English Language and Literature (BA)

We'll support you to become an independent, creative and critical thinker.

At the beginning of your studies, carefully structured lectures and seminar discussions will help you develop key skills and gain confidence. As your studies progress,

As your studies progress, they'll become more lecture- and seminar-based and gradually moveing towards specialisation and independent research. There'll be guided independent reading, smaller interactive workshops and seminars, and discussion of new research with internationally recognised academics working in that area.

You’ll also have access to relevant learning and teaching materials through our electronic learning environment.

In this supportive environment, you’ll develop your ability to analyse texts and arguments closely, work through problems with others, construct your own arguments and present your ideas clearly. You’ll also develop communication and collaboration skills that you can transfer to the world of employment.

How will I be supported?

Your main sources of support are your module leaders and your personal tutor. You’ll have one personal tutor in English language and one in literature.

Module leaders hold drop-in sessions during teaching weeks, so you can ask questions about module materials or assessments. Your personal tutor can advise you on academic matters, including study skills, careers and academic progress, as well as pastoral matters. They also act as a first point of contact if you experience any difficulties.

Our Writing Development Centre provides specialist support for academic writing across the programme. You can access online materials, workshops and one-to-one meetings about any aspect of academic writing to support you with your assessments.

Our professional services teams can provide academic and student support, and can help with information and guidance if you have any queries. The University's range of support services and events are also available to help you plan your career, manage your emotional, mental and physical health, support you with financial issues and provide assistance for students with disabilities are also available to you. These services are co-located at the Centre for Student Life.

Libraries, study spaces and other resource centres will also be available to you.

How will I be assessed?

Your assessments are designed to develop key skills in communication, collaboration, critical thinking and reflection.

Assessment methods can include critical analyses of texts, essays, exams, critical reviews, presentations, group work and group discussion assessments, analytical tasks, weekly tasks, and reflective assessment of your own skills.

In your final year, you’ll analyse data and present your findings for diverse audiences in English language. In English literature, you’ll collaborate with others to produce a public-facing piece of work.

You’ll receive regular feedback on your progress. Oral feedback in lectures, workshops and seminars will help you assess your understanding of course material and your critical responses to it.

You’ll also receive formative comments on essay ideas and draft work, and detailed feedback on all marked coursework.

What skills will I practise and develop?

The Learning Outcomes for this Programme describe what you will achieve by the end of your programme at Cardiff University and identify the knowledge and skills that you will develop. They will also help you to understand what is expected of you.

On successful completion of your Programme you will be able to:

Knowledge & Understanding:

• Demonstrate a systematic knowledge and understanding of core areas of English language and linguistics, including phonetics, grammar, semantics, pragmatics, and discourse.
• Demonstrate a systematic knowledge and understanding of how language works in the social world.
• Systematically comprehend literature from different cultures and periods (including pre-1800) and the range of principal literary genres across prose, poetry, and drama.
• Systematically comprehend the relationships between literature and other cultural forms, such as film, art, music, and material/digital cultures.
• Systematically comprehend how culture, language, technology, and economics affect how, where, and by whom texts are produced and received.

Intellectual Skills:

• Apply descriptive terminology relevant to English language and linguistic phenomena.
• Analyse various types of linguistic data.
• Develop and explain complex and specialised arguments that support claims in response to the conventions of the genre.
• Evaluate the impact of language use in a range of contexts.
• Examine different kinds of literary and cultural materials closely and critically.

Professional Practical Skills:

• Systematically comprehend and explain ideas, arguments and empirical research with accuracy.
• Show critical awareness of different writing conventions and writing tools, and have the ability to use and adapt them successfully.
• Assess and solve problems independently, taking the views of others into account in a systematic and evaluative way.

Transferable/Key Skills:

• Organise and communicate complex ideas and arguments in different formats suitable to different audiences, using appropriate referencing conventions.
• Develop initiative by taking responsibility for structuring and time-managing a research task, working in teams when appropriate.
• Reflect on and respond to constructive feedback.