English and American Literature (Hons) Manchester Metropolitan University

Overview

Reflecting the varied and flexible nature of English and American literature, this course enables you to explore both in equal depth, as you look at how writers from the entwined cultures have reflected and shaped the worlds around them. 

You’ll explore English literature in all its major forms – prose, poetry and drama – and from all periods since the Renaissance. At the same time, you’ll look at literature from the USA, from its inception to the present day, relating it to key social and historical contexts, while considering American writers’ enduring struggle to articulate national identity. 

You may have the opportunity to spend a year expanding your horizons, either studying abroad with one of our partner universities, in the US or elsewhere, or working on placement within industry in Britain or abroad.

In your final year you will get the chance to explore your interests in depth with a substantial piece of project work presented as a thesis, building on the knowledge and skills you've been developing over previous years.

Career

Graduates of the English and American Literature (Hons) programme from Manchester Metropolitan University enter a wide range of careers, especially media work and teaching, where their transferable skills are particularly relevant. Recent graduates have become school and college teachers, and gained employment in fields as diverse as banking, finance, manufacturing and retail. 

There is also the opportunity to engage in further study and professional training, for example some of our graduates go on to study MA English Studies at postgraduate level where you have the opportunity to build your own bespoke masters experience, reflecting your interests in the further study of English. Alongside this we offer MA Publishing, delivered in collaboration with industry professionals, and many of our students go on to study MA/MFA Creative Writing at our Manchester Writing School, one of the largest and most successful of its kind in the UK.