English Literature

Course summary

What will I Study? English Literature is a subject valued highly by top universities: universities, such as LSE, describe it as a 'preferred subject' for application to nearly all their degree programmes on their website and Oxford and Cambridge have traditionally described English Literature A level as a 'facilitating subject' for application to their courses. Indeed, in 2022, nearly half of HASJW's successful Russell Group University applicants had taken English Literature A level. This is due to the rigorous nature of the course; on this course, you will develop analytical, critical thinking and communication skills that are valued by a wide range of industries, from medicine to journalism to press relations. These skills are developed through study of a range of texts, including 'The Picture of Dorian Gray', 'Dracula', 'Poems of the Decade', an anthology of Romantic poets, 'Othello' and 'A Streetcar Named Desire'. For coursework, students compare two texts of their own choosing. It is important to remember that English Literature is a highly academic subject, which requires a wide range of reading. For that reason, it is usually undertaken by students with a love of communication and analysis, which is why (in 2021) 29% of HASJW students achieved A* and 43% achieved A*/A.