English Language and Culture

English is a truly global language, the mother tongue of approximately 380 million people and spoken as a second language by over a billion more. As an English bachelor’s student in Leiden, you will acquire an excellent command of spoken and written English, while also learning to understand the language structure and the mechanics behind language acquisition. Moreover, you will have the chance to study the culture of Great Britain and other English-speaking countries in-depth, while analysing the relation between language changes and societal changes over the ages. Our programme offers plenty of opportunities to read and study the rich literatures of the English-speaking world, from Shakespeare to Derek Walcott, and from Beowulf to Zadie Smith. You will also get a taste of the Middle Ages while exploring texts in their original Old and Middle English.

Why English Language and Culture at Leiden University?

• Our bachelor’s programme is unique in the Netherlands for the width of its scope. It covers English in all its varieties, from the earliest beginning in the Middle Ages to the present day.
• By studying the English language and culture over the ages, you will develop an understanding of why and how society in the English-speaking world changed over tim
• This is a programme with a personal approach, characterised by much interaction between students and lecturers.