The Department of English at the University of Vaasa is a friendly department which, in the tradition of liberal arts colleges, offers a variety of humanistic studies ranging from linguistics, including translation and interpretation, to culture and literatures of the English-speaking world.

Accordingly, our international staff have a wide variety of intellectual interests and hold qualifications from several different universities, and our teaching is closely connected to our research, in the fields of translation studies, cultural studies, and traditional literary scholarship.

The curriculum of the department is divided into two central
areas of interest:

• literature & cultural studies
• and linguistic & semiotics.

However, interdisciplinary relationships between the two areas are emphasised. This provides a possibility to achieve a broad understanding of the English language and its use in linguistic, semiotic, cultural and literary contexts. In this context, it is also possible to study ESP, English for Special Purposes: the study of the use of English in such specialised fields as Law or Public Administration, as well as English in cross-cultural communications, English as the new "world language."

History of the department of English

The department of English was originally founded in a supporting role to other subjects, offering practical English teaching to other departments. This included teaching within the Faculty of Humanities, and also English for Special Purposes for groups of business students, administration students, etc. ESP is still one of the teaching strengths of the department.

From Autumn 1999, the English Department has admitted thirty major and thirty minor students, via the university entrance test and a departmental proficiency test, respectively. We seek well-motivated students, both Finnish and Swedish-speaking. As many as possible of the minor students will be offered 40 study weeks in English (as long minor subject). This is important from the point of view of the student's future employment, whether in translation, interpretation, teaching, etc.

Co-operation with other universities

The Department of English co-operates with Österbottens Högskolan and the University of Umeå. Some core teaching for our Swedish-speaking students (e.g. Contrastive Grammar) has been arranged at Österbottens Högskolan. We also have an ongoing Nordplus agreement with the University of Umeå, which allows us to exchange English lecturers for special courses. Such agreements allow us to offer a wide range of lectures than would normally be possible in a small department. Study in Britain has been arranged at the University of Sheffield and the University of Edinburgh. We have benefited from these contacts, and hope to continue and expand this co-operation in future.

Whether you study with us as a major or minor student, we trust that your contact with the English language and its literature and culture will be a stimulating and enriching experience!