Owing its origin to the Department of English (DOE) established in 1959, the School of English Studies (SES) in SISU was founded in 2009 when DOE merged with the former Third Department of English (which was established in 1984). Currently, SES offers a four-year program in English leading to BA degrees in three sub-areas, viz., Translation & Oral Interpreting, English Literature & Linguistics, and Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL). Due to the program’s educational and academic excellence in English it has been accredited as an A-Class State Program and a Priority Program of Chongqing Municipality. Prompted by the pioneering spirit of its predecessors and supported by more than five decades of innovative perseverance, SES is proud to be recognized as the most dynamic and creative force in SW China. It is therefore one of the leaders across the entire country in providing high quality English education.

The faculty of SES is composed of 75 full-time teachers, of which, 13 are full professors, 40 are tenured associate professors. 20 have attained their Ph.D. degrees, and 98% have earned M.A. degrees, specializing in Anglo-American literature, comparative literature, linguistics & applied linguistics, cultural studies, TESOL, and other related fields. 95% of the faculty have had international experiences. All faculty members take a genuine interest in classroom instruction, while dedicating themselves to academic research. In addition to this, there are qualified and experienced teachers from English-speaking countries affiliated with SES. They not only bring passion to the learning environment and lend an international vision into the classroom, but also contribute considerably to making SES a multicultural academic community.

SES’s primary teaching goals are to equip students with fundamental English competence, provide a well-rounded knowledge of Sino-Western humanities, advance a broad international vision, develop the faculties of creative and critical thinking, and emphasize personal traits of honesty, modesty, and integrity. In support of these goals, SES offers a wide spectrum of modules covering its three primary coursework areas: foundation courses, communication courses, and electives. Foundation courses are designed to equip students with a basic knowledge of English. Communication courses aim to strengthen students’ ability to express themselves in English, think critically, speak fluently, and hone their writing skills in ways that will be important in their future lives and careers. Elective courses focus on specialized studies in Anglo-American literature, Chinese literature (in English), comparative literature, literary theory, linguistics and applied linguistics, theories of translation, cultural studies, TESOL, etc. The three main coursework areas complement one another, enabling graduates to achieve high standards of excellence. Complementing these study programs is a range of extracurricular activities (supported by a number of extracurricular platforms, e.g., the Creative Writing Studio, the Neo-Akademia Forum, and the Envision Drama Club), social services, and internships.

Graduates from SES are highly sought after by prestigious graduate schools and employers in diverse fields, such as English teaching, public service, international trade, diplomatic affairs, tourism, banking, finance, media, etc. Graduates from SES work tirelessly in these areas, fully utilizing their knowledge of English in their particular areas of calling.

In addition to teaching, academic research is another prominent aspect of SES. In recent years, the scholarly output created by SES’s faculty members has been rising steadily in both quantity and quality. Five research centers operate under SES: The Center for Anglo-American Literature Studies, The Center for Linguistics & Applied Linguistics Studies, The Center for Translation Studies, and The Center for Comparative Literature. SES also publishes an annual scholarly journal, A Review of International EL&L, reviewing and reporting on the latest academic achievements by foreign scholars in English studies.

With the advent of the new millennium, SES will redouble its efforts to further enhance its teaching, academic research and international collaboration, accomplishing the mission distilled in its motto：

Connecting the World, Striving for Excellence!