English Language and Culture

English is spoken, read and written all over the world, from the UK to the US and from South Africa to Australia. In Leiden we’ll give you an in-depth understanding of the English language, its culture and its literatures.Why English Language and Culture?English is a true world language, the mother tongue of approximately 380 million people and spoken as a second language by over a billion more worldwide. As an English bachelor’s student in Leiden you’ll acquire an excellent command of spoken and written English and you’ll immerse yourself at an academic level in its rich culture, from the Middle Ages to the present day. Along the way, you’ll be familiarised with the canon of English literature, from Shakespeare to Coetzee, and you’ll learn to translate texts from Old and Middle English.Why English Language and Culture at Leiden University?Because it’s an internationally oriented programme in which you will acquire near-native English language skills and learn to think and write about all aspects of the language at a high academic level.Leiden University’s English Language and Culture is lauded as an open, well-organised, ambitious and fun programme and its teachers are internationally renowned researchers in their fields.You will also learn English dating back to the Middle Ages.Is this the programme for you?If you can answer “yes” to the following questions, we can safely say that the English Language and Culture programme is for you.Are you interested in language as a means of communication?Are you fascinated by the English language itself and curious about its workings?Are you intrigued by English literature and the respective cultures of English-speaking regions?Do you have a passion for reading?Would you like to work in an international environment after you graduate?