English and Theatre Studies BA
AAB at A level, A in English Literature or English Language and Literature; graduates earn a median £25,500 three years on.
Typical A level offer
AAB
A in English Literature or English Language and Literature · 95% of entrants came with A levels · 100% stay on after year 1 · Warwick course page, Discover Uni
Year 13 · applying
What do you need to get in?
AABtypical A level offer; aab to include grade a in english literature or english language and literature (combined). you also need to meet the a dditional requirements listed below (see separate dropdown).
Typical offer — the grades most applicants are asked for. Contextual offer: ABB, for applicants from under-represented backgrounds.
Warwick course page, read 19 September 2026 · Discover Uni entry profile
- 1A in English Literature or English Language and Literature
Who actually got in: 95% with A levels, 5% with the IB. 10% arrived with 208 or more UCAS tariff points — roughly A*A*A or better. Based on 25 entrants.
UCAS tariff points — a points scale for grades: A* = 56, A = 48, so A*A*A = 160. Entrants’ totals include extra subjects.
Other qualifications4
| Qualification | Typical offer | Required subjects |
|---|---|---|
| IB | 34 points34 to include 6 at Higher Level in English Literature or English Language and Literature (combined). You also need to meet the A dditional Requirements listed below (see separate dropdown). | — |
| BTEC | —We welcome applications from students taking BTECs alongside A level English Literature or English Language and Literature (combined). You also need to meet the A dditional Requirements listed below ( | — |
| Advanced Highers | AAAA in two Advanced Highers including English Literature and ABB/BBB in three fur the r Highers subjects OR AB in two Advanced Highers including A in English Literature and AAB in three fur the r Highe | A in English Literature and AAB in three fur the r Highers subjects |
| Access | 45 Credits at Level 3, including Distinction in 33 Level 3 credits and Merit in We will consider applicants returning to study who are presenting a QAA-recognised Access to Higher Education Diploma on a case-by-case basis. Typically, we require 45 Credits at Level 3, including Di | — |
Years 1–3
What do you study?
3compulsory modules in year 1
Compulsory modules this year: arts & humanities 67% · language & communication 23% · transversal skills 10%.
Module — one course unit, usually a term or a year long; “core” means everyone takes it. One UK credit is about ten hours of study; a full year is 120 credits.
Warwick course page · optional modules vary by year
Year 1 · 3 core · 90 credits ≈ 900 hours
- British Theatre Since 1939
What you learn (7)
- analyse post-war British dramatic writing
- discuss social, political and philosophical ideas in major playwrights' work
- discuss modern British plays within their historical context
- explain relationships between playwrights and influential theatre companies
- interpret plays as both literary texts and performance scripts
- apply analytical skills to literary texts
- construct coherent written arguments in essays
- Medieval and Early Modern Literature
What you learn (8)
- read and translate passages of Middle English text
- describe the historical development and structure of the English language
- describe the works of Chaucer and contemporary medieval writers
- explain medieval society and cultural context relevant to literature
- identify forms and metres used in English poetry
- apply academic writing conventions appropriate to literary studies
- use scholarly resources to support literary analysis
- interpret literary texts to construct critical essay arguments
- Theatre and Performance in Context
What you learn (6)
- explain the sociopolitical and historical context of key theatre events or movements
- situate a theatre or performance event within its historical and political significance
- assess how theatre and society mutually influence each other
- apply conceptual and artistic frameworks to examine theatre and performance works
- conduct independent research on theatre and performance using relevant theories
- present research findings following academic writing conventions
Year 2 · 1 core, 10 optional · 30 credits ≈ 300 hours
- Drama and Democracy
What you learn (7)
- identify major English-language plays from Ireland, South Africa and the US since 1900
- describe the historical and cultural context of selected twentieth-century plays
- explain how twentieth-century playwrights represent socio-political issues on stage
- evaluate the purposes and effects of dramatizing social and political themes
- explain how design choices shape audience interpretation of a play
- analyse how directorial and performance decisions influence a play's meaning
- discuss the evolving relationship between theatre practice and social change
10 optional modules
- Romantic & Victorian Poetry
What you learn (5)
- explain how romantic and victorian poems relate to their historical and cultural context
- analyse poems in light of contemporary political, religious and scientific developments
- apply close reading techniques to analyse poetic texts
- trace the development of literary criticism on romantic and victorian poetry over time
- evaluate critical interpretations of poems from different historical periods
- Literature, Environment, Ecology
What you learn (11)
- identify key theoretical and literary concepts relevant to set texts
- describe critical contexts situating set texts
- analyse set texts through close reading
- discuss critical responses to set texts
- apply honours-level academic presentation conventions to written work
- explore methodologies for reading texts through ecological perspectives
- outline a broad range of texts and concepts related to ecocritical approaches
- identify critical, analytical and creative methodologies used in the course
- produce written English with accurate and varied vocabulary
- apply conventions of textual analysis to construct critical arguments
- formulate research questions to guide independent study
- European Theatre
What you learn (6)
- describe major movements in the history of european theatre
- outline the contribution of historically significant playwrights
- explain how different dramatic techniques create meaning on stage
- identify key theoretical debates in dramatic theory
- analyse dramatic texts using close reading techniques
- construct a reasoned argument in an academic essay
- English Literature & Feminisms 1790-1899
What you learn (6)
- identify conservative, radical and liberal positions on the woman question
- explain how differing ideological viewpoints shaped debates on gender roles
- describe how novels, poetry and prose conveyed ideas about gender
- analyse how different literary genres supported or opposed feminist ideas
- explain how literary texts reflect political and social change in the period
- evaluate the relationship between literature and imperial, national and cultural upheaval
- Restoration Drama
What you learn (11)
- explain key features of the set plays within Restoration drama
- evaluate the significance of set plays within their dramatic tradition
- research the political, religious and social background to Restoration drama
- discuss how political and religious events shaped dramatic developments
- apply analytical techniques to examine dramatic trends of 1660-1709
- identify major developments in drama across the Restoration period
- critique theoretical approaches to Restoration literary criticism
- apply critical frameworks to the practice of Restoration drama
- conduct independent academic research using digital humanities tools
- communicate critical analysis effectively in oral and written forms
- make reasoned decisions when analysing literary material
- The Classical Tradition in English Translations: The Renaissance
What you learn (9)
- explain the historical evolution of translation, imitation and adaptation concepts
- describe how the classical tradition shaped english-language literature
- outline core concepts and techniques used in translation studies
- identify major classical literary genres through their translations
- apply key methods of enquiry used in translation studies
- evaluate the suitability of different research methods in translation studies
- analyse early modern translations using varied analytical techniques
- apply insights from early modern translations to later translated texts
- communicate analysis of historically situated translations clearly
- Remaking Shakespeare
What you learn (8)
- analyse Shakespearean adaptations in relation to their social and artistic contexts
- explain the varied cultural and political uses of Shakespeare's name and texts
- describe the general process by which texts are adapted
- identify scholarly and archival resources relevant to studying adaptations
- use scholarly and archival resources to support analysis of adaptations
- collaborate with peers to analyse a chosen Shakespearean adaptation
- apply written and oral communication skills suited to intermediate-level study
- reflect on different forms used to present critical analysis
- American Horror Story: U.S. Gothic Cultures, 1619 to Tomorrow
What you learn (12)
- identify key texts and concepts in US gothic/horror culture
- analyse set texts through close reading and viewing
- construct a sustained critical argument using conceptual frameworks
- summarise recent scholarship relevant to the subject
- evaluate ambiguity and contradiction within gothic cultural works
- incorporate scholarly reviews and primary sources into analysis
- write fluently in English using precise and varied vocabulary
- produce an extended essay developing sustained critical analysis
- formulate research questions and investigate them independently
- demonstrate personal responsibility and decision-making in produced work
- collaborate effectively within group work
- communicate ideas effectively across different media forms
- Austen in Theory
What you learn (8)
- describe Austen's novels within their original intellectual tradition
- analyse Austen's novels in relation to current critical thought
- explain the novel's development alongside anglo-american and continental philosophy
- apply theoretical approaches when reading literary texts
- pursue independent interest in literary theoretical approaches
- produce critical written analysis of literary texts
- conduct independent research using appropriate scholarly methods
- apply honours-level scholarly standards with growing independence
- The Narrative of Slavery
What you learn (11)
- describe key literary works that established Black Studies as a discipline
- explain the characteristics of the slave narrative as a literary genre
- describe later literary works influenced by the slave narrative tradition
- situate the slave narrative within broader philosophical narratives
- explain how concepts of blackness and unfreedom evolved through these genres
- compare literary treatments of history, memory and politics across texts
- analyse shifts over time in how these themes are represented
- select relevant scholarly reviews to support literary analysis
- use primary literary texts from varied locations as evidence
- plan an extended written project applying course knowledge
- produce an extended piece of written academic work
Year 3 · 1 core, 7 optional · 30 credits ≈ 300 hours
- Shakespeare: Text and Performance, Now and Then
What you learn (16)
- devise an original essay title or creative project brief
- plan an independent research approach suited to postgraduate study
- interpret narrative, poetic and dramatic texts with developed proficiency
- analyse a passage of dramatic verse to reveal its meaning and effect
- analyse the structure and staging effect of a dramatic scene
- evaluate how a play's themes are conveyed through its dramatic form
- explain how early modern staging resources shaped playwrights' choices
- describe how theatrical companies' collaborative structure influenced play composition
- evaluate the contemporary impact of specific scenes in live or filmed performance
- analyse how individual scenes and speeches contribute to a play's overall design
- compare plays by Shakespeare and contemporary dramatists to identify connections
- describe key critical traditions in Shakespeare scholarship
- apply knowledge of Shakespeare's works to explore personally relevant issues
- create an original creative work responding to early modern drama
- explain how early modern dramatic themes relate to their historical context
- evaluate the continuing relevance of Shakespeare's themes to modern audiences
7 optional modules
- States of Damage: Twenty-First Century US Writing and Culture
What you learn (10)
- identify key theoretical and literary concepts relevant to the set texts
- situate set texts within their cultural and critical contexts
- analyse set texts through close reading and viewing techniques
- apply scholarly conventions to academic writing and presentation
- evaluate different methodologies for interpreting contemporary American texts
- describe a range of texts and concepts in contemporary american cultural production
- identify diverse critical, analytical and creative approaches to knowledge production
- produce written english with accurate and varied vocabulary
- construct critical arguments using established textual analysis conventions
- formulate research questions to guide independent investigation
- Early Modern Drama
What you learn (5)
- explain the political, religious and social contexts of set early modern plays
- describe major dramatic trends of the English stage between 1574 and 1642
- explain key theories of early modern literary and dramatic criticism
- apply early modern critical approaches to analyse dramatic texts
- analyse early modern primary sources beyond the set texts using digital archives
- Ecopoetics: Poetry and World-Ecology
What you learn (11)
- develop a personal method for writing outside the traditional desk-based setting
- apply a contemporary mode of engagement to represent environmental change in writing
- summarise the major environmental problems shaping life in the present century
- explain a structural link between environmental issues operating at different scales
- outline the current landscape of poetic practice relevant to ecological writing
- position one's own writing tendencies within the contemporary ecopoetic field
- use scholarly and primary sources to support analysis of poetic practice
- compose an extended piece of writing in a chosen poetic form or mode
- justify the choice of poetic form or mode used in a creative project
- explain the interdisciplinary demands placed on ecopoetic writing
- reflect on how a creative project addresses audiences from different disciplines
- Queering the Literary Landscape: LGBTQ+ Literature and Culture in the Contemporary World
What you learn (11)
- explain the cultural, political and social contexts of set LGBTQ+ texts
- analyse critical and theoretical texts through close reading
- construct a sustained critical argument using conceptual understanding
- demonstrate personal responsibility and independent decision-making in academic work
- collaborate effectively with peers on shared tasks
- select and use scholarly reviews and primary sources appropriately
- discuss key issues in the production and reception of queer literature
- apply theoretical frameworks in conjunction with literary analysis
- evaluate the relevance of literary and theoretical work to contemporary society
- formulate an original research topic within queer literary studies
- apply queer theory concepts and methods to a non-literary cultural form
- American Poetry: Modernity, Rupture, Violence
What you learn (8)
- construct an extended academic argument of journal-article length
- apply scholarly conventions for citing and evaluating critical sources
- develop an original line of argument through independent research
- describe major movements and figures in American poetry history
- relate poetic movements and figures to their historical context
- identify basic and specialised terms for analysing poetic form and rhetoric
- apply rhetorical and formal analysis methods to critical readings of poems
- evaluate the strengths, weaknesses and assumptions of critical debates
- Sick Imagination: Disability, Illness and the Critical Medical Humanities
What you learn (17)
- identify a range of texts depicting disability and illness
- evaluate fictional and lifewriting portrayals of disability and illness
- compare how different genres and media represent disability experience
- explain how form shapes the social meaning of illness in texts
- explain key literary theoretical concepts such as narratology and stylistics
- apply literary theoretical methods to analyse texts
- evaluate the usefulness of different literary theories
- explain concepts from psychiatry and psychology relevant to illness
- apply medical humanities concepts to interpret texts
- explain different theoretical models of disability
- evaluate the strengths and limitations of disability models
- apply disability theory models to analyse texts
- describe the field of critical disability studies and its links to literary studies
- compile a critical bibliography on a literary topic
- summarise scholarly sources for research purposes
- formulate an independent research question on disability or illness in literature
- construct an original argument supported by independent research in an essay
- Sensation!
What you learn (8)
- analyse set texts in relation to historical and literary context
- explain the development of the sensation genre across literature and drama
- assess how different artistic forms shape portrayals of sensational events
- collaborate with peers to explore set texts through discussion and creative work
- present ideas orally on the sensation genre to an audience
- compose an original written essay responding to course material
- identify relevant scholarly sources on the sensation genre
- use scholarly sources to deepen understanding of social and historical contexts
“What you learn” restates each module’s published learning outcomes in our own words, as short skill statements in the same form as the GCSE and A level curriculum, with the help of an AI model; fields of knowledge follow the twelve fields of the knowledge sphere. The university’s module page, linked from each title, is the authoritative description.
After graduating
Where does it lead?
£25,500median pay three years after graduating
Lower quarter£22k
Median£26k
Upper quarter£31k
Median — the middle earner: half earned more, half less. Pay is for graduates of this subject at this university who finished in 2016-18, not adjusted for inflation; based on 155 graduates.
Discover Uni dataset (HESA and Office for Students, CC BY 4.0, contains HESA data); earnings from the Longitudinal Education Outcomes data (Department for Education) · aggregation level 13, 14, 23
Half of graduates earned between £21,500 and £30,500. Five years on, the median is £33,000. 90% were in work or further study 15 months after finishing; 80% of those in work were in professional or managerial jobs.
All outcome figures7
| Measure | Value | Based on |
|---|---|---|
| Continue after year 10% left | 100% | 30 |
| In work or study, 15 months on10% studying | 90% | 25 |
| Professional or managerial job | 80% | 15 |
| Pay 15 months on, median | £28,000 | 15 |
| Pay 3 years on, median | £25,500 | 155 |
| Pay 5 years on, median | £33,000 | 160 |
Money
What does it cost?
£10,050a year for UK students, 2027/28 entry
Tuition fee loan — paid straight to the university; repayments start the April after you leave, at 9% of income above the threshold. UK fees are capped by government and rise with inflation; placement and study-abroad years are usually charged at a lower rate.
Warwick fees page · source
About £30,150 in fees over 3 years, covered by a tuition fee loan you repay only when earning above the threshold.
National Student Survey 2025-26
What do students say?
77%agreed the course was good overall (question 26)
NSS — a yearly survey of final-year students at every UK university; 81% of this course’s final year answered. Small groups can swing a lot year to year.
National Student Survey, via Discover Uni · 25 students answered
Highest: 100% agreed on question 2; lowest: 50% on question 24.
All questions26
| Question | Agree |
|---|---|
| Question 1 | 96% |
| Question 2 | 100% |
| Question 3 | 92% |
| Question 4 | 100% |
| Question 5 | 96% |
| Question 6 | 96% |
| Question 7 | 88% |
| Question 8 | 81% |
| Question 9 | 81% |
| Question 10 | 62% |
| Question 11 | 85% |
| Question 12 | 96% |
| Question 13 | 88% |
| Question 14 | 81% |
| Question 15 | 92% |
| Question 16 | 96% |
| Question 17 | 85% |
| Question 18 | 83% |
| Question 19 | 84% |
| Question 20 | 100% |
| Question 21 | 92% |
| Question 22 | 85% |
| Question 23 | 81% |
| Question 24 | 50% |
| Question 25 | 83% |
| Question 26 | 77% |
Question texts are published by the Office for Students; the dataset carries only the question numbers.
Modules, entry requirements and fees are facts read from University of Warwick’s course page on 2026-09-19 and may change; the university’s page is authoritative. Descriptions are not reproduced. Outcome figures are from the Discover Uni dataset. University of Warwick is a trade mark of the university; sch.today is independent of it.