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You are viewing entry year 2025/26.

English Language and Literature, BA Hons

Our English language and literature degree combines the study of English language, communication and literature.

The language element of our degree in English language and literature will introduce you to the properties of English, from the structure of words and sentences to the use of language in society. The literary aspect explores challenging texts and new ways of reading, tackling everything from drama and visual narratives to fiction and poetry. You can also study a foreign language, undertake a work placement, or develop the skills needed to follow a career in journalism.

Popular career options for our English language and literature graduates include teaching, interpretation services, journalism, marketing and publishing.

UCAS points

112 (view full requirements)(full requirements below)

Course/institution codes

Q390 G BA/EnLaLi

We received Gold in the Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF) 2023. This recognises our outstanding performance in student experience and outcomes.

Location

Greenwich Campus

Duration

  • 3 years full-time
  • 6 years part-time
  • 4 years sandwich

Start month

September

Home* /international fees 2025/26

£9,535 /£17,500

What you should know about this course

  • This course features two core strands: language analysis (sound, meaning and use) and English literature, where you study a range of texts and new ways of reading.
  • Discover new ways to read challenging texts, including drama and visual narratives, fiction and poetry.
  • You can study a foreign language or undertake a work placement.
  • Our teaching methods will help you develop your skills in data analysis, logical and critical thinking, and creative and presentation skills.

* The Department for Education has indicated that it intends to raise the Home tuition fee limit from £9,250 to £9,535 for 2025/26.

Home tuition fee limits: Find out more

What you will study

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Course information is currently unavailable for this programme. Please contact course-info@gre.ac.uk for more information.

About the course team

You will be taught by an experienced team, which includes senior academics and practitioners with broad industry insights. Trained postgraduate researchers may also contribute to seminars/ tutorials teaching with the module leader.

Our research and consultancy work informs academics, and over 90 per cent of our lecturers hold a teaching qualification.

Come and meet us

We are offering virtual events so that you can still experience how Greenwich could be the right university for you.

Next Open Days

Got a question?

To find out more about our Open Days and Campus Tours or if you need any assistance, please email opendays@gre.ac.uk.

Entry requirements

If you are

Qualifications

  • 112 UCAS Tariff points. We accept A Levels, T Levels, BTECs, Access to HE and all other qualifications with UCAS Tariff points.

Contextual Admissions

  • We make Contextual offers to this programme. Applicants that meet specific eligibility criteria will be made a contextual offer with a reduced tariff of up to 16 UCAS Tariff points. Other entry requirements such as GCSEs, Interview, etc., will still need to be met. For further information, please see our Contextual Admissions Policy.

For more information, use our contact form or call us on 020 8331 9000.

You can also read our admissions policy.

The University of Greenwich accepts a broad range of international qualifications for admission to our courses. If you cannot find your country on this list, please contact international@gre.ac.uk.

Choose your country:

Further information about entry

For more information, call us on 020 8331 9000. You can also read our admissions policy.

Available to overseas students?

Yes

Can I use Prior Learning?

For entry: applicants with non-traditional qualifications or appropriate professional experience will be considered on a case-by-case basis.

For exemption: If you hold qualifications or courses from another higher education institution, these may exempt you from modules of this degree.

How you will learn

Teaching

Learning takes place through a combination of timetabled learning and independent study.

You can view more information about how each module is taught within our 'What you will study' section.

Seminars and workshops enable you to discuss and develop your understanding of topics covered in lectures in smaller groups. You will also be able to meet your personal tutor. Timetabled learning may fall between 9am and 9pm depending on your courses and tutorials.

Class sizes

Lectures are normally attended by larger groups, and seminars/tutorials by smaller groups. This can vary more widely for modules that are shared between degrees.

Independent learning

Outside of timetabled sessions, you are also expected to dedicate time to self-study.                                                                                                                                  This may involve further reading and research, preparing coursework and presentations, and preparing for tests and exams. You can use Stockwell Street Library and online resources to support you in these activities.

In addition, during the week you can also:

  • Attend additional support classes in some modules
  • Attend guest lectures from industry experts
  • Take part in employability and enterprise workshops
  • Join student societies.

Overall workload

If you are studying full-time, you should expect the workload to be similar to a full-time job. For part-time students, this will reduce in proportion with the number of courses you are studying.

Each module you study towards this degree is worth 30 credits. This represents around 300 study hours. If you receive 72 contact hours for a 30-credit module, you should expect to commit 228 hours to independent study to complete it successfully.

Assessment

You can view how each module is assessed within our 'What you will study' section.

Each course has formal assessments which count towards your grade. Some courses may also include 'practice' assignments, which help you monitor progress and do not count towards your final grade.

Feedback summary

We aim to give feedback on assignments within 15 working days

Dates and timetables

The academic year runs from September to June.

Full teaching timetables are not usually available until term has started. For any queries, please use our contact form.

Official statistics on Discover Uni

Full time

Part time

Fees and funding

Tuition fees

Cohort Full time Part time Distance learning
Home* £9,535 £2,384 per 30 credits N/A
International £17,500 £4,375 per 30 credits N/A

University is a great investment in your future. English-domiciled graduate annual salaries were £10,500 more than non-graduates in 2023 - and the UK Government projects that 88% of new jobs by 2035 will be at graduate level.

(Source: DfE Graduate labour market statistics: 2023/DfE Labour market and skills projections: 2020 to 2035).

* The Department for Education has indicated that it intends to raise the Home tuition fee limit from £9,250 to £9,535 for 2025/26.

Home tuition fee limits: Find out more

Other costs

Trips: Students of English Literature modules take occasional field trips to museums, galleries and theatres. Some of these are free, while others require a contribution (usually 50% of the ticket cost). Some field trips are tied into assessments, but alternative arrangements can be made if you are unable to pay.

Resources: Course texts and other study resources are available from our Stockwell Street Library, but you may wish to purchase your own copies.

Scholarships and bursaries

We offer a wide range of financial help including scholarships and bursaries.

The Greenwich Bursary

This bursary is worth £700 for new undergraduate students with a low household income, entering Year 0 or 1 who meet the eligibility criteria.

The Greenwich Bursary

EU Bursary

Following the UK's departure from the European Union, we are supporting new EU students by offering a substantial fee-reduction for studying.

The EU bursary

Financial support

We want your time at university to be enjoyable, rewarding, and free of unnecessary stress, so planning your finances before you come to university can help to reduce financial concerns. We can offer advice on living costs and budgeting, as well as on awards, allowances and loans.

Funding your studies

Careers and placements

Will I have a work placement?

This course can be taken in sandwich mode, which means you can take a year to work in industry between your second and final years of study. Sandwich placements are relevant to your degree subject and are paid roles. It is the very best way of preparing you for successfully finding a job quickly when you graduate.

You will also have the option to select a module for which you will be required to undertake a short-term placement. The module will be assessed on your reflection on this placement and how you can apply your knowledge to the workplace. Many placements are found through our network of industry contacts, and students are supported in securing these.

How long is my placement?

Sandwich placements last for between 9-13 months. Work-based learning module placements are normally one day a week for either one or two terms depending on the number of credits available from the module.

What are the financial arrangements?

Sandwich placements are paid roles whereas work-based learning module placements are normally unpaid.

What sort of careers do graduates pursue?

The skills you acquire through studying our courses will prepare you for careers in a wide range of industries and jobs. Graduates of this course have gone on to careers in teaching, translation and interpretation services, journalism, marketing, publishing and information technology, counselling, social work and forensics. There are also opportunities for human resources roles, where education and linguistics skills are highly valued. Some of these career options may require further study.

You might also consider postgraduate language studies with the university.

Are internships available?

Students are encouraged to take up Summer internships during the Summer holidays, though it is up to the student to find them. Support is available to students from the Employability and Careers Service when applying for placements and internships.

Do you provide employability services?

Employability activities take place all the time at Greenwich and students are encouraged to take part in as many opportunities as possible. The central Employability and Careers Service provides support for students preparing to apply for placements and graduate roles, such as CV clinics, mock interviews and employability skills workshops. In addition, your School has a dedicated Employability Officer who will be organising work-related activities throughout the year which will help you to build you industry knowledge and networks.

Support and advice

Academic skills and study support

We want you to make the most of your time with us. You can access study skills support through your tutor, our subject librarians, and our online academic skills centre.

Where appropriate, we provide support in academic English and mathematics. If you need to use particular IT packages for a specific module, we provide training for this.

Accommodation information

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Not quite what you were looking for?

We've got plenty of other courses for you to choose from. Browse our undergraduate courses or check our related courses below.....

English at the University of Greenwich

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Visit our English degrees page.

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Looking for some tips to get you thinking about either studying English Literature or Creative Writing at undergraduate level? If so, look no further - our subject teaching teams have a few suggestions which might help.

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Apply now

If you are a UK student or have settled/pre-settled status (EU) and you want to study full-time then you apply through the Universities and Colleges Admission Service (UCAS).

If you are a UK student or have settled/pre-settled status (EU) and you want to study part-time then you can apply directly via our online application form.

If you are from outside the UK, you can apply via UCAS, directly via our online application form or via one of our in-country representatives. If you require a student visa, you cannot study part-time at undergraduate level.