Here you can find information about the broad variety of teaching and research in English linguistics and literary studies in English carried out by SWESSE members at universities and colleges across Sweden.
Högskolan Dalarna
At the English Department, courses and degree options in linguistics, literature and didactics will prepare you for many different professions in a globalised world. Teaching in Linguistics in the English department focuses on how the English language is used in different contexts and for different purposes. Our teaching on the early level undergraduate courses takes the form of contrastive grammar and pronunciation studies. Students are also introduced to different types of knowledge we have when we know a language plus how the English language is used in different contexts. Later undergraduate courses follow teachers’ research interests and focus on Social variation in the English language, how larger corpora (databases) of language data can be used and analysed. Students get a thorough grounding in methods of doing linguistic research before they write the BA thesis.
Studying English literature at Dalarna University involves the acquisition of skills that are useful in various professional and social contexts, as it develops reasoning, critical, and evaluative abilities necessary for our complex globalised information society. Our literature courses place special emphasis on developing awareness and knowledge of the diversity of literatures in English, as well as of the various literary genres, literary periods and theoretical and disciplinary questions that inform literary studies in English.
A number of courses in the English department focus on subject didactics, i.e. the teaching and learning of English for students in the teacher programme. The department offers courses for those studying to become primary school teachers and upper secondary teachers, as well as for those studying to teach years 7-9. In addition to language didactics, courses for pre-service primary school teachers include modules for oral and written proficiency as well as the study and analysis of literary texts and the teaching of literature.
Research in the department is conducted within Intercultural Studies and Education and Learning.
Högskolan i Gävle
Our aim is to provide students with the necessary knowledge and skills to correctly and satisfactorily express themselves in the written and spoken word in a variety of situations and a thorough grounding in the multifaceted nature of the English language, literature and culture.
We strive to stimulate students’ critical thinking and self-reflection by problematising concepts like standard language, linguistics, literature and culture. In addition to intercultural communicative skills in English, we will also provide our students with basic knowledge of scientific thinking and writing. We offer courses in English at A-C levels.
Göteborgs universitet
The English Studies team at the Department of Languages and Literatures places a very high value on research and teaching, while striving to offer a supportive learning environment. Our dedicated and experienced staff, together with our talented students, ensure a dynamic environment for undergraduates and postgraduates alike.
Students of English at the Department of Languages and Literatures explore English-language literature, English-speaking cultures, English linguistics and Academic Writing/Speaking through an innovative and stimulating series of sub-courses that combine critical-thinking practice, analytical engagement and cultural awareness.
Our courses in literature have many different focuses: major authors, historical periods, genres, critical theories and methods, as well as cultural and multicultural perspectives on the study of English. Our courses in language offer instruction in the structure of English (e.g. grammar and phonetics), as well as providing an introduction to the vast array of scholarship in English linguistics (on subjects like discourse analysis, sociolinguistics, language acquisition, among others). Our writing and speaking courses offer high-level, focused training in academic English, which not only help students improve their basic language proficiency, but also enhance their general communication skills, rhetorical competence and stylistic awareness.
We are known for our broad view of the discipline, and understand the study of English to comprise more than the typical overview of formal, standard English and the canon of English literary texts. Our courses take a more pragmatic and modern approach and thus include a broad range of various media and language styles, including, but not limited to, English language, literature and culture as it is encountered in film, television, music lyrics along with other popular culture phenomena.
Högskolan i Halmstad
Karlstads universitet
Ongoing internationalisation means that language skills and cultural understanding are becoming increasingly valuable competencies in many fields. Studying English at Karlstad University means acquiring the knowledge and tools needed to interact with the rest of the world, and to lay the foundation for lifelong learning. As a university subject, English is concerned with studying the language and its use, as well as English-language cultures and the way these cultures are expressed, for example, in literature, film and the mass media. Undergraduate courses in English cover three areas: linguistics, language proficiency, and literary and cultural studies.
At Karlstad University, English has two distinct research fields: linguistics and English literature. In English literature, current projects include research into different aspects of African and American texts. Research in English linguistics also spans a wide field, including areas such as English syntax, semantics and pragmatics, second language acquisition, language teaching, conversation analysis, and bi/multilingualism.
Linköpings universitet
English is all around us, in Sweden as well as in many other countries in our increasingly globalised world. Not only is it the main language of communication in international companies and organisations, but it is also the main language of the Internet and the entertainment industry. Communicative skills are important both for our leisure-time activities and for the world of work.
Studying English can provide a solid foundation for further studies. Regardless of whether you are interested in studying other subjects abroad or in Sweden, many such courses are run in English, with English course literature. For students whose main interest lies in the subject English itself, it is possible to design your own education. English consists of three parts: language, literature and culture. There is a clear focus on developing one’s own language proficiency, and an increasing emphasis on the American and British social, cultural and historical context in which the language exists, primarily in Great Britain and the USA. A student may study English with us all the way up to a Bachelor’s and Magister [one-year Master’s] degree in the subject; it is also possible to go on to do a PhD within our research environment Language and Culture.
Linnaeus universitet
English is a global language; today there are more people who speak English as a second or foreign language than there are native speakers. Our courses and programmes help students improve their English proficiency while studying English literature, linguistics, media, and culture – all with a clear focus on sustainability.
Lulea Tekniska Universitet
English and Education focuses on English as a subject as well as its teaching practice. We offer courses up to the C level (up to 90 credits), specializing in either language or literature, as part of a Bachelor degree. We also offer a number of other courses, such as Creative Writing in English and English for Professional Purposes. English also constitutes a central part of the teacher education programmes at LTU, providing courses for students training to become teachers of Preschool, Primary school or High School. English and Education is a dynamic subject, and was awarded the highest grade in the latest evaluation by the Swedish Higher Education Authority.
We conduct research in both English linguistics and literature, where the subject’s teaching practice is studied in conjunction with the English language and its literary and cultural expressions. Our research focus ranges from textbooks and vocabulary acquisition to children’s literature and film studies. Together with other research subjects, we contribute to ensuring the scientific competence within the teacher education programmes at LTU. English and Education is part of the graduate school Practice-Based Educational Research (PROFS), which is a collaborative project between the university, municipalities in the vicinity and the Region of Norrbotten, and we constitute an important part of the university’s strategic area of Learning.
Lund Universitet
At the English unit of the Centre for Languages and Literature, linguistically orientated researchers study the English language from a variety of perspectives, including semantics, pragmatics, syntax, discourse and language acquisition. Part of the work done by English-language scholars relies on experimental methods (the Centre has state-of-the-art laboratory equipment), and the use of corpora features in some projects.
Research on English literature by tenured staff and doctoral students encompasses a wide range of periods, topics and methodologies. Areas of particular strength include Shakespeare and early modern drama; British Romanticism; nineteenth-century British fiction; Anglo-Swedish literary relations in the nineteenth century; fashion in literature; interwar writing by women; writing about animals; and contemporary Irish writing.
Malmö universitet
Current research at the School of Arts and Communication, K3, focuses on, among other things, strategies of representation in comics, literary practices within the Swedish unions during the second half of the 20th century, ideophones — also known as expressive and mimetics — which are marked words that depict sensory imagery, the function of intellectuals for Swedish society between 1960-2020, and the functional consequences of composition on comics’ narratives.
In research on culture, language, media and learning, questions about language development, learning in the media landscape, literature and media reception, language and subject learning and multilingualism are central. Important elements in the education are studies of children, young people and adults’ encounters with and production of texts in different situations, oral as well as written in different media forms. The conditions for language development are studied in a broader perspective and include the school subjects; Swedish, Swedish as a second language, and English, as well as their use in other school subjects, in higher education and in contexts where learning is not institutionally framed.
Mittuniversitetet
In an increasingly international world possessing skills in spoken and written English is vital. Knowledge of the English language’s structure as well as English-speaking countries’ culture, literature and society is important.
Mid Sweden University defines the subject area as English Studies and offers courses at undergraduate level (first cycle: A, B and C, 1-90 credits) as well as post-graduate level (second cycle: Master’s programme, 60 credits). English Studies includes studies in culture, linguistics and literature relating to English and English-speaking countries, and for trainee teachers studies in English language didactics. English Studies consists of studies given as independent courses or as part of the teacher trainee programme, and are offered as campus courses or distance and web-based courses.
The course (A) concentrates on oral and written proficiency, studies in grammar as well as English-speaking countries’ culture, literature and contemporary society.
The course (B) emphasises a general linguistic perspective of English as a system, highlights studies of culture and literature from an Anglo-Saxon and global perspective and develops language proficiency through the use of communicative tools.
The course (C) further develops knowledge of language, literature and culture through studies in the disciplines of linguistic and literary theory and Cultural Studies. These studies provide the tools and basis for the production of an academic essay which is the culmination of undergraduate studies in English Studies.
The Master’s programme consists of three components: Epistemology of the Humanities and the Humanities and Cultural Education (‘Bildung’), which are common courses for Master’s students at the Department of Humanities, compulsory and elective courses in the subject area as well as the production of a final academic essay. The courses that comprise the Master’s programme can be studied as independent courses.
Besides the selection of courses offered at undergraduate and post-graduate levels the subject also offers short courses.
Högskolan i Skövde
The courses that we give are free-standing, mainly 7.5-credit courses. Our campus courses are completely run in English and are also open to our exchange students. We offer campus courses in general proficiency, academic writing, general writing, oral presentation and business English. We also give distance courses in academic writing, business English and literature (detective novels, contemporary fiction, speculative fiction and literature on the Second World War).
Stockholms universitet
The Department of English is one of the leading centres in Scandinavia for studies in English, with students and teachers from many parts of the world. We conduct first-rate research and teaching in an open and innovative environment.
The Department of English was established at Stockholm University in 1932. You can learn more about the department’s history in the celebratory volume Stockholm University English Department: Our First 75 Years (2007), edited by Magnus Ljung and Gunnel Melchers.
Today our teaching and research cover two main areas – English linguistics and English language-literature. We offer a wide range of courses and programmes from undergraduate to more advanced levels, including PhD studies. Our courses provide both practical training in the language and theoretical knowledge in a number of areas, and are taught by teachers with a strong research profile. More information about our courses and programmes can be found on our education pages: Studying English at Stockholm University
The department’s researchers work in a number of areas, which can be seen in the department’s international publications and in the Faculty of Humanities’ support for our leading research in both literature and linguistics.
Södertörns högskola
The subject of English is characterised by a post-colonial and intercultural profile and primarily comprises studies of literature, linguistics, and cultural studies. Courses on the A-level aim to provide students with both an overview of the literary and linguistic study of English and a perspective of English as a global language connected to many regions and cultures of the world. Courses on the B-level promote a deeper understanding of the colonial history and post-colonial literature of English-speaking people, and of discourses of power as well as linguistic methods for their analysis and for linguistic investigation in general. On the C-level, students become more familiar with discussing and applying theory in preparation for the independent project in English with a literary, linguistic, cultural studies, or didactic orientation. Throughout all levels, students improve their language proficiency and practice academic writing.
The subject’s literary research focuses on Anglophone literature and other English-language texts relevant to multiculturalism and post-colonialism. Race and ethnicity, class, and the representation of minorities and refugees comprise additional areas of focus. Current research projects also include perspectives on gender, capitalism, and human rights. Updates?
Linguistic research at the subject of English incorporates the fields of discourse analysis, interactional sociolinguistics, conversation analysis, and interpersonal pragmatics. Multilingualism, cognitive linguistics, and corpus linguistics are also represented in current research projects. Much of the research focuses on variation in contemporary English as represented in the media and in popular culture. In line with the subject’s post-colonial and multicultural profile, linguistic research investigates contact between English and other languages, and how this contact is manifested in varieties of English as a second or foreign language.
Didactic research within the subject of English focuses primarily on language teaching and classroom discourse (including in distance learning contexts) and on academic writing in English as a second or foreign language. Additional didactic research concerns literary didactics, with a specific focus on teaching critical reading.
Umeå Universitet
English is a necessary language for communication on a global scale. Whether in a first- or second-language context, you will benefit from your English education by possessing not just improved proficiency in the language but a deeper knowledge of linguistic aspects, cultural variations, and aesthetic uses of the language in literature.
An English education is the foundation for cooperation across borders, greater awareness of cultural differences, and increased possibilities for employment in a wider array of contexts. These borders and contexts are not only geographical, as exposure to and the use of English is significant within many working environments and social situations in Sweden today.
Research into language and language use can take many forms. The Department of Language Studies organizes higher seminars within three research areas: literature, linguistics, and language teaching and learning. Our researchers work with historical and contemporary sources such as language databases, language maps, fiction, travel writing, digital texts, spoken language and much more.
Högskolan Väst
Örebro universitet
The research in English linguistics at Örebro University is particularly strong in the field of sociolinguistics, with emphasis on the theme “language and power”. For example, there is ongoing research on language attitudes and linguistic stereotyping under two major projects financed by the Swedish Research Council and the Wallenberg Foundation. The theme ”language and power” is also present also in historical research, more specifically in studies of Middle Scots. The role of English as a global language of power also fits into this profile. Here the department conducts applied research in the field of language teaching and learning, focusing on the role of English vs. local languages in post-colonial educational contexts, research that is being conducted in collaboration with the University of Seychelles.
Further pedagogical research conducted within the English subject at Örebro University encompasses a variety of frameworks and research methods, ranging from quantitative measures of language proficiency to qualitative evaluations of language learning motivation with ethnographic focus on the extent to which classroom practices are successful. Much of our applied research in language pedagogy operates within an action research (AR) framework. AR in language pedagogy is a process of inquiry meant to identify and improve local teaching and learning situations through systematic evaluation of a pedagogic change or intervention. Examples include minor modifications to classroom practice, such as student groupings, activities, order of instruction, or materials, as well as larger changes such as adopting a new pedagogic approach, adjusting course content, or revising a syllabus.
Literary studies in the English subject spans from cultural studies to narrative theory, from 18th century satire to modern science fiction. There is common interest in situating literature in cultural/historical context. In the field of American literature there is research with a basis in cultural studies and feminist theory, on genres such as science fiction and autobiography, with a critical view on the literary canon and problematizing the author concept. In English literature there is research in the field of eighteenth-century studies, where similar issues in literary history are considered, but with a basis in narrative studies and focus on ironic narrative techniques. Current projects include studies of modernist autobiographies, concerning authors such as Gertrude Stein, Alice B. Toklas, F. Scott Fitzgerald and Ernest Hemingway, the author concept of the long eighteenth century, from Jonathan Swift’s satire to Jane Austen’s novels, and a study of American families and reproductive technologies.