English Literature and Theatre University of Reading

Overview

Within this English Literature and Theatre BA course from the University of Reading you will be studying in two departments (English Literature; and Film, Theatre & Television) who collaborate with each other extensively. Both have been leaders in their fields for a long time. 

Key features

• English Literature was one of the first university departments in the UK to study American and Canadian authors like Margaret Atwood, and we continue this tradition with a curriculum that includes the best of contemporary writing from Britain, America and the Caribbean. The Department of Film, Theatre & Television pioneered the study of film in UK higher education, and we continue to lead in the range and breadth of the modules we offer.
• The theatre component of your degree focuses on performance, and so we investigate plays in a variety of settings. You will make regular trips to performances in Reading and London, and will investigate a range of contemporary practices including site specific work and examples of digital technologies in live performance. 
• We study twentieth and twenty-first century dramatists, such as Caryl Churchill, Sarah Kane, and Samuel Beckett. Our teaching is a dynamic mix of theory and practice, and optional modules that include group-based practical projects are available for those who enjoy practice-based study. We have state-of-the-art facilities, including three theatre spaces, a dedicated recording studio and a mixing suite.
• Your English Literature modules will enable you to examine in greater detail authors and genres that you already know. You can study drama (including Shakespeare and Beckett), novels (Victorian, modern and contemporary) and poetry, from the middle ages to the present. But you will also encounter aspects of literary studies that you may not know so well, from children’s literature to publishing studies and the history of the book.
• We place a strong emphasis on small-group learning within a friendly and supportive environment, because we believe that the study of literature and theatre is a discursive process where we learn by sharing ideas. We provide detailed and thorough feedback on your written work within 15 working days:  this is crucial to your development as a writer, whether you intend a career in creative or professional writing.

Career opportunities:

• You will enter the job market with highly-developed research and communication skills; you will know how to access reliable information on any topic and how to present your findings in clear and persuasive language. Your practical work and group projects will give you experience of project management and collaborative working. 
• These are all valuable skills in today’s economy, where information and communication skills are vital. You will have the critical and cultural awareness necessary for working in the public sector and the media.
• Our graduates go into many walks of life: some work in the performing arts, journalism, the media, or teaching. Some decide to continue their studies at postgraduate level: our MA in Samuel Beckett would be an excellent way to further your studies in both English literature and theatre.
• Others have successful careers in fields as diverse as law, business administration, web-design and advertising. Past graduates have gone on to work for employers such the BBC, The Telegraph, Oxford University Press, Waterstones, Cisco Systems and the Royal Mint, as well as local authorities and schools.