Bachelor

Anglophone literature, media, and culture are key influences across the globe, and English remains the dominant language of international exchange.

The UZH Bachelor programs in English Literature and Linguistics will appeal to students wishing to explore the variety and complexity of anglophone cultural formations.

The programs aim to equip students with the theoretical and methodological tools needed to analyze and engage with the language and culture of the English-speaking world from a historical perspective, as well as with a focus on contemporary issues and debates.

Students will learn how to approach linguistic data and analysis in a structured, scientific way, and they will acquire the necessary skills to develop sustained critical interpretations of both literary and audio-visual material.

The programs also allow students to improve their proficiency in English, with a particular focus on academic discourse and writing. An emphasis is placed on reading and understanding challenging theoretical texts, as well as an in-depth awareness of regional issues (particularly in the UK and the USA, but also touching on themes and topics from the entire English-speaking world).

Major or Minor?

Students who take English as their Bachelor Major (120 ECTS) or Bachelor Minor (60 ECTS) will be introduced to all the core areas of English Literature and English Linguistics:

English Linguistics (synchronic and diachronic, i.e. contemporary and historical)
English Literature (textual analysis, literary history, and literary theory)
Language Skills and Culture (essay writing, cultural studies, and media analysis)

In addition, students of the Major (120 ECTS) will have a sizeable elective component, which means that they will have more freedom of choice from within the program. Additionally, they may, for example, take modules from other, related programs to complement their studies in English (module group "Transferable Skills").

By contrast, students of the Minor (60 ECTS) will have relatively little freedom of choice. They will mostly complete the compulsory modules.

In Which Case Should I Take English as My Major?

You should take English as your Bachelor Major if:

your main interest is English (rather than the other study program)
your other study program cannot be taken as a Major (cf. UZH website for a list of Bachelor Majors and Minors)
you plan to do the teaching diploma (Lehrdiplom für Maturitätsschulen) and your other study program is not a teaching subject.

* This is not absolutely necessary because one can do the Master Major even if one has only completed the Bachelor Minor.

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What are the prerequisites and how do I apply?

Prerequisites:

Students with Swiss qualifications (i.e. a Matura) fulfill the prerequisites for all Bachelor programs at the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, including the Bachelor program in English Literature and Linguistics (Major or Minor).
Students with non-Swiss qualifications can find further information on the UZH Application and Admission page. Note: German C1 is always required, irrespective of the choice of Major and Minor.