BA (Hons) English

• 96 UCAS points. We accept a full range of qualifications that carry UCAS points, including A-levels, BTECs and T levels. Please see our guide to the UCAS Tariff for examples of how to achieve these points. For most courses, we are also able to consider non-tariffable qualifications.
• Any subjects are acceptable at Level 3. Subjects including experience of English language and/or literature are preferred.
• You should also have five GCSEs at grade C or above or grade 4 to 9 (or equivalent), including English and Mathematics.
• If you don't have the above qualifications but have a strong portfolio of relevant work, we encourage you to apply.
• You may be required to attend an interview and/or provide a portfolio of work.
• If English isn’t your first language, you’ll also need IELTS 6.0 with no less than 5.5 in any band (or equivalent). We also accept a range of other English language qualifications – please visit our English Language Requirements web page for more details.

Where changes are made to material information contained in this course description or a decision is taken to suspend a course between the offer of admissions and enrolment, we will inform applicants at the earliest possible opportunity and will outline the various options available to the applicant.

The skills you gain by undertaking an English degree are marketable in most career areas. As an English student you’ll be encouraged to lead and participate in discussions, work with others when presenting information and ideas, and effectively convey arguments and opinions, using your judgement to weigh up different options and perspectives. In addition, you’ll be encouraged to develop comprehensive written and spoken communication skills.

As English is a non-vocational course, extracurricular skills are vital in developing your employability. Many undergraduates write for student newspapers or volunteer in a range of different areas to enhance their transferable skills.

What can I do with this qualification?

English graduates are found in most industries, filling a variety of roles. They are often found where strong communication and written English skills are top priorities; for example, in media, publishing, journalism, teaching, advertising, marketing and PR. These roles combine high levels of creativity with excellent communication skills.

As one of the principal humanities subjects on the National Curriculum an English degree is an excellent starting point for entry into the teaching profession. To teach at primary or secondary level you’ll need a professional teaching qualification and experience of working with young people. To work at University level you’ll be required to gain at least a Master’s degree (in the field in which you wish to teach) and often a PhD.

Some English graduates choose to continue their academic studies by doing more vocational postgraduate courses in areas such as journalism, librarianship or law.

Alternative career options

Graduates can use their qualification in English to enter a range of other careers including law, business, accountancy and finance, retail management, youth work, probation work, recruitment and sales. For some of these roles, both relevant experience and postgraduate study is required. Other possible options include:

• Libraries
• Information, research and records management
• Police and Fire Service
• Market Research
• Housing
• Events management
• Careers guidance
• Local and national government
• Heritage and culture
• Arts administration
• Teaching abroad
• Research and consultancy
• Voluntary and charitable organisations
• Tourism

Important note regarding tuition fees for the 2023-2024 academic year: EU nationals who meet residency requirements (have settled or pre-settled status) may be eligible for 'Home' fee status. If you do not meet these residency requirements, overseas fees will apply. Irish citizens living in the UK or Ireland will be eligible for 'Home' fee status under the Common Travel Area arrangement. Please read the student finance for EU students web page on www.gov.uk for information.

The fees for a student's course of study will be set for the normal duration of that course subject only to inflationary increases – measured by the Consumer Price Index (CPI) recorded in March each year to take effect for subsequent start dates.

For 2023-2024 entry, the maximum government approved undergraduate tuition fee for UK students is £9,250 per year. The University is able to charge this fee subject to an approved Access and Participation Plan for 2023-2024 and its current rating in the Teaching Excellence Framework.

Bursaries

Click here for more information about the scholarships and bursaries available to University of Bolton students.

We use a variety of teaching and learning methods to help you achieve your potential. Lectures are used to introduce the literary works being studied. Here we open up concepts and make connections to critical, theoretical and historical information to help enrich your understanding of the texts. Seminars allow you to explore subjects in greater detail and incorporate small group work and whole group discussion.

One-to-one tutorials offer space for you to ask any questions you have, ensuring you understand the topics covered in the lectures and seminars. You can discuss assignments and receive feedback on your work. You’ll also undertake guided independent study; for instance, library research and background reading, preparing for seminar and tutorial activities and working on assignments.

The University’s e-learning portal Moodle will support your learning online by offering additional resources for each module. Guest lectures and readings by a variety of visiting speakers from the literary and theatre worlds will offer you the chance to further develop your knowledge and understanding.

In terms of formal assessment, you can expect essays of varying lengths, notebooks, reviews, presentations, portfolios and exams. These contribute to your final module mark and allow you to demonstrate that you have met the learning outcomes.

We also use other forms of assessment to help you learn, provide you with feedback and inform your development, though these do not count towards your final module mark. You’ll also receive feedback on assessment drafts. This will help to identify any areas which would benefit from extra attention on your part, or where you need more support from your tutor.

Modules

The modules listed below may be a mixture of compulsory and optional. You may not have the opportunity to study all the modules shown as part of the course.

• Scholarship
• Off the Page
• Stories and Narrative
• Classics of American Literature
• Introduction to Literature: Form and Genre
• Introduction to Literature: Text and Context
• Future Directions
• Critical Dialogues
• The Literature of Love
• Perspectives on Poetry
• Aspects of Prose Fiction
• Approaches to Drama
• Gothic Narratives
• Adaptation
• Ambivalent Intimacies: Reading Contemporary British Fiction
• Virtual Victorians
• Children's Literature
• Narrative Representations of Female Desire
• Special Authors
• Renaissance Drama
• Contemporary Poetry
• Dissertation and Research Skills

Assessment methods

Learning activities

Disclaimer

The university will use all reasonable endeavours to deliver your course as described in its published material and the programme specification for the academic year in which you begin your course. The university considers changes to courses very carefully and the university will minimise any changes. Please be aware that our courses are subject to review on an ongoing basis and changes may be necessary due to legitimate staffing, financial, regulatory and academic reasons. The content of course modules and mode of associated assessments may be updated on an annual basis. This is to ensure that all modules are up-to-date and responsive to employment and sector needs. The published course material and the programme specification contain indicative ‘optional modules’ that may be subject to change due to circumstances outside of our control. For this reason, we cannot guarantee to run any specific optional module.