Department of English

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Reading closely, thinking deeply, and writing well: a degree in English literature offers unmatched intellectual rewards while also providing an excellent base for future studies and professional development.

Welcome

Simard Hall

At uOttawa you will learn from nationally and internationally recognized experts in a wide variety of fields. Core courses cover Canadian, American, British, Indigenous, and African and Asian diasporic literatures. The curriculum also covers the full range of historical periods and a wide variety of thematic approaches, such as environmental literatures, new media studies, decolonization and globalization studies. Programs in Creative and Professional Writing enable you to hone your writer’s craft and imaginative faculties, as well as your critical thinking and research methods. 

Learn more about the department
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Reading, Writing, Thinking - Department of English
Student life
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Student life

Why study English?

Literary study equips students with excellent communication skills, high-level experience in academic research and debate, and the capacity for creati…
Student life
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Student life

Success during and after graduation

People trained in the humanities who study Shakespeare’s poetry, or Cezanne’s paintings, say, have learned to play with big concepts, and to apply new…
Student life
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Student life

Pathways to careers

The time that you will spend studying literature– investigating and analyzing and debating its values and forms– is in many ways its own reward.  And …
Kate Heartfield

Writer in Residence

Kate Heartfield is the author of several historical fantasy novels, including the Canadian and UK bestseller The Embroidered Book.
Discover this year's Writer in Residence

Arts Writing Centre

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The goal of the Arts Writing Centre is to help students develop their writing talents in a friendly and collaborative environment.

Learn more about the centre

News

Kate Heartfield

English Department Writer-in-Residence Kate Heartfield Shares her Journey from Journalist to Creative Writer

The Department of English is proud to welcome award-winning historical novelist Kate Heartfield as its Writer-in-Residence for the Fall term of 2024.
4th Year Seminars

A list of all upcoming fourth-year seminars for 2024-25. Scheduling tbd. Texts and assignments may vary

Here is the full list of 4000-level seminars for 2024-25.
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English Department 2025-26 Graduate Seminars

A list of all upcoming graduate seminars for the academic year, 2025-26. Scheduling tbd. Texts and assignments may vary.

Contact us

Department of English

Hamelin Hall, room 338
70 Laurier Avenue E.
Ottawa ON Canada K1N 6N5
Map

Tel.: 613-562-5764
Fax: 613-562-5990
english@uOttawa.ca

Office hours

Monday to Friday
From 8:45 a.m. to 12 p.m.
From 1 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.
(June to August: closed at 4 p.m.)