English Literature with a Foundation Year
Swansea University
UCAS Code: Q302 | Bachelor of Arts (with Honours) - BA (Hons)
Swansea University
UCAS Code: Q302 | Bachelor of Arts (with Honours) - BA (Hons)
Entry requirements
A level
We recognise the EPQ as an excellent indicator of success. If you are predicted a grade B or above in the EPQ, you will receive an offer with a one grade reduction, to include your EPQ with a grade B.
GCSE/National 4/National 5
We require a minimum of 5 passes at Grade A*-C, including Welsh/English Language
UCAS Tariff
Swansea University accepts the Advanced Skills Baccalaureate Wales as fully equivalent to x1 A-Level.
Swansea University recognises the Welsh Baccalaureate - Advanced Skills Challenge Certificate as equivalent to one full A-Level.
About this course
English Literature is one of the most diverse, stimulating and challenging disciplines we offer and studying this four-year BA with a Foundation Year cultivates sensitivity towards language and opens up a range of exciting career possibilities by helping you to develop transferable skills, which are highly valued by employers.
The Foundation Year gives you an exciting introduction to Higher Education, setting you up with the skills, confidence, and knowledge that you’ll need to be successful on your undergraduate degree. It’s ideal if you need a little more support after Further Education or are returning to education after a gap.
After progression from the foundation year, you will have the chance to explore over a thousand years of literature, from Beowulf to the present day.
Our course covers national and global literature including Renaissance literature, Gothic and genre fiction, 19th century literature and contemporary fiction. Other topics include gender and culture, creative and professional writing.
You will have the chance to spend a semester studying in the USA, Canada, China, Hong Kong or Singapore, further improving your student experience and career prospects.
**Why English Literature with a Foundation Year at Swansea?**
English at Swansea is ranked:
- 11th in the UK for Research Impact (REF2021)
- Top 20 in the UK for Teaching Satisfaction (Guardian University Guide 2025)
- Top 101-150 in the World (QS World University Rankings by Subject 2025)
You will learn from experienced, established writers whose work has been widely published, broadcast and performed and our academic staff are internationally recognised for their research.
**Your English Literature with a Foundation Year Experience**
Our BA (Hons) English Literature with Foundation Year degree will give you an exciting introduction to higher education and is part of a four-year undergraduate integrated degree. You will learn how to improve your oral and writing skills, investigate and obtain information, present your ideas in a range of formats, solve problems and make informed decisions.During your Foundation Year, you will learn the key skills you’ll need to make your degree a success while developing knowledge of your subject area and how it relates to the humanities and social sciences.
You will start the degree course in your second year and can shape your studies to your interests. Our varied and flexible course content covers national and global literatures, gender and culture, Renaissance literature, Gothic and genre fiction, 19th century literature through to modernity and contemporary writing as well as creative and professional writing. On our English and Creative Writing degree you will learn a range of writing skills to equip you for a career as a writer, including novels, plays, poetry, film scripts, and non-fiction. You will explore a range of styles and genres, as well as studying the history, traditions and theory of English Literature. You will also have the option of a semester in the USA, Canada, China, Hong Kong or Singapore.
You will also have a personal tutor for any pastoral and academic support you may need, and the English Student Society at Swansea organises a range of literary, social and cultural events.
Wales has a rich lyric tradition and Swansea is the birthplace of Dylan Thomas. You could also get involved with projects with the Dylan Thomas Centre and the National Theatre Wales.
Please visit our course page for more information. https://www.swansea.ac.uk/undergraduate/courses/culture-communication/english-literature-creative-writing/ba-english-literature-foundation-year/
Modules
Typically, in your first year ( foundation year - Year 0) you will explore what it means to be human – studying a range of humanities and social science topics to prepare you for the degree itself.
When you move on to the degree, your early studies will introduce you to English Literature, as well as writing styles and genres.
Typically your first year will include a mixture of compulsory and optional modules. Examples of modules from recent years have included:
• Monsters, Theories, Transformations
• English Essentials
• The Stage Play World
Typically your second and third years will comprise modules from a large range of subject areas. Examples of modules in recent years have included:
• Contentious Shakespeare
• Revolution of the Word: Modernism
• Welsh Gothic / Gothic Wales
Your final year will also include an optional independent dissertation project.
For the full programme structure and module breakdown, please visit our webpage at:
https://www.swansea.ac.uk/undergraduate/courses/culture-communication/english-literature-creative-writing/ba-english-literature-foundation-year/
Assessment methods
We offer a variety of assessment methods within our programmes. In addition to traditional examinations and essays, examples of alternative assessment include:
• Presentations
• Group Work
• Original Writing
Throughout your undergraduate English Literature degree, you will develop excellent research and analytical skills and learn to present your ideas effectively both verbally and in writing. For full breakdown of course structure and assessment please visit our course page https://www.swansea.ac.uk/undergraduate/courses/culture-communication/english-literature-creative-writing/ba-english-literature/ or get in touch with us at study@swansea.ac.uk
The Uni
Singleton Park Campus
College of Arts and Humanities
What students say
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Literature in english
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Literature in english
The graph shows median earnings of graduates who achieved a degree in this subject area one, three and five years after graduating from here.
£18k
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£26k
Note: this data only looks at employees (and not those who are self-employed or also studying) and covers a broad sample of graduates and the various paths they've taken, which might not always be a direct result of their degree.
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