UNDERGRADUATE ADMISSIONS AND OUTREACH

University Offices, Wellington Square, Oxford OX1 2JD

English Language and Literature Information Sheet for entry in 2021

The English Language and Literature course at Oxford is one of the broadest in the country,
giving you the chance to study writing in English from its origins in Anglo-Saxon England to
the present. As well as British literature, you can study works written in English from other
parts of the world, and some originally written in other languages, allowing you to think
about literature in English in multilingual and global contexts across time. The course allows
you a considerable degree of choice, both in developing your personal interests across core
papers, and in choosing a topic for your dissertation and for a special option in your final
year. Options have included Literature and revolution, Postcolonial literature, Writing lives,
Old Norse, Tragedy, and Film criticism.

Studying literature at Oxford involves the development of sophisticated reading skills and of
an ability to place literary texts in their wider intellectual and historical contexts. It also
requires you to consider the critical processes by which you analyse and judge, to learn
about literary form and technique, to evaluate various approaches to literary criticism and
theory, and to study the development of the English language.

The Oxford English Faculty is the largest English department in Britain. Students are taught
in tutorials by an active scholar in their field, many of whom also give lectures to all students
in the English Faculty. You will therefore have the opportunity to learn from a wide range of
specialist teachers. Library provision for English at Oxford is exceptionally good. All students
have access to the Bodleian Library (with its extensive manuscript collection), the English
Faculty Library, their own college libraries and a wide range of electronic resources.

In your first year, you will be introduced to the conceptual and technical tools used in the
study of language and literature, and to a wide range of different critical approaches. At the
same time, you will be doing tutorial work on early medieval literature, Victorian literature
and literature from 1910 to the present.

In your second and third years, you will extend your study of English literary history in four
more period papers ranging from late medieval literature to Romanticism. These papers are
assessed by three-hour written examinations at the end of your third year. You will also
produce a portfolio of three essays on Shakespeare, on topics of your choice; an extended
essay (or occasionally an examination) relating to a special options paper, chosen from a list
of around 25 courses; and an 8,000-word dissertation on a subject of your choice.
Submitted work will constitute almost half of the final assessment for most students.

Alternatively, in the second and third years, you can choose to follow our specialist course in
Medieval Literature and Language, with papers covering literature in English from 650-1550
along with the history of the English language up to 1800, with a further paper either on
Shakespeare or on manuscript and print culture. Students on this course also take a special
options paper and submit a dissertation on a topic of their choice.
UNDERGRADUATE ADMISSIONS AND OUTREACH
University Offices, Wellington Square, Oxford OX1 2JD

A typical week
Although details of practice vary from college to college, most students will have one or two
tutorials (usually two students and a tutor) and one or two classes (in groups of around 8 to
10) each week. A tutorial usually involves discussion of an essay, which you will have
produced based on your own reading and research that week. You will normally be
expected to produce between eight and twelve pieces of written work each term. Most
students will also attend several lectures each week.

Tutorials are usually 2-3 students and a tutor. Class sizes may vary depending on the options
you choose. In college, there would usually be 6-12 students and in the department, there
would usually be no more than 15 students. There might be specific circumstances in which
some classes contained around 20 students.

Staff who are tutors in their subject deliver most tutorials, classes, and lectures. Many are
world-leading experts with years of experience in teaching and research. Postgraduate
students who are usually studying at doctorate level may also deliver some teaching.

To find out more about how our teaching year is structured, visit our Academic Year page.

Course structure
YEAR 1
COURSES ASSESSMENT
Four papers are taken: Three written papers form the First
University Examination, together with a
 Introduction to English language submitted portfolio of two essays for
and literature Introduction to English language and
 Early medieval literature, 650–1350 literature. All exams must be passed, but
 Literature in English, 1830–1910 marks do not count towards the final
 Literature in English, 1910–present degree.
day

YEAR 2
COURSES
Course I:
 Literature in English, 1350–1550
 Literature in English, 1550–1660
 Literature in English, 1660–1760
 Literature in English, 1760–1830

Course II:
 Literature in English, 650–1100
 Medieval English and related
literatures 1066–1550
 Literature in English, 1350–1550
 The history of the English language
to c1800
UNDERGRADUATE ADMISSIONS AND OUTREACH
University Offices, Wellington Square, Oxford OX1 2JD

YEAR 3
COURSES ASSESSMENT
Course I: All period papers will be examined by final
 Shakespeare (may also be studied in written examinations at the end of the
Year 2) third year. Most students will submit one
extended essay for Special options, due in
Course II: at the end of the first term; dissertation
 The material text or Shakespeare and portfolio for Shakespeare/The material
(choice of option) text, due during the second term.

Both courses:
 Special options paper
 Dissertation

More information on current options is

The University will seek to deliver each course in accordance with the descriptions set out
above. However, there may be situations in which it is desirable or necessary for the
University to make changes in course provision, either before or after registration. For
further information, please see the University’s Terms and Conditions.

Teaching delivery
At the time of writing course information sheets for 2021/22 entry, the COVID-19 pandemic
was still impacting the University. A range of measures have been put in place to comply
with Government legislation and guidance in response to the pandemic, and to help keep
students, staff and the wider community safe.

Inevitably, some changes have been necessary to teaching and student services during the
pandemic (for example, a greater amount of online teaching and examinations, and
restrictions on numbers allowed to access facilities at one time).

Whatever the circumstances in the 2021/22 academic year, the University will deliver core
services and learning outcomes for each course, even though the modes of delivery may
change.

All course information sheets should be read in that context, and we will keep offer holders
and students regularly informed if circumstances change. Further details are available on
our website and within the Student Terms and Conditions.

Fees
These annual fees are for full-time students who begin this undergraduate course here in
2021.
UNDERGRADUATE ADMISSIONS AND OUTREACH
University Offices, Wellington Square, Oxford OX1 2JD

Information about how much fees and other costs may increase is set out in the University’s
Terms and Conditions.

Please note that while the University sets out its annual fees as a single figure, this is a
combined figure for both your University and college fees. More information is provided in
your Terms and Conditions.

Fee status Annual Course fees

Home (UK, Republic of Ireland,

Overseas (including most EU students– see Note below) £31,230

Note: Following the UK’s departure from the EU, most EU students starting a course in
2021/22 will no longer be eligible to pay fees at the ‘Home’ rate and will instead be charged
the higher ‘Overseas’ rate. This change will not apply to Irish nationals living in the UK or
Ireland, who will continue to be charged fees at the ‘Home’ rate for the duration of their
course.

The government has issued guidance stating that EU, other EEA, and Swiss nationals who
have been granted settled or pre-settled status in the UK under the EU settlement scheme
may be eligible for ‘Home fee’ status and student loan support, subject to meeting
residency requirements. However, until the government formally updates its fee status
regulations the University is unable to confirm fee statuses for students who may qualify on
this basis. We will contact you directly if we need further information from you to
determine your fee status.

Please refer to the Undergraduate fee status and the Oxford and the EU pages for more
information.

Living costs
Your living costs will vary significantly dependent on your lifestyle. These are estimated to
be between £1,175 and £1,710 per month in 2021-22. Each year of an undergraduate
course usually consists of three terms of eight weeks each but you may need to be in Oxford
for longer. As a guide, you may wish to budget over a nine-month period to ensure you also
have sufficient funds during the holidays to meet essential costs.

Living costs breakdown

Per month Total for 9 months

Lower Upper Lower Upper

Food £280 £400 £2,520 £3,600

Accommodation (including
utilities) £655 £790 £5,895 £7,110

Personal items £130 £250 £1,170 £2,250

Social activities £45 £115 £405 £1,035

Study costs £45 £100 £405 £900

Other £20 £55 £180 £495

Total £1,175 £1,710 £10,575 £15,390

In order to provide these likely living costs, the University and the Oxford University
Students’ Union conducted a living costs survey to complement existing student
expenditure data from a variety of sources including the UK government's Student Income
and Expenditure Survey and the National Union of Students (NUS). The likely lower and
upper ranges above are based on a single student with no dependants living in college
accommodation (including utility bills) and are provided for information only.

When planning your finances for future years of study at Oxford beyond 2021-22, you
should allow for an estimated increase in living expenses of 3% each year.

Document accessibility
If you require an accessible version of the document, please contact Undergraduate
Admissions by email ([email protected] ) or via the online form
(http://www.ox.ac.uk/ask).

Please note, at the time of publishing the CIS, further details regarding the availability and
eligibility of financial support for some EU students with settled or pre-settled status
remained outstanding. Confirmation about funding arrangements for the year abroad were
also outstanding. Any updates impacting students will be published on the Oxford and the
EU webpage.