English Literature BA (Hons), sandwich with work placement at University of Portsmouth

About

If you want a future with fewer limits, this is the degree for you. When you study English Literature at Portsmouth, you'll also explore history and politics, society and culture, human relationships and identities, and how we choose to live. And you’re doing it in a city steeped in lively literature, from Charles Dickens to Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.

You’ll explore complex, challenging issues – from masculinity to the Holocaust. You’ll learn the skills to critically analyse the purpose, truth and impact of any written text. You’ll also develop the skills to produce your own writing and presentations, so you can communicate original ideas in ways that engage and influence readers.

The combination of creative thinking and rigorous analysis you develop will make you a compelling candidate for all kinds of jobs – from marketing to museums, and journalism to publishing.

Requirements

Entry Requirements

Entry requirements

Entry requirements (September 2026 start)

Typical offers BA (Hons) English Literature

A levels - BBB-BCC
UCAS points - 104-120 points to include a minimum of 2 A levels, or equivalent, to include a relevant subject (calculate your UCAS points)
BTECs (Extended Diplomas) - DDM-DMM
International Baccalaureate - 24

You may need to have studied specific subjects or GCSEs - see full entry requirements and other qualifications we accept.

English language requirements

English language proficiency at a minimum of IELTS band 6.0 with no component score below 5.5.

See alternative English language qualifications

We also accept other standard English tests and qualifications, as long as they meet the minimum requirements of your course.

If you don't meet the English language requirements yet, you can achieve the level you need by successfully completing a pre-sessional English programme before you start your course.

Worried about your grades?

If you're not sure you meet the entry requirements, or need some help to get uni-ready, then we offer BA (Hons) English Literature with Foundation Year through our partners at ICP to bring you up to speed. When you successfully finish, you'll get a guaranteed place on BA (Hons) English Literature.

Find out more about our foundation years with ICP

Typical offers for BA (Hons) English Literature with Foundation Year

UCAS points - 32 tariff points at A level, or equivalent (calculate your UCAS points)

You may need to have studied specific subjects – find full entry requirements and other qualifications we accept.

English language requirements

English language proficiency at a minimum of IELTS band 5.5 with no component score below 5.5.

See alternative English language qualifications.

We also accept other standard English tests and qualifications, as long as they meet the minimum requirements of your course.

If you don't meet the English language requirements yet, you can achieve the level you need by successfully completing a pre-sessional English programme before you start your course.

Please note this foundation year with ICP isn’t currently open to EU or International students.

We look at more than just your grades

While we consider your grades when making an offer, we also carefully look at your circumstances and other factors to assess your potential. These include whether you live and work in the region and your personal and family circumstances which we assess using established data.

Explore more about how we make your offer

Optional pathways

After you start this course, you can choose to modify the qualification you graduate with. If you combine your literature studies with an interest in history or the media, you could graduate with a customised degree:

How studying English Literature helped my career

Alumnus Nelson Hylton talks about how his English Literature course at the University of Portsmouth helped his career as a presenter at BBC Radio 1.

Nelson: When I was leaving sixth form, I wasn't exactly entirely sure what I wanted to do with my life. But, I knew that I loved reading and I loved writing, like, I spent so much time reading books and for me, it was the wide variety of literature that made me want to study at Portsmouth.

There were certain elements of the course where we'd have to do presentations and speak publicly, and that obviously helped me a lot with what I do now, speaking to thousands of people on air. But I'd says as well, the course helped me become more confident in my ability, speak to people and communicate my ideas and values across them so it helped me in a few different ways for sure.

Why Portsmouth? I would say there's so many different varieties of activities, be it, you know, radio or American football and the fact that you can take part in so much more than just your course.

I think some of my course lecturers were some of the best in the country, you know? They were great. They've worked really hard in helping me achieve my dreams.

Any university student is going to have ups and downs whilst they're at university, and the pastoral care and support from Portsmouth is second to none. They really help me and they really looked after me.

I would definitely say English literature does link to what I do now as a radio presenter because a lot of it is storytelling, trying to allow the listener to believe exactly what I believe and trying to guide them on this journey. I think those are all skills that I've picked up when formulating arguments in essays. It's helped me so much.

English Program Requirements

English language proficiency at a minimum of IELTS band 6.0 with no component score below 5.5. See alternative English language qualifications We also accept other standard English tests and qualifications, as long as they meet the minimum requirements of your course. If you don't meet the English language requirements yet, you can achieve the level you need by successfully completing a pre-sessional English programme before you start your course.

Fee Information

Tuition Fee

GBP 17,900

Application Fee

GBP

English Literature BA (Hons), sandwich with work placement

University of Portsmouth

University of Portsmouth

Key Facts

Start & Deadlines