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This is a distinctive course that allows you to combine the aspects of literature, language and creative writing that you find most interesting. Its multi-faceted challenges will enhance your self-development through improved articulacy, appreciation and understanding of cultural reference, imaginative engagement and creative thinking.
Throughout the course, you will cover the main literary genres and periods and study them in the context of language, identity and society. You can choose from optional modules in creative writing, language, film studies, canonical English literature and American literature. In your final year, you will complete a dissertation, with the choice of submitting an essay or piece of creative writing.
You will be supported in all of your units by tutors who are knowledgeable and enthusiastic about the subjects they teach. By working in small groups and engaging in guided group discussions, you will be able to improve your debate and communication skills. Overall, the course will help you achieve the skills that will make you the kind of engaged, responsive and creative individual who is highly employable in today's innovative job market.
The skills and knowledge you acquire on this course will be relevant for careers in media, publishing, marketing, public relations and arts administration. Many of our previous students have also gone on to do a PGCE in either Primary or Secondary Education, both of which are offered at Bedfordshire.
During the course you will:
Areas of study you may cover on this course include:
The English Studies course uses a wide variety of assessment. Although most units use the essay as one of the ways in which learning outcomes are assessed, all units employ other means of assessment, including oral presentations, transcriptions, close readings, reviews, group reports, research proposals, a range of phase tests and seen and unseen exams, as well as the dissertation, which can be either a research dissertation or a creative writing dissertation with commentary.
The writing units in all three years are assessed by means of portfolios, which include substantial self-assessment in the critical commentaries you write on all the other writing you have done for that unit. As you progress from Year One to Year Two to Year Three, it is expected that your response to assessment tasks becomes more sophisticated as your skills and subject knowledge develop. The level of study is reflected in the level of response required by assessment criteria.
The English Studies course will train you to work effectively within the current information economy. You will learn how to synthesise materials from different sources into coherent essays that articulate considered and evidence-based arguments, you will practise the conventions of modes of writing in the professional world and you will be taught creative thinking techniques and how to communicate ideas and perceptions in fresh and original ways.
From the beginning of the course, you will develop the skills and the knowledge necessary to become an independent learner who is able to work proactively in academic and professional contexts. You will also acquire a wide scale of reference in English literature and language and will be aware of many of the major movements and writers.
You will be assigned a personal tutor on arrival at the University of Bedfordshire. Your personal tutor will monitor your academic progress and offer support with personal problems throughout the three years of your degree.
Study skills are embedded in the course, but additional support will be available via PAD (Professional and Academic Development). PAD offers study skills workshops (including IT), as well as one to one tutorials.
Student Services is available to all students enrolled at the University. Student Services can give you independent and confidential advice and support with issues relating to your academic studies.
The Centre for Personal and Career Development will support your career planning during your studies and for up to three years after you have finished your degree.
Although the University does not provide childcare facilities, it does provide a Childcare Advice Service for all students who are parents / carers to help find childcare provision in Bedfordshire.
The Health Centre offers you complete care during your time as a student. The provision includes doctors, nurses, clinics, prescriptions, travel vaccinations, telephone advice and out of hours emergency services. You will be offered the opportunity to register with one of the two general practitioner (GP) practices providing student health services to the University.
The University also provides a free and confidential Counseling Service, which is available to all full and part-time students.
International students are well cared for at the University. The International Support Team is available to provide practical help and support in a number of areas.
Throughout all levels of the course, you will be encouraged to work on projects as part of a small team. Much of the time in workshops and seminars is spent in collaborative work, where you prepare your side of an argument in smaller groups before presenting that argument to the rest of the class. You will also be given opportunities to demonstrate your developing knowledge and understanding of the subject through group or paired presentations, some of which are unit assessments.
During the Introductory Programme at the start of your first year of studies, you will meet staff from the Centre for Personal and Career Development, who will talk to you about how best to prepare for your chosen career and the services they have to offer to help you with that preparation over the next three years.
Towards the end of Year One, a session will be organized for your year group to discuss your choice of units for Years Two and Three, taking your occupational goals very much into consideration. For those students intending to teach, a tutor from the PGCE course will attend this session to offer specific advice on how best to prepare for a PGCE. In Year Three, your personal tutor will act as a source of information on life after university and write references for job applications.
Career:
On completing this course, you are likely to progress to one of the following professions:
Further study, most on offer at Bedford:
Standard:
Standard entry requirements for UK students - http://www.beds.ac.uk/howtoapply/ukugentryreqs
Students from the European Union - http://www.beds.ac.uk/howtoapply/eu/guides
International students - http://www.beds.ac.uk/howtoapply/international/apply
A foundation degree will be of particular interest if you have completed a Modern Apprenticeship, vocational A levels, BTEC National or equivalent.
Foundation degrees are also particularly suitable if you want to qualify while working.
Many students studying for foundation degrees come to us through work-based routes so you can apply for a foundation degree even if you don’t have traditional academic qualifications.
We welcome applicants with relevant work experience.
We will consider you as an individual and take into account all elements of your application, not just your qualifications. We are looking for both breadth and depth in your current studies as well as enthusiasm for the subject you wish to study.
The general requirement is one of the following:
As a general guide, to apply for a place on an undergraduate course (BA/BSc) at the University you need to have completed your high school education and have the required English qualification.
We have students from all the European Union member countries so we are quick to make decisions on most qualifications.
(Please note that applicants on a full student visa are not eligible for part-time study)
We recommend that you apply directly to the University where possible, as this allows us to offer the quickest turnaround time for your application.
Please read the Direct application instructions before completing the course application form.
Application forms for accommodation in the student halls at Bedford campus and Luton campus are available in the Student life section
APL is available for international students applying for undergraduate (Bachelor degree) study. Please do not use this APL form to apply for postgraduate courses.
Use the APL form to tell us about any non-standard qualifications and/or work experience you have that you think should be taken into consideration with your application. `
The APL form should be submitted at the same time as the course application form.
We regret we are unable to process APL forms from students who have not submitted a formal course application form.
Return your completed application to:
University of Bedfordshire
International Admissions
Park Square
Luton
Bedfordshire
LU1 3JU
United Kingdom
T: +44 (0)1582 489326 (non-EU Students)
F: +44 (0)1582 743469
E: international-admissions@beds.ac.uk
The course welcomes students with disabilities. During the application process, disabled students discuss their needs with individual members of the academic staff, as well as staff from the Disability Advice Team.
The Disability Advice Team is available to discuss any issues disabled students may have and can provide services such as sign language interpreters, note-takers, dyslexia screening / tuition and support with mobility on campus.
They offer confidential advice and information about academic and personal issues, adjustments in examinations, applying for the Disabled Students Allowance (DSA) and buying suitable equipment.
You will improve your employability by:
Communication
To help with the development of this you will:
Demonstrate strong communication skills through written, oral, visual and electronic means, organising and articulating arguments using relevant specialist vocabulary whilst working individually or as part of a team. This will be emphasised through all units on the course, as all units possess elements of communicating in one form or another. Those units that have group or paired presentations as assessments will provide you with the opportunity to effectively communicate both within a small group and to a larger group.
In Year One, you will develop communication skills through small group projects, mostly during seminars, using the group forum to discuss these projects with the larger group. There will be opportunities for presenting material through visual, written or oral means, as well as listening and commenting on the contributions of others. You will begin to develop your own perspective on some of these subjects.
In Year Two, you will communicate ideas and research findings with greater effectiveness and with greater fluency, through oral, visual and written means. Greater emphasis is placed on your ability to articulate your thoughts, both as an individual and as a member of a small group. Your perspective becomes more firmly based on your research and strengthens through discussion with others. Listening and responding to others will develop into a greater ability to evaluate critically the contributions of others. Seminars and group discussion forums will enable you to be sensitive to and to react appropriately to, the contextual and interpersonal factors of groups and teams.
In Year Three, you will present ideas and research findings with clarity and fluency, in various forms. The Dissertation unit in particular offers you the opportunity to develop sophisticated skills in communicating, essentially through writing, but with the flexibility to permit other forms of communication to be evident. You will engage in discussions with a supervisor, thus providing you with the opportunity to explore concepts and co-construct knowledge. Presentations at this level are individual, thus allowing you to develop personal skills of communicating orally to others. Elements such as the ability to explain, persuade, evaluate, hypothesise and summarise will be evident. Seminars will allow opportunities for discussing and debating issues in further depth, allowing you to be highly sensitive to the contributions of others.
Students who are diagnosed with needs for extra support with writing and communications skills development may be required to take extra classes provided by the University.
Information Literacy
To help with the development of this you will:
Demonstrate strong information literacy skills in gathering and collating information from a wide variety of primary and secondary sources, including theoretical and research based evidence, in an ethical and professional manner.
In Year One, you will be guided in terms of key texts and sources that will support the development of your knowledge and understanding. Specific suggestions regarding sources linked to particular sessions may be given. Sessions will focus on the reliability and validity of particular sources, as well as how these might be effectively used in developing specific subject knowledge. You will engage in activities that introduce you to a range of information sources and ask you to select the most appropriate source of data for that particular exercise.
In Year Two, you will develop the ability to explore a range of sources, based on your increased understanding of key texts. You will be encouraged to engage with literature that reflects in-depth research and particular perspectives, as well as those that continue to extend your knowledge base. You will be encouraged to engage more with primary sources and demonstrate your understanding of conceptual frameworks from these sources.
In Year Three, you will now become more focused on particular areas of study, especially through the Dissertation unit. You will demonstrate more independence in gathering the relevant literature in a variety of forms. Units in Year Three will enable you to effectively organise and synthesise the literature, selecting and using those sources that are most useful. You will make more informed judgments regarding the choices and uses you make of certain sources of literature.
Research and Evaluation
To help with the development of this you will:
Acquire the skills to undertake primary research and to be able to evaluate the significance and limitations of that research in relation to relevant theoretical perspectives.
In Year One, you will develop your knowledge and understanding of bodies of knowledge associated with key concepts for this degree course. The terms `demonstrate an understanding of and `demonstrate a sound knowledge of are used frequently at this stage. As you begin to apply this knowledge to new information, this is reflected in your ability to interpret information, express ideas and formulate responses. At this level, you are beginning to evaluate and analyse, and this is reflected in these terms being used more frequently.
In Year Two, you will begin to build up a greater body of knowledge and understanding. At this level, there is more of an expectation that you will begin to reflect upon, critically evaluate and analyse the concepts, perspectives and practical applications of key concepts. You will be making more perceptive comparisons of these perspectives and demonstrating the ability to communicate these perceptions in more complex situations.
In Year Three, you will be required to work more independently in analysing, critically evaluating and reflecting upon concepts that require more considered thought and critical judgment. You will be synthesising your developing knowledge and understanding from an increasing body of knowledge and communicating this in new contexts.
Creativity and Critical Thinking
To help with the development of this you will:
Be introduced to theories of creativity in the early stages of the course and you will reflect upon your own practice as a creative process. Your practical training will involve a range of models of creative practice and you will be encouraged to develop a critical response through comparative analysis, both verbally and in written form.
In Year One, you will be introduced to the foundational principles that inform the creative process, through the work of De Bono on lateral thinking, and you will carry out exercises in this, as well as generate simple verse and narrative forms. You will develop the ability to reflect upon the theoretical approaches encountered in your studies. You will start to understand the relationship between theory and practice. You will start to pose questions about the key concepts to which you have been introduced.
In Year Two, you will be introduced to other techniques for enhancing creative thinking, as expounded by Tony Buzan (Mindmapping) and Michael Gelb (Seven Steps to Thinking like Leonardo) and you will engage in creating poetic and narrative forms. You will develop the ability to consider the relationship between the texts you have studied and a range of critical perspectives. Workshops and seminars increasingly provide opportunities for discussion and debate, both at individual and group level.
In Year Three, you can pursue creative thinking further by opting for a creative writing project as your dissertation. You will develop a high level of critical thinking in relation to key concepts. You will explore theoretical approaches in greater depth, thus reflecting the scaffolded approach to your development of skills and knowledge. A greater emphasis is placed on your ability to understand and evaluate complex critical arguments, particularly in the dissertation.
During the first few weeks of the course, you will be engaging in a range of diagnostic exercises. These are designed to provide information to you and your tutors regarding current abilities linked to aspects of the course, such as use of ICT and essay writing skills. This also serves to identify any potential requirements regarding particular levels of support that you may need. Written feedback is provided and serves as a guide for you to develop strategies for improving aspects of your own learning and development.
You will be supported through the personal tutor system. Your tutor will support and advise you throughout your course. Scheduled meetings, as well as more informal contact, provide a context for an ongoing dialogue that focuses on both academic and personal issues. You will be encouraged to engage with any feedback and to act upon suggestions where these have been made. As you progress through your course, your personal tutor will discuss potential career options and how this may impact on unit choices.
The course is designed to enable you to take increasing responsibility for your learning and development. A scaffolded approach enables you to benefit from initial direction, support and suggestions regarding your learning. For example, in Year One, some units provide suggested reading for each week of the unit, as well as specific reading questions to help you prepare for class.
In Year Two, you are more likely to be given a reading list of suggested secondary sources for the entire year, with the expectation that you will discover and read secondary sources outside this list, especially for your essay.
You will also be encouraged, though not required, to come up with your own essay topics, with the guidance of your tutor. In Year Three, you will be expected to come up with your own topic for your dissertation, with some guidance from your tutor, as well as putting together your own bibliography, or reading list, for that project.
In your first year of study, you will be introduced to the use of Progress Files through meetings with your personal tutor. The Progress File is a document charting your development as a student. It is made up of several parts:
Your personal tutor will guide you through the initial stages of preparing your Progress File. At certain points in the academic year, your personal tutor and you will review your Progress File and discuss how it needs to be updated and improved.
Professional attitudes, values and standards are prerequisite for successful academic performance and for managing your transition from University into employment. At University, you are part of a learning community that emulates professional standards and therefore, requires you to adopt appropriate professional attitudes and behaviour. In order to develop an appropriate professional attitude, we expect you:
Students who fail to meet professional standards are reported to the Student Attainment Review (STAR) Board, where their inadequate performance in attendance, for example, is noted. They will be written to by the Chair of the STAR Board and asked to meet with him / her to discuss their performance.
Students suspected of plagiarism will be required to attend a hearing at which they will have the opportunity to defend their work against the charge. There are different penalties for minor and major instances of plagiarism. More than one instance can lead to the University terminating your registration.
