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English DegreeTSR Wiki > University > Choosing a Subject > University Courses > English Degree Course OverviewUniversity course guidesAdmissionsAcademic RequirementsEntrance to undergraduate programmes is frequently very competitive, in particular for English Literature, where grades are largely stated as AAB-ABB; various universities such as Sussex and Exeter will often ask for AAA. Many will accept the combined English Language & Literature A Level (especially where the straight course is not offered by the school) for entrance to English Literature courses. For English Language or combined linguistics courses, it is generally necessary to offer one of these courses at A Level. First of all, I'm going to offer instructions on where to look for course requirements if they aren’t included in the list I will provide shortly - I’m unlikely to get everything, sorry! I don’t mean to patronise at all either, as I’m sure many of you have already done this kind of thing, but I wouldn’t want people to waste an application place by applying to Warwick with Combined English A-Level or something similar. Anyway, here’s my guide. 1. If you have a university in mind, google their website. We’ll use the example of Reading whose website, google tells me, is here. Like most, the address ends in .ac.uk - that’ll tell you, if you’re unsure, that it’s definitely the official website. 2. Next step, seek out the prospective undergraduate section. Most of these websites are relatively easy to navigate. For Reading, you need to head for Prospective Students, Full-time Undergraduate Degrees, A-Z of Subjects, English and then BA English which brings up a factfile. 3. Then, just check out the requirements. To study English (Q300) at Reading you’ll need either 320 points from 3 A-levels or 340 points from 3 A-levels and 1AS. They do not accept General Studies. Alternatively, you can check through UCAS! Just head to UCAS website and click Course Search, then 2006, Subject Search, E, English, select the type of English you want and then play around - you’ll find out that they offer. Onto to choosing the right universities to fill your six spaces. I always found that a good starting point were various University league tables - now they’re not the letter of the law or anything, but they can give you some good ideas, so my advice would be that - if you haven’t already - you should take a look. The Times Good University Guide for English and The Guardian’s University Guide for English are just two examples which offer different information and points of view. NB: Candidates for English courses are rarely interviewed. As such, the subject of interviews will only be mentioned in the guides below if they are a common occurrence at that university. If there is no mention of interviews in the guide for a particular university, you may assume that interviews are almost exclusively reserved for mature students and other exceptional cases.
AberdeenRAE 2008: #5 AberystwythCourse: BA English Q300; 3 years Anglia RuskinRAE 2008: #8 BangorRAE 2008: #11 Bath SpaRAE 2008: #19 BedfordshireRAE 2008: #20 Birkbeck CollegeRAE 2008: #7 Bishop Grosseteste University CollegeRAE 2008: #28 BirminghamCourse: BA English Q300; 3 years Birmingham CityRAE 2008: #21 BoltonRAE 2008: #30 BrightonCourse: BA English Literature Q320; 3 years BristolCourse: BA English Q300; 3 years BrunelRAE 2008: #12 CambridgeCourse: BA English Q300; 3 years Canterbury Christ ChurchRAE 2008: #28 CardiffCourse: BA English Literature Q306; 3 years Central LancashireCourse: BA English Literature Q306; 3 years ChesterRAE 2008: #23 ChichesterRAE 2008: #22 CumbriaRAE 2008: #29 De MontfortCourse: BA English Q300; 3 years DundeeRAE 2008: #13 DurhamCourse: BA English Q300; 3 years East AngliaRAE 2008: #7 EdinburghCourse: MA English Literature Q306; 4 years Edge HillRAE 2008: #27 EssexRAE 2008: #10 ExeterCourse: BA English Q300; 3 years GlamorganRAE 2008: #14 GlasgowRAE 2008: #4 GloucestershireRAE 2008: #19 Goldsmiths CollegeRAE 2008: #9 GreenwichRAE 2008: #26 HerefordshireRAE 2008: #14 HuddersfieldRAE 2008: #22 HullRAE 2008: #11 KentRAE 2008: #6 KeeleRAE 2008: #11 King's CollegeCourse: BA English Language and Literature Q300; 3 years KingstonRAE 2008: #14 LancasterRAE 2008: #8 LeicesterCourse: BA English Q300; 3 years Leeds Trinity & All SaintsRAE 2008: #23 LiverpoolCourse: BA English Q300; 3 years Liverpool HopeRAE 2008: #29 Liverpool John MooresRAE 2008: #20 LoughboroughCourse: BA English Q300; 3 years ManchesterRAE 2008: #2 Manchester MetropolitanRAE 2008: #15 MiddlesexRAE 2008: #17 NapierRAE 2008: #22 NewcastleRAE 2008: #5 NorthamptonRAE 2008: #24 NorthumbriaRAE 2008: #20 NottinghamCourse: BA English Q300; 3 years Nottingham TrentRAE 2008: #12 OpenRAE 2008: #8 OxfordCourse: BA English Language and Literature Q300; 3 years Oxford BrookesRAE 2008: #14 PlymouthRAE 2008: #21 Queen MaryCourse: BA English Q300; 3 years Queen's University BelfastRAE 2008: #5 ReadingRAE 2008: #7 RoehamptonRAE 2008: #16 Royal HollowayRAE 2008: #6 SalfordRAE 2008: #15 SheffieldRAE 2008: #7 Sheffield HallamRAE 2008: #18 SouthamptonRAE 2008: #7 St. AndrewsCourse: MA English Q300; 4 years St. Mary's University CollegeRAE 2008: #26 StirlingRAE 2008: #11 StrathclydeRAE 2008: #12 SunderlandRAE 2008: #14 SussexCourse:BA English: 3 years SwanseaRAE 2008: #10 UlsterRAE 2008: #17 University College LondonCourse: BA English Q300; 3 years University College PlymouthRAE 2008: #32 WalesRAE 2008: #28 WarwickCourse: BA English Literature Q300; 3 years West of EnglandRAE 2008: #18 WestminsterRAE 2008: #25 WorcesterRAE 2008: #24 YorkCourse: BA English Q300; 3 years York St. JohnRAE 2008: #31 UCAS Form & Personal StatementCourse StructureLife as an English StudentGraduate Destinations and Career ProspectsA degree in English encourages proficient skills in writing, communication and analysis. Graduates find employment in a diversity of areas, particularly law, journalism, the media, teaching, publishing, finance and consultancy. Of course, a proportion go on to study postgraduate research degrees. Frequently Asked QuestionsWill I need English Literature or Language at A Level? Yes. You will most often be required to have taken A Level English Literature or combined English Language and Literature. English Language on its own is not sufficient for the study of English Literature at University Level. Realistically, what sort of grades will I need to get into a top university for English? The standard offer now for an English degree at a "top university" is around the AAA/AAB level. Some applicants have been successful in gaining a place despite obtaining ABB in their final exams, as the university may still consider you if they have not filled all of their places yet. English degrees are notoriously competitive to get onto. Do not assume that although a university you have applied for is lower down the league tables or less known for the subject, that you will get a place regardless of obtaining the conditions of your offer. E.g. The University of Sussex, although currently 34th in the latest league tables for English, asks for AAA at A Level and a lot of people have been unsuccessful in obtaining a place, even with AAB. Is general studies accepted as a third or fourth A Level subject for English? Every University has its own specific requirements. Lots of new universities welcome the qualification, however most traditional or "old" universities tend to only accept general studies if you have missed the conditions of your offer. There are, however, some respectable universities which do welcome General Studies as part of the conditional offer, such as Sussex and Liverpool. Will I have to work hard? Yes. And no. If you find reading the political essays of Marxist theorists tedious, comparing Jane Austen to Stephen King just silly, and if male, would feel shocked that you write with the phallic pen of female oppression. Then maybe this degree is not for you and you will find it hard to grasp the various theories and concepts that make up the study of literature. However, you may find this all incredibly interesting and the work will be a joy for you. Either way, you will have to write many essays, read a LOT of books and remain enthusiastic for the subject in order to succeed. (Like any other subject you may take!) Is English a "blagging" degree? Definitely not. Many people have found that they come to University, believing that they can just read the texts and achieve top marks in the exam the next day like in A Level, however this is not the case. Many people choose an English degree because they did well in English at A Level through "blagging". You will be very disappointed when you realise you cannot do this anymore! University Level essays and exams require a much broader and deeper knowledge and grasp of the subject. Yes you may get away with the odd essay or two where you didn't really bother but managed to achieve a 2.1, but for those of you looking for top marks, you will need to work a lot, read widely around the subject and be prepared to undertake a lot of extra research, time management and self-discipline in order to succeed.
Yes! English is a fascinating and diverse subject, allowing you to explore your interests in other interdisciplinary areas such as psychology, philosophy, history or media. If you attend a university that offers a flexible combined honours (Durham, De Montfort, Exeter) you will be able to combine a wide range of subjects into your degree, whether it be English and Maths, or English and International Relations, you will be able to find the course that most satisfies your interests. |
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