Watson Hall, home of the Department of English.
Welcome to Queen’s English
We are a vibrant intellectual and creative community bound by shared passion for literary art and its influence on the world. Literature moves us, inspires us, troubles us, and provokes us. It invigorates empathy and imagination, arming us better to understand the world and our responsibilities within it.
In the Department of English, we study and teach literature
- in a wide array of genres and media
- across diverse historical periods and geographical territories
- via myriad critical frameworks and modes of analysis
And we do so in ways that engage with the most pressing issues of our time—racism, gender and sexual politics, decolonization, environmental crisis, the impact of media and technology, and the challenges of mental health—both critiquing adverse conditions and imagining other horizons of possibility.
Sam McKegney
Professor and Head
Department of English
Why study English at Queen’s?
"I have found the skills I gained in my time as an English major extremely valuable in my law school career. Having undertaken these arguments many times in essays and exams as an English student, I was very well prepared to deal with the examination of language when I entered law school. English also prepared me to think critically and argue effectively. My ability to effectively communicate through essays — perhaps the most deeply ingrained skill an English student learns — was also invaluable when forwarding arguments. The abilities and perspectives I gained from my English degree remain in constant use and will be invaluable throughout my future career."
Stuart Borenovic
BA
Queen's University
2016
Lawyer
“At Queen’s, I studied Biology and English and, upon graduating, I realized I wasn’t very interested in science as a career. I want to be a storyteller and as a Communications Coordinator I get to do just that. Whether I use social media or blogging, I’m using storytelling to create quality content. Although my time with Queen’s English was ephemeral, I loved the close-knit community and the ability to take classes within other departments to use towards my English degree. The staff and faculty were absolutely lovely and did their very best to help you with anything you needed. Loved it!”
Mitangi Parekh
BAH
Queen's University
2014
Communications Coordinator
“Completing a self-directed thesis and an internship at McGill-Queen’s University Press through the Queen’s English MA program bolstered my writing and research skills and helped jumpstart my career in the publishing sector.”
Dani MacDonald
MA
Queen's University
2020
“Studying English at Queen’s allows you to explore diverse perspectives and subject matter all while engaging meaningfully with texts and others in the program. English at Queen’s not only helps you develop as a student and academic but as an individual with unique opinions and viewpoints.”
Olivia Obonsawin
4th year English Minor
“My passion for museological scholarship and its practical evaluation began in ENGL 200 when Professor G. Dujardin brought her class to W.D. Jordan Rare Books & Special Collections Library., I was instantly drawn to the artifacts and their social histories. In my fourth and final year at Queens, Professor E. Peacocke’s ENGL 422, Romanticism and The Visual, facilitated a study into the ways in which art manifests itself throughout the period in a variety of texts. Our academic work was coupled with field trips to the Agnes and Etherington Art Centre which connected me with museum professionals. My undergraduate studies in literature has built a foundation for creative and interdisciplinary thinking that has led me to a career in the cultural sector.”
Muskoka Dittmar-McCallum
BA
Queen's University
2018
Gallery Coordinator
“The Publishing Practicum course was an immensely fruitful experience that helped me to learn how to provide effective feedback of others’ work, in addition to taking into consideration advice on my own paper. The class encourages collaboration and mutual improvement, which I believe are important values in grad school.”
Natasha Lomonossoff
MPhil
Queen's University
PhD
“Excellent program! Developed and honed valuable critical analysis and writing skills that have been instrumental to my career.”
Dr. Elaine Lam
BAH
Queen's University
2002
Director of Business Development and Strategic Planning
“I was fortunate to work with an amazing supervisor, Dr Leslie Ritchie, who supported me throughout my doctoral degree and connected me to a lot of great opportunities.”
Nevena Martinović
PhD
Queen's University
2020
“Class discussions are uniquely fun and engaging, and the assignments offer so much room for creativity!”
Grace Duncanson
4th year English Medial
“Studying literature has deeply enriched my life and enhanced my understanding of human existence and emotion. Learning to communicate yourself both professionally, academically, and creatively is of paramount significance no matter what you choose to do.”
Daniel Green
BA and MA, Queen's University
“The Literary Internship was a really amazing experience. It gave me the opportunity to support literacy skills as well as to adapt literature in a new and creative way. I am passionate about creative interaction with literary works and about increasing accessibility to classic texts, so I could not have come up with a placement that would better suit my interests. It served as a good reminder that I want to be doing similar work in the future, and it was encouraging to see that there are markets for my passions.”
Tara Hilman
MA
Queen's University
“I did not expect the publishing practicum to be a pivotal point in my development as a writer, but it was. The collaborative process required a vulnerability and openness to critique that made me a better writer and thinker, and I was inspired and educated by my classmates’ varied approaches to their work every week.”
Jesse Gauthier
PhD Candidate
“My experience with the Department of English at Queen’s has been enriching in both an academic and professional capacity. The opportunities for pedagogical, intellectual, and even personal growth at Queen’s are abundant, and I leave the PhD program a far better scholar and teacher than I was five years ago.”
Andrew McKendry
PhD
Queen's University
2013
MA
Queen's University
2008
“I found the entire Literary Internship experience to be extremely rewarding. I was happy to be conducting research, and grateful to have been assigned a subject I had a real interest in. The environment of my internship was always happy and encouraging… Seeing how the work I did is actually serving McGill-Queen’s University Press in the next stage of developing one of its series is perhaps the most rewarding part of an all-around wonderful experience. I would definitely recommend continuing this program, and am very glad to have been a participant!”
Elizabeth Heinricks
PhD
Queen's University
"I always found support at Queen's - be it from the student body or the faculty. It was not easy for me these past few years but I was able to overcome every challenge with the help of the Queen’s and Department of English community."
Madison Westcott
4th year English Minor
“When I left Queen’s and moved to Vancouver, I thought I’d be lucky to get a job period. Instead, I found a job as a content writer at what I thought was a small furniture company. I got the job because of my writing. Not because I had the most experience out of all the other candidates, but because the owner liked my writing.”
Elisa Hall
BAH
Queen's University
2018
Content Writer
"I always found support at Queen's - be it from the student body or the faculty. It was not easy for me these past few years but I was able to overcome every challenge with the help of the Queen’s and Department of English community."
International student
PhD Candidate in English at Queen’s
“Queen’s Publishing Practicum served as a key learning experience in my ongoing professional transition from graduate student to scholar and researcher. The course’s combination of theoretical and practical components effectively allowed me to familiarize myself with the academic publishing landscape in a fashion tailored to my own research interests… Participating in the practicum demystified the academic publishing process for me and concluded with concrete output that sets me up well for pursuing publication of academic articles going forward.”
Robyn Carruthers
PhD, Queen's University
“My time at Queen’s was one of the most challenging and rewarding of my life. The grad department is full of people who are passionate about their research, but also engaged with the diverse work of their peers.”
Lindsay Young
PhD
Queen's University
2020
“I am so thankful to have studied English at Queen’s University. The department has topnotch professors who both inspire and challenge your thinking. I learned to apply myriad lenses when examining literature, which deepened my understanding and appreciation of the human condition and universally shared experiences.”
Bret Copeland
BAH
Queen's University
2007
School Principal
“My experience as an MPhil student at Queen’s has made my transition into the PhD program seamless. I enjoyed and appreciated the opportunities the MPhil program offered me, including the opportunity to take more seminar classes, to explore more areas of interest, and to gain more experience as a TA compared to other Master’s students.”
Jessica Caravaggio
MPhil
Queen's University
PhD
“My experience with the Department of English at Queen’s has been enriching in both an academic and professional capacity. The opportunities for pedagogical, intellectual, and even personal growth at Queen’s are abundant, and I leave the PhD program a far better scholar and teacher than I was five years ago.”
Andrew Moffit
PhD, Queen's University
“Studying English at Queen’s, I have engaged with a rich diversity of literature, literary genres, and voices beyond any inert or exclusionary canon. Within the supportive and stimulating learning community of Queen’s English, I have developed the critical thinking and communication skills necessary for both understanding literature and meeting the demands of a dynamic job market.”
Mariel Matsuda
BA and MA, Queen's University
“Went from English and student journalism to corporate communications to freelance writing and editing to non-profit writing. Didn’t realize until I started working how valuable, in-demand, and rare the skills I learned in English were. Now living and working in Toronto at a job I love. I came in knowing I loved to read, and not much else. By the time I left, I understood the mechanics of a good story and had the writing and editing skills to get a great job.”
Andrew Stokes
BAH
Queen's University
2013
Development Manager
Where do graduates work?
