Course summary
Our BA Art and English Literature degree lets you engage in substantial practical work in the studio, develop your understanding of ideas and theories in contemporary art, and explore English literature from every era and across the globe. You will see how debates across the creative arts are reflected in dynamic ways across the two subjects. Join a lively community at Reading School of Art. You can explore a vast range of media, experiment with emerging art forms and develop as an artist. You will complement your practical art with modules in contemporary art theory and the history of art. The studios are busy places with events, screenings, performances and exhibitions regularly taking place. You will receive a dedicated space, accessible 24 hours a day and 7 days a week, and a studio tutor to help develop your individual and professional practice. Trips to museums and art galleries help prompt thoughts on how art is displayed and received. You will gain professional experience by taking part in your own exhibitions, public art commissions and events. Your teaching staff are artists, curators and researchers of international standing and will encourage regular exhibitions and open debate. In your English literature modules, you will read more of authors and genres that you may already know (from tragedy to Gothic, from Shakespeare and Dickens to Plath and Beckett). But you will also encounter aspects of literary studies that may be less familiar to you, from children’s literature to publishing studies and the history of the book. Our academics have published research on everything from medieval poetry to contemporary American fiction. As you progress through your degree, your module choices become more diverse and specialised: you can do archive work on Studying Manuscripts, or look at the politics of literature in Class Matters. Everyone in the English Department, from new lecturers to professors, teaches at every level of the degree: this gives you the benefit of our expertise and makes you part of the conversation about our research and its impact outside the classroom. We place a strong emphasis on small-group learning within a friendly and supportive environment. In your first and second years, you will have a mix of lectures and seminars. Placements and collaborations are actively encouraged throughout this joint degree, and there is also the option to experience life in another country by studying abroad. Throughout your course you will receive advice and guidance in career development. Placement All students are encouraged to work with different artists and designers in hosting events and exhibitions. External exhibitions have included Urban Utopia, a partnership between Fine Art and Deutsche Bank where 35 students curated their work in the new Capitol building, Bracknell, and an exhibition at the Beaconsfield Gallery in London. You are also expected to undertake placement opportunities. Past students have enjoyed internships at Studio Voltaire and Frieze Art Fair. Others have performed at the ICA, taken part in an Arts Council-supported film project at the Museum of Rural Life and participated in an international exhibition at the Seoul Institute of Arts in South Korea. Alternatively, in English, a unique Literature, Languages and Education module enables you to combine the study of the practical use of English with a short placement. Regular field trips to national and international museums, art institutions and galleries allow you to consider the diverse conditions in which art is displayed and received. There are also many opportunities for you to apply to study abroad: Reading School of Art has links with universities in countries such as the USA, Canada, Australia, Taiwan, France, Switzerland and Finland.
Modules
The following modules have been approved in principle for delivery in 2024/25. Please note that as part of our current curriculum improvement process, all modules require final University approval and may be subject to change. Core modules:
- Art Studio
- Drawing
- Theory and Practice of Writing
- Poetry in English
- Art Studio 2
- Art Studio 2b
- Situated Art Practice
- Art Studio 3b
- Dissertation for Art and English: Joint Honours Students
How to apply
This is the deadline for applications to be completed and sent for this course. If the university or college still has places available you can apply after this date, but your application is not guaranteed to be considered.
Application codes
- Course code:
- QW31
- Institution code:
- R12
- Campus name:
- Main Site
- Campus code:
- -
Points of entry
The following entry points are available for this course:
- Year 1
Entry requirements
Qualification requirements
UCAS Tariff - Not accepted
A level - BBB
Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Extended Diploma (first teaching from September 2016) - DDM
Access to HE Diploma - D: 18 credits M: 27 credits
Scottish Higher - ABBBB
International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme - 30 points
Extended Project - B
Cambridge International Pre-U Certificate - Principal - M2, M2, M2
GCSE/National 4/National 5
OCR Cambridge Technical Extended Diploma - DDM
Contextual offers for this programme are typically two grades beneath our standard entry requirement, e.g. BCC including A level English Literature or a related subject at grade B.
Additional entry requirements
Interview
Portfolio
English language requirements
Test | Grade | Additional details |
---|---|---|
IELTS (Academic) | 7 | We require a minimum score of 7.0 overall with at least 6.0 in each element of the test (Listening, Speaking, Reading and Writing). |
TOEFL (iBT) | 100 | We require a minimum score of 100 overall with no less than 20 in Listening, Writing and Reading and 21 in Speaking. |
Cambridge English Advanced | A | We require a grade A or a score of 185 overall with no element less than 169. |
Cambridge English Proficiency | C | We require a grade C or a score of 185 overall with no element less than 169. |
PTE Academic | 76 | We require a minimum score of 76 overall with at least 64 in each element of the test (Listening, Speaking, Reading and Writing). |
Institution's Own Test | Test of English for Educational Purposes (TEEP). We require a minimum score of 7.0 overall with at least 6.0 in each element of the test (Listening, Speaking, Reading and Writing). | |
Trinity ISE | Pass | Only ISE III and ISE IV are acceptable and we require a Pass in each element. |
Full list of acceptable English Language Tests
Student Outcomes
The number of student respondents and response rates can be important in interpreting the data – it is important to note your experience may be different from theirs. This data will be based on the subject area rather than the specific course. Read more about this data on the Discover Uni website.
Fees and funding
Tuition fees
England | £9250 | Year 1 |
Northern Ireland | £9250 | Year 1 |
Scotland | £9250 | Year 1 |
Wales | £9250 | Year 1 |
Channel Islands | £9250 | Year 1 |
Republic of Ireland | £9250 | Year 1 |
EU | £22350 | Year 1 |
International | £22350 | Year 1 |
Tuition fee status depends on a number of criteria and varies according to where in the UK you will study. For further guidance on the criteria for home or overseas tuition fees, please refer to the UKCISA website .
Additional fee information
Provider information
University of Reading
Whiteknights House
PO Box 217
Reading
RG6 6AH