B.A. (H) English

Course Overview

Our four-year undergraduate honours programme in English will not only give you a nuanced understanding of English language and literature, it will also develop skills that will give you an edge over others in the global environment. With growing demand for young professionals with an excellent command over the English language across various fields, give yourself the competitive edge with additional competency in regional languages with electives like Hindi, Urdu, Gujarati and Bengali. Or opt for complementary electives like History, Political Science and Education.

Student Development Initiatives

BESC’s B.A. (H) English course focuses on overall student growth. Through mentoring, tutorials, site visits, workshops, parent-teacher interactions, and expert seminars, students gain guidance, exposure, and practical skills beyond the classroom.

Mentoring Programs
Tutorials & Remedial Classes
Student Presentations
Industry Visits
Well-Stocked Library
Expert Seminars

Innovative Teaching Methods

BESC’s B.A. (H) English course uses modern teaching approaches to engage students, foster critical thinking, and build a love for learning. Flipped classrooms, ICT-enabled lessons, workshops, seminars, and regular assignments make learning interactive and practical.

Flipped Classroom
ICT-Enabled Teaching
Student-Led Seminars
Regular Assignments
Hands-On Workshops
Lectures by academic luminaries

Course Information

A candidate taking up an Honours Course in a subject must have obtained, at the previous qualifying examination, a minimum of:

55% marks in English
OR,
45% marks in English + 50% marks in BO4

Note: Please also read General Eligibility Criteria, Under Admissions.

Name of Course	Semester	Marks
History of literature and philology	1	100
European classical literature	1	100
Poetry and short story	1	100
Communicative english or mil	1	100
Indian writing in english	2	100
Environment study	2	100
Essay + drama and novel	2	100
British poetry and drama (14th – 17th century)	2	100
American literature	3	100
Popular literature	3	100
Translation studies or business communication	3	100
British poetry and drama (17th – 18th century)	3	100
British literature (18th century)	4	100
Academic writing	4	100
Women’s writing and women’s empowerment	3	100
British romantic literature	4	100
19th century british literature	4	100
Creative writing or academic writing and composition	4	100
Women’s writing	5	100
Early 20th century British literature	5	100
Modern Indian writing in english translation or literary theory and criticism	5	100
Literary types and rhetoric and prosody or contemporary India: women and empowerment	5	100
Modern European drama	6	100
Postcolonial literature	6	100
Partition literature or media and communication studies	6	100
Autobiography or text and performances	6	100

Choose Any Two

History / Political Science / Bengali or Hindi / Education or Film Studies / Sociology / Economics / Journalism & Mass Communication or Geography or Psychology

IDC 1

Political Science, Sociology, History, Journalism & Mass Communication, Bengali, Hindi, Education, Psychology, Geography, Film Studies

IDC 2

Political Science, Sociology, History, Journalism & Mass Communication, Bengali, Hindi, Education, Psychology, Geography, Film Studies, Statistics, Chemistry, Computer Science, Economics, Mathematics

IDC 3

Political Science, Sociology, History, Journalism & Mass Communication, Bengali, Hindi, Education, Psychology, Geography, Film Studies, Statistics, Chemistry, Computer Science, Economics, Mathematics

Career Path

Teaching & Academia

School teaching (with B.Ed) or higher education after postgraduate and research qualifications.

Journalism & Media

Roles in print, digital journalism, reporting, editorial research, and media production.

Publishing Professional

Editorial, proofreading, rights management, and production roles in publishing houses.

PR & Corporate Communications

Managing brand communication, media relations, and corporate messaging.

Advertising & Copywriting

Creative writing for campaigns, branding, social media, and marketing communications.

Civil Services & Government Exams

Strong foundation for UPSC, SSC, State Services, and other competitive exams.

Digital Marketing & Content Strategy

Content-led roles in SEO, social media strategy, and online brand engagement.

FAQs*

That is not really advisable. The syllabus for English at the school level is only about reading poems, short stories, plays and writing answers based on your reading of the text. B.A English is a more technical course and involves a tedious study of the entire History of English literature from the 10th century till date. Opt for BA English only if you think you would like to know about the history of literary genres and pieces.

Yes, the college offers exciting combinations of GE subjects along with English honours, as per the norms of the University of Calcutta.

Yes, apart from the syllabus prescribed by the University of Calcutta, the Department of English organizes regular seminars and invited lectures by renowned scholars and academics in order to keep the students informed about new literary trends and developments.

Yes, the Department of English has a students’ magazine called ‘ThoughtSpell’ and an academic journal with ISSN called ‘Interlocutor’. Interlocutor may be accessed at “www.interlocutor.co.in”

Yes, a minimum 65 % of attendance is mandatory for pursuing the course without any disciplinary action.

* Frequently Asked Questions

Learning in Action

BESC’s B.A. (H) English course is designed to strike the perfect balance between academic learning and real-world exposure. Alongside a strong foundation in the classroom, students benefit from industry mentorship, site visits, hands-on workshops, expert seminars, and insightful guest lectures. These experiences enrich their understanding, bridge theory with practice, and prepare them to confidently navigate professional environments.