Advanced/Advanced Subsidiary GCE English Literature

Advanced/Advanced Subsidiary GCE English Literature

Entry Requirements
Grade C or above in GCSE English/ English Literature and a passion for reading.

About the Course

Advanced/Advanced Subsidiary GCE English Literature is a popular course which will give you the opportunity to study a range of pre-twentieth century and contemporary literature. On this course, you will be encouraged to develop your confidence as an independent reader and as a critical/creative writer, exploring comparisons and connections between texts, considering other readers' interpretations and appreciating the contexts in which texts were written. You will examine some texts closely as well as reading more widely. You will develop your essay writing skills and explore ways of writing creatively. If you enjoy reading, like arguing about what things mean and love exploring the ways those meanings are made, this is the course for you! During the AS course, you will study drama, poetry and prose as well as having the opportunity to produce your own prose, poetry or drama, inspired by your independent reading. Your lessons may involve pair work, group presentations and class discussion. You can expect friendly support in and outside lesson time from your literature teachers.

Texts that we currently study at AS include the Brian Friel's play Dancing at Lughnasa, the poetry of Eavan Boland and Clare Pollard and the work of Thomas Hardy. In the A2 year, you will continue to broaden and deepen your understanding of the cultural and historical influences on writers and readers, studying texts from different periods and genres. The A2 coursework will involve a comparative study of three texts: the poetry of Tony Harrison, Dickens' Great Expectations plus another novel. You will study some pre-twentieth century poetry, such as the Lyrical Ballads of Wordsworth and Coleridge and you will compare a Shakespeare play with another play. Assessment will be by way of examination (worth 30%) and coursework (worth 20%) in each year.

A level English Literature is clearly ideal if you want to go to university to study literature or other related subjects such as journalism, linguistics, creative writing or media studies and it is also a good foundation for a teaching degree. However, the skills of analysis and expression that you develop on the course are applicable to a wide range of university courses and careers. Most importantly, as literature is about life, it engages your heart as well as your mind.