BA Art and English Literature

University of Reading

United Kingdom, Reading

University RankQS Ranking

173

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University of Reading

United Kingdom , Reading

Key Facts

Program Level

Bachelor

Study Type

Full Time

Delivery

On Campus

Course Code

QW31

Campuses

Main Site

Program Language

English

Start & Deadlines

Next Intake DeadlinesSeptember-2026

Apply to this program

Go to the official application for the university

Duration 4 year(s)

Tuition Fee

GBP 25,850 / year

Next Intake September-2026

BA Art and English Literature

About

With our BA Art and English Literature programme, you’ll engage in practical studio work, discover ideas and theories in contemporary art, and explore literature from every era and corner of the globe.

At the University of Reading, you’ll investigate how debates across the creative arts are reflected in dynamic ways across both art and literature, guided by staff from Reading School of Art and the Department of English Literature. The University of Reading ranks in the top 100 for Arts and Humanities globally (=91 in QS World University Rankings by Subject, 2024) and top 150 for Arts and Design globally (101-150 in QS World University Rankings by Subject, 2024).

This four-year joint degree is designed to develop your expertise meaningfully in both subjects, supporting your learning through:

experimentation and creative enquiry in large credit practical studio modules
complementary studies to introduce, develop and master skills and knowledge of art
exploration of the historical range of literature written in English, from the Middle Ages to the present.

Throughout your studies, you'll acquire skills in close reading of texts and artworks, critical analysis, and experimentation, and become adept at articulating ideas creatively and persuasively. These skills will allow you to engage with confidence in professional and public discourse. In your personal and working life, they will enable you to look beyond immediate tasks and problems to wider social, cultural, civic, and global contexts.

Requirements

Entry Requirements

Select Reading as your firm choice on UCAS and we'll guarantee you a place even if you don't quite meet your offer. For details, see our firm choice scheme.

Our typical offers are expressed in terms of A level, BTEC and International Baccalaureate requirements. However, we also accept many other qualifications.

Typical offer

BBB, including grade B in A level English Literature or related subject. Related subjects include: English Language, English Language and Literature, Drama and Theatre Studies, Creative Writing.

You will be asked to provide an online portfolio of your work when you apply.

International Baccalaureate

30 points overall including 5 at higher level in English Literature or related subject.

Extended Project Qualification

In recognition of the excellent preparation that the Extended Project Qualification (EPQ) provides to students for University study, we can now include achievement in the EPQ as part of a formal offer.

BTEC Extended Diploma

DDM (modules taken must be comparable to A level subjects specified)

English language requirements

IELTS 7.0, with no component below 6.0

For information on other English language qualifications, please visit our international student pages.

Alternative entry requirements for International and EU students

For country specific entry requirements look at entry requirements by country.

Pre-sessional English language programme

If you need to improve your English language score you can take a pre-sessional English course prior to entry onto your degree.

Find out the English language requirements for our courses and our pre-sessional English programme

English Program Requirements

IELTS 7.0, with no component below 6.0

Career

As a BA Art and English Literature graduate, you will be equipped to sustain your practice as an artist and writer, to find employment within the creative industries or to continue to postgraduate study.

You’ll graduate with a range of transferable skills, such as self-motivation, time management, and strategic thinking. 96.30% of graduates from Reading School of Art are in work or further study within 15 months of graduation (based on our analysis of HESA data © HESA 2024, Graduate Outcomes Survey 2021/22 includes first degree Art responders).

Many of our graduates develop successful careers as artists, writers and curators. These include a few famous alumni, such as Turner Prize-nominated artists, and PhD students who are award-winning artists and curators at influential museums. Other graduates have found employment in galleries, education, art therapy, and film and video production. Recent employers include:

Tate
Whitechapel Gallery
Christies
Microsoft
BBC
Victoria & Albert Museum
Manolo Blahnik.

Alternatively, you can choose to further develop your skills by moving into research or teacher training.

Fee Information

Tuition Fee

GBP 25,850

Application Fee

GBP

How to Apply

You can apply online for all of our courses, including courses with an Integrated Foundation Year, via the national admissions service, UCAS. You can choose to apply for up to five courses in total, including more than one course at the same institution.

1. Find a course

Browse our undergraduate courses and identify which ones you'd like to apply for. Make sure to check your course's entry requirements before you apply.

2. Begin your application

Our UCAS code is R12. The University does not have a campus code.

3. Write your personal statement

As part of your application, you'll be asked to submit a personal statement to support your application. This is your opportunity to tell us more about why you want to study the course and what interests, skills and experience you have that demonstrate your passion for the subject.

4. Submit your application

When you're happy with your application and have added the required information such as qualifications, personal statement and reference, you can submit your application.

A small charge is made by UCAS for applying to university. The application fee for 2024 entry is £27.50 for up to five choices.

Make sure to check the UCAS website for the most up-to-date application deadlines. If you have missed the January deadline, there is still the opportunity to apply (via UCAS), and we are happy to consider late applications until 30 June 2024 (all applications received after 30 June are entered into Clearing). Please be aware that some of our courses may be full after the January UCAS deadline, so we recommend early applications where possible.