As an English Literature student at Bangor, you will study the full range of literature from the medieval to the contemporary and develop your individual interests. In Year One, you will gain highly employable key skills in critical analysis, alongside a grounding in major literary works and popular genres. In Years Two and Three, there is an exciting choice of modules focused on historical periods and those focused on genres and topics (e.g. Arthurian, Fantasy, Welsh writing in English, Dystopian), and the chance to develop your own research project.

As one of the oldest English Literature departments in the UK, we have a strong history of world-class research and teaching. Our specialisms range from the literatures of the Middle Ages, Renaissance period, through to Victorian and Modernist forms. Our lecturers are established names in their respective fields, publishing on a range of topics, including gender and devotion, materiality and book history, social networks and infrastructure. Your time with us will enable you to engage directly with this thriving research culture, and to build your own writing and research skills, which are highly valued by employers.

Why choose Bangor for this course?

• Small group teaching and lectures and one-to-one supervision.
• Bangor is an inspiring location for literary study.
• The world-class quality of research and writing was recognised in the most recent Research Excellence Framework (REF 2014), placing us in the UK Top 10 for research intensity.
• Close links with Pontio, the University’s Arts Centre, local theatres, poetry groups and vibrant student societies – including our Bangor English Drama Society (BEDS).

Each of your chosen modules will have around 2-3 hours of face-to-face teaching each week. Teaching usually takes the form of small seminars, lectures, and workshops, where you will get the chance to meet and engage with your peers. Outside of the classroom and lecture room, students can take part in extracurricular activities, such as trips to libraries, archives, museums, and to the theatre.

Assessment methods can take the form of written coursework, take-home exams, as well as oral presentations.

The skills of critical thinking, theorising, research analysis, and debate, which you will develop in your readings of a large number of plays, poems, novels, and other written forms, are transferrable to most sectors. Jobs directly related to this degree include scholarly editing, copywriting, journalism, and secondary-school teaching, as well as education consultancy, advertising and marketing, and librarianship. Our students also embark on postgraduate study and training in English Literature and related disciplines, so as to train as researchers and lecturers in higher education.

Studying English Literature provides the chance to develop a thorough knowledge of literary texts, theory, history and criticism. We offer students the chance to study a broad range of English Literature introducing you to a wide range of cultures and intellectual traditions.