Department Mission

The objectives of the Department of English Literature and Humanities are to promote all aspects of the Arts, Humanities, and Cultural Studies as the necessary basis of a holistic, liberal education. Its goals are to produce students who are critical and analytical thinkers, readers and writers, and thoroughly cognizant of historical and contemporary issues in literature, aesthetics, the media, philosophy, politics, and gender studies. Moreover, the interdisciplinary and intercultural nature of the Department of English Literature and Humanities focuses on education as a collaborative and dynamic enterprise between diverse bodies of knowledge and systems of thought, as well as the multicultural dimension of our present world. Overall, the Department of English Literature and Humanities' objectives are to encourage its students to be socially aware intellectual individuals who are capable of making independent, balanced and just assessments of themselves and their wider communities; to teach students to recognize the functions of ideology through language, and to stress the significance of literature, the Arts, and the Humanities not as isolated aesthetic categories, but as a politically significant tool for social awareness and change.

Distinguishing Attributes

The Department of English Literature and Humanities is unique, particularly in the region, in its intellectually driven curriculum which incorporates the most imaginative and contemporary ideas in the discipline. In this sense, it is in the forefront of other regional departments and is frequently referred to as a model for creative education in English Literature and the Humanities. The Department of English Literature and Humanities is comparable to many reputable institutions and departments in Europe and North America . Similarly, the department's highly professional teaching staff have a reputation for their specialist, scholarly activity, unique and imaginative methods of pedagogy, and a department ethos which illustrates the department as a close, cooperative community of students and teachers.

Quality of Graduates

Successful graduates of the Department of English Literature and Humanities will receive the most thorough and comprehensive education in the discipline. They will be competent in the English language, critical and independent thinkers, sophisticated readers and writers, professional researchers, as well as accomplishing an in-depth knowledge of all aspects of literature and the arts from the Classical to the Contemporary. Students will also have a thorough but comprehensive knowledge of philosophy, drama, media studies, gender studies, and politics. Moreover, they will be cognizant of the interface between language and the practices of everyday life, as well as the interdisciplinary nature of their chosen subject. In other words, students of the Department of English Literature and Humanities will receive a holistic yet highly specialized education.

Job Opportunities

A degree from the Department of English Literature and Humanities leads to a wide variety of job opportunities. Because of the comprehensive and inclusive nature of the discipline, students are well-prepared to embark on careers ranging from teaching, journalism, publishing, politics, film, advertising, business and industry, public relations, law, international relations to diplomacy and NGOs. This demonstrates that our graduates are not only proficient in the English language, but with their experience in literature and cultural studies, they have impressive credentials enabling them to find jobs in a competitive market. Many graduates from the Department of English Literature and Humanities have also gone on to pursue advanced degrees in literature, philosophy, linguistics, and other subjects at some of the most prestigious universities in the UK, North America, South Africa, and Australia. Students may also use their elective courses for the Teaching Certificate Program that is recognized in North Cyprus and Turkey .