BA (Hons) English Language and Literature Bachelor's degree at Birmingham City University
BA (Hons) English Language and Literature at BCU. You'll develop expertise in core literary and linguistic theory, research methodology, and professional communication skills, with freedom to pursue specialist options that match your interests.
About this course
You will have the opportunity to study a variety of texts ranging from novels, plays, poems and films, to the spoken word, written journalism and digital media. From the provider’s course page.
BA (Hons) English Language and Literature is a Bachelor's degree (BA (Hons)) at BCU, based in City Centre Campus. It is studied part-time; duration varies by route.
For the typical curriculum, specialisations, career paths and graduate earnings for English & Literature, see the sections below.
Curriculum & modules
Real modules published for this course, grouped only where the source gives a year, stage or level.
First Year 7 modules
- Voices of BirminghamCore20 credits
Module details
In this module you will explore Birmingham's status as a diverse and multicultural city. Through probing different notions of 'multiculturalism', 'diversity' and 'community', you will consider the multitude of voices that form the city, their connections, and your positioning in relation to them. As you learn about various aspects of Birmingham's histories and communities, you will be introduced to key skills and knowledge required for degree-level studies in English and consider their value to
- AdaptationCore20 credits
Module details
This module adopts complementary perspectives on the transformation and re-creation of texts. The first half of the module concentrates on close readings of translations drawn from epic, sacred and profane traditions to develop skills of literary analysis, differentiation, contextualization and evaluation, while providing the basis for students' own creative work. Case studies based on stage and film treatments broaden the scope to consider formal and cultural questions relating to adaptation. T
- Prose WritingCore20 credits
Module details
This module considers how we read and write prose. You will be equipped with key literary analytical tools, including key terms and theories, which you will utilize in your analyses of prose works of different kinds, including prose essays, short stories, and a Booker Prize-winning novel. You will also discuss and practice your own prose writing techniques and have the opportunity to write creative prose of different kinds. You will develop an understanding of the forms and conventions of narrat
- Key Critical ConceptsCore20 credits
Module details
'Key Critical Concepts' focuses on understanding and applying useful theoretical ideas and analytical approaches to develop your close reading, interpretation, and analysis of literature. It will help you to critically reflect on how language and literature function; on what we bring to a text when we read it; and how to pay careful attention to form, style, and genre. The module promotes more sophisticated readings of a variety of literary texts, including poems, plays, short stories, and extra
- Language in ActionCore20 credits
Module details
This module will introduce you to a range of topics in language studies, including phonetics, sociolinguistics, corpus linguistics, and media linguistics. You will expand your knowledge of linguistic concepts and terminology and learn how to apply this knowledge to the analysis of real-life examples of spoken and written language in use. You will be introduced to the phonetic and discourse-level characteristics of English and you will analyse these phenomena in context. The module will help you
- Literature and ConflictOptional20 credits
Module details
In this module, you will explore the concept of conflict in literature, from war and revolution to social class, gender, and race, as well as at a psychological level. Through a range of genres and periods, 'Literature and Conflict' seeks to engage you with a focused analysis of poetry, drama, the novella and the novel as specific forms and to equip you with the scholarly tools used to investigate them. Conflict creates dramatic interest in narrative, but many forms of criticism assume that conf
- Craft of WritingOptional20 credits
Module details
In this module, you will explore key elements of effective creative writing and the techniques used to create and control form and style, such as showing and telling, imagery, viewpoint, and narrative. You will examine each element or technique in a given text and then apply what you have learned in your own writing. Textual examples are drawn from a range of forms, such as audio drama, screenplay, poetry, monologue, the novel, short story, stage play and memoir. Each week will inform a differen
Second Year 1 modules
- Writing and the EnvironmentCore20 credits
Module details
This module examines different forms of writing that engage critically and creatively with key issues connected to 'natural' and 'man-made' environments. Each week, we will study a different literary text, period and genre informed by appropriate theories and scholarship. We will consider how writing constructs, examines and challenges ideas about nature, life in cities, technology, and animals, and in doing so engages in debates about equality, sustainability, identity and otherness. Through a
Source: provider course page. Modules can change; required/optional status, credits, descriptions and assessment are shown only when explicitly published.
Course in depth
What this course covers, who it suits and where it leads.
What you'll study
This course invites you to study a variety of texts, novels, plays, poems and films, alongside spoken word, written journalism and digital media. A course like this typically begins with foundations in close reading and critical writing across poetry, prose and drama, alongside literary history from medieval to contemporary periods. As you progress, you'll usually encounter critical theory and move into modern and contemporary literature, including global anglophone writing. Specialisations such as Creative writing, Shakespeare & early modern, Contemporary fiction, Critical theory, World literature, and Publishing pathways become available. In your final year, you'll engage with specialist options and advanced seminars before undertaking an extended independent literary research project.
Who it's for
You're drawn to language and storytelling in all their forms, whether that's the subtleties of a Victorian novel, the rhythm of spoken verse, or how meaning shifts across film and social media. You enjoy close reading, asking why texts work the way they do, and you're prepared for seminars where discussion and argument matter. If you think best through writing and talking about ideas, and you want to sharpen both analytical and creative skills in a structured but flexible environment, this course suits you. Part-time study appeals if you need to earn, care for others, or develop experience alongside your degree.
Careers & job market
Across English and Literature courses nationally, 85% of graduates are in work or further study 15 months after qualifying. Of those working, 55% are in highly skilled roles or pursuing postgraduate study. Graduate earnings figures show starting salaries of £23,000–£30,000; after five years, £24,650–£34,800 (national data for the field). Graduates move into teaching, publishing, journalism, communications, cultural institutions, the civil service and law. Many use the qualification as a foundation for further study.
University & format
This BA (Hons) in English Language and Literature is delivered at Birmingham City University, a public university located on the City Centre Campus. The course is studied part-time and taught in English. As a recognised UK degree-awarding body, the university's degrees are nationally recognised. Birmingham City University holds a Silver award for teaching quality in the Office for Students' TEF 2023 and is.
Applicant information
The next application dates for this course, followed by facts the provider publishes.
Part-time application dates vary by provider. UCAS dates
Professional placement year. Availability, selection and pay can vary.
See and book current events. Dates can fill or change.
Opened 2 July 2026; last choice 19 October 2026. Check vacancies now. A cached page never claims a place is still available.
Entry & how to get in
Entry & your chances
An honest read from the official entry data, plus your personal match.
Entry is set by the university and based on your offer. Use your predicted grades to see how you compare, then check the university's stated requirements.
How to apply
Undergraduate applications go through UCAS. Here’s what matters for this course, the right deadline, the grades to aim for, and the steps in order.
- 1Register on UCAS Hub
Create your UCAS application and add this course. One application covers up to five choices.
- 2Write your personal statement
A single statement covers all your choices, so keep it broad enough for similar courses while showing genuine interest in this subject.
- 3Submit by Apply directly to the provider
Part-time application dates vary by provider. Source: UCAS 2027 dates.
- 4Reply to your offers
When decisions are in, pick a firm (first) choice and an insurance (back-up) choice with slightly lower grades.
- 5Results day & confirmation
On results day (mid-August) your place is confirmed if you meet the offer. Just missed? Talk to the university, or find a place through Clearing.
Fees & funding
What this course costs and how UK student finance covers it.
Tuition per year
Provider fee page (England 2026/27 cap where not stated).
Check fees at BCU →For students who normally live in England
2026/27 Student Finance England figures. Maintenance support is means-tested and this two-point view is not an entitlement calculator. The course total uses its published length and home fee where both are available; a missing full-time fee uses the clearly labelled England-cap scenario, while part-time fees and unknown lengths are never guessed. Use the official calculator. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland use separate systems: SAAS, Student Finance Wales, and Student Finance NI.
Starting on or after 1 January 2027?
The Lifelong Learning Entitlement is a separate system. A new learner’s tuition entitlement is currently stated as £39,160 (about 480 credits at 2026/27 fee levels), subject to prior study and eligibility. Check the official LLE guide.
Paying for it
- Tuition Fee Loan: can cover eligible tuition up to the applicable limit and is paid straight to the provider.
- Maintenance Loan: up to £10,830/yr away from home outside London (England, 2026/27), means-tested on household income.
- Repayment: 9% of income above £25,000, nothing below it; written off after 40 years.
- Earn alongside: most students work part-time in term, part-time roles on the StudySmarter job board.
England figures shown; Scotland, Wales & NI run their own schemes, check gov.uk.
Scholarships & bursaries you could qualify for
That does not mean no funding exists. Check the university directory for current amounts, eligibility and application dates.
We only display a named award when its provider source identifies the award and who it is for.
Still deciding what to study?
StudyKit brings course choice, applications and funding together in one place, with a personal AI assistant. Find what really fits you and start your UCAS application step by step.
Careers & earnings
What English & Literature graduates actually earn, from real outcome data, 15 months, 3 years and 5 years after graduating.
- 1Graduate roleFirst role after the degree · 0–2 yrs
- 2Specialist / PractitionerWorking in english & literature · 2–5 yrs
- 3Senior / LeadLeading work and people · 5–10 yrs
- 4Head of / ExpertSenior leadership or deep expertise · 10+ yrs
How pay grows: this course vs English & Literature nationally
National figures for English & Literature graduates, HESA Graduate Outcomes (15 months) and the Longitudinal Education Outcomes (LEO) dataset (3 & 5 years). These are national, not university-specific; actual pay varies by employer, region, role and experience. Different cohorts, so the bars are not one group over time.
Work out your pay
Headline figures hide a lot. Calculate realistic take-home pay for this field by role, region and experience, then check your CV before you apply.
Job market & outlook
How English & Literature graduates fare in the labour market, and how AI is reshaping the work.
How AI is changing the work
AI doesn't replace the profession, it shifts it: routine tasks get automated, while judgement, working with people and using AI well become more valuable.
What AI takes off your plate
- Routine information gathering
- First-draft writing and summaries
- Standard analysis and admin
- Repetitive processing tasks
More human than ever
- Judgement and original thinking
- Working with and leading people
- Owning and sense-checking AI output
- Ethics and accountability
The strongest graduates pair subject depth with the ability to use AI tools critically.
Roles & employers
Where English & Literature graduates typically go, indicative destinations from graduate career data. Each role links to live openings on the StudySmarter job board.
Roles graduates go into
Where they work
- Publishers
- Media & broadcasters
- Marketing & PR agencies
- Charities & public sector
Jobs after this course
Current roles from the StudySmarter job board that suit English & Literature graduates.
Who studies here and in this subject?
Provider- and UK subject-level context.
Birmingham City University
Language and area studies across the UK
HESA student record 2024/25. Counts are rounded.
Local crime-data context
A neutral snapshot around the published teaching location.
Around City Centre Campus
4,178 street-level reports returned within roughly one mile across 2026-04 to 2026-06.
Police.uk street-level API. Approximate locations, not confined to campus. England, Wales and Northern Ireland; not Scotland.
Is English & Literature right for you?
Tick what applies to you and see how good a fit it is.
International students
What applying to BCU from outside the UK involves: fees, English, visa, funding and living costs.
Tuition fees
International tuition is £18,570 / year for this course (from the provider’s fee page). You’re not eligible for UK Tuition Fee or Maintenance Loans, so plan for fees plus living costs upfront.
English language
Most UK undergraduate courses ask for around IELTS 6.0–6.5 (no band below 5.5–6.0), or an accepted equivalent. If you’re just short, most universities run a pre-sessional English course that counts towards the requirement.
Student visa
You’ll usually need a Student visa (Student Route). After you accept an offer the university issues a CAS; you then show funds for fees plus about £1,023–£1,334/month living costs and pay the Immigration Health Surcharge for NHS access.
Scholarships & funding
Many universities offer international/global scholarships (often £2,000–£6,000/yr), check BCU’s funding pages.
Living costs
Budget roughly £1,100–£1,400/month outside London and £1,400–£1,800/month in London for rent, food and travel; the figure also matters for your visa.
Working while you study
A Student visa usually allows up to 20 hours/week in term time and full-time in holidays, useful alongside study, though not something to rely on for fees.
Visa rules and fees change. Always confirm the current requirements with BCU and gov.uk before you apply.
Related courses
More at BCU
English & Literature at other universities
Common questions
What are the entry requirements?
What do graduates earn?
What will it cost me?
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