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Become a skilled reader. Learn to write with power and passion. Study English at CapU to sharpen your critical thinking skills and enliven your understanding of local and global cultures.

Why study English at Capilano University?

Cultural literacy is increasingly important in our highly connected world. And the ability to analyze and interpret written information is a vital skill for career success.

At CapU, you’ll study the rich traditions of literature that have deeply shaped past and present cultures. You’ll explore what happens when you imagine the lives of others. And you’ll learn the arts of persuasion that guide good writing in and outside of university. In small, discussion-oriented classes, you'll develop skills in literary analysis, genre analysis, cultural studies and other critical practices.  

Many CapU English courses meet the university’s Cap Core requirements. Their breadth provides both practical skills and aesthetic awareness. 

Careers and further education

Students of English have gone on to a wide variety of careers including education, law, media/publishing, advertising, public policy and librarianship. The department’s focus on locally - and globally - relevant social and historical content means students bring significant cultural fluency to an increasingly knowledge-based and international economy. 

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, the Bachelor of Arts with a Major in Writing and Literature program, or transfer directly to the third year of related Bachelor programs at other B.C. universities.

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, the Bachelor of Arts with a Major in Writing and Literature program or transfer directly to the third year of related bachelor programs at other B.C. universities.

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.

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.

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, the Bachelor of Arts with a Major in Writing and Literature program or transfer directly to the third year of related bachelor programs at other B.C. universities.

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.

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.

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.

Adèle Barclay BA (Hons), MA, PhD
Instructor, English
School of Humanities
English
Faculty of Arts and Sciences

604 986 1911 ext. 3031
Fir Building, room FR 448
adelebarclay@capilanou.ca
Alana Gerecke BA (Hons), MA, PhD
Instructor, English
Faculty of Arts and Sciences
School of Humanities
English

604 986 1911 ext. 2019
Fir Building, room FR 464
alanagerecke@capilanou.ca
Alex Wagstaffe
Instructor, English
Faculty of Arts and Sciences
School of Humanities
English

604 986 1911 ext. 2539
Fir Building, room FR 406C
alexandrawagstaffe@capilanou.ca
Alicia Fahey BA (Hons), B.Ed., MA, PhD
Coordinator & Instructor, English
Faculty of Arts and Sciences
School of Humanities
English

604 986 1911 ext. 3033
Fir Building, room FR 436
aliciafahey@capilanou.ca
Alison Dean
Instructor, English
Faculty of Arts and Sciences
School of Humanities
English

604 986 1911 ext. 2546
Fir Building, room FR 404
Alisondean@capilanou.ca
Andrea Actis BA, PhD
Instructor, English
School of Humanities
English
Faculty of Arts and Sciences

604 986 1911 ext. 3438
Fir Building, room FR 442
andreaactis@capilanou.ca
Anne Stone BA (Hons), MA
Instructor, English
School of Humanities
English
Faculty of Arts and Sciences

604 986 1911 ext. 2425
Fir Building, room FR 454
astone@capilanou.ca
Bobbi-Lee Copeland BA, MEd
Instructor, English
School of Humanities
English
Faculty of Arts and Sciences

604 986 1911 ext. 3531
Fir Building, room FR 422
bobbileecopeland@capilanou.ca
Brian Ganter
Instructor
School of Humanities
English
School of Social Sciences
Women's & Gender Studies
Faculty of Arts and Sciences
Institute of Interdisciplinary Studies
Interdisciplinary Studies
School of Motion Picture Arts
Centre for Teaching Excellence

604 986 1911 ext. 2290
Fir Building, room FR 412
bganter@capilanou.ca
Brook Houglum BA, MA, PhD
Instructor, English
Faculty of Arts and Sciences
School of Humanities
English

604 986 1911 ext. 7310
Fir Building, room FR 404
bhouglum@capilanou.ca
Cara DiGirolamo
Instructor, English
School of Humanities
English
Faculty of Arts and Sciences

604 986 1911 ext. 3575
Fir Building, room FR 460
caradigirolamo@capilanou.ca
Carlos Reyes BA, MA, PhD
Instructor, English
Faculty of Arts and Sciences
School of Humanities
English

604 986 1911 ext. 2403
Fir Building, room FR 404
creyes@capilanou.ca
Cassidy Picken BA (Hons), MA, PhD
Interdisciplinary Studies Coordinator, English Instructor
Institute of Interdisciplinary Studies
Faculty of Arts and Sciences
School of Humanities
English
Interdisciplinary Studies

604 986 1911 ext. 3474
Fir Building, room FR 408
cassidypicken@capilanou.ca
Dara Greaves BA (Hons), PhD
Instructor, English & WGST
School of Humanities
Writing Centre
Faculty of Arts and Sciences
School of Social Sciences
Women's & Gender Studies
English

604 986 1911 ext. 2026
Fir Building, room FR 440
daragreaves@capilanou.ca
Dylan Godwin
Instructor, English
Faculty of Arts and Sciences
School of Humanities
English

604 986 1911 ext. 2560
Fir Building, room FR 440
dylangodwin@capilanou.ca
Ellen Flournoy
Instructor, English
Faculty of Arts and Sciences
School of Humanities
English

ellenflournoy@capilanou.ca
Erika Behrisch BA, MA, PhD
Instructor, English
School of Humanities
English
Faculty of Arts and Sciences

604 984 4957 ext. 4957
Fir Building, room FR 404
erikabehrisch@capilanou.ca
Fenn Stewart BA (Hons), MA, PhD
Instructor, English
Faculty of Arts and Sciences
School of Humanities
English

604 986 1911 ext. 3505
Fir Building, room FR 410
fennstewart@capilanou.ca
Hande Gurses BA, MA, PhD
Instructor, English
School of Humanities
English
Faculty of Arts and Sciences

604 986 1911 ext. 3555
Fir Building, room FR 448
handegurses@capilanou.ca
Hannah Watts
Instructor, English
Faculty of Arts and Sciences
School of Humanities
English

604 986 1911 ext. 3048
Fir Building, room FR 406A
wattshannah@capilanou.ca
Holly Flauto
Instructor, English
School of Humanities
English
Faculty of Arts and Sciences

604 986 1911 ext. 3536
Fir Building, room FR 470
hollyflauto@capilanou.ca
Ian Cresswell BA (Hons), MA, Dip, M.Litt, LPC
Instructor, English
Faculty of Arts and Sciences
School of Humanities
English

604 986 1911 ext. 2317
Fir Building, room FR 404
iancresswell@capilanou.ca
Kenneth Huynh BA, BEd, MA, PhD
Instructor, English
Faculty of Arts and Sciences
School of Humanities
English

604 986 1911 ext. 2152
Fir Building, room FR 406A
kenhuynh@capilanou.ca
Kent Lewis BA, MA, PhD
Instructor, English
Faculty of Arts and Sciences
School of Humanities
English

604 986 1911 ext. 2422
Fir Building, room FR 442
klewis@capilanou.ca
Leah Bailly BFA, MFA, PhD
Instructor, English
Faculty of Arts and Sciences
School of Humanities
English

604 986 1911 ext. 3677
Fir Building, room FR 464
leahbailly@capilanou.ca
Mandy Koolen BA, MA, PhD
Instructor, English & Women's & Gender Studies
Faculty of Arts and Sciences
School of Humanities
English
School of Social Sciences
Women's & Gender Studies

604 986 1911 ext. 2498
Fir Building, room FR 404
mandykoolen@capilanou.ca
Patricia Tatum
Divisional Supervisor
School of Humanities
Art History
Chinese
English
French
History
Japanese
Language Resource Centre
Linguistics
Philosophy
Faculty of Arts and Sciences
Spanish
Writing Centre

604 984 1713 ext. 1713
Fir Building, room FR 404A
ptatum@capilanou.ca
Rae Nickolichuk
Instructor, English
School of Humanities
English
Faculty of Arts and Sciences

604 986 1911 ext. 2289
Fir Building, room FR 428
rnickoli@capilanou.ca
Reg Johanson BA, MA
Instructor, English
Faculty of Arts and Sciences
School of Humanities
English

604 986 1911 ext. 2428
Fir Building, room FR 404
rjohanso@capilanou.ca
Roger Farr BA (Hons), MA
Instructor, English
Faculty of Arts and Sciences
School of Humanities
English

604 986 1911 ext. 2291
Fir Building, room FR 404
rfarr@capilanou.ca
Ryan Knighton BA (Hons), MA
Instructor, English
Faculty of Arts and Sciences
School of Humanities
English

604 986 1911 ext. 2416
Fir Building, room FR 404
rknighto@capilanou.ca
Sheila Giffen
Instructor, English
Faculty of Arts and Sciences
School of Humanities
English

604 986 1911 ext. 3542
Fir Building, room FR 448
sheilagiffen@capilanou.ca
Steven Maye
Instructor, English
Faculty of Arts and Sciences
School of Humanities
English

604 986 1911 ext. 3068
Fir Building, room FR 406B
stevenmaye@capilanou.ca
Steven Weber BA, MA, PhD
Instructor, Writing Centre Convenor
Faculty of Arts and Sciences
School of Humanities
English

604 986 1911 ext. 7150
Fir Building, room FR 456
stevenweber@capilanou.ca
Tetsuro Shigematsu
Instructor, English
Faculty of Arts and Sciences
School of Humanities
English

604 986 1911 ext. 3588
Fir Building, room FR 404
tetsuroshigematsu@capilanou.ca
Tim Acton BA (Hons), MA, PhD
Instructor, English
Capilano University Faculty Association
Faculty of Arts and Sciences
School of Humanities
English

604 986 1911 ext. 2402
Fir Building, room FR 426
tacton@capilanou.ca
Torin McLachlan
Instructor, English
Faculty of Arts and Sciences
School of Humanities
English

604 986 1911 ext. 3514
Fir Building, room FR 420
torinmclachlan@capilanou.ca
Victoria Ross BA (Hons), MA
Instructor, English
Faculty of Arts and Sciences
School of Humanities
English

604 986 1911 ext. 2426
Fir Building, room FR 460
vross@capilanou.ca
Will Best
Instructor, English
Faculty of Arts and Sciences
School of Humanities
English

604 986 1911 ext. 3528
Fir Building, room FR 420
williambest@capilanou.ca
Xiaoxuan Huang BA (Hons), MFA
Instructor, English
Faculty of Arts and Sciences
School of Humanities
English

604 986 1911 ext. 3558
Fir Building, room FR 452
xiaoxuanhuang@capilanou.ca

Have a question?

Get in touch with us!

About this program

English
604 984 4957, ext. 4957
Fir Building, room FR404
humanities@capilanou.ca

General inquiries

Student Information Services
Library Building, room LB152

604-984-4900
604-984-1798 (fax)
registration@capilanou.ca