BA English Language and Literature

Course description

This degree is a uniquely integrated single honours programme which focuses on the interface between language and literature. You’ll have the opportunity to study language, literature and their interaction in a department dedicated to high-quality teaching, world-leading research, and innovative public engagement.

You’ll be uniquely positioned to explore the interface between language and literary study. Our combination of core and optional modules in language, literature, linguistics, theatre, film and creative writing means that you have the opportunity to tailor your degree to suit your tastes and interests.

As well as having access to the range of modules available across the School of English, you’ll study dedicated modules that explicitly explore the relationship between literature and language.

For example, you’ll use linguistic techniques to analyse literary language, think about why audiences find some styles of writing particularly persuasive, and examine the techniques authors use to make their works feel ‘realistic’. We have the largest group of researchers in the UK working in this area and their research will inform the content of the modules you will study.

Our core module in the first year is Practical Stylistics, the starting point for the integrated study of language and literature which is central to our Sheffield degree. You’ll find out how to use a range of linguistic models to investigate different textual effects in prose fiction, dramatic texts, poetic texts, newspapers and political writing from a range of genres and periods. In your first year, you also take core modules in both language and literature, and are able to choose from a wide selection of optional modules across the School of English.

In your second year, your core modules continue the work that you began in Practical Stylistics, exploring the language of literary and non-literary texts and the creation of effects such as realism and persuasiveness. You’re also able to select from language and literature modules across the School of English.

In your final year, you take at least two specialist modules, working with staff on an area that is closely related to their own research and that continues to bring language and literature together. You’ll also have the opportunity to conduct your own research project, either through certain optional modules or by undertaking a dissertation.

Studying both language and literature allows you to explore the full range of teaching offered in the School of English and ensures that you are prepared for a wide range of careers when you graduate.

Modules

Over the course of each academic year at Sheffield, you will need to study modules that equate to the value of 120 credits. Some of these credits will be taken up by our core modules, which are designed to give you the breadth of knowledge and ways of thinking necessary to the degree being awarded.

For your remaining credits, you will be able to choose from an extensive range of optional modules, allowing you to shape your degree to the topics that interest you.

Entry requirements

The A Level entry requirements for this course are:
AAB
typically including an Arts and Humanities subject

A Levels + additional qualifications ABB, typically including an Arts and Humanities subject + B in the EPQ

International Baccalaureate 34, typically including 5 in a Higher Level Arts and Humanities subject

BTEC Extended Diploma DDD in a relevant subject

Scottish Highers + 1 Advanced Higher AAABB + B, typically in an Arts and Humanities subject

Welsh Baccalaureate + 2 A Levels B + AA, typically including an Arts and Humanities subject

Access to HE Diploma 60 credits overall in a relevant subject, with 45 credits at Level 3, including 36 credits at Distinction and 9 credits at Merit

English language requirements | 

You must demonstrate that your English is good enough for you to successfully complete your course. For this course we require: GCSE English Language at grade 4/C; IELTS grade of 7.0 with a minimum of 6.5 in each component; or an alternative acceptable English language qualification

Fees and funding

Fees

Applications for places on courses starting the following September (except Medicine and Dentistry) should be submitted to UCAS between:

• 1 September and 25 January to be guaranteed equal consideration with other applicants
• 26 January and 30 June for further consideration, although we may not be able to consider your application if all the places on the course you’ve applied for have been filled

Applications for places on Medicine and Dentistry courses must be submitted between 1 September and 15 October.