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English Studies
Description

English Studies is the scholarly investigation of the English language and its many uses in social and historical contexts. It prominently includes the study of literature(s) written in English, as well as creative writing. Both the language and the literatures are studied from multiple perspectives, linguistic ones and literary ones, including critical and cultural theory. Our English Studies programme has a strong cross-cultural orientation, recognizing English as a language of global communication and world literature, a language which people make their own, creatively and habitually, all over the world. It offers students both a solid foundation and a wide range of choices in various concentrations. Introductory courses emphasize the practice of critical reading, analysis and writing, as well as the development of historical and theoretical knowledge. Advanced courses focus on English language and literature as representations of culture and society in diverse historical contexts, on the production of meaning in different discursive contexts, genres and media, and on the place of English in relation to histories of colonization and globalization with special reference to Hong Kong and the region. A range of capstone courses, including research seminars, internships and senior colloquia, offer students opportunities to integrate and deploy their learning in the major while considering their options upon graduation.

The courses of the English Studies programme incorporate a variety of teaching and learning methods, including formal lectures, discussion-based seminars, small group tutorials, workshops, and online learning. They are mostly assessed by coursework, including oral presentations, in-class tests and quizzes, essays and research projects and portfolios. They are designed to provide students with skills of accurate and historically sensitive analysis, critical reading and thinking, and forming clear and coherent arguments in both writing and speaking.

Programme Outcomes

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On successful completion of the major or minor in English Studies, students should be able to: 

  • identify and analyze issues and topics in the study of English literature and linguistics through various approaches;
  • formulate critical questions and investigate topics through research, analysis and writing;
  • identify and express their own perspectives regarding disciplinary issues and compare them to those of others;
  • demonstrate an appreciation of the global dimensions and cultural diversity within English language and literature;
  • recognize and make use of various rhetorical and discursive features in the presentation, organization and discussion of ideas, observations, and arguments; and
  • understand and articulate the relevance of English Studies in providing insight into the role of language and literature in culture and society. 
Credit Unit Statement

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Syllabuses in 2023-24

Below is a summary of the full syllabuses. For the full syllabuses with course descriptions, please check at the table below.

Cohort(s) admitted in

2020-21 and before

2021-22

2022-23

2023-24

2024-25

Syllabuses

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Major(s) and minor(s) programmes offered

  • English Studies major and minor
  • Language and Communication major and minor
  • English Studies major and minor

Other features (if any)

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English Studies major students who have successfully passed at least seven courses (three introductory courses and four advanced courses) with a literature OR language and communication focus, respectively, will be given a School of English certification, upon request, which attests to this specialization in the “Literature Stream” or “Language and Communication Stream.” If applicable, a dual recognition in both the “Literature Stream” and “Language and Communication Stream” is possible.

Please note that the declaration and certification of specialization stream(s) is optional and students can graduate with a major in English Studies without declaring any specialization stream(s).

Notes:

  1. Courses affiliated to specialization streams are listed on the School’s website.
  2. Neither the transcript nor the graduation certificate will show the specialization stream(s). If applicable, students may approach the School for certification of their specialization stream(s).

*New courses added to the relevant course list shall also be counted towards the major/minor for students admitted in the earlier cohort(s).

First-year Prerequisite

Students intending to declare a major or minor in English Studies in the second year must pass at least one introductory ENGL course from List A “Historical and Theoretical Foundations” (6 credits) in the first year.

Admission to all introductory courses is on the basis of academic record including a minimum Level 5 in English Language in the Hong Kong Diploma of Secondary Education (HKDSE) examination, or an equivalent score in another recognized English proficiency test.

Major in English Studies (78 credits)

To complete the requirements of the major, students must take:

1. 30 credits of introductory courses (including the first-year prerequisite), normally taken in the first two years of study, which consist of:

  1. 12 credits from List A “Historical and Theoretical Foundations” (including the first-year prerequisite);
  2. 12 credits from List B “Critical Reading, Analysis and Writing”;
  3. 6 credits from either List A or List B; and

2. 48 credits of advanced courses, which must include a capstone course to be taken preferably in the final year.

Minor in English Studies (36 credits)

To complete the requirements of the minor, students must take:

1. 18 credits of introductory courses, which consist of:

  1. 6 credits of the first-year prerequisite from List A “Historical and Theoretical Foundations”;
  2. 6 credits from List B “Critical Reading, Analysis and Writing”;
  3. 6 credits from either List A or List B; and

2. 18 credits of advanced courses.

Introductory Courses

List A: Historical and Theoretical Foundations
The courses in this list will introduce students to the history and organization of diverse areas of literary and linguistic scholarship. Students will acquire a general overview of selected areas and issues, culminating in their application by the students to texts or linguistic data, including major theoretical distinctions or classifications and their historical development over time.

COURSE CODE   PROGRAMME
ENGL1011   Introduction to the study of meaning (6 credits)
ENGL1015   Introduction to English linguistics (6 credits)
ENGL1017   Introduction to sociolinguistics (6 credits)
ENGL1022   Introduction to poetry (6 credits)
ENGL1025   Introduction to narratives (6 credits)
ENGL1031   English grammar(s) (6 credits)
ENGL1042   World Englishes (6 credits)
ENGL1047   The English lexicon (6 credits)
ENGL1051   English sounds (6 credits)
ENGL1056/ LCOM1001*   Introduction to language and communication (6 credits)
ENGL1058/ LCOM1003*   Theorizing communication (6 credits)
ENGL1059/ LCOM1004*   Introduction to pragmatics (6 credits)
ENGL1062   Reading and writing about literature (6 credits)
ENGL1063   Introduction to literary history (6 credits)

*Note: Students admitted in 2020-21 or before may choose either the ENGL/ LCOM course codes according to their study plans. Students admitted in 2021-22 and thereafter may only choose the ENGL course codes.

List B: Critical Reading, Analysis and Writing
The courses in this list will introduce students to the practice and methods of critical reading, analysis and writing, focusing on different areas of literary and linguistic study. Students will acquire a basic grasp of analytical distinctions and terminology, and learn to ask questions and construct critical arguments.

COURSE CODE   PROGRAMME
ENGL1013   Introduction to 20th-century literature (6 credits)
ENGL1014   Space and place in literature (6 credits)
ENGL1018   Language and gender (6 credits)
ENGL1020   Introduction to 19th-century literature (6 credits)
ENGL1024   Introduction to world literature (6 credits)
ENGL1026   Film adaptation (6 credits)
ENGL1027   Analyzing discourse (6 credits)
ENGL1028   Women’s writing (6 credits)
ENGL1030   Renaissance literature (6 credits)
ENGL1033   Intercultural communication (6 credits)
ENGL1034   Language and prejudice (6 credits)
ENGL1035   Language crimes (6 credits)
ENGL1036   Meaning and metaphor (6 credits)
ENGL1040   Literary rewritings (6 credits)
ENGL1041   Introduction to literary modernism (6 credits)
ENGL1043   Introduction to 20th-century poetry (6 credits)
ENGL1045   “Community” in sociolinguistics (6 credits)
ENGL1048   Crime stories (6 credits)
ENGL1049   Early English sonnets (6 credits)
ENGL1050   Research methods in sociolinguistics (6 credits)
ENGL1055   Language myths and realities (6 credits)
ENGL1061   Psycholinguistics and language acquisition (6 credits)
ENGL1064  

Language, communication and media (6 credits)

[Non-permissible combination with ENGL1064: ENGL2181/ LCOM2004. Language, communication and the media
Note to students admitted in 2023-24 and before:
Students who have already completed “ENGL2182/ LCOM2004. Language, communication and the media” are not allowed to study “ENGL1064. Language, communication and the media” in the academic year 2024-25 and thereafter. But for those who have not completed ENGL2182/ LCOM2004 as an advanced course, they may still take ENGL1064 as an introductory course (List B) in the academic year 2024-25 and thereafter.]

ENGL1065   Introduction to postcolonialism (6 credits)
Advanced Courses

In order to enroll in any advanced course in English Studies, students must normally have completed 18 credits of introductory courses, with at least 6 credits from both List A and List B.

COURSE CODE   PROGRAMME
ENGL2002   Language in society (6 credits)
ENGL2004   English syntax (6 credits)
ENGL2007   Literary linguistics (6 credits)
ENGL2012   Advanced literary theory (6 credits)
ENGL2030   New Englishes (6 credits)
ENGL2035   Reading poetry and poetics (6 credits)
ENGL2039   Gender, sexuality and discourse (6 credits)
ENGL2045   Travel writing (6 credits)
ENGL2048   Language and jargon (6 credits)
ENGL2050   English corpus linguistics (6 credits)
ENGL2055   The Gothic (6 credits)
ENGL2074   Postcolonial literature and theory (6 credits)
ENGL2075   The idea of China in literature (6 credits)
ENGL2076   Romanticism (6 credits)
ENGL2079   Shakespeare (6 credits)
ENGL2080   Women's writing and feminist theory (6 credits)
ENGL2085   Creative writing (6 credits)
ENGL2097   Writing Hong Kong (6 credits)
ENGL2103   Language and social media (6 credits)
ENGL2104   Language in the USA (6 credits)
ENGL2112   History of English (6 credits)
ENGL2115   Theories of language acquisition (6 credits)
ENGL2117   English phonology and morphology (6 credits)
ENGL2118   Law and literature (6 credits)
ENGL2119   English in Hong Kong (6 credits)
ENGL2120   Science fiction (6 credits)
ENGL2122   Global Victorians (6 credits)
ENGL2126   Law, meaning, and interpretation (6 credits)
ENGL2127   Language and the law (6 credits)
ENGL2128   Special topics in modernism (6 credits)
ENGL2129   English as a language of science (6 credits)
ENGL2130   Signs, language and meaning (6 credits)
ENGL2134   World literature and theory (6 credits)
ENGL2136   Cross-cultural discourses (6 credits)
ENGL2137   Early modern drama (6 credits)
ENGL2138   Language and globalization (6 credits)
ENGL2139   American literature (6 credits)
ENGL2141   Doing discourse analysis (6 credits)
ENGL2142   Milton (6 credits)
ENGL2144   Forms of contemporary literature (6 credits)
ENGL2145   Contemporary drama (6 credits)
ENGL2146   Cognitive semantics (6 credits)
ENGL2147   Joyce’s voices (6 credits)
ENGL2149   The American dream in literature (6 credits)
ENGL2150   The city and literature (6 credits)
ENGL2152   History of the novel (6 credits)
ENGL2156   18th-century literature (6 credits)
ENGL2158   Language processing and learning (6 credits)
ENGL2159   21st-century poetry (6 credits)
ENGL2160   Sovereignty in law, theory and culture (6 credits)
ENGL2161   Language rights and linguistic justice (6 credits)
ENGL2162   Children's and young adult literature (6 credits)
ENGL2163   Comics, graphic novel and theory (6 credits)
ENGL2164   The beginnings of English law and literature (6 credits)
ENGL2165   Legal fictions: United States citizenship and the right to write in America (6 credits)
ENGL2166   English phonetics (6 credits)
ENGL2167   World drama (6 credits)
ENGL2168   The law of signs: Interpretative controversies in legal semiotics (6 credits)
ENGL2169   Writing and violence (6 credits)
ENGL2173   Medieval English Literature (6 credits)
ENGL2174   Shakespeare and the law (6 credits)
ENGL2175   Bad identities (6 credits)
ENGL2176   Writing Asian diasporas (6 credits)
ENGL2177   Reading and rereading Jane Austen (6 credits)
ENGL2178   Language and art (6 credits)
ENGL2179/ LCOM2001*   Theories of language and communication (6 credits)
ENGL2180/ LCOM2002*   Language in the workplace (6 credits)
ENGL2181/ LCOM2003*   Language and politeness (6 credits)
ENGL2184/ LCOM2007*   Visual communication (6 credits)
ENGL2185/ LCOM2008*   Health communication, ‘healthy’ communication (6 credits)
ENGL2186/ LCOM2009*   Language and religion (6 credits)
ENGL2187/ LCOM2011*   The language of news media (6 credits)
ENGL2188   Language and food (6 credits)
ENGL2189  

18th-century drama (6 credits)

[Non-permissible combination with ENGL2189: ENGL1053. 18th-century drama: The rise of celebrity culture
Note to students admitted in 2022-23 and before:
Students who have already completed “ENGL1053. 18th-century drama: The rise of celebrity culture” are not allowed to study “ENGL2189. 18th-century drama: The rise of celebrity culture” in the academic year 2023-24 and thereafter. But for those who have not completed ENGL1053 as an introductory course, they may still take ENGL2189 as an advanced course in the academic year 2023-24 and thereafter.]

ENGL2190   Special topics in 19th-century literature (6 credits)
ENGL2191   Special topics in contemporary literature (6 credits)
ENGL2192   Postmodern literature (6 credits)
ENGL2193   Special topics in aesthetics literature (6 credits)

*Note: Students admitted in 2020-21 or before may choose either the ENGL/LCOM course codes according to their study plans. Students admitted in 2021-22 and thereafter may only choose the ENGL course codes.

Capstone Courses

COURSE CODE   PROGRAMME
ENGL3040   Internship in English studies (capstone experience) (6 credits)
ENGL3041   Senior colloquium in English studies (capstone experience) (6 credits)
ENGL3042   Extended essay in English studies (capstone experience) (6 credits)
Study Options and Academic Advice

Major students who have successfully passed at least seven courses (three introductory courses and four advanced courses) with a literature OR language and communication focus, respectively, will be given a School of English certification, upon request. Certificates attest to a specialization in the “Literature Stream” or “Language and Communication Stream.” If applicable, a dual recognition in both the “Literature Stream” and “Language and Communication Stream” is possible.

Please note that the declaration and certification of specialization stream(s) is optional and students can graduate with a major in English Studies without declaring any specialization stream(s).

Notes:

  1. Courses affiliated to specialization streams are listed on the School’s website.
  2. Neither the transcript nor the graduation certificate will show the specialization stream(s). If applicable, students may approach the School for certification of their specialization stream(s).

Students are encouraged to discuss their study plans and course selections with the UG Coordinator, their Academic Advisers, or any teachers in the English Studies programme.

Academic Advice on “Literature Stream”

In the Literature Stream the School allows for flexibility and choice, therefore it is recommended that you discuss your literature pathways with your Academic Adviser or any teachers of our School.

Here is a possible pathway for English Studies students who aspire to pursue research postgraduate (RPG) studies in literary studies. In addition to fulfilling the basic requirements of the major, you may wish:

  1. To take courses dedicated to the study of literary theory at the advanced level, such as, but not limited to, the following: ENGL2012 Advanced literary theory
  1. To take a research-based capstone course such as:

ENGL3041 Senior colloquium in English studies (capstone experience)

ENGL3042 Extended essay in English studies (capstone experience)

  1. To prepare for your RPG application: meet with your advisor; explore different programs and RPG options; attend any workshops or presentations on RPG studies offered by the School; request letters of recommendation well in advance of the application deadline; prepare multiple drafts of your thesis proposal/application materials.
Academic Advice on “Language and Communication Stream”

In the Language and Communication Stream the School allows for flexibility and choice, therefore it is recommended that you discuss your Language and Communication pathways with your Academic Adviser or any teachers of our School.

Below are two possible pathways of suggestive nature only. Students may choose courses without following the pathways.

Theorizing Language Pathway

List A

  • ENGL1011.     An introduction to the study of meaning (6 credits)
  • ENGL1015.      Introduction to English linguistics (6 credits)
  • ENGL1031.      English grammar(s) (6 credits)
  • ENGL1042.      World Englishes (6 credits)
  • ENGL1047.      The English lexicon (6 credits)
  • ENGL1051.      English sounds (6 credits)
  • ENGL1058.      Theorizing communication (6 credits)

List B

  • ENGL1035.      Language crimes (6 credits)
  • ENGL1036.      Meaning and metaphor (6 credits)
  • ENGL1055.      Language myths and realities (6 credits)
  • ENGL1061.     Introduction to psycholinguistics (6 credits)

Advanced

  • ENGL2004.      English syntax (6 credits)
  • ENGL2112.      History of English (6 credits)
  • ENGL2115.      Theories of language acquisition (6 credits)
  • ENGL2117.      English phonology and morphology (6 credits)
  • ENGL2125.      English construction grammar (6 credits)
  • ENGL2126.      Law, meaning, and interpretation (6 credits)
  • ENGL2130.      Signs, language and meaning: Integrational reflections (6 credits)
  • ENGL2143.      Religion and the flourishing of English (6 credits)
  • ENGL2146.      Cognitive semantics (6 credits)
  • ENGL2158.      Language processing and learning (6 credits)
  • ENGL2160.      Sovereignty in law, theory and culture (6 credits)
  • ENGL2166.      English phonetics (6 credits)
  • ENGL2168.      The law of signs: Interpretative controversies in legal semiotics (6 credits)
  • ENGL2179.      Theories of language and communication (6 credits)

Language Use in Society Pathway

List A

  • ENGL1011.      An introduction to the study of meaning (6 credits)
  • ENGL1015.      Introduction to English linguistics (6 credits)
  • ENGL1017.      Introduction to sociolinguistics (6 credits)
  • ENGL1042.      World Englishes (6 credits)
  • ENGL1056.      Introduction to language and communication (6 credits)
  • ENGL1057.      Language, communication, society, field (6 credits)
  • ENGL1059.      Introduction to pragmatics (6 credits)

List B

  • ENGL1018.      Language and gender (6 credits)
  • ENGL1027.      Analyzing discourse (6 credits)
  • ENGL1033.      Intercultural communication (6 credits)
  • ENGL1034.      Language and prejudice (6 credits)
  • ENGL1035.      Language crimes (6 credits)
  • ENGL1036.      Meaning and metaphor (6 credits)
  • ENGL1045.      “Community” in sociolinguistics (6 credits)
  • ENGL1050.      An introduction to research methods in sociolinguistics (6 credits)
  • ENGL1055.      Language myths and realities (6 credits)

Advanced

  • ENGL2002.      Language in society (6 credits)
  • ENGL2007.      Literary linguistics (6 credits)
  • ENGL2030.      New Englishes (6 credits)
  • ENGL2039.      Gender, sexuality and discourse (6 credits)
  • ENGL2047.      English discourse structures and strategies (6 credits)
  • ENGL2048.      Language and jargon (6 credits)
  • ENGL2050.      English corpus linguistics (6 credits)
  • ENGL2103.      Language and digital media (6 credits)
  • ENGL2104.      Language in the USA (6 credits)
  • ENGL2112.      History of English (6 credits)
  • ENGL2119.      English in Hong Kong: Making it your own (6 credits)
  • ENGL2123.      Language and identity in Hong Kong (6 credits)
  • ENGL2126.      Law, meaning, and interpretation (6 credits)
  • ENGL2127.      Language and the law (6 credits)
  • ENGL2129.      English as a language of science (6 credits)
  • ENGL2136.      Cross-cultural discourses (6 credits)
  • ENGL2138.      Language and globalization (6 credits)
  • ENGL2140.      Ideologies of language past and present (6 credits)
  • ENGL2141.      Doing discourse analysis (6 credits)
  • ENGL2161.      Language rights and linguistic justice (6 credits)
  • ENGL2175.      Bad identities (6 credits)
  • ENGL2178.      Language and art (6 credits)
  • ENGL2180.      Language in the workplace (6 credits)
  • ENGL2181.     Language and politeness (6 credits)
  • ENGL2182.      Language, communication and the media (6 credits)
  • ENGL2183.      Language, communication and globalization (6 credits)
  • ENGL2184.      Visual communication (6 credits)
  • ENGL2185.      Health communication, ‘healthy’ communication (6 credits)
  • ENGL2186.      Language and religion (6 credits)
  • ENGL2187.      The language of news media (6 credits)
  • ENGL2188.      Language and food (6 credits)

List of Communication-intensive courses
  • ENGL2164/ LALS3010/ LLAW3251 Beginnings of English law and literature
  • ENGL2184/ LCOM2007 Visual communication

For more information, please refer to https://cics.hku.hk/the-list-of-badged-courses/

Course offerings and time-table

Please check here for course offerings and time-table of 2023-24.

UG Coordinator

Dr Elizabeth Ho
School of English
The University of Hong Kong
Tel.: (852) 3917 2766
Fax: (852) 2559 7139
E-mail: lizho@hku.hk