English Literature and Language

The combination of English language and English literature will appeal if you are interested in the reciprocity between language study and the reading of literary texts. It is a course that prepares you for detailed textual reading from both an analytical and aesthetic point of view, and is particularly suitable for those considering a career in editing, teaching English, or in any field in which writing style or the presentation of text is central. This degree is particularly distinctive in offering the opportunity to focus on both formal, theoretical language study as well as more traditional humanities-based linguistics such as discourse analysis. The course will provide you with a strong understanding of stylistic and grammatical issues, and of the principles of textual analysis, as well as developing your skills in communication and equipping you with the transferable and cognitive skills necessary for lifelong personal and professional development. Depending on whether the course is taken as a joint Honours or a major/ minor combination, the balance of the two subject areas varies. You will be able to study literature from Old English to the present day, including texts from outside the usual 'literary canon', while developing your understanding of the English language, the way it works and the way it may vary between different texts. You will have the opportunity to consider the tools of both literary analysis and language research in some detail. You will also consider the wider context in which literary works have been produced by focusing on the broader context of Western history and thought, and art and culture more generally. You will have the opportunity to examine a range of other cultural texts, such as architecture and the visual arts, and there is a wide range of additional topics available through option modules; you can also take a Westminster elective module from across the University in each year of study. In Year 3 you can complete a