We are The Times and The Sunday Times Good University Guide University of the Year 2026. We are also joint runner-up University of the Year for Graduate Employment and ranked third overall, up two places from last year.
Our staff interests cover the full spectrum of English literature from Anglo-Saxon to the present day, and different critical approaches to literature as well as creative writing. We consider literatures in English in the global sense, with modules that cover authors and texts ranging from the United States to South Asia. Our work combines a strong sense of tradition with a commitment to innovation and interdisciplinary approaches.
Our teaching and research complement one another at all levels of academic enquiry, from first-year tutorials to the specialised supervision available to MA and doctoral postgraduates. For example, staff offer ‘special topic’ seminar modules related to their field of expertise, while our creative writers lead modules in creative writing, poetry and prose.
Students are taught in lectures and seminars, as well as small tutorial groups and one-to-one supervisions. Undergraduates can see their tutors regularly, and prepare essays or shorter pieces for tutorial or seminar discussion.
The University Library maintains extensive general collections in literary studies, with specialist collections and archives on Palace Green.
Discover the big picture and the little details of our Department of English Studies.
If you've not previously experienced or been told much about the university study of English, you may not be familiar with some of the terms we use to describe our unique approach to the subject at this level. Here are some handy explanations that might help, as you further explore our Department and course information:
Lectures - these typically involve larger groups (sometimes comprising your entire year cohort of several hundred students), and usually introduce you to an author, text, or topic; there may be some interaction, such as through online polls
Seminars - group sessions that often involve a combination of direct teaching along with class discussion
Tutorials - smaller groups that usually emphasise student contributions, guided by a tutor
Formative and summative assessment - assessments may include formative work, which does not count to your overall marks but enables you to practice and receive constructive feedback, and summative work, which contributes to your result on a module; essays are not the only mode of assessment, and you will have chance to demonstrate other skills beyond writing.
Dissertation: during your third year you will submit a dissertation on a subject of your choice in consultation with a member of staff in the Department
Independent study - outside your formal teaching contact hours, you will need to read the relevant literary texts and do preparatory activities for your tutor, as well as developing essays and other assessments; find out more by exploring our guide to life as an English undergraduate
Research-led teaching – our academic staff do not just teach; they are pioneering new research and scholarships. Their expertise informs lectures and seminars, while modules such as ‘special topics’ may be developed around specialised research interests.
Interdisciplinary - English at university level often draws on insights from other subjects; for example, you might be invited to think about what cognitive science can tell us about reading and writing, or study literature in relation to film or video games
You may still feel a bit overwhelmed by these differences between university-level study of English, and what you have been used to before. It's therefore important to remember that your first year is designed to help you build your basic skills and awareness of literary topics across periods and genres, before you progress to year two where results start to count towards your overall degree classification. If you are from a background that has been historically excluded from Higher Education, you may want to check out our Widening Participation summer schools, which are designed to help people access and prepare for study.
The tutorials and seminars were always engaging and thought-provoking. I often walked out of lessons feeling refreshed and inspired by new ways of thinking about literature. The chance to study under experts in each module and debate your ideas with your peers is a privilege.
We welcome students from all backgrounds, domestically and internationally, and support a number of programmes to encourage applications from those who are underrepresented. We also offer financial support, such as the Jeremy Vine scholarship for students of Black heritage.
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