English Literature

English literature is the sustained study of written texts as cultural, historical and aesthetic objects, asking how language creates meaning, how narrative structures experience, and how literature reflects and influences the societies from which it emerges. Ranging from the medieval to the contemporary and from the canonical to the experimental, it develops in you a sophisticated relationship with reading, interpretation and the written word that is among the most transferable intellectual achievements a degree can provide.

At the University of Westminster you will engage with a wide range of texts, from the established works of Shakespeare, Austen and Dickens through to queer fiction, graphic novels and digital content forms, alongside other cultural works including film, museum collections and art. You will become a sophisticated reader of texts in their broader cultural contexts, developing the ability to situate literary works within historical, political and social frameworks. The programme runs over three years full time and includes a sandwich year, a year abroad and work placement opportunities, giving you professional experience alongside your literary education.

English literature graduates are valued across a wide range of professional fields for their communication, analytical and interpretive skills. Publishing, journalism, education, arts administration, public relations, the civil service and the creative industries all draw on what an English literature degree develops. The programme's breadth across traditional and contemporary forms and its inclusion of other cultural works gives Westminster graduates a wide frame of reference for a media-saturated professional world.

Postgraduate study in English, creative writing, cultural studies, publishing or journalism is a natural further route.