English Language and Literature

English language and literature at Oxford is one of the broadest and most intellectually demanding programmes of its kind. It takes you from the origins of writing in English in Anglo-Saxon England through a thousand years of literary history to the present day, while also opening out to include literature in English from other parts of the world and texts originally written in other languages. The course is built around the conviction that understanding literature in English means engaging with the full range of languages, cultures, and historical contexts from which it emerged and to which it speaks.

Oxford's tutorial system ensures that you receive intensive, individual academic attention from specialists across the range of literary periods and topics you study. You will develop close reading skills of unusual depth and precision, learn to place literary texts in their linguistic, historical, and cultural contexts, and engage with the theoretical and critical frameworks that literary study has developed. The degree allows considerable freedom of choice, in the core papers you develop, the special options you elect in your final year, and the topic of your dissertation, which means you can shape your studies to reflect your own intellectual interests and strengths.

The typical entry tariff of 184 points reflects the extremely high academic expectations of the university.

Oxford English graduates go on to careers in publishing, journalism, the law, education, the civil service, media, the arts and cultural sector, and many other fields where the ability to read carefully, argue clearly, and communicate with precision is valued. The degree is also an excellent foundation for postgraduate study in English literature, linguistics, creative writing, or related disciplines, and many graduates pursue academic careers in literary research and teaching.