English Literature
You can explore more than 1,000 years of literature and culture: from medieval romance to the postcolonial and postmodern, engaging with literary and non-literary genres including film, music, poetry and scripts. Teaching is informed by our research centres in Medieval and Early Modern Studies, Eighteenth and Nineteenth Century Studies, Postcolonial and Irish Studies, Modernism, and the Centre for the Study of Sexuality and Culture.
The Centre for New Writing is a dedicated contemporary writing hub at Manchester and enables students to connect with a wide range of authors, writers and spoken word artists through events and workshops. This degree includes optional course units that enable you to integrate creative writing in your degree studies.
Language learning
You will choose one language - French, German or Spanish. The language you choose will be reflected in your degree title. For example BA (Hons) English Literature and Modern Languages (German).
You will join one of the language learning pathways:
The beginner pathway is for students, who do not have any foundation in the language. Some students are complete beginners. Some students may have undertaken some language learning. For example, a UK student who studied a language in Years 7 and 8 at secondary school.
The intermediate pathway is for students, who have a good foundation in the language, and have the equivalent of an A-level in their chosen language.
The language learning course units are designed to develop your skills of reception (reading and listening), production (speaking and writing), and translation. Class sizes are small and led by academics, who are a mix of native speakers, and English speakers who are fluent in the language. Using your language throughout the week really accelerates your learning and we encourage you to use it socially. For example, by joining student societies that enable you to meet students from different countries and following social media influencers and media channels for your chosen language.
World cultures
Alongside your language learning, you’ll also attend lectures and seminars that explore the history, literature, politics, and current affairs of your chosen country. Our students find that this part of their degree really broadens their understanding of where different languages are spoken and their cultural resonance.
Timetable
Each year you take 120 credits of course units. In Year 1, these credits are divided between your chosen language (French, German or Spanish) and English Literature. In Years 2 and 4, you can include 20 credits, per year, as a ‘free choice’. This free choice can be a course unit from another subject area in the School of Arts, Languages and Cultures or the University College of Interdisciplinary Learning.
Year 1: Languages (60 credits); English Literature (60 credits)
Year 2: Languages (40 or 60 credits); English Literature (40 or 60 credits); Free choice unit (0 or 20 credits)
Year 3: Residence Abroad. You will send a year living in a country where your chosen language is spoken.
Year 4: Languages (40 or 60 credits); English Literature (40, 60 or 80 credits); Free choice unit (0 or 20 credits)
Course Units
Please visit the subject guides for more information about the course units for each year of study.
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