Discover how literature and politics shape the world
Year of entry: 2020
QL32
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)
Chat with our current students online about everything from lectures to college life.
Find out moreAn English and Politics degree will enhance your understanding of the world around you in a thought-provoking, innovative way.
Studying English asks you to embrace new ways of thinking about the world and new possibilities of expression. Studying Politics invites you to engage with a vast spectrum of political issues and problems. Studying the two subjects together asks how literature and politics work to shape the world. You will graduate with skills highly prized by employers across a wide range of industries.
You can discover more about the Department of English and Related Literature’s exciting degree programmes by watching our video.
At the heart of current thinking, research, and debate – what it’s like to study Politics at York.
English at York is ranked 2nd in the UK in the Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2020.
In the 2014 Research Excellence Framework, the Department of English and Related Literature had the highest proportion of world-leading (4*) research of all UK English departments. The Department of Politics were ranked eighth in the Times Higher Education's ranking of the results.
Both departments host speaker series where high-profile academics, campaigners, journalists, politicians, and writers share their experience, insights, and cutting-edge research.
The Department of Politics staff advise governments on a wide range of issues and contribute to news, media, and current affairs programmes globally. English courses are designed and taught by world experts who are at the forefront of current research.
I chose to study English and Politics because I’m really interested in the political context of novels and in the modes of language used in politics. Studying English and Politics here lets you combine so many interesting modules! Studying two disciplines has widened my perspectives and gives me even more freedom over what I study.Livvie, BA English/Politics
You’ll cover an extraordinary range of literature and politics in this degree, from the medieval period to the 21st century and from around the world.
All combined course students take 120 credits each year, adding up to 360 credits across the course of your degree. You’ll split your credits equally between English and Politics in your first and second years. You may choose to weight your degree towards one subject or the other in Year Three, but you must take at least one English and one Politics module, as well as the bridge elements.
There are opportunities for you to spend time abroad during your course:
In the first year of your degree, we’ll introduce you to the undergraduate study of English and Politics. Our modules will give you the skills you need to start undertaking literary and political research, and advice on how to combine the two disciplines.
As an English/Politics student, you will take the 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 choose one module from the following:
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 Politics departments.
You'll choose from the same 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).
English/Politics students also choose from the same Politics options as single subject students in Year Two. Options may include:
In the third year of your degree, you'll take our exciting bridge module Politics and the Novel (20 credits), designed specifically for your degree pathway and typically taught by a member of staff from each department. This module is the cornerstone of your combined course programme; it will provide you with a range of critical and analytical skills, and will highlight the possibilities offered by studying two disciplines.
You will choose from our Advanced Option Modules in English (20 credits each). These reflect the wide-ranging and cutting-edge research expertise of the Department. You can typically expect to choose from around 25 options such as:
You will also choose a wide range of specialised option modules in Politics, all based on our latest research, enabling you to tailor your degree to your particular interests.
Options may include the following:
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.
In Politics, you’ll also learn through a combination of seminars, lectures, workshops, and one-to-ones. We offer a personal approach to learning with much of our teaching conducted in small groups (typically under 15 students in a seminar group). Our staff are very approachable and our doors are always open.
York’s English and Politics degree is renowned for its flexible and innovative approach.
In your first year, you can expect:
| Lectures | 5 hours per week |
|---|---|
| Seminars | 4-6 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, practise 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 Politics on Campus West
Your contact hours will be divided between Derwent College, the Spring Lane Building, and other locations nearby on Campus West.
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, to the 8,000-10,000-word bridge dissertation in your final year. We offer high levels of feedback and ample opportunities for you to meet with staff to discuss your written work.
Assessment in the Department of Politics varies from module to module and includes a combination of exams, written essays, and project work. Your tutors will give you feedback in a variety of forms depending on the specific needs of the module. This may consist of written feedback, in-class discussion, model answers, one-to-one discussions, or online responses.
| Year 1 | Year 2 | Year 3 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Written exams | 32% | 30% | 0% |
| Coursework | 55% | 70% | 100% |
| Practical exams | 13% | 0% | 0% |
The figures above are based on data from 2016/17.
Studying English and Politics 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 wide range of careers, from law and teaching to national and local government and the creative industries.
| Qualification | Typical offer |
|---|---|
| A levels | AAB including an A in English Literature (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 |
| BTEC National Extended Diploma | DDD with an additional A Level or equivalent qualification in English Literature at grade A |
| Cambridge Pre-U | D3, D3, M2 including D3 in English Literature |
| European Baccalaureate | 80% overall, with 85% in English Literature. |
| International Baccalaureate | 35 points, with 6 in all Higher level subjects, including English Literature. |
| 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 |
| Duolingo | Minimum overall score of 110 |
For more information see our undergraduate English language requirements.
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 Politics
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