English Literature and Music BA (Hons)

ENGLISH LITERATURE

*Single Hons English Literature is available for 2025 entry only

The city of Liverpool is the perfect place for literature lovers to study. There is a rich cultural scene with literary organisations, festivals, and performances, independent bookshops, and the famous Central Library. The Reader Organisation in the beautiful Calderstones Park is a short walk from the Hope Park campus where English Literature at Liverpool Hope is taught. The BA English Literature programme will offer you the opportunity to explore literature across different genres and periods as well as the history, ideas, people and places that shape it and are shaped by it. Throughout our course, we emphasise how literary texts address and influence the most important issues facing society today.

Key features of our programme include:

- Study of a wide range of literature from different historical periods, and critical and theoretical writings that help us to better understand them. The course includes fiction, poetry, drama and a range of non-fiction prose including autobiography, slave narratives, essays and travel writing. You will study well-known authors, but will also have the chance to explore work by writers who will be new to you, and who offer fresh, alternative perspectives on the themes and ideas we examine

- An emphasis on literature’s relationship to sustainability and the environment, work and employability, travel and global perspectives, and health, happiness and well-being

- A focus on books, publishing, and reading that includes working with historically important items from Liverpool Hope’s collection of rare books and manuscripts, digital approaches, and creative hands-on learning

- A strong commitment to individual student support through small group teaching and personal tutors

- Employability awareness and skills development embedded in our curriculum and enhanced by activities and events.

Our English Literature programme is taught by experienced tutors with internationally recognised expertise in their fields. Our staff are active researchers and writers who publish books and articles that are rated highly. In the last national Research Excellence Framework (REF 2021) English was identified as the strongest subject for research outputs in the University: over 80% of publications by staff in English at Liverpool Hope were rated "world leading" or "internationally excellent".

We pride ourselves on offering a stimulating and challenging degree that allows each student to develop not only sophisticated knowledge and interpretations of a broad selection of literature but also highly sought-after skills including critical analysis, problem-solving, and effective communication. Our graduates are informed, independent, and imaginative thinkers who go on to a range of wide range of careers including publishing, the creative industries, journalism, marketing, teaching, and further academic study.

MUSIC

As a world-renowned city of music - with active and increasingly growing popular, classical, jazz, electronic and experimental music scenes - Liverpool is an ideal location for pursuing the creative practice and study of music. The BA Music Programme at Liverpool Hope will offer you the opportunity to explore the many facets of performing, composing, producing, and intellectually engaging with music across a broad range of topics and genres, including popular, classical, jazz, electronic, and world music traditions.

Our music programme benefits from a unique, creative scholarly approach that features:

- An inclusive outlook towards genre that allows students to pursue their musical interests.

- A wide-ranging approach to music study that develops diverse skills in performance, composition and academic study.

- A variety of opportunities to perform in and compose for university ensembles, student-led ensembles, and other musically collaborative experiences.

- A team with multifaceted interests in music that are pursued professionally beyond the university setting.

Our Music programme is part of our School of Creative and Performing Arts, based at the Creative Campus, and housed in the purpose-built Capstone building. The School is one of only a handful of All-Steinway Music Schools in the UK and, in addition to a Steinway Model D in the Capstone Theatre, we also have a number of sound-proofed bespoke music recording, rehearsal and practice spaces. There is also a good stock of musical instruments and outboard technology to cater across all musical genres.

Our students have had opportunities to gain professional experience with a variety of professional organisations, including Liverpool Sound City, Immix Ensemble, Parr Street Studios, Sentric Music, Ditto Music, The Vocal Booth studio, Melodic Distraction (radio station), and The Beatles Experience, among others.

We continually establish connections within the wider industry and our programme regularly hosts music industry professionals, who provide real-world knowledge through their guest lectures. Join our dynamic creative community of music production to facilitate the next steps in your creative and professional journey.