Department of English & Modern Languages (DEML)
Since its inception, the Department of English & Modern Languages has been an integral part of North South University. The department offers undergraduate as well as graduate programs in English and provides students with the opportunity to develop their understanding of the language and its teaching, to know and appreciate both seminal and creative works in language and literature, and also to develop literary and academic aptitudes of their own.
Majors offered by the English department at the undergraduate level prepare students to engage in many fields, including graduate degrees in teaching, journalism, information technology, management, law and administration, as well as more language-focused fields like creative writing and translation.
The department has expanded over the years and continues to pursue its goals and objectives vigorously. The current curriculum followed in the Department of English & Modern Languages is commensurate with some of the most prestigious universities in North America.
With over 50 core faculty members and 19 adjunct faculty members, the favorable teacher-to-student ratio enables the department to be one of the most successful in NSU. Along with this, the presence of faculty members with graduate degrees, including 11 with doctorate degrees, from highly-rated foreign institutions, provides a high-quality international platform for its students.
Moreover, students in the department are guided to shape their studies in order to reflect their specific interest as they prepare themselves to assume their roles as ethical and intellectual members of society.
The students with specializations in the areas of literature, linguistics, or TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages) choose courses based on their requirements and areas of interest. The main focus of both the undergraduate and graduate curricula is to prepare students most effectively to face the challenges of employment and leadership in their fields.
Research, Conferences & Academic Activities
In addition to its academic programs and courses, the department organizes a wide range of activities and workshops, including informative seminars, webinars, and Colloquium & Discourse lecture series.
These platforms regularly invite both local and international scholars, who are invited to share their expertise and engage with students and faculty through lectures and discussions.
We also arrange national and international conferences to promote research and scholarly engagement in language, literature, and related fields.
Notable events include the National Conference on Shakespeare (2012), The River: Flows of Innovation and Exchange in the Global(i)zed English World (2016), Ruptures and Resilience: English Studies in the Now (2022), and the BELTA-NSU International Conference (2024) with participation from both renowned national and international scholars.
Student Activities & Achievements
Our department provides students with opportunities to showcase their talents not only through academic excellence but also through a wide range of extracurricular activities.
One such initiative is the International Language League, an international language olympiad that has successfully completed three seasons in 2019, 2022, and 2024, engaging participants from diverse educational institutions and backgrounds.
In addition, the department organized the inaugural DEML Winter Fest in December 2025, which brought together literature, performance, film, and visual arts in a vibrant celebration of creativity and culture.
As NSU embarks upon the move for university-wide accreditation by North American institutions, the role of the Department of English and Modern Languages has become crucial in its academic drive. This ongoing process is a demonstration of the department’s commitment to attaining the highest standards in academic excellence.
About NSU
North South University (NSU), the first private university in Bangladesh, was established in 1992 with the vision of becoming and remaining a center of excellence in higher education. The university strives to achieve national and global recognition while attracting outstanding students, faculty members, and staff from around the world.
NSU was founded by a group of eminent industrialists, distinguished patrons of education, notable philanthropists, experienced academics, and senior civil servants.
In the early 1990s, they envisioned creating a world-class institution that would set new standards for higher education in Bangladesh’s private sector. Their dedication, perseverance, and collective efforts led to the successful establishment of the university.
Modeled after leading universities in the United States, NSU follows an academic system based on semesters, credit hours, and letter grades.
The university is further supported by an International Advisory Board comprising renowned scholars from around the world who provide guidance and recommendations on academic matters.
NSU offers a comprehensive general education curriculum, follows a strategic development plan, and continuously strengthens its academic programs through student learning assessments, institutional evaluation processes, and accreditation initiatives.
NSU is a research-active institution of higher education even as it maintains its usual teaching mission. All core faculty have a tripartite workload that includes teaching, research and university/public service.
All four schools of NSU regularly sponsor international conferences, seminars, webinars, public lectures, and workshops involving reputed international and national scientists and scholars.
NSU also publishes several journals, including North South Business Review; Panini: NSU Studies in Language and Literature; PAEDEIA: NSU Journal of Humanities, Social Sciences, and Law; South Asian Journal of Policy and Governance; Journal of Biosciences and Experimental Pharmacology; North South Journal of Peace and Global Studies, and NSU Journal of Student Research.
The university, over the years, has consistently maintained its commitment to quality education and has achieved remarkable success, attaining the distinction of being ranked the No. 1 university in Bangladesh in 2022.
Recent Rankings & Achievements
| Ranking Category |
Achievement |
| THE World University Rankings 2026 |
Social Sciences: 501–600th globally (#1 in Bangladesh) |
| THE World University Rankings |
2025, 2024, 2023 (Jointly #1 among all private and public universities in Bangladesh) |
| THE Asia University Rankings |
2024, 2023 (#1 private university in Bangladesh) |
| THE Young University Rankings |
2024, 2023 (#1 among all private and public universities in Bangladesh) |
| QS World University Rankings |
2025, 2024 (#1 private university in Bangladesh), 2023, 2022 (Jointly #1 private university in Bangladesh) |
| QS Asia University Rankings |
2025, 2024, 2023, 2022, 2021, 2020 (#1 private university in Bangladesh) |