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BA Art and English Literature

  • UCAS code
    QW31
  • A level offer
    BBB
  • Year of entry
    2024/25
  • Course duration
    Full Time:  4 Years
  • Year of entry
    2024/25
  • Course duration
    Full Time:  4 Years

Our BA Art and English Literature degree lets you engage in substantial practical work in the studio, develop your understanding of ideas and theories in contemporary art, and explore English literature from every era and across the globe.

You will see how debates across the creative arts are reflected in dynamic ways across the two subjects. 

Join a lively community at Reading School of Art. You can explore a vast range of media, experiment with emerging art forms and develop as an artist. You will complement your practical art with modules in contemporary art theory and the history of art. The studios are busy places with events, screenings, performances and exhibitions regularly taking place. You will receive a dedicated space, accessible 24 hours a day and 7 days a week, and a studio tutor to help develop your individual and professional practice.

Trips to museums and art galleries help prompt thoughts on how art is displayed and received. You will gain professional experience by taking part in your own exhibitions, public art commissions and events. Your teaching staff are artists, curators and researchers of international standing and will encourage regular exhibitions and open debate.

94% of students in the Department of English Literature said our teaching staff were good or very good at explaining things (National Student Survey, 2023).

In your English literature modules, you will read more of authors and genres that you may already know (from tragedy to Gothic, from Shakespeare and Dickens to Plath and Beckett). But you will also encounter aspects of literary studies that may be less familiar to you, from children’s literature to publishing studies and the history of the book. Our academics have published research on everything from medieval poetry to contemporary American fiction.

As you progress through your degree, your module choices become more diverse and specialised: you can do archive work on Studying Manuscripts, or look at the politics of literature in Class Matters. Everyone in the English Department, from new lecturers to professors, teaches at every level of the degree: this gives you the benefit of our expertise and makes you part of the conversation about our research and its impact outside the classroom.

We place a strong emphasis on small-group learning within a friendly and supportive environment. In your first and second years, you will have a mix of lectures and seminars.

Placements and collaborations are actively encouraged throughout this joint degree, and there is also the option to experience life in another country by studying abroad. Throughout your course you will receive advice and guidance in career development.

Placement

All students are encouraged to work with different artists and designers in hosting events and exhibitions. External exhibitions have included Urban Utopia, a partnership between Fine Art and Deutsche Bank where 35 students curated their work in the new Capitol building, Bracknell, and an exhibition at the Beaconsfield Gallery in London.

You are also expected to undertake placement opportunities. Past students have enjoyed internships at Studio Voltaire and Frieze Art Fair. Others have performed at the ICA, taken part in an Arts Council-supported film project at the Museum of Rural Life and participated in an international exhibition at the Seoul Institute of Arts in South Korea. Alternatively, in English, a unique Literature, Languages and Education module enables you to combine the study of the practical use of English with a short placement.

Find out more about career prospects and placement opportunities.

Regular field trips to national and international museums, art institutions and galleries allow you to consider the diverse conditions in which art is displayed and received. There are also many opportunities for you to apply to study abroad: Reading School of Art has links with universities in countries such as the USA, Canada, Australia, Taiwan, France, Switzerland and Finland.

Learn more about studying abroad.

Overview

Our BA Art and English Literature degree lets you engage in substantial practical work in the studio, develop your understanding of ideas and theories in contemporary art, and explore English literature from every era and across the globe.

You will see how debates across the creative arts are reflected in dynamic ways across the two subjects. 

Join a lively community at Reading School of Art. You can explore a vast range of media, experiment with emerging art forms and develop as an artist. You will complement your practical art with modules in contemporary art theory and the history of art. The studios are busy places with events, screenings, performances and exhibitions regularly taking place. You will receive a dedicated space, accessible 24 hours a day and 7 days a week, and a studio tutor to help develop your individual and professional practice.

Trips to museums and art galleries help prompt thoughts on how art is displayed and received. You will gain professional experience by taking part in your own exhibitions, public art commissions and events. Your teaching staff are artists, curators and researchers of international standing and will encourage regular exhibitions and open debate.

94% of students in the Department of English Literature said our teaching staff were good or very good at explaining things (National Student Survey, 2023).

In your English literature modules, you will read more of authors and genres that you may already know (from tragedy to Gothic, from Shakespeare and Dickens to Plath and Beckett). But you will also encounter aspects of literary studies that may be less familiar to you, from children’s literature to publishing studies and the history of the book. Our academics have published research on everything from medieval poetry to contemporary American fiction.

As you progress through your degree, your module choices become more diverse and specialised: you can do archive work on Studying Manuscripts, or look at the politics of literature in Class Matters. Everyone in the English Department, from new lecturers to professors, teaches at every level of the degree: this gives you the benefit of our expertise and makes you part of the conversation about our research and its impact outside the classroom.

We place a strong emphasis on small-group learning within a friendly and supportive environment. In your first and second years, you will have a mix of lectures and seminars.

Placements and collaborations are actively encouraged throughout this joint degree, and there is also the option to experience life in another country by studying abroad. Throughout your course you will receive advice and guidance in career development.

Placement

All students are encouraged to work with different artists and designers in hosting events and exhibitions. External exhibitions have included Urban Utopia, a partnership between Fine Art and Deutsche Bank where 35 students curated their work in the new Capitol building, Bracknell, and an exhibition at the Beaconsfield Gallery in London.

You are also expected to undertake placement opportunities. Past students have enjoyed internships at Studio Voltaire and Frieze Art Fair. Others have performed at the ICA, taken part in an Arts Council-supported film project at the Museum of Rural Life and participated in an international exhibition at the Seoul Institute of Arts in South Korea. Alternatively, in English, a unique Literature, Languages and Education module enables you to combine the study of the practical use of English with a short placement.

Find out more about career prospects and placement opportunities.

Regular field trips to national and international museums, art institutions and galleries allow you to consider the diverse conditions in which art is displayed and received. There are also many opportunities for you to apply to study abroad: Reading School of Art has links with universities in countries such as the USA, Canada, Australia, Taiwan, France, Switzerland and Finland.

Learn more about studying abroad.

Entry requirements A Level BBB

Select Reading as your firm choice on UCAS and we'll guarantee you a place even if you don't quite meet your offer. For details, see our firm choice scheme.

Typical offer

BBB, including grade B in A level English Literature or related subject. Related subjects include: English Language, English Language and Literature, Drama and Theatre Studies, Creative Writing.

All suitable applicants will be interviewed and will need to supply a portfolio of their work.

International Baccalaureate

30 points overall including 5 at higher level in English Literature or related subject.

Extended Project Qualification

In recognition of the excellent preparation that the Extended Project Qualification (EPQ) provides to students for University study, we can now include achievement in the EPQ as part of a formal offer.

BTEC Extended Diploma

DDM (modules taken must be comparable to A level subjects specified)

English language requirements

IELTS 7.0, with no component below 6.0

For information on other English language qualifications, please visit our international student pages.

Alternative entry requirements for International and EU students

For country specific entry requirements look at entry requirements by country.

Pre-sessional English language programme

If you need to improve your English language score you can take a pre-sessional English course prior to entry onto your degree.

  • Find out the English language requirements for our courses and our pre-sessional English programme

Structure

  • Year 1
  • Year 2
  • Year 3
  • Year 4

The following modules have been approved in principle for delivery in 2024/25. Please note that as part of our current curriculum improvement process, all modules require final University approval and may be subject to change.

Compulsory modules:

Art Studio 

Art Studio 1 will introduce you to contemporary art and its global histories, models of practices and practical and professional skills. You will learn the codes of good practice, Health & Safety and sustainability in the studio while being given the opportunity to produce and present artworks that help develop your critically reflective and analytics skills. 

Drawing

Expand your drawing competence as you are introduced to a range of different methods, techniques, materials and tools. You will equip a growing range of drawing skills as you develop your ability to choose between them to apply your enhanced proficiency to different contexts and subject specialisms.

Theory and Practice of Writing 

Discover the key concepts that shape our understanding of literature from the perspective of composition and of critical work. You will consider how writers are connected to other authors, editors and publishers as you articulate your own and others ideas in a portfolio of written work. 

Poetry in English

From the Renaissance to the present, you will uncover the history of poetry as you explore key genres related to love, politics, pastoral, elegy, satire, the sonnet, the ode, and the dramatic monologue. You will study poems drawn from the wider English-speaking world including Ireland, the Caribbean and North America as you encounter the diversity of voices found in gender and sexuality. 

Optional modules:

Introduction to Drama 

Discover the genre of drama as you explore a historical range of texts from the early modern periods. You will focus on four plays as you explore comedy, tragedy, form, structure and the elements of change and continuity found within the genre. 

Modern American Culture and Counterculture

Discover American countercultures in work from Beat poetry of the 1950s to fiction responding to the Black Lives Matter movement. You will study the perspectives of African-American, Native American and white American creatives in a variety of genres: poetry, short stories, YA fiction, science fiction, drama, songs, films, war reportage and the graphic novel. 

Thinking Translation: History and Theory 

Shelf Life 

Become acquainted with English literature’s material dimension and how writers, both past and present, have depicted the library as a symbol. As you study, you will interpret poems, novels and plays as you investigate books and other archival documents as physical objects. 

What is Comparative Literature? 

The University cannot guarantee that all optional modules will be available to all students who may wish to take them. Further information about the content of final approved modules will be available between May and July 2023. We suggest that you regularly revisit this webpage during this time to ensure you have the most up-to-date information regarding the modules offered on this programme.

You can also register your details with us to receive information about your course of interest and study and life at the University of Reading.

The following modules have been approved in principle for delivery in 2024/25. Please note that as part of our current curriculum improvement process, all modules require final University approval and may be subject to change.

Compulsory modules:

Art Studio 2

Learn how to identify and investigate your own interests and concerns through practical engagement in the studio. You will develop your capacity for self-criticism through informed debate alongside your confidence and the ability to present exhibitions. 

Optional modules:

History of Art 3

Explore different forms of art writing from criticism and visual analysis to interpretation to digital culture. You will consider how Art History shapes and is shaped as you develop your research and communication skills and reflect critically on the different purposes of art writing. 

International Study 

Embark on a supervised study visit to a major European art centre where you will encounter and experience contemporary art and art history first hand. You will visit major museums, galleries, and collections as you enhance your understanding of art history beyond an academic context. Recent visits have included Madrid, Berlin, Paris and Venice. 

Early Modern Literature

Myth, Legend and Romance: Medieval Storytelling

Explore storytelling in medieval England as you take in the fantastical tales of ancient heroes, drama that blends comedy and religious devotion and magic and supernatural beings. You will consider the stark contrast of narrative structure, character development and language use by medieval writers in contrast to our own. 

Eighteenth-Century Satirists and Novelists 

Writing American: Perspectives on the Nation

Critical Thinking

Romantics and Victorians 

Modernism in Poetry and Fiction 

Examine the concepts of modernity and modernism and the history of early twentieth-century poetry and fiction. You will explore experimentation and innovation in poetic and narrative form and their relation to wider social upheaval and cultural movements in the period.

Contemporary Fiction 

Study a selection of fiction from the 1980s to the present day as you explore the formal, thematic and cultural diversity of Anglophone fiction produced in this period. You will consider these texts against a number of social, political and historical contexts such as multiculturalism, feminism and globalisation. 

The Business of Books 

Writing the Public Sphere

The University cannot guarantee that all optional modules will be available to all students who may wish to take them. Further information about the content of final approved modules will be available between May and July 2023. We suggest that you regularly revisit this webpage during this time to ensure you have the most up-to-date information regarding the modules offered on this programme.

You can also register your details with us to receive information about your course of interest and study and life at the University of Reading.

The following modules have been approved in principle for delivery in 2024/25. Please note that as part of our current curriculum improvement process, all modules require final University approval and may be subject to change.

Compulsory modules:

Art Studio 2b

Learn how to identify and investigate your own interests and concerns through practical engagement in the studio. You will develop your capacity for self-criticism through informed debate alongside your confidence and the ability to present exhibitions. 

Situated Art Practice

Shape your understanding of the global and historical diversity of models in artistic. As you work, you will realise your active role as an artist in shaping and being shaped by the world as you effectively apply research methods to your material and present in an appropriate format.  

Optional modules:

Black British Fiction 

Virginia Woolf and Bloomsbury 

Publishing Cultures: Writers, Publics, Archives

Nigerian Prose Literature: From Achebe to Adichie 

Medieval Otherworlds

Environment, Ecology and Literature 

Decadence and Degeneration: Literature of the 1880s and 1890s

Bibliotherapy: Writing and Health

Childrens Literature

The Bloody State

From Romance to Fantasy

The University cannot guarantee that all optional modules will be available to all students who may wish to take them. Further information about the content of final approved modules will be available between May and July 2023. We suggest that you regularly revisit this webpage during this time to ensure you have the most up-to-date information regarding the modules offered on this programme.

You can also register your details with us to receive information about your course of interest and study and life at the University of Reading.

The following modules have been approved in principle for delivery in 2024/25. Please note that as part of our current curriculum improvement process, all modules require final University approval and may be subject to change.

Compulsory modules:

  • Art Studio 3b
  • Dissertation for Art and English: Joint Honours Students

The University cannot guarantee that all optional modules will be available to all students who may wish to take them. Further information about the content of final approved modules will be available between May and July 2023. We suggest that you regularly revisit this webpage during this time to ensure you have the most up-to-date information regarding the modules offered on this programme.

You can also register your details with us to receive information about your course of interest and study and life at the University of Reading.

Fees

New UK/Republic of Ireland students: £9,250

New international students: £22,350

UK/Republic of Ireland fee changes

UK/Republic of Ireland undergraduate tuition fees are regulated by the UK government. These fees are subject to parliamentary approval and any decision on raising the tuition fees cap for new UK students would require the formal approval of both Houses of Parliament before it becomes law.

EU student fees

With effect from 1 August 2021, new EU students will pay international tuition fees. For exceptions, please read the UK government’s guidance for EU students.

Additional costs

Some courses will require additional payments for field trips and extra resources. You will also need to budget for your accommodation and living costs. See our information on living costs for more details.

Financial support for your studies

You may be eligible for a scholarship or bursary to help pay for your study. Students from the UK may also be eligible for a student loan to help cover these costs. See our fees and funding information for more information on what's available.

Placement year fees

If you spend a full year on placement, you will only pay 15% of your usual tuition fee for that year. For more information, please see our fees and funding pages or contact placements@reading.ac.uk.

Careers

As well as the practical experience gained on this degree our students also graduate with a range of transferable skills, such as self-motivation, time management and strategic thinking. You will enter the job market as a self-confident graduate with well-developed skills in oral communication, research and writing, together with a high level of cultural literacy and critical sophistication.

In the latest Graduate Outcomes Survey 2020/21, 95% of our leavers are in work or further study within 15 months of graduation (Based on our analysis of HESA data © HESA 2023, Graduate Outcomes Survey 2020/21; includes first degree English Literature responders). Many of our graduates develop successful careers as artists, writers and curators. These include a number of famous alumni, such as Turner Prize-nominated artists, and PhD students who are award-winning artists and curators at influential museums.

Others have found employment in galleries, education, art therapy and film and video production. Our graduates have excelled in fields as diverse as law, business administration, web design, teaching and journalism. Recent employers include Tate, Whitechapel Gallery, Christies, Microsoft, the BBC, Victoria & Albert Museum, and Manolo Blahnik.

What really drew me to Reading was the opportunities it offered with such a wide variety of courses you can take. Going into uni I wanted to pursue a creative degree but didn’t want to have to give up my passion for English either. Reading University has one of the broadest varieties of joint honours degree on offer, so I found out I didn’t have to.

Jessica
BA Art and English Literature

BA Art and English Literature

ONCAMPUS Reading


International students can enrol on the Undergraduate Foundation Programme (UFP) in Art and Design with a guaranteed opportunity for progression to Art, Design, Film and Theatre degrees at the University of Reading.

To find out more, please visit the ONCAMPUS Reading website.

Contextual offers


We make contextual offers for all our courses.

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