English Literature BA Hons | University of Chester

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Course Summary

We are passionate about literature, and lecturers at Chester want you to enjoy an exciting, varied and dynamic course. You might find yourself looking for the psychological undercurrents in a fantasy novel, applying feminist theory to a Renaissance sonnet, exploring the motif of the vampire in Gothic fiction, or considering the treatment of love in Shakespeare’s plays or focusing your work on a contemporary short story. We will support your interests through your learning on this course.

You’ll get the chance to write a dissertation on a topic of your choosing guided by a dedicated tutor. Along the way, you’ll develop key skills for your future. Our students learn how to persuade by developing convincing arguments, communicate effectively and analyse writing in all styles and genres. At Chester, we offer an engaging and supportive atmosphere in which we all can share our ideas about literature.

Why You'll Love It

Your tutors are experts in the subject

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Tutors listen to students

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We’re a community

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BA (Hons) English Literature/English Literature (Combined)

What You'll Study

The Law, Humanities and Social Sciences Foundation Year route offers you an important preparation year as part of your four-year degree.

For Humanities and Social Science subjects, you will explore people and societies and their beliefs, cultures, power structures, stories and narratives, as well as critical inquiry into societal issues and global affairs with contemporary and historical perspectives.

The information listed in this section is an overview of the academic content of the course that will take the form of either core or option modules and should be used as a guide. We review the content of our courses regularly, making changes where necessary to improve your experience and graduate prospects. If during a review process, course content is significantly changed, we will contact you to notify you of these changes if you receive an offer from us.

BA English Literature contains core modules at each level of study.

At Level 4, students are introduced to basic principles of English study, with seminars and lectures focusing on the history and theory of literature, and the various forms and contexts that it can exist in. Students will be introduced to a range of different texts including:

poetry
prose
the novel
and other forms of writing.

Level 5 builds upon this foundation with more complex learning that integrates specialist theory and criticism through exploring different literary genres and themes.

At Level 5, students will have the opportunity to tailor their course to their own interests. Where available, modules will provide students with the opportunity to undertake specialist study in many different areas of interest. These include the history and development of different genres of literature:

the Gothic
Science Fiction
Young Adult
Children’s Literature
specific focuses on certain authors, such as Shakespeare
as well as specific period-based study that encompasses cultural and social context, such as the Victorians or the Romantics.

As well as this, students will be able to engage with interdisciplinary concepts from philosophy, history, sociology, psychology and more in Level 5. Modules vary year to year based on staffing availability and responding to developments within the discipline.

Literature students will also be able to engage with interdisciplinary concepts from philosophy, history, sociology, psychology and more. Specialist themed modules available at Level 5 and 6 allow for discussions of Gender, Acts of Resistance, and Crime and Deviance. Across the course of their studies, English Literature students will learn about different modes, methods and forms of storytelling and literary writing, while developing their analytical and research skills through deployment of subject-specific terminology and an engagement with relevant resources and research.

At Level 6, students will tackle large-scale projects and develop their personal philosophy, integrating all the knowledge and skills acquired throughout their studies with a focus on professional skills and competencies.

Alongside further specialist modules, students will have the option to specialise in a dissertation project of their own choosing, where they will be supported by a team of experienced academics in one-to-one tutorials.

Students should expect to spend an average of 40 hours per week on their studies which is made up of a mix of lectures, workshops, peer-led seminars, asynchronous learning, tutorial time with staff, using the University’s library, working with peers and preparing work for assessment and independent study.

Teaching will be delivered by experienced academics and practitioners in the subject. This will be supplemented by occasional guest lecturers and speakers.

There will be a broad range of assessment methods so that students are exposed to the different types of tasks they might encounter in subsequent studies or future career development.

These will include:

coursework in the form of written essays
performed and pre-recorded presentations
portfolios of writing
creative and reflective pieces (both long and short form)
and artifact manufacture.

We continuously review the assessment methods used in order that they adequately prepare students for graduate-level employment, as well as in response to developments within the academic discipline.

Students will be expected to purchase their own textbooks, but there are various schemes that the English programmes have run in conjunction with bookshops in Chester city centre that can help to aid the cost of this. Alongside this, there are opportunities to take part in Division trips and more subject-specific trips both within Chester and further afield.

All teaching is delivered by experienced academics and practitioners, with the fundamental principles of the Chester Future Skills Curriculum at its core - building your subject competence, confidence, and key transferable skills to shape you into a world-ready Chester graduate.

Study a Common First Year

This course shares a common first year with students on English, English Language, and Creative Writing courses.

This means that you’ll learn alongside students studying a similar discipline, helping to broaden your knowledge and exposure to other concepts, perspectives and professions in the first year of your degree.

As you learn and collaborate with students from other courses, you'll not only widen your social and professional network but also learn new skills that will set you up for success in your industry.

In your second and third years, you will progress to studying more specialist modules within English Literature, developing your skills to become a World Ready graduate.

Entry Requirements

112UCAS Points

UCAS Tariff	112 points
GCE A Level	Typical offer – BCC-BBC The Department requires one of the following subjects at GCE A Level: a Humanities-based essay writing subject such as English Literature, English Language, English Language & Literature, Philosophy, Religious Studies, History or Classical Civilisation.
BTEC	BTEC Extended Diploma: DMM BTEC's are considered for entry, however the Department will also require one of the following subjects at GCE A Level: a Humanities-based essay writing subject such as English Literature, English Language, English Language & Literature, Philosophy, Religious Studies, History or Classical Civilisation.
International Baccalaureate	28 points including 5 in HL English
Irish / Scottish Highers	Irish Highers - H3 H3 H3 H3 H4 (including H3 in English) Scottish Highers - BBBB (including English) The Department requires one of the following Higher subjects: English Language, English Literature or English Combined (Language and Literature)
Access requirements	Access to HE Diploma (must include a relevant Humanities subject at Level 3), to include 45 credits at level 3, 30 of which must be at Merit or above
OCR Cambridge Technicals	OCR Extended Diploma: DMM The Department requires one of the following subjects at GCE A Level: a Humanities-based essay writing subject such as English Literature, English Language, English Language & Literature, Philosophy, Religious Studies, History or Classical Civilisation.
Extra Information	Welsh Baccalaureate Advanced and A level General Studies will be recognised in our offer. We will also consider a combination of A Levels and BTECs/OCRs.

Students from countries outside the UK are expected to have entry qualifications roughly equivalent to UK A Level for undergraduate study and British Bachelor's degree (or equivalent) for postgraduate study. To help you to interpret these equivalents, please click on your country of residence to see the corresponding entry qualifications, along with information about your local representatives, events, information and contacts.

We accept a wide range of qualifications and consider all applications individually on merit. We may also consider appropriate work experience.

English Language Requirements

IELTS Academic: Undergraduate: 6.0 (minimum 5.5 in each band)
Postgraduate: 6.5 (minimum 5.5 in each band)

For more information on our entry requirements, please visit International Entry Requirements.

72UCAS Points

UCAS Tariff	72 points
GCE A level	72 points overall, including grade D in A level The Department requires one of the following subjects at GCE A Level: a Humanities-based essay writing subject such as English Literature, English Language, English Language & Literature, Philosophy, Religious Studies, History or Classical Civilisation.
BTEC	BTEC Extended Diploma: MMP BTEC's are considered for entry, however the Department will also require one of the following subjects at GCE A Level: a Humanities-based essay writing subject such as English Literature, English Language, English Language & Literature, Philosophy, Religious Studies, History or Classical Civilisation.
International Baccalaureate	24 points including 4 in HL English
Irish / Scottish Highers	Irish Highers: H4 H4 H4 H4 H4 (including English) Scottish Highers: CCDD (including English)
Access requirements	Access to HE Diploma – Pass overall (including English or one of the alternative subjects above)
OCR Cambridge Technicals	OCR Extended Diploma: MMP The Department requires one of the following subjects at GCE A Level: a Humanities-based essay writing subject such as English Literature, English Language, English Language & Literature, Philosophy, Religious Studies, History or Classical Civilisation.
Extra Information	Welsh Baccalaureate Advanced and A level General Studies will be recognised in our offer. We will also consider a combination of A Levels and BTECs/OCRs. If you are a mature student (21 or over) and have been out of education for a while or do not have experience or qualifications at Level 3 (equivalent to A Levels), then our Foundation Year courses will help you to develop the skills and knowledge you will need to succeed in your chosen degree.

Fees and Funding

£9,535per year for a full-time course (2025/26)

Our full-time undergraduate tuition fees for Home students entering University in 2025/26 are £9,535 a year, or £1,590 per 20-credit module for part-time study.

You can find more information about undergraduate fees on our Fees and Finance pages.

Students from the UK, Isle of Man, Guernsey, Jersey and the Republic of Ireland are treated as Home students for tuition fee purposes.

Students from countries in the European Economic Area and the EU will pay International Tuition Fees.

Students who have been granted Settled Status may be eligible for Home Fee Status and if eligible will be able to apply for Tuition Fee Loans and Maintenance Loans.

Students who have been granted Pre-settled Status may be eligible for Home Fee Status and if eligible will be able to apply for Tuition Fee Loans.

£14,450*per year for a full-time course (2025/26)

The tuition fees for international students studying Undergraduate programmes in 2025/26 are £14,450 per year for a full-time course. This fee is set for each year of study.

The University of Chester offers generous international and merit-based scholarships, providing a significant reduction to the published headline tuition fee. You will automatically be considered for these scholarships when your application is reviewed, and any award given will be stated on your offer letter.

For courses with a Foundation Year, the tuition fees for Year 1 are £10,750 and £14,200 for Years 2-4 in 2025/26.

For more information, go to our International Fees, Scholarship and Finance section.

Irish Nationals living in the UK or ROI are treated as Home students for Tuition Fee Purposes.

In November 2024, as part of the government’s Autumn Budget, it was confirmed that some foundation years from September 2025 will have a fee of £5,760 for the first foundation year of a four-year course. This is mainly for courses in the Humanities, Business, and Social Sciences disciplines. The following three years of these courses will be the standard fee of £9,535 per annum.

	Foundation (First) Year	Second Year onwards per year
Home Students	£5,760 for the first foundation year (2025/26)	£9,535 per year from the second year onwards (2025/26)
International Students *	£10,750 for the first foundation year (2025/26)	£14,450 per year from the second year onwards (2025/26)

* For courses which accept applications from International Students

Your course will involve additional costs not covered by your tuition fees. This may include books, printing, photocopying, educational stationery and related materials, specialist clothing, travel to placements, optional field trips and software. Compulsory field trips are covered by your tuition fees.

If you are living away from home during your time at university, you will need to cover costs such as accommodation, food, travel and bills.

Who You'll Learn From

Prof Deborah Wynne

Programme Leader for English Literature; Research Coordinator for the Faculty of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences

Associate Professor Sarah Heaton

Head of Art, Design and Innovation

Prof Melissa Fegan

Professor of Irish and Victorian Literature

Prof Emma Rees

Professor of Literature and Gender Studies; Programme Leader, MRes Gender Studies

Dr Sally West

Senior Lecturer in English Literature

Dr Lucy Andrew

Senior Lecturer in English Literature

Where You'll Study Exton Park, Chester

The location

Modern learning resources and library

Seaborne library, seating and reception area.

Student Services

Fitness facilities

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Chapel, chaplaincy and multi-faith spaces

Accommodation

Catering

Your Future Career

Job Prospects

A single honours degree in English Literature brings many transferable skills including written and oral communication, textual analysis, presentation, teamwork, time management and independence.  Our graduates have followed careers in a wide variety of fields including teaching, journalism, marketing, and librarianship, or advanced to postgraduate study on our MA and MRes courses.

Progression options

Creative Writing: Writing and Publishing Fiction MA

Careers service

The University has an award-winning Careers and Employability service which provides a variety of employability-enhancing experiences; through the curriculum, through employer contact, tailored group sessions, individual information, advice and guidance.

Careers and Employability aims to deliver a service which is inclusive, impartial, welcoming, informed and tailored to your personal goals and aspirations, to enable you to develop as an individual and contribute to the business and community in which you will live and work.

We are here to help you plan your future, make the most of your time at University and to enhance your employability. We provide access to part-time jobs, extra-curricular employability-enhancing workshops and offer practical one-to-one help with career planning, including help with CVs, applications and mock interviews. We also deliver group sessions on career planning within each course and we have a wide range of extensive information covering graduate jobs and postgraduate study.

English Literature BA (Hons)

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