Course summary

Are you fascinated by literature and its cultural and political contexts? Our BA English offers you the chance to study the full range of English literature and to develop valuable new skills in writing, reading and critical thinking. Based in our historic campus in the heart of London, you’ll gain a detailed knowledge of literary works from the medieval period to the present day and discover authors from a variety of places and cultures. Foundational modules will introduce you to key techniques in literary analysis, and show how theoretical approaches can transform the ways in which you read and think, such as:

• feminism

• post-colonialism

• psychoanalysis.

• Birkbeck was ranked 2nd in the UK for its English Language and Literature research in the 2021 Research Excellence Framework.

• You could be studying in a building that was once home to Virginia Woolf and frequented by members of the Bloomsbury Group - now home to our School of Arts - and be taught by leading novelists, dramatists and artists. The building houses our own creative hub which includes the Peltz Gallery, the Gordon Square Cinema and a theatre and performance space.

• Based at the heart of one of the world's most exciting cities, we combine lectures, seminars and workshops with visits to theatres and other cultural and artistic institutions, and we frequently collaborate with leading arts, cultural, theatre and dance and performing arts organisations, allowing you to ground your studies in real-world practice.

• editorial assistant

• newspaper/magazine journalist

• writer

• academic librarian

• public relations officer.