English Literature and History

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Course overview

You will develop skills in both disciplines, learning to evaluate the ways that Literature informs History and History informs Literature. You will become a sophisticated reader of historical context and literary form from the medieval period to the present day.

Key facts

Study abroad Learn a language International year Fees and finance Foundation year

Sam Taylor, History

"I spent an exchange semester in the US, where I met a leading Kennedy historian whom I interviewed for my dissertation" - read more about Sam Taylor, History

Kyle, English Literature

"When I moved in I felt a sense of belonging in the tightly knit community. The staff at Keele always go the extra mile for students and offer immense academic and mental support"

Zahra, English Literature

"I really enjoy how versatile the module choices are for English Literature. There are plenty of options depending on your reading preferences and there is flexibility within modules, as various texts are explored"

Course content

Teaching

You’ll take classes with world-renowned experts who love their subjects and love to teach too. Both English and History modules range from the medieval period to the present day, and cover the globe (especially Europe, the Middle East, Austral-Asia, Africa, and North America).

For History, modules are shaped to offer engaging insight into various global histories, while reflecting our own expertise. The first year provides the opportunity to gain broad insights into over 1000 years of history, before becoming more focused in later years. Module themes include the history of print culture, political violence, medicine, modern empires, social movements, citizenship, economics, migration, gender, religion, and Digital Humanities. Staff have also regularly won Keele’s various Teaching Awards, recently for ‘fantastic feedback’ and ‘superb supervision’. In the last 3 years, History averaged 92 % in overall student satisfaction (NSS 2017-19). This smaller, friendly environment ensures regular, supportive contact with staff, allowing you to develop your research interests, while assessments prepare you for your specific career.

English offers teaching in tutorial groups (about twenty students but sometimes fewer) in all three years. Tutorials, which are held in the Chancellor's Building in the heart of the campus, are supplemented by lectures in rooms nearby equipped with appropriate audio-visual aids. Staff, all experts in their fields, teach modules carefully designed by individuals or by teams. As well as teaching tutorials in small groups, they all offer students consultation hours at which they can discuss their progress and plan the development of their work.

Students are regularly asked to comment on the delivery of programmes and they are invited to attend planning meetings. There is an active Student Staff Voice Committee, which places a high value on good communications with students, both formal and informal.

Extra curricular opportunities

There are so many opportunities at Keele to enhance your studies with extra-curricular activities, that will help you get ahead when you graduate. These include taking part in Keele Hall Writing events, joining societies, studying abroad, learning a language and paid for work in roles such as a Student Ambassador.

Career prospects

96% of Keele graduates were in a job or further study within six months of graduating (DLHE, 2017)

You will be able to communicate complex ideas effectively to different kinds of audience, producing persuasive arguments informed by careful research. Our graduates have gone on to work in teaching, journalism, media, the civil service, the heritage and museum sector, local government and management. Around a quarter of our graduates go on to take higher degrees and the degree opens the doors to many other higher education opportunities with many choosing to stay at Keele. If you are thinking of travelling the world after graduation or teaching abroad, Keele’s Language Centre offers a variety of language courses. You may graduate with an enhanced degree with foreign language competency or an internationally recognised qualification in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL).

Recent employers

Apple
Primary, Secondary and Higher Education
Barclays
NHS
Marks and Spencer
HSBC
Santander
Memiah
Vodafone
Home Office
National Railway Museum
Prospero Teaching
Capita
Cooperative Bank
Higher Education
RBS
Local Government
Tesco

Jobs that a graduate of this course could go on to do:

Academic Librarian
Advertising Copywriter
Editorial Assistant
Journalist
Public Relations Officer
School Teacher
History Teacher
Academic Librarian
Archivist
Museum Curator
Heritage Manager
Researcher
Information Officer
Records Manager

Regardless of which career you pursue after Keele, employers will want evidence of the range of skills and personal qualities you possess and which are required for the job. Your degree is clearly important in this respect but don’t forget the extra-curricular activities, positions of responsibility, jobs and voluntary work you may have been engaged in while studying at Keele. These activities allow you to demonstrate the skills and personal qualities required by employers and will be vital in your attempts to secure graduate employment.

It is estimated that 60% of jobs are open to graduates of any discipline. This demonstrates the flexibility of many graduate employers when setting out their academic requirements and that students are not necessarily restricted to careers related to their degree.

Find out more about our careers and employability services, including career planning, alumni mentoring, jobs, internships, starting your own business and much more.