Introduction
Explore the big questions and the works of English literature that have engaged people for centuries by studying our BA (Hons) Philosophy and English Literature degree in Cambridge.
Study Philosophy and English literature together and learn to make your point of view stand out with substance, as well as style.
You’ll consider big questions such as ‘Who are we?’, ‘What can we know?’, and ‘What should we do to lead worthwhile lives?’ and discover how great minds have tried to answer them.
Alongside this, you’ll explore how English literature is shaped by its historical and cultural context, and how, in turn, it influences readers and society. In doing this, you’ll also explore other subjects such as history, politics, religion, psychology and history of art.
Your studies will be supported by our expert lecturers, who offer one-to-one tutoring and personalised feedback. This support helped our philosophy courses rank first in the UK in the National Student Survey 2020, and top in the UK for “Satisfied with Feedback' (The Guardian University Guide 2021).
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You can also choose to focus on areas of particular interest to you, such as Victorian literature, poetry, contemporary fiction, and the work of philosophers including Kant, Descartes and Heidegger.
You’ll gain valuable research skills by using bibliographies, databases and information technology to answer important questions about literature and you’ll also develop your problem solving, critical thinking and judgement skills by analysing major philosophical ideas.
These are important skills, with the World Economic Forum ranking complex problem solving and critical thinking among the top ten skills needed to succeed in today’s job market.
You can also engage in philosophical discussions and debates through our student-led Philosophy Society, attend events such as our Royal Institute of Philosophy lecture series or boost your employability by learning a language with our Anglia Language Programme.
Facilities and showcase
Outstanding student support
Join our student community and:
- benefit from award-winning learning facilities, including extensive library and IT resources
- learn from inspiring tutors on a course ranked the top Philosophy degree in the UK (National Student Survey 2020) and top in the UK for ‘Satisfied with Feedback’ (The Guardian University Guide 2021)
- access support, should you need it, with study skills, careers advice, health and wellbeing, and more.
Take a closer look
Our Creative Showcase shines a spotlight on what makes ARU creative and cultural – our spaces, places and people. Find out more about our community, the difference we make, the stories we tell, and the things that inspire us.
Meanwhile, Present is an exhibition that you curate for yourself. Explore the work of our graduating students in this eye-catching virtual degree show.
Careers
Our BA (Hons) Philosophy and English Literature graduates go on to work in a variety of fields, including teaching, journalism, local government, publishing, charity administration and management, librarianship, digital and media, project management, PR and marketing, start-ups and online companies.
The problem-solving, critical and creative thinking, judgement, research, analysis and communication skills our Philosophy and English Literature students gain are highly valued by employers. You’ll also learn to work well independently and as part of a team.
You could also learn more, develop a specialism or start an exciting career in research with our Masters degrees in English Literature, Children's Literature, and Creative Writing and Publishing. Take advantage of our Alumni Scholarship and get 20% off your fees.
4 years with placement
In your final year, you’ll continue to build your knowledge and skills and specialise in your areas of interest. You’ll study how identity, sexuality, violence and death are represented and displayed in a variety of plays from 1580-1642, by both reading the text and analysing live and recorded performances. You’ll explore the concept of ‘evil’, asking whether this concept helps or hinders our understanding of current issues including war and terrorism. You’ll also conduct an independent research project on a relevant topic from inception to completion, with guidance from an appropriate member of academic staff.
As in Year 2, you can choose from a variety of English literature modules. You could take a fresh look at how the Brontës and Elizabeth Gaskell engaged with their cultural contexts through the lens of disability studies and by assessing their treatment of Imperialism, among other things. Or you could find out about the early modern literary fascination with magic by studying references to science, religion and the occult in journal entries, essays, epic poetry and drama from the period.
You might choose to apply literary and wider theories to children’s and Young Adult literature, examine radical ideas and pushes for change in the Romantic period, or find out the common themes and issues in a range of novels published in the past ten years, and the power and role of literature in society today.
You could learn about Scepticism, from ancient Greece to the present day, considering its causes and effects, the ways sixteenth- and seventeenth-century philosophers sought to counter it, and its recent re-emergence in contemporary media, ‘fake news’ and conspiracy theories. You could also discover how social media facilitates political activism, protest and campaigning, but can also be misused by bad actors for political ends. You might choose to expand your knowledge of nineteenth-century European philosophy and contemporary issues within the philosophy of religion by studying the ideas of Hegel, Marx, Kierkegaard, Schopenhauer, Nietzsche and others.
You could find out about phenomenology – the careful study of different types of experience that asks questions about how we perceive the world – with reference to the mind, emotion and ethics, and with a particular focus on the philosophy of Heidegger.
You might study how physical and verbal language is used to express identity, power, truth, knowledge, transgression and challenge, and learn about ‘ecosophy’ – one of the latest developments in linguistic philosophy. You could improve your poetry by exploring process, form and audience, developing sophisticated approaches to the relationship between content and form. You’ll also have the opportunity to gain credits for 35 hours’ work in any field, helping you gain valuable experience, investigate possible careers, and learn more about the workplace and the value of your degree.
Assessment
We’ll assess you using a combination of exams, essays, portfolios, presentations, reviews and reports, as well as your final-year Major Project.
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