Bachelor's in English Language and Culture

The University of Groningen is a public research university located in the city of Groningen, Netherlands. Founded in 1614, it is one of the oldest universities in the Netherlands. The university has 11 faculties, including one in the Frisian capital of Leeuwarden, and has more than 37,000 students from over 120 nationalities. It also boasts over 140,000 alumni and a budget of 1,000 million EUR.

The bachelor programme English Language and Culture at the University of Groningen is consistently rated the best in the country. The three pillars of this programme are language, literature and culture. In an ever-growing international environment there is a need for employees and researchers with a high level of English in writing, reading and speaking. In addition, the programme develops your presentation and debating skills for both an academic and professional context. Studying English literature not only means you get to read a lot of books, but it also allows you to explore topics related to present-day issues such as gender, identity, crime and punishment and social cohesion. These topics are not only present in modern literature, but they also dominate the popular plays of William Shakespeare, and are also found in a number of medieval works such as The Canterbury Tales by Geoffrey Chaucer. The medieval world, like today’s, was full of controversy. People debated about the position of women in society, ways of combatting disease, the virtues and vices of different classes, which way best to pursue one’s religion and many other issues which are debated today. English is one of the most widely spoken languages in the world. By studying linguistics you will not only learn about the English language and its position as a lingua franca, but you will also see how the English language has changed throughout the years and how it continues to change. Knowledge of linguistics is essential for understanding the role of communication and how language can vary between people and situations. There is a range of study options that complement an English Language and Culture degree, and many students spend time at a foreign university, for example in Ireland, the UK or New Zealand. After the BA degree, many students continue their studies at one of our MA degrees in the field of literature, linguistics or communication. You can also combine your MA in English with a teacher training course.