English Literature & History (BA Hons)

We are bombarded with words and surrounded by stories – stories told to inform us, to entertain us, to unnerve us, to make us cry, to make us laugh, to make us buy things. Understanding how stories work – and how they appeal to us, persuade us and affect us – is part of understanding the world we live in. Studying English Literature at York St John University is about more than the study of great books. Of course, you will study great books, but you can also take modules in exciting areas such as children’s literature, creative writing, or in popular forms like horror fiction.

The pairing of English Literature and History develops skills in critical thinking and analysis in response to a range of different types of texts. History is beneficial as a mode of engagement and inquiry in relation to literary texts, and literature can help historians to analyse the past. You might find yourself referring to historical sources as part of your literary studies, as well as reading literary works as a way of developing your understanding of history. Studied together, these subjects allow students to gain a detailed understanding of the written word in all its forms, from historical sources and documents to contemporary literary texts.

Program Available At (Campus) - York campus