How you'll study English Literature

Lectures are hour-long talks delivered by our expert academics.

Seminars are round-table discussions that involve about 15 students and a member of academic staff. These small groups allow you to exchange ideas about the topic at hand.

At Reading, we believe in the importance of one-to-one feedback as part of a bespoke learning experience.

For each of the modules in your second and third year you will have one-to-one meetings with an academic to discuss your progress and ways in which you can improve your assessed work.

We make sure that you have plenty of time to read the texts that we ask you to study. We review our curriculum regularly to help you to manage your workload.

Your Academic Tutor will offer one-to-one advice on how to get the most out of your reading and how to prepare effectively for seminars and lectures.

You will have access to superb learning resources. The academic library on campus has recently undergone a multi-million pound upgrade.

Our extensive digital resources mean that you can carry out research in your halls of residence, in the Department of English Literature dedicated study space - or even in one of the many coffee shops on campus!

Your learning will be assessed regularly and you will get plenty of feedback to help you develop your ideas, arguments, and writing style.

You won't just write essays and take exams: we use a wide variety of assessment methods, including learning journals, presentations, placement reports, and special projects.

Our assessments encourage you to learn new skills and give you the opportunity to play to your strengths.

Studying English literature at Reading offers you a rigorous academic education and it also forms the foundation of your future career. Many of our modules are vocational as well as academic. They offer you a preview of different career paths, and they develop skills that will be crucial to your success after university.

• Our first-year module, Theories and Practice of Writing, develops your writing skills in a range of contexts and introduces you to different critical perspectives.
• In your second year, The Business of Books introduces the history of publishing and gives you access to historical machinery used in book production.
• Many of our third year modules offer you access to our special collections - including our world-renowned Samuel Beckett archive - offering you an introduction to working in the heritage sector.
  

Depending on your course, you could spend two weeks, a term, or an academic year abroad. This can be part of a standard three-year degree, an extended four-year degree, or a shorter length of time such as a summer school.

We’ll help you decide where to go and for how long, guide you through the application process, and support you when you’re abroad.

To find out more about the benefits of studying abroad, and discover where you could go, visit the Study Abroad website.

UROP placements are available to you in the summer after you complete your second year. The placement involves helping a member of staff with a research project. This is a great opportunity for you to learn about a specialist topic, explore the processes of academic research, and potentially be involved in some form of publication.

Find out more about UROP

Most of our programmes include the option for you to take a Professional Placement Year in the third year of our degree. You will be assisted by our Placement Team who will support you to secure a placement and prepare for the year. 

Placements give you a fantastic opportunity to explore potential future careers and to put your academic learning to work in a professional context.