The St. F.X. English Department is proud of the institution's commitment to student development and, in keeping with this tradition, makes teaching excellence its first priority. Members of the English Department have won the University's "Outstanding Teacher Award" in 1996, 1999, 2000, 2002, and 2005. Two other department members have won teaching awards while working at other universities. All members of the St. F.X. English Department teach at all levels.
Every effort is made to see that students receive maximum individual attention. Depending on the faculty member's course allocation, faculty is expected to allocate between four and six hours of office time per week for consultation with students. Students are encouraged to meet with their professors to discuss assignments and exams, and are constantly involved in literary activities that take place outside the classroom. These include participation in conferences, discussions with visiting writers and scholars, as well as literary publications and readings. Department members are actively involved in their students' academic programs and try to ensure that students with special needs are given extra attention.
Modern theories on education tend to blur the distinctions among specific disciplines, but the St. F.X. English faculty views the study of literature as central to a liberal arts education. Much emphasis is placed on the acquisition of critical skills and the need to express ideas clearly in speech and in writing. Written assignments comprise the basis for the majority of the grade assessed in each course, and a component of each lower-level course is designed to address problems in rhetoric and composition. Ongoing support in writing skills across the curriculum is provided by the Writing Centre.
Statistically, students at St. F.X. take a greater number of English courses than do students at other Maritime institutions. English 100 "Introductory Survey of Literature in English," English 110 "Literature: Genres and Forms," English 250 "Survey of 20th-Century Literature in English," and English 340 "Shakespeare" are all very popular.
Our introductory courses, English 100 and 110, have on average an enrollment of 40 students per section.