English Literature

English literature is the study of written texts in English, from the medieval period to the present day, examining how they were made, what they mean, how they relate to the contexts in which they were produced and read, and what they continue to offer readers today. It is a discipline that develops precise, attentive reading skills and the ability to construct sustained written arguments, but also a broader capacity for thinking carefully about language, representation, culture, and human experience. The literary tradition in English spans multiple centuries and continents, and studying it means engaging with an astonishingly varied body of work.

At the University of Chester, this three-year full-time degree includes a foundation year and a year abroad, making it both accessible and internationally expansive. The foundation year provides an entry route for students who would benefit from additional academic preparation before the main degree content begins, giving you the close reading, critical thinking, and essay writing skills that literary study at degree level requires. The year abroad then gives you the opportunity to experience a different literary culture, academic tradition, or English-speaking community from a new vantage point.

You will study poetry, fiction, drama, and non-fictional prose across historical periods, engaging with major writers and with the cultural and intellectual contexts that shaped their work. You will also engage with the theoretical frameworks, from formalism and structuralism to postcolonial and feminist criticism, that have shaped how literature is read and taught.

English literature graduates pursue careers in publishing, journalism, teaching, the civil service, law, marketing, arts organisations, and many other fields where the ability to read carefully and write well is valued. The analytical and communication skills the degree develops are genuinely transferable. Many graduates continue into postgraduate study in English, creative writing, journalism, education, and related disciplines.