English Literature

English Literature is among the most versatile and intellectually rich degrees you can study. It develops your ability to read carefully and critically, to write with precision and persuasion, to analyse how language creates meaning and to engage with ideas across history and cultures. These are capabilities that are valuable in almost every professional context, but they are developed through a form of study that is genuinely pleasurable: deep engagement with fiction, poetry, drama and non-fiction that explores what it means to be human.

At Bangor University, the three-year full-time programme develops your critical reading and writing skills across a range of literary periods, genres and traditions, from medieval literature through the Renaissance and Romantic periods to modernism and contemporary writing. You will study the formal elements of literary texts, their historical and cultural contexts, and the critical and theoretical frameworks that scholars use to interpret them. The degree includes a foundation year for students who need additional preparation, a sandwich year, a year abroad and a work placement, giving you a wide range of opportunities to develop your academic preparation, professional experience and international perspective.

Bangor's location in north Wales, with its distinctive linguistic and cultural heritage, provides an interesting setting for literary study, and the university's strong Welsh studies connections enrich the broader intellectual environment.

Graduates of English Literature degrees work in publishing, journalism, education, the civil service, law, communications, public relations, the arts, the third sector and many other fields. The ability to read closely, write clearly and think about language carefully is valued across a remarkable range of professional contexts. Postgraduate study in English literature, creative writing, education or journalism is a natural continuation for those who want to develop further expertise.