Program Overview

You will use poems, novels, and other works of literature to interpret and understand past societies and cultures, and, at the same time, you will bring textual analysis to historical sources. You’ll be asking questions about how the two disciplines differ, but also how the methods and approaches of the historian and literature specialist overlap. By the end of the course, you will have developed both the rigorous research skills of the historian and the advanced communication skills of the literature student.

The distinctiveness of the course lies in its combination of academic rigour with a concern for employability and developing ‘citizen scholars’. As part of this, we offer options to broaden your experience and cultural sensitivity by studying abroad for a semester in your second year.

You will have opportunities to engage with the heritage industry through department field trips, guest lecturers, and academic partnerships. And we introduce you to the world of publishing and book-making, potentially leading to our unique MA in Publishing with partners Hachette and New Writing North.