Department of British and American Studies

As is the case with learning any language, it is not merely a case of being able to speak the language but also to have the knowledge to speak about something in the language. During their course of study in the Department, many of our students spend a year out as exchange students in universities mainly in North America, but also in other English-speaking countries including Britain and Australia. The majority of these students do not go for language studies but are attached to departments representing disciplines as diverse as sociology, linguistics, and education, where classes are taken alongside the local students. This would not be feasible without a high degree of competence in the language, so the first two years of study involve intensive training in the essential four skills of listening, speaking, reading, and writing. Thereafter, with the focus of attention on the United States of America, students have an array of options to apply their language skills in such fields as literature and English-language studies, communication theory, English education theory, as well as politics, economics, international relations, and sociology. The study of the language, culture, and society of the world’s most powerful nations allows our students to prepare themselves not only for a future career in international business, but also to avail themselves of a wide range of career options both domestically and abroad.