Take a deep dive into English literature in the Honours program.
The Honours in English literature exposes you to a wide-range of critical theory, literary history, textual analysis, and contemporary and cultural studies. Our program emphasizes a comprehensive understanding of the discipline of literary studies with opportunities for focused, independent research.
As an Honours student, you’ll receive an intensive educational experience where you’ll work closely with your peers and faculty members as you participate in small-group seminars and write a graduating essay.
The 48 credits required in the Honours program provide breadth and depth through area requirements exceeding those of the major. You can also combine your English Honours with majors and minors or even double-Honours degrees in other disciplines.
Many of our Honours literature graduates work in law, communication, journalism, education, media, and publishing or pursue graduate studies, including top programs in North America and the UK.
Program Requirements
You can enter the Honours in English, Literature Emphasis by applying to enter in third year, having completed ENGL 200, our seminar-based introduction to literature studies, team-taught by some of the best faculty in the business, as well as 3 credits of one of our second-year courses, ENGL 220-249, which range across a variety of topics in English Literature and Language.
In the 2025W semester, we are dissolving the second year entry into the English Honours program. If you are a student with second year status, the best way to prepare for the Honours application is to take the 200-level requirements for the program, as well as whichever ENGL 300-level courses you are able to and interested to take. If you have any other questions about Honours, you may contact the Honours Program Advisor.
In your third and fourth year, you will embark on advanced studies into the literature of the English-speaking world and beyond. You will take ENGL 300, an introduction to critical theories used in English literary studies and required of all Honours students. You will take a suite of courses from our literature course groups in historical and contemporary areas, plus theory, media studies, or genre. You will also take 3 seminars (ENGL 491) working in small courses with specialist instructors working on texts from their particular fields and covering topics of significant contemporary interest. You will also write a graduating essay, working closely with a faculty supervisor on a topic of your choosing. To graduate with an Honours degree in English, students must complete 48 upper-level credits from ENGL 304 and above.
Students who entered English Honours prior to the 2022 academic year and who are still enrolled at UBC during the 2022 academic year may elect to complete either the old requirements in place when they entered the program or the new requirements as listed below. Honours students who choose to follow the new requirements but who have completed ENGL 211 do not have to complete ENGL 300. For more information, please contact the undergraduate assistant.
A. Medieval and Renaissance literatures: ENGL 343 to ENGL 350
B. 18th- and 19th-century literatures: ENGL 351 to ENGL 364
C. Modern, contemporary, transnational, and Indigenous literatures: ENGL 365 to ENGL 379
D. Media, theory, genre, and special topic: ENGL 332 to ENGL 339; ENGL 380 to ENGL 397
6 credits of one of the following options:
- 100-level English
- Arts One
- ENGL 140/LING 140 and 3 credits of 100-level English (this option is recommended, but not required)
- CAP 100 and 101 (6 credits)
- 3 credits of CAP 100 and 3 credits of 100-level English
- WRDS 150 or 350 and 3 credits of 100-level English
- 3 credits of ENGL 200
- 3 credits of ENGL 220-249
Students must complete 33 credits of courses numbered 304 and above including:
- 3 credits of ENGL 300: Introduction to Critical Theory
- 24 credits comprising 6 credits selected from each of Group A, B, C, and D above
- 9 credits of additional ENGL courses number 304 and above.
- 3 credits of Canadian Literature selected from ENGL 222, 360, 371, 372, 373, 394 – the selected course will also account toward Group B, C, or D as required.
Students must complete 15 credits of 400-level courses including
- 9 credits of ENGL 491: Honours Seminar
- 3 credits of ENGL 499: Honours Essay
Apply to the Honours Program
Application for the Honours in English Literature and the Honours in English Language and Literature follow the same requirements and procedures. See below how to apply.
Application Process
The English Honours program begins in the third year of study. Students apply in their second year, and, if accepted, will need to have fulfilled the second-year English requirements: Three credits of ENGL 200 plus 3 credits of ENGL 220-249. Applications will open at the end of second year and students must provide the following:
- The application form
- One writing sample from a literature course
- A short letter explaining their choice of this program and their expectations
- One confidential letter of reference
If accepted, applicants will need to have fulfilled the requirements for second-year English: 3 credits of ENGL 200 plus 3 credits of ENGL 220-249. Students may also show that they are planning to take the relevant credits in the summer.
Once you are accepted into the program, make an appointment with an advisor during the advising period to discuss your specific schedule for next year. We will notify interested students of our decision early in June.
Students not currently registered at UBC must apply for admission to the university.
Applicants registering at UBC for the first time should also provide the Department of English Language and Literatures with a transcript of their university or college work to date.
The Honours Committee will allocate spaces to new applicants in early May. We will notify interested students of our decision early in June.
Combined Honours Programs
Students may combine Honours programs in the Faculty of Arts but only after careful consultation with the separate programs' Chairs. Typically, such a combined program involves waiving some specific requirements in each program to accommodate your particular interests.
Combining English Honours with Theatre and Film or Creative Writing involves all the senior requirements in both programs for what is, in effect, a double degree.
Resources
Course Planning
Frequently Asked Questions
You can apply to the Honours program at the end of your second year, after taking 3 credits of ENGL 200 and 3 credits of ENGL 220-249.
Only in exceptional circumstances.
You should design your schedule to meet upper-level English requirements with upper-level English courses.
For advice related to your English program requirements, contact the English undergraduate office.
Generally no.
All 300-level courses have the same prerequisite, and you can meet your program requirements in whatever order makes the most sense for you.
Honours students should take 3 of their required 9 credits of ENGL 491 in their third year. The graduating essay (ENGL 499) is usually completed in the final year.
The goal of this arrangement is to make sure that students take a variety of courses while also following their interests. The credit requirements in each course group may be taken in any order. Honours students may also count ENGL 491 seminars covering particular areas as meeting those area requirements. For instance, a section of ENGL 491 on "Beasts in Medieval Romance" would count as 3 credits of medieval literature. Students still need the same number of total ENGL credits, but your 3 seminars can count toward area requirements. Students wishing to specialize in one of these areas can use their remaining elective credits in one group; students looking for greater variety and coverage can distribute their electives across the groups.