Keele Undergraduate Prospectus 2021 2021 | Page 141

English Literature, Creative Writing and History | 141
E N G L I S H L I T E R AT U R E A N D P H I L O S O P H Y
BA (Hons)
Why study this course?
English Literature and Philosophy at Keele allows you to explore central questions about
language, thought and the expression of ideas. You will trace the history of human thought
about important questions concerning knowledge, the mind and the world in the traditions
of Europe, India and China.
Many philosophers – Ludwig Wittgenstein, Donald Davidson and Stanley
Cavell, for example – have taken language or literature as the subject of their
reflections, while some such as Jean-Paul Sartre and Simone de Beauvoir have
used literature to explore philosophical ideas. Both subjects require students
to consider the biggest questions for humankind and to develop an alert
awareness of the use of language, form and narrative in exploring these
questions. Ethical and epistemological issues are central to great works of
poetry and prose. This programme encourages complementary skills and
sensitivities in language use and interpretation. It also offers you options in
both Film Studies and Creative Writing. For these reasons, it is a classic and
very popular Keele combination. The first student ever to graduate from
Keele did so in Philosophy and English.
What will this mean for my future?
Studying English Literature and Philosophy will equip you with a wide range
of skills, critical thinking and a superb understanding of the way people think
and approach problems, all of which are prized by employers and adaptable
to a wide range of careers. You will learn to present your ideas in a variety of
media, including presentations, written work, dialogues and film, to express
yourself clearly and to negotiate with others. English Literature and
Philosophy has an excellent graduate placement record. On finishing, you
could move into education, the law, finance, government, publishing, the
media, or the arts. To enhance your degree, you can study abroad for a year,
or Keele’s Language Centre offers a variety of language courses which can
be taken as modules of your degree course. Visit keele.ac.uk/study/
languagecentre for more information.
UCAS Code - QV35
Foundation Year
Yes
Indicative Entry
Requirements
Combined Honours
A level: BCC-CCC
BTEC: DMM-MMM
Indicative Modules
First Year
• Ten Problems of Philosophy
• Ancient Philosophy
• Philosophy and Film
• Reading Literature
• Telling Tales
• Playing Parts
Second Year
• The Pursuit of the Good
• Philosophy of Mind
• Philosophy of Science
• Literature and Social Change
• Methods and Approaches to Literature
• The Renaissance: Shakespeare and
Beyond
Third Year
• Epistemology and Metaphysics
• Philosophy of Language
• Great Philosophers of the 20th Century
• Modernist Manifestos and Magazines
• Violence and Death in Shakespeare's
Theatre
• High Culture: Drink, Drugs and the
American Dream
Course Duration
3 or 4 years with an
international year
Study abroad
Yes
International Year
Yes
Learn a Language
Yes
For information on courses that combine subjects please visit keele.ac.uk/ugcourses