English Literature : A-level
Languages, Literature and Culture


What will you be working towards?
Code | L3-ALV-ELI |
Qualification Type | GCE A/AS Level or Equivalent |
Qualification Level | Level 3 |
Course type | Full Time |
Overview
An English lesson is one in which ideas are shared and views about texts are thought through and discussed. We consider the contexts, purposes and audiences which shape texts. You will need to listen to others thoughtfully and be prepared to discuss your own views. You will be expected to read and write extensively, both in lessons and independently. It will be necessary to read the set texts several times.
Details
The first year involves the study of the following:
Shakespeare: ‘Hamlet’
Drama and poetry pre-1900: Coleridge ‘Selected Poems’
Webster: ‘The Duchess of Malfi’
AND
NEA (coursework) close reading OR re-creative writing piece with commentary: Thomas Hardy: ‘Selected Poems’
The second year will include:
Comparative NEA (coursework) comparing Tennessee Williams’s ‘Cat on a Hot Tin Roof’ with a post 2000 novel of your choice.
AND
Comparative and contextual study from a topic area:
- DYSTOPIA
- Margaret Attwood: ‘The Handmaid’s Tale'
- Ray Bradbury: ‘Fahrenheit 451’
How will it be delivered?
You will sit two exam papers at the end of the second year (each paper is 40% of the A level) and complete two pieces of NEA (combined, these are 20% of the A level).
Entry requirements
In addition to the standard College entry requirements this course also requires students to have achieved grade 5 or above in GCSE English Language and GCSE English Literature. Entry to the second year is dependent on the standard achieved in the first year.
Your next steps...
Students who have successfully completed English Literature A-level go on to study many different disciplines at university. Students who read for English degrees similarly enter a wide number of professions, such as law, teaching, marketing, the media, accounting and banking. There is an increasing need in commerce, industry and the professions for people who are accomplished communicators, and the best preparation for this is the study of English.
What does the course combine well with?
English Literature combines well with subjects such as English Language, History, Geography, Modern Foreign Languages, Theatre Studies, Art, Philosophy, Business Studies, Economics, Law, Mathematics, Media Studies, Sociology and Psychology. It also makes a good third subject for students studying predominantly science courses.