We are in the process of finalising our postgraduate taught courses for 2026/27 entry. In the meantime, you can view our 2025/26 courses.
On our BA English Literature and Film programme, you will explore two complementary and inter-connected forms of media (the written word and film) that have shaped modern culture.
Being at Reading places you in one of the fastest-growing screen industry hubs in the UK, with a vibrant theatre and performance scene. You will be close to Shinfield Studios, where recent productions like Netflix’s ‘Bridgerton’ and Disney’s ‘Star Wars: The Acolyte’ and ‘Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire’ were filmed. These studios, located on our land, are part of the Screen Berkshire partnership, giving you the opportunity to attend film production bootcamps, workshops, technical training on Arri Alexa cameras, and real-life shoot simulations.
Other partnerships include hands-on experiences with Albert Education, Arri Certified Film School, FEST, Rabble Theatre, Reading Rep Theatre, Climate Change Theatre Action, and South St Theatre.
You will be studying in two departments (English Literature and Film, Theatre & Television) who collaborate with each other extensively.
The Department of English Literature was one of the first university departments in the UK to study American and Canadian authors like Margaret Atwood, and we continue this tradition with a curriculum that includes the best of contemporary writing in English from around the globe. In the Guardian University Guide 2025, we are ranked 9th for English. 100% of our research is of international standing (REF 2021, combining 4*, 3* and 2* submissions – English Language and Literature).
The Department of Film, Theatre & Television pioneered the study of film in UK higher education, and we continue to lead in the range and breadth of the modules we offer.
You'll study film from its beginnings in the late nineteenth century to the present day, and you will be able to learn more about everything from contemporary Hollywood to avant-garde cinema, together with new forms of digital entertainment and video art.
Our teaching is a dynamic mix of theory and practice, and optional modules that include group-based practical projects are available for those who enjoy practice-based study. We have a huge advantage in our £11.4-million building (opened in 2011) that features three theatre spaces, a digital cinema, a dedicated recording studio and a mixing suite.
You will have access to a studio with a flexible lighting system, multi-camera facilities, a talk-back system and Chroma key, and a studio gallery linked to the theatres for live filming and mixing work. We provide industry-standard software and support from dedicated technicians, and all spaces are equipped with state-of-the-art multimedia equipment and lighting.
In English literature, you will encounter authors and genres that you may already know (from tragedy to Gothic, from Shakespeare and Dickens to Plath and Beckett). You will also explore aspects of literary studies that may be less familiar to you, from children’s literature to publishing studies and the history of the book.
Our lecturers and professors have published research on everything from medieval poetry to contemporary American fiction so you will be learning from experts in the field. Everyone in our departments, from new lecturers to professors, teaches at every level of the degree, so you are learning from experts as soon as you begin your first year.
In the latest National Student Survey, 100% of our students said teaching staff are good at explaining things (National Student Survey 2024, responders from the Department of English Literature).
We place a strong emphasis on small-group learning within a friendly and supportive environment, because we believe that the study of literature and cinema is a discursive process where we learn by sharing ideas. We provide detailed and thorough feedback on your written work within 15 working days: this is crucial to your development as a writer, whether you intend a career in creative or professional writing.
Throughout your degree you will be thinking about the career choices that will enable you to thrive after graduation: we will help you put in place the skills and experience that you need to launch that career. You also have the opportunity to undertake a Professional Placement Year in the third year of our degree.
You will be assisted by our Placement Team who will support you to secure a placement and prepare for the year. Placements give you a fantastic opportunity to explore potential future careers and to put your academic learning to work in a professional context.
In your second year, it may be possible for you to spend a semester studying abroad at one of our partner institutions in the USA, Canada, Asia and countries across Europe. Learn more about studying abroad.
