BA (Hons) English
The programme aims to provide a coherent and integrated course
of study that will teach core skills in analysing literature and
language. It aims to develop knowledge of the conventions and
techniques of the principal literary genres and the forms of
different types of writing and verbal communication.
You will learn to analyse and interpret meaning through the
study of language, form and style in literary texts and other forms
of discourse. This includes how literary and linguistic forms
contribute to the making, sharing and understanding of meaning and
also how meaning is shaped by the cultural and historical contexts
in which texts are written, and in which they are read.
The degree programme’s unique points are: specialist final-year
modules taught by research-active tutors working at the forefront
of the discipline; small class sizes with a high tutor/student
contact time; a skills-based focus that encompasses employability,
critical writing and reading and presentations.
An external examiner recently commented, "The high pass rate and
achievement of the graduating students at Doncaster [on the BA
(Hons) English course] is, in my experience, a benchmark to which
some universities would aspire."
Course Content and Structure
Industry involvement
The Academic and Professional Development module at level 5
enables students to garner a wide range of employability and
transferable skills through the project management of a
business/employer-related group project.
During the course of the module, students will produce a series
of presentations, Gantt charts and other project management
documentation, group wiki, product website, publicity materials,
and in addition, will network with internal and external
organisations, companies and bodies as appropriate in their
investigation and realisation of their project.
The course covers different approaches to the study of
literature and language, revealing how different methods of
analysis and critical reading can lead to competing interpretations
of texts. Modules within the degree programme are directed
towards:
Literature: literary forms, genres and
techniques; literature from the sixteenth century to the
present; literary theories and concepts.
Language: the history of the English language;
the uses and conventions of English language;
socio-linguistics.
Theory: readership and authorship; contemporary
critical theories & concepts; contemporaneous critical
writings, theories & concepts.
Academic and professional development:
employability and transferable skills
Year one (Level 4)
- Describing English
- Readers and Texts
- Representation and Variation in English
- Studying Literature 1: Storytelling
- Studying Literature 2: Form and Genre
- Academic and Professional Development 1
Year two (Level 5)
- Early Modern Literature
- Language and Culture
- Realism and Modernism
- Romanticism and Beyond
- Texts and Contexts
- Academic and Professional Development 2
Year three (Level 6)
At Level 6 you may write a dissertation and will study the
following modules:
- Reading Ulysses
- Modern Drama
- Postmodern and Contemporary Literature
- Writing the Future
Assessment
You will be assessed by a wide variety of methods including
essays, projects, portfolios and dissertation; creative writing,
book reviews and other written forms; group wikis and websites; and
presentations (via a variety of media). The programme’s assessment
methods will foster not only your subject skills and knowledge but
also transferable skills that will enable you to meet the demands
of employers and the modern world.
Entry Requirements
One of the following:
- 200 UCAS Tariff Points- from at least 2 GCE A Levels or BTEC
National qualifications
- Access to HE Diploma in a related programme with at least 45
credits at Level 3
- Accreditation of Prior Learning (APL)
We welcome applications from people of any age who might not
meet the standard entry criteria, but we would expect to see
evidence of continuing academic and/or professional development and
a capacity to pursue the course successfully.
Progression Routes
Potential careers
| Potential jobs |
Expected salary |
| Education professionals |
£29,000+ |
| Professional writer, editor or proofreader |
Variable |
| Art, Design, Culture and Sport Professionals |
£28,000+ |
| Marketing, sales and advertising professionals |
£28,000+ |
| High-level clerical, administrative and secretarial
occupations |
£26,000+ |
| Commercial, industrial and public sector managers |
£26,000+ |
| Business, financial and associate professionals |
£29,000+ |
| Retail and catering occupations |
£25,000+ |
On completion of this course you will have the necessary skills
and professional portfolio to allow you to gain employment in a
variety of areas.
Alternatively, you may choose to further your studies. The
research element within this degree means that it provides a firm
foundation for postgraduate work in English and related areas. Many
UK graduates in English pursue postgraduate study in the form of a
Law conversion course.
Student comments
"Perhaps the biggest positive of studying on the
English degree at Doncaster University Centre is the fact that
small class sizes and the number of tutor contact hours means that
you really get the feeling of the ‘personal touch’ that is missing
at many other larger universities. Tutors take a genuine interest
in your wellbeing, are always able to see you and really get to
know your personality and interests which gives them the ability to
give personally-tailored career advice at the end of the degree."
HT, Year 3 student
"I have been impressed with the expertise of the
English department teaching staff and the level of teaching I have
received. All the tutors have a real depth of knowledge but have
the ability to teach people from different educational backgrounds.
I feel that I have received a standard of teaching comparable to
larger Universities but I have been able to do it within my local
community without the need to commute." SL, Year 3
student
Graduate destinations
Recent graduates include:
- LA- Joint Head of English Department at local secondary
school
- MH- College lecturer
- MJ- MA student at Sheffield Hallam University
If you are unsure which course is the right one for you, please contact us further information and guidance.