Philosophy and English Literature [with Placement year]

Explore the big questions that have puzzled humans for centuries, alongside works of English literature that offer unique perspectives on them.

Learn to make your point of view stand out with substance and style. Consider questions such as ‘Who are we?’, ‘What can we know?’, and ‘What should we do to lead worthwhile lives?’ and discover how great minds have tried to answer them.

You’ll also explore how works of English literature have offered up fresh ideas and perspectives on these issues, shaped by their historical and cultural context. As you study you’ll develop your understanding of other subjects too, like history, politics, religion, psychology and history of art.

Our English courses ranked 3rd in the UK for “organisation and management” in the National Student Survey 2024.

Attend events with writers, publishers and other professionals and our Royal Institute of Philosophy lecture series.

Engage in philosophical discussions and debates through our student-led Philosophy Society.

Get support from expert lecturers, including published authors and our Royal Literary Fund Fellows.

Boost your employability: learn a language, take a placement year, and solve real-world challenges for local employers through live briefs.

Showcase your work and make new contacts at events organised by our Cambridge Writing Centre.

Careers

On this course, you'll develop vital skills particularly valued by business leaders.

These include narrative communication, empathy and perspective taking, critical analysis, creativity and imagination, and digital skills.

The problem-solving, critical and creative thinking, judgement, research, analysis and communication skills you’ll gain are also highly valued by employers. The World Economic Forum ranks complex problem solving and critical thinking among the top ten skills needed to succeed in today’s job market.

Our graduates go on to work in a variety of fields, including teaching, journalism, local government, publishing, charity administration and management, librarianship, digital and media, project management, PR and marketing, start-ups and online companies.

Figures from the Department for Education show that English is the joint fourth subject for annual average wage growth at 6.2%, and a key contributor to the creative industries, the fastest growing part of the UK economy. 25% of SHAPE (Social Sciences, Humanities and Arts for People and the Economy) graduates work in the creative sector – currently worth £84.1bn to the UK. By 2030, it’s expected that there will be 900,000 new jobs in this sector. (Source: Qualified for the Future (PDF), The British Academy).

Or you might choose to stay at ARU and study a Master’s degree, like our MA English Literature or MA Creative Writing. Take advantage of our Alumni Scholarship to get 20% off your fees.

Teaching

In Year 1 you’ll get a broad overview of English literature from the Anglo-Saxon period onwards.

You'll also start to explore some of philosophy’s biggest issues, including the existence of God and the nature of knowledge and ethical deliberation.

In Year 2 you’ll focus on Modernist writing, take a literary tour of Europe, and tackle issues like consciousness, reality, and free will.

Finally, you’ll complete a major research project on a topic of your choice, as well as exploring the concept of ‘evil’ and Renaissance drama. You can also explore your own interests through a range of optional modules.

*=optional.

Year 1: The World Religions; Introduction to the Study of Literature and Writing; Introduction to Philosophy: The Big Questions; Reading Critically, Old English to Enlightenment; Into ARU.

Year 2: Ethics in Theory; Philosophy of Art and Image; Crocodiles, Pirates and Moon-men: Renaissance Encounters; Ruskin Module; Philosophical Texts: From Descartes to Kant *; Science Fiction *; Critical Social Thought: Knowledge, Power and Division *; Nineteenth Century Afterlives and Adaptations *; Film Criticism and Reviewing *; From Modernism to the Millenium *; Performing Shakespeare ; Anglia Language Programme.

Year 3: Placement.

Year 4: Spectacle and Representation in Renaissance Drama; Concepts of Good and Evil; Philosophy Research Project *; Undergraduate Major Project in English *; Nature and the Absolute *; Writing Poetry *; Elizabeth Gaskell and the Brontës *; Renaissance Magic *; Knowledge and Doubt: From Antiquity to the Digital Age *; Careers with English *; Communication, Flesh, Philosophy *; Forbidden Stories: Banned Children's Books *; Romantic Ideals *; Writing and the Present *; Global Feminisms *; Issues in Modern Philosophy *; Research Communication *; Anglia Language Programme *.

You'll show your progress using a combination of exams, essays, portfolios, presentations, reviews and reports, as well as your final-year Major Project.