English Studies was perfect because it had everything that I was looking for: creative writing and academic writing.
English Studies
Summary
The English Studies programme combines the academic study of literature and linguistics, ultimately leading to specialisation in one of these disciplines. Through research and critical thinking about texts from many eras and genres, you will learn to develop, articulate and defend your ideas clearly and with confidence.Although all courses are conducted in English and require a level of proficiency comparable to that expected at a university in an English-speaking country, we consider the diverse linguistic and cultural backgrounds of our students to be an enriching aspect of the programme. Since its beginning in 2007, the programme has attracted students from all over the world, with as many as 40 different first languages represented in a single year-group. Malmö is itself a vibrantly cosmopolitan city with English as one of the many languages spoken here.
Admission requirements
General entry requirements + English B.
For Swedish Upper Secondary Grades merit rating will be calculated according to Områdesbehörighet 6/A6
Selection:
final grades 66% national university aptitude test 34%
About
What is English Studies about?
English Studies reflects our faculty’s research and the breadth of current scholarship. As is standard in Swedish higher education, the bachelor's programme comprises both linguistic and literary components. This combination fosters a sophisticated awareness of how language is structured and used in a range of social contexts.
Language is our main form of communication. Mostly, we use it effortlessly, unaware of its intricacy and uniqueness, which is why linguistics aims to understand how language works, through grammar, phonetics, and semantics, using tools such as corpus linguistics and critical discourse analysis. You will learn to make detailed analyses of language data and examine socially relevant aspects of language use, as well as explain how language is used to communicate ideas, exert power, and build solidarity.
Literature is often written to entertain, but can it also shape society? Literary studies aims to familiarise students with poetry, drama and prose from the Renaissance to today, enhancing their understanding of how texts are constructed, how we respond to them, and how they relate to historical contexts and other art forms. By using a range of critical frameworks, you will learn to relate textual details to issues such as identity, beauty, and politics.
Our teaching focuses on student participation and production. In lectures, writing labs, seminars, and supervision, you will learn to approach problems creatively and critically. You will read, discuss, analyse and write in a variety of discourses and genres. Academic writing classes will instruct you in formal writing, and you will have the opportunity to develop your own work in elective creative writing courses. Other courses incorporate learning by doing, allowing you to gain insight into forms and techniques by trying them out for yourself.
International setting
English Studies at Malmö University is set in an international context, drawing a culturally diverse student body to Sweden’s most cosmopolitan city. English is the lingua franca both in and out of the classroom, as well as for navigating and socialising in Malmö.
Malmö University’s vision
Malmö University envisions a world where diversity, knowledge and creativity are put to use for a sustainable society. English Studies aids this by training students to be critically engaged citizens. As language is the medium of social organisation, we see the analytic skills honed in English Studies as essential to a democratic polity.
Career
Our students gain skills applicable to a range of careers, including media (journalism, publishing, TV, radio, film), teaching, business and administration. You will learn to analyse, evaluate, and create texts — transferable skills that are sought after by employers who value clear arguments, logical analysis, careful management of complex information, creative solutions and the use of initiative in conducting research. The bachelor's programme provides a strong foundation for graduate studies in linguistics or literature, creative writing, and teaching, along with other fields.
Interviews
The gateway to a great career
Kadi Levo left Washington, D.C. after having worked as an au pair for two years, completed an English Studies bachelor’s degree at Malmö University and then returned to a great career which sometimes involves mingling with rock stars and her favourite artists.
Originally from Estonia, she moved to America after high school but wanted to further her studies so she could write English “as well as a native”. She checked out English-language degrees in Scandinavia, but soon settled on Malmö.
Great choice of programmes
"English Studies was perfect because it sounded like it had everything that I was looking to study: creative writing and academic writing."
Having made that move, Kadi was happily surprised when she ventured into the unknown territory of being an international student.
"I had absolutely no idea what it was going to be like. I loved the fact that Washington, D.C. was so multicultural and when I got to Malmö it was such a pleasant surprise that the city is so international. I started to tell people it was like a mini-D.C.!
"I had finished high school three years eariler, so I was a bit intimidated and a scared starting university. The first year felt relaxed; the professors were so helpful and the classes and workload were manageable. There were people who had come straight from high school and maybe their English was not quite as good, but there was a lot of help."
Study and travel
While she loved Malmö, her course also enabled her to study abroad.
"I did a whole year abroad as an exchange student – which was another great part of the programme. I went to Australia for one semester and England for another – it was awesome!"
After returning from her exchange studies, she started to consider life after graduation and moving back to America.
"I started to apply for internships in Washington, D.C..Out of the many Smithsonian Museums there, I applied to the Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage.
"I had a call from a person saying she had my CV and loved the fact that I was from Estonia but had studied and lived in Sweden. She thought it was great that I had studied in several countries and been on exchange.
"The museum has videos and photos from fieldwork as well as archives. These archives include music from around the world, from different countries and tribes."
It is the Folkways Recordings and Folkways Archives that are a huge draw, attracting the likes of Dave Grohl from Foo Fighters and, Kadi’s favourite, R&B artist Aloe Blacc.
Engaged in thought and action
Student Dorit Scharf is from Germany. After high school she worked as a trainee at an online radio station and then went abroad to combine her interest in journalism with language studies. Now she is in her second-year of English Studies.
"I really like the programme, says Dorit. Rather unexpectedly, I find the theoretical parts especially interesting. I have realised how language and literature reflect and influence society.
In-depth and practical
The programme has a major emphasis on your own motivation and initiative.
"Of course, you should have an interest in going in-depth and analysing the form of language as well as its content and underlying meaning. You also should have the self-discipline to study on your own."
Dorit describes her class as an exciting mixture of Swedes and students from other countries, including native English speakers.
Publishing or journalism
Elective terms offer the option of taking courses of your own choice or of studying abroad through exchange programmes. Dorit has been accepted for courses in England. After finishing her degree, she sees opportunities all around the globe. However, she has not yet decided on her future career.
"Maybe journalism or publishing, since I want to work with current affairs. Content and engagement are important to me. I am also thinking about further studies at a postgraduate level."
Stephen now works as a copywriter at IKEA
"I thought the quality of the education and educators was of a very high standard, and I was often inspired by the passion and enthusiasm of the teachers. Being an international faculty, it gave me the opportunity to network with a diverse range of people from all around the world and be exposed to viewpoints very different from my own."
Stephen’s job connects him with many creative and passionate people, and his daily work is often unpredictable and surprising.
"As the copywriter in a project team, my responsibility is — together with an Art Director — to come up with the idea that best communicates a message and decide whether that aim is best served with text, imagery or both. These projects may be aimed at the web, for print or for television."
Stephen definitely thinks that his education at Malmö University has prepared him for what he does today.
"The fundamental principles of how to write an effective and logically sound text have been invaluable. My education has also armed me with a degree of confidence that comes from knowing the rules, a willingness to break them and knowing I’m part of an ever-evolving and developing language."
What advice do you have for current students who are interested in a career in communications?
"Stay informed on what is happening in the world of communication — it is constantly evolving. Identify the kind of communication role you feel you would enjoy and/or be good at. You can seek out specialised educations to refine your skills or, like me, find a job that has the potential to increase your skill level and help you develop in your chosen career. If you choose the latter, start looking at what kinds of companies employ communicators. Advertising agencies, PR firms, global retailers, news organisations, publishing houses, to name a few. Research these companies thoroughly before you even consider drafting a CV."
Syllabus
Syllabus for students admitted autumn 2019
- Programme Code:
- HGENS revision 14
- Language:
- English
- Date of establishment:
- 02 March 2007
- Date of ratification:
- 11 March 2016
- Decision-making body:
- Faculty of Culture and Society
- Enforcement date:
- 29 August 2016
- Replaces Syllabus ratified:
- 11 March 2016
Entry requirements
General entry requirements + English B.
Organisation
Structure
The bachelor's programme in English Studies aims to reflect the diversity of contemporary English scholarship while simultaneously reflecting the research interests of the faculty. The programme is therefore designed around current understandings of the theory and practice of language and literature in their various social forms.
In linguistics, we emphasise fields such as phonetics, sociolinguistics, semantics, pragmatics, and discourse analysis, along with how the English language has developed as a global language of communication. In literary studies, the focus is the study of language-centred cultural production in general, particularly with regards to narrative, relations between text and image, and literary and cultural theory. Specific attention is also given to examining how power operates through language, concentrating especially on gender, class, and ethnicity/race, but also on how technology and aesthetics contribute to contemporary understandings of the world. This mix of subjects and perspectives enables the student to develop a sophisticated, critical consciousness and an awareness of the ways in which language is structured and used for different purposes in a range of contexts. In addition to literature, these contexts comprise visual communication, art, music, advertising, and span the emerging global-technological cultures of the English-speaking world.
The programme emphasises the student's own written and oral production, and offers the student the opportunity to include performing arts and creative writing into the curriculum, thus merging critical and creative thinking. English Studies students gain skills that are applicable to a broad range of career opportunities, including teaching, media (for instance editing, publishing, journalism, advertising, TV, radio, and film), as well as business and administration. Students learn to analyse, evaluate, and create a wide range of texts. These transferable skills are favoured by employers who place a high value on: the construction of clearly expressed arguments; the logical presentation and analysis of ideas; the production of creative solutions; the competent management of large amounts of complex information; and the use of initiative in conducting independent research.
The programme provides a suitable foundation for graduate studies in English, creative writing, teaching, and other fields, both in Europe and abroad.
Content
Courses
For programme with start Autumn 2019:Autumn 2019 - Semester 1
-
Academic Writing and Rhetoric I, 1-7.5 credits (EN208L) compulsory
Main field: Language and Cultural Studies -
Phonetics, 7.5 credits (EN220L) compulsory
Main field: English -
Introduction to English Grammar, 7.5 credits (EN221L) compulsory
Main field: English -
Reading and Responding, 7.5 credits (EN218A) compulsory
Main field: English
Spring 2020 - Semester 2
-
Introduction to the Theory of Literature, 7.5 credits (EN241B) compulsory
Main field: English -
Semantics, 7.5 credits (EN236L) compulsory
Main field: English -
Academic Writing and Rhetoric II, 7.5-15 credits (EN209L) compulsory
Main field: English -
Culture, Narrative and Representation, 7.5 credits (EN237A) compulsory
Main field: English
Autumn 2020 - Semester 3
- Sociolinguistics - Theories and Methods, 7.5 credits (EN238L)
- Specialisation in Literature, 7.5 credits (EN242A)
- Researching Literature, 7.5 credits (EN238B)
- The History of the English Language, 7.5 credits (EN237L)
Spring 2021 - Semester 4
- See comment below
Autumn 2021 - Semester 5
- See comment below
Spring 2022 - Semester 6
-
English III, Linguistics option, 30 credits (EN113L) elective
Main field: English -
English III, Literary option, 30 credits (EN113A) elective
Main field: English
During semester four and five, students take elective courses, with the possibility of completing these at universities abroad.
Terms one, two and six are part of the main field of study and are compulsory for a degree in English Studies.
Learning outcomes
First-cycle courses and study programmes shall develop:
- the ability of students to make independent and critical assessments;
- the ability of students to identify, formulate and solve problems autonomously; and
- the preparedness of students to deal with changes in working life.
- gather and interpret information at a scholarly level;
- stay abreast of the development of knowledge; and
- communicate their knowledge to others, including those who lack specialist knowledge in English.
In order to receive a bachelor's degree in English Studies, the student shall:
- demonstrate knowledge and understanding in their main field of study, including: knowledge of the field's disciplinary foundation, understanding of applicable methodologies in the field, specialised study in some aspect of the field; and awareness of current research issues.
In order to receive a bachelor's degree in English Studies, the student shall:
- demonstrate the ability to search for, gather, evaluate and critically interpret relevant information for a formulated problem, as well as the ability to discuss phenomena, issues and situations critically;
- demonstrate the ability to identify, formulate and solve problems autonomously and to complete tasks within predetermined time frames;
- demonstrate the ability to present and discuss information, problems and solutions in speech and writing, as well as in dialogue with different audiences; and
- demonstrate the skills required to work autonomously in their main field of study.
In order to receive a bachelor's degree in English Studies, the student shall:
- demonstrate the ability to make assessments in their main field of study, informed by relevant disciplinary, social and ethical issues;
- demonstrate insight into the role of knowledge in society and the responsibility of the individual for how knowledge is used; and
- demonstrate the ability to identify needs for further knowledge and ongoing learning.
Degree
Bachelor's degree.
Other Information
The language of instruction is English.
Progression requirements within the programme:
To continue studies from term one to term two: 15 credits from term one.
To continue studies from term two to term three: 30 credits from term one.
To start the final term of the programme: 150 credits (exceptions may be granted for students who have 90 credits from term one to term three).
Contact
The education is provided by the Faculty of Culture and Society at the department School of Arts and Communication.
Further information
Enquiries about the programme should be directed to K3student@mah.se.
If you have questions about admissions, requirements or documentation, please contact the Admissions Office at Malmö University, admissions@mah.se / +46 40 665 75 00.
If you need study or career guidance related to the programme, please contact Student and Career Advisor Viktoria Brännström (viktoria.brannstrom@mah.se).