Program Overview

English Literature BA(Hons)

The English Literature BA(Hons) degree is designed for students who are passionate about literature and want to develop their critical thinking, research, and communication skills. This course will help students indulge their passion for literature, exploring a diverse range of literary texts, and learning to navigate digital resources and present their ideas using the latest media.

Why Study English Literature BA(Hons)

Each year, students can take an active role in events at Huddersfield Literature Festival, getting involved with everything from programming to planning. They can also attend a variety of exciting fieldtrips, such as visits to the Bronte parsonage and Shakespeare's Globe in London. Additionally, students can see their work published via GRIST Books, an in-house publishing company that champions students' work.

Course Details

• The course is available for full-time or part-time study.
• The teaching year normally starts in September with breaks at Christmas and Easter, finishing with a main examination/assessment period around May/June.
• The course offers a compulsory 5-week work placement in Year 2.
• If studying full-time, the course also offers an optional one-year (48 weeks) work placement after the second year, in the UK or abroad.

Year 1

Core modules include:

• Critical Thinking: This module enables students to go beyond the surface of information, using analytical skills to dissect, question, and evaluate ideas.
• Introduction to English Literature: This module introduces students to a diverse range of literary texts, representing the principal genres on which the Western literary tradition is built.
• Introduction to Creative Writing: This module aims to develop creative thinking alongside Creative Writing skills.
• Introduction to English Language: This module introduces students to the study of the English language, exploring descriptive and theoretical approaches.

Year 2

Core modules include:

• The Gothic: This module explores the origins and development of the Gothic, from its emergence in the eighteenth century to its transformations in the twentieth and twenty-first centuries.
• Researching the Humanities: This module develops the research skills students acquired at Foundation level, giving them the skills and confidence required to complete a major piece of independent research.
• Work Experience Placement: Students are expected to complete a graduate or professional level work placement, or an enterprise or citizenship project with a tangible end product.

Year 3 - Optional Placement Year

Students can choose to undertake a one-year work placement, which will give them the opportunity to gain valuable hands-on experience and insight into their chosen career.

Final Year

Core modules include:

• Public Humanities: This module aims to develop skills enabling students to communicate the value and importance of literary study to a non-specialist audience.
• World Literature: This module invites students to look beyond the "Englishness" of English Literature, exploring literary texts from different cultures, countries, and continents.
• Dissertation: This module is the culmination of the degree, allowing students to apply their skills and knowledge to researching and writing an extended piece of work on a subject of their choice.

Option Modules

Students can choose from a range of option modules, including:

• The Victorian Novel
• American Poetry from the 19th Century to the Present Day
• Shakespeare Now and Then
• Twentieth Century Fiction
• Arts and Humanities Placement
• Twentieth Century Drama
• Twentieth Century Poetry
• Extraordinary Gentlemen: Masculinity and Popular Fiction in the Nineteenth Century
• Voices of the Holocaust

Teaching and Assessment

• An average 16.7% of the study time on this course is spent with tutors in lectures, seminars, and workshops.
• The assessment of this course will be based on both written and practical work, including essays, presentations, posters, research projects, and screencasts.

Fees and Finance

• The maximum fees for UK-based students on undergraduate courses in 2025/26 will be £9,535 per year for full-time students.
• The maximum fees for UK-based students on undergraduate courses in 2025/26 will be £1,589 per 20 credit module and £2,384 per 30 credit module per year for part-time students.

Career Support

The University of Huddersfield offers a range of career support services, including industry-supported workshops, careers fairs, and one-to-one guidance sessions. The Careers and Employability Service can help students focus on life after graduation and achieve their ambitions.

Research Excellence

The University of Huddersfield is committed to research excellence, with 86.9% of its research ranked as world-leading or internationally excellent. The University's researchers carry out work that makes a real difference to people's lives, and students can benefit from this expertise and experience.

Student Support

The University of Huddersfield offers a range of support services to help students thrive, including academic support, mental health and wellbeing services, and financial support. The University is committed to providing a supportive and inclusive environment for all students.