Have a love of literature? A passion for ideas? Our English Literature and Philosophy and Ethics degree turns your interest into a practical skill-set.

  • Combine professional skills and opportunities with your passion for literature and zest for ideas in our innovative English and Philosophy degree course.
  • Develop practical and professional skills. Apply both to contemporary challenges, issues and debates.
  • Explore the next stage in your career. Our graduates have gone on to work with leading employers.

Literature is diverse. Understanding a range of values and beliefs can open new worlds. Every text we pick up gives us a different perspective on humankind and our shared experiences. By combining English Literature with Philosophy and Ethics, you’ll deepen your understanding of how these perspectives can be shaped by different beliefs and values.

Our innovative English Literature and Philosophy degree has been designed to enable you to acquire specialised subject knowledge while developing practical and professional skills that you can apply to contemporary challenges, issues and debates.

This course introduces you to an incredible range of cultures, perspectives and beliefs. From classic texts to new and unfamiliar writing, you'll be asked to think differently – not just about what ‘literature’ can be, but how understanding different philosophies allows us to explore original ways of reading and analysing it.  

By combining Philosophy with English Literature, you’ll interrogate different readings of texts according to their contexts and explore connections. By drawing on other disciplines you’ll deepen your understanding and sharpen your insights. 

The course explores the assumptions, beliefs and values which shape human behaviour and our responses to it. You’ll address the key questions which underpin all academic disciplines and concepts, and how they are fundamental to our study of history, literature, the arts and sciences.

You'll be taught by experts in a wide range of periods, literary genres and approaches to the study of literature and thinking. Our staff share a commitment to excellent teaching and to offering you the best possible experience during your time with us.

Develop practical and professional skills

Historical background, philosophical concepts and political debate will all contribute to your ability to read widely and well. This approach will help you develop the vital skills of analysis, communication and collaboration that employers look for in graduates – skills that will open up a diverse range of possible careers. To maximise your potential, we’ll also support you in learning to manage projects, work with your peers and our external partners, evaluate options and respond to a brief.

What can you do with an English Literature and Philosophy and Ethics degree?

Publishing, PR, teaching and journalism are popular paths, and our graduates have gone on to work with leading employers including New Scientist, Oxford University Press, Marie Curie, Bristol Museums, Imperial War Museums London, and Barclays Bank.

Joint #5 in the UK

for Graduate Prospects in English (Guardian University Guide 2025)

#3 in the South West overall

in English (Sunday Times Good University Guide 2025)

#1 in South West

for Graduate Prospects in English (Guardian University Guide 2025)

#2 in South West

for Satisfaction with Course in English (Complete University Guide 2025)

What you'll learn

Rather than teaching philosophy primarily as a history of ideas – although we do explore this – we focus on the application of current philosophical thinking in contemporary settings and circumstances. We consider Western philosophical and ethical perspectives, and introduce you to the systems of thought of India and China. You’ll consider our responses to environmental crises, for example, or questions of identity, belonging, social justice and the interplay between the personal and the political.

We combine the academic study of literature with skill-based modules. You’ll learn how to analyse a wide range of literary texts, but you'll also learn practical skills such as:

  • How to pitch an idea for a literary festival
  • How to compile digital teaching resources for schools
  • How to produce an online edition of a historical text.

You’ll apply your knowledge and your skills in practical, professional ways in preparation for the next stage in your career.

This mix of content and the inclusiveness of our approach make the course particularly distinctive, vital and compelling.

Year one
Introductions and foundations: develop your skills in reading and analysing selected texts and philosophical thinking. A broad curriculum allows you to ask questions, challenge your own assumptions and interrogate evidence, data and opinions.

Year two
Practical, applied, relevant: in your second year, you’ll study your chosen topics while gaining professional skills. You'll apply your knowledge and understanding to a defined problem or idea.

Year three
Achievement, consolidation, creativity: your final project in the third year brings all this together. You’ll identify and develop your own proposal and put it into practice. This might be an extended piece of academic writing, an exhibition, a community project, or a digital resource.

Most modules use essays with other forms of coursework such as journals, portfolios and short critical pieces, projects and dissertations, or special assignments such as seminar presentations, collaborative magazines, and web-based essays. Second and final year grades contribute towards your final degree award.

The Philosophy approach is on ‘doing philosophy’ and developing your confidence and capacity for philosophical analysis and debate.

All modules are taught via seminars, lectures, individual tutorials, and IT workshops.

You'll be provided with opportunities for independent work which builds on your own interests, adds new dimensions to your thinking, or relates to plans for future careers and personal development.

To find out more about how we teach and how you'll learn, please read our Learning and Teaching Delivery Statement.

Opportunities

As part of your degree, you could study abroad on a placement at one of Bath Spa’s partner universities.

We're keen to bring literature to life, and the course features optional modules that include potential fieldwork opportunites in London, Oxford, Berlin, Krakow and Auschwitz, among others. Our students have also won places on summer schools in Beijing and Monterrey. With Philosophy and Ethics, fieldwork and visits are integral to the course. We visit religious communities, mosques, temples, gurdwaras and churches.

We have excellent links with third sector organisations, working with environmental and educational charities, as well as others. These links support your study, as we’ll explore how religious, philosophical and ethical perspectives can be applied to current issues.

We believe strongly in employability, and have made it a core part of our curriculum. You’ll have access to our renowned digital facilities, as well as to our Bath Spa Careers team who'll help you forge a fulfilling future.

Many of our graduates pursue careers in publishing or teaching. Organisations including NewScientist, Trinity College Library, DigitalBox and Cengage Learning EMEA have employed our graduates. Graduate professions include:

  • Editorial Assistant
  • Publishing Outreach Executive
  • Content Writer
  • Campaigns Officer
  • Education

Some graduates choose to progress to postgraduate study. The ability to combine this course with another subject makes it ideal for individuals considering a career in teaching. Many graduates go on to train as teachers – the course is widely respected as a foundation for a career in education.

There are annual prizes for the best overall performance in both core modules in years one and two, and a very special prize for the best final year English Project.

If you’re a full-time undergraduate student starting your first year at Bath Spa University, you can apply for the Certificate in Global Citizenship, which you’ll study alongside your degree.

You’ll gain global awareness and add an international dimension to your student experience, and funding is available. On successful completion of the programme, you’ll be awarded a Certificate in Global Citizenship. This is in addition to your degree; it doesn’t change your degree title or results.

Adobe Creative Campus

Develop a wealth of indispensable digital skills that you can take into your future career. One of only three Adobe Creative Campuses in the UK, we provide all Bath Spa students with access to the full Adobe Creative Suite, giving you the tools to communicate creatively, whatever your course or chosen professional field.   

Professional placement year

The Professional Placement Year (PPY) provides you with the opportunity to identify, apply for, and secure professional experience, normally comprising one to three placements over a minimum of nine months. Successful completion of this module will demonstrate your ability to secure and sustain graduate-level employment.

By completing the module, you'll be entitled to the addition of 'with Professional Placement Year' to your degree title.

Before your PPY, you'll work to identify roles of interest and secure a placement. The Placements Team will support through timetabled sessions and 1:1 appointments.

As well as completing a minimum of 900 placement hours, you will complete two assessments demonstrating your skill development, growth in professional behaviours and how the PPY has impacted your future career aspirations.

Facilities and resources

Both English Literature and Philosophy and Ethics are based at the beautiful Newton Park campus, where you’ll be surrounded by wildlife and a beautiful 18th century landscape and lake.

You'll have access to excellent facilities such as:

We have a wide range of high-quality online resources to complement the books and journals you have access to in our Library, as well as digital publishing facilities, historical and modern printing presses, and industry-standard broadcast media facilities.

Fees

Student Annual tuition fee
UK full time £9,535
UK part time £4,768
International full time £18,330

Professional Placement Year

During the placement year, the fee is reduced to 20% of the full time fee. This applies to UK and EU/International students.

  • UK: £1,905
  • International: £3,666

Additional course costs

You may need to pay additional course costs over and above your tuition fees, for example, for specialist equipment or trips and visits. Please check the course Programme Document (linked under the main image on this page) for details of any additional costs. You can also read our Additional Course Costs Policy for further information.

Funding opportunities

Please visit our Funding pages for an overview of the funding options that may be available, including scholarships and bursaries.

Interested in applying?

Our students come from a range of different backgrounds. We're looking for students who share our passion for literature in all its forms, who have enquiring minds and a willingness to explore new areas of thought and belief.

You should be willing to challenge yourself and to question shared assumptions. You'll want to collaborate with others in exploring the ideas and worlds opened up to us by the written word.

We accept a wide range of qualifications for entry to our undergraduate programmes. The main ones are listed below:

  • A Level – grades BBB-BCC. No specific subject required.
  • BTEC – Extended Diploma grades from Distinction Distinction Merit (DDM) to Distinction Merit Merit (DMM). No specific subject required.
  • T Levels – grade Merit. No specific subject required.
  • International Baccalaureate – a minimum of 32 points. No specific subject required.
  • Access to HE courses –  Access to HE Diploma or Access to HE Certificate (60 credits, 45 of which must be Level 3, at Merit or higher). No specific subject required.

If you don’t meet the entry requirements above, we may be able to accept your prior learning or experience from outside of formal education. See our Accreditation of Prior Learning (APL) page to learn more.

English Language Requirements for International and EU Applicants

IELTS 6.0 - for visa nationals, with a minimum score of IELTS 5.5 in each element.

Course enquiries

For further information about the programme or entry requirements, please email us at admissions@bathspa.ac.uk.

Ready to apply? Click the 'apply now' button in the centre of this page.

Need more guidance? Head to our how to apply pages.

We recommend that you read as much literature as possible! It’s a good idea to read books from various historical periods and literary genres – and think about the differences you notice between them. You’ll find Studying English Literature (Continuum Press, 2010) by Ashley Chantler to be a good guide.

English Literature course leader: Dr Stephen Gregg
Email: s.gregg@bathspa.ac.uk

Philosophy and Ethics course leader: Dr Paul Reid-Bowen
Email: p.reid-bowen@bathspa.ac.uk

Three year course