Every day is a new intellectual adventure
Year of entry: 2020
QV35
Y50
3 years full-time (plus optional placement year)
AAB (full entry requirements)
September 2020 (term dates)
£9,250 per year (2020/21)
£17,890 per year (2020/21)
Join us on campus or online and find out what studying at York is really like.
Find out moreCombining English and Philosophy offers you one of the most wide-ranging and stimulating degrees.
Encompassing almost every aspect of human thought and culture, this course will expose you to an array of ideas and ways of thinking about the world. Staff in both departments at York are world-renowned for their research, which covers every period, every major literary and philosophical genre, and all areas of the world.
You can discover more about the Department of English and Related Literature’s exciting degree programmes by watching our video.
Every day is a new intellectual adventure – find out what it’s like to study Philosophy at York.
The Department of English and Related Literature is ranked second overall in the UK for research performance and 96% of research activity in the Department of Philosophy is judged as internationally recognised (REF 2014).
You'll benefit from our interdisciplinary research and teaching with critical thinking and transferable skills.
for English in the Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2020
Choosing to study a joint degree in English/Philosophy was the best choice I could have made. I get the very best of both worlds, with an amazing range of both literary and philosophical texts and topics in my first year alone. I particularly love the ability to transfer skills and insights between subjects. Studying English and Philosophy together is daring, rewarding and life-changing.Tim, BA English/Philosophy
Our English/Philosophy degree has a distinctly international perspective. You’ll cover an exciting range of literary and philosophical topics, from the classical era to the modern world.
All combined course students take 120 credits each year, adding up to 360 credits across the course of your degree. In first and second year, you will split your studies equally between the English and Philosophy components of your degree. In your third year, it’s possible to vary the balance and devote more time to either subject, depending on your intellectual interests.
There are opprtunities to study abroad during your course:
In the first year of your degree, we’ll introduce you to the undergraduate study of English and Philosophy. Our modules will give you the skills you need to start undertaking literary and philosophical research, and advice on how to combine the two disciplines.
You'll take the following three modules in English, worth 20 credits each. These modules are designed to lay the foundation of literary study for your whole degree.
Get a feel for the shape of literary history by studying works from the medieval, early modern, eighteenth-century and Romantic, and modern periods.
Key concepts is a year-long foundation module that provides you with important critical and methodological contexts for the study of literature, as well as an introduction to rhetoric and writing. In addition, you will be introduced to strategies for developing essay-writing skills, engaging with criticism and critical theory, and revising work to improve its fluency and persuasiveness, as part of the English department’s innovative Writing at York provision.
You'll take a further 60 credits in Philosophy:
In addition to the above you will also need to complete our online Academic Integrity module.
This module covers some of the essential skills and knowledge which will help you to study independently and produce work of a high academic standard which is vital for success at York.
This module will:
In the second year of your degree, you’ll choose from a range of intermediate modules across the English and Philosophy departments, taking 60 credits in each subject.
You will choose from the same breathtaking range of English options as our single subject students. These include Critical Practice (20 credits) and our Intermediate Option Modules:
These also include our World Literature offerings (30 credits each) and our Topic Modules (10 credits each).
In Philosophy, you will choose from a range of Key Ideas modules. These modules look in more depth at topics in theoretical, value and the history of philosophy.
Theoretical Philosophy
Value in Philosophy
History of Philosophy
In your third year, you will take Philosophy and Literature (20 credits), a module designed specifically for this degree pathway and taught by a member of staff from each department. One of the distinctive features of the English/Philosophy degree at York, this advanced module is the culmination of your combined course programme; it explicitly draws together the range of critical and analytical skills you will have developed by studying both disciplines.
You'll choose from our Advanced Option Modules (20 credits each) in English (you can typically expect to choose from around 25 options) and a wide range of specialised Philosophy modules. These reflect the wide-ranging and cutting-edge research expertise of the Department and you can typically expect to choose from around 25 options on varied topics such as:
Philosophy’s current specialised modules include the following, among others:
Please note, modules may change to reflect the latest academic thinking and expertise of our staff.
Every course at York has been designed to provide clear and ambitious learning outcomes. These learning outcomes give you an understanding of what you will be able to do at the end of the course. We develop each course by designing modules that grow your abilities towards the learning outcomes and help you to explain what you can offer to employers. Find out more about our approach to teaching and learning.
| UK/EU | International |
|---|---|
| £9,250 | £17,890 |
You'll need copies of the texts set for each module. Where possible, the Department works to arrange digital copies via the University Library. Where this is not practical, you'll be instructed in advance of the start of each term about the texts and editions you'll need to purchase (whether new or second-hand).
UK/EU or international fees? The level of fee that you will be asked to pay depends on whether you're classed as a UK, EU or international student.
For more information about tuition fees, any reduced fees for study abroad and work placement years, scholarships, tuition fee loans, maintenance loans and living costs see undergraduate fees and funding.
We'll confirm more funding opportunities for students joining us in 2020/21 throughout the year.
You can use our living costs guide to help plan your budget. It covers additional costs that are not included in your tuition fee such as expenses for accommodation and study materials.
“Students from all backgrounds achieve consistently outstanding outcomes”
The TEF Panel, Office for Students, June 2018
Our Gold Teaching Excellence Framework award demonstrates our commitment to the delivery of consistently outstanding teaching and learning for our students.
You’ll study and learn with academics who are active researchers, experts in their field and have a passion for their subjects. Our approach to teaching will provide you with the knowledge, opportunities, and support you need to grow and succeed in a global workplace. Find out more about our approach to teaching and learning.
In English, you’ll learn through a programme of seminars, lectures, workshops, and one-to-one consultations. We emphasize small-group teaching, which means you’ll mainly be taught in seminars.
Teaching in Philosophy takes much the same form. The department prides itself on having smaller seminar groups than some other universities, and staff strongly encourage one-to-one conversations in open office hours.
York’s English and Philosophy degree is renowned for its flexible and innovative approach.
In your first year, you can expect:
| Lectures | 6 hours per week |
|---|---|
| Seminars | 4 hours per week |
| Workshops | 0-4 hours per week |
| Film Screening | 0-2 hours per week |
These figures are based on an average student in an average week. Your contact hours will vary throughout the year due to your module choices, non-compulsory classes, exam periods and changes to scheduled activities.
Outside your timetabled hours, you'll study independently. This may include preparation for classes, follow-up work, wider reading, practice completion of assessment tasks, or revision.
In the UK, full-time students are expected to spend 1,200 hours a year learning. That's about 40 hours of classes and independent study each week during term time. Everyone learns at a different rate, so the number of hours you spend on independent study will be different to other students on your course.
You will be based in the Department of English and Related Literature and the Department of Philosophy on Campus West.
Most teaching will be nearby in Derwent College, the Spring Lane Teaching Building and other Campus West locations.
Our beautiful green campus offers a student-friendly setting in which to live and study, within easy reach of the action in the city centre. It's easy to get around campus - everything is within walking or pedalling distance, or you can always use the fast and frequent bus service.
The Department of English and Related Literature employs a variety of assessment methods, including group presentations and closed exams, but with a strong emphasis on essay writing. Your main mode of assessment will be essays, which will range from short exploratory exercises to more detailed discussions on a topic of your choice. We offer high levels of feedback and ample opportunities for you to meet with staff to discuss your written work.
Your work in Philosophy is assessed by a more or less equal mix of essays and exams – the exact blend of assessment depends on the modules you choose. In the first year, some work is assessed by online tests and poster presentation.
| Year 1 | Year 2 | Year 3 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Written exams | 50% | 35% | 0% |
| Coursework | 50% | 65% | 100% |
The figures above are based on data from 2016/17.
[The] English and Philosophy course is very well structured, allowing for the enhancement of creative and original thought within both subjects through its interdisciplinary approach. Few universities permit the academic freedom of writing on Gustave Flaubert’s works in light of Jean-Paul Sartre’s account of the imagination!Alex BA English/Philosophy
Studying English and Philosophy at York will provide you with numerous career possibilities. You’ll learn presentation, language, and critical thinking skills during your combined degree, and gain expertise in complex analysis and research. These skills suit a range of careers, from law and teaching to national and local government and the creative industries.
The English part of my degree helped me develop the skill of being able to absorb and analyse large amounts of information at short notice which is a daily demand in the world of law.Penny Darragh, BA English/Philosophy
Solicitor, Dickinson Dees LLP
| Qualification | Typical offer |
|---|---|
| A levels | AAB including an A in English (English Language and Literature is also acceptable) |
| Access to Higher Education Diploma | 36 credits at Distinction, including at least 9 credits in Literature-related units, and 9 credits at Merit or higher |
| Cambridge Pre-U | D3, D3, M2 including D3 in English |
| European Baccalaureate | 80% overall, with 85% in English. |
| International Baccalaureate | 35 points, with 6 in all Higher level subjects, including English. |
| Other international qualifications | Equivalent qualifications from your country |
Meeting the following additional criteria may qualify you for an alternative offer.
| Criteria | Adjustment |
|---|---|
| Widening participation | If you successfully complete one of the following programmes, you may be eligible for an alternative offer up to one A level grade (or equivalent) below our typical offer: Next Step York, Realising Opportunities. More about widening participation. |
| Contextual offers | If you have experience of local authority care or live in an area with low progression to university, you may be eligible for an alternative offer up to two A level grades (or equivalent) below our typical offer. More about contextual offers. |
| EPQ | If you achieve A or higher at EPQ, you may be eligible for an alternative offer up to one A level grade (or equivalent) below our typical offer. |
If English isn't your first language you may need to provide evidence of your English language ability. We accept the following qualifications:
| Qualification | Minimum requirement |
|---|---|
| IELTS | 6.5, with a minimum of 6.0 in each component |
| PTE Academic | 61, with a minimum of 55 in each component |
| GCSE/IGCSE/O level English Language (as a first or second language) | Grade C |
| C1 Advanced and C2 Proficiency | 176, with a minimum of 169 in each component |
| TOEFL | 87 overall, with a minimum of 21 in each component |
| Trinity ISE III | Merit in all components |
For more information see our undergraduate English language requirements.
We recognise the difficulties in taking English language tests due to the ongoing Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. We have taken the decision to relax the English language requirements published above by 0.5 IELTS (or equivalent).
We are closely monitoring the situation as it evolves and are considering further options to support offer-holders in meeting their English language conditions. Further information about our responses to COVID-19.
You may be eligible for one of our pre-sessional English language courses. These courses will provide you with the level of English needed to meet the conditions of your offer.
The length of course you need to take depends on your current IELTS scores and how much you need to improve to reach our English language requirements.
After you've accepted your offer to study at York, we'll confirm which pre-sessional course you should apply to via You@York.
To apply to York, you will need to complete an online application via UCAS (the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service).
We look for intellectual and literary curiosity, open-mindedness, and analytical ability.
We encourage mature students to email the Admissions Tutor for consultation and advice.
At the University of York, we are committed to providing the support our students need to achieve their full potential and have an exceptional, transformational experience. The York Access Scheme offers help to those faced with social, personal or educational challenges which have affected their performance in education. We also offer support for care leavers.
Get in touch if you have any questions
Department of English and Related Literature, Department of Philosophy
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