A book must be the axe for the frozen sea within us.

English at Edge Hill University

“ ”Franz Kafka

Not all readers areleaders, but all leaders are readers.

Harry S. Truman

“ ”Love Reading?

I loved reading George Orwell's Downand Out in Paris and London (1933),because it opened my eyes to socialinjustice, and is just as relevant today aswhen it was first published.

Rob SpenceAssociate Head of Department

If you’re fascinated by words, if youlove to read, if you want to use yourtalent for writing, then a degree inEnglish is the programme you’relooking for.

The study of English has adistinguished history at Edge HillUniversity, and our department is nowlarger and more diverse than ever.You can take specialist degrees ineither English Language or EnglishLiterature, or study on the general

English degree, which combines both.

Flexible courses ensure that you cover all the essential themes inyour chosen field, and also have ample opportunity to specialise.The award-winning Ormskirk campus is an ideal place to read,think, discuss and imagine. We also encourage an internationalperspective, and there are opportunities for you to take part of yourdegree at a partner university overseas, in Europe or NorthAmerica.

Our department is a dynamic and welcoming community. We sharea belief in dialogue, free discussion, and collaboration, and acommitment to the personal development of our students. We aimto provide you with a stimulating university education, so you canbegin your career with ambition and confidence.

If you choose to study here you will also be joining one of the UK’smost respected departments which prides itself on its dynamic andmodern programmes and has been awarded an 85% overallsatisfaction rating in the 2011 National Student Survey.

If you’d like to find out more, please get in touch, using the contactdetails at the back of this guide.

We look forward to hearing from you.

Professor Michael BradshawHead of Department

Welcome to English at Edge Hill University

English covers both language and literature, and is foranyone who wants to be challenged, to extend their knowledge,and broaden their horizons. You will develop communicationskills, independent thinking and self-expression, and bestimulated by a modern and dynamic programme.

A richer literary experience

Love Reading?

I loved reading Alexander Solzhenitsyn’sThe First Circle (1968) because it offersan acidly amusing expose of the absurdattempts of those in power to micromanageindividual behaviour. I loved its subtlerevelation of the power of undergroundresistance. The then Soviet governmentdid not.

Clive Grey Senior Lecturer in English Language

“Read, read, read,” William Faulkner advised. Whether it’s awell-thumbed edition of a favourite novel or something downloadedonto your e-reader, the English programmes are for anyone with apassion for literature and language, and how they shape andinfluence our understanding of life, the universe and everything.

We offer single, joint and combined honours degrees. In a jointdegree you will study a programme comprising around 50% ineach subject area. In a combined degree you study two subjectsthroughout the three years of your programme, with your majorsubject taking 75% of your study time, the chosen minor taking theremainder.

Transferable skillsEmbarking on an academic degree is a major commitment for youand your family, and we take our responsibility to prepare you foryour chosen career very seriously. English graduates developsome of the most versatile and sought-after skills in the graduatejob market.

You will learn how to conduct focused research, from bothelectronic and print sources; you will learn how to develop strongarguments based on the right evidence; and you will become a bettercommunicator, both verbally and in writing.

Choosing the rightprogramme for you

BA (Hons) English Covering both language and literature, this programme is forthose who want to be challenged and develop communicationskills, independent thinking and self-expression. You will developa good foundation in your first year, before fine-tuning yourinterests, and choosing from a range of modules from BritishTelefantasy and the intriguing Shakespeare Problem to Languageand Identity, Sexuality or Conflict in Europe.

Programmes include:BA (Hons) English Q301BA (Hons) English with Creative Writing Q3W8BA (Hons) English with Film Studies Q3W6BA (Hons) English with History Q3V1BA (Hons) Creative Writing and English WQ93BA (Hons) Drama and EnglishQW34BA (Hons) English and Film Studies WQ63BA (Hons) English and History QV31BA (Hons) English and Media PQ33

Love Reading?

I always remember books in relationto where I was when I read them,sometimes because the location fits –Irvine Welsh's Trainspotting (1993) ona slow train journey to Scotland, andsometimes because it's completelyincongruous – Umberto Eco's wintrymedieval murder mystery The Name ofthe Rose (1980) on a sun-drenchedMediterranean beach.

Michael Bradshaw Head of Department

BA (Hons) English Language The English language is versatile, subtle, entertaining and infuriatingin equal measure. Our well-established English Language courseimmerses you in the story of English, its past, present and future.You will acquire the skills to analyse linguistic data and learn how toapply different theoretical perspectives in researching EnglishLanguage. You will discover the diversity of English, both spokenand written, and appreciate how language contributes to theidentities of its users.

You will achieve a thorough grounding in the history, structure anduse of English, the world’s foremost international language, beforemoving on to analyse the working relationship between the languagewe use and our social identity. You can undertake field research,gathering data responsibly, before analysing and communicatingyour findings. You can learn about the role of English in a rapidlychanging world, and how language relates to gender, class, age andsexuality; you can discover how language is acquired, or learn toteach English to speakers of other languages.

Programmes include:BA (Hons) English Language Q140BA (Hons) English Language with Creative Writing Q1W8BA (Hons) English Language with Film Studies Q1W6BA (Hons) English Language with History Q1V1BA (Hons) Creative Writing and English Language WQ83BA (Hons) Drama and English Language QW43BA (Hons) English Language and Film Studies QP33BA (Hons) English Language and History QV3C

Love Reading?

Suzanne Romaine’s Bilingualism (1994),opened my eyes to the ways in whichlanguages co-exist throughout theworld, acting as resources for societiesand speakers. Suddenly I could see thisall around me! It began a lifelongfascination for me – one which I love toshare with my students.

Jo Shoba Senior Lecturer in English Language

BA (Hons) English Literature In English Literature you will study different forms of narrative, notjust read them, embracing the narrative form in the 21st Century,looking at books alongside other media, such as film and filmadaptations, graphic novels, and interactive electronic media. Youwill be introduced to theoretical and critical approaches as well asbeing offered a range of modules that include different periods,genres and topics. You will have the opportunity to study ‘classic’texts, such as Defoe, Byron, Milton, Keats, Shakespeare, and theBrontës, alongside popular genres, such as vampire fiction andscience fiction.

Programmes include:BA (Hons) English Literature Q200BA (Hons) English Literature with Creative Writing Q2W9BA (Hons) English Literature with Film Studies Q2GNBA (Hons) English Literature with History Q2V1BA (Hons) Creative Writing and English Literature QW38BA (Hons) Drama and English Literature QWH4BA (Hons) English Literature and Film Studies QP3JBA (Hons) English Literature and History QV3D

Love Reading?

I loved reading Susan Hill’s ghost story TheWoman in Black (1983), because of thedarkness and the sheer force of thephysical and psychological power JennetHunfrye wielded, and, for me, still wields,almost 30 years after its publication. Ialso love it because it took Hill six weeksof mornings to write, whilst jugglingchildcare; proof that great things can beachieved under pressure.

Mari Hughes-Edwards Senior Lecturer in English Literature

We read to know we are not alone.

C.S. Lewis“ ”

If you choose to study here you will be joining one of the UK’s mostrespected departments, with dynamic and modern programmes,and which has been awarded an 85% overall satisfaction rating inthe 2011 National Student Survey, placing us within the top third ofEnglish courses nationally.

Reasons to choose English at Edge Hill University

- English rated 4.14 out of 5 by students in the 2011 National Student Survey (NSS 2011)

- Of the 93 universities in England, Edge Hill University issecond only to Oxford for Personal Development, and in the top three in the country for Assessment and Feedback.(NSS 2011)

- Our Creative Writing programme is rated third in England for overall student satisfaction (NSS 2011)

- Scholarships are available in the Creative Arts for those who demonstrate determination, commitment and achievement in areas of creative expression, such as writing and film-making.

- Students can nurture career ambitions by getting involved with the Students’ Union. Working on the student magazine, campus tv channel EdgeTV, or L39, the University’s radio station, is an introduction to working in the creative industriesfor many of our students.

Student satisfaction

Carl ShawBA (Hons) English Language

“I’ve always loved the English language. I find it fascinating andthe opposite of what a lot of people often suggest – that it’s boring.After studying here you really do feel knowledgeable, helped by theamazing tutors and their passion and drive. “Every day studying English language there’s a case of ‘Wow! Wereally do that with our language, don’t we?’ It’s amazing how muchis actually going on, especially during discourse analysis wherewe basically deconstruct “talk”. At Edge Hill we’re taught that howwe use language to manipulate thought and emotion is a richpower, and one that should be celebrated.“Once I graduate I plan to see the world, followed by further studyin a more complex field, such as contact-induced language change.With enthusiasm and a desire to succeed, studying at Edge Hill isa great path to take. It isn’t easy, but with the right amount ofcommitment you can make it what you want it to be, and be richlyrewarded.”

What our students say

Love Reading?

Khaled Hosseini’sA Thousand SplendidSuns (2008) went a long way in raisingawareness of what life is like in differentcultures; especially as some are sodifferent from our own. Social normsare completely different, and a book likethis opens your eyes to the brutality andsubjectivity that other cultures deemto be acceptable practice. The book isfantastic.

Adele Jewell MA English

“Having had such a wonderful experience while studying at Edge Hillduring my English degree, it seemed only natural to continue mypostgraduate studies at the University. “The MA in English follows a similar format to the undergraduatecourse, but what is different is that the work is not as guided; there’sa greater expectation for you to work more independently. “There are core modules, but then you also specifically choose whatyou want to study. This means that you are developing your ownknowledge and ideas in areas that are of particular interest to you.“This course has allowed me to maintain a level of learning that isboth interesting and challenging, while at the same time giving methe chance to gain experience as a teaching assistant. Theworkload requires a great deal of organisation and commitment,but I know this course will help me in my future career, enablingme to use the skills I’ve learnt and apply them in a teaching context. “Ultimately I’d like to work in a specialist primary school supportingchildren with additional educational needs, as this is somethingthat’s very close to my heart.”

Love Reading?

I was inspired to read Susan Hill’s TheSmall Hand (2010) having loved TheWoman in Black (1983). It grabs you fromthe outset with a haunting that becomesincreasingly alarming and dreadful, at timesit feels as though you’re experiencingthe haunting yourself. The suspense isbrilliantly created and keeps you guessing.When the story reaches its climax, youdefinitely do not see it coming. A terrifyingghost story that will keep you awake atnight!

Whether you study English, English Literature, English Language,or a degree combining these with Creative Writing, Film Studies orHistory, you will be at the centre of our thriving research community.

Every department academic is a published author or acclaimedinternational researcher in their own right. We publish books,articles, plays, poetry and drama. Much of our English and Historyresearch was assessed as ‘world-leading’ in the latest UK ResearchAssessment Exercise, and we positively encourage research intouncharted literary territory.

Staff-members have been successful in winning national researchawards from bodies such as The British Academy, The Arts andHumanities Research Board and The Leverhulme Trust.

Dr Ben Brabon, Senior Lecturer in English Literature, is a founderof the North Gothic Network, dedicated to the exchange ofknowledge and research on the Gothic movement. Ben is alsoReviews Editor on the Manchester University Press journal GothicStudies, where he gets his teeth into the latest academic opinion. Heis author of Postfeminist Gothic: Critical Interventions in ContemporaryCulture (Palgrave Macmillan 2007), and Gothic Cartography: ALiterary Geography of Haunting (Palgrave, 2011).

Ben Brabon: “We offer a range of modules with a Gothic flavour,such as Gothic romanticism, vampire fictions, Victorian Gothic andTrans-Gothic, analysing literary expressions of the Gothic and thecultural anxieties these texts explore. Students have the opportunityto study everything from eighteenth century classics, such asWalpole's The Castle of Otranto and Dracula, to the contemporaryvampire fiction of the Twilight saga.”

How the English language is used and how it is evolving is equallyimportant to the department. Senior Lecturer in English LanguageDr Jo Shoba, whose international British Academy project,Language Practices and Values among Young People inContemporary Ghana, fosters linguistic diversity and creativityinternationally, explores the ways English is used across the worldand its effects on the identity formation of young people in an ageof global connectedness.

Research at Edge Hill University

The Gender and Sexuality Research Group is an interdisciplinarygroup which promotes academic debate on gender and sexualitystudies, running workshops on subjects such as masculinities,feminisms, gender theories, LGBT and/or queer studies, sexualityand subversion. Recent seminars included a look at celebritymasculinities, featuring Bill Clinton, Monica Lewinsky and DavidBeckham.

Dr Mari Hughes-Edwards, Senior Lecturer in English Literature and chair of GenSex:“We're all too aware of the scandals surrounding the private lives ofcelebrities, but the academic study of their lives and stories helpsus to read their experiences in terms of wider global genderpolitics."

The Department offers a range of MA courses, including Englishand Creative Writing, and has a growing community of independentresearch students working on PhD theses.

Books are the carriers of civilization.Without books, historyis silent, literature dumb,science crippled, thoughtand speculation at astandstill.

Henry David Thoreau

“”

We have very close links with colleagues in Creative Writing,Film Studies and History, which provides a great opportunityto develop interdisciplinary interests, and push the researchenvelope.

In a recent example of this interdisciplinary approach toresearch, Edge Hill University hosted the first UK studentconference dedicated to the work – and provocative lifestyle– of Lord Byron, one of the great English poets and a leadingfigure of the Romantic movement.

Organised as part of the ‘Romanticism at Edge Hill' researchforum, and in conjunction with the Byron Centre at TheUniversity of Manchester, undergraduate students andpostgraduate researchers presented their work to anaudience of nternationally-renowned Byronists and Romanticscholars. The theme was on Byron as romantic icon, andpapers were delivered on topics such as Byron andColeridge, Byron and scandal, and Byron and religion.

We regularly invite speakers to the department who we feelwill inform and enlighten our students. They come from a diverserange of backgrounds, hopefully sparking interest in under-explored avenues of academic investigation. Recentspeakers include:Carol Ann Duffy, Poet Laureate

Stuart Maconie, Journalist, author and broadcaster

Khaled El Hagar, Award-winning Egyptian film-maker

Jennifer Saunders, Comedian and writer

Peter Salmon, Director of BBC North

Partnership and collaboration

Martin PalmerBA (Hons) English and Creative Writing

“I chose to study the English and Creative Writing degree as itcombines my passion for literature and language with my dream ofbecoming a writer.“The tutors here are excellent and they are always there to lend ahand and offer friendly support above and beyond the call of duty.As well as this, through the variety of guest lectures and extra-curricular events held on campus, I’ve gained further perspectivesand understanding from a range of significant writers which I hopewill serve me well in the future.“Becoming a student blogger was a good way for me to use myEnglish skills to help communicate to future students what is availableto them, as well as informing applicants about what is happening atEdge Hill. “For anyone thinking of undertaking a writing course my advicewould simply be to come to Edge Hill with an open mind, you’llsoon discover hidden strengths and passions that you previouslydidn’t know existed.”

What our students say

Love Reading?

Reading books 'tailored for my age level'when I was eleven or twelve was souninspiring, so I took a chance onDouglas Adams' Hitchhiker's Guide tothe Galaxy (1979). For me, the irreverentscience fiction novel was the first onethat mixed brains with a wicked sense ofhumour. It really made me hungry toread the rest of the series and get stuckinto more literature.

Nicola CowlingBA (Hons) English

“When I reached 30 I made the decision that a new career as aprimary school teacher was what I wanted. I made enquiries, andthe staff at Edge Hill were really supportive. They tailored a studypathway I could follow to help make my dreams become a reality.“My English degree is everything I hoped it would be, and I’m reallyenjoying it, even though getting back into the routine and disciplineof studying while also having a family can be difficult at first. For me,the best thing has been learning new things all the time andbroadening my knowledge in so many areas. If you’re looking tostudy a subject that is interesting and challenging at the same timethen you should consider English.“Accomplishing this new challenge, meeting new people andembracing new experiences has given me so much moreconfidence. Studying at university was an opportunity that was neverreally open to me previously, so this has been the chance for me todo something different with my life and gain the qualifications Ineed.“I’m now looking forward to continuing my teacher training.”

Love Reading?

Sophie Kinsella’s Confessions of aShopaholic is a light-hearted book thatreally does relate to most aspects of dailylife, and got me interested in reading. Inmy first year I wrote an essay on thisbook, exploring the novel’s feminismand perceptions of society. She’s writtenseveral sequels, exploring differentissues faced by the main character, suchas finding the perfect job, and nevergiving up on your dreams.

Our students go on to become professional writers, work in thepublic and voluntary sectors, work in broadcast media, and enterthe teaching professions. Others pursue their academic interests todoctoral level and become university academics themselves.

All English students have the opportunity to broaden theiracademic horizons through the ERASMUS European exchangeprogramme, allowing them to study in France, Germany or Spain.Literature students also have the option of studying in the USA.

Although some jobs require specific skills and qualifications, youwill find some key skills are needed for almost any career path youfollow, including communication and negotiation, leadership andteamwork, problem-solving and decision-making, adaptability andflexibility, innovation and creativity, and commercial and self-awareness.

In your second year at Edge Hill University, there is an opportunityto apply academic skills in a workplace setting, such as a library,a museum, a newspaper, or a publishers, but all our degrees offeryou the opportunity to develop a wide range of skills which willprepare you for careers in: Arts administration; Corporatecommunications; Library work; Marketing; Managerial work; Media;Journalism; Public and voluntary sectors; Public relations;Publishing; Speech therapy; Teaching (at home and abroad).

Plan your future with us

Love Reading?

The first play that made me want to be ascriptwriter was The Crucible by ArthurMiller (1952). We had read it forA level, but when it came to life in apromenade performance I saw by theRSC, it was the most emotionally drainingand theatrically thrilling experience I'dever had.

Kim WiltshireSenior Lecturer in Creative Writing

Choose an author as you choose a friend.

Sir Christopher Wren“ ”

Stuart MaconieBA (Hons) English and Social ScienceHonorary MA

Stuart Maconie studied here in the early 1980s, drolly documentedin his autobiography Cider with Roadies. Since graduating, he hasbeen deputy editor of NME, written several other books, includingPies and Prejudice, Adventures on the High Teas, Hope and Glory –The Days that Made Britain, and biographies of the bands Blur andJames, and been crowned GQ Man of the Year. He currently co-presents BBC 6 Music's Radcliffe and Maconie Show and The FreakZone, and has columns in the Daily Mirror and Country Walking.The best-selling author, broadcaster and “national treasure” presentedhis latest work, Hope and Glory, to a packed Edge Hill audience.His witty tales were well-received, as he recounted his search of theplaces, people and events that have shaped modern Britain.“I was a student here for three years…and I never thought when Ileft that I’d be coming back under these circumstances. It wasmuch smaller when I was here, but I have very fond memories ofit, and I had a really good time here. And appalling though itsounds… I loved my course, which was on 20th Century literature,which I guess stood me in good stead for later in life.”

Our alumni

Love Reading?

When I first came to Edge Hill I wastreated like an adult for the first time,and I was encouraged to just enjoy reading.All the stuff I loved and read for fun –Pinter, Beckett, Hardy, Greene, TS Eliot– you studied in the first year atEdge Hill.

Jon BarnesAssistant DirectorCurriculum and Educational Services, ELC (Hong Kong) LtdBA (Hons) English

“Looking back, I can say that I made an excellent choice whendeciding to study at Edge Hill. The tutors were incredible, and theirpassion for English encouraged me to get to where I am now. Theypushed me to follow my love for English and provided me with rolemodels and a glimpse of what I wanted to be.“I initially hoped to teach English Literature after graduation. I lovedreading books and sitting in a classroom discussing them felt likethe best thing in the world. I recommend to anyone who wishes todo the same that they should study hard and find what it is aboutteaching or English that they love. Find this passion, and then finda way to communicate that love to others.“I was offered the opportunity to teach in Hong Kong with ELC (HK)Ltd, who hired teachers to join their summer programmes. Aftertwo weeks of teaching in a secondary school, I fell in love with thecity, the job, and a girl. After another summer placement, I pursuedthe study of world language – bilingualism – teaching English as aforeign language and graduated with a secured place with ELC.”

Love Reading?

I enjoy fiction that questions what weperceive as real. Philip K Dick’s cerebralscience fiction, A Scanner Darkly(1977), may leave you scratching yourhead, whilst the poetically surrealuniverse described in HarukiMurakami’s Kafka on the Shore (2005)offers a perplexing but oddly tranquilother-worldly experience.

Poetry: the best words in the best order

Samuel Taylor Coleridge“ ”

Our award-winning 160-acre campus has enjoyed more than£130m of investment over the last decade.

Amongst recent developments are the £5m Performing Arts Centrewhich includes two theatres, and several dance and drama studios.It also features a full range of production studios, as well as TheRose Theatre, a working performance space with a full year-roundschedule of plays, readings, stand-up comedy, film screenings andmusic.

Our Learning Innovation Centre (LINC) houses a bi-media newsroom,including sound and radio studios with post-production facilities, ifyou would like to pursue an interest in broadcasting. For those withan eye on televisual pursuits we offer a fully-operational TV studio.

The latest addition to Edge Hill's campus is the £13.5m Hub, aninnovative learning and communal space, at the heart of theUniversity, in which students can eat, read, study, or chat.

And for those looking to venture further afield, Liverpool city centreis just a half hour train journey away.

An award-winningcampus

An alternative reading listMust-read literature recommended by staff and students in the English department of Edge Hill Uni-versity. Talk to our staff and students, your friends and relatives, and keep adding to your list – neverstop reading.

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A Scanner Darkly by Philip K Dick (1977)

A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini (2008)

Bilingualism by Suzanne Romaine (1994)

Confessions of a Shopaholic by Sophie Kinsella (2000)

Down and Out in Paris and London by George Orwell (1933)

Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams (1979)

Kafka on the Shore by Haruki Murakami (2005)

The Crucible by Arthur Miller (1952)

The First Circle by Alexander Solzhenitsyn (1968)

The Name of the Rose by Umberto Eco (1980)

The Small Hand by Susan Hill (2010)

The Woman in Black by Susan Hill (1983)

Trainspotting by Irvine Welsh (1993)

Trish Molyneux and Sheila LewisDepartmental Office AdministratorsT: 01695 650942T: 01695 650944E: english@edgehill.ac.uk

Dr Steve Van HagenEnglish Literature Programme LeaderE: hagens@edgehill.ac.uk

Dr Deborah ChirreyEnglish Language Programme LeaderE: chirreyd@edgehill.ac.uk

Contact us

DISCLAIMEREdge Hill University (EHU) makes every effort toensure that the information contained in thisprospectus (which was compiled in June 2012) isaccurate at the time of printing. However, despiteEHU’s best efforts, no guarantee can be given thatthe modules or programmes will be run in full orat all. Applicants are advised to read carefully alldocumentation provided before the start of theirprogramme. EHU reserves the right to change ordiscontinue any course, programme, module orservice or the specific content thereof, or toamend any other aspect of our provision describedin this prospectus without notice. EHU does notaccept any liability arising out of or in connectionwith such changes.

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