Music and English Literature

Music and English literature together make a natural and intellectually rich combination, united by a shared concern with how human beings use organised form, whether sound or language, to create and communicate meaning. Music is one of the most universal of human activities, present in every culture, while literature in the English language encompasses some of the most significant writing of the past six centuries. Studying them alongside each other sharpens your attention to form, structure, interpretation, and cultural context in both.

At Cardiff University this three-year full-time programme develops you as both a musician and a literary scholar. In music you will combine historical and analytical study of Western classical and popular music with practical work, exploring the repertoire from the Renaissance to the present and developing your understanding of how musical structures create their effects. In English literature you will study poetry, prose fiction, and drama across periods and traditions, developing the skills of close reading, interpretation, and argument that are central to the discipline.

The two strands are taught by specialists in each field, and you will find that the questions raised in one shed light on the other.

Cardiff's music department is active in both performance and musicological research, and the city's vibrant cultural life provides a rich context for musical study. The combination of analytical rigour and creative engagement develops skills in critical thinking, writing, and communication that are valued across many professions.

Graduates go on to careers in music education, arts administration, broadcasting, publishing, journalism, cultural organisations, and the creative industries. Many also continue to postgraduate study in music, musicology, literature, creative writing, or arts management.