Language & Literature in UK

Both in Classical languages and literature, and in ancient history, the DPhil programme is a research degree intended to make it possible for the successful candidate to aspire to a career in research and teaching at university level anywhere in the world where the Classical subjects are studied.

From the history and culture of Anglo-Saxon England, and Celtic languages to Viking exploits, Anglo-Saxon, Norse, and Celtic (ASNC) allows you to explore a range of cultures, and to look at history, language and literature side by side.

ASNC focuses on the history, material culture, languages and literature of the peoples of Britain, Ireland and the Scandinavian world in the earlier Middle Ages.

ASNC students discover medieval history while learning one or more languages and reading great works of literature in the original languages, such as the Old English poem Beowulf, the epic medieval Irish tale Táin Bó Cúailnge (The Cattle Raid of Cooley) and Icelandic sagas. Exactly which areas you study and to what depth is largely up to you, and to support your learning Cambridge has rare and exceptional resources to offer in the University Library, the College libraries, and in the Fitzwilliam and other museums.

Our innovative Modern Languages, Literature and Culture MA gives you the opportunity to deepen your knowledge of one or more of the languages and cultures of the French, German, Portuguese and Spanish-speaking worlds. You can do a joint or single language MA that enables you to develop your existent linguistic and cultural skills or you can take our MA without any prior language skills in French, German, Spanish or Portuguese. You'll be able to choose from the widest range of modules in the UK, from the medieval period to the contemporary, covering film, literature, the visual arts, drama, philosophy, cultural memory and history. Exceptionally, we are delighted to be able to offer four scholarships for prospective students who will follow the French/joint-French or SPLAS/joint-SPLAS pathway in 21/22. Please see below under Fees and Funding for further details.

Many of the basic concepts underlying Western society found expression for the first time in ancient Greek or Latin, and - together with English and Scots - they are the language of many highly influential literary works.

Studying Scottish Literature and Classics helps us understand the world in which we live now, as well as shedding light on the past. It prepares you to contribute to a society in which an understanding of texts of all kinds is crucially important.

This programme aims to develop your critical, analytic, linguistic and creative skills by engaging with a broad range of texts and a variety of approaches to reading.

You will explore the cultural contexts of all major periods of Scottish literature from the late Middle Ages to the present.

You can choose to take a Greek, Latin or non-language pathway through Classics study.

You will study the highly influential scholarship and literature of the classical world.

Develop an in-depth knowledge of French language and culture and a multifaceted understanding of historical processes with our BA in French and History.

We offer MRes, MPhil and PhD degrees in English. 

You can study an MPhil or an MRes over the course of one year or a PhD over three years.

You can study whichever option you'd like in any of our five research areas:

• Gender Studies
• Literary Linguistics
• Literature, Culture & Place
• Journalism & Creative Writing
• Renaissance Studies

Our research staff work in diverse fields. This ranges from sociocultural, historical and political studies to film and literature, linguistics and sociolinguistics.

You'll benefit from the School's strong links with interdisciplinary research centres and groups, including:

• Centre for Latin American and Caribbean Studies
• Centre for Research in Linguistics and Language Sciences
• Research Centre for Film
• Gender Research Group
• Medieval and Early Modern Studies
• Postcolonial Research Group

This degree is designed to give you a solid foundation in linguistic theory, and to link this theory to the huge array of real-life contexts in which language is used. Our mix of core and optional modules means that you will have the freedom to design the course that suits you, building on the topics that most capture your imagination.

In your first year, you take modules that encompass the fundamentals of linguistic research: linguistic theory, historical linguistics, sociolinguistics, and research methodology. Our modules focusing on linguistic theory and the structure and sounds of English will allow you to learn about how language actually works and how linguists study it. You'll then apply this knowledge to modules that examine the history and varieties of English, teaching you about how language varies in space and time.

Do you want to study a wide range of authors, genres, historical periods, literary movements, techniques and critical approaches? Would you like to combine this with discovering how the language at the heart of key literary texts actually functions? A joint English Language and Literature degree could be the answer.

You’ll be taught by one of the country’s largest Linguistics and English Language departments and an English Literature department that provides a vibrant array of authors, genres, historical periods, literary movements, techniques and critical approaches.

The core modules in your first year will give you a good foundation in English Language and English Literature. We’ll cover plays, films, short stories, novels and poetry from the sixteenth century to the modern day. You’ll study lexis, grammar and phonetics as well as descriptive concepts such as accents and dialects.

In a world of information overload and 'alternative facts', the ability to read between the lines is more valuable than ever. Studying English literature equips you with the skills to do this.

Our course will further your ability to analyze words and literary forms, deepening your knowledge of important literary periods, movements, authors and texts.

You'll benefit from the expertise of our literary-studies academics who are leaders in their fields. They’ll inspire you to extend your understanding of literary theory, genre and literary history, introducing you to a variety of up-to-date approaches to literary study.

Our English Language and Literature BA enables you to explore the relationship between linguistic structure and its literary heritage – and how language operates in both society and literature. 

We offer a bold, forward-thinking curriculum that allows you to study a thousand years of literature in new and progressive ways. That's what makes us one of the UK's most respected and exciting departments for the study of English, offering a distinctive approach to a radical breadth of literary texts. We encourage you to experiment with writing and understand its ability to transform the world we live in. You will be taught by engaged and passionate tutors who will guide you through each year of your degree.

You'll be part of a close-knit community of staff and students who all support each other. You'll work across a range of disciplines, tailoring your degree to your interests. You also have the opportunity to apply for a year studying abroad.

The MA in TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages) offers you the opportunity to develop your essential teaching skills and professional knowledge. The course is designed to provide a thorough grounding in both the theory and practice of English language teaching.

This is a rigorous qualification which provides you with strong all-round skills development and up-to-date subject knowledge. It is highly valued by educational employers and will help to raise your profile when seeking to launch or advance your career as a language teaching professional.

This postgraduate degree will provide you with the basic practical skills you need to enter a language classroom with confidence and enhance your subject knowledge of the English language. You will develop your language teaching ability at a range of levels, in different cultural and institutional contexts. You will also have an opportunity to develop an understanding of professional issues related to English language teaching and learning.

We pride ourselves on the level of support we provide to our students. You will be supported by a personal tutor who, where possible, will remain with you throughout the course, and you will also have access to the full range of university support services. Participating in the learning activities and accessing the academic support services available to University of Leicester students will also help you develop your fluency and accuracy in speaking, listening, reading and writing.

If you take the two 'Language Testing and Assessment' modules and choose a language testing topic for your Dissertation or Professional Enquiry, you will be awarded an MA in TESOL with Language Testing.