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English with Foundation Year at Birkbeck, University of London - UCAS

Course options

2024 - 20252025 - 2026
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There are other course options available which may have a different vacancy status or entry requirements – view the full list of options

Birkbeck, University of London has participated in the Teaching Excellence Framework.These ratings were awarded in 2023, for four years.

What does this TEF outcome mean?

Open days

29Jun
Birkbeck, University of London - June Open Day
Undergraduate

Course summary

If you are passionate about literature, culture, ideas and writing, our BA English offers you a varied and flexible course with teaching that builds on the rich literary and cultural history of the local area. You will study some of the most cutting-edge authors, deepen your analytical capacity, expand your knowledge and understanding, and become a skilled reader, writer and communicator. Why choose this course?

  • On this BA English, you will be supported to be the best thinker, reader and writer you can be. Our classrooms are inspiring, stimulating and welcoming, and our academics regularly receive teaching awards.
  • We offer you an exciting and varied curriculum with opportunities to choose modules that match your interests. You will have the opportunity to discover groundbreaking texts that include medieval, Gothic, Victorian and contemporary literatures.
  • We welcome and support an international and intergenerational community of students that want to explore the role of literature, the humanities and the arts, in addressing the most urgent issues of our times.
What you will learn We focus on three main approaches to studying English: storytelling, making stories and understanding texts. We pride ourselves on offering you a wide range of modules that expand the boundaries of literature and your understanding of the world, but also support your career aspirations. These span the medieval to contemporary periods and include creative writing, theatre, film, poetry, science fiction and more. You will study fiction, non-fiction, autobiography, biography, literary criticism, essays, poetry and plays in interdisciplinary contexts to understand how literature shapes, and is shaped by, our contemporary cultural climate as well as traditions and legacies of the past. How you will learn You will be taught in lectures, small seminar groups and workshops. You will engage in literary study in a cultural and global context while finessing your writing skills, and participate in events involving internationally acclaimed critics, writers, actors and philosophers. Foundation Year If you opt for the Foundation Year route, this will fully prepare you for undergraduate study. It is ideal if you are returning to study after a gap, or if you have not previously studied the relevant subjects, or if you didn't achieve the grades you need for a place on your chosen undergraduate degree. Highlights
  • Birkbeck was ranked 2nd in the UK for its English Language and Literature research in the 2021 Research Excellence Framework.
  • Birkbeck is located in the heart of literary London, in Bloomsbury, WC1. You could be studying in a building that was once home to Virginia Woolf and frequented by members of the Bloomsbury Group.
  • 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.
  • If you opt for the three-year full-time or four-year part-time course, you can apply to take part in a competitive industry placement module.
Careers and employability On successfully graduating from this BA English, you will have gained an array of important transferable skills, including:
  • collaboration and group work skills
  • cultural understanding and communication skills
  • a sophisticated use of written and spoken English
  • an ability to understand, critique and defend complex and important ideas
  • planning and organisation skills.
You can find our graduates in a wide range of roles in the creative industries, as well as in education, law, the civil service and business roles. Our graduates may also pursue career paths in writing and journalism, publishing, editing or research.

Modules

For information about course structure and the modules you will be studying, please visit Birkbeck’s online prospectus.

Assessment method

A mixture of continuous assessment of written work and examinations, and a 7000-word dissertation.

How to apply

31Jan

This is the deadline for applications to be completed and sent for this course. If the university or college still has places available you can apply after this date, but your application is not guaranteed to be considered.

Points of entry

The following entry points are available for this course:

  • Foundation

International applicants

If English is not your first language or you have not previously studied in English, our usual requirement is the equivalent of an International English Language Testing System (IELTS Academic Test) score of 6.5, with not less than 6.0 in each of the sub-tests. We also accept other English language tests.

Entry requirements

Qualification requirements

We welcome applicants without traditional entry qualifications as we base decisions on our own assessment of qualifications, knowledge and previous work experience. We may waive formal entry requirements based on judgement of academic potential.

Student Outcomes

Operated by the Office for Students

There is no data available for this course. For further information visit the Discover Uni website.

Fees and funding

Tuition fees

England £4625 Year 1
Northern Ireland £4625 Year 1
Scotland £4625 Year 1
Wales £4625 Year 1
International £8810 Year 1

Additional fee information

Home students: Year 1&2: £4,625 per year Year 3+: £6,935 per year International students: Year 1&2: £8,810 per year Year 3+: £12,615 per year Students are charged a tuition fee in each year of their course. Tuition fees for students continuing on their course in following years may be subject to annual inflationary increases.
English with Foundation Year at Birkbeck, University of London - UCAS