• Choose our foundation year route if you want to strengthen your knowledge and skills before you progress to stage one of the BA (Hons) English degree
• This degree will change the way that you think: you will encounter a wide range of literature from across the globe, studied in the context of perspective-altering theories concerning identity, desire, cultural politics and the nature of reality itself
• You will explore fascinating aspects of the subject, including classical myth, the evolution of fantasy, the representation of crime, the legacy of Empire, cultural politics, existentialist writing, blasphemy and censorship
• The course equips you with the skills and knowledge you need for excellent career prospects in fields ranging from teaching, journalism and publishing to acting and arts administration.
• Our teaching team is made up of experts who are passionate about the subject and dedicated to your success: in the latest National Student Survey, 95% of students praised our staff for the quality of their teaching.
• There is the opportunity to broaden your experience with work-based learning projects, study visits to cultural and heritage institutions, as well as lectures and seminars conducted by of guest speakers
• Our assessment strategy is designed to produce confident, articulate and independent graduates. As well as essays, you will be assessed on your participation in seminars and your ability to lead them. We also place great emphasis on developing your research skills, with conference papers and independent projects forming a key part of stages two and three.
• You can choose to study for a semester in one of our American partner universities

English at Derby is an exciting, diverse and challenging course that not only incorporates the close analysis of literature, but also considers the situations in which literature is produced and read. This means your studies will include the intellectual and cultural history of art, film, philosophy, linguistics and sociology, as well as contemporary cultural politics.

This course provides you with a firm grounding in the skills and knowledge you need and introduces you to the subject of English, enabling you to achieve your full honours degree in four years. As literature asks questions about who we are, why we are here, and the nature of the world in which we find ourselves, BA (Hons) English reflects the vibrancy, dynamism and profundity of the subject at large.

A broad perspective

You will be introduced to a range of cultural expression from across the globe and from diverse historical periods, broadening your understanding of the variety of human experience and the different literary modes which capture this.

The course covers literatures from the ancient past to the present day; from Africa and the Caribbean, America and continental Europe as well as from Britain and Ireland. It includes detailed surveys of early modern literature, the Enlightenment, the nineteenth-century realist novel and the modernist experiments of the early twentieth century.

Inspirational teaching

You will be taught by an enthusiastic team with research expertise covering a broad range of literary interests. 

You will also benefit from guest seminars and lectures, including those given by our Visiting Professor, Catherine Belsey, an internationally-recognised scholar whose work has profoundly influenced the way English is studied and taught.

Tailored to suit you

The flexibility of the English degree means you can choose from a wide range of thought-provoking options in stages two and three so that you can focus on your own literary interests.

The ideal setting

You could not have a better backdrop to your studies than Derbyshire. One of the centres of the British Enlightenment during the eighteenth century, the county has a strong literary heritage and inspired many great writers including Jane Austen, Walter Scott, Charlotte Brontё, George Eliot and Henry James.

A career focused degree

An English degree will open up a range of career options. However, we also recognise the importance of supporting you to develop the skills sought by employers to maximise your employability.

You will have personal development planning (PDP) interviews with your Year Tutor throughout your degree. Your tutor will help you explore career aspirations, review your PDP file and advise you on developing transferable skills.

We offer the opportunity for applied study through our work-based learning modules, which can be taken as options and where you can undertake projects and placements at cultural institutions There is also a programme of employability workshops and talks.

Not just lectures and classrooms

You will take part in trips and study visits to cinemas, film festivals, theatres, museums, galleries and heritage centres where you can observe, broaden your cultural knowledge and also apply what you are learning in practice.

We also work closely with the Derby-based 1623 Theatre Company so you have the opportunity to try your hand at directing play scenes, and with Writing East Midlands so you can contribute to writing-related events,Our innovative conference module, Literature in Society, enables you to collaboratively produce and market a paper to be delivered to an invited audience at a public conference.

Study in America

You can choose to spend part of your degree studying at one of our partner universities in America:

• Eastern Michigan University
• Keene State College in New Hampshire
• Longwood University in Virginia
• Indiana University - Purdue University Indianapolis

You can also study our Integrated Masters in English (MLit).