English Literature and Philosophy

取得日期：2026-10-21、2026-10-29

https://www.york.ac.uk/study/undergraduate/courses/ba-english-literature-philosophy/

https://www.york.ac.uk/study/international/your-country/hong-kong/

English Literature and Philosophy (BA) - Undergraduate, University of York

Skip to content

Accessibility statement

Undergraduate

Applying

Visiting us

Fees and funding

Accommodation

Student life

Commuting

Careers and employability

Studying abroad

International students

Pre-uni programmes

Email updates

Parents and Supporters

Information for teachers

HomeStudy at YorkUndergraduateCourses 2027/28English Literature and Philosophy (BA)

BA (Hons) English Literature and Philosophy

Explore philosophical debate and the literature that shaped it.

Year of entry: 2027/28

Overview

Course content

Teaching and assessment

Entry requirements

UCAS code

Institution code

Start date

September 2027

View semester dates

3 years full-time

Typical offer

Full entry requirements

School/department

Department of English and Related Literature, Department of Philosophy

UK (home) fees

International and EU fees

Apply for this course

Come and visit us

There's plenty of opportunities to explore our campus and meet us. Sign up for email alerts to be the first to know of any upcoming events.

Sign up for email updates

6th in the UK for English

Complete University Guide 2027

9th in the UK for philosophy

28th in the world for English Language & Literature

in the QS World Rankings by Subject 2026

Why study English literature and philosophy at York?

Explore an extensive range of modules across two departments. You’ll cover all periods of literature and philosophy from the classical period to the present day on options that span different cultures, allowing you to tailor your degree to your own interests. In English your options will also include film, creative writing, and literature from around the globe, while in philosophy you can choose from interdisciplinary electives with project-based learning experiences as you work with experts in the field.

Take an interdisciplinary view. Combining English and philosophy allows you to explore enduring questions that have shaped past societies and cultures. Encompassing almost every aspect of human thought and culture, this course will expose you to an array of ideas and ways of thinking about the world.

Flexibility to add a Placement Year or Year Abroad. You’d then graduate with a BA in English Literature and Philosophy (with Placement Year) or BA in English Literature and Philosophy (with Year Abroad). Whether you’re interested in gaining experience in a particular industry or looking to expand your horizons by studying in another country, we’ll support you in exploring the options available to you.

Gain valuable skills that will set you up for a range of careers. You’ll develop your own research projects that address different briefs, learning to think critically, analyse texts, and develop persuasive arguments. Our Careers and Employability Coordinators will help you to think about these skills in relation to employability and to navigate the resources and opportunities available, including internships, a placement year, and more. We regularly advertise careers events by industry experts.

We’re ranked 2nd in the UK

for research in Philosophy, and 100% of our research’s impact is rated as 4* (Times Higher Education’s ranking of the latest REF results, 2021).

York Philosophy Society

welcomes you to student-run events including socials, coffee mornings and guest lectures.

We're top 10 in the UK

for research in English, and 98% of our research was rated 3* or higher (Times Higher Education’s ranking of the latest REF results, 2021).

The flexible, diverse, and interdisciplinary modules enticed me. Unlike other Russell Group universities, York offers modules on various contemporary literary forms. For instance, fiction, film and comics, or other practical modules on publishing, archiving, creative writing and translating.

Beverly, BA English. Read Beverly's blog post.

Our English Literature and Philosophy degree has a distinctly international perspective. You’ll cover an exciting range of literary and philosophical topics, from the classical era to the modern world.

In the first year of your degree, we’ll introduce you to the undergraduate study of English and philosophy through six core modules. These will give you the skills you need to start undertaking literary and philosophical research, and advice on how to combine the two disciplines.

Core modules

We’ll introduce you to an exciting range of texts and critical approaches in your first year to lay the foundation for your degree. You’ll develop your knowledge of literary history by studying works from the medieval, Renaissance, early modern, 18th century, Romantic, Victorian, and modern periods. Reading Now will introduce you to the necessary skills for the study of literature at university level.

Writing Modernity

Other Worlds

Reading Now

Philosophy

In Philosophy, your core modules will give you foundational knowledge and skills in both practical philosophy and theoretical philosophy and a taste of the variety of philosophical approaches pertaining to different traditions.

Philosophical Analysis

Metaphysics and Humans

Academic integrity module

In addition to the above you will also need to complete our online Academic Integrity module.

This module covers some of the essential skills and knowledge which will help you to study independently and produce work of a high academic standard which is vital for success at York.

This module will:

define academic integrity and academic misconduct

provide interactive exercises to help you to assess whether you've understood the concepts

provide answers to FAQs and links to useful resources.

In the second year of your degree, you’ll choose six modules from a range of options in English and philosophy.

Option modules

Intermediate Option Modules

Our Intermediate Option Modules allow you to deepen your understanding of the relationship between literary works and the cultural, historical, and political contexts in which they were produced.

The Shock of the New: Medieval Literature

The Renaissance

Inventing Britain, 1700-1830

Making the Modern: Global Literature in the Victorian Age

Age of Extremes: Twentieth-Century British and Irish Literature

American Literature: From the First World War to the End of Empire

Creative Writing: Contemporary Practice

World Literature Modules

Our World Literature Modules invite you to engage with questions of language, translation, and cultural difference in ways that equip you with important skills in linguistic analysis and description. Some examples include:

African Imaginations and Afrophone Literatures

Against the Grain: European New Cinema

French Autofictions

Introduction to Greek and Roman Literature

Modern French and Francophone Literature

Modern Latin American Literature

Medieval Arabic and Persian Global Literature

Old Norse Literature

Post-War Italian Cinema

The World of Beowulf

Community Engaged Learning Module

You can also choose to take our Community Engaged Learning Module. You'll work on a team project with a local organisation, making direct use of your distinct disciplinary skills such as analysis, research, and communication.

Beyond the Book: Community Projects

You will choose from the same wide range of philosophy options as our Philosophy single subject students in the areas of theoretical philosophy, practical philosophy, and history of philosophy, including:

Theoretical Philosophy

Knowledge and the Social Sciences

Logic and Paradox

Metaphysics

Philosophy of Language

Philosophy of Mind

Philosophy of Perception

Philosophy of Religions

Philosophy of Science

Politics and Freedom: Anarchism and Conservatism

Practical Philosophy

Aesthetics

Applied Ethics

Ethical Theory

Religious Ethics

History of Philosophy

Being and Reason: Spinoza's Metaphysics

Love, Law and Solidarity: Recognition from Rousseau to Honneth

The Limits of Reason: Kant's Theoretical and Practical Philosophy

Some option module combinations may not be possible. The options available to you will be confirmed after you begin your course.

Elective modules

You may be able to replace one option module with an elective module, studying a complementary subject, a language or an interdisciplinary topic.

In the third year of the degree, you’ll choose from options in English and Philosophy, including the year-long English and Related Literature Dissertation or the Philosophy Short Dissertation.

You will choose between four and six option modules in English and philosophy (depending on whether you choose to take the year-long English dissertation). Examples can be found below.

In English, you will choose from the department’s Advanced Option Modules. These reflect the wide-ranging and cutting-edge research expertise of the Department, and our options cover literature from the classical period to the twenty-first century, as well as film and creative writing. Students can typically choose from over 30 options. Some examples include:

Black Writers of the Global Nineteenth Century

Borders Bodies Bridges: Migration and Racialisation in Modern Literature and Culture

Crafting the Past: Reimagining the Eighteenth Century

Elemental: Contemporary Indigenous Literatures in English

From Tennyson to Tolkien: The Middle Ages and Modern Literature, 1840-1940

Green Romanticism: Nature, Ecology, Calamity

Modernism's Queer Spaces

Pulp Fictions of Medieval England: Romance and Popular Literature

Spices and Spies: Renaissance Global Travel

The Stuff of Poetry

The Villains of Romantic Gothic

The Writer's Notebook: A Prose Fiction Workshop

Tragedy: Theatre, Death and Mourning

AI and Human Values

Buddhism as Philosophy

Causation and Laws

Cognitive Anomalies, Decision-Making, and Democracy

Consciousness

Contemporary Issues in Bioethics

Experimental Philosophy: The Psychology of Philosophy

German Idealism: Moral, Legal and Political Philosophy

Foundations of Maths

Happiness, Utility and Well-Being

Nine Artworks, Nine Philosophical Problems

Philosophy of Christianity

Philosophy of Law (York Law School)

Property and Self Ownership

Rational Animals: Aristotle on Nature and Value

Theories of Social Justice: Rawls and Beyond

The Nature of Time

Topics in Feminist Philosophy

World and Mind

Our modules may change to reflect the latest academic thinking and expertise of our staff, and in line with Department/School academic planning.

Study abroad

There are opportunities to study abroad during your course.

Explore global opportunities

Real-world experiences

Find your edge by gaining practical experience that boosts your employability. Explore diverse opportunities to apply your knowledge and build vital professional skills, such as placements, internships and part-time jobs.

Learning outcomes

Every course at York has been designed to provide clear and ambitious learning outcomes. These learning outcomes give you an understanding of what you will be able to do at the end of the course. We develop each course by designing modules that grow your abilities towards the learning outcomes and help you to explain what you can offer to employers. Find out more about our approach to teaching and learning.

Learning outcomes for this course

Read philosophical and literary texts with close critical attention, clearly explaining and interpreting them and their relations to the issues, traditions and periods in which they participate, and synthesizing information from secondary sources.

Develop and articulate arguments for alternative solutions to key philosophical problems in an open-minded and imaginative way, by presenting the best case that can be made for each proposal and advancing a reasoned judgement about the best solution.

Analyse the power of language, rhetoric and narrative and the influence they have upon cultural, political, and ethical issues, using this awareness better to understand the world and influence others.

Exercise and continually develop their independent thought and critical judgement by interrogating their own underlying assumptions and identifying strengths and weaknesses, refining their critical engagement with arguments and texts in the light of self-reflection, peer review, and advice and feedback from others.

Engage analytically with contemporary social, political and ethical problems and issues of value, and display a critical awareness of cultural diversity informed by knowledge of the literatures of different varieties of English or other European languages, so developing the ability to operate in complex global and multicultural contexts.

Engage productively in critical discussion and debate, and therefore work effectively in collaboration with others, by cultivating advanced oral communication skills.

Influence people by writing clearly, accurately and persuasively, articulating ideas and presenting systematic, logical arguments to support measured judgements, and doing so in lucid and accessible terms, to a deadline and to a professional standard.

Move confidently between the methods and practices of the disciplines of English and Philosophy, rigorously applying the skills appropriate to a given context whilst maintaining a creative, intellectually independent alertness to the relevance of alternative ways of thinking and the insight they can afford.

The fees and funding information here is for students starting in the 2027/28 academic year.

If you take a year abroad or year in industry you'll pay a reduced rate of fees for that year.

Annual tuition fees

UK (home)

International and EU

The UK government has announced its intention to increase tuition fees from £9,790 to £10,050 for the 2027/8 academic year. We expect this to apply to new UK (home) undergraduate students starting their studies in September 2027.

UK (home) or international fees?

The level of fee that you will be asked to pay depends on whether you're classed as a UK (home) or international student. Check your fee status.

Fees for subsequent years

UK (home) fees may increase within the government fee cap in subsequent academic years. We will notify you of any increase as soon as we can.

International fees are subject to increase in subsequent years in line with the prevailing Consumer Price Index (CPI) inflation rate (up to a maximum of 10%).

More information

For more information about tuition fees, any reduced fees for study abroad and work placement years, scholarships, tuition fee loans, maintenance loans and living costs see undergraduate fees and funding.

Additional costs

You'll need copies of the texts set for each module. Where possible, the Department works to arrange digital copies via the University Library. Where this is not practical, you'll be instructed in advance of the start of each term about the texts and editions you'll need to purchase (whether new or second-hand).

We'll confirm more funding opportunities for students joining us in 2027/28 throughout the year.

UK government loans

UK scholarships and bursaries

International scholarships

Country-specific funding

US loans

Living costs

You can use our living costs guide to help plan your budget. It covers additional costs that are not included in your tuition fee such as expenses for accommodation and study materials.

York, Oxford, Cambridge, Imperial

Just four UK universities are rated Gold for teaching and top ten for research* in the latest national assessment exercises.

See why York is rated Gold for teaching

Explore our research performance

* Awarded joint 10th in the Times Higher Education ranking of the Research Excellence Framework 2021.

You’ll study and learn with academics who are active researchers, experts in their field and have a passion for their subjects. Our approach to teaching will provide you with the knowledge, opportunities, and support you need to grow and succeed in a global workplace. Find out more about our approach to teaching and learning.

Teaching format

In English, you’ll learn through a programme of seminars, lectures, workshops, and one-to-one consultations. We emphasise small-group teaching, which means you’ll mainly be taught in seminars.

Teaching in philosophy takes much the same form. The department prides itself on having smaller seminar groups than some other universities, and staff strongly encourage one-to-one conversations in open office hours.

York’s English and Philosophy degree is renowned for its flexible and innovative approach.

Our dedicated research informs all our teaching activities.

Our friendly, approachable, and accessible staff are world-leading experts in their fields. They are each available to meet individually with you during weekly open office hours – two in English and at least one in philosophy.

We organise many guest lectures and readings by well-known writers and philosophers.

In the UK, full-time students are expected to spend 1,200 hours a year learning. That's about 40 hours of classes and independent study each week during semesters. Everyone learns at a different rate, so the number of hours you spend on independent study will be different to other students on your course.

Facilities

Thin Ice Press is the Department of English and Related Literature’s in-house printing studio, whose iron presses chart the evolution of print from 1838-1926. They offer opportunities to experience the relationship between writing and printing practices through publication, practice-led research, teaching, and public workshops.

Teaching location

You will be based in the Department of English and Related Literature and the Department of Philosophy on Campus West.

Most teaching will be nearby in Derwent College, the Spring Lane Teaching Building and other Campus West locations.

About our campus

Our beautiful green campus offers a student-friendly setting in which to live and study, within easy reach of the action in the city centre. It's easy to get around - everything is within walking or pedalling distance, or you can use the fast and frequent bus service. Take a campus tour.

Assessment and feedback

The Department of English and Related Literature employs a variety of assessment methods, including group projects and open exams, but with a strong emphasis on essay writing. Your main mode of assessment will be essays, which will range from short exploratory exercises to more detailed discussions on a topic of your choice. We offer high levels of feedback and ample opportunities for you to meet with staff to discuss your written work.

Your work in Philosophy is assessed by a more or less equal mix of essays and exams – the exact blend of assessment depends on the modules you choose. In the first year, some work is assessed by online tests and poster presentation.

Free online courses

Get a taste of university-level study on one of York's free short courses.

Philosophy is a social subject – views and ideas only develop and grow when discussed with others. Because of this, the people and atmosphere of the Department is so important and, in my experience, has been amazing at York.

Mia, Philosophy.

Careers and skills

Studying English and Philosophy at York will provide you with numerous career possibilities. You’ll learn presentation, language, and critical thinking skills during your combined degree, and gain expertise in complex analysis and research. These skills suit a range of careers, from law and teaching to national and local government and the creative industries.

Our English alumni

What Philosophy students say

Career opportunities

Advertising, marketing, social media, and public relations

Arts administration

Civil and diplomatic services

Film, radio, television, and theatre

Journalism and broadcasting

Librarianship

Member of Parliament

Publishing

Teaching

Transferable skills

Ability to analyse and compare complex texts

Communication and teamwork skills

Capacity to write clearly and fluently for a variety of audiences

Critical and analytical thinking

Data interpretation

Experience of researching and debating challenging topics

Independent study skills

Logic and rhetoric

Proficiency in presenting findings cogently and persuasively using information technology

Turn ambition into achievement with our expert guidance and connections. From your first day here to life after graduation, we'll help you find your career advantage.

The English part of my degree helped me develop the skill of being able to absorb and analyse large amounts of information at short notice which is a daily demand in the world of law.

Penny Darragh, BA English/Philosophy

Solicitor, Dickinson Dees LLP

Qualification

A levels

AAB including an A in English Literature (English Language and Literature is also acceptable)

Access to Higher Education Diploma

36 credits at Distinction, including at least 9 credits in Literature-related units, and 9 credits at Merit or higher

BTEC National Extended Diploma

DDD with an additional A Level or equivalent qualification in English Literature at grade A

European Baccalaureate

80% overall, with 85% in English Literature.

International Baccalaureate

35 points including 6 in English Literature at Higher Level (Higher Level English Language and Literature is also acceptable)

T levels

We are currently not accepting T Levels for this course unless an additional A Level (or equivalent qualification) in English Literature has been taken.

Scottish Highers / Advanced Highers

Advanced Highers - B in English Literature

Scottish Highers - BBBB

We may also be able to consider three Advanced Highers or a combination of Highers and Advanced Highers, where an applicant does not meet the grade requirement through Highers alone. Please contact us to discuss your qualifications.

Other international qualifications

Equivalent qualifications from your country

Alternative offers

Meeting the following additional criteria may qualify you for an alternative offer.

Criteria

Adjustment

Widening participation

BBC including B in English Literature (English Language and Literature is also acceptable)

This is conditional upon successful completion of the WP programme including the YorJourney module (Black Access Programme, Next Step York) or successful completion of Realising Opportunities More about widening participation.

Contextual offer

ABC including an A in English Literature (English Language and Literature is also acceptable)

If you achieve A or higher in the EPQ, you may be eligible for an alternative offer up to one A level grade (or equivalent) below our typical offer.

If you successfully complete our online course Logic: the language of truth, you may be eligible for an alternative offer up to one A level grade (or equivalent) below our typical offer. Details about how to evidence completion of the MOOC will be sent in your offer letter. Please note: you do not need to pay for the certificate. More about MOOCs.

English language

If English isn't your first language you may need to provide evidence of your English language ability. We accept the following qualifications:

Minimum requirement

IELTS (Academic)

6.5, with a minimum of 6.0 in each component

Other English language qualifications

To see what other language tests we can accept and the scores required, visit our IELTS equivalences webpage and click on the IELTS requirement for your chosen course.

We also accept various school-leaving certificates to meet our English Language requirements. Please visit our country-specific information for further details.

For more information see our undergraduate English language requirements.

If you haven't met our English language requirements

You may be eligible for one of our pre-sessional English language courses. These courses will provide you with the level of English needed to meet the conditions of your offer.

The length of course you need to take depends on your current English language test scores and how much you need to improve to reach our English language requirements.

After you've accepted your offer to study at York, we'll confirm which pre-sessional course you should apply to via You@York.

To apply to York, you'll need to complete an online application via UCAS (the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service).

How to apply

We look for intellectual and literary curiosity, open-mindedness, and analytical ability.

We encourage mature students to email the Admissions Tutor for consultation and advice.

At the University of York, we are committed to providing the support our students need to achieve their full potential and have an exceptional, transformational experience. Our Additional Information Form offers help to those faced with social, personal or educational challenges which have affected their performance in education. We also offer support for care leavers.

Next steps

Contact us

Get in touch if you have any questions

English Undergraduate Admissions

english-ug-admissions@york.ac.uk

Department

Related courses

English (BA)

Philosophy (BA)

Liberal Arts (BA)

Discover York

We offer a range of campus accommodation to suit you and your budget, from economy to premium.

Explore campus and city life and hear what our current students have to say about living here.

The city

Lively, full of culture and beautiful, York is regularly voted one of the best places to live and visit in the UK.

Find out more about York. Chat to staff and students and take the tour, on campus or online.

University of York

YO10 5DD

United Kingdom

Campus map

University of York Mumbai

University of York Europe Campus

Search the website

Information for

Prospective students

Current students

Schools and colleges

Businesses

Press and media

Study with us

Postgraduate taught

Postgraduate research

Online and distance learning

Apprenticeships

Open days and visits

Popular links

About the University

Departments, offices and sections

Getting here, maps and parking

Job vacancies

IT service status

Semester dates

© University of York

Legal statements

Modern slavery statement

Accessibility

課程頁官方原文 A levels AAB including an A in English Literature (English Language and Literature is also acceptable) https://www.york.ac.uk/study/undergraduate/courses/ba-english-literature-philosophy/ 取得日期：2026-10-21

香港／國際頁官方原文 Hong Kong Diploma of Secondary Education (HKDSE) If you are studying the Hong Kong Diploma of Secondary Education (HKDSE), you will need to achieve grades ranging from 4,4,3 to 5*,5,5. You can achieve this through a minimum of two elective subjects and one core subject (excluding Citizenship and Social Development/Liberal Studies). We also accept Chinese Language as one of your HKDSE cores. Subject-specific requirements apply for some courses.  HKDSE Score A level equivalent 5*55 A*AA 555 AAA 554 AAB 544 ABB 444 BBB If Mathematics is an essential subject requirement, you will need to complete two elective subjects plus Compulsory Mathematics and Extended Mathematics (either M1/Calculus and Statistics or M2/Algebra and Calculus). For direct entry, we also accept other international qualifications studied by students in Hong Kong, such as the US AP subject exams, as well as Canadian qualifications. Explore our undergraduate courses https://www.york.ac.uk/study/international/your-country/hong-kong/ 取得日期：2026-10-29

請查看下方完整入學要求原文，或向院校確認。