About This Course
Studying English Literature and Music is a brilliant way to develop your skills and insights in both areas. Half your modules will be in English Literature, and half in Music. You will develop a thorough knowledge of literary texts, theory, history and criticism, and pursue creative studies from a selection of musical performance, composition and musicology modules. Our close links with local theatres, poetry groups and vibrant student societies – including our Bangor English Drama Society (BEDS) and the University Music Society – will give you plenty of opportunities to get involved in arts and culture.
English Literature provides the chance to develop a thorough knowledge of literary texts, theory, history and criticism. You have the opportunity to study a broad range of English Literature in small groups, led by the research experts in the field, in an atmosphere of creative, scholarly enterprise in order to develop skills of critical analysis that are highly valued by employers. You will also be able to connect your English and Music studies through the interdisciplinary work in the interaction of words and music both in creative practice and from a historical perspective, as well as exploring the literary aspects of setting texts to music.
As a musician, you will be part of a thriving music and arts community performing and attending music and performances at Powis Hall, John Phillips Theatre and the magnificent Prichard-Jones Hall. You will enjoy unrivalled facilities in our arts and innovation centre, Pontio, which includes a Studio Theatre for performance with technical support from industry professionals. Pontio also features the 450-seat Theatre Bryn Terfel which regularly attracts world-class theatre productions and musical events. You will also benefit from Bangor’s excellent links with leading organisations including the BBC National Orchestra of Wales (with whom we have an annual composition workshop), the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra, London Sinfonietta and Sain Records.
Why choose Bangor for this course?
- Music: 6th in the UK for Overall Student Satisfaction (NSS 2020).
- English: 1st in the UK for research intensity (Complete University Guide 2021).
- Flexible degree structure to tailor the course to your interests and strengths.
- Close links with Pontio Arts Centre, local theatres, poetry groups and student societies – including the Bangor English Drama Society (BEDS).
- A dynamic music-making community: choirs, orchestras, bands, student ensembles and the Bangor University Music Society.
Course Content
Your English Literature and Music degree programme at Bangor is flexible: you will shape your degree course to reflect your interests and strengths. Our courses have been devised and are delivered by staff committed to helping you develop your subject-specific knowledge, whilst giving you the freedom to discover and explore your own interests. In both subject areas you will be taught by internationally-renowned researchers and practitioners.
You will be offered the chance to study a broad range of English Literature – encompassing a variety of genres and periods – introducing you to a wide range of cultures and intellectual traditions. In Music, you will begin your studies in a genuinely all-embracing way, engaging with musical theory and practice from modal polyphony to electroacoustic composition. You will use this broad framework as a launch pad for developing your own expertise in one of several fields of musicology, performance or composition. This can include 20th-century music, classical performance, music and text, editing, music in health and well-being, and all styles of composition.
Students benefit from small seminar groups, one-to-one tutorials, workshops and lectures. You will spend time on background reading and listening to music, engaging with creative and critical work, preparing for seminars, completing essays and coursework. You will also spend time rehearsing and performing in ensembles, choirs and orchestras, and working with fellow students to develop and express ideas. In Music, you have the option of choosing Solo Performance, taught through an innovative combination of individual tuition, workshops and masterclasses. Several modules involve visits to theatres, concerts, recording studios and composition workshops, or the opportunity to meet and interview, visiting authors.
Facilities
General University Facilities
Library and Archive Services
Our four libraries provide a range of attractive study environments including collaborative work areas, meeting rooms and silent study spaces.
We have an extensive collection of books and journals and many of the journals are available online in full-text format.
We house one of the largest university-based archives not only in Wales, but also the UK. Allied to the Archives is the Special Collections of rare printed books.
Learning Resources
There is a range of learning resources available, supported by experienced staff, to help you in your studies.
The University’s IT Services provides computing, media and reprographics facilities and services including:
- Over 1,150 computers for students, with some PC rooms open 24 hours a day
- Blackboard, a commercial Virtual Learning Environment, that makes learning materials available on-line.
Careers
Employment prospects are excellent, with a wide range of career options available. Our graduates have gone on to work in a range of roles, including music performance, work in media and recording companies, journalism, creative writing and publishing and composition. Many graduates choose to become teachers at all educational levels. Others take up administrative posts with orchestras, theatre companies, opera houses or arts centres, or pursue further training in social work, police work, immigration work, local government, banking and accountancy
EXPLORE MORE IN ENGLISH LITERATURE
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.
Additional Course Options
This course is available with a Placement Year option where you will study for 1 additional year. The Placement Year is undertaken at the end of the second year and students are away for the whole of the academic year.
The Placement Year provides you with a fantastic opportunity to broaden your horizons and develop valuable skills and contacts through working with a self-sourced organisation relevant to your degree subject. The minimum period in placement (at one or more locations) is seven calendar months; more usually you would spend 10-12 months with a placement provider. You would normally start sometime in the period June to September of your second year and finish between June and September the following year. Placements can be UK-based or overseas and you will work with staff to plan and finalise the placement arrangements.
You will be expected to find and arrange a suitable placement to complement your degree and will be fully supported throughout by a dedicated member of staff at your academic School and the University’s Skills and Employability Services.
You will have the opportunity to fully consider this option when you have started your course at Bangor and can make an application for a transfer onto this pathway at the appropriate time. If you have any questions in the meantime, please get in touch.
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