When students study English at Queen’s, they will learn to read perceptively, analyze clearly, and above all, communicate effectively. Students will explore the literary canon, including writers such as Shakespeare, Austen, and Brontë, but will also engage with current text forms, such as graphic novels and works by contemporary writers. Queen’s English encourages an eclectic approach to the subject, combining attention to methodology and core knowledge with the flexibility to support individual passions.

The Department of English Language and Literature is one of the oldest departments of literature in Canada, dating back to 1888. The English curriculum is structured to ensure that in each year of the program students will be in one class small enough to let them feel comfortable making their voice heard and where they won't get lost in the crowd.

The first-year lecture is supported with tutorials to help ease the transition from high school to university level writing and analysis; the second-year seminars allow students to study in-depth a single major work or cluster of related works. The Creative Writing Program, led by nationally recognized writer/mentors Carolyn Smart and Armand Ruffo, offer workshops and collaborative response to students' own work to help them hone their craft. This intensive classroom experience is enhanced by the Writer-in-Residence program which allows all creative writers, not just those in creative writing courses, to consult with a professional writer who offers advice and mentorship to the students.

Note: Students in this program are also eligible for the Queen’s Undergraduate Internship Program (QUIP) which provides 2nd or 3rd year students with a 12-16 month work experience. The internship normally occurs following the student’s third year of study, after which the student completes the final year of the honours degree. The internships are paid, professionally supervised, career-related positions offering students the opportunity to learn about current advances, practices, and technologies in business and industry.