English

BA (Hons) (NFQ Level 8) OR BSc (Hons) NFQ Level 8)

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Curricular information is subject to change.

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Why is this course for me?

Study English at UCD if you are an enthusiastic reader, writer and thinker who loves literature. Strengthen your understanding of narrative, poetic and dramatic forms. Enlarge your critical vocabulary and historical awareness. Explore how the study of literature intersects with questions of gender, politics and cultural theory. Learn how to research a topic, evaluate evidence and present your ideas in a cogent, elegant fashion. Become a creative and dynamic critic yourself!

Course Pathways
What Will I Study

You will study themes and contexts of literature from around the world, from Medieval to contemporary times. Modules are taught in a variety of ways ranging from small in-depth seminars taught by a single lecturer, to larger, collaboratively-taught classes and research driven modules. Throughout your degree you can choose from more than 60 modules on different aspects of  literature including:

Modules include:

First Year

  • Reading World Literature
  • Literature & Crisis
  • Contemporary Irish Writing
  • Literary Genre: the Art of Criticism and the Craft of Writing
  • How to Read Poetry
  • Horror Literature
  • Children’s Literature
  • Comics and Fantasy

Second Year

  • Critical Theory
  • Reading Medieval Literature
  • Irish Literature in English
  • Modern American Literature
  • Renaissance Literature
  • Romanticism
  • Victorian to Modern Literature
  • Modern Drama.

Third Year

  • Reading Ulysses
  • Apocalypse Then: Old English Literature
  • Yeats and the Arts
  • Theatres of Change
  • Gender, Culture and Society
  • Global Science Fiction
  • Masculinities and Manhood
  • Contemporary Irish Women’s Poetry
  • Global Eco-Literature
  • Making Shakespeare
  • Literature and Science
  • The Crime Novel

Assessment is through end-of-semester essays and written examinations, as well as a range of continuous assessment methods, including worksheets, presentations and project work.

For detailed information on subject content click here.

You may be interested in the following Blog posts: Study Classics, English & History at UCD (a student perspective)

How Will I Study
International Study Opportunities

We have links with:

  • Albert-Ludwigs-Universität, Freiburg, Germany
  • Université Sorbonne Paris IV, France
  • University of Turin, Italy
  • University of Verona, Italy
  • University of Amsterdam, the Netherlands
  • University of Coimbra, Portugal
  • University of Barcelona, Spain
  • University of British Columbia, Canada
  • University of Miami, USA
  • University of Otago, New Zealand
  • University of California, Davis, USA
Career & Graduate Study Opportunities

Graduates of English work across a wide range of industries including:, Broadcasting and Journalism, Cultural Production and Arts Management, Public Relations, Business / Finance, Publishing, Law, Politics, Policymaking, Teaching, Heritage, Management Consultancy, Tourism, Humanities Research, Digital Media & Tech.

Choose from a wide range of MA options including: Creative Writing, Literature and Culture (with strands in American, Gender, Sexuality and Culture, Medieval, Modern and Contemporary, Renaissance) Film Studies and Writing for Stage and Screen.

See www.ucd.ie/englishdramafilm/study/ postgraduate for more detail.

Other Entry Routes
Testimonial

“Studying English at UCD has empowered me to develop a profound understanding and appreciation of literature. It has also given me the opportunity to implement the craft of writing, critical thinking and analysis, helping me to develop how I articulate my ideas in academia and everyday life. The School of English, Drama and Film has an extremely friendly and dedicated staff. Each lecturer that I have interacted with has been so helpful and approachable. The lecturers and tutors are very passionate about their subject. This is conveyed through their various teaching styles, making for a very enjoyable and enriching experience.”

Adesewa Awobadejo English Student

Contact Information

UCD School of English, Drama & Film
Newman,
Belfield,
Dublin 4

Tel: +353 1 716 8321
Email: stacy.grouden@ucd.ie

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