market or for the next step in your academic career.
Why English Language and Culture at Leiden University?
- Our bachelor’s programme is unique in the Netherlands for the width of its scope. It covers English in all its varieties, from the earliest beginning in the Middle Ages to the present day.
- By studying the English language and culture over the ages, you will develop an understanding of why and how society in the English-speaking world changed over time.
- The entire programme is taught in English, which will support you in developing your language skills.
- Our lecturers belong to the top of their field, whose current research is reflected in their teaching.
- This is a programme with a personal approach, prioritising work in small groups and in close contact with the lecturers.
- We have excellent facilities in Leiden, while Amsterdam and The Hague are within travelling distance. All three cities regularly feature events with international authors and thinkers.
- You will be part of a lively international community of students and teachers.
- Our programme is the perfect preparation for a career in academia, the public or private sector.
Is English Language and Culture the programme for you?
- Do you want to study English from multiple angles, learning the language, looking at its structure, as well as the culture of English-speaking countries?
- Do you love reading and do you like English-language literature?
- Do you want to be challenged into exploring all aspects of English language and culture?
- Would you like to get close to the thinking and culture of the Anglo-Saxon middle ages?
- Are you interested in acquiring not only in-depth knowledge about English and the English-speaking world, but in also developing academic and professional skills?
Leiden University has a number of scholarship programmes for international students. There are also a range of scholarships offered by Dutch governmental and EU organisations.
Year 1
Language Acquisition 1: The Spoken Word
In this course, you will acquire and develop the skills that will enable you to express yourself accurately and fluently in spoken English. Your active vocabulary will be increased, enabling you to speak comfortably about everyday things, as well as academic, social and cultural topics.
Linguistics 1: The Phonetics of English
An introduction to the phonetics, or pronunciation, of modern English. In this course, you will learn how sounds are formed, how they can be described, classified and combined and how they influence one another. You will also learn how to transcribe phonemically.
Introduction to Old English Language and Literature
This course introduces you to the language, culture and history of early medieval England. At the end of the course, you will be able to read, translate and understand short texts, including saints' lives, riddles and heroic poetry. Leiden's course offerings for Old English are unique within the Netherlands.
Years 2
Language Acquisition 3: Grammar in Writing
The emphasis of this series of courses in the second year lies on the use of correct language, in terms of vocabulary, grammar and style. The aim is to give students knowledge and insights into English written grammar, knowledge of the terminology used in traditional English grammar and the capacity to apply it all when writing English texts.
Language and Linguistics: Tools and Methods
In this course, you will be familiarised with the different ways in which language can be studied. Among other things, you will learn about several important sub-disciplines and common research methods in the field of linguistics. You will also acquire experience in summarising relevant background literature and recent research findings.
Literature 3A: The American Renaissance, American Literature, 1620-1865
The main focus of the course will be on the American Renaissance (1836-1861). With the publication of The Scarlet Letter (1850), Moby-Dick (1851), and Uncle Tom’s Cabin (1852), the literature of the new American republic came to rank with the classics of world literature for the first time. The period also marked the beginning of an African American literary tradition, as fugitive slaves published autobiographical narratives that had a great impact on black writers in the following centuries.
Year 3
Language Acquisition 5: Writing a Research Report in Applied Linguistics
This course will show you how research reports function and it will team you up with other students to conduct research in applied linguistics and write a report. The course will develop your knowledge of theory and research in applied linguistics, teach you methods of collecting and analysing data, improve your academic writing in English and prepare you for your thesis.
Literature 5: Introduction to American Film
This course explores the breadth of mid-twentieth-century film, and includes examining the relationship between the cinema and other modes of performance, whether in the theatre, radio or television. This course considers these works of art in their cultural context, and scrutinises the ways in which popular film expressed, critiqued or questioned developments within American society.
Language Acquisition 6: Contemporary Literatures in English
This course offers a selection of texts from the various literatures in English of the period 1969-2019, with an emphasis on the last 15 years. We will study the work of authors like John Fowles, Salman Rushdie, J.M. Coetzee, Jhumpa Lahiri, Philip Roth, Ali Smith and Chimamanda Ngozie Adiche in relation to the great shifts taking place within late 20th-century literature (e.g. Postmodernism and Postcolonialism), but also in relation to the social, political and cultural changes after World War II (with themes such as ‘feminism’, ‘race’, ‘migration and globalisation’).
Thesis in English language and Culture
Your thesis, comprising between 7,500 and 10,000 words, will be written in the final semester of the third year. Its assessment includes the student’s ability to devise and clearly define a research topic, the processing of the secondary literature and source material, and the use of language, structure and layout.
Lectures as well as helpful videos
Lecturer Thijs Porck makes short videos to support his lectures. In this video, he talks not only about case and gender in Old English, but also about the 'Old English magic sheet'.
After graduating from this bachelor’s program, you will have obtained academic as well as professional skills:
- In-depth knowledge about the workings and the historical development of the English language.
- In-depth knowledge of and insight into the development of English literature in a historical-cultural perspective.
- An active (writing, speaking) command of English at CEFR (Common European Framework of Reference) level C1 and a passive (reading, listening) command of English at CEFR level C2.
- Independent thinking and problem-solving.
- Writing texts for specific audiences.
- Presentation skills.
- Working in teams.
- Analysing information.
- These skills are sought after by employers and well as by universities selecting candidates for their master’s programs.
What is your preferred career path? Do you enjoy writing and editing? Or would you prefer a job that involves communication and providing information? You will find that your English Language and Culture degree is a perfect preparation for the career of your choice.
These skills will help you
As an English Language and Culture graduate, you will not only have developed excellent knowledge and understanding of English-language culture, history, and the English language and its varieties, but you will also have acquired academic skills that greatly enhance your prospects on the job market. These include skills in working independently, self-motivation, self-reflection and written communication. If you have also gained relevant work experience during your studies, this will help you find the job of your dreams even faster.
Our job market survey shows that 71% of our graduates find work within two months, and 79% of these find a job at academic or higher professional education levels immediately.