Should I study English at uni? Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Hi. I am looking to return to uni in 2016 but am quite stumped on what course is best for me to do. I left in 2014 because my course wasn't right for me and I really don't want to make the same mistake again.

I did well in English Language at A level and enjoyed English throughout school and college which is why I am considering it for uni. My worry is that I don't know what the course will entail, there are different courses for English like, English w/ Creative Writing, just English, English Lit, English Lang etc so I don't know how these differ too much and what is the best one to pick and I also worry about what sort of job I would be able to get after. I know English is a pretty general degree but I just can't see what doors it would open for me.

If anyone who has studied, is studying, or knows anyone else studying English could offer me any advice I would be so grateful.

Many thanks!

Reply 1

Louise2706

Hello!

I'm currently an undergraduate English student who started uni in September 2014 and have so far been here for almost six months which is crazy. I've always been a lover of English all the way through school and it's always been what I would consider 'my thing' - I've also always been an avid reader. When it came to the point where I decided I wanted to go to uni, having it in mind that I would like to teach at some point in the future I was at first considering a teaching specific degree, although I soon changed my mind after doing research and attending open days (which is really important, and you already probably know that). I came to the decision to study English because it was something I loved and it's so wide and broad that at the end of it I could do so many different things other than teaching if I decided I wasn't interested anymore.

In the six months that I've been at uni so far, the biggest difference for me from A level is the level of independence and the quick pace. At uni, the contact hours for English are not a lot - probably eight (give or take) at the most and I do 50% literature, 25% language, and 25% creative writing. This means that in the free time I have it's up to you to do the reading required for the seminars, read the books that your seminars will be on, and when you have assignments, work on them without anyone moaning at you. When you have an assignment to do it will be up to you to go to the library and do some research to find books to help you and to find criticism and sources to support the points you make, etc. It's also at a much faster pace and sometimes it will feel like you're reading a few texts a week which is tough going. If you're organised and lover of English, you'll be fine! I wouldn't change it for anything, I love it.

Reply 2

Ftmshk

12

Have a look at Uni web sites and go to as many open days as you can to get a feel for different unis. If you're not sure, how about choosing a course that combines language and literature? Make sure that there is a wide voice of modules in case you want to specialise after the first year.

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Reply 3

The Empire Odyssey

21

Original post by aabeey

Hi. I am looking to return to uni in 2016 but am quite stumped on what course is best for me to do. I left in 2014 because my course wasn't right for me and I really don't want to make the same mistake again.

I did well in English Language at A level and enjoyed English throughout school and college which is why I am considering it for uni. My worry is that I don't know what the course will entail, there are different courses for English like, English w/ Creative Writing, just English, English Lit, English Lang etc so I don't know how these differ too much and what is the best one to pick and I also worry about what sort of job I would be able to get after. I know English is a pretty general degree but I just can't see what doors it would open for me.

If anyone who has studied, is studying, or knows anyone else studying English could offer me any advice I would be so grateful.

Many thanks!

It's funny cause when I was at Sixth Form, the (acting) assistant subject leader of English came into our Lit class and asked "how many people are applying for English for uni?" there was 16 of us and about 10-11 of us put our hands up. He said "(scoffs) By the end of it, you'll all hate reading".. And I believe him - now!

I am only first year and I agree with the first poster - in regards with the texts! The amount you have to read is truly horrendous. I've loved and found my passion for English only when I was in year 11 so only a couple of years ago.

But anyways, for one module I chose which was looking at drama throughout time we read plays like every week. And obvs, plays are shorter than novels. But you have one week to read Shakespeare, then you have one week to read Ibsen, then Churchill, etc etc. It was so fast paced. And on top of that, you have other texts to read for other modules. I did a Greek Mythology module and we also had to Greek plays every other week and that god intense. It's really hard cause throughout A-level you will read about 8 texts? Roughly. When you're in the first semester I read 12 plays. So as you can imagine it was a big step up.

Not to mention you HAVE to find time to rent out literary criticism for your assignments and it's not just merely reading 2 chapters from a specific text. It's reading a few chapters in 4 books. And that is almost a week's process on top of other assignments and lectures and stuff. So when someone says there's a lot of reading theres A LOT of reading. Some will love the criticism - others won't. I didn't and I'm pretty sure I won't either.

You basically analyse key bits in lectures and then discuss things in seminars. Then in between that you have to make sure you read the whole texts, read the specific thing for the seminar and make sure you do the activites before the seminar so you are prepared. Usually if you didn't do these things, you'll end up missing the seminar aha!

I did English Lit and History so my face should have been constantly in the books (it is for this sem). But you have to make sure you absolutely LOVE reading and love books. I know 2 of my friends did English cause they "good at it at A-level" or "I couldn't be bothered with anything else, cause English is so open after graduating" and they hate it and their motivation has been so poor! Make sure you're willing to read around the subject, like A LOT!

And be prepared to give up reading for pleasure. I always used to read before I went to bed, but you just cant cause by the end of the night, you are sick to death of reading. So for me, I just stick a film on and fall asleep to that aha.

Reply 4

mcgreevy1993

15

Original post by The Empire Odyssey

And be prepared to give up reading for pleasure. I always used to read before I went to bed, but you just cant cause by the end of the night, you are sick to death of reading. So for me, I just stick a film on and fall asleep to that aha.