English Literature

English Literature is one of the oldest and most enduring of university disciplines, and one of the most alive. Reading great works of fiction, drama and poetry closely means encountering different worlds, different periods of time and different ways of being human, while also developing the analytical tools to understand how texts work, how they construct meaning, and what they reveal about the societies that produced them. It is a discipline that sharpens thinking, deepens language and builds the habit of engaging seriously with ideas.

At Edge Hill University, you will lose yourself in the pages of great works of literature, exploring other worlds and periods of time across a range from Victorian fiction, Renaissance drama and Romantic poetry to American fiction and crime novels. The programme is part time, which means the content is paced to suit those who cannot commit to full-time study, whether because of work, caring responsibilities or other commitments. Despite the part-time format, the degree retains full academic rigour: you will develop close-reading skills, construct sustained literary arguments, engage with critical theory and produce extended independent writing.

A sandwich year placement and a year abroad are available, offering opportunities to deepen both professional experience and international engagement. Integrated work placements also give you the chance to put your communication and analytical skills to use in a real professional context.

English Literature graduates are skilled at reading carefully, writing clearly and thinking through complexity, and those skills are valued across a wide range of careers. Graduates go into journalism, publishing, teaching, public relations, marketing, the civil service, arts administration, broadcasting, law and many other fields. The discipline's emphasis on communication, argument and cultural understanding is an asset in virtually any professional context.

Many graduates continue to postgraduate study, specialising in particular periods, genres or critical approaches, or moving into education, creative writing, library and information science, or broader humanities research.