Established in 1905 when the university was founded, English department has been one of the nation’s strongest both in teaching and research. Many nationally and internationally renowned scholars once taught and are teaching here, and the department has won numerous awards and titles for excellency in teaching and research. In 1984, it became one of the 4 initial institutions in the nation that were entitled to offer Ph.D. degree in English language and literature. It is currently one of Shanghai’s municipal key disciplines.

      Current Numbers:

      Ph.D. program: 2 (English Language & Literature; Foreign Linguistics & Applied Linguistics)
     MA Program: 2 (English Language & Literature; Foreign Linguistics & Applied Linguistics)
     Post-D. Station: 1 (English language & literature)
     Teaching staff: 23 (10 Ph.D. holders, 13 MA holders; 11 professors, 7 associate professor)

      Research Programs:

      British & American literature
      Shakespeare studies
      English Linguistics (theoretical linguistics, applied linguistics, social linguistics, pragmatics)
      Lexicography (compilation and research in bilingual dictionaries)
      Translation studies

      Students:

      The department enrolls 50 undergraduate students each year, and offers many overseas study and exchange opportunities. The students here demonstrate proficiencies in language and are in much demand by important government departments, domestic and overseas institutions in education, business, and media, the foreign offices in China.

      Teaching

      The department offers 4-year undergraduate program whose curriculum includes reading and writing in English, grammar, history of British and American literature, introduction to Britain and America, translation theory and practice, interpretation, and introduction to linguistics. For juniors and seniors, Shakespeare, British and American media, film studies, among others, are offered. Each semester, the department organizes series of lectures, and the students have an English drama club, publish their own journal “20 Something”, and participate in various kinds of social practices.

      For the 2-3-year MA and 3-4-year Ph.D. students, the department offers courses and research concentrations in literature, linguistics, lexicography, and translation studies.