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BA English Literature and Classical Literature & Civilisation

Start date
September
Duration
3 Years
UCAS code
QQ3V
Course Type
Undergraduate, Joint Honours combined
Fees

Annual tuition fees for 2025/26:
£9,535 (UK)
£24,470 (International)
More detail.

Our innovative BA English Literature and Classical Literature and Civilisation degree is for those fascinated by both ancient cultures and the written and spoken word. You’ll study literature and culture across a broad range of historical periods, tailoring your degree to your specific interests

Study the full range of English Literature, alongside the society and literature of the classical world. Embrace the diversity of Greek and Roman culture, drawing together literature, drama, myth, religion, history, philosophy and art. 

By studying Classical Literature and Civilisation as a Joint Honours degree with English Literature, you will be given a strong foundation in all major periods and genres and will be able to specialise in areas ranging from medieval poetry to twenty-first century digital literary culture.

You will also have the opportunity to take our specialist second-year undergraduate Shakespeare module and the possibility of participating in our residential trip in Stratford-upon-Avon. 

In your Classical studies, explore the classical civilisations of Greece and Rome as well as the cultures of Ancient Egypt, Western Asia and the Byzantine Empire.  Work with the plays, poems and speeches that have come down to us from antiquity, and study the monument, religion and mythology that make up classical civilisation.

 

I love the undergraduate degree course at Birmingham because of the wide range of modules I'm offered. First year compulsory modules cover such different and interesting areas of ancient history, literature and archaeology that I don't feel restricted in my learning.

Jessica

Why study this course?

This course is for you if you want to…

  • Personalise your degree – read and write about the writing and authors that mean most to you: our English literature department gives you the option to study everything from Old English to last year's novels; you can also incorporate optional modules across a vast range of literary genres.  
  • Delve into primary sources that have survived to the modern day – access to our on-campus Classics, Ancient History and Archaeology Museum where teaching usually takes place. 
  • Participate in RSC-led workshops – make use of our internationally renowned Shakespeare Institute, based in Stratford-upon-Avon, collaborate with the Royal Shakespeare Company, and take part in fun and interactive study trips like our Stratford Residential.
  • Live and study in a city that values literature as much as you do – explore our exceptional resources, including our Cadbury Research Library, consisting of over 200,000 rare books dating from 1471, as well as the Library of Birmingham, Europe’s largest regional library. Get involved with the numerous on campus writers' groups, including our very own newspaper, radio and TV stations and delve into the various citywide literature festivals.  

Modules

Please note: You will take 120 credits of modules in each year of study. The modules listed on the website for this programme are regularly reviewed to ensure they are up-to-date and informed by the latest research and teaching methods. Unless indicated otherwise, the modules listed for this programme are for students starting in 2025. On rare occasions, we may need to make unexpected changes to compulsory modules; in this event we will contact offer holders as soon as possible to inform or consult them as appropriate.

Joint Honours flexibility

Every degree programme at the University is divided into 120 credits of study for each year of the programme. In the first year of a Joint Honours programme, you will study 60 credits in each subject as you learn the core elements of the disciplines. We recognise that students on Joint Honours programmes might come to favour one subject slightly more than another. To account for this, we have added more flexibility into the second and final years of our programmes. In the second year, you can stick with the 60-60 split between the two subjects or shift to a 80-40 credit weighting, effectively a major/ minor combination. You can either go back to 60-60 in the final year, maintain the same 80-40 split or reverse the major and the minor and go to a 40-80 weighting.

You can see more information about the different modules and options that may be available on the links below. 

First year

Classical Literature and Civilisation modules:

  • Project A (10 credits)
  • Project B (10 credits)
  • Greek World (20 credits)
  • The Roman World (20 credits)

Detailed descriptions of Classical Literature and Civilisation first year modules

English Literature modules:

  • Literary Worlds 900-1770
  • Literary Worlds 1770-Today
  • Critical Environments
  • Cultural Environments

Detailed descriptions of English Literature first year modules

Second year

Classical Literature and Civilisation modules

  • 80 credits; Classical Epic (20 credits); optional modules including up to 40 credits of level ancient language modules and if you wish, a Professional or Future Skills modules
  • 60 credits; Classical Epic (20 credits); optional modules including up to 40 credits of level ancient language modules
  • 40 credits; Classical Epic (20 credits); optional module

Detailed descriptions of Classical Literature and Civilisation second year modules

English Literature modules

  • 80 credits; optional modules including if you wish a Professional or Skills module
  • 60 credits;  optional modules including if you wish a Professional or Skills module
  • 40 credits; optional modules

Detailed descriptions of English Literature second year modules

Year Abroad

You can apply to study abroad for a year in an approved university around the world. If you achieve a grade of 2.1 or above in your first year, you will be eligible to apply for a Year Abroad in your second year. If your application is successful, you will go abroad in your third year and return to us for your final year.

More about a Year Abroad

Final year

Classical Literature and Civilisation modules

  • 80 credits; CAHA Dissertation (40 credits); optional modules including a Professional Skills module if not undertaken the previous year 
  • 60 credits; CAHA Dissertation; optional module including a Professional Skills module if not undertaken the previous year 
  • 40 credits; optional modules 

Detailed descriptions of Classical Literature and Civilisation final year modules

English Literature modules

  • 60 credits in English Literature: either 40 credit Dissertation + 1 optional module or 3 optional modules

Detailed descriptions of English Literature final year modules

or Joint Honours Link Dissertation (40 credits) 

Fees

The University will charge the maximum approved tuition fee per year. If your offer is for 2025 year of entry, we expect that the tuition fee for your first year of study will be £9,535. If Parliament agrees on an increase in tuition fees, the University will increase fees for each year of study normally in line with these changes and will communicate any change in the fees to you without delay. If you are applying for 2026 year of entry, you will be advised of the annual tuition fee closer to the time. Visit our tuition fees page for more information.

Fees for 2025/26 are as follows:

  • UK: £9,535
  • International: £24,470

Eligibility for fees can be verified with Admissions. Learn more about fees for international students.

For further information on tuition fees, living costs and available financial support, please see our pages on undergraduate fees and funding.

Tuition fees when studying abroad

For those spending a whole academic year abroad (where available):

  • Students who are classed as UK for fees purposes are required to pay 15% of their normal annual tuition fee
  • Students who are classed as International for fee purposes are required to pay 50% of their normal annual tuition fee

For those studying abroad for just one semester (where available), normal annual tuition fees apply.

Note - Study abroad opportunities vary between courses; please see the course description for details of study abroad options offered.

How To Apply

 

Standard offer

International Requirements



Number of A levels required:
3
Typical offer:
ABB

For English Literature, A level English Literature or English Language and Literature grade A is required.

IB Diploma:
6,5,5 in Higher level subjects plus 32 points overall.

BTEC qualifications:

  • BTEC Extended Diploma: DDM, plus a B at A level in the required subject/s mentioned above.
  • BTEC Diploma: DD, plus a B at A level in the required subject/s mentioned above.
  • BTEC Subsidiary Diploma: D, plus AB at A level, including the required subject/s mentioned above.

Other qualifications are considered - learn more about entry requirements.

Alternative offers through our Pathways to Birmingham programmes and our Contextual Offer scheme

Students who are eligible and successfully complete a Pathways to Birmingham programme will receive special consideration from admissions tutors and an alternative offer (typically two grades below the standard offer). In addition, our Contextual Offer Scheme recognises the potential of students whose personal circumstances may have restricted achievement in school or college. If you are eligible to benefit from the contextual offer scheme, you will receive an offer which is one grade lower than the standard offer.

International Students

We welcome applications from international students and invite you to join our vibrant community of over 4500 international students who represent 150 different countries. We accept a range of qualifications, our country pages show you what qualifications we accept from your country.

Depending on your chosen course of study, you may also be interested in one of our foundation pathways, which offer specially structured programmes for international students whose qualifications are not accepted for direct entry to UK universities. Further details can be found on Birmingham International Academy web pages.

Support

You will have access to a comprehensive support system to help you make the transition to higher education when you start at Birmingham. 

Personal tutors – You will be assigned your own personal tutor who will get to know you as you progress through your studies. They will provide academic support and advice to enable you to make the most of your time here at Birmingham.

Wellbeing Officers –You will also have access to dedicated wellbeing officers who provide professional support, advice and guidance to students across a range of issues. They can meet with you to discuss extensions, disabilities, reasonable adjustments, extenuating circumstances, or to talk through any problems you might be experiencing, and help you access wider support on campus and beyond if you need it.

Our Academic Skills Centre helps you to become a more effective and independent learner through a range of high-quality support services. The centre offers workshops on a range of topics, such as note-taking, reading, academic writing and presentation skills.

The Academic Writing Advisory Service (AWAS) provides guidance on writing essays and dissertations if you need it. You can receive individual support from an academic writing advisor and meet with postgraduate tutors who specialise in particular subjects too.

Our Student Experience Team will help you get the most out of your academic experience. They offer research opportunities, study skills support, and help you prepare for your post-university career. They also organise social events, including trips.

Teaching staff

Students at the University of Birmingham are taught by a mixture of professors, senior lecturers, lecturers and doctoral researchers, thereby receiving a rich diversity of academic knowledge and experience. Many of our teaching staff have published important works about their areas of expertise, whilst others have taught at international institutions and can offer unique perspectives of their subjects.

You can find out more about the members of staff (including their qualifications, publication history and specific areas of interest) in their academic profiles linked below.

Contact Hours

All Birmingham degrees are set within a credit framework designed to measure your academic achievements. We expect all students to accumulate 120 credits in each full year of study which is equivalent to 40 hours of learning a week. Learning is considered to include contact learning (lectures and seminars), private study, revision and assessment.

For this programme, those 40 hours are estimated to be broken down and split into lectures, seminars and other guided teaching opportunities and then independent study. This is a general rule across the entire academic year and may change week by week.

  • Year 1: 20% Lectures, seminars or similar and 80% Independent study
  • Year 2: 15% Lectures, seminars or similar and 85% Independent study
  • Year 3: 15% Lectures, seminars or similar and 85% Independent study

Assessment Methods

Assessments - you will be assessed in a variety of ways to help you transition to a new style of learning. At the beginning of each module, you will be given information on how and when you will be assessed. Assessments methods will vary with each module and could include:

  • coursework, such as essays
  • group and individual presentations
  • and exams

Feedback - you will receive feedback on each assessment within three weeks, so you can learn from each assignment. You will also be given feedback on any exams that you take. If you should fail an exam, we will ensure that particularly detailed feedback is provided to help you prepare for future exams.

Studying English Literature and Classical Literature and Civilisation at Birmingham is an unparalleled opportunity to engage with a diverse cultural, textual and linguistic discipline, but also to develop skills in intellectual analysis, critical thinking and articulate expression.

You will acquire practical skills during your degree that you will find just as useful in your future career including oral presentation, professional documentation, group work and the uses of information technology. These skills last a lifetime and qualify you for many possible careers.

Our graduates have started careers with employers including the BBC, Headline Publishing Group, Mirror Group Newspapers, The National Trust and Oxford University Press, as well as media companies, educational institutions, local councils, charities, museums, and cultural and heritage organisations. Many graduates also pursue postgraduate study to specialise in an academic area, or prepare for careers such as law and teaching.

Graduate roles are equally diverse, including account executive, editorial assistant, marketing coordinator, recruitment consultant, parliamentary caseworker and events coordinator.

Developing your career

The University of Birmingham is the top choice for the UK's major employers searching for graduate recruits, according to The Graduate Market 2024 report. Our Careers Network are here to offer you tailored, expert advice on your career plans and support you with finding and applying for jobs, internships and further study. There are hundreds of events to help you meet potential employers and learn more about the breadth of opportunities and career sectors available to you.

Support will be offered to you covering the whole job application process, including CVs, LinkedIn, application forms, interviews and assessment centres.  You can also email our experienced Careers Advisors and College Teams to review your applications or answer any careers related question, alongside our on campus and online 1:1 appointments.

We have a number of exclusive work experience programmes such as our B-Experienced programme, which will give you professional experience to set you apart in the graduate market. We also offer work experience bursaries, which allow you to apply for funding to support you during any unpaid internships in the UK and rest of the world.

First years can take part in The Birmingham Project, with themes including celebrating arts and culture and shaping a global society. There’s also a successful Mentoring Programme, where you can gain access to experienced Mentors who can empower, inspire and inform you about their experiences.  As a University of Birmingham student you will also be given access to LinkedIn Learning giving free access to real world training courses to kick-start your careers.

If you want to earn money WorkLink advertises convenient part-time job opportunities on campus to fit round your studies.  

Extra-curricular activities

To enhance your career prospects even further, you may want to engage in extra-curricular activities to broaden your skills and your network of contacts. The Birmingham Award is the University of Birmingham’s employability programme, supporting you to develop and recognise the attributes you gain through extra-curricular activities. The award is supported by graduate employers and offers you an opportunity to showcase participation in activities outside of your degree programme.’

There are 300+ student groups and volunteering opportunities offered by the Guild of Students (our Students’ Union) so you’re bound to find activities that you want to be involved in whilst meeting friends who share your interests.