Bachelor of Arts (Hons.) in English

This course introduces students to two fundamental language skills, Listening and Speaking, and emphasizes their role in effective communication. It develops students’ ability to recognize familiar words, identify main ideas and understand different English accents through listening to various audio materials. The course also enriches vocabulary and allows students to practice through real-life speaking situations, including presentations and role plays. It is designed to strengthen students’ basic communicative competence and prepare them for more advanced language courses in the future.

This course is designed to develop learners’ basic computer literacy, which is an essential requirement for both academic and professional success in today’s digital world. The course introduces students to the fundamental concepts of computers and their practical uses in everyday life. It helps learners understand how a computer functions and familiarizes them with the internal structures and components of different computer subsystems. By gaining this foundational knowledge, students will be able to describe the working process of a computer and identify the internal structures of its various parts, enabling them to build the basic technological skills necessary for modern education and workplace environments.

This course aims to develop students’ foundational competence in academic writing for higher education. The course equips learners with essential knowledge of academic conventions, critical thinking, and structured writing for effective scholarly communication. It introduces key elements of academic writing, including coherence, cohesion, logical organization, evidence-based argumentation, and appropriate style, while fostering the ability to generate, organize, and present ideas systematically through a process-based approach. By the end of the course, students will be able to apply drafting and revising strategies, construct well-structured paragraphs and essays, integrate supporting evidence, and critically evaluate and refine their own and others’ written work.

This course focuses on the core of English grammar specially the use of Tense, Prepositions, Subject-Verb-Agreement, Right Form of Verbs, Conditional Sentences and so on. The exercises of particular grammatical structures will enhance the knowledge of understanding and constructing meaningful sentences both in orally and in written form. Moreover, after the completion of this course students will be able to produce error free, free-hand-writing skills and grow with confidence in their upcoming learning experiences.

The course is designed to develop learners’ confidence and fluency in everyday spoken English. In an increasingly globalized world, effective oral communication is essential for academic success, professional growth, and social interaction. This course focuses on improving pronunciation, vocabulary, listening skills, and spontaneous speaking through practical activities such as dialogues, role-plays, discussions, and presentations. It aims to reduce learners’ anxiety about speaking English and to build their ability to communicate clearly and naturally in real-life situations. By strengthening interactive communication skills, the course prepares students to participate actively in academic settings, workplace environments, and cross-cultural contexts.

This course is designed to help students improve their speaking and listening skills for both personal and academic purposes while building confidence in effective communication. It emphasizes the development of active listening and note-taking strategies to better understand and process spoken English. Through a variety of communicative activities, students will practice speaking and listening in real-life situations to enhance their oral fluency and accuracy. The course also focuses on strengthening grammar, sentence structure, vocabulary, and pronunciation. Students will receive opportunities to develop confidence in formal public speaking through structured exercises and presentations. The teacher will introduce the theoretical aspects of these skills and evaluate students’ practical progress through continuous and summative assessments. By the end of the course, students will be better prepared for language proficiency tests such as IELTS and TOEFL and will gain the confidence needed for pursuing higher education abroad.

Bangla Literature is a core course offered by the Department of English at Bangladesh University. The course introduces students to the rich and evolving tradition of Bangla literary heritage, tracing its development from the earliest period to modern times. It provides an overview of the historical and thematic progression of Bangla literature, beginning with the Charyapada and exploring the major works of influential writers such as Michael Madhusudan Dutt, Rabindranath Tagore, Kazi Nazrul Islam, Jibanananda Das, Shamsur Rahman, Rokeya Sakhawat Hossain, and Syed Waliullah. By the end of the course, students will be able to understand the evolution of Bangla literature across different periods, evaluate the contributions of major writers, and analyze important themes, literary forms, and techniques in selected texts.

This course focuses on developing students’ skills in formal and scholarly writing required for academic purposes. It introduces the principles of clear, coherent, and well-structured writing, including paragraph development, essay organization, thesis statement formulation, and the use of appropriate academic language and style. The course also familiarizes students with techniques of coherence and cohesion, critical thinking, summarizing, paraphrasing, referencing, and avoiding plagiarism. Through guided practice, students learn to construct logical arguments and present ideas effectively in various academic formats. By the end of the course, students will be able to produce organized, precise, and academically appropriate written work suitable for university-level study and research.

Basic English Grammar II is a foundation course taught at the Department of English, Bangladesh University. The course focuses on teaching students core grammatical structures, such as, determiners, verbs, adjectives, adverbs, prepositions, conjunctions, tense, and modifiers. Moreover, it assists students in sharpening their analytical writing through bar-chart analysis, and improves their formal writing abilities through complaint and inquiry letters. It is designed not only to enhance students’ knowledge of grammar, but also its practical application in real life situations. By the end of the course, students are able to construct grammatically sound and correct sentences, write formal letters in proper format, and communicate clearly, effectively, and professionally in both spoken and written English.

This course is intended to advance the students from the rudiments of social interaction to the most advanced levels of interpersonal communication by exploring the psychological and strategic nuances of verbal interaction. While avoiding the rudiments of small talk, the course will delve into the complex structural dynamics of advanced conversations, such as the importance of active listening, the art of the follow-up question, and the strategic nuances of the flow of the conversation. In the context of the increasingly digital world, the course will highlight the importance of the mastery of face-to-face interaction as a key soft skill that will bridge the gap between linguistic proficiency and the social context in which such interaction will occur. The student will be able to synthesize complex verbal and non-verbal cues to facilitate influential conversations, navigate sensitive and challenging subject matter, and strategically employ empathy to create professional relationships within the diverse strata of society, all without the need to employ scripts to achieve this end.

This course is designed to familiarize students with the fundamental elements, forms, and techniques of poetry. It aims to develop students’ ability to read, interpret, and appreciate poetic texts by focusing on imagery, rhythm, sound devices, vocabulary, figurative language, and structure. Through the study of selected poems from different periods and cultures, students enhance their critical thinking, analytical skills, and sensitivity to language. The course also encourages creative and reflective engagement with poetry, helping learners understand how poetic expression captures human emotions, experiences, and ideas in powerful and condensed forms.

This course will explore the evolution of the English language from the Indo-European languages to the present day as a global lingua franca, both internally from the changes within the language and externally from the historical events that have affected the language as a medium. The course will take the students through the evolution of the Germanic languages and the impact of the Norman Conquest on the language, as well as the standardization of the language from the Early Modern period, with specific emphasis on the Great Vowel Shift and the loss of inflection. By studying the evolution of the language from Beowulf into internet slang, the course will show the students the role of the English language as a vacuum cleaner of languages, constantly changing and adapting to the changing sociopolitical conditions of the time, such as trade and colonialism. The history of the language will give the students an archaeological record of the apparent anomalies of the language, both in spelling and grammar, and allow them to understand the cultural identities within the language as used today. After the completion of this course, the learners will be able to synthesize the major phonological, morphological, and syntactical changes of English language.

This course aims to develop students’ analytical and expressive skills through the study of rhetorical techniques and poetic structure. It focuses on enhancing critical appreciation of literary texts by examining how language, figures of speech, rhythm, and style create meaning and aesthetic effect. Students learn to identify and apply rhetorical devices with grammatical accuracy, analyze and evaluate literary works from a discerning perspective, and understand the structure and scansion of verse. The course also introduces the classical principles of persuasion ethos, pathos, logos, and Kairos, enabling learners to use language effectively and confidently in both writing and oration.

The course Introduction to Drama offers a comprehensive foundation in the study of drama as both a literary genre and a performative art, introducing students to its essential components, including plot construction, characterization, dialogue, conflict, setting, and thematic development. It examines the historical and cultural progression of theatre from classical origins to modern dramatic movements, enabling students to develop a broad understanding of the evolution of dramatic traditions across different periods and societies. Through the critical reading and analysis of selected plays, the course highlights the distinctive features that differentiate drama from other literary forms such as poetry and fiction, while demonstrating how dramatic texts represent human experience and reflect social, political, and cultural realities. By the end of the course, students are expected to possess a clear conceptual understanding of dramatic theory and form, an informed awareness of the development of theatre and drama, and the ability to engage in thoughtful and critical analysis of dramatic works.

European History & Philosophy Highlights is a core course taught at the Department of English, Bangladesh University, which aims to equip students with a comprehensive understanding of the major periods, movements, and thinkers that have shaped Western intellectual history. The course aims to introduce key ideas of Western philosophy, trace its development from Classical Greece to the modern era, and examine the contributions of major thinkers such as Plato, Aristotle, Niccolò Machiavelli, René Descartes, Immanuel Kant, Jean-Jacques Rousseau, G. W. F. Hegel, and Karl Marx. By the end of the course, students will be able to identify major philosophical schools, critically analyze key theories in metaphysics, ethics, politics, and logic, explain the influence of Greek civilization on Western thought, and assess the impact of philosophical ideas on historical events such as the Reformation, the American Revolution, and the French Revolution.

This course introduces learners to the major fields and subfields of linguistics, including phonetics, phonology, morphology, syntax, semantics, sociolinguistics, psycholinguistics, translation, and stylistics. The course covers fundamental concepts such as the characteristics and structure of language, speech sounds, grammatical frameworks, language variation, and language acquisition. After completing this course, students will be able to interpret basic linguistic concepts and analyze the structures and components of language. They will also be able to distinguish between different grammatical theories and apply knowledge of sociolinguistics, psycholinguistics, and stylistics in language teaching.

This course introduces the fundamental concepts and principles of management with an emphasis on the roles, skills, and functions required for effective and efficient achievement of organizational goals. It provides an overview of the historical development of management thought and examines key theoretical perspectives that shape modern managerial practices. The course also explores the managerial process and its practical application in organizational settings, highlighting the interactions among the business environment, technology, and human resources. By the end of the course, students will understand the core responsibilities of managers and the essential factors that influence effective management in contemporary organizations.

This course offers the essential knowledge on the history of the establishment of India, Pakistan and Bangladesh for any learner of Bangladesh. Students will equip with vision of the pre-historic era throughout the problems and political conditions of the subcontinent. It will provide the historical facts about different reign of rule such as the Mughal Empire, the British Rule, the establishment of Pakistan, historic Language Movement of 1952, six points and the Mass uprising of 1969, and the overview of the Liberation War of Bangladesh in 1971. Students will know the culture and contribution of people throughout the history of this subcontinent.

Fundamental principles and basic ideas of Economics are essential for students at the tertiary level, as they help them understand and analyze real-life economic situations. This course introduces the basic concepts and theories of Economics, with particular emphasis on microeconomics. It enables students to develop an understanding of economic principles and apply them to everyday decision-making and real-world problems. By the end of the course, students will be able to apply basic economic theories and principles, especially those related to microeconomics, to practical situations.

This course introduces students to the concept and importance of governance in society. It aims to develop awareness among responsible citizens about the structure and functioning of government, the duties of citizens, and the services provided by both local and central government institutions. The course also provides an overview of the constitution and the systems through which governments operate. By the end of the course, students will be able to understand the concept, system, and processes of government and identify the functions, powers, and authority exercised by governing bodies.

This course introduces students to the fundamental concepts of English phonetics and phonology, developing their understanding of the sound system of English while enhancing their oral communication with acceptable pronunciation. By the end of the course, students will acquire the analytical and practical skills necessary to apply phonological principles in teaching, learning, and research contexts. This course includes Speech organs, Vowels, Consonants, Syllable, Stress, Intonation:

This course is designed to develop students’ skills in effective oral communication in academic and professional contexts. It focuses on the principles of speech delivery, verbal and non-verbal communication, and the techniques of organizing and presenting ideas clearly and confidently before an audience. Students learn how to structure speeches and presentations, use appropriate language and tone, manage voice, body language, and visual aids, and adapt their communication to different purposes and audiences. The course also emphasizes listening skills, interpersonal communication, group discussion, and overcoming stage anxiety. By the end of the course, students will be able to communicate ideas effectively, deliver well-organized presentations, and demonstrate confidence and clarity in both formal and informal speaking situations.

This course introduces students to the major non-dramatic literary works of the 16th and 17th centuries, a period marked by significant intellectual, religious, and cultural transformations in England. It focuses on poetry and prose that reflect the spirit of the Renaissance, Humanism, the Reformation, and the political and social changes of the early modern period. Students explore key literary movements such as Elizabethan and Jacobean poetry, Metaphysical poetry, Cavalier poetry, and Puritan prose, while examining the stylistic features, themes, and historical contexts of the texts. The course aims to develop an understanding of how literature responded to issues such as religion, love, morality, authority, and the changing worldview of the time. By the end of the course, students will be able to analyze early modern texts critically and situate them within their historical, cultural, and intellectual backgrounds.

This course examines the historical background of the French Revolution, concentrates on its central ideals and explores how these principles inspired and shaped the Romantic movement in England and other European countries. Furthermore, it explores the works of notable poets, including William Blake, William Wordsworth, Samuel Taylor Coleridge, Percy Bysshe Shelley, and John Keats. Through close reading and discussion of the selected poems, students engage with the central themes of romanticism, such as, nature, imagination, and individualism. The course is designed to equip students with the analytical skills required to evaluate Romantic poetry critically and compare different poets and their techniques for future studies.

This course develops students’ understanding of the internal structure of English by focusing on its word formation, and grammatical organization. A clear knowledge of how English is structured is essential for accurate language analysis, effective teaching, and advanced study in linguistics and applied linguistics. By the end of the course, students will be able to describe the basic structural components of English, analyze words, and sentence patterns, distinguish major grammatical categories and forms, and apply structural analysis to spoken and written English data.

This course incorporates different strategies and techniques students can use for effective reading and skilled writing. Upon completion of this course the students will be familiar with the different models of reading such as the Top-down Model, the Bottom-up Model, and the Metalingual Model, being able to utilize reading strategies in pre-reading, during reading, and post-reading stages through keywords, key phrases, underlining key sentences, and annotating paragraphs in texts.

At the end of Victorian era, we trace elements of modernism in English poetry. Different kinds of poetry were written in the modern age. The effects of First World War greatly influenced the 20th Century modern poetry. This course samples the major works of 20th century poets, namely W.B. Yeats, T.S. Eliot, W.H. Auden, D.H. Lawrence, and Philip Larkin. After the completion of this course, the learners will be apprised of the trends, forms, styles, and characteristics of 20th Century poetry, and be able to evaluate 20th century poetry with the poetry of other ages. The students will also be familiar with the modernist literary movements such as symbolism, realism, surrealism, regionalism, colonialism, etc.

The course Victorian Literature examines the rich and transformative body of writing produced during the reign of Queen Victoria (1837–1901), a period marked by rapid industrialization, imperial expansion, scientific discovery, and profound social change in Britain. Victorian literature not only reflects these developments but actively engages with the moral, political, religious, and philosophical debates of the nineteenth century. The rationale for offering this course lies in its interdisciplinary and contemporary relevance. Victorian texts grapple with questions that remain urgent today: economic disparity, the ethics of technological progress, women’s rights, environmental change, and the tension between tradition and modernity. By studying these works, students gain insight into the foundations of modern Western thought and literary form, including realism, dramatic monologue, and serialized fiction. Moreover, the course develops critical thinking, close reading, historical awareness, and theoretical interpretation skills. Students learn to situate literary texts within their socio-historical contexts while also engaging with diverse critical perspectives such as feminism, Marxism, postcolonialism, and eco-criticism.

This course will offer an in-depth exploration of the dramatic works of William Shakespeare, from the festive disorder of his comedies through the moral complexity of his problem plays and on to the political violence of his Roman tragedies. Through a close reading of The Merchant of Venice, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Measure for Measure, and Julius Caesar, students will analyze how Shakespeare makes use of theatrical space to investigate the complex relationships between law, desire, and power. The course analyzes the nature of Elizabethan theatere exploring the continued relevance of Shakespearean characterization from the perspective of both the revenge-driven Shylock and the tortured Brutus. The course, which analyzes the four cornerstones of the canon as a laboratory for human motivation, will allow the student to think critically about the intersection of classical literature with contemporary concepts in law and society. The student will be able to synthesize the structural difference between the genres of Shakespearean drama, exhibit advanced close reading techniques with regard to Early Modern English, and critically evaluate the ethical conflict inherent in the problem plays with regard to contemporary notions of authority and justice after the completion of this course.

This course is meant for analyzing the role of English in diverse contexts, including the Inner, Outer, Expanding Circles. Students will be able to critically analyze literature beyond the Western canon, including Post-colonial, American, and British postmodern literature. It will enhance competence in academic, professional, and cross-cultural communication. The following indicates course content: • Historical, Political, Economical and Cultural contexts of English • Linguistics characteristics of New Englishes • Functions and status of English world-wide • Implications for English Language Teaching • Models of World Englishes • English as a Lingua Franca

This course introduces students to the key features and differences between fiction and nonfiction through the study of selected texts from both genres. It aims to develop students’ ability to recognize the distinctive characteristics, purposes, and narrative techniques used in fictional and factual writing. By engaging with representative works, students will learn to distinguish between fiction and nonfiction and critically evaluate major texts from both genres.

After the completion of this course, students will get to introduce with the American Playwrights such as Arthur Miller and Eugene O’Neill and their work along with the gradual development of the themes and motifs and styles of American drama. The study of prominent literary works like Death of a Salesman, The Hairy Ape, Desire Under the Elms familiarizes the students with the central themes of American Dream, capitalism, materialism and family tension. Students will explore the social, political and cultural identity of America.

This core course introduces the fundamental principles of syntax and semantics in order to develop students’ understanding of how sentences are structured and how meaning is expressed and interpreted in English. A sound knowledge of form–meaning relationships is essential for linguistic analysis, and advanced academic study. By the end of the course, students will be able to identify and analyze basic sentence structures, explain key concepts of word and sentence meaning, examine the relationship between syntactic form and meaning, and apply basic syntactic and semantic analysis to short texts and authentic language data.

This course introduces students to the major literary works and trends of the 18th century, a period often known as the Age of Neoclassicism and Enlightenment. It explores how literature reflected the intellectual emphasis on reason, order, balance, and moral instruction, as well as the social and political changes of the time. The course focuses on major genres such as poetry, prose, essays, and the early novel, highlighting important literary forms like satire, periodical writing, and realistic fiction. Students examine how writers addressed themes such as human nature, social behavior, morality, class, and the role of literature in reforming society. By the end of the course, students will be able to understand the characteristics of Neoclassical literature, analyze key texts critically, and relate literary works to the cultural and intellectual context of the 18th century.

After the completion of the course, the students will be introduced to the major literary movements including Puritanism, Transcendentalism, Regionalism, and Expressionism along with the central themes and stylistic developments that have shaped American literature from the colonial period to the modern and contemporary eras. Through the study of influential authors such as Walt Whitman, Emily Dickinson, and Robert Frost, students will explore how prose and poetry reflect the evolving social, political, and cultural identity of the United States, while understanding how different literary movements respond to historical change, regional diversity, spiritual inquiry, and individual expression.

This course will provide the essential knowledge and skills to fit in a professional atmosphere. Students will develop the ability to differentiate between formal and informal language and communicate effectively in professional situations. With exercises students will develop the professional writing skills like CV writing, editing meeting minutes, scan internal memoranda, email writing, formal report writing, complain letter and response to the complaint letter as well as writing business letters. Moreover, students will build the oral presentation skill in a formal and professional situation.

This course introduces students with the distinctive features ad structures of conversation and other media genres, differences between speech and writing. Students should be aware of the ideology encoded in the text and hidden within texts; of the cohesive interpersonal and ideational aspects of texts. Students will engage in the practical analysis of media, literary, religious and political discourses.

This course introduces students to the study of the relationship between language and society. It develops a systematic approach to understanding how language use varies across different social contexts and groups. The course encourages students to adopt a linguistic perspective to observe, describe, and explain patterns of language variation. By the end of the course, students will be able to understand how language changes according to factors such as religion, social class, relationships, and other social influences.

This course introduces students to the study of the relationship between language and the human mind. It focuses on how the brain supports the learning, comprehension, and production of language. The course provides an overview of the basic sub-fields of psycholinguistics and examines the processes involved in language acquisition, perception, and comprehension. It also helps students understand how language functions in connection with cognitive processes of the brain and mind. By the end of the course, students will develop a clear understanding of how linguistic ability is formed, processed, and interpreted by humans.

This course provides an in-depth study of the canonical works of Western literature, which are translated into contemporary English, and explores the epic nature of the works of Homer, the tragic nature of the works of Sophocles and Euripides, and the mythological revival in the works of Virgil, with the curriculum focused on the cultural shift from oral to written epics, exploring how the ancients created the archetype of the journey, the homecoming, and the tragic flaw that we see in contemporary works of art. By exploring how these works are relevant to the contemporary world, the course shows how the challenges faced by the hero in the Iliad or the tragedy faced by the heroine in the works of Euripides are remarkably analogous to the challenges faced by the contemporary world in its search for identity, justice, and the afterlife. The learners, after completing this course, will be able to synthesize the major themes that are part of Greco-Roman mythology, show their ability to critically compare the heroic codes that existed in the ancient Mediterranean world, and explore the significant role that translation has played in the modern world’s interpretation of the ancients.

This course is designed to provide students with an opportunity to understand the distinctive styles found in particular literary genres and the works of the individual authors. It will introduce the students to different features of stylistics from a linguistic direction and literary criticism. In other words, broadly speaking, stylistics is a study of literary discourse from linguistics orientation and literary criticism. After the completion of this course, students will learn how to link the two approaches in their criticism of literary works — the systematic study of style in language. This course will also explain how to identify literature as a text, literature as a discourse, literature as a subject and discipline, the nature of literary communication, syntactic and semantic analysis, and at the same time, the relationship between sociolinguistics and stylistics.

This course equips students with the essential skills and knowledge required to conduct research at an advanced tertiary level. It introduces key concepts, principles, and issues in research, emphasizing systematic methods for generating new knowledge. Students will learn to differentiate between various research instruments, elicitation techniques, and methodologies, enabling them to design and execute research projects effectively. By the end of the course, students will be able to apply appropriate research methods to explore and contribute to the development of knowledge in their field.

This course introduces students to literature of the 20th century from diverse cultures and literary traditions beyond the English canon. It provides an understanding of the major themes, styles, and characteristics that define world literature of this period. Through the study of selected texts, students will develop the ability to critically evaluate literary works and gain insight into the global literary landscape of the 20th century. By the end of the course, students will be able to identify key features of 20th century world literature and assess the significance of important works within their cultural and historical contexts.

Literary theories are like different lenses to view a text that enables a learner to understand the themes, meanings and contexts that might go unnoticed. It helps to view the shifts in literary criticism from ancient to modern times. Theories like Marxism focuses on how socioeconomic division works in the society that shapes the identity of an individual in a text. Feminism highlights the patriarchal function of gender roles that contribute to the discrimination of women’s participation in the society and how texts reflect that. Psychoanalysis points out the experiences and conflicts of mind that shapes an individual personality and showcase of our actions and reaction within the given condition of the literary characters. Structuralism studies the pattern of literary genres but not the meaning beneath any text or language, while, Deconstruction breakdown the language to bring out the multiple layers of meaning of any text, human identity and our actions. Post colonialism studies the impact of colonization on the culture, language, ideologies and identity that the colonized people exercise till today. Also how the concept of orientalism emerged in contributing the notion of ‘Othering’ in the context of post-colonial literature. Besides, literary criticism like Jonson’s Preface to Shakespeare, Eliot’s Tradition and individual Talent, Philip Sydney’s Defense of Poetry points out the probable questions that were unnoticed in the works of the particular time and authors. After the completion of this course, students will get the idea that how these theories work in literature as well as in real life.

This course provides students with foundational concepts and strategies for teaching English effectively. It introduces various approaches and methods of language teaching, helping learners understand how to apply them in classroom settings. The course aims to equip students with the skills and knowledge necessary to become competent and effective English language teachers in the future. By the end of the course, students will be able to implement appropriate teaching methods and develop the qualities required for successful language instruction.

This seminar-style course introduces students to the complexity of Second Language Acquisition (SLA). Through inquiry, readings, in-class discussions, presentations, and research projects, students will co-construct a strong knowledge base and understanding of the foundational theories and research of second language acquisition. This course includes: • Theories of L2 Acquisition • Linguistic Process and L2 Acquisition • External Factors Affecting L2 Acquisition • Interlanguage: A mentalist theory of language learning • Behaviorist Learning Theory • The role of Input and interaction in L2 acquisition • Variability in learner language • The Acculturation model of L2 acquisition • Language aptitude, motivation, learning strategies