English Department

English programs

CapU Associate degrees in English and creative writing are designed to stand on their own as employer-recognizable qualifications, but graduates can progress to our Bachelor of Arts with a Major in Interdisciplinary Studies program or transfer directly to the third year of related bachelor programs at other BC universities. Find out more at the BC Transfer Guide's English Flexible Pre-Major page.

Our Associate of Arts degree - English provides a comprehensive foundation of courses in the Arts and Sciences with a literature specialization. The Associate of Arts degree - Creative Writing guides students to produce original content in a variety of genres including poetry, fiction, drama, screenwriting, hybrid-genres, creative non-fiction and digital media.

• Associate of Arts degree – English 
• Associate of Arts degree - Creative Writing 

English courses

English courses are open to all students and most meet the University's Cap Core requirements.

• Composition courses teach essential reading, thinking, and communication skills.
• Literature courses examine the major genres, as well as new media and film.
• Creative writing courses involve the study and production of literary and non-literary texts.

See English Courses - Fall 2021 (pdf) for information about our Fall course offerings and topics. 

• ENGL 010 Language Skills
• ENGL 100 University Writing Strategies
• ENGL 103 Introduction to Literature
• ENGL 107 Indigenous Literature and Film
• ENGL 109 Literature and Contemporary Culture
• ENGL 112 Reading, Writing, Dialogue: Entering Global Conversations
• ENGL 190 Introduction to Creative Writing
• ENGL 191 Creative Writing: Contemporary Practices
• ENGL 200 Literature in English from Beowulf to Paradise Lost
• ENGL 201 Literature in English after Paradise Lost
• ENGL 203 Canadian Literature
• ENGL 205 Modern American Literature
• ENGL 207 Literary Theory and Criticism
• ENGL 208 Studies in Fiction
• ENGL 213 World Literature in English
• ENGL 217 Literature on the Edge
• ENGL 218 The Art of Children's Literature
• ENGL 219 Reel Lit: Literature into Film
• ENGL 260 Writing Communities
• ENGL 290 Creative Writing: Letter and Line
• ENGL 291 Creative Writing: Narrative Fictions
• ENGL 292 Creative Writing: Children's Literature
• ENGL 293 Creative Writing: Creative Nonfiction
• ENGL 295 Special Topics in Creative Writing
• ENGL 296 Creative Writing: Writing for the Stage
• ENGL 300 Writing, Rhetoric, Style
• ENGL 301 Studies in Rhetoric
• ENGL 302 Studies in British Columbian Literature
• ENGL 305 Special Topics in Canadian Literature
• ENGL 308 Studies in British Literature
• ENGL 311 Studies in American Literature
• ENGL 314 Studies in National Literatures
• ENGL 317 Traditions in Western Literature
• ENGL 320 Global Literatures
• ENGL 323 Special Topics in Genre
• ENGL 326 Traditions in Poetry
• ENGL 329 Literature and Performance
• ENGL 332 Literature and Politics
• ENGL 338 Literature and Media
• ENGL 341 Literature and Visual Culture
• ENGL 344 Literature and the Environment
• ENGL 352 Before Literature: Topics in Literary History I
• ENGL 353 Inventions of Literature: Topics in Literary History II
• ENGL 354 Literary Transformations: Topics in Literary History III
• ENGL 356 Special Topics in American Literature, 1620-1865
• ENGL 357 Special Topics in American Literature, 1865-1970
• ENGL 358 Special Topics in Contemporary Literature
• ENGL 359 Indigenous Literatures
• ENGL 363 Words in The World I: Genre and Form
• ENGL 365 Words in the World II: Cultures, Networks and Traditions
• ENGL 367 Land School
• ENGL 369 Foundations in Writing Pedagogy
• ENGL 390 Advanced Poetry and Poetics
• ENGL 391 Advanced Narrative Forms
• ENGL 392 Creative Writing: Creative Travel Writing
• ENGL 393 Creative Writing: Advanced Practices
• ENGL 394 Creative Writing: Performance
• ENGL 395 Creative Writing: Special Topics
• ENGL 398 Creative Writing in the Digital Age
• ENGL 399 Multi-Genre Creative Writing
• ENGL 400 Major Authors
• ENGL 410 Topics in Twentieth-Century Literature
• ENGL 420 Special Topics in Literary Theory
• ENGL 435 Electronic Literature
• ENGL 463 Words in the World III: Critical and Creative Formations
• ENGL 464 Capstone Project
• ENGL 465 Words in the World Practicum
• ENGL 466 Directed Reading
• ENGL 467 Honours Thesis
• ENGL 490 Directed Studies
• ENGL 491 Creative Writing: Directed Studies

Student opportunities

From writing for our literary magazine The Liar to winning awards, there are many opportunities open to students of English at CapU. The department also offers events throughout the year including visiting writers' readings. 

Check out student resources below to find help with writing assignments or preparing for the English Diagnostic Test.

Scholarships, awards & prizes

A number of scholarships and awards are available to English students. Visit Scholarships, Bursaries & Awards to apply. 

The current awards available to students of English include: 

• Lady Alice Sorila-Rothberg Memorial Scholarship – Fall
• Third and Fourth Year English Scholarship - Spring
• Dorothy E. Gould Scholarship – Spring
• Lucille Fisher Memorial Scholarship – Spring
• Sandra Isabel McArthur Brouwer Award – Spring 

The English department also awards a number of prizes in the form of cash grants. In most cases, instructors nominate candidates for these prizes, which include:  

• Department of English Student Vision Prize
• English 100 Prize for Research Essay – Fall
• English 100 Prize for Research Essay - Spring
• First Year Literature Essay Prize – Fall/Spring
• Second Year Literature Award – Spring

Student resources

Instructors from the English department are available on a drop-in basis at CapU’s Writing Centre to help students plan or polish their written assignments.

The Writing Centre also offers help to students preparing for CapU’s English Diagnostic Test at How to Prepare for the EDT.