Students preparing for their graduation ceremony at Canterbury Cathedral

English and American Literature and Journalism - BA (Hons)

UCAS code QP35

This is an archived page and for reference purposes only

2017

Overview

English and American Literature and Journalism allows you to develop your literary knowledge alongside the vocational skills of a multimedia journalist.

English at Kent is challenging, flexible, and wide-ranging. It covers both traditional areas (such as Shakespeare or Dickens) and newer fields such as American literature, creative writing, postcolonial literature and recent developments in literary theory. We also offer you the opportunity to spend up to a year studying abroad in either America, Canada, Europe or Hong Kong.

Staff in the School of English are internationally recognised for academic research which links closely with undergraduate teaching, and the School regularly hosts visits by a variety of international writers and critics. There are several published authors and poets in the School, and our students publish a magazine of creative writing, poetry and prose.

Journalism is fascinating, rewarding and influential. In a world hungry for news about issues ranging from climate change to fashion and from armed conflict to football, the ultra-competitive modern media market needs versatile, multimedia journalists with cutting-edge academic and vocational skills and a highly developed awareness of ethics.

Tutors for this joint honours programme include senior journalists with wide experience of multimedia newsrooms. Their professional expertise is reinforced by excellent academic teaching by leading historians, political scientists and lawyers.

The entirety of the first year of this joint honours programme will be taught at the Canterbury campus. In the second and third year some modules may be taught at the Medway campus depending on your module choices.

Independent rankings

English and Creative Writing at Kent was ranked 14th in The Guardian University Guide 2017 and Creative Writing was ranked 14th in The Complete University Guide 2017. In the National Student Survey 2016, 95% of our English students were satisfied with the quality of teaching.

For graduate prospects, English and Creative Writing at Kent was ranked 12th in The Guardian University Guide 2017.

In the National Student Survey 2016, Journalism at Kent was ranked 6th for the quality of its teaching and 9th for overall satisfaction.

Communications and Media at Kent was ranked 1st for graduate prospects in The Complete University Guide 2017 and The Times Good University Guide 2016. Journalism students who graduated from Kent in 2015 were the most successful in the UK at finding work or further study opportunities (DLHE).

Course structure

The following modules are indicative of those offered on this programme. This listing is based on the current curriculum and may change year to year in response to new curriculum developments and innovation.  

On most programmes, you study a combination of compulsory and optional modules. You may also be able to take ‘wild’ modules from other programmes so you can customise your programme and explore other subjects that interest you.

Teaching and assessment

Modules in English and American Literature are taught by weekly seminars. Core modules include a weekly lecture, plus individual supervision is offered for the Long Essay. Assessment at Stage 1 is by a mixture of coursework and examination. Some modules may include an optional practical element.

Teaching in Journalism is by a variety of methods including masterclasses, lectures, seminars, films and small group discussions. The Centre for Journalism hosts frequent guest lectures and masterclasses by working journalists and editors, including network broadcasters and editors of national and regional newspapers and magazines.

Programme aims

For programme aims and learning outcomes please see the programmes specification for each subject below. Please note that outcomes will depend on your specific module selection:

Careers

Throughout your studies, you learn to think critically and to work independently; your communication skills improve and you learn to express your opinions passionately and persuasively, both in writing and orally. These key transferable skills are essential for graduates as they move into the employment market.

This degree gives you an insight into how journalists work across the broadcast, print and online media. Applicants should note however that careers in newspaper, broadcast and online journalism generally require a professional qualification accredited by the National Council for the Training of Journalists, for which further study would be required.

The skills you acquire include working under pressure to strict deadlines, writing accurate, balanced reports and analysing complex material. You learn to communicate with non-specialised audiences and to present your opinion coherently and with passion. These skills are highly prized by employers in many fields, including communications roles for charities, NGOs and campaign groups or political parties.

Our graduates have gone into: journalism, broadcasting and media, publishing, writing and teaching; more general areas such as banking, marketing analysis and project management; or on to further study for postgraduate qualifications.

 

Entry requirements

Home/EU students

The University will consider applications from students offering a wide range of qualifications. Students offering alternative qualifications should contact us for further advice. 

It is not possible to offer places to all students who meet this typical offer/minimum requirement.

New GCSE grades

If you’ve taken exams under the new GCSE grading system, please see our conversion table to convert your GCSE grades.

Qualification Typical offer/minimum requirement
A level

ABB at A level including English Literature or English Language & Literature at B.

Access to HE Diploma

The University will not necessarily make conditional offers to all Access candidates but will continue to assess them on an individual basis. 

If we make you an offer, you will need to obtain/pass the overall Access to Higher Education Diploma and may also be required to obtain a proportion of the total level 3 credits and/or credits in particular subjects at merit grade or above

BTEC Level 3 Extended Diploma (formerly BTEC National Diploma)

The University will consider applicants holding BTEC National Diploma and Extended National Diploma Qualifications (QCF; NQF; OCR) on a case-by-case basis. Please contact us for further advice on your individual circumstances.

International Baccalaureate

34 overall or 17 at higher level HLL English 6 or HL 5 or SL 6 in a literature subject plus interview and journalism test.

International students

The University welcomes applications from international students. Our international recruitment team can guide you on entry requirements. See our International Student website for further information about entry requirements for your country.

If you need to increase your level of qualification ready for undergraduate study, we offer a number of International Foundation Programmes.

Meet our staff in your country

For more advise about applying to Kent, you can meet our staff at a range of international events. 

English Language Requirements

Please see our English language entry requirements web page.

Please note that if you are required to meet an English language condition, we offer a number of 'pre-sessional' courses in English for Academic Purposes. You attend these courses before starting your degree programme. 

General entry requirements

Please also see our general entry requirements.

Fees

The 2017/18 tuition fees for this programme are:

UK/EU Overseas
Full-time
Part-time

For details of when and how to pay fees and charges, please see our Student Finance Guide.

UK/EU fee paying students

The Government has announced changes to allow undergraduate tuition fees to rise in line with inflation from 2017/18.

In accordance with changes announced by the UK Government, we are increasing our 2017/18 regulated full-time tuition fees for new and returning UK/EU fee paying undergraduates from £9,000 to £9,250. The equivalent part-time fees for these courses will also rise from £4,500 to £4,625. This was subject to us satisfying the Government's Teaching Excellence Framework and the access regulator's requirements. This fee will ensure the continued provision of high-quality education.

For students continuing on this programme, fees will increase year on year by no more than RPI + 3% in each academic year of study except where regulated.* 

The University will assess your fee status as part of the application process. If you are uncertain about your fee status you may wish to seek advice from UKCISA before applying.

General additional costs

Find out more about accommodation and living costs, plus general additional costs that you may pay when studying at Kent.

Funding

University funding

Kent offers generous financial support schemes to assist eligible undergraduate students during their studies. See our funding page for more details. 

Government funding

You may be eligible for government finance to help pay for the costs of studying. See the Government's student finance website.

The Government has confirmed that EU students applying for university places in the 2017 to 2018 academic year will still have access to student funding support for the duration of their course.

Scholarships

General scholarships

Scholarships are available for excellence in academic performance, sport and music and are awarded on merit. For further information on the range of awards available and to make an application see our scholarships website.

The Kent Scholarship for Academic Excellence

At Kent we recognise, encourage and reward excellence. We have created the Kent Scholarship for Academic Excellence. The scholarship will be awarded to any applicant who achieves a minimum of AAA over three A levels, or the equivalent qualifications (including BTEC and IB) as specified on our scholarships pages.

The scholarship is also extended to those who achieve AAB at A level (or specified equivalents) where one of the subjects is either Mathematics or a Modern Foreign Language. Please review the eligibility criteria.