English Literature (with Foundation Year) BA (Hons)

The University of Winchester

• Join a community passionate about the study of literature and the broad subject of English
• Tailor a programme to your interests from a diverse range of writers and movements
• Attend the University of Winchester Writers' Festival — an opportunity to meet authors, publishers and agents
• Add an extra string to your bow by teaching on the Japan Exchange and gaining a Certificate in Teaching English as a Foreign Language.

English Literature at Winchester pushes the boundaries of the discipline, giving you the opportunities to enjoy a thought-provoking mix of traditional and modern materials. From Chaucer to rap poetry, you can choose from almost 800 years of the best writing in English on a course that fires your imagination, sharpens your own written and communication skills and allows you to think critically and creatively about literature and much more beside.

A Foundation Year is the perfect way to boost your academic skills, build your confidence and develop your wider subject knowledge so you can succeed at Winchester. This course offers an extra year of study at the start (Year 0) which leads onto a full degree programme (Years 1, 2 and 3).

In Year 0, you will study a set of modules from across the Faculty of Arts which are designed to develop your academic and practical skills. This broader focus in your first year introduces you to studying at university level and provides you with a better understanding of English Literature and related subjects.

Year 1 (second year of study) further solidifies the foundations for your studies of literature with modules designed to develop your skills of critical analysis, research, and writing. This is achieved through the study of a wide range of fiction, poetry, and drama from across the historical periods. You will study early literature in its context, explore the boundaries between literature and other types of texts like films, and have modules on poetry and world literature.

After Year 1 (second year of study), the majority of modules are optional, allowing you to engage with the writers and movements that most inspire you.

In Year 2 (third year of study), you can choose from all the major literary figures and movements, from Shakespeare to modern fiction. Modules examining American literature and Film, and Children’s Literature and Young Adult Fiction are also available.

In Year 3 (fourth year of study), a specific collection of writing, a particular theme or critical theory is considered in detail and a wide variety of topics exist. These include Literature and Psychoanalysis, Other Worlds and Fantasy Fiction, Utopian and Dystopian Fiction, and modules from our vocational suite such as Teaching and Communicating English. Modules here tend to be closely related to the research interests of teaching staff and engage with cutting-edge developments in the discipline. In your final year you will also be guided through personal tutorials to complete a dissertation in a subject area of your choice.

A degree in English Literature opens many doors. A range of highly transferable qualities, including analytical thinking, evaluative and research skills, self-discipline, and effective written and spoken communication, enables you to excel in a variety of fields not just confined to the arts. Graduates have gone on to become teachers, lecturers, journalists, writers, actors, publishers and producers.