English
For full course listings in this area click here
English at Sunderland comes 13th - the highest ranking of all the new universities (The Guardian League Table 2009).
A degree in English will give you an in-depth understanding of the writings and ideas that have shaped the world in which we live. It will also help you analyse how language is used not only in literature but also in everyday life. As part of our range of courses you can choose to study film and television, produce your own creative writing and even perform on stage.
As well as studying core modules in literary history, theory and criticism, language studies, stylistics and other areas, our courses give you the opportunity to undertake a research project in an area of personal interest. You can take optional modules on subjects like Crime Fiction, Television Drama, English in the North East, Language in Childhood, Creative Writing and Shakespeare.
You can also study English in combination with other subjects through the University's Combined Subjects Programme.
Students at Sunderland can also get involved with our Creative Writing group 'Under the Sun', as well as the University's Creative Writing Magazine 'The New Creative'. The magazine, which is jointly edited by staff and students, publishes work ranging from pieces by our own students who have just joined the University and are looking for a creative outlet, to those by well-known poets like Bernard O'Donoghue, who has won the Whitbread prize in poetry.
Our degrees are designed to help you develop skills of critical thinking, communication and analysis - attributes that make English graduates much sought-after by employers. Some of our students become teachers or lecturers, while others go into industry, the media or the civil service. Increasingly, the North East of England is defining itself as an international centre of culture and there has been a marked increase in career opportunities relating to cultural tourism. Students with an English degree are well placed to take advantage of these opportunities.
The teaching and learning facilities for English at Sunderland are excellent. Our library has a wide range of texts and journals, as well as database and electronic research information. You will also enjoy 24-hour access to award-winning computing facilities. On every module you take, you will be taught by experienced staff, many with international reputations in their research fields.
