English Literature at St Mary’s offers students the chance to investigate all aspects of literature in depth, on our beautiful historic campus, in a friendly department where we value above all the ambitions and needs of the individual student.
- Emphasis on one-to-one tutoring and tailoring your degree to reflect your individual interests and needs.
- English Literature can be studied as a single honours programme, or jointly with a number of other subjects.
- Opportunities to take courses oriented towards developing career aspirations in the culture industries and education.
Why study English Literature?
When you study literature you are not just reading and thinking about great books, you are also asking questions about society’s past and future, and ultimately interrogating your own past and future.
During your time here you will be studying literature from the Renaissance to the present day, all within the vicinity of Horace Walpole’s Gothic mansion, Strawberry Hill House, which is located on our campus.
The programme has a traditional and rigorous core of compulsory modules covering: Tragedy, Critical Theory, Renaissance Literature (including Shakespeare), Romanticism and Modernism. The literary training provided ensures that you will cover the conventional ‘classics’ meticulously.
You will develop skills that will complement the unique and innovative optional units, which you can tailor to your interests and passions.
Examples of optional modules include:
- Gothic Cultures 1750-1900
- Curating London
- Writing Conflict: the First World War
- The Lyricism of Protest: Bob Dylan
- Contemporary Fiction
- American Literature
There are also opportunities to take courses oriented towards developing career aspirations in the culture industries and education, ensuring that you are prepared for the world of work.
Why St Mary's?
English Literature is part of a suite of programmes at St Mary's designed to cater to students' distinctive interests; English Literature can be studied as a single honours programme, or jointly with a number of other subjects. There is also the possibility of studying the BA in English (with CELTA option) and English and Drama.
You can take advantage of the expertise and enthusiasm of our literary scholars, all while studying on our beautiful and historic campus.
In our friendly department you will feel valued as part of a community, where you will have full access to our tutors far beyond the timetabled hours.
Foundation year
English Literature is also available as an undergraduate degree with a foundation year.