Open University has participated in the Teaching Excellence Framework. These ratings were awarded in 2023, for four years.
Course summary
English literature is a broad, accessible and stimulating subject. If you are interested in reading between the lines and being challenged by new ideas and ways of seeing, then this course is for you. You'll study an exciting range of texts from many different periods and settings, including novels, drama and poetry, and discover multiple approaches for reading and interpreting them. You'll take a fresh look at familiar texts, and this will help you encounter new texts and ideas with confidence. You'll also develop your skills of analysis and communication. Key features of the course
- Learn how to analyse a wide range of texts, including novels, drama and poetry
- Discover the historical and cultural contexts that have shaped English literature
- Explore the work of famous authors alongside lesser-known but equally fascinating writers
- Have the option of studying creative writing or English language alongside English literature
- Develop advanced skills in analysis, evaluation, communication and critical thinking that are highly valued in the workplace
Modules
This degree has three stages. In Stage 1, you’ll encounter a variety of different times and places and engage with some fascinating people, artworks, ideas and stories. This broad foundation in cultural analysis will help you develop the skills and the confident, open approach you need to tackle more specialist literature modules at Stages 2 and 3. In Stage 2, you'll take a behind-the-scenes look at how stories are made and interpreted across a diversity of periods, from Shakespeare to Ali Smith. You'll analyse and respond to novels, dramas, poems, fairy tales, and short stories, discovering new ways of reading literature. Finally, in Stage 3, you can focus on two different periods in English literature: from Shakespeare to Jane Austen and from Dickens to the present day. Studying both will provide you with an advanced knowledge of a very wide chronological span of English literature. Alternatively, you can study one of the period-based modules and another that focuses on either creative writing or English language and creativity.
How to apply
To apply for this course you will be taken to the provider's website, where you can find out more information and make an application.
Points of entry
The following entry points are available for this course:
- Year 1
Entry requirements
Qualification requirements
There are no qualification requirements for this course.
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
No fee information has been provided for this course
Tuition fee status depends on a number of criteria and varies according to where in the UK you will study. For further guidance on the criteria for home or overseas tuition fees, please refer to the UKCISA website .
Additional fee information
2026/2027 academic year fees are not yet available.
Provider information
Open University
Student Recruitment Team
PO Box 197
Milton Keynes
MK7 6BJ