Why English Studies and TESOL (with integrated foundation year) at Aberystwyth University?
- Aberystwyth is a small town with a big heart and a cosmopolitan outlook. As a vibrant and friendly University, we attract students from all corners of the world, and the intimate atmosphere makes it a great place to get to know people.
- As somebody who is passionate about English, you will have plenty of opportunity to share your love of the subject with others. And if you’re interested in other languages as well, you might even choose to take part in Aberystwyth University's Language Exchange Platform for tandem learning. Learners work together with a partner from another country or with one who speaks the language they wish to learn in an informal setting.
- You will be able to indulge your passion for English as you study modules that cover the three broad areas of literature, creative writing and language, with optional modules ranging from The Beginning of the English Language to Contemporary Writing.
- Once you get the core English teaching modules under your belt, you will have the option to take a standalone, International English Centre summer course which will lead to a separate professional qualification – the Certificate in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) - in addition to your degree.
- Even if you’re not sure about teaching, gaining the Certificate would be a good addition to your portfolio of skills.
- The Department of English and Creative Writing at Aberystwyth University is ranked top 10 in the UK for student experience in the subject area of Creative Writing (Good University Guide, The Times & The Sunday Times, 2018) and top 3 in the UK for overall student satisfaction for the subject of Literature in English (National Student Survey 2020).
- You will benefit from our unique collaborative relationship with Aberystwyth Arts Centre – an on-campus facility that is an excellent resource for staff and students alike – as well as unlimited access to the National Library of Wales (one of the UK’s five copyright libraries).
- You can be confident that whatever career path you choose after graduation, this course will set you up for a successful future.
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.
Employability is embedded directly into this degree course. With a degree in English Studies and TESOL you will be well-placed to apply for further study, or to secure a job as soon as you graduate. Whatever you decide, there will be plenty of opportunities for you.
Careers directly related to this degree include:
- Digital copywriter
- Editorial assistant
- Teaching English to speakers of other languages
- Lexicographer
- Magazine journalist
- Newspaper journalist
- Publishing copyeditor/proof-reader
- Primary, Secondary and Tertiary education
- Talent agent
- Web-content manager
- Writer.
Following the foundation year, the syllabus of this course is identical to its sister course [English Studies and TESOL Q330]
What will I learn?
The breakdown below will provide you with an illustration of what you may study during this three-year degree scheme.
In each year you will take a small number of core modules that focus on the practical and theoretical aspects of the course. You will also choose from a wide variety of optional modules according to your personal interests and strengths.
In your first year, you will study Critical Practice, Creative Practice, and Language Awareness for TESOL. Optional modules may include:
- American Literature 1819-1925
- The Beginning of the English Language
- Reimagining Nineteenth Century Literature
- Reading for Writers
- Academic Writing
- Greek and Roman Epic and Drama
- Ancestral Voices
- To Boldly Go: Reading Star Trek
- Contemporary Writing
- Literature and the Sea
- Introduction to Poetry.
In your second year, you will study Literary Theory: Debates and Dialogues, Approaches, methods, and teaching techniques in TESOL. Optional modules may include:
- A Century in Crisis
- Literary Modernisms
- Contemporary Queer Fiction
- Classical Drama and Myth
- Writing Women for the Public Stage 1670-1780
- Exploring Professional Writing
- Beginning the Novel
- Telling True Stories: ways of Writing Creative Non-Fiction
- Adventures with Poetry
- Linguistics for Literary Analysis
- Literary Geographies, Literature since 1945
- Demons, Degenerates and New Women (Fin de Siecle Fictions)
- Forms of Children's Narrative Prose
- Place and Self
- Shakespeare, Jonson and Company
- In the Olde Days: Medieval Texts and Their World
- Grit and Candour: Writing Short Stories
- Reading and Writing Fantasy Fiction
- Writing Selves
- Transpositions
- Shaping Plots.
In your third year, you will take the following core modules: Undergraduate Dissertation or The Writing Project; Materials Development and the Application of Technologies, and you will choose from optional modules that include:
- Reading Theory / Reading Text
- Victorian Childhoods
- Writing in the Margins
- Remix: Chaucer in The Then and Now
- Literatures of Surveillance
- Textual Interventions
- Writing and Place
- Kapow! Reading and Writing Graphic Narratives
- Romantic Eroticism
- Reimagining the World Wars: Contemporary Historical Fictions
- Haunting Texts
- The Mark of the Beast: Animals in Literature from the 1780s to the 1920s
- American Literature in the 20th Century
- Writing Science Fiction
- Poetry for Today
- Writing Crime Fiction.
Further Study:
A degree in English Studies and TESOL is also excellent preparation for postgraduate study. If you choose to continue down an academic track, here are some of the options available to you:
- MA Creative Writing
- MA Literary Studies
- PhD Creative Writing
- PhD English
- PGCE in Primary, Secondary or Tertiary education.
How will I be taught?
This degree is delivered through a combination of lectures, seminars, workshops, and one-to-one tutorials. We also encourage self-directed learning designed to stimulate your academic interest in all aspects of English and nurture your personal and intellectual development.
The core modules in your final year are the perfect culmination to your studies as they allow you to undertake independent research projects supervised by a subject specialist. The Creative Writing Project or English Dissertation allow you to work on a topic of your choosing, including projects pertaining specifically to TESOL. These modules are excellent preparation for further study.
How will I be assessed?
You will be assessed through essays, exams and oral presentations, portfolios of creative work, and designs for learning. You will also be required to complete non-assessed assignments for formative feedback and you will work with others on assessed and non-assessed tasks.
