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. Enthusiastic, highly qualified 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 a range of other courses as Joint honours, including English Language Studies; this is an especially appropriate combination if you aspire to teach English. Another option is to combine with Creative and Professional Writing.

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.).

External Examiner, Dr David Rogers says: ‘I commend all that colleagues do for your students, the support they give them …Colleagues seem consistently to engage the students and the best of the work here is very impressive…There is and has always been a sense that students enjoy the modules and working with you as lecturers.’

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