English, Linguistics & Creative Writing

What is English literatures?

English Literatures embraces the broadest possible study of cultural texts – so alongside the ‘classics’ of literature you will study genres of popular fiction as well as film, television, and many other forms of narrative. English Literatures tells us stories about past times as well as the world we live in today; there is a close focus on issues on social and historical context, as well as how literature reflects and even shapes social identities. We study texts from the local to the global. This is a degree that hones your abilities in critical thinking and analysis. English Literatures graduates have excellent written and verbal communication skills.

Why Study Literatures?

This is the only English Literatures degree in the country – the emphasis on the plurality of literatures reflects our commitment to exploring texts across a broad spectrum of places, themes, genres and identities. We have a particular emphasis on issues of cultural diversity and identity politics – the modules on this degree will enable you to reflect upon topics such as gender, sexuality, ethnicity, social class and disability in literatures and cultures from the local area to the world beyond. English Literatures students are highly employable; you will develop outstanding skills in written, verbal and digital communication and have the opportunity to work on assignments that have real-world application for exciting professional careers related to the Humanities.

What is Creative and Professional Writing? 

The only programme dedicated to the craft of creative and professional writing in the West Midlands, our degree offers you the opportunity to tailor your learning via our prose, poetry, or professional writing pathways with their strong focus upon preparing you for cultural industry and professional practice. Taught by prize-winning writers and world-leading researchers through practice-based seminars and portfolio assessments, you’ll study a wide range of forms – from short fiction to novel writing, poetry to our genre specialisms, creative non-fiction and writing for multimedia platforms – alongside performance and work experience opportunities, dedicated Writing Weeks, and collaborative projects with other disciplines. 

Why Study Creative and Professional writing? 

Writing is an art, a vocation, a craft, a profession. Without writers the world would be a silent place. No boxsets to binge. No books to escape into. No news. No radio. No lyrics to put to music. No brands. No performance. No theatre. Our cinemas would close, and our screens would go dark. Writers are explorers, practical and imaginative. Cultural contributors, speculators and commentators who see the world differently and preserve its history. They are ambitious, adventurous, inspirational, offering escapism, parallel worlds, representation, and alternate points of view. At Wolverhampton, we strongly encourage you to explore these many facets and functions of writing, to find your voice and your writer’s intention, and to recognise the value in the multitude of transferable skills writing can offer.   

Why study English Language or Linguistics? 

Our programmes equip you with a knowledge of how languages around the world work, from their grammar to how new words come into being, moving on to how children and adult learners might acquire them. We examine English across time from its beginnings in the 5^th century to the Present Day as English speakers move online and find new ways to communicate.  

Students can take modules on multilingualism, language in the mind, stylistics, and pragmatics. We analyse texts ranging from literary to political speeches and news articles, broadcasts, and advertisements. We also search online language databases and investigate contemporary language use using corpus linguistics software. The programme covers linguistics from the local, examining the many languages and regional dialects of the West Midlands, to a world level, examining issues of communication across cultures and how to plan for language use in schools.  Students learn critical thinking, quantitative and qualitative analysis and use their communication and analytical skills in the wider workplace. 

Linguistics and English Language students learn how to conduct interviews, focus groups, write and present to a high level and move on to a huge range of jobs, from programming to teaching, through civil service posts, journalism, editing, proof reading, and marketing communication. 

Why study TESOL? 

Our TESOL programme is designed to help students get equipped to teach a wide range of students. TESOL students become experts in understanding the learning process, planning and delivering lessons to learners of English. Emphasis is on teaching from the very beginning and students will have ample experience in teaching when they graduate, as well as the opportunity to carry out a practical research project.