You study traditional areas such as Shakespeare and Dickens alongside contemporary literature and the latest literary theory. Encouraged to question what literature is, you develop analytical and critical skills, which help you to find your own voice and to produce innovative and thoughtful writing.
Overview
Kent’s School of English is ambitious, inclusive, engaged and international. Several of our staff are published authors and poets and there are also numerous internationally recognised scholars. We try to ensure that you are taught by different lecturers with varying approaches, so that, throughout your degree, you encounter fresh ideas and new authors.
We keep our class sizes small to ensure you receive as much individual attention as possible.
Our degree programme
At Kent, you choose your own pathway through your degree. There are very few compulsory modules, which puts you in control of your learning from the very beginning, giving you the intellectual freedom to grow as an individual and as a student of literature. You may wish to follow modules that provide an account of literature from Chaucer to the present day. Or you can focus on American literature, medieval and Tudor literature, postcolonial literature or modern poetry.
In your first year, you are introduced to the major forms of literature: poetry, narrative prose and drama. You study how writers of different backgrounds and time periods have confronted the concept of identity and gain an understanding of critical theory and theoretical approaches to literature. You also study and produce creative work in the form of poetry, fiction and non-fiction.
In your second year, you select the particular periods of literature you want to study and gain a solid grounding in literary studies. You also take modules that ask you to look closely at techniques and writing strategies in poetry, and elements in fiction such as point-of-view and characterisation. These modules teach you about writing and give you the chance to practise, through writing exercises, workshops and assignments, your own writing.
In your final year, you explore more specialised topics. Our modules are varied, covering Middle English literature through to 21st-century writing, with some focusing on individual authors such as Hardy and Woolf. You also choose modules from a selection specifically aimed at Creative Writing students, which explore areas such as memoir, the boundaries between prose and poetry, and historical fiction.
Year abroad
Your year abroad takes place between your second and final years of study and gives you the opportunity to see your subject from a new perspective and discover a new culture. Previous destinations include:
- the US
- Canada
- Europe
- Hong Kong.
Alternatively, you can take our three-year degree, without a year abroad. For details, see English and American Literature and Creative Writing.
Extra activities
There are a variety of literary activities at Kent. Students in the School of English publish a magazine of their creative writing, poetry and prose. There are also a number of student-run societies with a literary theme. In previous years these have included the:
- Creative Writing Society
- T24 Drama Society
- Poetry Society
- Literature Society.
The student newspaper, InQuire, is run by the student union and gives you the opportunity to develop your writing skills and to gain valuable work experience in journalism.
The School of English runs research seminars, workshops and social events, as well as a successful creative writing series of readings, where well-known writers and publishers share their experiences and skills. Previous guests include:
- Iain Sinclair
- Patience Agbabi
- Terry Eagleton.
All our students receive free membership to the Institute of Contemporary Arts (ICA) in central London, giving you access to the ICA’s facilities and a small number of internships.
Independent rankings
English and Creative Writing at Kent was ranked 7th in The Guardian University Guide 2018. In the National Student Survey 2017, over 92% of final-year students in English were satisfied with the overall quality of their course.
For graduate prospects, English was ranked 15th in The Complete University Guide 2018. Of English students who graduated from Kent in 2016, 98% were in work or further study within six months (DLHE).
Teaching Excellence Framework
Based on the evidence available, the TEF Panel judged that the University of Kent delivers consistently outstanding teaching, learning and outcomes for its students. It is of the highest quality found in the UK.
Please see the University of Kent's Statement of Findings for more information.
Course structure
The course structure below gives a flavour of the modules available to you and provides details of the content of this programme. This listing is based on the current curriculum and may change year to year in response to new curriculum developments and innovation.
For September 2018, the School of English Stage 1 curriculum has had an exciting and innovative redesign, based on student feedback and the passions and interests of our academic staff. These new modules will better prepare you to approach the evolving scope of the subject and provide an excellent foundation for your studies.
In Stage 2 you choose two creative writing modules and two literature modules and in Stage 3 you choose one or two creative writing modules and two or three literature modules (to equal four in total). At least one of the literature modules you take during Stage 2 must be in pre-1800 literature. You also have the option in Stage 3 to take an English dissertation module, which allows you to research and write in an area of particular interest. A selection of the modules available are listed below.
Stage 1
Compulsory modules:
Literary Forms - an introduction to the major forms of literature: poetry; narrative prose; and drama.
Thinking Through Theory - an introduction to some key theoretical readings in four broad areas: postcolonialism and race theory; theories of gender and sexuality; psychoanalytic theory; and Marxist theory.
Creative Writing Foundations - an introduction to the study and practice of writing creatively. You will study and produce creative work in multiple forms (e.g. poetry, fiction, non-fiction).
Optional module:
Reading & Writing the Everyday - examine how everyday objects and phenomena – from the city to the home – communicate meaning to us and are open to different interpretations.
Further details on our new Stage 1 modules can be found here.
Stage 2
Modules may include:
EN674 - Contemporary Poetry: Tradition and Innovation
EN679 - Writing Fiction: Tradition and Context
EN686 - Contemporary Poetry: Context and Innovation
EN721 - American Modernities: US Literature in the 20th Century
EN692 - Literature and Life 1400-1700
EN694 - Shakespeare and Early Modern Drama
EN695 - Empire, New Nations and Migration
EN697 - Chaucer and Late Medieval English Literature
EN681 - Novelty, Enlightenment and Emancipation: 18th Century Literature
EN675 - Declaring Independence: 19th Century US Literature
EN672 - Reading Victorian Literature
Year abroad
Going abroad as part of your degree is an amazing experience and a chance to develop personally, academically and professionally. You experience a different culture, gain a new academic perspective, establish international contacts and enhance your employability.
You spend your year abroad at one of our partner universities. Previous destinations include: North America, Asia and Europe. To be eligible for the year abroad, you need to achieve an average of 60% or more at the end of Stage 1 and adhere to any progression requirements in Stage 2.
The year abroad is assessed on a pass/fail basis and does not count towards your final degree classification. Places and destination are subject to availability, language and degree programme. To find out more, please see Go Abroad.
Stage 3
Modules may include:
EN683 - Passport to Oblivion: Writing Self into History
EN671 - Writing the Past: Approaches to the Historical Novel
EN664 - Wrestling with Angels: Writing the Prose Poem
EN722 - Global Capitalism and the Novel
EN723 - The Gothic: Origins and Exhumations, 1800 to the Present
EN724 - Holy Lives, Horrid Deaths: Medieval Saints and their Cults
EN701 - The Global Eighteenth Century
EN709 - Animals, Humans, Writing
EN713 - The New Women: 1880-1920
EN714 - Utopia: Philosophy and Literature
EN633 - Bodies of Evidence: Reading The Body In Eighteenth Century Literature
EN657 - The Brontes in Context
EN658 - American Crime Fiction
EN659 - Contemporary Irish Writing
EN580 - Charles Dickens and Victorian England
EN588 - Innovation and Experiment in New York, 1945-2015
EN604 - The Unknown: Reading and Writing
EN667 - Harlem to Hogan's Alley: Black Writing in North America
EN668 - Discovery Space: Theatres in Early Modern England
EN669 - Marriage, Desire and Divorce in Early Modern Literature
EN676 - Cross-Cultural Coming-of-Age Narratives
Teaching and assessment
Teaching and assessment can vary between modules. All modules are taught by weekly seminars. In addition to seminars, the majority of literature modules also include a weekly lecture. The majority of Stage 2 and Stage 3 Creative Writing modules also include a weekly workshop.
Assessment at Stage 1 and 2 is by a mixture of coursework and examination. Some modules may include an optional practical element.
Assessment at Stage 3 is by coursework only and may include an optional Dissertation/Creative Writing project.
Attendance at seminars is required, and for the majority of modules, you are assessed on your seminar contribution/performance.
Programme aims
The programme aims to:
- introduce you to a range of predominantly British and American literatures, and study them both as literature and as sources of technical expertise, inspiration and best practice in their own writing
- enable you to develop an historical awareness of literary traditions and place your own endeavour within that tradition
- develop your understanding, critical appreciation and practical powers of application of the expressive resources of language
- offer sustained opportunities for you to discover and develop your potential for creative writing in more than one generic area
- offer generous scope for the study of literature and creative writing within an interdisciplinary context
- develop your ability to argue a point of view with clarity and cogency, both orally and in written form
- develop your ability to assimilate and organise a mass of diverse information
- offer you the experience of a variety of teaching styles and approaches to the study of literature and contemporary writing
- develop your independent critical thinking, judgement, originality and self-reliance
- provide a basis for the study of English, creative writing or related disciplines at a higher level
- provide a basis for future creative writing in a number of different genres
- provide a basis in knowledge and skills for those intending to teach English literature and/or creative writing
- provide the opportunity to experience another culture’s approaches to English and American literature and creative writing
- if studying in continental Europe, to develop the ability to communicate in another language, in part through the provision of language modules at the host University.
Learning outcomes
Knowledge and understanding
You develop knowledge and understanding of:
- a wide range of authors and texts from different periods of literary history, in both British and American literature
- the principal literary genres, fiction, poetry, drama and of other kinds of writing and communication; insight into the varying demands imposed by their written production
- the challenges involved in producing original imaginative writing as they relate to several different genres
- literatures in English from countries outside Britain and America
- traditions in literary criticism and their relationship with creative writing
- terminology used in literary criticism
- the cultural and historical contexts in which literature is written, transmitted and read
- critical theory and its applications, understood within its historical contexts
- literary criticism as a practice subject to considerable variation of approach.
Intellectual skills
You develop the following intellectual skills:
- application of the skills needed for academic study and enquiry
- evaluation of critical interpretations
- ability to synthesise information from a number of sources in order to gain a coherent understanding of critical theory and general methodology; ability to synthesise material from a number of sources in a coherent creative whole
- ability to make discriminations and selections of relevant information from a wide source and large body of knowledge or of a body of creative material
- exercise of problem-solving skills, especially in the context of creative writing
- the ability to organise and present research findings
- the ability to frame oral criticism of creative work sensitively and constructively and to digest it to good effect.
Subject-specific skills
You develop the following subject-specific skills:
- enhanced skills in the close critical analysis of literary texts and written creative work in progress
- ability to structure and edit original creative work
- informed critical understanding of the variety of critical and theoretical approaches to the study of literature and contemporary writing
- ability to articulate knowledge and understanding of texts, concepts and theories relating to the study of literature and technical alternatives and their implications in the context of creative writing
- sensitivity to generic conventions in the study of literature and to their implications for the practising writer
- very well-developed linguistic resourcefulness including attention to tone and register and a grasp of standard critical terminology
- articulate responsiveness to literary and other persuasive language
- appropriate scholarly practice in the presentation of formal written work, in particular in bibliographic and annotational practices
- appropriate professional practice in the presentation of creative work, in particular in formatting and normal submission procedure
- understanding of how cultural norms, assumptions and practices influence questions of judgement
- appreciation of the value of collaborative intellectual work in developing critical judgement.
Transferable skills
You develop the following transferable skills:
- developed powers of communication and the capacity to argue a point of view, orally and in written form, with clarity, organisation and cogency
- highly developed writing skills and enhanced fluency in creative, discursive and general communicative contexts
- enhanced confidence in the efficient presentation of ideas designed to stimulate critical debate
- enhanced confidence in the writing and presentation of original projects
- developed critical acumen and critical diagnostic skills
- the ability to assimilate and organise substantial quantities of complex information or creative material of diverse kinds
- competence in the planning and execution of essays and project-work and in the conception, planning, execution and editing of individual creative work
- enhanced capacity for independent thought, intellectual focus, reasoned judgement, and self-criticism
- enhanced original creativity, imagination, judgement and powers of self-criticism
- enhanced skills in collaborative intellectual or creative work, including more finely tuned listening and questioning skills
- the ability to understand, interrogate and apply a variety of theoretical positions and weigh the importance of alternative perspectives
- the ability to respond to a variety of creative positions while sustaining confidence in your own
- research skills, including scholarly information retrieval skills
- IT skills: word-processing, email communication, the ability to access electronic data.
Careers
Graduate destinations
Our graduates have gone on to work in areas including:
- journalism
- broadcasting
- publishing and writing
- teaching
- banking
- marketing
- project management.
Our graduates include:
- Kazuo Ishiguro
- David Mitchell
- Sarah Waters.
Help finding a job
The University’s friendly Careers and Employability Service offers advice on how to:
- apply for jobs
- write a good CV
- perform well in interviews.
Career-enhancing skills
Alongside specialist skills, you also develop the transferable skills graduate employers look for, including the ability to:
- think critically
- communicate your ideas and opinions
- work independently and as part of a team.
You can also gain extra skills by signing up for one of our Kent Extra activities, such as learning a language or volunteering.
Independent rankings
For graduate prospects, English and Creative Writing at Kent was ranked 12th in The Guardian University Guide 2017 and English was ranked 14th in The Times Good University Guide 2017.
According to Which? University (2017), the average starting salary for graduates of this degree is £18,000.
Entry requirements
Home/EU students
The University will consider applications from students offering a wide range of qualifications. Typical requirements are listed below. Students offering alternative qualifications should contact us for further advice.
It is not possible to offer places to all students who meet this typical offer/minimum requirement.
New GCSE grades
If you’ve taken exams under the new GCSE grading system, please see our conversion table to convert your GCSE grades.
| Qualification | Typical offer/minimum requirement |
|---|---|
| A level | ABB including English Literature or English Language and Literature grade B |
| Access to HE Diploma | The University will not necessarily make conditional offers to all Access candidates but will continue to assess them on an individual basis. If we make you an offer, you will need to obtain/pass the overall Access to Higher Education Diploma and may also be required to obtain a proportion of the total level 3 credits and/or credits in particular subjects at merit grade or above. |
| BTEC Level 3 Extended Diploma (formerly BTEC National Diploma) | The University will consider applicants holding BTEC National Diploma and Extended National Diploma Qualifications (QCF; NQF; OCR) on a case-by-case basis. Please contact us for further advice on your individual circumstances. |
| International Baccalaureate | 34 points overall or 17 points at HL, including HL English A1/A2/B at 5/6/6 OR English Literature A/English Language and Literature A (or Literature A/Language and Literature A of another country) at HL 5 or SL 6 |
International students
The University welcomes applications from international students. Our international recruitment team can guide you on entry requirements. See our International Student website for further information about entry requirements for your country.
If you need to increase your level of qualification ready for undergraduate study, we offer a number of International Foundation Programmes.
Meet our staff in your country
For more advice about applying to Kent, you can meet our staff at a range of international events.
English Language Requirements
Please see our English language entry requirements web page.
Please note that if you are required to meet an English language condition, we offer a number of 'pre-sessional' courses in English for Academic Purposes. You attend these courses before starting your degree programme.
General entry requirements
Please also see our general entry requirements.
Fees
The 2019/20 tuition fees have not yet been set. As a guide only, the 2018/19 annual tuition fees for this programme are:
| UK/EU | Overseas | |
|---|---|---|
| Full-time | £9250 | £15200 |
For students continuing on this programme, fees will increase year on year by no more than RPI + 3% in each academic year of study except where regulated.*
Your fee status
The University will assess your fee status as part of the application process. If you are uncertain about your fee status you may wish to seek advice from UKCISA before applying.
Fees for Year in Industry
For 2018/19 entrants, the standard year in industry fee for home, EU and international students is £1,385.
Fees for Year Abroad
UK, EU and international students on an approved year abroad for the full 2018/19 academic year pay £1,385 for that year.
Students studying abroad for less than one academic year will pay full fees according to their fee status.
General additional costs
Find out more about accommodation and living costs, plus general additional costs that you may pay when studying at Kent.
Funding
University funding
Kent offers generous financial support schemes to assist eligible undergraduate students during their studies. See our funding page for more details.
Government funding
You may be eligible for government finance to help pay for the costs of studying. See the Government's student finance website.
Scholarships
General scholarships
Scholarships are available for excellence in academic performance, sport and music and are awarded on merit. For further information on the range of awards available and to make an application see our scholarships website.
The Kent Scholarship for Academic Excellence
At Kent we recognise, encourage and reward excellence. We have created the Kent Scholarship for Academic Excellence.
For 2018/19 entry, the scholarship will be awarded to any applicant who achieves a minimum of AAA over three A levels, or the equivalent qualifications (including BTEC and IB) as specified on our scholarships pages.
The scholarship is also extended to those who achieve AAB at A level (or specified equivalents) where one of the subjects is either Mathematics or a Modern Foreign Language. Please review the eligibility criteria.