English Literature and Philosophy BA (single honours)

From the Ancient Greeks and Romantic poets to contemporary writers, philosophy and literature frequently overlap. Philosophers often develop their ideas through literary methods, and literary writers often explore serious philosophical concepts. This course in English Literature and Philosophy will allow you to consider the important and universal questions common to both subjects and reach a deeper understanding of yourself and your intellectual and cultural landscape.

You will learn to think logically and express yourself clearly, to sympathetically analyse a wide range of viewpoints across contexts and to read texts critically and creatively. As a result, you will develop the skills to become a careful and analytical reader, a rigorous and independent researcher, and a clear and creative and writer.

Each year, you will take one compulsory module which provides clear connections between literature and philosophy. In your first year, you will receive an introduction to philosophical and literary methods, an introduction to key concepts in both disciplines, and the opportunity to apply these to contemporary works of literature and film. In the second and third year, you will develop a more detailed understanding of the relationship between the two subjects, as well as being able to choose options from both the English Literature and Philosophy degree programmes, tailoring your degree to your own interests. Both subject areas specialise in the history of literature and philosophy, and in contemporary issues including feminism, gender, politics, and environmentalism.

You will graduate with highly employable skills, able to read and analyse difficult texts, write effectively and persuasively and be able to work in a team. You will benefit from being taught by staff with diverse research areas, who apply their research directly to their teaching. You will receive face-to-face teaching through seminars and lectures, and you will participate in online forums as part of your assessment.