English Literature

About the course

BA (Hons) English Literature explores a wide range of literary texts from different periods, cultures and genres, examining how literature reflects and shapes social, cultural and historical contexts. You’ll engage with classic and contemporary writing while developing critical reading and analytical skills.

This course is designed for students who enjoy reading, discussion and critical thinking, and who want to develop transferable skills valued across creative, cultural and professional sectors, as well as prepare for further academic study.

Why this course

• Ranked in the top 15% universities in the world (Times Higher Education Young University Rankings 2024)

• Top 8 in England for undergraduate student satisfaction (National Student Survey 2024)

• Top 3 modern university in London (Complete University Guide 2025)

What you’ll study

You’ll build a solid foundation in English literature, while gaining professional skills valued across education, publishing, media and cultural sectors, including critical analysis, research skills, written communication, argument development and independent thinking.

Modules offered can vary each year but may include:

• Literary Traditions and Transformations

• Shakespeare and Renaissance Literature

• Modern and Contemporary Literature

• Critical Theory and Literary Analysis

• Writing, Culture and Society

How you’ll learn

You will learn through:

• Teaching through lectures, seminars and close reading workshops

• Assessment through essays, presentations, critical commentaries and independent projects

• Academic support through personal tutors, skills development sessions and small group teaching

You’ll also have access to digital learning resources that support independent study and assessment preparation.

Future opportunities

This course prepares you for careers that value strong communication, analytical thinking and cultural awareness. It also provides a strong foundation for postgraduate study and research in literature or related disciplines.

Example career areas include:

• Publishing, editing and proofreading

• Education and teaching support roles

• Media, journalism and communications

• Arts, heritage and cultural organisations

• Further academic and postgraduate study

The transferable skills developed on this course also support progression into postgraduate study or professional training.

Facilities

You’ll study in learning environments designed to support literary study, discussion and independent research.

• Teaching rooms for lectures, seminars and group discussion

• Access to extensive digital and print literary resources and academic databases

• Dedicated study spaces for independent reading and collaborative work

These facilities support your academic development and help you apply English literature knowledge with confidence.

Course Modules

In your first year, you will immerse yourself in a wider range of literature, building your knowledge of modern and classic books. You will learn how to present your work effectively and confidently, and gain experience of evaluating and using critical material. Our current students study texts including John Milton’s Paradise Lost and Charlotte Brontë’s Jane Eyre, and explore London in literature.

In your second year, you’ll get to focus on particular historical periods. This could include Victorian Literature which gave us Charles Dickens, Thomas Hardy and Arthur Conan Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes; American Literature Before 1900, which includes classic books such as Mark Twain’s The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn; or Literature 1900-1950, covering the poetry of the Great War and the politics of gender. You will also be able to choose from a wide range of other modules on topics such as utopian/dystopian fiction and children’s literature.

In your final year, you’ll get to shape your course in areas that interest you by choosing from our rich and varied modules. These could include Literature and Cinema which looks at how the works of Shakespeare and Beckett have been adapted for film; Writing Multi-Cultural Britain, where you can study authors such as Zadie Smith; or Subversive Children’s Literature which includes the work of Melvin Burgess and Mark Haddon.