Get your UBC degree in English, which involves the close study and analysis of complex texts. Our courses explore literature and culture across a full range of historical periods from medieval to contemporary in various national and global contexts.

Our faculty members conduct research and teach in a wide range of historical and contemporary areas, including indigenous and postcolonial literatures, Shakespearean drama, critical animal studies, women’s literary history, punk culture, critical theory, popular fiction, digital humanities, poetry and poetic sound archives, and children’s literary cultures.

You will gain an appreciation for language and its role as one of the most powerful political and philosophical tools in this information age.

Our degree programs include the B.A. English Honours and Major in English, as well as the M.A. in English. Undergraduates can also complete a Combined Major with another B.A. program or a General Studies B.A. with a concentration in English.

UBC Okanagan’s English program offers a wide variety of foundational and advanced courses that cover literature in historical contexts, children’s literature, screen-based media, composition, digital humanities, and more.

Sample courses:

• ENGL 151 – Critical Studies in Literature
• ENGL 212 – Studies in Children’s Literature
• ENGL 379 – Postcolonial Literary & Cultural Studies

View course descriptions for the current academic year. Browse all English courses and descriptions in the Academic Calendar.

Detailed information on the English program can be found in the Okanagan Academic Calendar, a comprehensive guide to all programs, courses, services, and academic policies at The University of British Columbia:

Bachelor of Arts (BA) in English:

• Major in English (BA)
• Combined Major with English (BA)
• Minor in English
• English Honours Program (BA). Review the English Honours Requirements and Application

English undergraduates can complete a Bachelor of Arts (BA) in English with a Major, Combined Major, Honours, or General Studies BA with a concentration in English.

Find out more about the required courses and how to declare your major.

Communications and Rhetoric Certificate

Students can receive a Certificate in Communications and Rhetoric by completing 15 credits through courses from four thematic interdisciplinary and relational clusters, and a final capstone project. This is an add on to any major; some credits can be double counted.

Learn about graduate studies

Learn about our Masters of Arts in English and our Interdisciplinary Graduate Studies program in Digital Arts and Humanities.

For your application to be considered, you’ll need to do three things:

• Meet general requirements (e.g., graduate from secondary school)
• Demonstrate a certain level of English competency
• Meet specific requirements for the degree you’re applying to.

Then, UBC will take a closer look at your application. We’ll read your Personal Profile to get a sense of who you are and what you’ve achieved.  We’ll also look at all of your Grade 11 (junior level) and Grade 12 (senior level) courses, paying special attention to the courses that relate to the degree you’re applying to.

Find your specific requirements at you.ubc.ca

Students are encouraged to declare their major in English at the end of their first year in order to take the prerequisite second-year courses. Refer to the Academic Calendar for required courses.

Application Deadlines 
Plan ahead to ensure you meet important deadlines and other target dates listed at you.ubc.ca.

Tuition Fees
UBC Okanagan’s fees compare favourably with universities of the same high calibre. See Financial Planning for helpful resources, and add up your first-year costs with our Cost Calculator.

Apply to UBC’s Okanagan campus at you.ubc.ca—there are just five steps in the application process. Soon you could be studying at one of the world’s top universities.

Check out the steps to apply to UBC, and be sure to choose “Okanagan campus.”

Or let our Student Recruitment & Advising experts guide you: call 1-877-807-8521.

• Advertising agencies, Internet design firms, multimedia content providers, private consulting firms, research centres, software development companies, and training programs
• Governments (municipal, provincial, and federal)
• Large corporations with in-house corporate communications and human resource departments
• Newspapers, alternative newspapers, book and magazine publishers, and scholarly journals
• Radio and television stations

Learn and earn with Co-op, a paid opportunity for students to enrich their education with work experience. At UBC’s Okanagan campus, sign up for Co-op to: build your resumé with professional experience; learn valuable tips on how to successfully apply for jobs; expand your network of industry contacts; and earn money to pay for tuition. Inquire about Co-op by phone at 250.807.9623 or by email.

The UBC Okanagan Arts Career Apprenticeship Program (UBCO ACAP) connects upcoming arts, humanities and social sciences graduates from the Irving K. Barber Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences and the Faculty of Creative and Critical Studies with Okanagan-based employers for one-year, paid, early career opportunities.

The Master of Arts (MA) degree in English at UBC Okanagan provides students with theoretical and practical tools of advanced literary studies in English.

Graduates of the MA program are prepared for a variety of professions that value strong communication skills and a facility in writing and textual analysis including education, journalism, professional writing, publishing, law, consulting, marketing and for pursuing a PhD degree.

There are two ways to fulfil the requirements for an MA in English: the Masters Coursework Option and the Masters Thesis Option.

The Interdisciplinary Graduate Studies program with a theme in  Digital Arts and Humanities brings computing technologies and makerspace methods together to address such humanities topics as social justice, access, sustainability, ethics, labour, ecology, collaboration, interaction, making, pedagogy, and reading, as well as the ways in which the humanities can pose vital questions about computing technologies.

Our MA students will gain a host of skills that prepare them for careers in education, consulting, governmental and non-governmental organizations, industrial sectors, and more. With the research, teaching, making, and analytical skills they gain in the Digital Arts and Humanities theme, our PhD students will be prepared to pursue academic and alternative academic career paths.

• See the world through Go Global, a UBC program for exchange and study with more than 150 international partner institutions.
• Travel to conferences or competitions with financial assistance available through the Tuum Est Student Initiative Fund, which provides financial support up to $3,500.

• Follow your ideas and get a head start on your career. Our professors engage students in research projects, labs and centres that range from Indigenous studies and the study of animal ethics to digitized cultural history.
• Take part in Eco Art Incubator, a research initiative that provides students and artists with a platform from which to work, as well as access to artist-friendly resources for conservation and ecological initiatives.
• Investigate opportunities offered through the Centre for Culture and Technology (CCT), an interdisciplinary institute that engages in multiple forms of art, media, and information technologies as vehicles for the exploration and expression of community, culture, and identity.
• FCCS faculty run the AMP Lab, which houses projects that engage the work of the humanities, adding value to cultural artifacts through interpretation and analysis in a digital context.

Get a financial boost to start your research experience and help pay for travel and other expenses. Merit-based cash awards also look impressive on your resumé.

• The Faculty of Creative and Critical Studies Undergraduate Research Awards ($2,500) provide undergraduate students with support you can use to engage in research and creative activities during the summer.
• The FCCS Community Engagement Award recognizes activities that make a significant and positive impact on communities beyond the university.
• More scholarships, bursaries and grants available for all students.

• Learn through doing, create strong connections, and develop professional skills with a campus job arranged by UBC’s Work Study Program.
• Meet a community need and get practical experience by volunteering for a Community Service Learning project— a life-changing experience.
• Build up your portfolio by flexing those creative muscles — photograph, illustrate, write, edit, interview and perform other journalistic roles at UBC Okanagan’s newspaper, The Phoenix, the official students’ free press.
• Co-op puts your classroom learning to the test, allowing you to explore career options while earning money. Inquire about Co-op by phone at 250.807.9623 or by email.
• More Employment Opportunities in FCCS.

• Get a glimpse into life on UBC’s Okanagan campus at you.ubc.ca.
• Take a virtual tour of our state-of-the-art labs, modern facilities, campus residences.
• Visit the campus for a personal guided tour led by a student ambassador.
• Tour the campus, city and lake with this interactive 360-degree Kelowna From Above* video.
  * Best viewed in Chrome and Firefox 

On the first day of university, faculties offer “Meet the Faculty” sessions where you can get to know the Dean, professors, and the staff who provide student support. It’s all part of UBC Okanagan’s new student orientation: CREATE.

Attend an orientation tailored to your needs as an aboriginal student, domestic student, international student, or student living in residence. You can even register your parents for an orientation that includes a workshop and campus tour.

• Peer mentors are a great resource — ask questions and learn from students who’ve been there, done that.
• Navigate your studies with the help of a professor, your Program Advisor.
• Use the library which offers print, audiovisual and electronic research materials, a leisure-reading collection and loaner laptops. It also offers research consultations, instruction and workshops.
• The library’s Writing and Resource Centre can help you articulate your ideas. Pursue your research in a range of subject areas and scholarly genres, including essay writing, grammar, presentation skills, punctuation, thesis development, and coursework.
• Familiarize yourself with resources designed to help you succeed. Student Services offers a variety of academic supports, from study sessions to tutoring and writing workshops.

Take advantage of the many opportunities to get involved and stay active—from workout space in the new Hangar Fitness Centre, to athletic courts, intramurals, fitness classes, and varsity athletics.

Learn more at Sports and Recreation, which includes links to fitness facilities, sport clubs, intramurals and recreation programs, as well as the nationally ranked UBC Okanagan Heat varsity teams that compete in the Canada West Universities Athletics Association.

• Follow our English program on Facebook to keep up to date on events and connect with our community on campus and beyond.
• Join a community of fellow creative and critical thinkers at events such as the Visiting Artist Series, Draw by Night, AlterKnowledge Discussion Series, and more.
• Branch out, get involved in student life, and have fun by joining a campus club or association.
• If you don’t find a club that interests you, you can start a new one!

Meet new people while living in a study-oriented environment with easy access to academic and personal support.

UBC Okanagan offers modern residence living surrounded by hiking and biking trails. One of the newest residences, Purcell, includes a rooftop patio that offers a panoramic view of the campus and the Okanagan Valley.

Find out more about living in residence at you.ubc.ca.

UBC’s Okanagan campus borders the dynamic city of Kelowna, a hub of economic development with a population of more than 150,000 people—the fourth fastest growing population in Canada. In fact, the Okanagan Valley is rated one of the best communities in Canada to grow your business.

More than 160 buses travel daily from campus to key locations such as Kelowna’s cultural district and thriving downtown waterfront. The campus is two minutes from the Kelowna International Airport, one of the Top 10 busiest airports in Canada.

UBC Okanagan is situated within the First Nations territory of the Okanagan Nation, whose spirit of stewardship for the land is reflected in the university’s respect for sustainability.

A diverse natural region with sandy beaches, beautiful farms, vineyards and orchards, and snow-capped mountains, the Okanagan Valley features sweeping stretches of lakeside and endless mountain trails for biking and hiking.

Explore the Okanagan lifestyle at you.ubc.ca.