BA (Hons) English Literature and History Bachelor's degree at Swansea University
BA (Hons) English Literature and History at Swansea University. You'll study core theory, research and methods, applied practice, specialist options, an independent project, and professional skills.
About this course
Explore literature and history across 1,500 years, examining ideas that shape society and enhancing your studies with global or industry opportunities. From the provider’s course page.
BA (Hons) English Literature and History is a Bachelor's degree (BA (Hons)) at Swansea University. It runs 4 years, studied full-time.
For Literature in English graduates from this provider, 95% were in work or further study 15 months after graduating, 45% in highly skilled roles, typical earnings around £22,500. (HESA Graduate Outcomes / LEO, via Discover Uni.)
For the typical curriculum, specialisations, career paths and graduate earnings for English & Literature, see the sections below.
Course evidence score
The arithmetic mean of the official measures available for this course: NSS satisfaction, graduate activity and continuation.
Published threshold met NSS publication requires sufficient responses; small differences are not a rank. NSS mean of 7 published themes (Discover Uni snapshot 2026-06-21)
Limited evidence Published sample: 15; treat comparisons cautiously. Cohort 2021-23. Graduate Outcomes work or further study 95% (2022-23; Discover Uni snapshot 2026-06-21)
Published threshold met Discover Uni suppresses continuation data below its publication threshold. Cohort 2022-23. Continuation 90% (2022-23; Discover Uni snapshot 2026-06-21)
Curriculum & modules
Real modules published for this course, grouped only where the source gives a year, stage or level.
Year 1 16 modules
- Discovering LiteratureCompulsory20 credits
- Premodern VoicesCompulsory20 credits
- From Facts to Fake News: Being a Historian in the Twenty-First CenturyCompulsory20 credits
- O Ffeithiau i Newyddion Ffug: Bod yn Hanesydd yn yr Unfed Ganrif ar HugainCompulsory20 credits
- Global Challenges and the HistorianCompulsory20 credits
- Heriau Byd-eang a'r HanesyddCompulsory20 credits
- Fundamentals of Creative Writing IOptional20 credits
- Theorising Gothic TextsOptional20 credits
- Who Sings America? Literature and Culture of the United StatesOptional20 credits
- Approaches to Gender in English LiteratureOptional20 credits
- Making Modern Europe, 1789 to the PresentOptional20 credits
- Creu Ewrop Fodern, 1789 hyd y PresennolOptional20 credits
- Medieval Matters: Exploring the Middle AgesOptional20 credits
- The Past in its Place: History and Heritage Field TripOptional20 credits
- The Early Modern World, 1500-1800Optional20 credits
- Y Byd Modern Cynnar, 1500-1800Optional20 credits
Year 2 20 modules
- The Practice of HistoryCompulsory20 credits
- America in a Nutshell: A History of Pennsylvania from William Penn to Donald Trump, 1631-2016Optional20 credits
- The Making of Transatlantic AmericaOptional20 credits
- The Heirs of Rome: The Making of Christendom, Byzantium, and Islam in the Early Middle Ages, 400-800Optional20 credits
- Rhyfel Cartref AmericaOptional20 credits
- Europe 1500-1650: Renaissance, Reformation and Religious WarOptional20 credits
- Disunited Kingdom? Class, Race, Gender and Social Division in Twentieth-Century BritainOptional20 credits
- The Anglo-Norman World, 1066-1225Optional20 credits
- Re-Thinking the South: Southern Culture and History, 1865-1955Optional20 credits
- The Past in the Present: Exploring Heritage Practice and DebatesOptional20 credits
- Medicine and the Modern World, 1800 to the PresentOptional20 credits
- Britain in the Early Middle Ages: Slavery, Dragons, Queens and VikingsOptional20 credits
- History Work PlacementOptional20 credits
- The Story of America on Film and Television, 1607-1867Optional20 credits
- Stori America Ar Ffilm a Theledu, 1607-1867Optional20 credits
- The Rise and Fall of the Russian EmpireOptional20 credits
- The Global First World WarOptional20 credits
- Debating Texts: Theory in LiteratureCompulsory20 credits
- Revolution of the Word: ModernismCompulsory20 credits
- Exploring the Bloody Chamber: Medieval to PostmodernCompulsory20 credits
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 explores literature and history across 1,500 years, examining ideas that shape society. You'll usually begin with foundations in close reading, critical writing across poetry, prose and drama, and the critical theories that inform literary analysis. Early modules ground texts in their historical contexts, from medieval and Renaissance writing through Enlightenment, Romantic and Victorian literature to modernism and the present day. As you progress, you'll typically encounter specialist options such as Shakespeare and early modern texts, contemporary fiction, creative writing, critical theory, world literature, and publishing pathways. In your final year, you'll undertake advanced research-led seminars and an extended independent dissertation project, synthesising your studies with the global or industry opportunities available throughout the degree.
Who it's for
This course suits students with A-levels or equivalent qualifications. Most accepted students held A-levels or equivalent (88% of recent entrants), with typical UCAS tariffs of 96–111 points among those who enrolled. You should have a genuine interest in exploring English literature and historical study in depth across four years of full-time study.
Careers & job market
Across English and Literature courses nationally, 85% of graduates are in work or further study 15 months after graduating. Of those working, 55% are in highly skilled roles or pursuing further study. National graduate earnings data shows starting salaries (at 15 months) typically range from £23,000 to £30,000; after three years, £19,975 to £28,200; and after five years, £24,650 to £34,800. These are national figures for the field, not university-specific guarantees. Ninety per cent of students continue past their first year.
University & format
This is a full-time BA (Hons) degree, taught in English at Swansea University, a public university located in Swansea. The course runs for 4 years. It is a nationally recognised UK degree-awarding body.
Student satisfaction
How students on this course answered the National Student Survey, by theme.
Share of students responding positively. Overall student satisfaction: 90%.
Published threshold met NSS publication requires sufficient responses; small differences are not a rank. NSS mean of 7 published themes (Discover Uni snapshot 2026-06-21)
Applicant information
The next application dates for this course, followed by facts the provider publishes.
- 2027 entryCompleted applications can be submitted
Your application needs a reference before you can send it.
- 2026 entryFinal date for 2026 applications
Applications must reach UCAS by 18:00 UK time.
- 2026 entryLast day to add a Clearing choice
Check that this course still has a vacancy before adding it.
- 2027 entryEqual-consideration deadline
18:00 UK time for most undergraduate courses.
Show 5 later dates
- 2027 entryUCAS Extra opens
Applicants who used all five choices and hold no offer may be able to add another choice.
- 2027 entryLast day applications go directly to providers
Applications received after 18:00 UK time are entered into Clearing.
- 2027 entryClearing opens
Eligible applicants can see vacancies and release themselves into Clearing.
- 2027 entryFinal date for 2027 applications
Applications must reach UCAS by 18:00 UK time.
- 2027 entryLast day to add a Clearing choice
Check that this course still has a vacancy before adding it.
Provider-published requirement; check the linked course page before applying.
Year in industry. Availability, selection and pay can vary.
See and book current events. Dates can fill or change.
Entry & how to get in
Who gets in
What recently admitted students actually held, official admissions data, not a stated requirement.
UCAS tariff of entrants
Grades are the A-level equivalent of each points band. Tap a band to check your own chances below.
Qualifications held on entry
| Qualification | Share |
|---|---|
| A-levels or equivalent | 88% |
| a previous degree | 4% |
| another higher-education qualification | 3% |
| an Access course | 3% |
| No / unknown prior qualifications | 1% |
| Other | 1% |
Entry & your chances
An honest read from the official entry data, plus your personal match.
Accepted students came in with a broad spread of qualifications and UCAS points. If you're worried about grades, this course has historically taken a wide range, and contextual offers may apply.
Will you get in? Plot your grades
Pick your predicted A-levels and watch your UCAS points land on the real spread of students admitted to this course.
Each bar is the share of admitted students in that UCAS-points band (lower → higher). Grades show the A-level equivalent.
Based on the official admitted-student tariff distribution. Many universities make contextual (reduced-grade) offers, so a result below the range doesn’t rule you out.
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 (code QV31). 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 13 January 2027, 18:00 UK time
UCAS equal-consideration deadline for most undergraduate courses. 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. Set under Wales's student-finance system; the provider's page is authoritative.
Check fees at Swansea University →If you normally live in Wales
2026/27 total maintenance support from Student Finance Wales. How much of it is grant and how much is loan depends on household income; the total does not. If you normally live elsewhere, use your home funding body.
Check your entitlement with Student Finance Wales →Paying for it
- Tuition Fee Loan: paid directly to the university by Student Finance Wales.
- Maintenance support: a mix of grant and loan from Student Finance Wales, weighted to household income.
- Repayment: only above the income threshold, and written off at the end of the plan term.
- Earn alongside: most students work part-time in term, part-time roles on the StudySmarter job board.
Wales runs its own system through Student Finance Wales; check studentfinancewales.co.uk for current rates.
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.
Graduate earnings: this course
| When | Median | Typical range | Graduates |
|---|---|---|---|
| 15 months after | £22,500 | £22,000 – £24,000 | 15 |
| 3 years after | £21,000 | £17,500 – £24,000 | 120 |
| 5 years after | £26,000 | £20,000 – £30,500 | 125 |
Nominal earnings for graduates of this course/subject at this provider. Limited evidence. Published sample: 15; treat comparisons cautiously. Cohort 2021-23.
Graduate outcomes, 15 months on: this course
- 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.
What happened to 100 students?
Choose an outcome to translate the published percentage into a simple 100-person view. Each dot represents one percentage point, not an individual tracked student.
were in work or further study
15 months after graduation
Source: Discover Uni, using Graduate Outcomes and continuation data. Cohorts: 2022-23. Limited evidence. Published sample: 15; treat comparisons cautiously. Cohort 2021-23. Each tab is a separate published measure; categories can overlap and should not be added together.
Value compared with similar courses
How this course’s 5-year median earnings compare with English & Literature courses at the same study level.
Compared with 1,436 courses with compatible official earnings data. This is a course-value comparison, not a quality ranking.
UK occupations graduates enter
Published graduate destinations, joined conservatively to UK SOC 2020, ONS pay and Skills England demand.
- Artistic, literary and media occupationsSOC 2020 341 · 20% of published destinations · ASHE median £33,824
- Administrative occupationsSOC 2020 41 · 20% of published destinations · ASHE median £27,006
- Elementary occupationsSOC 2020 9 · 15% of published destinations · ASHE median £19,087
- Sales occupationsSOC 2020 71 · 10% of published destinations · ASHE median £15,975
- Teaching ProfessionalsSOC 2020 231 · 10% of published destinations · ASHE median £42,660
Discover Uni JOBLIST/JOBTYPE; ONS ASHE 2025 provisional, all employee jobs; Skills England Occupations in Demand 2025. SOC is shown only for an exact normalised label match; demand is shown only at exact four-digit SOC. Published sample: 70; response rate: 55%. Pay describes the occupation across workers, not a guaranteed graduate salary.
Is BA (Hons) English Literature and History worth it?
Weigh it carefully. On these figures graduates of BA (Hons) English Literature and History earn close to non-graduate pay, so on cost alone the course is slow to pay off.
Cumulative earnings vs. going straight to work at 18, counting tuition and 4 years of wages given up while studying. The model remains below break even after 30 years. This is a simplified gross-earnings comparison, not a forecast of cash loan repayments.
Model: this course’s own median graduate earnings (Graduate Outcomes / LEO) above the £24,000 non-graduate baseline (ONS), net of £9,790/yr over 4 years (published course home fee). Eligible England-domiciled students can apply for a Tuition Fee Loan; repayments are 9% only on income above the threshold, with anything left written off after 40 years. That makes the cash flow different from conventional commercial debt. Opportunity cost assumes £18,000 gross earnings forgone in each study year; figures are nominal and exclude tax, living costs, investment returns and loan interest. A simplified estimate. Earnings and actual fees vary by graduate, provider, fee status and UK nation.
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.
English GraduateRibbons and Reeves LimitedEnglish, Maths & Digital Skills ManagerHIT TrainingEnglish Certification Examiner (Written & Oral) – Paid TrainingPearsonEnglish Supply Teachers - Oldham and RochdaleTradewind RecruitmentIs this course right for you?
The essentials UK applicants ask about: finance, outcomes, entry and quality.
Student finance
Published home tuition is £9,790/year for this course. If you normally live in Wales, Student Finance Wales can pay an eligible Tuition Fee Loan directly to the university, and maintenance support is a mix of grant and loan weighted to household income. You repay only above the income threshold.
Where graduates go
95% were in work or further study 15 months after graduating, with a median salary of £22,500. See the full breakdown in Careers & earnings above.
Your entry chances
Use the UCAS points calculator above to see how your predicted grades compare with admitted students, and whether a contextual offer could apply.
Official-data snapshot
Averaging the official measures published for it, this course scores 9.2 out of 10: NSS 89.7% · in work or study 95% · continued 90%.
Who studies here and in this subject?
Provider- and UK subject-level context.
Swansea 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 Swansea University - Singleton Campus
370 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 Swansea University from outside the UK involves: fees, English, visa, funding and living costs.
Tuition fees
International tuition is £19,300 / 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 Swansea University’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 Swansea University and gov.uk before you apply.
Related courses
More at Swansea University
English & Literature at other universities
Common questions
How competitive is entry?
What are the entry requirements?
What do graduates go on to do?
What will it cost me?
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