English Literature
UCAS code Q320
- Study mode
- Full-time
- Duration
- 3 years
- Start date and application deadlines
-
- Start date
About this course
Study English Literature at Liverpool and learn to understand why people write, who for, and what their texts mean. English literature is a great choice for avid readers. You'll do reading - lots of it - and delve into texts for deep analysis
Introduction
You will have the opportunity to study a wide range of literary forms, genres and themes, from the early medieval period to the present day.
You’ll learn to interpret literature from many perspectives: historical, sociological, political and more, making this course both intellectually challenging and rewarding. You’ll be taught by a staff including award-winning writers and four BBC ‘New Generation Thinkers’, on a course informed by original academic research.
Students are taught in small groups for a collaborative and conversational experience.
Creative Writing modules are offered in years two and three.
Take your university experience even further on a paid year-long industry placement, or spend a year abroad at a partner university or our China campus.
English Literature students graduate with sought-after skills that apply to a wide range of careers, including journalism, arts and marketing.
Year in industry
This programme is available with an optional year in industry. If you choose this option, year three is spent on a paid placement within an organisation in industry, broadly defined. You will be supported by the School of the Arts and the Department throughout, and your reflexive written account of the experience will contribute towards your final degree result. If you wish to study this programme with a year in industry, please put the option code ‘YI’ in the ‘further choices’ section of your UCAS application form.
English attainment scholarships
We are pleased to offer two attainment scholarships per year to undergraduate students from the UK. The scholarship covers the entire UK tuition fee for both years two and three. Awards will be made by the department at the end of year one, based on student performance.
What you'll learn
- Detailed knowledge of the literature of a variety of historical periods
- Critical thinking
- Teamwork
- Textual analysis from multiple perspectives
- How to undertake research
- How to present and communicate clearly
- How to debate, argue and persuade
Course content
Discover what you'll learn, what you'll study, and how you'll be taught and assessed.
Year one
In your first year, you will develop key skills and subject knowledge that will equip you for more advanced and specialised modules in the later years of the degree. You’ll explore the ways in which literary texts and themes are rewritten and reinterpreted in different historical and cultural contexts. You will also consider how literary texts interact with and speak to their own and other social contexts, what it means to interpret texts, and how meanings emerge from our reading.
- You will take four compulsory modules, which will set the foundation for the rest of your studies, and choose two optional modules.
Modules
| Compulsory modules | Credits |
|---|---|
| CLOSE READING (ENGL103) | 15 |
| LITERATURE AND PLACE: CITY, COUNTRY, PLANET (ENGL102) | 30 |
| LITERATURE IN TIME (ENGL117) | 30 |
| WAYS OF READING (ENGL113) | 15 |
Programme details and modules listed are illustrative only and subject to change.
Year two
In your second year, you will choose from a range of optional modules that will give you the opportunity to study texts from particular literary periods, ranging from the medieval to the modern. These modules will help you to develop a detailed understanding of the range of literature written in a particular period, and the ways in which they relate to wider social, artistic, and political contexts.
- To ensure coverage of literature from a range of periods, you must choose at least one module from each broad period group (‘early’ and ‘modern’). Information on the modules available within each group will be provided to you.
- If you are following the year in industry pathway, you will be required to take module SOTA260.
Modules
Programme details and modules listed are illustrative only and subject to change.
Final year
The broad range of optional modules in your final year will allow further specialisation and a focus on specific genres and/or themes. You’ll also have options to study modules in creative writing.
Modules at this level are often based on the current research of our academic staff and will involve you in conversations about the present and future directions of the subject, while also enabling you to develop your skills of independent research.
- If taking the dissertation option, you may choose to take it in semester one (ENGL311), semester two (ENGL379), or over the course of the year (ENGL380).
- Students taking the SOTA300 placement module are not normally permitted to take a dissertation option.
Modules
Programme details and modules listed are illustrative only and subject to change.
Year in industry
This programme is available with a year in industry. Year three is spent on a paid placement within an organisation in industry, broadly defined. You will be supported by the School of the Arts and the department throughout, and your reflexive written account of the experience will contribute towards your final degree result. If you wish to study this programme with a year in industry, please put the option code ‘YI’ in the ‘further choices’ section of your UCAS application form.
Programme details and modules listed are illustrative only and subject to change.
Combined degree
Choosing this subject as a combined degree
In year one, you will take modules aimed at developing the skills necessary for advanced study. From year two, you will choose from a range of literature modules that focus on specific periods, genres or themes. You will develop specialist knowledge of English literature, while also developing analytical skills that will inform and be enriched by your study of another subject.
In each year, you will take 60 credits of English and 60 credits from your other subject choice.
Teaching and assessment
How you'll learn
You will experience a mix of lectures, seminars, workshops and tutorials, with no modules being taught entirely through lectures. Alongside independent study and research, some modules require group work. Most teaching takes place in small groups where you’ll share and explore ideas with your tutors and peers. You’ll also attend workshops and lectures and self-direct study through the course reading list and conducting research for your essays and projects. Academic staff area regularly available for one-to-one feedback and support. Course material is available 24-hours a day on Canvas, our online learning platform, and study support is available from our dedicated student services team.
We provide an online programme of study skills to help with the necessary standards of referencing and presentation in written work. Tutorials allow for discussion of key readings, concepts and ideas, typically in groups of up to nine students. Seminar groups are larger, but do not normally exceed 18; they usually last for between one and a half to two hours. Workshops are similar in size but have a more distinct practical element (eg in drama or language modules). In addition, in years two and three, you will participate to a greater or lesser extent in a range of other formative activities: seminar presentations, creative writing and peer teaching.
How you're assessed
Students on this course are assessed with a combination of exams and coursework. Coursework includes essays, group projects, presentations and research projects. You’ll submit coursework which contributes to your final grade during years two and three.
Liverpool Hallmarks
We have a distinctive approach to education, the Liverpool Curriculum Framework, which focuses on research-connected teaching, active learning, and authentic assessment to ensure our students graduate as digitally fluent and confident global citizens.
The Liverpool Curriculum framework sets out our distinctive approach to education. Our teaching staff support our students to develop academic knowledge, skills, and understanding alongside our graduate attributes:
- Digital fluency
- Confidence
- Global citizenship
Our curriculum is characterised by the three Liverpool Hallmarks:
- Research-connected teaching
- Active learning
- Authentic assessment
All this is underpinned by our core value of inclusivity and commitment to providing a curriculum that is accessible to all students.
Entry requirements
The qualifications and exam results you'll need to apply for this course.
| Qualification | Details |
|---|---|
| A levels |
BBC (including English: B) |
| BTEC Level 3 national extended diploma |
DDM and grade B in A level English. |
| BTEC combinations |
BTEC National Diploma DM plus grade B at English A level; BTEC National Extended Certificate M plus grade B in English at A level and grade B in another A level. |
| Welsh Baccalaureate Advanced |
Grade C, plus A level grades BB including grade B in English. |
| Access |
Pass relevant Access to HE Diploma with 45 Level 3 credits with 27 at Distinction and 18 at Merit. Requires level 3 credits at Distinction in English. |
Course options
Studying with us means you can tailor your degree to suit you. Here's what is available on this course.
Global opportunities
University of Liverpool students can choose from an exciting range of study placements at partner universities worldwide. Choose to spend a year at XJTLU in China or a year or semester at an institution of your choice.
Year in China
Immerse yourself in Chinese culture on an optional additional year at Xi'an Jiaotong Liverpool University in stunning Suzhou.
- Learn Chinese
- Study in a bustling world heritage city
- Improve employment prospects
- Study Chinese culture
- 30 minutes from Shanghai
- Learn new skills
Year abroad
Broaden your world by spending an additional year of study at a partner university abroad following your second year of study.
- Choose from up-to 26 countries
- Experience another way of life
- Inspire your future career or studies
- Improved prospects of earning a 2:1 or First
- More likely to earn higher salary
- More likely to be employed after graduating
Where can I spend a year abroad on this course?
- Australia
- Canada
- Hong Kong
- Malaysia
- Singapore
- South Korea
- USA
Semester abroad
Take a semester of your second year of study at one of our worldwide partner institutions.
- Inspire your future career or studies
- Improved prospects of earning a 2:1 or First
- More likely to earn higher salary
- More likely to be employed after graduating
Summer abroad
Spend a summer abroad on a study placement or research project at one of our worldwide partner institutions.
- Spend a summer abroad in addition to your degree programme
- Study abroad without adding an extra year
- Choose any summer between your first and final year of study
- Get the chance to study subjects outside your discipline
Where can I spend a summer abroad on this course?
- Hong Kong
- Japan
- South Korea
Year in industry
Year in industry placements give you an in-depth workplace experience where you can develop your skills and apply your learning.
- Develop key employability skills that graduate employers are looking for
- Experience and understand workplace culture and discipline
- Understand the relationship between academic theory and real world application
- Begin your professional network
- Gain industry insight and insight into potential career options.
You don't need to decide now - you can choose to add a year in industry after you've begun your degree.
Learn more about year in industry
To spend a year in industry, you'll need to secure a placement with an organisation. If you're unable to find a placement, you'll continue with the standard version of the course without a year in industry.
Language study
Every student at The University of Liverpool can study a language as part of, or alongside their degree. You can choose:
- A dedicated languages degree
- A language as a joint or major/minor degree
- Language modules (selected degrees)
- Language classes alongside your studies
Combine this subject
With a combined degree, you can study two subjects as part of the same degree programme.
- Choose from 30 subjects and over 300 combinations
- Choose joint or major minor subjects
- Adjust the weight of your subjects at the end of your first year
- Same number of credits as single honours students
- Same classes as single honours students
- Appeal to a wide range of employers
Your experience
The Department of English is based in the School of the Arts, although teaching will take place across the campus. We are committed to small group teaching, which encourages a more rewarding learning experience, where ideas are shared and explored with your peers and tutors. You’ll have access to extensive library facilities, special collections and Liverpool’s renowned museums, libraries and galleries.
Explore where you'll study
Inside English
What’s it like to Study English at Liverpool? A conversation between Alex Carabine and Dr Natalie Hanna.
Virtual tour
Supporting your learning
From arrival to alumni, we’re with you all the way:
- Careers and employability support, including help with career planning, understanding the job market and strengthening your networking skills
- A dedicated student services team can help you get assistance with your studies, help with health and wellbeing, and access to financial advice
- Confidential counselling and support to help students with personal problems affecting their studies and general wellbeing
- Support for students with differing needs from the Disability advice and guidance team. They can identify and recommend appropriate support provisions for you.
An exciting place to study English
- The Department of English is in the top 100 English Language and Literature departments in the world according to QS Top Universities rankings
- We are internationally renowned for advancing the study of language, literature, and creative writing and have a strong research ethos
- Our programmes offer opportunities to study creative writing and literature from a wide range of periods, as well as a range of approaches to understanding the way in which the English language works
- We have a reputation for radical thinking, as exemplified by our success rate in the BBC and Arts and Humanities Council’s ‘New Generation Thinkers’ scheme. In total, five members our academic staff have been selected since the scheme was established in 2010
- We are committed to small group teaching. This encourages a more rewarding learning experience, where ideas are shared and explored with peers and tutors
- Ranked 10th in sector for research impact classified as outstanding (4*) (REF 2021)
- We are host to Europe’s largest collection of science fiction materials which includes the John Wyndham Archive and home to the annual Liverpool Literary Festival.
The staff are the best thing about the English department. They’re enthusiastic, encouraging, and incredibly knowledgeable about their fields.
Chat with our students
Want to find out more about student life?
Chat with our student ambassadors and ask any questions you have.
A day in the life of English student Scarlett Wager-Leigh
A day in the life of English student Scarlett Wager-Leigh.
Careers and employability
As a student in the School of the Arts, you will be supported to maximise your employability from day one. Our English degree programmes are valued by employers who recognise the skills our students develop, including teamwork, project design, critical thinking, proficiency in text analysis and communication and presentation skills.
The School has its own Placements and Employability Officer, and you will have the opportunity to undertake a semester-long work placement or a year in industry. We offer a popular poetry publishing placement through the SOTA300 work experience module, and you can read about the experiences of students who have undertaken this placement – and since found employment in the publishing industry – here.
Many graduates move on to have careers in the arts, the media, publishing, marketing, events, and project management, working for employers like:
- BBC
- Liverpool Echo
- The Guardian
- The Royal Shakespeare Company
- Hodder & Stoughton
- Routledge
- Oxford University Press
- Macmillan
- Liverpool University Press
- The Civil Service.
Meet our alumni
Hear what graduates say about their career progression and life after university.
Victoria Derbyshire, BA (Hons) English Language & Literature 1989
The main reason I had an amazing time was that I made some wonderful friends, some I am still very close to now. My course opened my eyes to so many novels and plays and texts that I would never have read otherwise. And that’s one of the points about university.
Rebecca Jackson, BA (Hons) English Literature 2011
With an English degree, I learnt to read and absorb information quickly, understand the impact of creative writing on an audience and developed a fine attention to detail, all of which helped me when starting out as a journalist and then as I moved into PR.
Fees and funding
Your tuition fees, funding your studies, and other costs to consider.
Tuition fees
UK fees (applies to Channel Islands, Isle of Man and Republic of Ireland)
Full-time place, per year - £9,535
Year in industry fee - £1,905
Year abroad fee - £1,430 (applies to year in China)
International fees
Full-time place, per year - £24,100
Year in industry fee - £1,905
Year abroad fee - £12,050 (applies to year in China)
The tuition fees shown are correct for 2025/26 entry. Please note that the year abroad fee also applies to the year in China.
Tuition fees cover the cost of your teaching and assessment, operating facilities such as libraries, IT equipment, and access to academic and personal support. Learn more about paying for your studies.
Additional costs
Your tuition fee covers almost everything, but you may have additional study costs to consider, such as books or stationary.
Find out more about the additional study costs that may apply to this course.
Scholarships and bursaries
We offer a range of scholarships and bursaries that could help pay your tuition and living expenses.
The Liverpool Bursary
If you’re a UK student joining an undergraduate degree and have a household income below £35,000, you could be eligible for a Liverpool Bursary worth up to £2,000 for each year of undergraduate study.
Asylum Seekers Scholarship
Apply for an Asylum Seekers Scholarship and you could have your tuition fees paid in full and receive help with study costs. You’ll need to have applied for asylum in the UK, or be the dependant of an asylum seeker, and be joining an eligible undergraduate degree.
Care Leavers’ Opportunity Bursary
If you’ve spent 13 or more weeks in Local Authority care since age 14, you could be eligible for a bursary of £3,000 per year of study. You’ll need to be a UK student joining an eligible undergraduate degree and be aged 28 or above on 1 September in the year you start.
Cowrie Foundation Scholarship
Are you a UK student with a Black African or Caribbean heritage and a household income of £25,000 or less? You could be eligible to apply for a Cowrie Foundation Scholarship worth up to £8,000 for each year of undergraduate study.
Estranged Students Bursary
If you’re a UK student identified as estranged by Student Finance England (or the equivalent UK funding body), you could be eligible for a bursary of £1,000 for each year of undergraduate study.
Genesys Life Sciences Scholarship
Joining a School of Biosciences degree and have a household income of less than £25,000? If you’re a UK student, you could apply to receive £4,500 per year for three years of your undergraduate course.
Nolan Scholarships
Do you live in the Liverpool City Region with a household income of £25,000 or less? Did neither of your parents attend University? You could be eligible to apply for a Nolan Scholarship worth £5,000 per year for three years of undergraduate study.
Rigby Enterprise Award
Are you a UK student with a household income of £25,000 or less? If you’ve participated in an eligible outreach programme, you could be eligible to apply for a Rigby Enterprise Award worth £5,000 per year for three years of your undergraduate degree.
ROLABOTIC Scholarship
Are you a UK student with a household income of £25,000 or less? Did neither of your parents attend University? You could be eligible to apply for a ROLABOTIC Scholarship worth £4,500 for each year of your undergraduate degree.
Sport Liverpool Performance Programme
Apply to receive tailored training support to enhance your sporting performance. Our athlete support package includes a range of benefits, from bespoke strength and conditioning training to physiotherapy sessions and one-to-one nutritional advice.
Technetix Broadhurst Engineering Scholarship
Joining a degree in the School of Electrical Engineering, Electronics and Computer Science? If you’re a UK student with household income below £25,000, you could be eligible to apply for £5,000 a year for three years of study. Two awards will be available per academic year.
Young Adult Carer’s (YAC) Bursary
If you’re a young adult and a registered carer in the UK, you might be eligible for a £1,000 bursary for each year of study. You’ll need to be aged 18-25 on 1 September in the year you start your undergraduate degree.
Last updated 11 July 2025 / / Programme terms and conditions