English Literature with a Year Abroad
Swansea University
UCAS Code: QH20 | Bachelor of Arts (with Honours) - BA (Hons)
Swansea University
UCAS Code: QH20 | Bachelor of Arts (with Honours) - BA (Hons)
Entry requirements
A level
Access to HE Diploma
Access to Humanities Course
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
GCSEs: English/Welsh Language Grade C
International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme
International students will also require a score of 4 at Higher Level English Language or Literature, or 5 at Standard Level English Language or Literature.
Leaving Certificate - Higher Level (Ireland) (first awarded in 2017)
UCAS Tariff
Swansea University accepts the Advanced Skills Baccalaureate Wales as fully equivalent to x1 A-Level.
Swansea University will accept the Welsh Baccalaureate - Advanced Skills Challenge Certificate as fully equivalent to one A-Level.
About this course
English Literature is one of the most diverse and challenging disciplines we offer.
Studying our four year BA with a Year Abroad cultivates sensitivity towards language and seeks to answer some provocative questions. It also opens up a range of exciting career possibilities by helping you to develop transferable skills, which are highly valued by employers.
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 stretching from Renaissance literature, Gothic and genre fiction and 19th century literature through to modernity and contemporary fiction. Other exciting topics include gender and culture and 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 career prospects.
**Why English Literature at Swansea?**
English at Swansea is ranked:
- 11th in 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)
Our academic staff are internationally recognised for their research. You will learn from experienced, established writers whose work has been widely published, broadcast and performed.
You will also have the option of a semester in the USA, Canada, China, Hong Kong or Singapore.
**Your English Literature Experience**
You can choose from a fascinating range of English Literature and creative writing topics to tailor your degree to your interests.
We offer varied and flexible course content, so you can shape your course to your own interests, whether in Gothic and genre fiction, gender and culture, Renaissance literature, national and global literatures, modernity and contemporary writing, 19th century literature, or creative and professional writing.
Wales has a rich lyric tradition and Swansea is the birthplace of Dylan Thomas. You could also be involved with projects with the Dylan Thomas Centre and the National Theatre Wales.
You will also have a personal tutor for any pastoral and academic support you may need, and the lively English Student Society at Swansea organises a range of literary, social and cultural events.
Please visit our course page for more information:
https://www.swansea.ac.uk/undergraduate/courses/culture-communication/english-literature-creative-writing/ba-english-literature/
Modules
Typically your first year will include a mixture of compulsory and optional modules, with examples of modules from recent years including:
• Monsters, Theories, Transformations
• English Essentials
• The Stage Play World
Your second year will typically comprise entirely optional modules from a large range of subject areas. Examples of optional modules in recent years have included:
• Contentious Shakespeare
• Revolution of the Word: Modernism
• Introduction to Writing Poetry
• Welsh Gothic / Gothic Wales
• Other Tongues: Multilingualism in English Language Literature
Your third year will be your Year Abroad experience, spent studying in a partner institution
Your final year will 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
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
English Language and Literature
What students say
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How do students rate their degree experience?
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Literature in english
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Who studies this subject and how do they get on?
Most popular A-Levels studied (and grade achieved)
After graduation
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Literature in english
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What about your long term prospects?
Looking further ahead, below is a rough guide for what graduates went on to earn.
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
£23k
£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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