Founded in 1985, the Department of English is one of the oldest liberal arts departments in South China University of Technology, mainly responsible for the teaching of English majors. Undergraduate admissions began in 1988. In 1993, the Academic Degrees Committee of the State Council approved the establishment of a master's degree in English for Special Purposes (later renamed Foreign Linguistics and Applied Linguistics) and the school began to recruit master’s students in Foreign Linguistics and Applied Linguistics. Minors in English were introduced for the whole university in 1995, and a “3+2” program in 1999. In 2003, the master's degree program in English Language and Literature was established, and in 2006, the State Council Academic Degrees Committee approved the establishment of the first-level master's degree program in Foreign Languages and Literature, and in 2010, the master's degree program in Translation was added.
The Department of English has a strong faculty, with 22 full-time teachers, including 9 professors, 6 associate professors and 14 PhD holders, mainly engaged in research and teaching in English language and literature, foreign linguistics and applied linguistics, translation and intercultural communication, and business English. In the past five years, the college has undertaken more than 30 research projects of various kinds and won three provincial and departmental teaching awards; it has published more than 50 academic monographs, translations and textbooks, and published more than 200 academic papers. In the 2021 SoftTech China University Rankings, the Business English major is ranked 4th (A+ major).
The Department of English has a long-standing program in English for Science and Technology. It started to enroll in the major of Business English in 2014 in accordance with the needs of society, which is a four-year course of study. The program aims to cultivate complex and applied English talents with solid basic language skills, international perspective and humanistic qualities, mastering the basic theories and knowledge of foreign language and literature, applied economics, business administration, law (international business law) and other related disciplines, and possessing the ability of business English application, intercultural communication, business practice, thinking and innovation, and being able to engage in international business. The major in Business English is interdisciplinary in nature, based on the disciplines of foreign language and literature, applied economics, business administration and law (international business law), highlighting the characteristics of talent training in business language application, business knowledge and practice, and cross-cultural business communication skills.
In order to improve the quality of talent training, the Department of English encourages students to study two majors and two degrees. Meanwhile, it actively creates exchange programs for undergraduates with universities both at home and abroad. The main exchange programs include: the project with top universities in China for half a year to one year; the project with Pittsburgh State University, Hong Kong Lingnan University, Tainan University, Kaohsiung University, Taiwan Normal University, etc. for half a year to one year; and international education cooperation projects, such as the 2+1+1 project with University of Queensland in Australia, the 2+2 project with the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse in the USA, and the 2+0.5+1.5 project with the University of Knowlton in the UK.
Graduates of the Department of English are welcomed and well received in the talent market and have been ranked first in employment rate among similar disciplines in Guangdong universities for several years. The program prepares students for work in various fields, such as graduate schools of key institutions at home and abroad, state agencies, scientific research institutions, large state-owned enterprises, institutions, multinational companies, triple-funded enterprises and foreign-related enterprises, to work in teaching, research, banking, securities, insurance, investment, media, publishing and foreign exchange, etc.
Address: Building 4, South China University of Technology, Wushan Road, Tianhe District, Guangzhou, China (Postal Code: 510640)
Email: scutb19@scut.edu.cn
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