BA (Hons) English and American Literature

This course enables students to study American literature whilst taking a range of core modules and option choices from English, film and creative writing. In historical terms the curriculum covers the seventeenth century to the present, with strong emphasis on the literature of the last two hundred years. You will gain a historical introduction to American literature and its critical traditions while the English literature section of the course will focus on the major genres of drama, prose, fiction and poetry. The course is flexible, offering you the opportunity to study English and American literature in equal depth, and also the choice of option modules in creative writing, film and television, cultural studies and literature from Africa, the Indian subcontinent, the Caribbean and elsewhere.

On the American literature side of the joint degree, students can expect to undertake or explore:

• Literature in the US, from its inception to the present day, in its social and historical contexts.
• The relationship between American literature and other forms of American culture, from colonialism to the present day.
• A history of American ideas which inform the evolution of American literature.
• Engagement with a range of theoretical perspectives on literature and culture, drawn specifically from American studies and related disciplines.

The joint-degree in American literature allows students to specialise in this particular literary and cultural field but also recognises that American literature is integral to, rather than separate from, the study of literature in English.

You will also benefit from regular readings, visiting speakers and literary events.