English Literature

Why study English Literature at Liverpool John Moores University?

• Ranked in the top 20% of English degrees in the UK, and joint-best English degree in the North West (The Times UK University Rankings 2025)

• 100% of students on this course said LJMU offered activities and resources to prepare them for the next step in their career (National Student Survey 2025)

• You'll be taught by leading scholars who have published books and articles on a wide-range of topics

• You'll study a range of literary texts and genres from the early modern period to the present day, including world literatures

• Work experience and travel opportunities are part of the degree

About your course
The BA (Hons) English Literature at Liverpool John Moores University is a diverse and dynamic degree, informed by the latest thinking about literature and culture.

Our innovative degree programme encourages students to become part of our vibrant academic community, to develop their own interests, and to develop high-level transferable skills that are highly sought after by a wide range of employers.

Our definition of 'literature' is broad, and we offer a range of fascinating option modules which will allow you to tailor your studies to your own interests through your degree, whilst gaining a thorough knowledge of literary history, theory, and criticism. You will study fiction, non-fiction, poetry, drama, and theory, but you will also have opportunities to study less traditional texts such as (for example) film adaptations, popular music, working-class life-writing, travel writing, slave narratives and protest literature.

Crucially, all our modules are designed and taught by full-time lecturers who are both dedicated teachers and cutting-edge scholars, and who publish peer-reviewed books and journal articles on these topics and lead ground-breaking research projects about them. Our Personal Tutoring scheme means that every student receives continuous support from a permanent member of staff throughout their degree, and we pride ourselves on our friendly and supportive relationship with our students.

Exciting work experience and travel opportunities are an integral part of our degree programme. For example, on one of our optional second-year modules we take students on a field trip to Venice, with flights and accommodation paid for by LJMU. If you choose our English Work Experience option module, you will have opportunities to gain valuable work-based experience and skills in (for example) teaching, charities, or the media and creative industries; we work with local cultural partners such as the Tate, the Everyman and Playhouse theatres, and FACT, as well as local businesses and schools. LJMU's Study Abroad Programme gives you the option of spending a semester or a whole year studying internationally for credit towards your degree. If you choose not to travel, however, the wide range of literature you will study in English and in translation will still broaden the horizons of your world.

In the most recent Research Excellence Framework (REF 2021) more than half of our research outputs, and two thirds of our impact case studies, received the highest possible rating of four stars. This means that the majority of our research has been deemed 'world-leading in originality, significance and rigour'. Our overall REF score was the third highest in LJMU, and our score for research impact was the highest in the University

Please visit the Liverpool John Moores University website for detailed module information.

Assessment varies depending on the modules you choose.

We believe that all students perform differently depending on how they are assessed, which is why we use a combination of assessment methods. These include essays, analytical exercises, portfolios of written work, an optional dissertation, peer presentations and formal exams. In some final year modules, you can choose whether you want to be assessed by exam or written essay.

Throughout your course you will be given regular constructive feedback, which is particularly useful in helping you to identify your strengths as well as the areas where you may need to put in more work.