English Literature BA (Hons)

Study level: Undergraduate
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Coventry University’s English Literature course offers you the opportunity to study literature of all periods from the Medieval to the present day.

Year of entry

2025-26

Location

Coventry University (Coventry)

Study mode

Full-time
Part-time
Sandwich

Duration

3 years full-time
4 years sandwich
Flexible part-time

Course code

Q311

Start date

September 2025


Course overview

If you have a passion for literature and want to further develop your knowledge of the major genres and periods of English literature, as well as explore Anglophone writing and literature in translation from around the world, then this is the degree course for you.

  • Innovative assessments move beyond the traditional essay and presentation formats to include digital and multimedia projects, ensuring you graduate with toolkit of skills and experience to give you a flying start in the world of work.
  • Discover a wide range of novels, plays and poetry from the ancient to the contemporary, and from the local to the global.
  • There is a focus on your application of new and cutting-edge theories and ways to analyse texts. Such examples include posthumanism, ecocriticism and critical race theory. This is to help you generate new insights of your own, building on literary history and the interpretations of others. At Coventry, we want to inspire you to keep learning even after graduation.
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Rated Gold Overall

Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF) 2023

Five stars in a speech bubble.

5 QS Stars for Teaching and Facilities

QS Stars University Ratings

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Top 5 Student City in England (Coventry)

QS Best Student Cities Index 2025

Why you should study this course

  • Analyse the gothic, fantasy and speculative fictions, African-American literature, Anglophone world literatures, and literatures of the American West.
  • You may have the opportunity to apply for a work placement to help you explore your potential career path and gain valuable work experience2.
  • You will seek to develop a dynamic online presence through the creation of an individual website, which will allow you to present prospective employers with an online portfolio of degree-level work.
  • You will have the opportunity to join a range of societies which aim to develop your interest in literature, film, and theatre, as well as promoting social events2

What you'll study

This course has a common first year.

The common first year enables you to work alongside students doing similar courses to you, to widen your knowledge and exposure to other subject areas and professions. You will have the opportunity to collaborate with other students, so you can share your insights and experience which will help you to develop and learn. 

If you discover an interest in a specific subject you have studied, upon successful completion of your first year, you could swap degrees with another course in your common first year (subject to meeting progression requirements).

Common first year courses

  • English Language and Literature BA (Hons)
  • English Literature BA (Hons)
  • English and Creative Writing BA (Hons)
  • English and TESOL BA (Hons)

In your first year, the curriculum is shared across related courses allowing you to gain a broad grounding in the discipline before going on, into your second and final years, to specialist modules in your chosen field. 

Modules

In your second year, you will continue to develop the skills and knowledge you’ve learnt. We do this by embedding the following four principles into the curriculum and developing your: 

  • technical skills – digital fluency, backed with the right academic knowledge
  • study skills – to be an adaptive, independent and proactive learner
  • professional skills – to have the behaviour and abilities to succeed in your career
  • global awareness – the beliefs and abilities to be a resilient, confident and motivated global citizen

In your second year, you will develop more advanced knowledge and skills to do with: Shakespeare, gender and sexuality and 21st century literature, amongst others. 

Modules

There’s no better way to find out what you love doing than trying it out for yourself, which is why a work placement2 can often be beneficial. Work placements usually occur between your second and final year of study. They’re a great way to help you explore your potential career path and gain valuable work experience, whilst developing transferable skills for the future.

If you choose to do a work placement year, you will pay a reduced tuition fee3 of £1,250. For more information, please go to the fees and funding section. During this time you will receive guidance from your employer or participating institution, along with your assigned academic mentor who will ensure you have the support you need to complete your placement.

Modules

Your final year aims to bring you to the level to enter the world of work by consolidating your knowledge and skills from your first and second years. You could also work on a large final project in an area of your interest, with the support of a mentor. 

You will be asked to choose optional modules on top of the compulsory module, ‘Reading #BlackLivesMatter’, to total 120 credits in your final year. 

Modules

We regularly review our course content, to make it relevant and current for the benefit of our students. For these reasons, course modules may be updated.


How you'll learn

This course can be offered on a part-time basis. Whilst we would like to give you all the information about our part-time offering here, it is tailored for each course each year depending on the number of part-time applicants. Therefore, the part-time teaching arrangements vary. Request further information about part-time study.

Teaching contact hours

We understand that everyone learns differently, so each of our courses will consist of structured teaching sessions, which can include: 

  • on campus lectures, seminars and workshops 
  • group work 
  • self-directed learning 
  • work placement opportunities2

As a full-time undergraduate student, you will study modules totalling 120 credits each academic year. A typical 20 credit module requires a total of 200 hours study. This is made up of teaching contact hours, guided and independent study.

Teaching hours:

Teaching hours vary each semester, year of study and due to module selection. During your first year you can expect 15-18 teaching hours each week. You will also have the option to attend optional sessions including time with a progress coach or to meet with staff for advice and feedback. As you progress through your studies, teaching hours may reduce.

Guided and independent study:

Throughout your studies, you will be expected to spend time in guided and independent study to make up the required study hours per module. You’ll be digging deeper into topics, review what you’ve learned and complete assignments. This can be completed around your personal commitments. As you progress through your studies, you’ll spend more time in independent study.

Online learning:

As an innovative university, we use different teaching methods including online tools and emerging technologies. So, some of your teaching hours and assessments may be delivered online.


Assessment

This course will be assessed using a variety of methods which will vary depending upon the module.

Assessment methods may include:

  • phase tests
  • essays
  • group work
  • presentations
  • reports
  • projects
  • coursework
  • individual assignments.

The Coventry University Group assessment strategy ensures that our courses are fairly assessed and allows us to monitor student progression towards achieving the intended learning outcomes.  


International experience opportunities

This course has a multicultural and international outlook, and we use a range of international texts and authors.

You have the opportunity to undertake a Study Abroad Year or International Placement Year after successful completion of two years of study2.  

Please note that all international experience opportunities may be subject to additional costs, competitive application, availability, and meeting applicable visa and travel requirements, and are therefore not guaranteed2.

Studying at Coventry University has been an incredible experience. I have acquired many useful skills and expertise, made remarkable connections and enjoyed myself immensely. The professors have been very forthcoming in providing help and counsel during my studies.

Aksshat Goel, First year English Literature BA (Hons) student, April 2022
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Entry requirements

Typical entry requirements:

Requirement What we're looking for
UCAS points 112
A level BBC
GCSE Minimum 5 GCSEs at grade 4/C or above to include English
BTEC DMM
IB Diploma 29 points
Access to HE The Access to HE Diploma. Plus GCSE English at grade 4 / C or above.

Other qualifications and experience

Our students come from a variety of backgrounds, each with a unique story. We recognise a breadth of qualifications. If your qualifications differ from the above, contact our Admissions Team who will be happy to discuss your qualifications and routes into your chosen course.

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Contextual offers and Fair Access Scheme

If you meet the criteria for our Fair Access Scheme, you could automatically receive a contextual offer that may be up to 24 UCAS points lower than our standard entry requirements. View the criteria for our Fair Access Scheme.

Select your region to find detailed information about entry requirements:


You can view our full list of country specific entry requirements on our Entry requirements page.

Alternatively, visit our International hub for further advice and guidance on finding in-country agents and representatives, joining our in-country events and how to apply.

English language requirements

  • IELTS: 6.0 overall (with at least 5.5 in each component area)

If you don't meet the English language requirements, you can achieve the level you need by successfully completing a pre-sessional English programme before you start your course.

For more information on our approved English language tests visit our English language requirements page.

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Fees and funding

Student Full-time Part-time
UK, Ireland*, Channel Islands or Isle of Man 2025/26 fees TBC
2024/25 fees - £9,250 per year
Request fee information
EU 2025/26 fees TBC
2024/25 fees - £9,250 per year with EU Support Bursary**
2025/26 fees TBC
2024/25 fees - £16,800 per year without EU Support Bursary**
Not available
International 2025/26 fees TBC
2024/25 fees - £16,800 per year
Not available

If you choose to study this course with a professional placement2 or study abroad year, you will need to pay a tuition fee3 of £1,250 to cover your academic support throughout your placement year.

For advice and guidance on tuition fees and student loans visit our Undergraduate Finance page and see the university’s Tuition Fee and Refund Terms and Conditions.

The University will charge the tuition fees that are stated in the above table for the first Academic Year of study. The University will review tuition fees each year. For UK (home) students, if Parliament permits an increase in tuition fees, the university may increase fees for each subsequent year of study in line with any such changes. Note that any increase is expected to be in line with inflation.

For international students, we may increase fees each year, but such increases will be no more than 5% above inflation. If you defer your course start date or have to extend your studies beyond the normal duration of the course (e.g. to repeat a year or resit examinations) the University reserves the right to charge you fees at a higher rate and/or in accordance with any legislative changes during the additional period of study.

We offer a range of International scholarships to students all over the world. For more information, visit our International Scholarships page.

Tuition fees cover the cost of your teaching, assessments, facilities and support services. There may be additional costs not covered by this fee such as accommodation and living costs, recommended reading books, stationery, printing and re-assessments should you need them.

The following are additional costs not included in the tuition fees:

  • any optional overseas field trips or visits: £400+ per trip
  • any costs associated with securing, attending or completing a placement (whether in the UK or abroad).

Find out what's included in your tuition costs.

*Irish student fees

The rights of Irish residents to study in the UK are preserved under the Common Travel Area arrangement. If you are an Irish student and meet the residency criteria, you can study in England, pay the same level of tuition fees as English students and utilise the Tuition Fee Loan.

**EU Support Bursary

Following the UK's exit from the European Union, we are offering financial support to all eligible EU students who wish to study an undergraduate or a postgraduate degree with us full-time. This bursary will be used to offset the cost of your tuition fees to bring them in line with that of UK students. Students studying a degree with a foundation year with us are not eligible for the bursary.


Facilities

You will benefit from studying on our well-equipped, modern campus4.

Delia Derbyshire building

Delia Derbyshire Building

The Delia Derbyshire complex offers more space to learn, design and make, including a hyper-studio for students across all disciplines to collaborate on projects together, a gallery space and an events atrium.

 

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The Library

You will benefit from our support designed to help you succeed and our industry-relevant teaching and resources. These include our modern library and computing facilities, dedicated careers advice and Your Students’ Union.

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George Eliot building

Named after one of the leading writers of the Victorian age, the George Eliot building is the city centre home of English studies at Coventry University. Mingle with like minded students, cross the Edible Garden campus to relax at the Hub, or take the few minutes walk to immerse yourself in books at the Lanchester library.

Facilities are subject to availability. Access to some facilities (including some teaching and learning spaces) may vary from those advertised and/or may have reduced availability or restrictions where the university is following public authority guidance, decisions or orders.


Careers and opportunities

Graduates in English literature go on to a very wide range of employment destinations and are typically well suited to any career in which communication and intercultural skills are paramount.

On successful completion of the course, you should be a globally and interculturally-aware graduate ready to make a dynamic difference in the world. Since our degree aims to develop your ability to use language effectively and appropriately in a range of circumstances, it may open up a wide range of career options over and above the professions associated with English. Such examples include journalism, publishing, marketing, public relations, advertising, teaching, the civil service or the media.

We are committed to preparing you for your future career and to give you a competitive edge in the graduate job market. The university's dedicated employability support, the Talent Team4, provide a wide range of support services to help you plan and prepare for your career. 

Further study

You can choose to continue your studies at Coventry University with the English Literature MA. You may be entitled to an alumni discount on your fees if you decide to extend your time with us by progressing from undergraduate to postgraduate study.

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