BA (Hons) ENGLISH LITERATURE
BA (HONS) ENGLISH LITERATURE
Literature at UEA is vivid, contentious and alive: full of passion, politics and play. You’ll gain a first-class grounding in literature from across time and across cultures, while learning to respond to the books you're reading in inventive ways.
Whether getting your hands on an early draft of a novel by a world-famous living crime writer or using innovative techniques to bring Shakespeare's contemporaries to life, in your training as a literary critic, you’ll acquire high-level analytical skills and a broad and deep knowledge of writing of all kinds, while honing the craft of critical writing itself.
Norwich is the ideal place to study literature. It’s been home to ground-breaking writers for centuries, from Julian of Norwich, the first woman to write a book in English, right up to our own award-winning UEA graduates, like Ian McEwan, Emma Healey, and Kazuo Ishiguro. This is just one of the reasons Norwich was chosen as England’s first UNESCO City of Literature.
About
UEA is the place where literature lives. You’ll be part of a unique and supportive community of critics, writers, and drama practitioners who are dedicated to bringing literature to life. You’ll be studying literature in a city with both a rich literary tradition and a vibrant contemporary writing scene.
We emphasise choice and flexibility in building your own unique pathway through English literature. You’ll have the chance to discover a wealth of writers from the middle ages right up to poets and novelists writing now. You might explore diverse traditions of writing from across the globe, and you’ll tackle a heady mix of genres, which currently range from the gothic to children’s literature, crime writing to Latin American fiction, nonsense writing to biography. Your journey through literature is shaped by you and your interests – no two UEA English Literature degrees are the same.
All our BA English Literature modules are 100% coursework. This enables you to cultivate the craft of critical writing. You might find yourself honing the perfect essay or try expressing your ideas in new, experimental forms in one of our creative-critical modules. Or you might turn your skill with words towards modules on writing as a profession, which give you a flavour of the diverse and exciting careers for which your literary critical training prepares you.
Whatever you study, you’ll work with our world-leading critics, who will help you to develop your own critical voice. UEA’s School of Literature, Drama and Creative Writing is famous for innovation in teaching and for cutting-edge research – that’s why in the most recent Times Higher Education Analysis (REF2021), UEA was ranked 19th in the UK for the quality of its research in English Language and Literature. Your lecturers will be passionate about bringing their own expertise into the seminar room.
Your Literature degree will enable you to become an imaginative and knowledgeable reader of literature, and a confident writer about it. You’ll graduate as a passionate and informed advocate for the literature you love, ready to take all the skills you’ve learnt into a host of careers.
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Important Information
Whilst the University will make every effort to offer the courses listed, changes may sometimes be made arising from the regular review of course programmes. Where this activity leads to significant (but not minor) changes to programmes, there will normally be prior consultation of students and others. Changes may for example consist of variations to the content and method of delivery of programmes, courses and other services, to discontinue programmes, courses and other services and to merge or combine programmes or courses. The University will endeavour to keep such changes to a minimum, and will inform students.Placement Year and Study Abroad
You’ll have the option to apply to study abroad for one semester of your second year. Studying abroad is a wonderfully enriching life experience – you will develop confidence and adaptability, and will have the chance to deepen your understanding of English literature while learning about another culture. At UEA, you will also be surrounded by the many students we welcome from around the world to study with us.
For further details, visit the Study Abroad section of our website.
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After the Course
On graduation you might go on to work in the arts, media, publishing, politics, charities and NGOs, teaching or the commercial sector. You’ll be equipped with sought-after skills of critical reading, independence, time management, teamwork, and many more. You’ll also be well placed to study for a postgraduate degree.
Our Careers Service is here to support you in launching your career by advising with CV writing, internships, and much more. Every year we run an event, Working with Words, which gives current students the chance to meet and hear from successful UEA alumni from across the creative industries. UEA has its own in-house student publishing project, Egg Box, along with many other exciting initiatives that give you opportunities to turn your love of literature into a foundation for your future career.
Career destinations
A degree at UEA will prepare you for a wide variety of careers. We've been ranked 1st for Job Prospects by StudentCrowd in 2022.
Examples of careers you could enter include:
- Journalism
- Publishing
- Media
- Marketing
- Heritage and Museums
- Teaching
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Assessment for Year 1
Assessment
Throughout your degree, all modules in English Literature have no exams – we believe you express your ideas best in written coursework (usually one or two pieces per module) which you can carefully craft. You'll develop renewed enthusiasm for writing academic essays, but you will also have chance to express your thinking in a diverse variety of forms, like reviews or personal reflective writing. The only way you might take an exam is if you choose specific optional modules outside English Literature in other disciplines. In practice, most students are assessed by 100% written coursework.
Feedback
To prepare for coursework, you'll receive feedback on pieces of 'formative' work from your tutors, e.g. in one-to-one tutorials. Feedback on assessed work will be returned within 20 working days (after it has been carefully marked and moderated). As your first year does not count toward your overall degree result, it's the perfect opportunity to experiment and take risks.
Assessment for Year 2
Assessment
Throughout your degree, all modules in English Literature have no exams – we believe you express your ideas best in written coursework (usually one or two pieces per module) which you can carefully craft. You'll develop renewed enthusiasm for writing academic essays, but you will also have chance to express your thinking in a diverse variety of forms, like reviews or personal reflective writing. The only way you might take an exam is if you choose specific optional modules outside English Literature in other disciplines. In practice, most students are assessed by 100% written coursework.
Feedback
To prepare for coursework, you'll receive feedback on pieces of 'formative' work from your tutors, e.g. in one-to-one tutorials. Feedback on assessed work will be returned within 20 working days (after it has been carefully marked and moderated). As your first year does not count toward your overall degree result, it's the perfect opportunity to experiment and take risks.
Assessment for Year 3
Assessment
You'll continue to be assessed by 100% written coursework, perfecting the craft of essay writing in more substantial and independently-conceived projects (3500-5000 words), or choosing to embark on an 8000-word dissertation on a topic of your choice. If you wish, you might continue to experiment with the forms in which you express your critical ideas, for instance by writing Shakespearean sonnets or experimenting with the new boundary-defying genre of ‘auto-fiction’. Whatever form your writing takes, you'll have developed confidence to express yourself in ways you might not have thought possible before the degree began.
Feedback
You’ll receive detailed and focused feedback to help hone your abilities even further, enabling you to graduate at the end of your final year with highly developed skills in writing and argument which are hugely valued by employers.
In Year 1 students take 120 credits.
Assessment for Year 1
Assessment
Throughout your degree, all modules in English Literature have no exams – we believe you express your ideas best in written coursework (usually one or two pieces per module) which you can carefully craft. You'll develop renewed enthusiasm for writing academic essays, but you will also have chance to express your thinking in a diverse variety of forms, like reviews or personal reflective writing. The only way you might take an exam is if you choose specific optional modules outside English Literature in other disciplines. In practice, most students are assessed by 100% written coursework.
Feedback
To prepare for coursework, you'll receive feedback on pieces of 'formative' work from your tutors, e.g. in one-to-one tutorials. Feedback on assessed work will be returned within 20 working days (after it has been carefully marked and moderated). As your first year does not count toward your overall degree result, it's the perfect opportunity to experiment and take risks.
Important Information
Whilst the University will make every effort to offer the modules listed, changes may sometimes be made arising from the annual monitoring and review of modules. Where this activity leads to significant change to a programme and modules, the University will endeavour to consult with affected students. The University may not be able to offer a module for reasons outside of its control, such as the illness of a member of staff. Availability of optional modules may be restricted owing to timetabling, lack of demand, or limited places. Where this is the case, you will be asked to make alternative module choices and you will be supported during this process.In Year 2 students take 120 credits. Pre-1789 requirement: In years 2 and 3 combined, students must take at least 60 credits from modules on writing before 1789, and at least 40 of these must be taken in year 2. This means that in your second year you must take at least two pre-1789 modules. Students should consult with the Study Abroad Coordinator before choosing Erasmus Exchange or Semester Abroad modules.
Assessment for Year 2
Assessment
Throughout your degree, all modules in English Literature have no exams – we believe you express your ideas best in written coursework (usually one or two pieces per module) which you can carefully craft. You'll develop renewed enthusiasm for writing academic essays, but you will also have chance to express your thinking in a diverse variety of forms, like reviews or personal reflective writing. The only way you might take an exam is if you choose specific optional modules outside English Literature in other disciplines. In practice, most students are assessed by 100% written coursework.
Feedback
To prepare for coursework, you'll receive feedback on pieces of 'formative' work from your tutors, e.g. in one-to-one tutorials. Feedback on assessed work will be returned within 20 working days (after it has been carefully marked and moderated). As your first year does not count toward your overall degree result, it's the perfect opportunity to experiment and take risks.
Important Information
Whilst the University will make every effort to offer the modules listed, changes may sometimes be made arising from the annual monitoring and review of modules. Where this activity leads to significant change to a programme and modules, the University will endeavour to consult with affected students. The University may not be able to offer a module for reasons outside of its control, such as the illness of a member of staff. Availability of optional modules may be restricted owing to timetabling, lack of demand, or limited places. Where this is the case, you will be asked to make alternative module choices and you will be supported during this process.In Year 3 students take 120 credits by selecting four 30 credit modules, 60 credits in each semester. 20-credit versions of year 3 modules are only available to non-HUM and Visiting Students. Pre-1789 requirement: In years 2 and 3 combined, students must take at least 60 credits from modules on writing before 1789, at least 40 of these must be taken in year 2. Consult the Catalogue for pre-requisites and restrictions.Please note that students opting to undertake a dissertation are only permitted to take one dissertation module across the year.
Assessment for Year 3
Assessment
You'll continue to be assessed by 100% written coursework, perfecting the craft of essay writing in more substantial and independently-conceived projects (3500-5000 words), or choosing to embark on an 8000-word dissertation on a topic of your choice. If you wish, you might continue to experiment with the forms in which you express your critical ideas, for instance by writing Shakespearean sonnets or experimenting with the new boundary-defying genre of ‘auto-fiction’. Whatever form your writing takes, you'll have developed confidence to express yourself in ways you might not have thought possible before the degree began.
Feedback
You’ll receive detailed and focused feedback to help hone your abilities even further, enabling you to graduate at the end of your final year with highly developed skills in writing and argument which are hugely valued by employers.
Important Information
Whilst the University will make every effort to offer the modules listed, changes may sometimes be made arising from the annual monitoring and review of modules. Where this activity leads to significant change to a programme and modules, the University will endeavour to consult with affected students. The University may not be able to offer a module for reasons outside of its control, such as the illness of a member of staff. Availability of optional modules may be restricted owing to timetabling, lack of demand, or limited places. Where this is the case, you will be asked to make alternative module choices and you will be supported during this process.Entry Requirements
A Levels
AAB including English Literature, or one of the subjects listed below: English Language and Literature, English Language, History, Ancient History, History of Art, Archaeology, Anthropology, Classical Civilisation, Classical Studies, Politics, Government and Politics, Psychology, Sociology, Drama, Theatre Studies, Film Studies, Philosophy, Religious Studies, Media Studies, Psychology or Law If you are taking an EPQ and three A-levels, we may offer you a one grade reduction on our advertised typical offer, if you achieve an A in the EPQ.T Levels
Not acceptedBTEC
DDD alongside A-level grade B in English Literature, or one of the subjects listed below: English Language and Literature, English Language, History, Ancient History, History of Art, Archaeology, Anthropology, Classical Civilisation, Classical Studies, Politics, Government and Politics, Psychology, Sociology, Drama, Theatre Studies, Film Studies, Philosophy, Religious Studies, Media Studies, Psychology or Law. BTEC Public Services, Uniformed Services or Business Administration not accepted.Scottish highers
AAAAA including English Literature, or one of the subjects listed below: English Language and Literature, English Language, History, Ancient History, History of Art, Archaeology, Anthropology, Classical Civilisation, Classical Studies, Politics, Government and Politics, Psychology, Sociology, Drama, Theatre Studies, Film Studies, Philosophy, Religious Studies, Media Studies, Psychology or LawScottish highers advanced
BBC including English Literature, or one of the subjects listed below: English Language and Literature, English Language, History, Ancient History, History of Art, Archaeology, Anthropology, Classical Civilisation, Classical Studies, Politics, Government and Politics, Psychology, Sociology, Drama, Theatre Studies, Film Studies, Philosophy, Religious Studies, Media Studies, Psychology or LawIrish leaving certificate
4 subjects at H2, 2 subjects at H3 including English Literature, or one of the subjects listed below: English Language and Literature, English Language, History, Ancient History, History of Art, Archaeology, Anthropology, Classical Civilisation, Classical Studies, Politics, Government and Politics, Psychology, Sociology, Drama, Theatre Studies, Film Studies, Philosophy, Religious Studies, Media Studies, Psychology or LawAccess course
Access to Humanities and Social Sciences Pathway. Pass Access to HE Diploma with Distinction in 36 credits at Level 3 and Merit in 9 credits at Level 3European Baccalaureate
80% including 7 in English Literature, or one of the subjects listed below: English Language and Literature, English Language, History, Ancient History, History of Art, Archaeology, Anthropology, Classical Civilisation, Classical Studies, Politics, Government and Politics, Psychology, Sociology, Drama, Theatre Studies, Film Studies, Philosophy, Religious Studies, Media Studies, Psychology or LawInternational Baccalaureate
33 including HL grade 5 in English Literature, or one of the subjects listed below: English Language and Literature, English Language, History, Ancient History, History of Art, Archaeology, Anthropology, Classical Civilisation, Classical Studies, Politics, Government and Politics, Psychology, Sociology, Drama, Theatre Studies, Film Studies, Philosophy, Religious Studies, Media Studies, Psychology or LawGCSE offer
You are required to have Mathematics and English Language at a minimum of Grade C or Grade 4 or above at GCSE.Additional entry requirements
We welcome and value a wide range of alternative qualifications. If you have a qualification which is not listed here, please contact us via Admissions Enquiries.
If you do not meet the academic requirements for direct entry, you may be interested in one of our Foundation Year programmes
We accept many international qualifications for entry to this course. View our International Students pages for specific information about your country.
INTO University of East Anglia
If you do not meet the academic and/or English language requirements for direct entry our partner, INTO UEA offers progression on to this undergraduate degree upon successful completion of a preparation programme. Depending on your interests, and your qualifications you can take a variety of routes to this degree:
International Foundation in Business, Economics, Society and Culture (for Year 1 entry to UEA)
International Foundation in Humanities and Law (for Year 1 entry to UEA)
Important note
Once enrolled onto your course at UEA, your progression and continuation (which may include your eligibility for study abroad, overseas experience, placement or year in industry opportunities) is contingent on meeting the assessment requirements which are relevant to the course on which you are enrolled.
Students for whom english is a foreign language
Applications from students whose first language is not English are welcome. We require evidence of proficiency in English (including writing, speaking, listening and reading):
-
IELTS: 6.5 overall (minimum 5.5 in all components) for year 1 entry
-
IELTS: 6.5 overall (minimum 6.0 in all components) for year 2 entry
We also accept a number of other English language tests. Review our English Language Equivalencies for a list of example qualifications that we may accept to meet this requirement.
If you do not yet meet the English language requirements for this course, INTO UEA offer a variety of English language programmes which are designed to help you develop the English skills necessary for successful undergraduate study:
Interviews
Most applicants will not be called for an interview and a decision will be made via UCAS Track. However, for some applicants an interview will be requested. Where an interview is required the Admissions Service will contact you directly to arrange a time.Gap year
We welcome applications from students who have already taken or intend to take a gap year. We believe that a year between school and university can be of substantial benefit. You are advised to indicate your reason for wishing to defer entry on your UCAS application.Intakes
This course is open to UK and International applicants. The annual intake is in September each year. We’re 19th for research quality!
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Fees and Funding
Tuition Fees
View our information for Tuition Fees.
Scholarships and Bursaries
We are committed to ensuring that costs do not act as a barrier to those aspiring to come to a world leading university and have developed a funding package to reward those with excellent qualifications and assist those from lower income backgrounds. View our range of Scholarships for eligibility, details of how to apply and closing dates.
Course related costs
View our information about Additional Course Fees.
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How to Apply
Apply for this course through the Universities and Colleges Admissions Services (UCAS), using UCAS Hub.
UCAS Hub is a secure online application system that allows you to apply for full-time undergraduate courses at universities and colleges in the United Kingdom.
Your application does not have to be completed all at once. Register or sign in to UCAS to get started.
Once you submit your completed application, UCAS will process it and send it to your chosen universities and colleges.
The Institution code for the University of East Anglia is E14.
View our guide to applying through UCAS for useful tips, key dates and further information:
We’re 19th for research quality!
UEA Live
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Ask a Student
What's included in your fees
We’re 19th for research quality!
UEA Live
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Ask a Student
What's included in your fees
Course Variants
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