English and History

The Joint Honours English and History degree offers you the chance to explore two fascinating and interrelated subjects. This course allows you to study both English literature and history, and the intersections between them, developing the intellectual tools to approach these subjects from a variety of perspectives.

The English part of the degree covers a wide range of genres and periods of literature, from Shakespeare to contemporary fiction, and explores key themes and ideas that have shaped the development and understanding of literature. You will engage with both literary theory and the practice of literary analysis, learning to interpret texts in their historical context and reflecting on how literature reflects and shapes society. You will also have the opportunity to produce creative responses to texts.

The History part of this degree explores the history of Europe, the US, and beyond, ranging from Ancient Rome to the modern period. It will allow you to explore a range of thematic approaches to history, including political history, social history, and cultural history, encouraging you to consider the richness and diversity of human experience across time.

You will learn textual and source analysis, an understanding of narrative and critical thinking skills. These skills will be tested through a range of assessments, from essays to archive and library projects, to creative responses.

Both subjects work together to improve your communication skills, with a focus on how to present complex ideas clearly and persuasively. These skills are valuable not only in an academic context, but for a range of careers after graduation. By the end of the course, you will be able to critically assess historical and literary materials, providing evidence-based interpretations of the past and engaging with cultural, literary and historical debates in a meaningful way.

This Humanities joint honours degree provides an opportunity to build a coherent and engaging academic experience, offering flexibility to create combinations of modules that best suit your interests. By studying English and History, you’ll gain a deep understanding of the historical periods that have shaped our world and develop the analytical and creative skills necessary for interpreting both literature and history.

The Joint Honours English and History programme is designed to foster critical thinking, creativity, and independent learning. Through a series of interdisciplinary studies, students will develop the skills necessary to analyse and interpret both literary and historical texts. With a focus on critical thinking, creative writing, and the historical context of literature, students are encouraged to engage with complex ideas and viewpoints.

In the first year, students focus on building a foundation in creative and critical writing. Compulsory modules introduce short story techniques, critical theory, and the essentials of writing as a career through “The Art of the Pitch.” Optional modules range from Shakespearean studies to ecocriticism, with unique opportunities to explore rare collections at the Roderic Bowen Library and Archives.

Year 2 deepens critical engagement, with compulsory modules exploring 20th and 21st-century writing, speculative fiction, and Renaissance literature. Creative skills expand into writing for TV, film, and radio, alongside “The Art of the Pitch,” which develops professional writing insights. Students may also select from options like performance poetry and a professional placement, offering real-world experience.

In the final year, students refine their independent project, bringing together creative and research skills. Compulsory modules provide advanced critical theory and practical industry insight. Students may choose from diverse topics, including philosophy in literature and Renaissance poetics, while special collections research offers access to historical texts, fostering advanced research skills for future careers in writing or academia.

Please refer to the providers course web page for a full list of module options for each year of study: https://www.uwtsd.ac.uk/programme-courses/undergraduate/english-and-creative-writing/english-and-history-full-time-full

The programme is assessed in a variety of ways and will include several of the following types of assessment: essays of 1,000 to 4,000 words in length, document analyses, book reviews, short reports and reflective journals, timed tests, take-home exams, field journals, posters, group and individual presentations, dissertations of 10,000 words, wikis, commentaries and film evaluations.

To work as a teacher at a state school in England or Wales, you will need to achieve qualified teacher status (QTS). This is offered on this course for the following level:

• Course does not award QTS