Develop a linguistic and critical understanding of the English language, whilst exploring the rich variety of its literature.

Course overview

The study of the English language provides the perfect context for the analysis of literature, and the study of English literature enhances an understanding of the language working in practice. The two disciplines complement each other, but also offer great variety of subject matter. You will have the opportunity to learn the necessary skills for the advanced analysis of language and literature, and by the end of the course, you will be familiar with the major branches of language study, and will have studied a wide range of literature in a variety of contexts.

Why study this course with us?

At Chester, we offer an engaging and supportive atmosphere in which ideas about language and literature are shared. Your contact hours will include individual tutorials with lecturers, seminars with other students and a tutor, and lectures. Group discussion is at the heart of the degree, and we do everything we can to make the study of language and literature exciting, varied and dynamic. We offer a wide range of assessment: as well as writing essays and sitting exams, you can gain marks for exercises, private study projects, oral presentations, blogs and creative writing, depending on the options you choose. You can customize your degree as you progress, so by the third year you might be taking several specialist optional modules as well as working on a dissertation in either English language or literature whose title you have created and where you work individually with a lecturer to complete your project.

In the English Department at Chester, our priority is excellence in learning and teaching, and our high scores in the National Student Survey show that our students feel fully supported.

Teaching methods

You will be taught through a combination of lectures, seminars, classes combining tutor presentation and group work, and one-to-one tutorials. Tutorials are not timetabled, but arranged at convenient times to suit both you and the tutor.

Assessment

Course assessment methods vary greatly, and may include traditional assessment methods such as coursework essays (of varying lengths) and examinations, but also various kinds of project work, exercises, presentations, seminar papers, reports, diaries and blogs.

Job prospects

The study of English Language and Literature requires you to develop a range of skills of communication, presentation, research, analysis and argument which enhance your employability in a wide variety of careers. Our graduates have followed careers in areas including teaching, journalism, marketing, librarianship, or advanced to postgraduate study.