Overview
The programme is taught by a team of internationally-renowned scholars and creative writers and uses varied teaching methods, including lectures, seminars, workshops, one-to-one tutorials, and the Virtual Learning Environment (Blackboard). Although some modules are taught by individual tutors, others are team taught, in order to expose students to a wide variety of approaches to the study of language and literature and the practice of creative writing and to allow students to experience a breadth of different teaching styles.
The first year will see you take core modules on Shakespeare, the history of the English language, Exploring Creative Writing and Writing Identity.
The second year builds on these foundational modules. Your knowledge of literary history is deepened through study of the core module which offers an overview of English literature from the 14th century to the early 18th century. Similarly, you will have the chance to extend their knowledge of language, taking modules in sociolinguistics, grammar, semantics, phonology or linguistic research skills; while you continue their strand of Creative Writing by taking either a module on Word, Image, Sound or Writing Place. In addition, you have the option to take further period-based literature modules on Romantic and Victorian literature and 20th and 21st century literature or modules which offers you an introduction to other aspects of literary and linguistic study, including in our areas of special expertise, adaptations and digital humanities (Text Technologies), as well as pragmatics and teaching English language (in UK schools and as a second language). There are also further modules in Creative Writing (Story Craft or Personal Projects).
The third year allows you to specialise and to pursue particular areas of interest in the field of English and Creative Writing. All students complete an independent project, either a dissertation in English Language or English Literature or the Professional Writing Skills module. You will then choose additional options from a wide selection of specialist 15-credit and 30-credit modules in Literature, Language and Creative Writing. This includes the option to take a work-based module in either Language or Literature and further options in adaptations and digital humanities.
Teaching sessions might be structured around discussion, working in small groups to analyse linguistic examples, a film screening or based in a computer lab depending on your module choices. You will complete reading and research in advance and join in conversation with your tutor and your peers. Individual tutorials with module tutors are available in weekly ‘office hours’, at which you can discuss any aspect of your course or get help with assignments. You will experience varied forms of assessment, including essays, presentations, exams, blogs, journals, websites, research reports and creative options.
You will also be assigned a Personal Tutor from the academic staff who will be available to meet you each term and to provide academic and pastoral support and advice. Personal Tutoring enables students to reflect synoptically on their academic experience. Learning in English Language and English Literature is also supported by the University Centre for Learning and Study Support (CLaSS), which offers regular workshops on a range of study skills. Teaching is enhanced by study skills sessions and there is an emphasis throughout year 1 (Level 4) especially on the key academic skills.
Contact hours
You will be taught through a combination of lectures, tutorials, seminars, group work and self-directed study. Assessment is through coursework (presentations, essays and reports) and sometimes an exam. Your precise timetable will depend on the optional modules you choose to take, however, in your first year you will normally attend around 10 hours of timetabled taught sessions (lectures and tutorials) each week, and we expect you to undertake at least 27 further hours of independent study to complete project work and research.