The course treats literature as a ‘living' discipline, engaged with the world outside university, so students will have the chance to hear talks from writers whose books they're studying; to go on theatre and other trips; or possibly even to see their work in print.
Why study English at Chester?
Literature makes the world come alive. It deals with everything we care about: love, death, loss, relationships, social behaviour, belief systems, our fears and anxieties, our hopes and aspirations. And it deals with them in a wide range of contexts and perspectives. The greatest writers have not only found unique ways of discussing the world we live in, but have also imagined other fantastic worlds that make us look at ourselves differently. Properly read and properly studied, literature enters your heart and mind and never entirely leaves again.
The human aspect of our provision remains the most important. You will find your tutors, who are available every week for one-to-one appointments, accessible, helpful, and ready to support you in any way they can. The department puts its theory of student support into practice throughout all its programmes, and will even offer you extra-curricular voluntary sessions (in writing skills, for instance).
Features of the course:
The group discussion of literature is at the heart of what we do, and you will experience a variety of settings for debate (working in both small and larger seminar groups with your fellow students). We think that the study of literature offers an exciting and dynamic undergraduate experience, and we will do everything we can to make sure that you enjoy your studies and acquire all the necessary subject skills of analysis, interpretation and argument. But we do not neglect the basic skills of speaking, listening, reading, writing and IT, as these make our students so employable when they graduate.
Programme Structure:
The modules covered by the programme are typically taken from the following range:
Level 4 (First Year)
In the first year students follow three core modules:
- Studying Literature - an introductory module that gives students the foundation skills they need
- Approaches to Literature - introducing students to a variety of different ways of thinking about literature
- Contemporary Literature - bringing students up to date with the very latest in poetry, prose and drama, treating literature as something happening now
Students also opt for one of the following modules:
- Poetry - an opportunity to develop degree level knowledge about the study of poetry
- Fiction - an opportunity to develop degree level knowledge about the study of fiction
Level 5 (Second Year)
In the second year students take at least one of the following two period-based modules (or they may choose to do both):
- Romantic Literature - a chance to study the great Romantic poets and fiction such as Wuthering Heights
- Victorian Literature - the great period of English fiction, including Dickens and George Eliot, with a variety of poetry
Students also develop their critical skills through the core module ‘Criticism and Theory’ - a closer look at some of the ways the great thinkers about literature have influenced our understanding
The rest of the credits for the second year come from options in a variety of typical subjects:
- The Gothic - Frankenstein, Dracula and a range of other monsters in a course that explores the dark areas of our psyche
- Brave New Worlds - fantasy societies gone wrong
- American Literature - a range of novels, poems and prose
- Tragedy - an exploration of one of the most important genres of all, from Aristotle to Shakespeare and beyond
- Comparative Literature - a focus on the relationship between British and European literature
- Varieties of Writing - a chance to experiment in your own creative writing
- Research Methods - the exciting search for knowledge
Level 6 (Third Year)
In the final year all students do a Dissertation in a literary subject of particular interest to them. They also follow one of the following period-based modules:
- Renaissance Literature - the great period of Shakespeare
- Modernism and After - the defining ideas of the twentieth century
The rest of the credits for the third year come from options in a variety of typical subjects:
- Absurdism in Modern Literature - the weird worlds of Ionesco, Kafka, Camus and Beckett
- Science Fiction - exploring a literature of other worlds
- Irish Literature - a focus on the great Irish writers
- Specific Author - a chance to study a selected figure in detail
- Colonial and Postcolonial Literature - a critical examination of the literature of Empire and after
- Writing Poetry for Publication - a chance to develop an interest in creative writing
- Crime Fiction - one of the most popular genres of all
- Out of Their Minds: Representing Madness - film representations of the disturbed mind
- Nineteenth-Century Literature and Culture – preparing students for our MA of the same title
- Language and Gender - an opportunity to explore the essentially linguistic nature of ideas of gender
Assessment methods vary from module to module. The most frequent form of assessment is the writing of coursework essays of varying lengths, but there is a considerable range of other kinds of assessment, including seminar papers and oral presentations, resource-based learning exercises, portfolios of written work, learning diaries, etc. There is some formal examination as well, but coursework represents the most important part of our work.
The transferable skills acquired in studying for a degree in English equip students for a variety of careers by giving them the flexibility so sought after by employers.
Graduates in English typically secure employment in professions such as teaching, publishing, the media and communications, advertising, public relations, journalism, librarianship, management and administration, and personnel work. An increasing number of graduates go on to study for higher degrees. The department runs three very popular MAs in Creative Writing, Nineteenth-Century Literature and Culture and Modern and Contemporary Fiction, and also has a number of research students studying for PhDs.
| UCAS points: |
A minimum of 260 - 300 UCAS points from GCE A Levels, including a grade C in one of the subjects recommended by the department |
| GCE A Level: |
The department requires one of the following subjects:
English Literature, English Language or English Combined (Language and Literature) |
| BTEC: |
BTEC National Diploma/Certificate: merit profile plus one of the GCE A Level subjects listed above |
| Irish/Scottish Highers: |
B in 4 subjects, including English |
| International Baccalaureate: |
28 points, including 4 in English |
| QAA: |
QAA recognised Access to HE Diploma (must include English at Level 3), Open College Units or Open University Credits |
| OCR: |
OCR National Extended/Diploma: merit profile plus one of the GCE A level subjects listed above |
| Extra Information: |
The Advanced Diploma: acceptable in combination with one of the GCE A Level subjects listed above
Welsh Baccalaureate (core) will be recognised in our tariff offer. |
