English literature: 'No course would be complete without Milton, Shakespeare and Austen'

Published: 03 July 2007

Entry requirements

English literature is a hugely popular course and, as a result, the entry requirements are pretty stringent. Most institutions ask for AAB at A-level (or the equivalent), including an A in English literature or English language. Some institutions also require evidence of a good GCSE grade in English.

Content

Courses last three years. As you might have guessed, there is a lot of individual reading to get through, both of primary texts and extensive secondary materials. As a result, time spent in tutorials and lectures is short compared to other subjects, but offers a useful opportunity to discuss what you've read and get other people's views.

Because English literature is such a broad subject, students generally get to choose in their second and third year what authors or texts they would like to concentrate on. Of course, no English literature course would be complete without the likes of John Milton, Geoffrey Chaucer, William Shakespeare and Jane Austen. Poetry is covered too, as well as the plays of heavyweights such as Samuel Beckett and Harold Pinter. A lot of modern texts are also covered; modules on subjects such as film and new media are becoming increasingly popular.

Assessment

As a rule, each module will be assessed by a coursework essay and an exam, while you might also be asked to do oral presentations, research reports and practical tests. In the third year comes the dissertation, which gives you the freedom to study favourite authors or texts in more depth. You generally consult your tutor first - who can guide you in terms of how to word your dissertation question - but beyond that you have the freedom to write about what you want. Be prepared to write the biggest bibliography ever, though!

What next?

Careers in the media, teaching and librarianship are some of the more obvious choices, while writing professionally is another popular - if difficult - option. However, a lot of the skills you pick up doing a degree in English literature - clear and coherent writing, attentive reading, effective research and oral communication to name a few - are sought after in all manner of professions. Many English graduates go into management, marketing or finance, for example.

By Dan Poole

Jo Thomasson, 20, is studying English literature at the University of Glamorgan

I chose this course because I wanted to go hardcore literature - books are everything to me. So far I've studied Edgar Allan Poe, Annie Proulx and Angela Carter, as well as some home-grown Welsh talent. The course blows my mind - the range of authors covered so far has been incredibly diverse and there is something for everybody. Virginia Woolf (right) has been my favourite author so far, while the biggest challenge has been keeping up with the mountain of reading!

DID YOU KNOW?

Aside from writing some pretty popular plays, William Shakespeare (left) has had a huge influence on the English language. Despite the fact that he was writing in the 16th-century, a phenomenal number of phrases that he invented are still used in an updated form today. Take a look at the examples below:

* Catch a cold

* Too much of a good thing

* All that glitters is not gold

* It's all Greek to me

* Naked truth

* Foregone conclusion

* Break the ice

* Be all and end all

* Method in his madness

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