[menaa-x]

Is there anyone here doing an english degree at rhul?
Whats its like?

[mally06]

I am in my second year for English, and it's ok. In the first year there are no course options, so i'd advise you to have a look at the courses and see if they appeal to you. You get to start choosing from your second year, but there are still 2 compulsory one's that you take, both of which are dreadful.

Workload is not that much as long as you don't fall behind with reading your novels, you should be ok. Contact hours per week for first year are only about 9 hours. You are likely to get 2 days off a week which is always a bonus.

[menaa-x]

Originally Posted by mally06

I am in my second year for English, and it's ok. In the first year there are no course options, so i'd advise you to have a look at the courses and see if they appeal to you. You get to start choosing from your second year, but there are still 2 compulsory one's that you take, both of which are dreadful.

Workload is not that much as long as you don't fall behind with reading your novels, you should be ok. Contact hours per week for first year are only about 9 hours. You are likely to get 2 days off a week which is always a bonus.

is the first year quite boring 8-)?

[geetar]

I'm enjoying it (first year).

[golddust44]

I'm looking into getting into Royal Holloway for English through UCAS Extra. The course sounds amazing imo.

[russiaismyvogue]

English is a doss ,I was accidentely in an English lecture the other week,it lasted about 20 mins ,with no register having to be signed ,while the lecturer made a few jokes about germaine greer and feminism and let everyone go early ,I literally cried when I came out that I hadn't chosen English instead of Biology which is like 48 hours a week .

[impsmith]

Originally Posted by menaa-x

is the first year quite boring 8-)?

very boring, yeah. A lot of the novels are almost archaic, and medieval/old english is (for me, at least) such a snooze. Shakespeare is ok (though you do rush through it a bit) and poetry is very hit-and-miss; it can be interesting, depending on the poet. Critical practice has generally been good.

Most of the lectures are at least 50% a biographical description of the writer/movement and most of the lecturers have no idea how to speak to a group of people - the lectures are interesting but generally pointless as you can't hold your attention.

The good news is that you don't actually have to read any of the stuff on the syllabus or go to any of the lectures to get a decent grade. (Wikipedia and sparknotes are your friends). I haven't read anything since before Christmas and I've never got below a single 59%.