English Literature - BA (Hons)

University of Surrey

What you will study: On our English Literature BA course, you’ll study vital and influential works of literature, reading and discussing contemporary works as well as classics in a wide range of genres and cultures from around the world. The course will introduce you to thought-provoking critical and theoretical approaches to literature. You’ll discover a range of perspectives, such as postcolonialism, psychoanalysis, and gender studies, that will enhance your understanding of literary works in relation to important societal challenges. You will study classic works like those of Shakespeare and George Eliot, as well as writing by contemporary authors including Kazuo Ishiguro, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie and Jhumpa Lahiri. Genres you’ll study include travel writing, 19th-century theatre and fiction, science-fiction, contemporary global literatures, medieval literature, romantic literature, early modern and modernist literatures. You can tailor your course with a number of specialist optional modules on specific periods and themes, from the early modern to the contemporary, and from children’s literature to American fiction. Unusually for an English literature course, we also offer you the opportunity to take a Professional Training placement, enabling you to apply your skills in an industry-relevant context, such as marketing, publishing, social media and communications roles. Events and workshopsAlongside your lectures, tutorials, seminars and workshops, you'll have a wide range of opportunities to engage with our vibrant research culture and arts activities. Literary events on and around campus include the annual Morag Morris Poetry Lecture, the Surrey Poetry Festival and the Surrey New Writers Festival. Literature and Languages also regularly host talks by major writers and critics, as well as literary agents, publishers and other speakers of interest. Our current Distinguished Writer in Residence is the acclaimed writer, Neel Mukherjee, and our new Poet in Residence for 2023-24 is Briony Hughes. Both offer regular writing workshops and, in the case of our Writer in Residence, one-on-one writing surgery sessions.