Program Description
A degree in English Literature with Film will help students grow from passionate reader and film-fan into a critical thinker able to understand literary and cinematic works by applying a wide range of critical, theoretical, political and historical perspectives. The disciplines of Literature and Film Studies are highly complementary, and as students progress through their degree they will find many fruitful connections between them.
This fascinating degree is both geographically and historically wide-ranging. This means students will study literature written in English from the Renaissance to the present day, by writers from all parts of the globe; and alongside this, they'll explore film and television from America, Asia, Britain and the rest of Europe, from the earliest days of moving images to some of the most exciting contemporary work being produced today.
In both disciplines, students will be taught by research-active academics who bring fresh thinking to accessible, engaging courses. Students will be introduced to writers and film-makers who will open doors to contemporary worlds and cultures remote from their own, and also help them explore more familiar works – both textual and visual – in ways that challenge their preconceptions.
A core Literature module in the first year will equip students to read and interpret both traditional and contemporary literary texts critically as a scholar of English literature. Alongside this they can choose to revisit Shakespeare and consider his cultural relevance today through fictional, cinematic and TV adaptations; or to deepen their understanding of Gothic writing by tracing its origins back to the Romantic era.
In their second year students will focus on period-based literature from the Renaissance onwards and gain an understanding of literary history, from Elizabethan verse and drama, via Augustan poetry and the emergence of the novel in the 18 th century, to the radical transformations of the Victorian age, and the emergence of modernity in the twentieth century.
Students will also have the opportunity to consider ways of reading that go beyond textual analysis or historical context, such as understanding literature through the political or ideological lens of Marxism, feminism and post-colonial theory. They’ll have the chance to specialise in their final year, tailoring your literary study to reflect their own interests. Themed options include children’s literature, young adult fiction, Renaissance tragedy, European crime fiction, literary adaptations and the culture of print in the 18th century.
At the same time, students' minor in Film will further hone their analytical skills, and give you a sophisticated appreciation of the craft of filmmaking. They’ll look at how the film and television industry has evolved and adapted to new technologies, how novels are recreated in film and how film gives us fresh perspectives on the world. Students will also have opportunities to design and run film programmes, write and produce your own short films and hear guest lectures by film, television and media professionals. Topics covered range from silent movies to the Golden Age of Hollywood, the birth of the blockbuster, the influence of European style on American film, the way digital technology has transformed the industry, and why franchises have proved so successful, from James Bond and Star Wars to the Marvel cinematic universe.
