Undergraduate degrees in English

Source: https://www.york.ac.uk/english/study/undergraduate/ Parent: https://www.york.ac.uk/study/undergraduate/subject-explorer/

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Read a diverse array of texts from across historical periods and around the globe, with options in film, foreign literature, and creative writing.

Why study English at York?

We offer a friendly and supportive learning environment, helping you to make the transition to degree-level study in first year and providing support as you continue to develop your research and writing skills over the course of your studies.

We place a strong emphasis on small-group seminar teaching, with lots of opportunities for one-to-one consultation with staff. We foster creative and critical thinking, inviting you to develop essays and projects tailored to your own interests.

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Undergraduate Admissions

Our courses

Cross-faculty courses

Liberal Arts (BA)

Or search all undergraduate courses

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Course options

There are opportunities for you to spend time abroad during your course. You'll also have the chance to take a placement year.

If you're studying at a university outside the UK, you may be able to spend up to a year in York as a visiting student.

[English modules for visiting students](https://www.york.ac.uk/study/international/applying/visiting-students/courses/english-and-related-literature/)

Scholarships and funding

Find out about scholarships and studentships that are available to students in the Department of English and Related Literature.

Undergraduate funding

World-leading research

We're a top ten research department according to the Times Higher Education's ranking of the latest REF results (2021), and 98% of our research was rated 3* and higher.

Lively intellectual culture

We partner with the annual York Festival of Ideas and the biennial York International Shakespeare Festival.

6th in the UK for English

in the Complete University Guide (2026).

Writers at York

Our hugely successful Writers at York series brings in a stellar cast of world-famous contemporary writers and our Writer in Residence offers creative writing workshops and events throughout the year.

Our facilities

As a student at York, you’ll have access to the University's Library and Archives, which house an extraordinary range of resources to support your studies. The Department of English and Related Literature is home to Thin Ice Press, whose iron presses chart the evolution of print from 1838 to 1926.

York is a contemporary city with a rich literary history. The Viking-age poet Egil Skallagrímsson recorded the adventures of the court of Eric Bloodaxe when York was the capital of the Viking kingdom in England. Laurence Sterne’s ground-breaking novel The Life and Opinions of Tristram Shandy, Gentleman was first published in York in 1759, and the diarist Anne Lister married Ann Walker in the city. The Bluestocking Elizabeth Montagu spent her childhood in York, and the poet W. H. Auden was born here.

Explore our facilities

Careers

Alongside the University's Careers and Placements team, you'll benefit from the expertise of our own dedicated careers officer, who offers a range of resources, events and support services to enable you to develop your skills and experience.
Our degrees are an excellent springboard into a career within the creative industries. The skills you'll develop throughout your course will enable you to succeed in a wide variety of professions including teaching, journalism, publishing, librarianship, law and drama.
You’ll learn presentation, language and reasoning skills during your English degree, and gain expertise in complex analysis and research.

Learn more about careers and employability

Find your career advantage: Turn ambition into achievement with our expert guidance and connections. From your first day here to life after graduation, we’ll help you succeed.

6th in the UK

Complete University Guide (2026)

Student and graduate stories

Hear what our students and graduates have to say about studying with us.

English staff create a safe space to enable you to get used to this new environment. They encourage you to experiment, to try new things.

Sam, BA English. Read Sam's blog post.

As a student here, you can explore interests generated from modules through English’s facilities. Thin Ice Press is an accessible, unique addition to the University, and you can get involved!

Katie, BA English. Read Katie's blog post.

Free online courses

Humans have communicated their thoughts, ideas and feelings through poetry throughout history. However, it’s often presented as hard to understand without expert knowledge. On this course, you’ll build your confidence in reading and enjoying poetry.