Skip navigation
You are viewing our beta course page.

Comparative Literature

Course details
  • BA (Hons)
  • 3 Years
  • Full-time
  • 29/09/2026
  • Undergraduate
Course location
Main Site
Awarded by:
King’s College London

Course summary

At King’s we offer you a lively and intellectually stimulating home in the heart of London where you will be taught by leading experts. Our Comparative Literature modules embrace 10 languages and 5 continents and span over 2,500 years. The focus extends beyond the modern and ancient literatures of Europe to the Americas, the Middle East, South Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa.

Where else in the UK can you study African literature in English and French alongside modern Indian literature and the eighteenth-century European novel? All in an exciting location that opens the doors to endless world-class libraries, institutes, cinemas, galleries, concert halls and theatres.

Key benefits

  • All modules are taught in English translation, though you are encouraged to read in the original language where possible and supported in the development of new linguistic skills.

  • Centrally located, offering opportunities to benefit from London’s unique literary and cultural resources.

  • You will acquire analytical and presentational skills valued by employers in heritage-related professions, the media, education, civil service and the performing arts.

  • Our flexible study courses allow you to pursue your research interests and choose from a wide variety of modules across a number of departments.

  • Study abroad is available at a wide number of partner institutions in Europe, the USA, Asia and Australia.

Please see our online prospectus for further details on this programme: https://www.kcl.ac.uk/study/undergraduate/courses/comparative-literature-ba

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:
Q200
Institution code:
K60
Campus name:
Main Site
Campus Code:
-

Points of entry

The following entry points are available for this course:

  • Year 1
  • Year 2

Open days

Entry requirements

Qualification requirements

UCAS Tariff - Not accepted

A level - AAB

Must include grade A in English Literature or English Language and Literature. Please note that A-level General Studies, Critical Thinking, Thinking Skills and Global Perspectives are not accepted by King's as one of your A levels

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

Please see our online prospectus for further details on our BTEC entry requirements.

Access to HE Diploma - D: 33 credits M: 12 credits P: 0 credits

The Access to Higher Education Diploma must be 60 credits in total. Access to HE Diploma (for example, in Humanities) with 45 Level 3 credits: 33 must be from units at Distinction with the remaining Level 3 credits at Merit.

Scottish Higher - ABB

Must be a combination of three Scottish Highers and two Scottish Advanced Highers. We do not count the Higher and Advanced Higher in the same subject.

Scottish Advanced Higher - AB

Must include grade A in Advanced Higher English Literature / English Language and Literature. Must be combined with three Scottish Highers. We do not count the Higher and Advanced Higher in the same subject

International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme - 35 points

Must include grade 6 in Higher Level English Literature or English Language and Literature. 35 points overall or an aggregate score of 17 from three Higher Levels.  Note: The total point score of 35 includes TOK/EE.

Leaving Certificate - Higher Level (Ireland) (first awarded in 2017) - H1, H2, H2, H2, H2, H2

Leaving Certificate - Ordinary Level (Ireland) (first awarded in 2017) - Not accepted

Cambridge International Pre-U Certificate - Principal - D3, D3, M2

Must include D3 in English Literature. Please note that Global Perspectives is not accepted by King’s as one of your Pre-U Principal subjects. Combinations of Pre-U principal subjects and other qualifications (such as A-levels) will be considered.

T Level - Not accepted

Required subjects: English Literature, or English Language and Literature.
Preferred subjects: Modern or Ancient language, Classical Civilisation, Ancient History or History

English language requirements

TestGradeAdditional details
IELTS (Academic)7.0 overall with a minimum of 6.5 in each skill
PTE Academic69 overall with a minimum of 62 in each skill
TOEFL (iBT)100 overall with a minimum of 25 in writing and 23 in each of the other skills
Cambridge English Advanced185 overall with a minimum of 176 in each skill
Cambridge English Proficiency185 overall with a minimum of 176 in each skill
Trinity ISELevel III (ISEIII) with merit in each skill
Institution's Own TestPass the King's Pre-Sessional English Language Programme with Band 7
We also accept a number of English language tests taken as part of school-level qualifications. For more details, please see our website. Please note that the course requirements are under Band B.

Band B https://www.kcl.ac.uk/study/undergraduate/how-to-apply/english-language-requirements

Contextual admissions

Universities and colleges consider more than grades when assessing applications and may make offers based on a range of criteria. Learn more about contextual offers.

At King’s we don’t just use your grades to assess your application. We recognise that not everyone has the same educational journey and that some students have had to overcome challenges to achieve their grades.

Contextual offers are made to applicants who may have experienced barriers that have impeded their academic progress. Contextual offers may be up to two A-Level grades (or equivalent) lower than the advertised entry requirements found on the course pages.

Learn more on the King's College London, University of London website

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.

Data from:
This course and 5 other others in language and area studies courses
Date range:
2022-2024

Offer rate for UK school & college leavers

91% Students aged 17/18 who applied to this course were offered a place.

How do you compare?

See how students with your grades have been accepted onto this course in the past.

Student Outcomes

Operated by the Office for Students

60 Employment after 15 months (Most common jobs)

90 Go onto work and study

The number of student respondents and response rates can be important in interpreting the data – it is important to note your experience may be different from theirs. This data will be based on the subject area rather than the specific course. Read more about this data on the Discover Uni website.

Fees and funding

Tuition fees

LocationFeeYear
England£9790Year 1
Northern Ireland£9790Year 1
Scotland£9790Year 1
Wales£9790Year 1
Channel Islands£9790Year 1

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

For International fees and information, please see the course details on our online prospectus: https://www.kcl.ac.uk/study/undergraduate

The fees stated are for entry in the forthcoming September. If you are applying for deferred entry, to commence the following September, fees may be subject to change.

All International applicants to Undergraduate programmes are required to pay a deposit of £2,000 against their first year’s tuition fee. This deposit is payable when you firmly accept an unconditional offer to study with us, and will be offset against your tuition fees when you join King’s.

Like this page