English Literature is taught in small groups by energetic and enthusiastic staff, led by Oxford-trained academics with international research profiles in 19th- and 20th-century studies. Ideas developed in core seminars are taken forward in weekly small-group tutorials, where half a dozen students are encouraged to discuss and interpret specific passages of writing, under the watchful guidance of their tutor. Our students are expected to read widely, and to develop strong lines of argument and personal responses to what they find, anchored in an informed understanding of the discipline and with reference to the critical debates that animate it. We believe, as Jeanette Winterson says, that “learning how to read deeply – and that means diverse and sometimes difficult texts – trains the brain and improves your sense of self. Learning how to write, even reasonably well, gives fluency to the rest of life”. The degree is structured around a combination of period study, thematic study, and courses inculcating theoretical and practical skills. We encourage the understanding of contemporary literary and cultural theory while never losing sight of the values of liberal / aesthetic education. The Journalism side of the degree is premised on the idea of ‘total journalism’ – the belief that an effective journalist should be confident and proficient in the skills needed to produce compelling stories in any medium, whether online, in print, on air, or on mobile. Courses are taught by practising journalists with a love of sharing their expertise and knowledge. Groups are small and dynamic, and rely on close interaction to allow each student to develop a real sense of professional principle and personal style. The whole degree, then, combines a traditional grounding in liberal education gained through English Literature with an up-to-date, vocationally-orientated minor that will assist you as writers and critics to make your way in the worlds of print, broadcast, and online journalism.

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