English Literature

English literature is one of the most intellectually expansive of all degree subjects, concerned not only with the literary works themselves but with the history and politics, society and culture, human relationships and identities, and the ways in which we choose to live that literature reflects, shapes, and interrogates. Studying literature at degree level develops close reading, critical analysis, and the ability to construct well-evidenced interpretive arguments, all in engagement with some of the most enduring and challenging writing in the English language and beyond.

At the University of Portsmouth, this three-year full-time programme is taught in a city steeped in literary history, from Charles Dickens to Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, and the coastal, maritime, and urban culture of Portsmouth itself provides a vivid context for engagement with the social and historical dimensions of literature. The programme includes a sandwich year, a year abroad, and work placements, giving you direct professional experience in settings where the skills of a literature graduate are applied, whether in publishing, the arts, education, media, or another professional context. You will engage with literature across periods, genres, and traditions, developing the analytical depth and breadth of reading that a serious literary education requires.

With a typical entry tariff of 120 UCAS points, this is an accessible programme at a well-regarded modern university with strong employability focus. English literature graduates pursue careers in teaching, publishing, journalism, broadcasting, creative writing, arts administration, public relations, copywriting, law, the civil service, and many other analytical and communicative roles. Many graduates also continue to postgraduate study in English literature, creative writing, education, or a related field.