English Literary Studies BA Hons

Literature is a conversation between generations, between nations, between the individual and society, between the self and the soul.

To understand these conversations as fully as possible, Worcester students are encouraged to study literary texts contextually.
You will have the opportunity to explore what people have been thinking and writing – in the form of fiction, poetry and drama – for the past 500 years, in England and in countries around the world. This is a stimulating and challenging course, covering the development of literature from historical examples right up to the present day.

You will pursue special interests and strengths through the range of optional modules including children’s literature, and literature and film. Skilled and enthusiastic staff will encourage you to question received opinion and engage with new critical perspectives.

You may study English Literary Studies as a Single Honours course or combine it with English Language Studies; this is an especially appropriate combination if you aspire to teach English.

There is a core of mandatory modules running through the course which seeks to equip you with a sound understanding of literary history from 1585 to the present, as well as literary theory. In addition, students have the opportunity to study a module which addresses the transition from tertiary education (A-Levels, Access Courses, etc.) to degree level study by developing reading and writing skills, methodologies and concepts. The English Literary Studies course culminates in a two-module Independent Study - an opportunity to pursue for yourself, under close supervision, a topic of special interest to you. A variety of optional modules offers plenty of choice, allowing students to study a wide range of different literatures. As well as studying major authors, periods and forms which combine to produce a wide experience of the subject, you have the opportunity to tackle areas of special interest, such as Literature and Film, Creative Writing, Children's Literature, American Literature, Irish Literature, and Poetry and Landscape.

Alongside the purely literary modules, English students at the University of Worcester have the opportunity to study modules with a more vocational focus. For students interested in a teaching career, the subject area offers modules concerned with Teaching English as a Foreign Language (TEFL). In addition, students may study a module which will help them both to identify the opportunities available to them in the labour market and to develop the ability effectively to communicate attributes and achievements to employers through application forms, CVs, interview technique and assessment centres. There is also a work-placement module which allows students to hone the skills they have acquired on the course in a working environment (previous placement destinations include BBC Hereford & Worcester, Worcester News, local schools and libraries, etc.).

Factfile
Entry requirements
Course content
Student views

UCAS code

English & Literary Studies BA (Hons) (Single Honours) Q300 BA/ENg

It is also possible to study this degree in combination with other courses. For the latest information, check the UCAS website at www.ucas.com

Study options

Available as Single Honours or Joint Honours

Popular subjects studied in combination with this course include: English Language, Drama & Performance, Media & Cultural Studies, Journalism, History and Education Studies.

Study Abroad

Focussed support for developing employability

Opportunity for progression to PGCE and MA

Get in touch

Admissions Tutor for English Literary Studies
Dr Tricia Connell
01905 855293
t.connell@worc.ac.uk

Course Administrator
Allan Maund
01905 852015
a.maund@worcs.ac.uk

Admissions Office
01905 855111
admissions@worc.ac.uk

Applicants who are offered a place on the BA (Hons) in English Literary Studies most commonly satisfy one of the following requirements:

240-300 UCAS tariff points, including a minimum grade C at A2 English
Accredited Access and Foundation Courses
Mature Entry Route

We consider applications on an individual basis, so please contact the Admissions Tutor for English Literary Studies, Dr Tricia Connell (t.connell@worc.ac.uk), if you are unsure about your qualifications.

Modules

Selection of module topics covered in first year:

Eighteenth, Nineteenth & Twentieth Century Literature
American Writing
Women’s Writing
Restoration Literature
Science Fiction
Creative Writing
Introduction to Teaching English as a Foreign Language

Selection of modules in second and third years:

20th Century Stories of America
American Writing & the Wilderness
British Writing 1880-1930
Career & Personal Development
Children’s Literature
Cities & Fiction
Contemporary Literatures
Creative Writing
Culture & Politics in Victorian Fiction 1837-1872
Enlightened Minds: Literature 1688-1760
Hypertexts
Irish Writing in the 20th Century
Literature & Film
Postcolonial Literature
Professional Writing
Romanticism & Ecology
Shakespearean Comedy
Teaching English as a Foreign Language
The Great War & Literary England
Theoretical Perspectives
Women & Writing
Work Project Module

Assessment

Teaching methods for all modules include lectures, seminars and individual tutorials. The English team’s approach to teaching English Literature is strongly student-centred. Group discussion and an informed exchange of ideas between staff and students are an integral aspect of the course. Students also enjoy the occasional field trip!

There are no formal examinations in the English course. The final degree classification is assessed largely through written coursework, primarily essays, although students are also required to produce oral presentations, reports, summaries and journals.

Staff expertise includes Renaissance and Restoration drama and poetry; eighteenth-century, nineteenth and twentieth-century literature; English and American poetry; Children's Literature; Gender Studies, African-American and Native American Literature; Modernism; Literary Theory including Ecocriticism; Romanticism; Creative writing; Popular Fiction. (Please refer to the ‘Meet the Team’ section for more detailed information.)

The Institute has a Research Centre in Primary Education and Children's Literature, which is managed jointly with the Institute of Education, and has recently established the interdisciplinary Early Modern Research Group.

Susan Kelsey

English Literary Studies BA (Hons) - Hometown: Malvern

"I have always loved English. I was working at the Malvern Gazette when I decided that I wanted to pursue my passion for literature. It was easy to apply as a mature student at the University of Worcester - I just picked up a prospectus and went for an interview! I've had a challenging and inspirational time here - I'd recommend it to anyone."

Academic department

Institute of Humanities and Creative Arts

"We are a lively community of scholars and creative practitioners."
Professor Antonia Payne, Head of Institute

Employability

Many English graduates will take a fourth year postgraduate Certificate in Education before entering the teaching profession. Other students will take a certificate in TEFL and become teachers of English as a second language at home or abroad. Those graduates who achieveparticularly good results in their first degree will choose to progress to a Masters course offered at Worcester or elsewhere, which will often then lead to a career as a researcher or further study to PhD.

Throughout the English Literary Studies degree there is a focus on developing employability which includes attractive opportunities for work experience, a credited work project module, and career and professional development module. Students are also strongly encouraged to take up the opportunity to study abroad for a semester.