Program Overview

English Language and Literature Program

The English Language and Literature program offers various undergraduate and graduate degree options, including Literature, Rhetoric, Media, and Professional Communication, Literature and Rhetoric, Creative and Professional Writing, and a Three-Year General English Degree. The program also provides opportunities for minors, specializations, and co-op education.

Undergraduate Programs

• Literature
• Rhetoric, Media, and Professional Communication
• Literature and Rhetoric
• Creative and Professional Writing
• Three-Year General English Degree
  • Minors
  • Specializations
  • English Co-op

Graduate Programs

• MA LIT
• MA RCD
• MA CMS
• PhD
• Co-op

Co-op Program

The co-op stream gives students the ability to gain real-world experience while earning money to pay for university. Any of the English MA degree may be taken in the co-op stream. Admission requirements and the application process can be accessed through the Programs webpage.

Comparing Regular and Co-op Degrees

Regular | Co-op
---|---
Normally enrol for courses in the Fall, Winter, and Spring Terms | Enrol for your first Fall and Winter term with Spring as your first work term
Complete the MA in three terms | Complete the MA in five terms
No co-op fees | Earn income
No term-by-term adjustments between study and work; no moves between cities and apartments | May enjoy the change of pace and discipline of alternating work and study terms
Focus on achieving your MA | Gain valuable work and life experience as well as useful additions to your resume

Co-op Requirements

Students are enrolled for a minimum of five terms, two of which must be work terms. The usual English MA co-op sequence is as follows:

Fall | Winter | Spring | Fall | Winter | Spring
---|---|---|---|---|---
Campus | Campus | Work | Work | Campus |

Work Report Guidelines

Graduate students who are not doing two consecutive work terms with the same company are required to submit two work reports of approximately 2000 words each. Students completing two consecutive terms with the same employer are required to submit one extensive work report of approximately 4000 words.

Typical Co-op Jobs

Some recent co-op positions include:

• Technical Writer
• Computing Assistant
• Library Clerk
• Editorial Assistant
• Residential Assistant
• Sales Assistant
• Archivist
• Information Analyst
• Policy and Communications Intern
• Correspondence Writer
• Research Assistant
• Assistant Office Manager
• Lecturer
• English Tutor
• Software Developer
• Marketing Director
• Communications Coordinator
• Web Developer
• Fundraising Intern
• Cost and Planning Analyst

Research Areas

The English Language and Literature program has various research areas, including discourse or communication issues, such as:

• Decision making processes
• Communication processes
• Design choices
• Gender issues in texts or other institutional communications
• Analysis of corporate/institution culture
• Corporate or organization image-making
• Inter-office politics
• Assimilation or use of technical language
• Rhetorical situations and typified responses
• Effects of power
• Techniques of collaboration
• Techniques of explaining processes
• Metaphoric or other figurative structures in job-specific communication
• Deconstructive analysis of job-related texts
• Semiotic patterns in company information
• Applications of critical theory to job activities/texts
• Genres of communication