English Literature and Philosophy (joint honours)

BA (Hons)

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Key facts

UCAS code

W354

Start dates

September 2024 / September 2025

Course length

Full time: 3 years

Part time: up to 6 years

UCAS Tariff Points

104

Overview

Our joint honours course allows students to pursue their own areas of interest within English Literature and Philosophy whilst also providing them with a solid foundation in the discipline and a range of personal and professional skills which will serve as a springboard for their future career development. The programme is carefully designed to enable students to gradually develop their knowledge and skills and to become autonomous, effective and independent learners.

English Literature offers students the opportunity to study British and world literatures through a model of progressive specialisation that teaches advanced literary critical skills in the context of periodised, thematised, formal and theoretical modules. In Philosophy, our modules explore how the work of historical philosophers impacts upon debates that are central to contemporary philosophy.

We are Top 10 in the UK: English Literature and Philosophy is ranked 9th in the Guardian Philosophy subject league ranking 2025.

English Literature and History of Art, BA (Hons) degree course students after a lecture at Oxford Brookes University

How to apply

Wherever possible we make our conditional offers using the UCAS Tariff. The combination of A-level grades listed here would be just one way of achieving the UCAS Tariff points for this course.

Standard offer

UCAS Tariff Points: 104

A Level: BCC

IB Points: 29

BTEC: DMM

Contextual offer

UCAS Tariff Points: 96

A Level: CCC

IB Points: 28

BTEC: MMM

Further offer details

Applications are also welcomed for consideration from applicants with European qualifications, international qualifications or recognised foundation courses. For advice on eligibility please contact Admissions: admissions@brookes.ac.uk

If you don’t achieve the required tariff points you can apply to join a foundation course.

Entry requirements

Specific entry requirements

Please also see the University's general entry requirements.

English language requirements

Please see the University's standard English language requirements.

International qualifications and equivalences

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English requirements for visas

If you need a student visa to enter the UK you will need to meet the UK Visas and Immigration minimum language requirements as well as the University's requirements. Find out more about English language requirements.

Pathways courses for international and EU students

If you do not meet the entry requirements for this degree, or if you would like more preparation before you start, you can take an international foundation course. Once you enrol, you will have a guaranteed pathway to this degree if you pass your foundation course with the required grades.

If you only need to meet the language requirements, you can take our pre-sessional English course. You will develop key language and study skills for academic success and you will not need to take an external language test to progress to your degree.

Terms and Conditions of Enrolment

When you accept our offer, you agree to the Terms and Conditions of Enrolment. You should therefore read those conditions before accepting the offer.

Credit transfer

Many of our courses consider applications for entry part-way through the course for students who have credit from previous learning or relevant professional experience.

Find out more about transferring to Brookes. If you'd like to talk through your options, please contact our Admissions team.

Application process

Full time Home (UK) applicants

Apply through UCAS

Part time Home (UK) applicants

Apply direct to the University

International applicants

Apply direct to the University

Full time international applicants can also apply through UCAS

Tuition fees

Please see the fees note
Home (UK) full time
£9,250

Home (UK) part time
£1,155 per single module

International full time
£15,950

Home (UK) full time
£9,250

Home (UK) part time
£1,155 per single module

International full time
£16,750

Questions about fees?

Contact Student Finance on:

Tuition fees

2024 / 25
Home (UK) full time
£9,250

Home (UK) part time
£1,155 per single module

International full time
£15,950

2025 / 26
Home (UK) full time
£9,250

Home (UK) part time
£1,155 per single module

International full time
£16,750

Questions about fees?

Contact Student Finance on:

+44 (0)1865 534400

financefees@brookes.ac.uk

Please note, tuition fees for Home students may increase in subsequent years both for new and continuing students in line with an inflationary amount determined by government. Oxford Brookes University intends to maintain its fees for new and returning Home students at the maximum permitted level.

Tuition fees for International students may increase in subsequent years both for new and continuing students. 

The following factors will be taken into account by the University when it is setting the annual fees: inflationary measures such as the retail price indices, projected increases in University costs, changes in the level of funding received from Government sources, admissions statistics and access considerations including the availability of student support. 

How and when to pay

Tuition fee instalments for the semester are due by the Monday of week 1 of each semester. Students are not liable for full fees for that semester if they leave before week 4. If the leaving date is after week 4, full fees for the semester are payable.

  • For information on payment methods please see our Make a Payment page.
  • For information about refunds please visit our Refund policy page

Financial support and scholarships

For general sources of financial support, see our Fees and funding pages.

Additional costs

Please be aware that some courses will involve some additional costs that are not covered by your fees. Specific additional costs for this course are detailed below.

Learning and assessment

In your first year, you’ll build the core skills and understanding you need for undergraduate literary studies through modules on critical theory and global literatures. You’ll be introduced to Reason and what makes an action ‘good’ or ‘bad’. You’ll ask how humans are different from animals and you’ll learn how to evaluate arguments and use logic.

In your second year, you’ll broaden and deepen your knowledge of literature in relation to movements and cultures past and present. You’ll start to focus on your philosophical interests. This might be religion and the concept of gods; or evolution, gender, identity or art.

In your final year, you’ll have the freedom to focus on what you care about most, including your dissertation subject. You can explore literary topics like urbanisation, utopian societies, artificial intelligence, sustainability or even witchcraft. You’ll look more deeply at the concepts of freedom, morality and judgement. You might question whether we have free will. Or you might test the idea of evil.
 

Group of English Literature and History of Art, BA (Hons) degree course students at Oxford Brookes University

Learning and teaching

You’ll learn in a supportive and stimulating environment. You’ll be part of a close-knit programme where you’ll know everyone and get lots of support from both teaching staff and fellow students. Participation and discussion are important features of the course that promote individual creativity and effective collaborative learning.

Most modules combine lectures and seminar-style discussion based on weekly readings. You'll have the chance to discuss and challenge a wide variety of critical views and perspectives in your seminars.
 

Assessment

Assessment methods used on this course

Your assessments will be diverse, and will support different learning styles - you’ll have a real opportunity to showcase your strengths. 

You might write a blog, create a video diary or give a presentation. You’ll be able to write essays, literature reviews or position papers. You will also have opportunities to produce short presentations and work in groups.

The assessments are designed to help you develop your confidence in using a wide range of skills, preparing you well for your future career.
 

After you graduate

Career prospects

As you study, you’ll develop highly transferable skills and competencies in the areas that employers care about.

These include:

  • critical thinking
  • creative problem solving
  • written, spoken and visual communication, in a variety of media and styles
  • intercultural and interpersonal understanding
  • research and analysis
  • working independently and collaboratively

You’ll graduate able to analyse issues, express your ideas, inform and influence others, and respond to challenges – critical skills for the 21st century workplace.

Our graduates go on to work in diverse areas like

  • NGOs and charities
  • Social work
  • Publishing
  • Public relations
  • Marketing
  • Teaching
  • Media and journalism
  • The civil service

And many pursue postgraduate study, often here at Oxford Brookes.
 

Information from Discover Uni

Full-time study

Part-time study

Programme changes:
On rare occasions we may need to make changes to our course programmes after they have been published on the website. For more information, please visit our changes to programmes page.