English and American Studies BA,

Course description

Over the course of our English and American Studies BA you will discover the unique identities of English and American literature, and how the history and culture of each country has affected its written heritage. Leicester is ranked as one of the top ten places in the UK for teaching American Studies*, and you will benefit from our expertise across a wide range of areas.

English studies will begin in the Renaissance, advancing your knowledge of the period's drama and poetry, before moving through to the literature of the twenty-first century, with stops along the way in the Victorian, Romantic and Modernist periods. Your American Studies modules will introduce you to a history and literary tradition characterised by independence and growth.

Our modules offer a thorough introduction to each topic, and complement each other with a stimulating mix of English and American literature and American history and film. The English courses offer a full history of English from Shakespeare to the present day, as well as firm grounding in a variety of critical approaches, drawn from politics, psychoanalysis and philosophy. The American courses offer an exciting combination of American literature, film and history.

The breadth of the modules that we offer will take you in unexpected directions and allow you to focus on your own areas of interest particularly in your third year when you will be able to choose from a vast range of option modules. You will have the opportunity to study vital complementary disciplines, including literature, history, film and visual culture, and critical theory.

We understand the importance of experience for both academic and personal growth; as a result, our English and American Studies degree can be taken as either a three-year programme or as a four-year programme, with a year abroad at one of our 35 partner universities in the USA or Canada (subject to academic performance in your first and second years).

*The Guardian University Guide 2020

Students completing the General Secondary Education Certificate (Tawjihi) are eligible to apply for a Foundation or International Year One degree run by the Global Study Centre. The GSC provides academic support to help you progress to your chosen undergraduate degree at the University of Leicester.

If you are studying A-levels or the International Baccalaureate (IB) then you can begin from the first year of a Bachelors degree. Please see individual course pages for specific entry requirements.

We also accept students taking the Standard XII awarded by the CISCE/CBSE or another recognised state exam board. For many courses at the University of Leicester, you will usually need 80% overall or higher, along with higher individual marks of 85% in relevant subjects.

If you are taking another curriculum, please get in touch with us to discuss entry requirements.

We do accept students transferring from an undergraduate degree at a recognised Jordanian institution, subject to assessment. Please contact us to discuss your circumstances.

For more information about available degrees please see individual course pages.

Every degree page on our website specifies an IELTS score as the minimum English Language requirement for that course. If you have taken a different English language test or qualification, this table shows the equivalent scores or marks you need to match the IELTS grade for your course.

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