English Literature, BA (Hons)

Course summary

Explore over a thousand years of literature from the early Medieval period to the present day, while also delving into some provocative questions that writing can unveil around gender, culture and more. This three-year course covers both national and global literature including Renaissance and Gothic genres, 19th century literature and contemporary fiction. You can also select modules around creative and professional writing. Swansea is the birthplace of Dylan Thomas, widely regarded by many literary scholars as one of the twentieth century's most influential lyrical poets, and amongst the finest of all time. The university’s links to the legacy of Dylan Thomas remain with our annual Dylan Thomas Prize for Literature and through research carried out in our Centre for Research into the English Literature and Language of Wales (CREW). Throughout this course you will also have the opportunity to get involved in projects with the Dylan Thomas Centre and the National Theatre Wales. Set in parkland overlooking Swansea Bay on the edge of the breathtaking Gower Peninsula, the university's location provides an excellent place to study. Students can enjoy both a thriving city and beautiful beaches and coastlines. Outside of their studies, our students benefit from our lively English Student Society, which organises a range of literary, social and cultural events. Our degree programmes aim to support students prepare for their future world of work. You will access support and guidance through the university’s Careers Service and Work Placement Team and all students have access to events, workshops and employer talks, including an annual conference for students in June to support final year students with the transition into employment or further study. On this degree programme, you can further enhance your student experience with the option to study abroad for a semester in countries such as Hong Kong, China, Singapore, North America or Canada. English Literature at Swansea is ranked top 10 for Overall Satisfaction (NSS 2022) and top 20 in the UK (Guardian University Guide 2023). Graduates go on to enter careers in a wide range of sectors including education, marketing, social media and project administration. Please visit our course page for more information. https://www.swansea.ac.uk/undergraduate/courses/culture-communication/english-literature-creative-writing/ba-english-literature/

Your first year will include a mixture of compulsory and optional modules, with examples of compulsory modules from recent years including: • Monsters, Theories, Transformations • English Essentials • The Stage Play World Your second and third years will comprise entirely optional modules from a large range of subject areas. Examples of optional modules in recent years have included: • Contentious Shakespeare • Revolution of the Word: Modernism • Introduction to Writing Poetry • Welsh Gothic / Gothic Wales Your final year will include an optional independent dissertation project. For the full programme structure and module breakdown, please visit our webpage at https://www.swansea.ac.uk/undergraduate/courses/culture-communication