Course summary

Our foundation year offers the chance to strengthen your skills, knowledge and confidence – with extensive support from our expert staff – before you advance to stage one of your honours degree. It could also be beneficial if you are planning a career change and want to get to grips with aspects of subjects which are new to you. This distinctive, diverse and challenging programme provides a strong English Literature core to your degree, whilst offering options in English Language throughout. English at Derby has been ranked No.1 in the UK for overall student satisfaction in the National Student Survey 2022 English and Creative Writing at Derby has been ranked Top 30 in the Guardian University Guide 2023 The programme’s distinctive core of engagement with literary, critical and cultural theory will enable you to develop a highly nuanced and sophisticated approach to the analysis of literature, language and culture. You will explore fascinating aspects of the subject, including the evolution of fantasy, the representation of crime, the legacy of Empire, cultural politics, existentialist writing, classical myth and the 19th-century realist novel. Alongside the literature modules, you can also explore key areas in linguistics, including sociolinguistics, psycholingistics and the relationship between language and identity. This degree will change the way that you think: you will encounter a wide range of literature from across the globe, studied in the context of perspective-altering theories concerning identity, desire, cultural politics and the nature of reality itself. The course equips you with the skills and knowledge you need for excellent career prospects in fields which include (though are not limited to) teaching, journalism, publishing and arts administration. Our teaching team is made up of experts who are passionate about the subject and dedicated to your success. There is the opportunity to broaden your experience with work-based learning projects, study visits to cultural and heritage institutions, as well as lectures and seminars delivered by guest speakers. Our assessment strategy is designed to produce confident, articulate and independent graduates. There are no exams. As well as essays, you will be assessed on your participation in seminars and your ability to lead them. We also place great emphasis on developing your research skills, with conference papers and independent projects forming a key part of the second and third year. You can choose to study for a semester in one of our American partner universities.