BA (Hons) English

Bold, flexible, and richly diverse – our BA English degree will take you on a thrilling intellectual and imaginative journey.

• We encourage you to ask big, complex, and often challenging questions about how to read literature in all its cultural, artistic, and political contexts.

• Hugely varied – you will travel across histories, cultures, and languages and be encouraged to engage in debates around, for example, gender and sexual identity, the Transatlantic slave trade, climate change, feminism, Caribbean writing, indigenous literature and philosophical ideas about what it means to be human across time.

• Design your own curriculum - read both traditional and non-traditional texts alongside other cultural works such as films, photography, museums, and visual arts.

• Transferable skills and careers support – our degree prepares you for a range of roles by developing your communication, analytical, and research skills. You’ll have the option to do a work placement as part of your course.

• Intensive pastoral care and academic support – we offer three years of support for your essay writing and research skills as well as a dedicated pastoral care system tailored to your individual needs.

• Experience London – our location allows you access to the wealth of cultural institutions and opportunities that the capital offers right on your doorstep.

• Home to the Goldsmiths Prize and the Goldsmiths Writers' Centre, the Centre for Comparative Literature and the Decadence Research Centre, the department is at the forefront of critical and creative practice.

Contact the department

If you have specific questions about the degree, contact Dr Abigail Shinn.

We accept the following qualifications:

A-level: BBB
BTEC: DDM
International Baccalaureate: 33 points overall with three HL subjects at 655
Access: Pass with 45 Level 3 credits including 30 Distinctions and a number of merits/passes in subject-specific modules
Scottish qualifications: BBBBC (Higher) or BBC (Advanced Higher)
European Baccalaureate: 75%
Irish Leaving Certificate: H2 H2 H2 H2

Additional entry requirements

To study this programme, a Grade B in A-level English Literature/A-Level English Language and Literature/A-level English Language is required if you have studied A-Levels. Alternatively, an equivalent English subject will be accepted e.g. Grade 5 in IB Higher Level English.

Alternative qualifications

See our full list of undergraduate entry qualifications.

We welcome students with a range of educational experiences. If you believe you may not meet the standard qualification requirements we would still encourage you to apply because we consider all aspects of your application when making a decision.

We’ll pay particularly careful attention to your personal statement, which is your opportunity to demonstrate your interest in the subject you’ve applied for. Your referees are also welcome to include any relevant contextual comments around your academic achievements. We’ll look at all these things when making a decision on your application, as well as your qualifications and grades.

International qualifications

We also accept a wide range of international qualifications. Find out more about the qualifications we accept from around the world.

If English isn’t your first language, you will need an IELTS score (or equivalent English language qualification) of 6.5 with a 6.5 in writing and no element lower than 6.0 to study this programme. If you need assistance with your English language, we offer a range of courses that can help prepare you for degree-level study.

Getting you ready for work

Our graduates have a good employment record. Professions include:

• Publishing
• Journalism
• Public Relations
• Teaching
• Advertising
• Civil service
• Personnel

You can find out more about the career options available to you after you graduate on our English careers page.

Placements

You can choose to take a work placement module as one of your option modules in your second or third year. This module allows you to undertake a work placement which will benefit your studies, your skillset and your CV.

Find out more about we help you improve your employability while at Goldsmiths

Skills

You will learn to solve problems, to think critically and creatively, and to communicate with clarity.

This degree opens up a wide range of careers by developing your:

• Critical and analytical skills
• Proficiency in assessing evidence
• Clear expression of ideas
• Ability to bring together insights from a range of subjects

All of these are attractive to a variety of employers.

Read more about the skills and English degree will give you