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English

Entry requirements


104-112 UCAS tariff points from a minimum of 2 A Levels, including Grade B at A level English Language, Literature or Creative Writing, or a related subject (e.g. History, Philosophy, Film Studies, Sociology)

Pass a named Access to HE Diploma (e.g. Preferably English, Humanities or Combined), with at least 33 credits at Merit and/or Distinction.

Considered in combination

International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme

26-28

Including Higher Level English or a related subject (e.g. Creative Writing, History, Philosophy, Film Studies, Sociology) at Grade 5. Mathematics accepted within as GCSE equivalent.

Leaving Certificate - Higher Level (Ireland) (first awarded in 2017)

H3,H3,H3,H4,H4

104-112 UCAS tariff points, including H3 or above in English Language, Literature or Creative Writing, or a related subject (e.g. History, Philosophy, Film Studies, Sociology). Mathematics accepted within as GCSE equivalent.

Considered in combination

Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Diploma (first teaching from September 2016)

D*D-D*D*

Usually in combination with other qualifications, please contact the Institution for further information.

Considered in combination

Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Extended Diploma (first teaching from September 2016)

DMM

Usually in combination with other qualifications, please contact the Institution for further information.

Considered in combination

104-112 tariff points from a minimum of two Advanced Highers, including Grade B in English Language, Literature or Creative Writing, or a related subject (e.g. History, Philosophy, Film Studies, Sociology) English and Mathematics accepted within as GCSE equivalent.

In combination with Advanced Highers

As a University we will continue to review T Level qualifications as more information becomes available in the couple of months. Please refer to individual course pages on our website for specific entry criteria

UCAS Tariff

104-112

Including a minimum of 2 A Levels, including Grade B at A level English Language, Literature or Creative Writing, or a related subject (e.g. History, Philosophy, Film Studies, Sociology), excluding General Studies.

Considered in combination

About this course


This course has alternative study modes. Contact the university to find out how the information below might vary.

Course option

3years

Full-time | 2024

Other options

4 years | Sandwich | 2024

Subject

English studies

Engage with the breadth and variety of literature in English, from the rise of the gothic to the graphic novel. Choose from modules exploring literature in relation to history, genre, culture – and, if you wish, sample creative writing. English is a degree highly valued by employers, so take advantage of our many opportunities for work experience and prepare for a rewarding career.

* Personalise your degree by choosing from **a wide variety of optional modules** in literary studies and creative writing, or widen your horizons by taking specialist modules in other subjects in the school.

* Learn from **internationally recognised research-active staff**.

* Benefit from **assessment through coursework**, with no written exams.

* Make the most of **a rich cultural life** with The Arts Institute programme and the University’s links with local cultural organisations, like The Box and Theatre Royal.

Modules

In your first year, you'll study historical, theoretical, and aesthetic approaches to literary analysis. You’ll read literature which investigates the making of the modern world; engage with exciting theories of reading such as eco-criticism, psychoanalysis and Marxism; and, if you choose, try your hand at creative writing in a wide range of genres including prose, poetry, drama and professional writing. You will also learn key research and essay-writing skills.

In your second year, you’ll take core modules in Romantic and Victorian literature, studying these key periods from an interdisciplinary perspective, and engaging with debates in philosophy, science, psychology, politics, art, gender and race. You will then select from a wide range of specialist modules, including a range of specialist literary, creative, and work-based options. You’ll also have the opportunity to branch out beyond literary studies, if you wish, and take specialist modules in other subjects in the School.

Students have the opportunity to gain work experience that will set them apart in the job market when they graduate by undertaking an optional flexible placement year. The placement must be a minimum of 24-weeks (which can be split between a maximum of two different placement providers) and up to a maximum of 48-weeks over the course of the academic year. The placement is flexible and can be undertaken virtually, part or full time and either paid or voluntary. This year allows them to apply and hone the knowledge and skills acquired from the previous years of their programme in the real world.

In your final year, you’ll complete your period studies core with the ground-breaking literature of early 20th-century Modernism. You’ll also choose from a range of specialist modules, mostly with a focus on 20th-century and contemporary literature. There will be a further opportunity to choose a module from another subject in the school if you wish to branch out. You’ll also design and develop your own year-long dissertation project on a topic of your choice, which you'll work on with focused support from your personal supervisor.

The modules shown for this course or programme are those being studied by current students, or expected new modules. Modules are subject to change depending on year of entry.

Assessment methods

For up to date details, please refer to our website or contact the institution directly.

The Uni


Course location:

University of Plymouth

Department:

School of Society and Culture

Read full university profile

What students say


We've crunched the numbers to see if overall student satisfaction here is high, medium or low compared to students studying this subject(s) at other universities.

77%
English studies

How do students rate their degree experience?

The stats below relate to the general subject area/s at this university, not this specific course. We show this where there isn’t enough data about the course, or where this is the most detailed info available to us.

English studies (non-specific)

Teaching and learning

84%
Staff make the subject interesting
91%
Staff are good at explaining things
73%
Ideas and concepts are explored in-depth
61%
Opportunities to apply what I've learned

Assessment and feedback

Feedback on work has been timely
Feedback on work has been helpful
Staff are contactable when needed
Good advice available when making study choices

Resources and organisation

71%
Library resources
96%
IT resources
85%
Course specific equipment and facilities
69%
Course is well organised and has run smoothly

Student voice

Staff value students' opinions
Feel part of a community on my course

Who studies this subject and how do they get on?

98%
UK students
2%
International students
20%
Male students
80%
Female students
89%
2:1 or above
14%
First year drop out rate

Most popular A-Levels studied (and grade achieved)

C
C
D

After graduation


The stats in this section relate to the general subject area/s at this university – not this specific course. We show this where there isn't enough data about the course, or where this is the most detailed info available to us.

English studies (non-specific)

What are graduates doing after six months?

This is what graduates told us they were doing (and earning), shortly after completing their course. We've crunched the numbers to show you if these immediate prospects are high, medium or low, compared to those studying this subject/s at other universities.

£16,000
low
Average annual salary
96%
med
Employed or in further education
37%
low
Employed in a role where degree was essential or beneficial

Top job areas of graduates

22%
Other elementary services occupations
11%
Sales assistants and retail cashiers
10%
Sales, marketing and related associate professionals

English is one of the most popular degree subjects and in 2015, more than 11,000 students graduated with English degrees - although this does represent a fall from recent years. As good communication is so important to modern business, you can find English graduates in all parts of the economy, although obviously, you can't expect to get a job in science or engineering (computing is a different matter - it's not common but good language skills can be useful in the computing industry). There's little difference in outcomes between English language and English literature degrees, so don't worry and choose the one that suits you best. More English grads took another postgraduate course when they finished their degree than grads from any other subject - this is an important option. Teacher training was a common choice of second degree, as was further study of English, and journalism courses. But many English graduates changed course and trained in law, marketing or other languages -or even subjects further afield such as computing, psychology and even nursing. This is a very flexible degree which gives you a lot of options

What about your long term prospects?

Looking further ahead, below is a rough guide for what graduates went on to earn.

English studies (non-specific)

The graph shows median earnings of graduates who achieved a degree in this subject area one, three and five years after graduating from here.

£15k

£15k

£19k

£19k

£23k

£23k

Note: this data only looks at employees (and not those who are self-employed or also studying) and covers a broad sample of graduates and the various paths they've taken, which might not always be a direct result of their degree.

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This information comes from the National Student Survey, an annual student survey of final-year students. You can use this to see how satisfied students studying this subject area at this university, are (not the individual course).

This is the percentage of final-year students at this university who were "definitely" or "mostly" satisfied with their course. We've analysed this figure against other universities so you can see whether this is high, medium or low.

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This information is from the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA), for undergraduate students only.

You can use this to get an idea of who you might share a lecture with and how they progressed in this subject, here. It's also worth comparing typical A-level subjects and grades students achieved with the current course entry requirements; similarities or differences here could indicate how flexible (or not) a university might be.

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Post-six month graduation stats:

This is from the Destinations of Leavers from Higher Education Survey, based on responses from graduates who studied the same subject area here.

It offers a snapshot of what grads went on to do six months later, what they were earning on average, and whether they felt their degree helped them obtain a 'graduate role'. We calculate a mean rating to indicate if this is high, medium or low compared to other universities.

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Graduate field commentary:

The Higher Education Careers Services Unit have provided some further context for all graduates in this subject area, including details that numbers alone might not show

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The Longitudinal Educational Outcomes dataset combines HRMC earnings data with student records from the Higher Education Statistics Agency.

While there are lots of factors at play when it comes to your future earnings, use this as a rough timeline of what graduates in this subject area were earning on average one, three and five years later. Can you see a steady increase in salary, or did grads need some experience under their belt before seeing a nice bump up in their pay packet?

Have a question about this info? Learn more here