Department of English Language and Literature

Introduction

Both the English language, and literary studies in English were institutionalised by the British Empire first in the colonies, and later at home. Correspondingly, some of the oldest centres for English literary studies are housed in the South Asian subcontinent. The Department of English Language and Literature at GC(U) was founded in 1873, affiliated initially with the Calcutta University, and later with the University of the Punjab. The arrangement continued until 1997 when Government College Lahore became a degree awarding institution. In 2003, the letter “U” was appended to the well-known acronym “GC”, when the institution was upgraded to a university. The Department of English Language and Literature at GCU remains the oldest centre of postgraduate studies in English in the country.

English retains the status of the official language of Pakistan which means that it is the language of the government, the stock exchange, and multinational corporations operating in the country. It is also the sole medium of instruction at the postgraduate level. Accordingly, the Department caters both to English language instruction and literary studies. In addition, we also offer courses in French language and Education (as affiliated subjects). The Department has a motivated, competent, and well-qualified faculty that is committed to effective pedagogy, cutting edge research, co-curricular projects, public engagement, community service, and the promotion of the core values of GCU; “courage to know” and “educating people for tomorrow” being chief among them.

The programmes we offer aim to produce empowered learners with strong academic and transferable skills. We, at the Department of English Language and Literature, welcome you to this ancient and prestigious seat of learning.

French Department is attached with the Department of English