English Literature Applicants 2014 at York St John

I've applied for Creative Writing and English Literature and apparently we share a lot of lectures and stuff!

I'm so glad to hear that someone else is doing a similar course! Are you excited to start the course?

Me too! Yes i'm super excited! I've emailed them and asked them for the reading list, out first book we're studying is "Ovid, Metamorphoses: a New Verse Translation Penguin New Ed. Edition, ISBN 014044789X"

Omg thank you for that, I didn't know. Did you just email the admissions or the department? I can't wait to see what we are studying.

The admissions they've given me near enough the full reading list and it ranges from 101 Sonnets from Shakespeare to Heaney to Never Let Me Go and Room There's about 7 on the list

I adore Never Let Me Go. I'll have to drop them an email. It's sad, but I'm really looking forward to finding out what we will be studying. So excited for September!

I've got the full reading list If I can find out how to, I'll email them to you now! Also, do you know what accommodation you're staying in? My first option is Limes Court!

I've received your email, thank you so much for sending me the list! I went out to look for some of the books today in a second-hand bookshop, but I was out of luck haha. I've applied for York St John central as my first option

You're most welcome! Aw that one looks so nice!

Hi,
I've firmed York St John and I'm going to study English Literature. I was just wondering if anybody else has applied for the same course?

Hi, I've firmed York St John for English Literature and English Language

Hi! I'm actually not in your year - I just finished my first year on English Lit at York St John a little while ago. I'll be happy to answer any questions you might have about the course though! I enjoyed the first year of my course a lot actually! It's pretty interesting and you do cover a lot!

Hi It's great to see other people doing similar courses. Are you looking forward to September?



Thank you I was wondering about the assignments and independent study. Is the work load generally alright, or can it be a bit overwhelming at times?

Hi It's great to see other people doing similar courses. Are you looking forward to September?

Yeah I'm really excited, are you? Quite nervous about it all too though as it's such a big life change! What made you pick York St John?

I'll be doing English Literature and Media.
I don't have facebook so I'm quite glad I've found people who'll be starting with me!
I was wondering when we'd find out our reading list, but if you just emailed them then I'll just do the same!

I'm actually going to be turning 21 in October, and have already done a year and a term of University in Manchester (I was doing International Business and Fashion Marketing- bit of a change!) so have asked to go into a Studio flat in halls as I'll just feel so old compared to all you young'uns!

The work load is seriously fine - though it can be a bit stressed when you've got 3 assignments at once! The way it works is you do 2 assignments for each module, and you do 3 modules in each semester, so that's 12 assignments in total. Usually, it's an essay, though there is a presentation you'll probably have to make in front of one of your classes (usually about 20 people so it's not too bad).

The assignments aren't too bad if you don't mind essays, and there are usually 3 which have to be in over a period of about 2-3 weeks. If you've got yourself organised you'll be fine. Your first 3 assignments will only be 1000 or 1500 words which is really not all that much at all/ These are in at roughly reading week (or they were for me!). You do really need to use secondary sources but those are easy enough to find - there's a theory book on your core reading anyway! Your next lot in semester 1 will be around Christmas time, so after you've finished basically. Those are a bit longer though - I know for a fact there were some 2500 word ones there!

Not too scary in Semester 2 though - my first 3 - 1000-1500 words again, were in a little before easter, although there was one which you only have a week for but that was fine as it was a straight up close reading exercise with no extra reading. My final 3 essays (1500-2000 words) were in a month ago, all between the 9th and 16th of May! I had to get really organised ahead of time for these because I'd learned my lesson - it's not a good idea to cram in an essay over about or under 4 days! You may get overwhelmed, but only when you've got all your deadlines looming, so this will not be common or often.

They're all submitted over Moodle and due at 11:55pm. They'll be marked and returned (again over moodle) in about 3 weeks from then. No exams at all!

If I'm honest, you can often get away with not actually doing your reading, but I don't recommend not starting your books at all. Only if you're desperate and really out of time!

In my groups we didn't actually get assigned much/any independent study, so really don't worry!.

So basically you've got a lot of time to do whatever you like - whether that's drinking, socialising, shopping, generally chilling or (my personal favourite) going for fudge from the fudge shop!

The word count for the essays doesn't sound too bad, so that's a relief! I'm glad to hear that there are no exams because I always panic in case I do bad on that one day.
This probably sounds like a stupid question, but are you allowed to talk to Professors during office hours for advice on essays?
Ooo, I'll have to visit the fudge shop! My friend has just finished her first year doing drama there and she said she's going to show me the best places to buy cakes in York haha