BA English Literature and Philosophy

In this thought-provoking degree, you can combine your love of English Literature with your passion for exploring some of the fundamental questions of existence.

How should we live our lives? What should we believe? How should we set about trying to answer these questions? How are we even able to think about them? Philosophy investigates these profound issues.

As the world’s oldest academic discipline, Philosophy has developed an impressive range of concepts and techniques for addressing complicated problems. We equip you to analyse and construct complex chains of reasoning for yourself, developing and refining your thinking skills to consider the global philosophical puzzles of our time.

In English literature, we offer access to the complete chronological span, from the Anglo-Saxon period to the 21st century. Our curriculum is far from restricted to the printed word – we are intrigued by the connections between literature and film, art, music, history, language, and popular culture, and our teaching reflects this dynamic crossover. This allows you to shape your degree to suit, choosing a traditional path of multiple periods and genres or a more dynamic mix combining literary study with analysis of other cultural forms.

We offer a challenging and flexible programme of modules, supported by a friendly atmosphere and excellent staff-student relationships. Experts in their fields, our lecturers are all active researchers, sharing latest thinking in the classroom including their own cutting-edge research. Our stimulating Cardiff Book Talk, Cardiff Poetry Experiment, Philosophy Café and annual Festival of Philosophy offer more opportunities to explore contemporary themes and global issues with the wider public.