English Literature and Film Studies

On this joint honours degree we emphasise the relationships between different forms of expression, including film and literature, but also visual art, digital media, television, video games and more. The texts you study can include:

Contemporary literary texts
Film and television
Documentaries
Film adaptations
Historical documents
We also focus on the relevance of literature and film to the political, social and cultural contexts which produced it. We believe that words matter, whether they are written in a literary work or spoken on film, and we are interested in how these texts can change the world.

In your Film modules you will learn to investigate the techniques, styles and creative decisions of cinema. We will introduce you to a wide range of genres and movements, including Gothic and horror cinema, animation and Science fiction. You will also have the chance to study films from around the world, with modules focusing on British, European, American and transnational cinema.

In your Literature modules you will have opportunities to engage with classic texts by writers like Shakespeare, Dickens and Austen, but will also engage with diverse genres including Native American writing, prison narratives and LGBTQ+ rights literature.

When you study on this course you will join a lively department which offers many opportunities to take your learning further. This might include:

Getting involved with the writing, publishing and promotion of Neutral magazine
Attending talks and workshops at the annual York Literature Festival or the Aesthetica Short Film Festival
Taking part in field trips