Undergraduate Course
BA (Hons) English and Comparative Literature
Overview
The details
English and Comparative Literature
Q210
October 2026
Full-time
What is the BA English and Comparative Literature?
The BA English and Comparative Literature is a three-year degree, extendable to four with an optional placement or study abroad year.
You’ll explore English literature alongside writing from across the world, examining how different cultures, traditions and historical periods shape the way stories are created and understood. From ancient texts to contemporary works, you’ll develop your skills as a reader, researcher and critical thinker while exploring literature in its global context.
Why this course
The BA English and Comparative Literature takes you on a literary journey across cultures, languages and time periods. You’ll explore how English literature connects with wider global traditions, including literature from Europe, the US, the Caribbean and beyond, developing a broader understanding of how ideas, stories and movements travel across borders.
Learn from leading academics, writers and literary specialists whose research explores areas including world literature, comparative literature, Shakespeare, modernism, translated literature, US and Caribbean writing, and the history of reading. Their expertise will help you develop new perspectives on familiar texts while discovering new literary traditions.
You’ll study a wide range of genres, from epic poetry and drama to novels, poetry and contemporary writing. Through close reading and critical discussion, you’ll develop the ability to analyse texts, compare different literary traditions and understand how literature reflects and shapes the world around us.
Personalise your degree by exploring specialist areas of interest, allowing you to focus on the authors, cultures, genres and literary movements that inspire you most.
Add a placement year or study abroad to broaden your experience, develop professional skills and gain valuable international perspectives.
By the end of your degree, you’ll have developed excellent communication, research, critical thinking and analytical skills, preparing you for careers across publishing, media, education, cultural organisations and many other graduate professions.
Who should apply
- Students who enjoy reading and want to explore literature from different cultures and historical periods
- Curious thinkers who want to understand how stories, ideas and traditions connect across the world
- Learners interested in developing advanced skills in analysis, research and communication
- Anyone looking for a degree that combines literary study with highly transferable skills valued by employers
What you'll learn
- English literature: Explore major writers, movements and traditions from early literature to contemporary works
- Comparative literature: Study connections between literary traditions across different countries, cultures and languages
- World literature: Examine texts from Europe, the US, Caribbean and other global contexts, including works in translation
- Literary analysis: Develop close reading, interpretation and critical argument skills
- Literary theory and research: Explore different approaches to understanding texts and develop independent research skills
Your learning experience
- Expert teaching: Learn from internationally recognised literature specialists, writers and researchers
- Optional study abroad year: Spend a year at one of our partner universities and experience another culture with the Study Abroad programme
- Optional placement year: Gain professional experience in a business or organisation with university support from Placements at Essex
- Literary events and communities: Attend talks from writers, take part in literary events and join student reading groups
- Language opportunities: Develop your understanding of global literature by learning a language alongside your degree
- Research-led learning: Engage with current debates in literature through seminars, discussions and independent study
Careers and outcomes
A BA English and Comparative Literature degree can prepare you for careers in sectors and roles such as:
- Publishing and writing: Editors, publishing professionals, literary agents, authors and copywriters
- Media and communications: Journalism, marketing, public relations, digital content and communications roles
- Education: Teaching, educational publishing, literacy projects and academic support roles
- Arts and culture: Museums, libraries, literary organisations, festivals and cultural institutions
- Research and analysis: Policy research, cultural research and postgraduate study
- Further study: Postgraduate study in literature, creative writing, publishing, law, journalism or related disciplines
Employers of graduates from this course
Graduates from this course have developed skills suited to careers across creative, cultural and professional sectors, including:
- Publishing houses and literary organisations
- Media and communications companies
- Schools, colleges and educational organisations
- Museums, galleries and cultural institutions
- Public sector organisations and charities
Why we're great.
- You can respond both critically and artistically to your studies in our unique literary conservatoire.
- Our literature and creative writing courses are taught by leading academics and writers who encourage experimentation and originality in writing and thinking.
- You can study a diverse range of literature including Arthurian legends, writings from Europe, the US and the Caribbean, the plays of Shakespeare, Romantic poetry and so much more.
Course content
Components and modules explained
Components
Components are the blocks of study that make up your course. A component may have a set module which you must study, or a number of modules from which you can choose.
Each component has a status and carries a certain number of credits towards your qualification.
| Status | What this means |
| Core |
You must take the set module for this component and you must pass. No failure can be permitted. |
| Core with Options |
You can choose which module to study from the available options for this component but you must pass. No failure can be permitted. |
| Compulsory |
You must take the set module for this component. There may be limited opportunities to continue on the course/be eligible for the qualification if you fail. |
| Compulsory with Options |
You can choose which module to study from the available options for this component. There may be limited opportunities to continue on the course/be eligible for the qualification if you fail. |
| Optional |
You can choose which module to study from the available options for this component. There may be limited opportunities to continue on the course/be eligible for the qualification if you fail. |
The modules that are available for you to choose for each component will depend on several factors, including which modules you have chosen for other components, which modules you have completed in previous years of your course, and which term the module is taught in.
Modules
Modules are the individual units of study for your course. Each module has its own set of learning outcomes and assessment criteria and also carries a certain number of credits.
In most cases you will study one module per component, but in some cases you may need to study more than one module. For example, a 30-credit component may comprise of either one 30-credit module, or two 15-credit modules, depending on the options available.
Modules may be taught at different times of the year and by a different department or school to the one your course is primarily based in. You can find this information from the module code. For example, the module code HR100-4-FY means:
| HR | 100 | 4 | FY |
|---|---|---|---|
|
The department or school the module will be taught by. In this example, the module would be taught by the Department of History. |
The module number. |
The UK academic level of the module. A standard undergraduate course will comprise of level 4, 5 and 6 modules - increasing as you progress through the course. A standard postgraduate taught course will comprise of level 7 modules. A postgraduate research degree is a level 8 qualification. |
The term the module will be taught in.
|
COMPONENT 01: COMPULSORY
Origins and Transformations in Literature and Drama
(30 CREDITS)
Which writers re-worked Homer’s Odyssey? Or borrowed ideas from Dante’s Inferno? Examine how key literary texts and genres have been used by successive generations of writers up until the present day. Shift from classical text to a more modern example, studying the long cultural traditions that exist.
View Origins and Transformations in Literature and Drama on our Module Directory
COMPONENT 02: COMPULSORY
Text Up Close: Reading for Criticism
(15 CREDITS)
How do you read a text closely? What is involved in close reading? With emphasis on you to active do the close reading, learn how this approach can contribute to your appreciation of meaning and significance in a diverse range of texts.
View Text Up Close: Reading for Criticism on our Module Directory
COMPONENT 03: COMPULSORY
The Humanities Graduate: Future Pathways
(15 CREDITS)
This interdisciplinary module serves several functions. Firstly, you will develop an understanding of your degree in the context of the wider world and specifically the graduate jobs market. You will come to understand the employability and career-development opportunities that are available to you during and after your time at Essex, and you will begin the life-long process of continuous professional development with a firm grounding in the practical skills and reflective practice involved. The module is divided into two parts: career-development learning; and Speaker Weeks, when a member of staff will interview guest speakers about their careers in fields that are allied to the arts and humanities. These will cover a range of career areas that may be of interest to humanities graduates in general: from media, arts, journalism, education, publishing, to entrepreneurship in related areas. These weeks are intended to be inspiring but also full of practical tips and ideas, with an emphasis on showing how careers develop over time, and what pathways students can explore to get to where they want to be; as well as what kinds of extra-curricular activities students can engage in now to open more doors professionally before and after graduation. In the career-development learning part of the module, you will cover topics such as the Graduate Labour market, the Humanities graduate, self-reflection and personal development, and how to research and apply effectively for jobs. Skills such as CV writing and interview technique will be covered. Two-hour interactive lecture/seminars will introduce students to careers resources and ideas, but will also include discussion and group work.
View The Humanities Graduate: Future Pathways on our Module Directory
COMPONENT 04: COMPULSORY
Criticism: Practice and Theory
(30 CREDITS)
How can texts be read and interpreted using the thinking of Marx? What about Freud or de Saussure? Or Derrida and Said? Study literature, theatre, and film using these key thinkers. Analyse their approaches both historically and institutionally, and understand the importance of theoretical and methodological material to your studies.
COMPONENT 04: COMPULSORY
Independent Literature Project
(30 CREDITS)
What fascinates you? Pursue a topic that you are enthusiastic about and have chosen, with support and guidance from our expert academic staff. Gain invaluable training for future graduate work, as you learn how to sustain a written argument over 10,000 words.
Entry requirements
Clearing entry requirements
We currently have places available in Clearing across a range of our courses with most offers expected to be made at CCD - CDD (88 - 80 UCAS tariff points) or equivalent. A complete breakdown of expected Clearing entry requirements, by course, is available on our Clearing entry requirements page.
We consider each application individually and requirements may be lower for some of our courses, so please still get in touch if your grades are below those outlined.
English language requirements
English language requirements for applicants whose first language is not English
IELTS 6.0 overall with a minimum of 5.5 in each component, or specified score in an equivalent test that we accept.
Details of English language requirements and the tests we accept for applicants who require a Student visa (excluding Nationals of Majority English Speaking Countries) can be found here
If we accept the English component of an international qualification it will be included in the academic levels listed above for the relevant countries.
Pre-sessional English courses
If you do not meet our IELTS requirements then you may be able to complete a pre-sessional English pathway that enables you to start your course without retaking IELTS.
Additional Notes
If you’re an international student, but do not meet the academic requirements for direct admission to this degree, you could prepare and gain entry through a pathway course. Find out more about opportunities available to you at the University of Essex International College
Fees and funding
Home/UK fee
£9,790 per year
International fee
£21,500 per year
Fees will increase for each academic year of study.
If your course has the option to include a placement year or study abroad, and you choose to do so, you will pay the following:
Placement year
20% of your standard tuition fee for that year
Study abroad
Full year abroad
15% of your standard tuition fee for that year
Single term abroad
Standard tuition fee
Scholarships and financial support
There may be scholarships, bursaries or discounts available to help with the cost of this course.
Fees and funding guide
What's next
Open Days
Our events are a great way to find out more about studying at Essex. We run a number of Open Days throughout the year which enable you to discover what our campus has to offer. You have the chance to:
- tour our campus and accommodation
- find out answers to your questions about our courses, student finance, graduate employability, student support and more
- meet our students and staff
Check out our Visit Us pages to find out more information about booking onto one of our events. And if the dates aren’t suitable for you, feel free to book a campus tour here.
2026 Open Days (Colchester Campus)
How to apply during Clearing
Once you’ve checked that we have the right course for you, applying couldn’t be simpler. Fill in our quick and easy Clearing application form with as much detail as you can. We’ll then take a look and get back to you with a decision.
If you already hold an offer from Essex
Please don't reapply through Clearing. We'll review your existing application using our Clearing entry requirements. If you're worried about meeting your offer or would like to change course, please contact our Admissions Team on ugquery@essex.ac.uk.
Interviews
We don’t require an interview for most of our courses that are available through Clearing, however there are some courses such as those in our School of Health and Social Care and East 15 Acting School where an interview (or audition) may be required. If this is something that’s required for the course you have applied for, we’ll email you with all of the details.
Visit Colchester Campus
Set within 200 acres of award-winning parkland - Wivenhoe Park and located two miles from the historic city centre of Colchester – England's oldest recorded development. Our Colchester Campus is also easily reached from London and Stansted Airport in under one hour.
Virtual tours
If you live too far away to come to Essex (or have a busy lifestyle), no problem. Our 360-degree virtual tour allows you to explore our University from the comfort of your home. Check out our Colchester virtual tour to see accommodation options, facilities and social spaces.
At Essex we pride ourselves on being a welcoming and inclusive student community. We offer a wide range of support to individuals and groups of student members who may have specific requirements, interests or responsibilities.
The University makes every effort to ensure that this information on its programme specification is accurate and up-to-date. Exceptionally it can be necessary to make changes, for example to courses, facilities or fees. Examples of such reasons might include, but are not limited to: strikes, other industrial action, staff illness, severe weather, fire, civil commotion, riot, invasion, terrorist attack or threat of terrorist attack (whether declared or not), natural disaster, restrictions imposed by government or public authorities, epidemic or pandemic disease, failure of public utilities or transport systems or the withdrawal/reduction of funding. Changes to courses may for example consist of variations to the content and method of delivery of programmes, courses and other services, to discontinue programmes, courses and other services and to merge or combine programmes or courses. The University will endeavour to keep such changes to a minimum, and will also keep students informed appropriately by updating our programme specifications. The University would inform and engage with you if your course was to be discontinued, and would provide you with options, where appropriate, in line with our Compensation and Refund Policy.
The full Procedures, Rules and Regulations of the University governing how it operates are set out in the Charter, Statutes and Ordinances and in the University Regulations, Policy and Procedures.
Ask us a question
Want to quiz us about your course? Got a question that just needs answering? Get in touch with us on live chat!
