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English Literature

  • BA (Hons)
  • 4 Years
  • Sandwich
  • 09/2026
  • Undergraduate
Stag Hill
More about University of Surrey

Course options

2026-2027
Apply

Course summary

Why choose this course

  • Our BA English Literature course is taught by published researchers, writers, and poets, our Writer in Residence and Poet in Residence

  • Our Professional Training Placements are award-winning, and prepare students for a wide range of roles in industry

  • The library is open 24/7 in term time, and students studying a degree in English Literature can access our podcast and publishing rooms

  • The course benefits from excellent pastoral care with small class sizes, sector-leading staff to student ratio and an individualised approach

  • We focus on employability, preparing our students for careers in journalism, publishing, marketing, media, communications, education, and copywriting.

What you will study
On our English Literature BA course, you’ll study vital and influential works of literature, reading and discussing contemporary works as well as classics in a wide range of genres and cultures from around the world.

The course will introduce you to thought-provoking critical and theoretical approaches to literature. You’ll discover a range of perspectives, such as postcolonialism, psychoanalysis, and gender studies, that will enhance your understanding of literary works in relation to important societal challenges.

You will study classic works like those of Shakespeare and George Eliot, as well as writing by contemporary authors including Kazuo Ishiguro, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie and Jhumpa Lahiri.

Genres you’ll study include travel writing, 19th-century theatre and fiction, science-fiction, contemporary global literatures, medieval literature, romantic literature, early modern and modernist literatures.

You can tailor your course with a number of specialist optional modules on specific periods and themes, from the early modern to the contemporary, and from children’s literature to American fiction.

Unusually for an English literature course, we also offer you the opportunity to take a Professional Training placement, enabling you to apply your skills in an industry-relevant context, such as marketing, publishing, social media and communications roles.

Modules

To see the full range of modules for this course please visit our website – the link is under the Course contact details. You will also find full details of the programme, including programme structure, assessment methods, contact hours and Graduate prospects.

Ways to study this course

Campuses

  • Stag Hill

Study options

  • BA (Hons) • Sandwich • 4 Years

Start dates

  • 09/2026

Apply by
14 January

This is the equal consideration deadline. You can still apply after this date, but your application may not receive guaranteed consideration.

Application codes

Course code:
Q324
Institution code:
S85
Campus name:
Stag Hill
Campus Code:
-
Points of Entry:
Year 1

University of Surrey has participated in the Teaching Excellence Framework. These ratings were awarded in 2023, for four years.

See why these ratings were awarded
What does this TEF outcome mean?

How to apply

Apply by
14 January

This is the deadline for applications to be completed and sent for this course. If the university or college still has places available you can apply after this date, but your application is not guaranteed to be considered.

Application codes

Course code:
Q324
Institution code:
S85
Campus name:
Stag Hill
Campus Code:
-

Points of entry

The following entry points are available for this course:

  • Year 1

International applicants

We are proud to be one of the most culturally diverse universities in the UK, with more than 140 nationalities playing a role in university life. Our International Recruitment team are here to help you throughout the application process – from advising on choosing the right course to applying for a visa and preparing for your first few weeks at Surrey. You can contact them via international@surrey.ac.uk

Applicants who require a Student Visa to study in the UK:
To apply for a Student Visa, you must have a Confirmation of Acceptance (CAS) for the University you wish to study at. This is a unique number which will enable you to apply for your visa. The University is under no legal obligation to sponsor any individual and exercises caution with respect to issuing a Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS) to avoid risking its status as a Student sponsor. Confirmation of Acceptance to Study (CAS) will be issued in accordance with the Student Route and CAS Issuing Policy, available at: https://www.surrey.ac.uk/apply/policies

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Entry requirements

Qualification requirements

UCAS Tariff - Not accepted

A level - ABB - BBB

Overall: ABB-BBB Required subjects: Grade B in English Language or English Literature. Applicants taking an A level science subject with the Science Practical Endorsement are required to pass the practical element. We do not include General Studies or Critical Thinking in our offers.

Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Extended Diploma (first teaching from September 2016) - DDD - DDM

Overall: DDD-DDM. Required subjects: Please contact us to discuss suitability.

Access to HE Diploma

Overall: QAA recognised Access to Higher Education Diploma with 45 Level 3 credits overall including 30 at Distinction and 15 at Merit - 27 at Distinction and 18 credits at Merit. Required subjects: Please contact us to discuss suitability.

Scottish Higher - AABBB - ABBBB

Overall: AABBB-ABBBB Required subjects: English Language or English Literature. GCSE or Equivalent: English Language: Scottish National 5 - C

Scottish Advanced Higher - ABB - BBB

Overall: ABB-BBB Required subjects: Grade B in English Language or English Literature. GCSE or Equivalent: English Language: Scottish National 5 - C

International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme - 33 - 32 points

Overall: 33-32 Required subjects: English Language or English Literature HL5/SL6.

WJEC Level 3 Advanced Skills Baccalaureate Wales

Overall: Pass overall with ABB-BBB from a combination of the Advanced Skills Baccalaureate Wales and two A-levels. Required subjects: A-level English Literature or English Language. Please note: A-level General Studies and A-level Critical Thinking are not accepted. Applicants taking an A-level science subject with the Science Practical Endorsement are expected to pass the practical element. GCSE or equivalent: Please check the A-level dropdown for the required GCSE levels.

Extended Project - A

Applicants taking the Extended Project Qualification (EPQ) will receive our standard A-level offer for this programme, plus an alternate offer of one A-level grade lower, subject to achieving an A grade in the EPQ. The one grade reduction will not apply to any required subjects. Applicants can only receive one grade reduction from the published grades, an EPQ grade reduction can’t be applied in addition to other grade reductions made through other schemes such as Contextual Admissions or In2Surrey.

GCSE/National 4/National 5

GCSE English Language at Grade C(4).

Applications are considered on an individual basis, taking into account qualifications achieved, predicted grades, personal statement and academic reference. Conditional offers are specified in terms of required grades; we do not make offers in terms of overall UCAS tariff.

We understand that predicted grades are an estimate and will consider applicants who have predicted grades that are a little lower than our published requirement. Any offers we make will align with the grades shown above unless a grade reduction can be offered under our Contextual Admissions policy or our In2Surrey scheme. Details can be found here: https://www.surrey.ac.uk/schools-colleges/contextual-admissions-policy

Applicants with a mixed qualification profile (e.g. those taking A-levels and BTEC qualifications) are encouraged to contact admissions@surrey.ac.uk for guidance on the grades accepted.

English language requirements

TestGradeAdditional details
IELTS (Academic)6.56.5 overall with 6.0 in Writing and 5.5 in each other element.

View the other English language qualifications that we accept: https://www.surrey.ac.uk/apply/international/english-language-requirements

Historical entry grades data BETA

This section shows the range of grades students (with UK A-Levels or Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Extended Diplomas) who received offers were previously accepted with (learn more). It is designed to support your research but does not guarantee whether you will or won't get a place. Admissions teams consider various factors, including interviews, subject requirements, and entrance tests. Check all course entry requirements for eligibility.

Not enough data available

We are unable to show previous accepted grades for this course. This could be because the course is new, it's a postgraduate course, there isn't enough historical data, or the provider has opted out of sharing their entry grades data for this course - learn more.

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Fees and funding

Tuition fees

No fee information has been provided for this course

Tuition fee status depends on a number of criteria and varies according to where in the UK you will study. For further guidance on the criteria for home or overseas tuition fees, please refer to the UKCISA website.

Additional fee information

Please see our website for up-to-date information on our fees for 2026/27:

https://www.surrey.ac.uk/fees-and-funding/tuition-fees/undergraduate-2026-entry

Sponsorship information

The University of Surrey offers a range of scholarships and bursaries to support our students, please visit https://www.surrey.ac.uk/fees-and-funding/scholarships-and-bursaries for more details.

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