English Literature and Theatre Studies BA
Year of entry 2023
- UCAS code
- QW34
- Start date
- September 2023
- Delivery type
- On campus
- Duration
- 3 years full time
- Work placement
- Optional
- Study abroad
- Optional
- Typical A-level offer
- AAB (specific subject requirements)
- Typical Access to Leeds offer
- BBB including English (Language, Literature or Language and Literature) at A Level and pass Access to Leeds.
Full entry requirements - Contact
- undergrad-english@leeds.ac.uk
Course overview

This distinctive, flexible and varied degree combines workshop-based practical theatre work with the textual study of English literature, allowing you to explore performance from both creative and critical perspectives.
You’ll study literature from Old English to the contemporary period, including American and postcolonial literature. You'll have the opportunity to integrate your textual and theatrical interests through topics such as stage adaptation and surrealism. Workshops are designed to develop your skills as an artist-researcher, led by our own theatre specialists and guest tutors ranging from emerging theatre companies to internationally acclaimed playwrights.
Our Workshop Theatre has been pioneering theatre studies since 1968 and counts among its alumni leading theatre practitioners, dramatists and educators. With us, you’ll develop collaborative, creative, critical thinking and project management skills that will benefit you in a wide range of careers.
Facilities
Leeds has fantastic facilities for literature and theatre students. The world-class Brotherton Library has an array of archive, manuscript and early printed material in its Special Collections, alongside other extensive library resources. All of this will be valuable for your independent research, and the University Library offers training programmes to help you make the most of our resources.
Take a look around our libraries:
Specialist resources
As a student on this programme, you’ll have access to our excellent performance and rehearsal spaces — fully equipped with lighting and sound — which are used for teaching and group work on theatre studies modules as well as performances.

Course details
In your first year, you’ll study core modules introducing you to foundational aspects of literary studies and approaches to theatre. This will allow you to develop your skills in analysing text and performance. You’ll choose from optional modules on topics such as race, writing and decolonisation and the creative essay, or take discovery modules in subjects outside the School of English.
Once you have this base of knowledge and skills, you’ll develop them in your second year. Core modules will encourage you to think about the historical context of dramatic texts and how theatre can convey social and political agendas. At the same time, you’ll choose from core modules focusing on literature in different historical periods and select optional modules from the wide range on offer.
You’ll choose from further core modules focusing on different historical periods in your final year, as well as an even broader range of optional modules. You’ll also undertake the Practical Essay, a core module which allows you to become a critical theatre practitioner and work on creating a short piece of theatre.
Course structure
The list shown below represents typical modules/components studied and may change from time to time. Read more in our terms and conditions.
Year 1 compulsory modules
Module Name | Credits |
---|---|
Approaches to Theatre and Performance 1 | 20 |
Approaches to Theatre and Performance 2 | 20 |
Foundations of English Studies | 20 |
Year 1 optional modules (selection of typical options shown below)
Module Name | Credits |
---|---|
Modern Fictions in English: Conflict, Liminality, Translation | 20 |
Poetry: Reading and Interpretation | 20 |
Drama: Reading and Interpretation | 20 |
Race, Writing and Decolonization | 20 |
Year 2 compulsory modules
Module Name | Credits |
---|---|
Performing the Past | 20 |
Theatre, Society and Self | 20 |
Year 2 optional modules (selection of typical options shown below)
Module Name | Credits |
---|---|
Medieval Literature | 20 |
Restoration and Eighteenth Century Writing | 20 |
Literature of the Romantic Period | 20 |
Renaissance Literature | 20 |
Remixing the Renaissance | 20 |
Imaginary Friends: the consolations and consequences of story | 20 |
Shakespeare and Global Cinema | 20 |
All the Single Ladies: Fictions of Female Autonomy | 20 |
Arthurian Legend: Chivalry and Violence | 20 |
Year 3 compulsory modules
Module Name | Credits |
---|---|
The Practical Essay | 40 |
Year 3 optional modules (selection of typical options shown below)
Module Name | Credits |
---|---|
Gender, Culture and Politics: Readings of Jane Austen | 20 |
Forming Victorian Fiction | 20 |
Sex and Suffering in the Eighteenth-Century Novel | 20 |
Milton | 20 |
Contemporary South African Writing | 20 |
Writing America | 20 |
Romantic Lyric Poetry | 20 |
Tragedy: Classical to Neo-Classical | 20 |
Angry Young Men and Women: Literature of the Mid-Twentieth Century | 20 |
Lost in Fiction: The Metafictional Novel from 'Don Quixote' to 'House of Leaves' | 20 |
Theatricalities: Beckett, Pinter, Kane | 20 |
Discovery modules
Throughout your degree you will benefit from a range of opportunities to expand your intellectual horizons outside or within your subject area.
This course gives you the opportunity to choose from a range of discovery modules. They’re a great way to tailor your study around your interests or career aspirations and help you stand out from the crowd when you graduate. Find out more about discovery modules on our Broadening webpages.
Learning and teaching
We use a variety of teaching and learning methods so you can benefit from our tutors’ expertise. Small-group teaching is at the heart of what we do, and many of your modules will include seminars. Our literature modules often combine lectures and small-group seminars, whilst theatre modules are taught through practical workshops. Tutorials and one-to-one supervisions may also be part of some modules, including your practical essay.
On this course you’ll be taught by our expert academics, from lecturers through to professors. You may also be taught by industry professionals with years of experience, as well as trained postgraduate researchers, connecting you to some of the brightest minds on campus.
Assessment
We use different forms of assessment to help you develop a wider range of skills. Exams, essays and shorter pieces of writing are among the most common, but practice pieces, performance work and group presentations are also likely to be used in theatre modules. Some modules will also use online exercises such as wikis or podcasts.
We offer plenty of support – for example, you’ll be able to attend extra classes on topics such as public speaking, structuring essays and exam technique throughout your time at Leeds.
Entry requirements
A-level: AAB including A in English (Language, Literature or Language and Literature).
Other course specific tests:
Where an applicant is taking the EPQ in a relevant subject this might be considered alongside other Level 3 qualifications and may attract an alternative offer in addition to the standard offer. If you are taking A Levels, this would be ABB at A Level including A in English (Language, Literature, or Language and Literature) and grade A in the EPQ.
Alternative qualification
Access to HE Diploma
BTEC
Cambridge Pre-U
D2, M2, M2, including D2 in English.
International Baccalaureate
35 points overall with 16 at Higher Level including 6 in English at Higher Level.
Irish Leaving Certificate (higher Level)
H2 H2 H2 H2 H3 H3 including H2 in English.
Scottish Highers / Advanced Highers
AB in Advanced Highers (including English) and AABBB in Highers, or A in English Advanced Highers and AABBB in Highers.
Welsh Baccalaureate
Other Qualifications
Read more about UK and Republic of Ireland accepted qualifications or contact the Schools Undergraduate Admissions Team.
Alternative entry
Were committed to identifying the best possible applicants, regardless of personal circumstances or background.
Access to Leeds is an alternative admissions scheme which accepts applications from individuals who might be from low income households, in the first generation of their immediate family to apply to higher education, or have had their studies disrupted.
Find out more about Access to Leeds and alternative admissions.
Typical Access to Leeds offer: BBB including English (Language, Literature or Language and Literature) at A Level and pass Access to Leeds.
Arts and Humanities with Foundation Year
If you would like to study arts, humanities, and cultures at university, but don't currently meet the typical entry requirements for direct entry to a degree, you might be eligible to apply for the Arts and Humanities with Foundation Year course.
International Foundation Year
International students who do not meet the academic requirements for undergraduate study may be able to study the University of Leeds International Foundation Year. This gives you the opportunity to study on campus, be taught by University of Leeds academics and progress onto a wide range of Leeds undergraduate courses. Find out more about International Foundation Year programmes.
English language requirements
IELTS 6.5 overall, with no less than 6.0 in any component. For other English qualifications, read English language equivalent qualifications.
Improve your English
If you're an international student and you don't meet the English language requirements for this programme, you may be able to study our undergraduate pre-sessional English course, to help improve your English language level.
Fees
UK: £9,250 (per year)
International: £22,250 (per year)
Tuition fees for UK undergraduate students starting in 2022/23
For UK full-time undergraduate students starting in 2022/23 the fee will be £9,250. The fee may increase in future years of your course in line with inflation and as permitted by law. Fees for UK undergraduate students are decided by the government and may vary if policy changes.
Tuition fees for UK undergraduate students starting in 2023/24
Tuition fees for UK full-time undergraduate students for 2023/24 have been agreed by the UK Government and will remain at the current fee level of £9,250. The fee may increase in future years of your course in line with inflation and as permitted by law. Fees for UK undergraduate students are decided by the government and may vary if policy changes.
Tuition fees for international undergraduate students starting in 2023/24
Tuition fees for international students for 2023/24 should be available on individual course pages from September 2022.
Tuition fees for a study abroad or work placement year
If you take a study abroad or work placement year, you’ll pay a reduced tuition fee during this period. For more information, see Study abroad and work placement tuition fees and loans.
Read more about paying fees and charges.
There may be additional costs related to your course or programme of study, or related to being a student at the University of Leeds. Read more about additional costs.
Scholarships and financial support
If you have the talent and drive, we want you to be able to study with us, whatever your financial circumstances. There is help for students in the form of loans and non-repayable grants from the University and from the government. Find out more in our Undergraduate funding overview.
Applying
Apply to this course through UCAS. Check the deadline for applications on the UCAS website.
Read our guidance about applying.
International students apply through UCAS in the same way as UK students. Our network of international representatives can help you with your application. If you’re unsure about the application process, contact the admissions team for help.
Read about visas, immigration and other information in International students. We recommend that international students apply as early as possible to ensure that they have time to apply for their visa.
Admissions policy
University of Leeds Taught Admissions Policy 2023
This course is taught by
Contact us
School of English Undergraduate Admissions
Email: undergrad-english@leeds.ac.uk
Telephone:
Career opportunities
A degree in English Literature and Theatre Studies equips you with a wide range of skills on top of your subject knowledge.
You’ll be an excellent communicator – confident speaking in public and able to present your views clearly, whether verbally or in writing. You’ll be comfortable working independently or in a team. You’ll also have excellent research skills, and be able to analyse complex information from numerous sources.
Graduates have pursued a wide range of careers. In addition to the theatre, they’ve pursued education, journalism, law, the creative industries, publishing, radio and television, the civil service, administration, business and finance, advertising and marketing, management, social welfare, management consultancy and charity work. Many also go on to postgraduate study.
We are proud to count among our School's alumni many successful directors, actors, and playwrights including:
John Mackendrick; Garry Lyons; John Godber; Charlotte Keatley; Rose Mbowa; Sonny Oti; Chris McCulloch; Mayling Cheng; Marian Orchard; Patrick Mangeni; Anuradha Kapur; Barnaby King; Judith Greenwood; Joyce Lee; Winston Farrell; Bart Sher; Maria Delgado; Victoria Shaskan; Dakshin Bajrange; Terry O'Connor.
Careers support
We encourage you to prepare for your career from day one. Thats one of the reasons Leeds graduates are so sought after by employers.
Leeds for Life is our unique approach to helping you make the most of University by supporting your academic and personal development. Find out more at the Leeds for Life website.
The Careers Centre and staff in your faculty provide a range of help and advice to help you plan your career and make well-informed decisions along the way, even after you graduate. Find out more at the Careers website.
Study abroad and work placements
Study abroad
On this course you have the opportunity to apply to spend time abroad, usually as an extra academic year. We have over 300 University partners worldwide and popular destinations for our students include Europe, the USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, Hong Kong, South Africa and Latin America.
Find out more at the Study Abroad website.
Work placements
Practical work experience can help you decide on your career and improve your employability. On this course you have the option to apply to take a placement year module with organisations across the public, private and voluntary sectors in the UK, or overseas.
Find out more about work experience on the Careers website.