English

Mission Statement

The mission of the LCC English Language and Literature study program (also referred to as the LCC English program) is to empower students to achieve their career goals in language related fields.

• Through training in rhetoric, oral and written communication, linguistics, literary analysis, and translation, students learn life-long skills in using English, or any language, to teach, persuade, and delight.
• Students build the intellectual groundwork for further training and research in graduate and professional programs in Lithuania and abroad.
• Students prepare for careers in both private and public sectors in Lithuania, the EU, and around the globe-anywhere that prizes the pairing of critical thinking with a professionally trained command of English.
• Students deepen their knowledge and practice in English by extensive study in one of three concentrations: Teaching English as an International Language (TEIL), Translation and Interpretation (T & I), and Literature. Depending upon their chosen emphasis of study, students cultivate their English language skills to perform such crucial and varied tasks as writing, editing, teaching, and translating: speeches, stories, legal documents, advertising, grant proposals, research projects, essays, and correspondence of all sorts.
• Based on extensive instruction in how the English language developed and continues to evolve, as well as how the structure of language functions more generally, students ground their practical, career-oriented competencies in an understanding of the interrelation of language and society.

The mission of the LCC English Language and Literature study program is also to empower professors to enhance their teaching and research.

• Professors of linguistics, literature, and English as an international language enjoy teaching a diverse population of students, whose vast range of identities and experiences provides motivation not only for excellence in classroom teaching, but also for research and publication.
• Due to its favorable location in Klaipėda, Lithuania, the LCC English department encourages teaching and research of topics that emphasize the current global importance of the English language and its traditions, as well as the many benefits of new trends in English developed by the sustained intellectual interaction at LCC between native and non-native speakers of English.

Inside the Program

The English Language and Literature program is designed for a wide range of future possibilities because it includes preparation in the fields of teaching, translation and interpretation, and literature. Students choose the English program because they wish to be involved in the international world of teaching, business, government, international affairs, peacemaking and any occupation that calls for highly-developed skills in an oral and written communication that is
becoming universally accepted.

The international nature of LCC International University provides an excellent context for linguistics. Students will live and study in a multicultural environment so students observe theory being practiced both in the classroom and immediately outside the classroom. Translation and Interpretation classes at LCC offer a unique combination of theoretical concepts and practical skill development. Students are also exposed to a variety of strategies that can assist them in developing those skills for both translation and interpretation and they have multiple opportunities to do real-life inside and outside of LCC while fulfilling their requirements. Studying literature in English offers students a unique cross-cultural opportunity. Within various courses, students are given the opportunity to read across many cultures.

Geri Henderson, former English Department Chair, shares her perspective on the program:

"The English Department of Language and Literature at LCC International University is crucial to every student's success as we play a vital role in the first year of studies, providing three of the core curriculum courses, two in writing and one in literature. We believe our initial influence on student success provides the basis for continued success and steady progress throughout the course of any major students pursue since clarity in effective written and spoken communication opens doors of opportunity, worldwide.

For our English majors, the Department provides a home, a place of support, a faculty that cares about your success here at LCC and in the future. Our goal is that you will have the multiple opportunities we promise and the tools to take advantage of them. Well beyond your graduation, you can find faculty who will continue to be interested in you, your career, and your continued success."

Curriculum

The English major consists of 165 ECTS credits (72 required credits, a concentration in TEIL, Translation or Literature of 36 credits, and 57 elective credits). Courses within English Language and Literature major program include these:

ENGLISH LANGUAGE AND LITERATURE MODULE

(For non-English majors)

A module in English Language and Literature is available to those who wish to focus on communication and comprehension skills as well as the broader understanding of the human condition through literature. Writing develops students’ skills for continued use of written English in any profession and for future academic work in English. The study of language provides practical knowledge and experience in the fields of teaching, linguistics and translation. The module consists of 24 credits.