English Literature

English literature is the study of how writers have used language to create meaning, record experience and explore what it means to be human. It takes seriously the idea that stories, poems and plays are not merely entertainment but ways of thinking, forms of argument and records of how people in different times and places have understood the world and themselves. At the University of Huddersfield, this three-year full-time programme approaches literature with that seriousness, developing your ability to read attentively, think critically and write with clarity and precision.

You will engage with texts across a range of periods, genres and traditions, from earlier literature through to contemporary writing, developing a broad literary knowledge alongside the close reading and analytical skills that this discipline cultivates. You will encounter literary theory and criticism, think about the conditions in which texts are produced and received, and learn to construct sustained, evidence-based arguments. The programme includes a sandwich placement year and a work placement, giving you the opportunity to apply your skills in a professional context before you graduate and to make connections that will be valuable in your career.

English literature graduates are known for their ability to communicate, analyse and argue, and these skills are valued across a wide range of sectors. Graduates move into publishing, journalism, marketing, communications, education, the civil service, the third sector and management, as well as more directly creative roles in writing and the arts. The professional experience built into this degree gives you a practical advantage alongside the intellectual depth of the academic qualification.

Many graduates also continue to postgraduate study, in literature, creative writing, education or other fields.