COURSE CURRICULUM

The BA Art and English Literature programme at the University of Reading is a four-year interdisciplinary degree that combines studio-based art practice with the study of English literature across historical periods, enabling students to develop both creative and critical expertise within a single integrated framework. In the first year, students are introduced to contemporary art through Art Studio modules that focus on global art histories, professional studio practice, health and safety, and sustainability, alongside Drawing, which builds technical skill and visual analysis through engagement with diverse materials and approaches. At the same time, students study Theory and Practice of Writing, which develops understanding of how literary ideas are formed, revised, and communicated, and Poetry in English, which explores poetic traditions from the Renaissance to the present across global English-language contexts. Optional modules broaden early study through drama, comparative literature, translation studies, and modern American culture, allowing students to connect literature to wider cultural and theoretical frameworks. In the second year, students deepen their artistic and literary practice through Art Studio 2 and more advanced engagement with English literature, selecting modules from periods such as Victorian, Early Modern, Romantic, and Modernist literature, alongside options in contemporary fiction, critical thinking, and the business of books. Opportunities such as international study visits to major European art centres provide direct engagement with contemporary art and cultural institutions. In the third year, students advance their independent practice through Art Studio 2b, alongside specialist literature modules exploring topics such as British Black and Asian voices, children’s literature, Shakespeare, gothic and fantasy traditions, and gendered writing. The final year culminates in Art Studio 3b and a dissertation in either art or English literature, allowing students to produce a sustained piece of critical writing or research-based work. Across the programme, students are trained in close reading, visual analysis, critical thinking, and creative production, developing the ability to interpret and produce meaning across artistic and textual forms. The degree prepares graduates for careers in the arts, publishing, education, media, curation, and cultural industries, as well as further academic study or independent creative practice.