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At the University of Reading, we make the study of English Literature a rewarding challenge and help you lay the foundations of a critical and cultural awareness that will remain with you for life.

Our curriculum is global, contemporary, and comprehensive. You can study literature from across the world and from every period of history, right up to the present.

Become part of a diverse and inclusive community of readers and writers, united in our passion for our subject. 

We also offer a Foundation Year.

Our courses

English Literature degrees:

Our English Foundation Year Programme:


Creative Writing degrees:

Find out what Creative Writing degrees we offer

Joint degrees with other subjects

Flexible options for your degree

Most first-year English Literature students can choose to study a modern language. 

If you are a joint honours student, you can change your final degree course to a single honours course at the end of your first year.

Find out more about Creative Writing degrees 

Joint degrees

You can take English Literature jointly with a number of other subjects. As a joint degree student, you will take roughly half your modules in the Department of English Literature and half in the other subject.

In your final year, you choose a dissertation topic which lies in either of your two subjects: it's up to you. 

Thinking about a joint degree?

Aster is studying BA Classical Studies and English Literature.

Hear about some of the benefits of studying a joint degree.

Fees and funding

There is a variety of funding support available to our undergraduate students. You may be eligible for government loans, grants or bursaries.

Students from the UK can receive government loans to help towards tuition fees and living costs. UK students may also be eligible for other grants and bursaries depending on their circumstances.

Fees and funding at the University of Reading

Careers

Your degree in English Literature opens many doors. You will enter the job market with highly developed research and communication skills. You will have the critical and cultural awareness necessary for working in areas such as the public sector and the media. You will have encountered some literary works that will stay in your memory and enrich your life for a long time after you leave us.

Our students move on to successful careers in fields including publishing, TV and film production, journalism, public relations, law, marketing, and education. Some go on to further study in English Literature, while others undertake vocational training for careers including law, teaching, and psychology.

We offer support and guidance throughout your time at Reading to help you decide on your career path and to develop your CV.

How you'll study

Develop your own interests, increase your career potential with placements and masterclasses, and enjoy access to superb resources and literary treasures.

Why study with us?

Learn from expert academics in small supportive groups in a department that has a century-long history of innovation in English studies.

Our stories

Read stories from our staff, students, and alumni to find out what it's like to study English Literature at the University of Reading.