Overview
Portsmouth is the perfect place to study literature. Charles Dickens was born here, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle called these streets home, and Rudyard Kipling’s work was inspired by his early years in the city.
On this BA (Hons) English Literature degree, you’ll examine literature from classics to the contemporary, and become an expert in reading, analysing and discussing the written works that inspire you.
You’ll emerge with a skill set that’s sought after for careers in the arts, publishing and media. The critical thinking, reading and analytical abilities you'll develop will also set you up for postgraduate study or roles in areas like teaching and politics.
What you'll experience
On this course, you’ll:
- Build your knowledge of literature, from Shakespeare to the present day, and across genres from crime writing to magical realism
- Learn from staff who are undertaking research in this field, ensuring you keep abreast of the latest developments
- Tailor your studies to the areas of literature that excite you the most, choosing modules that match your interests
- Develop analytical reading, presentation and team-work skills that’ll serve you in your future career
- Get plenty of one-on-one sessions with your personal tutor
You can also:
- Meet high-profile figures in the literary world and attend a reception at our annual Literary Prizes and Public Acclaim event
- Develop personal and professional contacts locally and further afield through our work-related modules
How you're assessed
You’ll be assessed through:
- essays
- textual analysis
- presentations
- a dissertation
- real-world projects
- creative assignments
You’ll be able to test your skills and knowledge informally before you do assessments that count towards your final mark.
You can get feedback on all practice and formal assessments so you can improve in the future.
The way you’re assessed may depend on the modules you select. As a guide, students on this course last year were typically assessed as follows:
- Year 1 students: 100% by coursework
- Year 2 students: 100% by coursework
- Year 3 students: 100% by coursework
Teaching
Teaching methods on this course include:
- lectures
- seminars
- tutorials
- workshops
You can access all teaching resources on Moodle, our virtual learning environment, from anywhere with a Web connection.
For more about the teaching activities for specific modules, see the module list above.
Careers and opportunities
A degree in English literature is a great foundation for a career in the arts. Graduate employers also value the sophisticated analytical and presentational skills you'll develop on this course.
What can you do with an English Literature degree?
After the course, you could work in areas such as:
- advertising
- journalism
- arts and media
- public relations
- copywriting
- teaching
- research
You could also study at postgraduate level.
Work experience and career planning
To give you the best chance of securing a great job when you graduate, our Careers and Employability service can help you find relevant work experience during your course.
We can help you identify placements, internships, voluntary roles and freelancing opportunities that will complement your studies and build your portfolio.
We'll also be available to help, advise and support you for up to 5 years as you advance in your career.
Placement year
After your second year, you can do an optional work placement year to get valuable longer-term work experience in the industry.
Previous students have completed work placements with organisations such as the British Council, Hays Recruitment and local schools.
You could also study abroad at one of our partner universities, such as Ghent University, University of Gdańsk, Kiel University, University of Luxembourg and the University of Malaga
We’ll help you secure a work placement that fits your aspirations. You’ll get mentoring and support throughout the year.
