2023 Scholarship Winners!
We are delighted to share the names of this year's award recipients:
Bob Lowe Scholarship (for academic excellence in a course featuring Canadian Literature): Jaydene Van Eaton
Georgia Milligan Endowed Scholarship for Excellence in English (for an English Major entering their fourth-year who has shown outstanding academic achievement): Carolina Mesquita Rocha
Dorothy Cyr English Award (to support a student who takes part in activities that raise the profile of the English Department): Muhammad Massood
Dr. Sue Ann Cairns Endowed Memorial Award (to support a second-year English Major who has overcome significant challenges): Selina Maedel; Carolina Mesquita Rocha; Jordan Redekop-Jones
Library Employees Endowed Award for English (to support an English Major): Christy-Anne Nakatsu
The Mike Doyle Bridging into Education Endowed Award was also awarded. Name of recipient withheld for privacy reasons.
Congratulations to all the recipients on your hard work and admirable achievements!
Announcing the 2022-23 Intersectional Social Justice English Essay Prizes!
The English Department is thrilled to announce the winners of this year's ISJ English Essay Prizes:
4th year co-winners: Jordan Redekop-Jones and Brooke Lowry
2nd / 3rd year winner: Hailey Glennon
2nd / 3rd year honourable mentions: Usha Gunatilake and Carolina Mesquita Rocha
1st year winner: Hannah Kite-Holmes
1st year honourable mentions: Megan Doherty and Makayla Tamula
Pictured above: Asma Sayed (Canadian Research Chair in South Asian Literatures and Cultures), Usha Gunatilake, Nadia Mallay (Vice President Equity and Inclusive Committees), Hannah Kite-Holmes, Hailey Glennon, Jordan Redekop-Jones, Brooke Lowry, Carolina Mesquita Rocha, Megan Doherty, Dean Shelley Boyd, Heather Cyr (English Department Chair), and Deb Blenkhorn. Photograph by Greg Chan.
Congratulations to all of these incredible students on their remarkable achievement.
Congratulations 2023 English Graduates!
Congratulations to all students graduating from KPU with an English Major or Minor! You make us proud, and we wish you luck with your next adventures!
2022 Scholarship Winners!
We are delighted to share the names of this year's award recipients:
Bob Lowe Canadian Literature Endowed Scholarship: Mikayla Van Hatten
Georgia Milligan Endowed Scholarship for Excellence in English: Sean Kirk
Dorothy Cyr English Award: Lakeisha Barrington
Dr. Sue Ann Cairns Endowed Memorial Award: Kaitlin Kantilas
Library Employees Endowed Award for English: Joy Hill
The Mike Doyle Bridging into Education Endowed Award was also awarded. Name of recipient withheld for privacy reasons.
Congratulations to all the recipients on your hard work and admirable achievements!
Congratulations to the recipients of the English Department's First Annual Intersectional Social Justice Essay Awards!
The ISJ Awards were designed to recognize excellent essays written by English students on topics engaging with social justice issues. We are delighted to announce the recipients of this year's awards:
First-year award: Jenny Boyd
Second/third-year award: Olivia Peters
Fourth-year award: Sean Kirk
Honorouable mentions: Pearl Meredith, Leticia Fox, Lauryn Beck, and Tim Troupe
(Above, Dr. Kris Singh presents the ISJ Essay Award to Sean Kirk, winner in the 4th-year category)
The awards were presented at the September 21 English Department Mixer.
Read more about the award and these students' success at The Runner!
2021 Scholarship Winners!
We are delighted to share the names of this year's award recipients:
Bob Lowe Canadian Literature Endowed Scholarship: Aziza Azizullo
Georgia Milligan Endowed Scholarship for Excellence in English: Nathan Mercer
Dorothy Cyr English Award: Hailey Glennon
Dr. Sue Ann Cairns Endowed Memorial Award: Joy Hill
Library Employees Endowed Award for English: Selina Maedel
The Mike Doyle Bridging into Education Endowed Award was also awarded. Name of recipient withheld for privacy reasons.
2020 Scholarship Winners!
We are pleased to announce this year's award recipients:
Bob Lowe Canadian Literature Endowed Scholarship: Suesha Eijsbert
Dorothy Cyr English Award: Lakeisha Barrington
Georgia Milligan Scholarship for Excellence in English: Lakeisha Barrington
Library Employees Endowed Award for English: Selina Maedel
Dr. Sue Ann Cairns Endowed Memorial Award: Ava Baartman
The Mike Doyle Bridging into Education Endowed Award was also awarded. Name of recipient withheld for privacy reasons.
Congratulations to all the recipients on your hard work and admirable achievements!
KPU Ceramics Exhibit at Joy Kogawa House
This permanent exhibit was endowed by KPU to Historic Joy Kogawa House in 2020, based on an ENGL 2301/Fine Arts collaborative assignment. Congratulations to all those involved, and stay tuned for news about the exhibit's official launch, which will take place (mostly virtually) on April 10.
Congratulations to our 2020 graduates!
The entire English Department applauds you for your success at KPU, and we wish you the very best as you continue forward into your next adventure. Here is a video we made in celebration of your achievements.
DR. ASMA SAYED TO DELIVER KEYNOTE SPEECH AT THE NEVR CONFERENCE, NOVEMBER 1!
"Challenging Toxic Masculinity and Relationship Violence: A Feminist Killjoy Approach"
“To kill joy is to open a life, to make room for life, to make room for possibility, for chance.”
- Sara Ahmed
Toxic masculinity has become pervasive in our society. It is indicative of broader sociocultural issues, and perpetuates through popular culture and media: films, television shows, music, and advertisements. This talk will use examples from popular culture and media as a jumping-off point to discuss how toxic masculinity leads to violence against women and other marginalized groups, opening to a dialogue about the ways in which intersectional feminism might play a role in disrupting heteropatriarchy family and social structures. I seek to identify central questions, rather than propose concrete answers, to explore how these questions might lead us in our quest to reinvigorate the understanding of gender-based violence: What role can feminism/s play in combating relationship violence? How do we move beyond the established gender norms and create a culture of safety and respect? The issues are too complex and there is really no one answer fits all here, but asking the right questions will allow for us to together explore solutions and to see our socio-academic work and collective contributions to social justice in ways that are not clear or evident in the absence of feminist interventions.
ATTEND DR. SAYED'S TALK ON NOVEMBER 1ST, 10:15 to 11:15AM IN THE SPRUCE ATRIUM.
See more details about the event here: https://www.kpu.ca/nevr
Register for the event here: https://eventbrite.ca/e/nevr-conference-2019-tickets-70056696465
Congratulations to KPU's Dr. Gavin Paul on his new collection of essays, The Coward!
In this collection of personal essays, Gavin Paul explores a range of topics, including fatherhood, gun control, terrorism, death, imagination, the heroic models of perseverance offered to him by his grandparents, and a quiet longing for the past that is "all around you, just out of reach." Above all, Paul seeks to understand the pains and pleasures of a life devoted to reading. From recollections of the formative books of his childhood, to reflections on reading outdoors and the unique wonders of rereading, to memories of his daughter reading for the very first time, these essays recognize that reading's great gift is also its curse: "it is always, in its essence, an act of solitude." Beginning with a haunting dream of murderous obsession and ending with an image of familial love, the collection thus seeks, in Paul's words, "to both celebrate my solitude and attempt to overcome it."
Pick up a copy today!
Department of English Award Recipients Announced!
We are delighted to announce the recipients of this year's award recipients. Congratulations to all three scholars:
Georgia Milligan Endowed Scholarship for Excellence in English: Talitha Schellenberg ($1,000)
Dr. Sue Ann Cairns Memorial Award: Shauna Remin ($1,000)
Dorothy Cyr Award: Kathleen Ehman ($1,000)
New Upper Level Courses Announced for 2019 - 2020!
Visit the Department's Second-Year and Upper-Level English page to see the listings of upcoming courses!
1200-Level Topics Announced for Fall 2018!
Congratulations to our most recent graduates!
Our 2018 English Graduates are Prabhjot Bhamra, Joseph Chan, Chantelle Coleman, Mathew Cruickshank, Nicole Dichuk, Lynn Doan, Piper Greekas, Elizabeth Hann, Benito Hobson-Dimas, Gurpreet Hundal, Shannen Johnson-Barker, Ashton Mantle, Emma Parhar, Krista Reed, Viola Resuli, Jaskirn Shergill, Simran Sidhu, Emma Wilson, SariAnne Yao, Danika Yeng, and Jackie Young.
(Above: English graduates Mathew Cruikshank and Nicole Dichuk)
(Above: Emma Wilson, Viola Resuli, Heather Cyr, Piper Greekas, Nicole Dichuk)
Announcing New Fall 2018 Courses!
*NEW* Summer 2018 Topics for English 1202 and 1204 courses
*NEW* Summer 2018 Topics for English 2000-4000 level courses
In addition to the course descriptions in the KPU Calendar, some instructors provide more information on the topic they will cover in their course. NOTE: This list is subject to change without notice.
2000-Level
ENGL 2350- Critical Studies in Film Greg Chan
Read any good films lately? Introducing students to film as a narrative art form, this course investigates how lighting, editing, camera angles, and costume/set/sound design drive cinematic storytelling. For formal analysis, the class will screen select films—including Alfred Hitchcock’s Vertigo and Edgar Wright’s Baby Driver—that represent cinema’s history and sociopolitical influence.
3000-Level
ENGL 3309- Literature of the United States: 1945 to the Present Joakim Nilsson
Conformity and Rebellion in the 1950s—While the 1950s are often remembered nostalgically as a time of conformity and social stability in America, we will explore, through literature and film, how many of the social movements of the 1960s and 1970s had their roots in the 1950s.
ENGL 3310- Literature in Translation Asma Sayed
Let’s go on a literary tour around the world! In this course we will study literature from Argentina, China, France, Greece, India, Iran, Japan, and Mesopotamia. The texts, studied in English translation, will reflect on diverse cultures and literary traditions in a global context.
ENGL 3321- English Renaissance Drama, Excluding Shakespeare N. P. Kennedy
Shakespeare was a genius, but far from being all alone in the dark—he lived in an age of brilliant playwrights—who knew, imitated, collaborated with, competed with, and sometimes even ridiculed each other. Discover the rivals of Shakespeare.
ENGL 3390- Indigenous Narratives, Oral and Written Jennifer Hardwick
This course will explore the social, cultural, and political roles of Indigenous storytelling on Turtle Island (North America) through a close engagement with literary texts, oral narratives, and new media (including film, tweets, blog posts, and visual art). Topics of discussion will include de/colonization, gender, history, resistance, representation, and self-determination.
Spring 2018 Courses are now live!
Get ready for registration with the English Department's upcoming courses. Find descriptions for Spring 2018 topics for ENGL1202 and 1204 and our 2000-4000 level course descriptions.
Spring 2018 Topics for English 2000-4000 level courses announced
Get ready for registration for Spring 2018 by checking out our 2000-4000 level English courses! In addition to the course descriptions in the KPU Calendar, some instructors provide more information on the topic they will cover in their course. NOTE: This list is subject to change without notice.
2000-Level
ENGL 2315- The Comic Voice N.P. Kennedy
Why would one person mock another? Affection? Spite? To ridicule tired ideas or lame art? To attack injustice or evil? Take this course to grow in knowledge of literature, further practice your writing skills, and spend some time considering comedy used as a weapon: satire.
ENGL 2340- Studies in Fiction- Monster Fiction from A to Z: Aliens to Zombies Kim Larsen
From ravenous zombies and blood-sucking vamps to murderous mothers, evil aliens, and man-eating plants, come explore a wide range of fictional works about monsters and the things that go bump in the night.
ENGL 2317- English Literature: 18th to 20th Centuries Heather Cyr
Join us as we study representative works of English literature from the 18th to 20th centuries within their social, cultural, political, historical, aesthetic, and/or religious contexts. We will read and examine a range of poetry and fiction from Austen to Auden.
3000-Level
ENGL 3301- Nineteenth-Century Canadian Literature in English Shelley Boyd
This course will trace Canadian literature from its beginnings to the Confederation period. We will explore a range of popular 19th-century forms, such as letter writing, the long poem, the sketch, the gothic novel, and fantasy.
ENGL 3305- Film Theory Paul Tyndall
In this course we will read major essays in film theory and apply their insights to the analysis of representative films from the silent period to the present day. Readings will include works by Sergei Eisenstein, Walter Benjamin, Christian Metz, and Laura Mulvey.
ENGL 3313- Canonical Authors: James Joyce and Samuel Beckett Duncan Greenlaw
“He’s tending toward omniscience and omnipotence as an artist. I’m working with impotence, ignorance.” Beckett’s description of his difference from Joyce is just one of many ways to understand the relationship between two of the most influential and experimental writers of the 20th century. We will study the divide as well as the overlap between their representations of modern experience.
ENGL 3380- Popular Writing and the Periodical Market Paul Ohler
Many best-selling novels were published serially in periodicals before appearing as books. In English 3380, Popular Writing and the Periodical Market, students will consider the impact of serialization on the genre of the novel. The course will explore the role of periodicals in the Anglo-American literary marketplace, moving from the study of mass-circulation magazines of the 1850s to born digital works of the present day. Students will study works by Charles Dickens, Wilkie Collins, Harriet Beecher Stowe, Edith Wharton, and Margaret Atwood.
4000-Level
ENGL 4420- Topics in British Literature: Supernatural Shakespeare John Rupert
Join me on a journey into the otherworld of magic and the supernatural in Shakespeare's plays! A Midsummer Night’s Dream and Hamlet will take us into the spirit world beyond the realms of human life and death. Our study of Richard III and Julius Caesar will give us vision of prophecy and divination. A trio of black magic plays, Macbeth, The Tempest, and 2 Henry VI, will draw us into the abyss of the forbidden arts. All the (other)world's a stage! Come, join the players!
NOTE: Students may take a 4000 level English topics course for credit more than once during their English degree if the topic is different. Topics and courses may be subject to change.
Congratulations to Shannen Johnson-Barker, winner of the 2017 Georgia Milligan scholarship
I am an international student about to enter the final year of my English degree. It is an amazing feeling to be acknowledged and honoured with this award. Once I have completed my degree I hope to attend law school. I was very surprised and incredibly honoured to have been picked as the recipient of the Georgia Milligan award. Not only has it motivated me to work harder but my family, in South Africa, are incredibly proud of what I have achieved while attending Kwantlen Polytechnic University. This award will go a long way towards helping me achieve my dreams. Not only is it a huge financial assistance but it has also provided me with the confidence and surety to continue to pursue my educational goals and to achieve what I set out to achieve when moving to Canada.
It's Registration Time Again! ENGL1202 and 1204 Topics for Fall 2017
Langley Campus
ENGL 1202 L10 Asma Sayed
Folks, Fairies and Fiction - Discover the main features of traditional oral folk tales and their adaptations in print, as well as in literary fairy tales. We will critically examine fairy tales and folk tales, and the interrelationship between media, technology and popular literature.
ENGL 1202 L11 Gaye Hickman-Barr
Voices from Four Continents! - Listen to four women writers from four different continents re-defining the notion of the writer's authority. We analyze the use of the double voice, hear echoes of oral practices and read their subversion of patriarchy.
Richmond Campus
ENGL 1202 R10 Gillian Dearle
Utopia and Its Discontents - Meaning both "good place" and "no place," utopia has been used by writers to reflect on the present and to explore the possibilities and perils of the future. As our fears regarding the future mount, utopia is overshadowed by its nemesis, dystopia. Join us as we trace the evolution of utopia from dream to nightmare.
ENGL 1202 R11 Elizabeth Gooding
Looking at the Natural World - What does literature suggest about our connection to nature—or our disconnection from it? Bring your metaphorical hiking boots as we explore poems, stories, essays, a novel, and documentaries that address this question.
ENGL 1202 R12 Duncan Greenlaw
Creative Destruction - Through Camus, Beckett, Plath, Ginsberg, Hamsun, and other writers, we will look at how people refuse to conform—or fail to conform—to societal norms, and how new codes and beliefs are re-built from the wreckage of old ones.
ENGL 1204 R11 Kegan Doyle
Rebel, Rebel - “Hey, Johnny, what are you rebelling against?” “What have you got?” So says Marlon Brando’s character Johnny Strabler in the Hollywood classic The Wild One. In this course, we will focus on poems, songs, stories, films, and plays by, about, and for rebels. We will discuss rebels without causes and rebels with them, political rebels, rock and roll rebels, religious rebels and artistic rebels. Among other things, we will ask why and how individuals and groups rebel and what happens to them when they do. Authors to be discussed include Sylvia Plath, Bob Dylan, Edgar Allan Poe, T.C. Boyle, Christopher Marlowe, Kurt Cobain, Alice Walker, and William Blake.
Surrey Campus
ENGL 1202 S10 Wendy Smith
Conformity and Resistance - There are many ways in which social and political forces influence our lives. What strategies can be used to resist oppressive forces? And what are the consequences of action/non-action? Through the study of short stories, poems, and plays, we will examine how various writers have addressed these questions.
ENGL 1202 S11 Greg Chan
Literary Constructions of House and Home - Location, location, location. More than just a real estate maxim, this aspiration to find one's place—whether it be geographically, socially or spiritually—is a recurring theme in literature. Join us to define what home is, as we question perceptions of homeland, class, travel, and homelessness.
ENGL 1202 S12 Paul Ohler
Race, Religion, and Gender in U.S. Literature - This course will introduce students to classic works of U.S. literature of the period 1850-1910 engaged with issues of race, religion, and gender. Through the reading of novels, essays, short stories, and poetry, we will seek to learn about the ways authors depicted extremely divisive social issues, and consider the potential of literature to function as social criticism.
ENGL 1202 S13 Paul Tyndall
Gods and Monsters: The Idea of Monstrosity in Literature and Film - In this course, we will examine representations of monstrosity in literature and film, ranging from the Anglo-Saxon epic poem Beowulf and Shakespeare's The Tempest to Mary Shelley's Frankenstein and Robert Louis Stevenson's Strange Case of Dr. Jekyl and Mr. Hyde. We also look at recent cinematic representations of monstrosity, such as "The Silence of the Lambs," "Monster" and "No Country for Old Men."
ENGL 1202 S14 John Rupert
Satan, Sex, and Demoniacs - Enter, if you dare, a realm where demons attack the powerful and vulnerable: magicians, lovers, and families! Let us explore how masters of horror represent demonic possession in poetry, fiction, and film.
ENGL 1202 S15 Asma Sayed
Folks, Fairies and Fiction - Discover the main features of traditional oral folk tales and their adaptations in print, as well as in literary fairy tales. We will critically examine fairy tales and folk tales, and the interrelationship between media, technology and popular literature.
ENGL 1202 S16 Jennifer Hardwick
Stories of Resistance - Through a close examination of contemporary North American literature and media this section of 1202 will explore how individuals and communities use stories to challenge power structures, demand justice, and seek personal and collective rights.
ENGL 1202 S17 & S50 Kiran Toor
Quick Lit and Questioning It - We dispense with heavy novels and focus on literary works that can be read in less than a day (often in less than an hour!) and ask ourselves: "Can a short work be a literary masterpiece?"
ENGL 1204 S10 Heather Cyr
Individuality - In this course we will investigate the theme of individuality in four different genres: short stories, poetry, novels and drama. We’ll examine how these works construct unique characters, how these characters create and maintain their individuality, and why their society either values or rejects them. Our primary emphasis will be on the generic forms of fiction, poetry and drama and how they relate to our theme.
*More topics may be announced in the coming weeks
All prerequisite waivers for ENGL classes must be approved by the Chair of English, Dr. Robert Dearle. Please contact him by email: Robert.Dearle@kpu.ca.
New! Second and Third Year Upper Level Courses!
Announcing the Fall 2017 course English 3350: Shakespearean Politics on the Small Screen!
Registration for Fall 2017 is just around the corner!
Announcing the topic for ENGL2330: Studies in Drama.
More course topics coming soon!
Teacher and Former Student Cross Swords for the British Shakespeare Association in the U.K.
“Let me play the fool.” –The Merchant of Venice by William Shakespeare
Brits may take their Shakespeare very seriously, but mirth thrived in Northumbria, U.K. recently as Kwantlen Polytechnic University (KPU) English instructor, Fred Ribkoff, and his former student John Rowell delivered their performance-based paper on The Merchant of Venice at the prestigious British Shakespeare Association Conference.
The paper grew organically out of a Studies in Shakespeare class in which KPU graduate Rowell was a guest lecturer.
“It was while preparing for John's visit to my class that he and I began developing our theory of the way in which comedy works in Merchant and Shakespeare more generally,” said Ribkoff. “While performing the opening scene of Merchant for our students, our theory of Shakespearean comedy was tested, and, I should add, to great applause.”
According to Ribkoff, this hands-on experience of putting theory into practice in the course led to the development of a more sophisticated theory of Shakespearean comedy. Ribkoff and Rowell argued and demonstrated through live performance that on a modern stage, The Merchant of Venice should be a parade of comic stereotypes functioning as a meta-theatrical machine of offence in which Antonio, Shylock and other characters expose the absurdity of stereotypes.
“One of the reasons we enjoy working together is that we tend to approach text, performance and the instruction of both of those things from very similar angles,” said Rowell. “Another reason is that we both understand the importance of a good joke.”
Before graduating from KPU, Rowell was a student in two of Rikoff’s drama classes. Afterwards they collaborated on the writing and directing of a play, Jag and the American, which was staged at the Cultch in Vancouver. This past spring, Ribkoff invited Rowell to join him in teaching a class on The Merchant of Venice in order to help illustrate the overtly comic nature of the controversial play. In the process of preparing and performing, Ribkoff and Rowell developed and tested their theory on the importance of utilizing, rather than side-stepping, potentially offensive comic stereotypes.
“While it’s been a privilege to continue working with John inside and outside of the classroom,” said Ribkoff with a grin, “it’s been even more enjoyable to cross swords with him on stage.”
Story by Simon Chiu
English Department Celebrates Spring 2017 Graduates
Congratulations to all of the major and minor students in the English Department! On June 1, the following students graduated with a BA in English: Jacqueline Andre, Heather Evans, Jennifer Patch, Gursimran Samra, and Jennifer Wiens. Pictured above are (left to right): Dr. Robert Dearle, chair of English; graduate Jennifer Wiens; graduate Jennifer Patch; and English faculty member Dr. Paul Tyndall.
Pageturners Book Club Seeks Members
Are you tired of textbooks? Looking for something new or different to read? Do you want to rekindle your love of reading?
Help start a Book Club here at Kwantlen! This will be a club for anyone who enjoys reading books. The club is looking for students (faculty members are welcome to attend as well) who are interested in meeting up once a month to discuss a particular book chosen ahead of time.
If you're interested, please contact amanda.grey@email.kpu.ca as soon as possible.
Seats still open in ENGL2320 for Summer 2017-- get them while you can!
Summer 2017 Course Topics Available
We're in the midst of registration for Summer 2017! Course Topics are available for our 2000-4000 Level courses as well as our ENGL 1202 and ENGL 1204 offerings for Summer 2017. Check out more information on 2000-4000 Level courses and our ENGL1202 and ENGL1204 on our web site.
Spring 2017 Course Topics Available
The English Department has announced detailed course descriptions for Spring 2017. Visit our ENGL 1202 and 1204 page for more information about this year's first year literature topics. And visit our Upper Levels course page for more information about 2000 and 3000-4000 level course topics. Happy course planning!
KPU English students present at DHSI
A team of ENGL 4300: Writing and Persuasion Beyond the Classroom students presented at the University of Victoria's Digital Humanities Summer Institute in June. As part of the conference's colloquium, James Hospedales (left), Jennifer Wiens, and Heather Evans (both right) led a well-received poster presentation on digital humanities practicums at KPU. Coordinated by instructor Greg Chan, this field study was part of their service learning work in ENGL 4300.
ENGL1100 Topics Courses for Fall 2016
The English Department offers over 50 sections of ENGL1100 in Fall 2016, but some students may want to choose an ENGL1100 class that focuses on a particular topic. These ENGL1100 classes are themed around distinct topics:
ENGL 1100 L14 Joakim Nilsson
Bullying--Causes, Effects, Solutions - Bullying--it happens in school, at work, online, even at home. From academic research to personal narratives, we will explore, through both written and visual media, the causes and effects of bullying, as well as possible solutions.
ENGL 1100 S11 & S21 Karen Inglis
Do you like Hockey? If so, this writing course is for you. Join us as we read, write, and think about Canada’s national winter sport. Note: the ability to play hockey is NOT a prerequisite!
ENGL 1100 R18 Elizabeth Gooding
In this section of ENGL 1100, many of our readings and some of our writing will focus on topics related to sustainability, for instance bike commuting, public transit, green technologies, local-foods movements, and food waste.
Fall 2016 Course Topics Available
The English Department has announced detailed course descriptions for Fall 2016. Visit our ENGL 1202 and 1204 page for more information about this year's first year literature topics. And visit our Upper Levels course page for more information about 2000 and 3000-4000 level course topics. Happy course planning!
English Major addresses the Spring 2016 Graduating Class
Congratulations to English student Calvin Tiu on his inspiring address to the Spring 2016 graduating class. Calvin - well known, along with 2015 graduate Rick Kumar, as one of KPU's beloved "rapping English Majors"- took part in the English Department's 2014 high school Outreach Program under the faculty guidance of Greg Chan. Calvin and Rick - or Kalvonix and Big Love - created a music video entitled "Hello, Farewell" about their KPU experiences (notice cameos by many KPU celebrities throughout the video). Calvin has represented the English Department and KPU at many public events. Congratulations, Calvin!
Summer 2016 Detailed Course Topics Available
The English Department has announced detailed course descriptions for Summer 2016. Visit our ENGL 1202 and 1204 page for more information about this year's first year literature topics. And visit our Upper Level course page to for more information about 2000 and 3000-4000 level course topics. Happy course planning!
Spaces Available in Free Writing Labs for 1100 and 1200-level students
The English Department’s Writing Labs are your best opportunity to complement what you are learning in ENGL 1100 and ENGL 1200-level courses. Designed and taught by English faculty members, the labs focus on reviewing essay-writing skills in a series of modules. The labs offer plenty of hands-on practice in a supportive environment. The lab instructors—experienced in teaching first-year English courses—are here to guide you through the essay writing process while showing you how to apply each module’s lesson to your academic writing.
For more information and to sign up for these free writing labs, go to www.kpu.ca/arts/english/firstyearlabs.
Congratulations to the 2015 Georgia Milligan Award Recipient
The English Department at KPU would like to congratulate Mathew Fabick, the 2015 recipient of the George Milligan Scholarship for Excellence in English. Mathew is currently a 4th year undergraduate student in English department. The recipient of numerous scholarships, Mathew has presented at the annual KPU Sociology and Criminology conference; he has also written for and participated in editing an international undergraduate film journal under the mentorship of English Department instructor Greg Chan. Mathew hopes to become a high school English teacher after graduation. The Georgia Milligan Scholarship for Excellence in English was presented at the 27th Annual KPU Scholarship and Awards Dinner held in Richmond on November 19th, 2015. Congratulations to Mathew and to all the winners!
Planning ahead? Updated Upper Level Course Offerings are here
If you like to plan ahead, you'll love our updated Upper Level Course offerings through Spring 2017: 
2016-17 Upper Level Offerings.pdf
Spring 2016 Course Topics for ENGL 1202 and 1204 available now
The English Department announces the ENGL 1202 and ENGL 1204 course topics available for Spring 2016: ENGL 1202 1204 Handout Spring 2016.pdf
Announcing Summer 2016 Upper Level Courses
The English Department announces the 3000-4000 Level courses available for Summer 2016: 2016 Upper Level Offerings (Spring and Summer).
Keep checking back for more course and topics announcements!
Spring 2000-4000 Level Topics have arrived
'Tis the season to sign up for Spring 2016 classes. Many English instructors provide extra information about their courses to help guide your choices. Check out the detailed topics for 2000-4000 Level courses coming in Spring 2016: ENGL 2000-4000 Topics Spring 2016.
Coming Soon: Spring 2016 Topics
During registration, make sure to stop by the English Department's pages to see what exciting offerings will be available for Spring 2016. To check for updates and see examples of past ENGL 1202 and ENGL1204 topics, click here. Spring 2016 Topics for English 2000 to 4000 level courses will be posted here.
KPU Alumnus successfully defends Master's Thesis
Faculty member Dr. Sue Ann Cairns reported on Kwantlen English Alumnus Adam Vincent's recent successful Master's thesis defence at UBC in the Department of Language & Literacy Education. Adam's thesis "Breaking the Line" is on poetry/performance hybridity. Dr. Cairns attended the defence to support Adam who was a student in five classes she taught in Kwantlen's English Department. Adam has kept up his ties to KPU since his graduation with a Bachelor of Arts with a Major in English in 2010: he is an Instructional Associate in the Kwantlen Learning Centre. To add more good news, Adam has also been accepted into UBC's Ph.D program in Language & Literacy Education. Congratulations to Adam!
Rapping English students debut music video "Hello Farewell"
KPU's rapping English students, Rick 'Big Love' Kumar and Calvin 'Kalvonix' Tiu, have brought their message about using music to explore literature to high schools across the Lower Mainland as part of their Frontier Poetics Outreach Program. To cap off a successful project and to celebrate their friendship and contribution to the Kwantlen community, they have released their first music video "Hello Farewell." If you look closely, you'll see cameos by KPU students; faculty; our dean of Arts, Diane Purvey; and Rick and Calvin's family and friends. The duo recently performed their single at the Spring 2015 convocation ceremony. Congratulations Rick and Calvin!
Congratulations to the Graduates of Spring 2015!
Faculty celebrated Convocation 2015 on May 20th, 2015: (front row, from left) instructor John Rupert, instructor Shelley Boyd, instructor Sue Ann Cairns, graduate Rick Kumar, instructor Greg Chan, and (back row) instructor Robert Dearle.
Nine students received Bachelor of Arts degrees with a Major in English in Spring 2015. They are: Baydah Al-Ghadban, Pamela Balikis, Bojan Bjelic, Joshua Erickson, Daniela Furland, Teia Giacomello, Noel Hoffman, Hanrick Kumar and Tahnee Riddoch. Congratulations to all the graduates!
Above (from left) are instructor Greg Chan, graduand Rick Kumar and Dean of Arts Diane Purvey. Congratulations to Rick on his address to the graduating class (watch here at the 25:11 mark) as well as winning the George C. Wooton Award (watch here at the 1:02:50 mark) and a service award!
Summer Course Offerings Announced
The English Department has announced its Summer 2015 course offerings. Check out our poster for this summer's ENGL 1202 and 1204 course topics and for information about our Summer 2000-4000 level courses: Course Topics Summer 2015
Writing Labs for English 1100 Students: NEW LABS STARTING IN MARCH 2015
Are you an ENGL 1100 student who would benefit from additional instruction in essay writing essentials?
A new set of labs is starting in March and sign up is open now! The English Department’s Writing Labs are your best opportunity to complement what you are learning in ENGL 1100 and to keep you on track. Designed and taught by English faculty members, the labs focus on reviewing essay-writing skills in a series of modules. The labs offer plenty of hands-on practice in a supportive environment. The lab instructors—experienced in teaching ENGL 1100—are here to guide you through the essay writing process while showing you how to apply each module’s lesson to your academic writing. You should attend if your ENGL 1100 instructor has recommended it or if you know that you need extra help with your writing.
Please visit kpu.ca/arts/english/firstyearlabs for more information and sign up. You can choose between one and six modules depending on need. Access our poster here: NEW ENGL1100 LABS POSTER.pdf
Upper Level Course Offerings for 2015
The 2015 Upper Level English course offerings have been updated. Download our flyer to see which upper level courses are being offered for the rest of year: 2015 Upper Level Offerings
Spring 2015: NEW Writing Labs for English 1100 Students
Are you an ENGL 1100 student who would benefit from additional instruction in essay writing essentials?
The English Department’s Writing Labs are your best opportunity to complement what you are learning in ENGL 1100 and to keep you on track. Designed and taught by English faculty members, the labs focus on reviewing essay-writing skills in a series of modules. The labs offer plenty of hands-on practice in a supportive environment. The lab instructors—experienced in teaching ENGL 1100—are here to guide you through the essay writing process while showing you how to apply each module’s lesson to your academic writing. You should attend if your ENGL 1100 instructor has recommended it or if you know that you need extra help with your writing. Please visit kpu.ca/arts/english/firstyearlabsfor more information and sign up.
Spring 2015 Course Topics Announced
With registration for Spring 2015 getting underway, the English Department has put together information sheets describing the topics for ENGL1202 and ENGL1204 as well as our 2000-4000 Level Courses.
English Department Celebrates Fall 2014 Graduates
The English Department celebrated the graduation of six English Department majors at the Fall 2014 graduation held on Oct. 2 at the Surrey campus. Pictured, from left, are Associate Dean of Arts Romy Kozak, English Department Chair Paul Tyndall, Kathy McClement, Rachelle Hall, Selena Chohan, Le-Ann Jayin, Holly Peters, and English Department faculty member John Rupert. Congratulations to the graduates!
Bachelor of Arts - Major in English
Leigh-Ann Kathleen Butler
Selena Hayley Chohan
Rachelle Alayne Hall (With Distinction)
Le-Ann Jayin
Holly Peters
Bachelor of Arts - Major in English and Psychology
Alina Kathleen McClement (With Distinction)
Faculty Member Andrew Bartlett Publishes Scholarly Book
Mad Scientist, Impossible Human: An Essay in Generative Anthropology by Andrew Bartlett in Kwantlen's English department has recently been released by Davies Group Publishers, an independent scholarly press based in Colorado. The culmination of work that began with a 2006-2007 Educational Leave and that included of manuscript review by Kwantlen students, this bold study aims to restore the shock value of Mary Shelley's Frankenstein, Wells' The Island of Dr. Moreau, the 1921 Karel Capek play that invented the modern humanoid robot, and the much-loved Hollywood movie Blade Runner. You can purchase it by ordering through amazon.com.
KPU English Alumnus Launches His Acclaimed Mystery Novel
"An evocation of evil all the more powerful for its understated style...a literary achievement."
Booklist Online (starred review)
"Delivers a knockout punch...a debut well worth spending time with."
Sarah Weinman, National Post
"That burst of initial excellence raises hopes and the bar too for the novel that follows--and Wiebe...rises to his own challenge."
London Free Press
Congratulations to KPU English alumnus Sam Wiebe! Sam's novel Last of the Independents was published by Dundurn Press this August. The manuscript won the 2012 Arthur Ellis Award for Best Unpublished First Novel given out by the Crime Writers of Canada. It's about a twenty-something private detective in Vancouver who's hired to find the son of a junk dealer, someone who sells secondhand goods. It's available at Black Bond, Chapters, Amazon and elsewhere. Find out more about the book and the author at samwiebe.com.
English Majors to Take the Mainstage at WORD Vancouver
This year the English Department has several exciting contributions to WORD Vancouver. Not only we will we host a table in the library, but our rapping English majors are making two appearances on Sunday, September 28.
First, Rick 'Big Love' Kumar and Calvin 'Kalvonix' Tiu will perform on the Mainstage at 3:10 p.m. in the square. Their performance is sponsored by Coca Cola. They will then take part in a panel titled "Creating Outside the Box" as part of the "Word Talks"series at 4:15 p.m. in the Alma VanDusen Room of the Vancouver Public Library.
Please come out and support Rick and Calvin as they represent Kwantlen's English Department! And don't forget to drop by and say hello at our table inside the library.
Since 1995 The Vancouver Book and Magazine Fair Society has produced The Word On The Street Vancouver, the primary literary festival for Western Canadian book lovers and literacy enthusiasts. In 2013 the festival rebranded as Word Vancouver.