The Department of English and American Studies
English Language and Literature teaching at Sofia University has a history of more than 90 years. In 1906 it was introduced as a subject within the Faculty of History and Philology and in 1928 it was upgraded into a degree programme. In 1946 English Philology became a chair headed by the well-known Shakespearean scholar Professor Marco Mincoff.
Today, the Department of English and American Studies is one of the largest in the University with a full-time staff of 40. Their teaching and research activities are co-ordinated by the five sections of the Department: Linguistics, Literature, Applied Linguistics, Translation and Cultural Studies. There have also been visiting lecturers from the United Kingdom and the United States working under short-term contracts or on a part-time basis.
The Department participates actively in joint teaching and research projects with universities and other institutions of higher education in the United Kingdom, the USA and other countries. The best students from the Department take part in student exchange programmes with universities in Great Britain, Ireland, Germany, Spain, Finland, Norway, etc. They are also eligible for personal research grants in the final year of their studies.
The range of activities students can pursue as part of the degree is broad and varied: alongside the regular round of reading and teaching, there are plenty of opportunities to participate in cultural, social and sports events.
The course of study at the Department of English and American Studies is based on the semester system with an examination session following each semester. The language of instruction is English.
The Department offers places for international students both at the undergraduate and the graduate level. The majority of these students come from Greece, Cyprus, Macedonia, Russia, Moldova and a number of Asian countries.
European Credit Transfer System
In the academic year 2003-2004, the Department of English and American Studies introduced the European Credit Transfer System (ECTS) into all its degree programmes. ECTS’ main objective is to guarantee academic recognition of studies abroad through the transfer of credits from one institution to another. Credits are relative values which reflect the quantity of work each course requires in relation to the total workload needed to complete a full year of academic study. Student workload refers to the time spent on lectures, practicals, seminars as well as on independent study: it includes all work needed to meet requirements and prepare for examinations. The workload of a year of study is represented by a total number of 60 credits. Credits are awarded only after a course has been completed and examinations passed successfully.
What you can do with a degree in English and American Studies
A degree in English and American Studies opens up a broad range of carees oppotrunities. Although teaching is a common choice for our students, it is only one of the many options they may pursue.
In recent years many of our graduates have taken up careers in translation and interpreting, as well as in areas as diverse as radio and TV journalism, marketing and advertising, publishing, the civil service, arts administration, etc.