What is the English program about?
Read. Watch. Think. Write.
English matters. Language and culture shape our world. They influence how we live and how we engage with the lives of others. Through reading and writing we learn, we create, and we dream.
Our program introduces you to the world of writing in English. We explore what it means to be human by reading some of the best and most loved books and stories of the ages, and we foster the skills that will help you become the best critic and writer you can.
From fiction and poetry to theatre and film, television and the Internet, discover the many ways to read texts and genres in their cultural and historical contexts. And you can choose to engage your passion for writing by creating your own works of literature.
English is your ticket to explore, examine, and create new worlds.
Above image: James Spencer, Prospero's Library, TMAG Tempest Exhibition 2016
Focus on the write stuff
Did you know you can combine the academic rigour of a PhD in English with the creative support to get your works down on paper and into print? One of our PhD candidates is doing just that.
Why study English with us?
Whether it be English or Australian literary studies, creative writing, theatre and screen studies, or cultural studies you can follow a number of pathways.
With a choice of units, covering key literary texts, genres, and movements, learn about the kind of writing that most engages you and in turn develop your skills as a writer.
Undertake a major (eight units) in English on-campus in Hobart, Launceston, or from anywhere online.
Learn from nationally and internationally recognised expert staff who have published numerous monographs and broadly in journals and edited collections.
Choose from overseas study opportunities – one week to one year – including programs at some of Europe's leading universities.
What careers relate to English?
English equips students with valuable and transferable skills, including: how to read critically; how to develop an argument; how to think independently; how to communicate well, both in writing and orally; how to present information effectively; and how to work as part of a team. English graduates are found wherever employers value people who can write well and are smart researchers.
English graduates work as teachers, writers, editors and publishers, and arts administrators. They also work in advertising and the media, the public service, law, politics, and high-profile positions across business and industry.
- Advertising copywriter
- Arts administrator
- Author
- Blogger
- Columnist
- Comic book writer
- Communications
- Editor
- Journalist
- Librarian
- Marketing
- Novelist
- Playwright
- Proof reader
- Public relations
- Publisher
- Reviewer
- Screenwriter
- Social media
- Songwriter
- Teacher
- Technical writer
- Translator
- Travel writer
How can I learn about English?
We offer an undergraduate major in the Bachelor of Arts degree, an Honours programme, and research degrees at both Masters and PhD levels. Our units explore a wide range of areas, including: literary classics, contemporary literature, Shakespeare and Renaissance drama, modern drama, nineteenth-century British literature, Australian and Tasmanian literature, colonial and postcolonial fictions, literary theory, popular genres, fictions of the non-human, screen studies, modernism, scholarly editing, and creative writing.
The English program's comprehensive range of units (which can be identified with HEN in the unit code) are delivered on-campus and off-campus. You will also have the opportunity to apply for an international exchange, enabling you to broaden your study of English at some of Europe's leading universities.
Interested in studying with us? Explore our course and research opportunities below.
Each course and unit is linked to its own page with more detailed information and entry requirements on the Courses & Units website.
Bachelor Degree
Double Degree
- Combine your Bachelor of Arts (A3A) with options such as Law, Fine Arts, Business, Economics, and Science.
Associate Degree
Diploma
- Diploma of Languages (R2E)
- Diploma of Family History (R2H)
- Diploma of Arts (A1A)
- Diploma of Creative Arts and Health (A1C)
Pathways
Honours
Your learning experience in English goes beyond the lecture and tutorials.
You will be taught by experts, and gain perspective from guest lecturers and forums; gain a competitive advantage with real-world experience prior to graduation; study abroad for a fortnight, a month, a semester or a year, as part of your degree; have options to complete your studies your way, whether on-campus, online, part-time or full-time; pursue your passion or specialisation with a range of scholarships, bursaries and financial assistance programs, or meet your career goals with our pathway options.
The College of Arts, Law and Education, including the School of Humanities and English, offers a growing collection of units that are available to be completed either wholly or partially online to enable flexible study.
* The online availability for each unit is indicated on each individual unit page under ‘Availability’, then ‘Attendance options’ by the ‘Off-Campus’ icon .
We provide access to a variety of scholarships and bursaries at a University, College and Discipline level. The main application period begins in August, and closes on the 31st October the year prior to study commencing.
Don't meet the traditional entry requirements? The School of Humanities offers an alternative entry pathway into our undergraduate programs. The Arts pathway is a great introduction into university study, and can assist you in gaining the qualifications and experience you need for your chosen career. This foundation year of study provides students with the skills and knowledge related to studying the arts and social sciences, with additional support and guidance to help you succeed.
If you would like to study a Bachelor of Arts, completing this year of foundation study in Diploma of University Studies (Arts Specialisation) (21A) will assist you in achieving your goals.
An overseas study program gives you the opportunity to experience different cultures, study languages, undertake work placement or internships, make new friends and explore the world while receiving credit toward your degree and creating professional and life experiences. It provides a 'total immersion' experience in a variety of study areas and locations. You can choose a program length that suits you, from a 2-week fieldtrip, a short-term summer program to a full semester (or two).
Take your passion for ideas further than you ever imagined.
We offer a collegial, supportive environment, with experienced supervision, regular seminar series, research skills training, and many opportunities to work with peers and academics on your areas of interest. We supervise across a range of methodologies and conceptual/theoretical approaches, and encourage scholarship that draws on ideas from across diverse fields.
Choose a research topic that reflects your interests and identify a supervisor with the expertise to guide you in your research. Search for a discipline staff member via our staff profiles, or by an area or expertise.
The School of Humanities welcomes qualified applicants to undertake a research degree with us in any of our areas of research strengths and interests.
Masters by Research
Doctorates (PhD)
To find out about application procedures, entry requirements, and scholarships, refer to College of Arts, Law and Education Research Degrees.
Our research in English
The English program at the University of Tasmania is home to a vibrant research culture. Our academic staff have substantial international reputations in their specialised areas of research and teaching. Our research regularly appears leading academic journals and together our staff has published over thirty monographs and edited collections. Our internationally recognised research expertise spans:
- Australian and Tasmanian literature
- colonial and postcolonial studies
- contemporary literature and film
- creative writing
- digital humanities
- environmental humanities
- island studies
- literature of Antarctica
- literature and climate change
- literary and cultural theory
- modernism and inter-war fiction
- popular fiction studies
- queer and feminist cultural studies
- travel writing
We welcome proposals from qualified applicants to undertake research degrees at both the Masters and PhD levels, and are pleased to discuss cross-disciplinary research proposals.
Featured Research
Why English classrooms and book clubs are life-altering spaces
Researchers are working with teachers, students, and book clubs to make the rich experiences of literature available to all.
Could the future of the Antarctic depend on literature as well as science?
Professor Elizabeth Leane is studying the passion for literature that the hostile continent of Antarctica evokes, and the power in turn of literature to influence what we think and feel about Antarctica. Her work highlights the need for a presence of the humanities as well as the sciences in Antarctic research.
