BA (Honours) English Language and Literature
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Degree
- Code
- B39
- Level
- Undergraduate
- Made up of
- 360 credit points
Description
If you’re awarded this degree you’ll have:
- a broad understanding of the English language, including its history, contemporary use and its development as a global language
- received a wide-ranging introduction to literary texts in English (and translated into English)
- developed skills in the interpretation of both literary and non-literary texts, including spoken, written and multimodal texts
- developed a critical understanding of the range and variety of traditions and approaches to the study of literature and language.
Planning your studies
If you’re new to study or to the OU, we recommend that you start with a course at Level 1. For this degree you must take The arts past and present (AA100). If you complete that course successfully you’ll have a firm foundation for future studies as well as credit points to count towards your degree.
If you are considering studying for the BA (Hons) in English Language and Literature, we advise you to read the English Language and Literature programme guide, which will help you plan your route through the programme.
You can register your intention to study for this degree when you register for individual courses, or you can ask us at any time to link courses that you have already studied towards the degree. This gives you the flexibility to delay your decision or to change your mind as your studies progress. There is no time limit for obtaining the required credit points for this qualification. You must include at least 120 points from OU courses that have not been counted in an OU diploma or other first degree you have been awarded. If you have graduated with an OU BA degree without honours this requirement is reduced to 60 credit points.
Career relevance and employability
The English Language and Literature degree brings together the study of English language and the study of literature in English. Although relatively few careers demand a degree in either of those subjects as a formal requirement, you’ll gain skills that are applicable to a broad range of career opportunities, including teaching, public relations, the media (publishing, journalism, advertising etc.), business and administration. You’ll have learnt to read, discuss, analyse and write about a wide range of texts and to conduct independent research. These skills and competencies are recognised by employers in all fields who put a high value on people who can construct a clearly expressed argument; who can present ideas concisely, logically and clearly; who can make a critical analysis of a piece of writing; who can deal competently with a large amount of complex information; and who can show initiative in conducting independent research.
You may need to undertake further training or study in order to enter a new career area. Ask our Student Registration & Enquiry Service for the careers publication OU study and your career if you want to find out more about the process of career development and about sources of careers information and guidance.
For planning your next career steps, visit the OU Careers Advisory Service.
There’s more information about the career relevance of degrees on the national HE Prospects website.
Suggested routes to the degree
You can take a number of different routes towards your qualification. The routes illustrated below are routes many students are using, or have already successfully followed.
Please bear in mind that other routes are available – see the full course list below for all options.
Courses
For this 360-point honours degree you require:
180 points from the following compulsory courses:
| Level 1 compulsory course | Points | Next start |
|---|---|---|
|
60 | Oct 2010 |
| Level 2 compulsory courses | Points | Next start |
|---|---|---|
|
60 | Oct 2010 |
|
60 | Oct 2010 |
Or, subject to the rules about excluded combinations, at Level 1 the discontinued courses A102, A103, AZX103, at Level 2 the discontinued course U210
And 60 points from the following optional literature courses:
| Level 3 optional courses | Points | Next start |
|---|---|---|
|
60 | Oct 2010 |
|
60 | Oct 2010 |
|
60 | Feb 2011 |
|
60 | Oct 2010 |
|
60 | Oct 2010 |
Or, subject to the rules about excluded combinations, the discontinued courses A312, A361, A319, A421, A430
And 60 points from the following optional English language courses:
| Level 3 optional courses | Points | Next start |
|---|---|---|
|
60 | Feb 2011 |
|
60 | Oct 2010 |
Or, subject to the rules about excluded combinations, the discontinued course E300
To complete the 360 points needed for an honours degree, the remaining points up to a maximum of 60 points can be from any OU undergraduate courses. You must ensure that you have the required number of points at each level.
Learning outcomes
The learning outcomes of this qualification are described in four areas:
- Knowledge and understanding
- Cognitive skills
- Practical and professional skills
- Key skills
Read more detailed information about the learning outcomes, and how they are acquired through teaching, learning and assessment methods.
Credit for previous study elsewhere
If you have already completed some successful study at higher education level at another institution we may be able to give you credit for this study that you can count towards this Open University qualification. You can find out more on our Credit Transfer site. If you make a successful claim for transferred credit it may affect your choice of courses so you are advised to investigate this option as soon as possible.
Credit transfer details for this qualification:
Classification of your degree
On successful completion of the required number and type of courses you will be awarded a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) English Language and Literature degree. Your honours degree will be classified either as first-class honours, upper second-class honours, lower second-class honours or third-class honours. The class of degree is determined by the best grades you achieve in a minimum of 120 and up to 240 points from those courses above Level 1 listed above. At least 120 of those points must come from courses at Level 3. You will have the opportunity to attend a degree ceremony.
Regulations
As a student of The Open University, you should be aware of the content of the Award Regulations and the Student Regulations.
Award Regulations
- Introduction to the Award Regulations
- General Award Regulations
- BA (Honours) English Language and Literature
- Schedule A to the Award Regulations
Student Regulations
The Student Regulations (including the Code of Practice for Student Assessment and the Code of Practice for Student Discipline) are available on our Policy Documents for Students website.
How to register
To register for this qualification, read the description and check you meet any specific requirements (for example, some of our qualifications, require you to be working in a particular environment, or be sponsored by your employer). Then select the course you wish to study first and ensure it is suitable for you before following the registration procedure for that course.
About this page
An undergraduate qualification in Arts and Humanities and Languages.
Study explained
- Credit points
- - show how much study is required to complete a course or qualification. One credit point represents roughly 10 hours of study.
- Level
- - indicates how difficult a course is. Undergraduate study starts at Level 1.
- Financial support
- - find out if you qualify for support with your fees with our eligibility checker.
- Study explained
- - all you need to know about studying with the OU.
Got a question?
Contact an adviser in our Student Registration & Enquiry Service
Email or call +44(0) 845 300 60 90
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