# Department of English and Related Literature
**Source**: https://www.york.ac.uk/english/
**Parent**: https://www.york.ac.uk/about/departments/
Discover a world of literature at York.
## Study with us
**On an English degree at York, you'll discover a world of literature.**
Our degree programmes offer you flexibility and choice. We provide extensive coverage from ancient classics to contemporary film and literature, with creative writing options and the chance to study literature produced in other languages.
[Discover our courses](https://www.york.ac.uk/english/study/)
[Find scholarships and funding](https://www.york.ac.uk/english/study/funding/)
## Research
**Our research ranges across periods and around the globe.**
We nurture an environment for collaboration, critical and creative thinking, interdisciplinary work and thought-provoking discussion.
[Explore our research](https://www.york.ac.uk/english/research/)
> Texts and narrative shape and change the world. Our commitment to understanding how literature reflects and makes the past, present and future is embedded within curiosity-driven modules and flexible degrees that are delivered by expert teachers, researchers and writers.
Professor Jennie Batchelor, Head of Department
[6th in the UK](https://www.york.ac.uk/english/about/news/2025/cug-2026/)
for English (Complete University Guide 2026).
[Top ten department](https://www.york.ac.uk/english/research/)
We're a top ten research department according to the Times Higher Education Rankings of the latest REF results (2021).
[Athena Swan Silver](https://www.york.ac.uk/english/about/equality-and-diversity/)
We are very proud to hold a Silver Athena Swan award in recognition of our commitment to promoting equality.
[32nd in the world and 8th in the UK](https://www.york.ac.uk/english/about/news/2025/qs-world-rankings-2025/)
for English and Related Literature (QS World Rankings by Subject 2025).
## News
News
### [English Postdoc appointed Senate House Printer in Residence](https://www.york.ac.uk/english/about/news/2026/english-news-drake/)
18 March 2026
Congratulations to English Postdoc Becca Drake, who has started working with Senate House as their Printer In Residence.
News
### [Rare Book School coming to York!](https://www.york.ac.uk/english/about/news/2026/rare-book-school/)
19 February 2026
The Department of English and Related Literature and Thin Ice Press: York Centre for Print are delighted to announce that Rare Book School is coming to York.
News
### [Sex Work Studies & History Workshop](https://www.york.ac.uk/english/about/news/2026/sexworkers/)
28 January 2026
This half-day hybrid workshop, to be held on the morning of Friday 20th March, invites scholars, students, and those in related fields from to explore the challenges in researching sex work across history. It particularly addresses the difficulties when dealing with historical sources, literature, visual culture, and other secondary accounts.
News
### [Irina Tautschnig wins literature prize](https://www.york.ac.uk/english/about/news/2026/irinatautschnig/)
16 January 2026
Warm congratulations to Irina Tautschnig, who has been awarded the University of Innsbruck's 2025 annual Literature Prize.
[More news](https://www.york.ac.uk/english/about/news/)
## Events
### [Sex Work Studies & History Workshop](https://www.york.ac.uk/english/about/events/2026/sexworkstudieshistoryworkshop/)
Friday 20 March 2026 9.30am
Applications are invited to this half-day hybrid workshop to explore the challenges in researching sex work across history.
### [A Medievalist at the Natural History Museum](https://www.york.ac.uk/english/about/events/2026/english-events-a-medievalist/)
Thursday 16 April 2026 1pm
Medieval Literatures Seminar with speaker Dr Isabel Davis (Natural History Museum, London)
### [Sara Teasdale and the 'Authorship' of Suicide](https://www.york.ac.uk/english/about/events/2026/sarateasdaleandtheauthorshipofsuicide/)
Monday 20 April 2026 12.30pm
Modern School Research Seminar with speaker JT Welsch.
### [THE EDGEWORTHS, IRELAND’S BOGS, AND IMPROVEMENT](https://www.york.ac.uk/english/about/events/2026/theedgeworths/)
Tuesday 21 April 2026 5pm
CECS Research Seminar with speaker Harrie Neal, University of York.
[More events](https://www.york.ac.uk/english/about/events/)
## Information for...
### [Current staff and students in English and Related Literature](https://www.york.ac.uk/english/current-staff-students/)
### [Alumni](https://www.york.ac.uk/alumni/)
### [Schools](https://www.york.ac.uk/english/outreach/)
People
[Meet our staff](https://www.york.ac.uk/english/people/)
About us
[Discover who we are](https://www.york.ac.uk/english/about/)
Campus map
[Find us on campus](https://www.york.ac.uk/map/#locid247)
Facilities
[Explore our facilities](https://www.york.ac.uk/english/about/facilities/)