BA

English Literature / Education

BA English Literature / Education Code QX33 Attend an Open Day Attend an Open Day

Apply Now

You are viewing this course for September start 2024

In choosing to study this English Literature and Education Degree you'll immerse yourself in a broad range of texts from medieval through to modern, evaluated in various ways from the linguistic/stylistic approach through to political or social emphasis. You'll also spend 50% of your time covering the fundamentals of education. With a focus on gaining essential employability skills that include team-work, communication and time management. This English Literature and Education Degree is taught by dedicated, enthusiastic experts, often in very small tutorial and seminar class sizes, giving you the very best experience. Upon successful completion of this degree, students can progress and undertake a PGCE qualification. Also, as long as you meet the entry requirements, you will be guaranteed an interview for Primary PGCE at Aberystwyth.

Course Overview

Why study English Literature and Education at Aberystwyth?

  • You will be taught by staff who are world leaders in their fields of expertise.
  • We offer you opportunities to engage with a wide variety of approaches to literature and cultural history, combining critical thinking with a scholarship.
  • You will have the opportunity to explore literary theory - philosophical and conceptual ideas that inform, challenge and problematize the ways we read.
  • There are exciting opportunities to work with our partners - schools and communities across the UK and Wales.
  • We have one of the biggest libraries in the world, the National Library of Wales, on our doorstep. This copyright institution receives a copy of every book published in the UK.
  • The department is home to New Welsh Review, Wales’ foremost literary magazine - this could be an exciting opportunity for you to get involved.
  • You will be immersed in a supportive and vibrant community of creative and critical thinkers, literary experts, and published scholars from every field.
Our Staff

All academic staff in the Department of English and Creative Writing are active scholars and experts in their fields. They are either qualified to PhD level or have commensurate experience. Our Lecturers either hold or are working towards a Higher Education teaching qualification and the majority of academic staff also hold the status of Fellow of the Higher Education Academy.

Undergraduate lecturers in the School of Education are either qualified to PhD standard or are experienced practitioners in their field. All teaching staff currently possess, or are working towards, a recognised teaching qualification.

Modules September start - 2024

Please note: The modules listed below are those currently intended for delivery during the next academic year and may be subject to change. They are included here to give an indication of how the course is structured.

* Also available partially or entirely through the medium of Welsh

Careers

Career Prospects

A degree in English Literature is the “gold standard” for any employment setting where communication is valued. All of our modules deliver key skills that enable you to build a comprehensive C.V. that evidences your diverse range of competencies.

Our graduates have been successful across the widest possible range of career destinations:

  • broadcasting
  • journalism
  • advertising
  • publishing
  • education
  • the Civil Service
  • business
  • finance
  • new media.

Transferable Skills

Studying for a degree in English Literature will equip you with a range of transferable skills which are highly valued by employers. These include:

  • the ability to express ideas and communicate information in a clear and structured manner, in both written and oral form
  • effective problem-solving and creative-thinking skills
  • the ability to work independently
  • time-management and organisational skills, including the ability to meet deadlines
  • the ability to express ideas and communicate information in a clear and structured manner, in both written and oral form
  • self-motivation and self-reliance
  • team-work, with the ability to discuss concepts in groups, accommodating different ideas and reaching agreement
  • research skills.

What work experience opportunities exist whilst studying? 

Click here to find out about the various opportunities that our Aberystwyth University Careers team offer.

Enhance your employability prospects with GO Wales and YES (Year in Employment Scheme) managed by our Careers department. 

Teaching & Learning

What will I learn?

The breakdown below will provide you with an illustration of what you may study during the three year degree scheme.

This degree will allow you to explore literature of all genres and from all periods within the context of the broadest possible interpretation of literature in English. You will become skilled in the interpretation and analysis of literary texts and you will engage with current critical debates.

 In your first year you may discover:

  • new techniques for analysing literary texts
  • some key figures from literary history (from Shakespeare to the Brontës)
  • lesser known texts, and writers who are new-to-you
  • a variety of “ways of reading” and some theoretical approaches to textual analysis
  • poetry, prose, drama, American Literature, adaptations, Classical literature, contemporary writing, medieval texts and much more
  • the importance of educational policies
  • childhood in society
  • global citizenship.

In your second year you may explore:

  • the theoretical approaches to, and the practice of, literary criticism
  • a range of selected core texts from the medieval period through to the twenty-first century
  • a number of specialist topics chosen by you (these might focus on a specific genre (such as crime fiction), historical period (such as the Victorian era), or theme (such as “place”)
  • seven week placement with an organisation relating to education, aid or development
  • and critically assess the theories of community and education
  • how to analyse the effects of migration and mobility on education
  • the development of literacy globally.

In the third year you may master:

  • literary theory and the application of theoretical perspectives to literary analysis;
  • extended writing and independent research in your final year dissertation project (on a topic chosen and defined by you);
  • your own specialisms drawn from a diverse range of option modules taught by researchers in those fields. Our option modules include topics such as Elizabethan drama, the ghost story, the early English novel, queer fiction, children’s literature, Romanticism, and much more;
  • global perspectives on rights and health in the developing world;
  • every factor affecting education and development;
  • community issues;
  • the role of individuals and government;
  • the application of rights and legislation;
  • the impact of poverty.

How will I be taught?

Our degree is taught through a combination of lectures, seminars and one-to-one tutorials. We also encourage self-directed learning designed to stimulate your academic interest in English Literature and nurture your personal and intellectual development.

You will be assessed through essays, exams and oral presentation. You will also be required to complete additional, non-assessed, assignments and to work with others on particular tasks.

Further information

As you study, you will develop a range of skills which will benefit you in further study or any graduate workplace. You will learn to: employ multiple critical techniques when approaching texts; develop a reflective practice in reading and writing; articulate a detailed critical analysis of your subject; and respond to any task with creativity, flair and style.

You will be assigned a personal tutor who will help you with any problems or queries, whether these are academic-related or pastoral issues. Your personal tutor will also be responsible for delivering tutorials that will help you in the development of key skills. You will also have the opportunity to complete a Personal Development Plan (PDP) at Aberystwyth. This is a structured process of self-appraisal, reflection, and planning, which will enable you to chart your personal, academic and professional development throughout your time at university. By recording your academic performance, and highlighting the skills you already have and those you will need for future employability, the PDP portfolio will equip you with the necessary tools to plan effectively, develop successful approaches to study, and consider your future career options and aspirations.

Student Testimonials

The English Literature and Education course works so well as a joint honours degree. Despite being two separate subject disciplines, the skills that you learn in Education can be utilised in English and vice versa. The subject matter can be transferred as well – you might learn about the formation of children’s literature over in English and then take it to your Education lecture on Literacy and understand how it is implemented in children’s learning.

The lecturers in both departments are passionate and thoroughly knowledgeable in their subject areas, willing to give up their time to offer you extra support and guidance. Doing this degree offers such a diverse range of options post-graduation, I feel equipped to enter a number of professions. I would definitely recommend it to anyone with an interest in both disciplines. Liz Titley

Typical Entry Requirements

UCAS Tariff 120 - 104

A Levels BBB-BCC

GCSE requirements (minimum grade C/4):
English or Welsh

BTEC National Diploma:
DDM-DMM

International Baccalaureate:
30-28

European Baccalaureate:
75%-65%

English Language Requirements:
See our Undergraduate English Language Requirements for this course. Pre-sessional English Programmes are also available for students who do not meet our English Language Requirements.

Country Specific Entry Requirements:
International students whose qualification is not listed on this page, can check our Country Specific Entry Requirements for further information.

The University welcomes undergraduate applications from students studying the Access to Higher Education Diploma or T-level qualifications, provided that relevant subject content and learning outcomes are met. We are not able to accept Access to Higher Education Diplomas or T-levels as a general qualification for every undergraduate degree course.
Our inclusive admissions policy values breadth as well as depth of study. Applicants are selected on their own individual merits and offers can vary. If you would like to check the eligibility of your qualifications before submitting an application, please contact the Undergraduate Admissions Office for advice and guidance.

Back to the top