English Literature

Our English Literature degree will enable you to examine in greater detail authors and genres that you may already know (from tragedy to Gothic, from Shakespeare and Dickens to Plath and Beckett). But it will also introduce you to aspects of literary studies that may be less familiar to you, from children's literature to publishing studies and the history of the book. Our academics have published research on everything from medieval poetry to contemporary American fiction, and they will help you to develop your own literary enthusiasms. 100% of our research is of international standing (REF 2021, combining 4*, 3* and 2* submissions – English Language and Literature). On this course, you will also have the option to study creative writing throughout your degree. Our lecturers and professors of creative writing are all writers who work at the highest professional levels. You will think about the different ways that literary texts respond to their cultural contexts and how they accrue new meanings in the process of interpretation. Other, optional areas of study can include creative writing, American literature, translation, book history, and comparative literature.