The Department of English, the first and the biggest of all the departments and colleges of English of SISU, aims to equip students with the professional competence required for their future jobs in diplomatic departments, international business organizations, institutions of higher learning and cultural and research institutions. Ever since the founding of the department in 1959, it has turned out a large number of graduate students and 4-year undergraduate programme graduates, who work in different fields in China as well as in all parts of the world. The department has contributed much to the establishment of other departments and colleges of English of SISU.
The department has an excellent teaching staff. Of the 55 teachers, 18 are professors and associate professors. One third of its teachers have taught or studied abroad, following inter-university exchange programmes with universities of the English speaking countries. The department boasts Ph.D. and Master degree holders on its teaching staff. It appoints foreign teachers and specialists annually.
The four-year programmes of the department, currently with about 700 students, offer Bachelor degrees in English Language and Literature, Advanced Translation and International Relations. The Advanced Translation class, set up in 1999, is designed to train qualified interpreters and translators. Among its variety of English courses, the major ones include Fundamental English, Advanced English, Reading, Oral English, Listening, Writing, Translation, Interpreting, Foreign Newspaper Reading, International Relations and Business English.