Literature and History are vitally intertwined. Both subjects ask questions about how human experience is written and recorded – in the past and in the present – and both probe the relationship between what is real and what is represented.
The unique English and History degree at Warwick explores these ideas through modules that span time and geography: from the ancient to the contemporary, and from Europe to Asia, Africa, and the Americas.
As well as choosing from a wide range of modules in both departments (and in others), you will study special core modules that are exclusively for English and History students, bringing the two subjects together and thinking about how literature helps us to understand the past, and how history can illuminate works of literature. You will examine the literary techniques employed in historical writing, and consider how the past is represented in poetry, plays, and novels.
At all times, we will encourage you to develop your own ideas and arguments, to critically analyse what others say and write, and to think in new and imaginative ways about how we know the past through texts.
Entry requirements
A level typical offer
AAA or A*AB to include grade A in English Literature or English Language and Literature (combined) or History.
You will also need one other Social Sciences or Humanities A level. Please see the subjects listed below under Additional Requirements.
Additional requirements
The Social Sciences and Humanities subjects we will accept include:
Art
Business
Classics
Creative Writing
Design
Drama
Economics
English Language
English Literature
English Language and Literature (combined)
Environmental Studies
Geography
History
History of Art
Journalism
Languages (modern or classical)
Law
Media
Music
Philosophy
Politics
Psychology
Religious Studies
Sociology
Theatre Performance
A level contextual offer
We welcome applications from candidates who meet the contextual eligibility criteria and whose predicted grades are close to, or slightly below, the contextual offer level. The typical contextual offer is ABB including an A in English Literature or English Language and Literature (combined) or History. Applicants only taking one of the above will require one further Social Sciences or Humanities subject. See if you're eligible.
We advise that you also check the English Language requirements for your course which may specify a higher GCSE English requirement. Please find the information about this below.
International Baccalaureate (IB) typical offer
36 to include 6 at Higher Level in English Literature or English Language and Literature (combined) or 6 at Higher Level in History.
You will also need one other Social Sciences or Humanities subject at Higher Level. Please see the subjects listed below under Additional Requirements.
International Baccalaureate (IB) contextual offer
We welcome applications from candidates who meet the contextual eligibility criteria and whose predicted grades are close to, or slightly below, the contextual offer level. The typical contextual offer is 32 including 6 at Higher Level in English Literature or English Language and Literature (combined) or History. Applicants only taking one of the above will require one further Social Sciences or Humanities subject. See if you're eligible.
We advise that you also check the English Language requirements for your course which may specify a higher GCSE English requirement. Please find the information about this below.
BTEC
We welcome applications from students taking BTECs alongside A level English Literature or English Language and Literature (combined) or History.
You will also need one other Social Sciences or Humanities A level. Please see the subjects listed below under Additional Requirements.
Scotland Advanced Highers
AA in 2 Advanced Highers including English Literature or History and AAB in three additional Highers subjects.
Welsh Baccalaureate
AAB in three subjects at A level including A in English Literature or English Language and Literature (combined) or History plus grade C in the Advanced Skills Baccalaureate Wales.
You will also need one other Social Sciences or Humanities A level. Please see the subjects listed below under Additional Requirements.
Access to Higher Education Diplomas
We will consider applicants returning to study who are presenting a QAA-recognised Access to Higher Education Diploma on a case-by-case basis.
Typically, we require 45 Credits at Level 3, including Distinction in 33 Level 3 credits and Merit in 12 Level 3 Credits. We may also require subject specific credits or an A level to be studied alongside the Access to Higher Education Diploma to fulfil essential subject requirements.
We advise that you also check the English Language requirements for your course which may specify a higher GCSE English requirement. Please find the information about this below.
Warwick may make differential offers to students in certain circumstances, such as those who have participated in a Widening Participation programme or who meet the University’s contextual data criteria. These offers are usually one or two grades below Warwick’s standard offer.
Do you offer foundation programmes?
All students who successfully complete the Warwick International Foundation Programme (IFP) and apply to Warwick through UCAS will receive a guaranteed conditional offer for a related undergraduate programme, for selected courses only. Further details are available in the standard offer and conditions for the IFP.
Can I take a gap year before starting my course?
Yes, Warwick welcomes applications for deferred (gap year) entry.
Will I need to interview for this course?
Warwick does not typically interview applicants. Offers are made based on the UCAS application, including predicted and achieved grades, the personal statement, and the school reference.
The first year of your degree provides a thorough grounding in the methods and techniques of history and literary studies. The core module, History and Textuality, is specially designed for this degree programme and gives you an advanced training in the most innovative approaches to historical and literary scholarship.
In your second year, you’ll choose modules from the two departments alongside another specially-designed core module, Writing History, which explores the relationship between history and literature through a series of source-based case studies (which in previous years have included the revolutionary Atlantic, colonial India, the Harlem Renaissance, and 9/11).
Finally, in your third year you’ll complete an independent research project, the English and History Dissertation, and choose from a range of modules offered by the two departments (and others), tailoring your studies to your own interests.
By the time you graduate you will have acquired an exceptional intellectual training for further study in either discipline—or both—and for a range of careers beyond academia; and you’ll never think about literature or history in quite the same way again.
Note that the module catalogue is subject to change for future years of study, as we evolve our courses in response to the latest developments in academia and industry.
Year 1
Plus one further first-year English or first-year History module of your choice.
Year 2
In your second year, you will study 30 CATS of English modules, 30 CATS of History modules, and 30 CATS of your choice (which can be English or History modules, or selected modules from other departments). Your module choices for this year must include at least 30 CATS of early-modern (pre-1800) material. In addition, you will take our core module:
Year 3
In your third year, you will study 30 CATS of English modules, 30 CATS of History modules, and 30 CATS of your choice (which can be English or History modules, or selected modules from other departments). In addition, you will take our core module: the English and History Dissertation.
Additional Modules
Optional modules can vary from year to year. Examples of optional modules may include:
Fees and funding
Tuition fee
£9,790
On 26 November 2025, the UK government announced that the tuition fee cap for UK undergraduate students for the 2026-27 academic year would increase to £9,790 from the 2025-26 rate of at £9,535.
Students who qualify for government-regulated fees are classed as ‘Home’ students for fees purposes. In future years, fees for continuing students may be subject to an increase in fees in line with any inflationary uplift as determined by the UK Government (if permitted by law or government policy).
We carry out an initial fee status assessment based on the information you provide in your application. Students will be classified as Home or Overseas fee status. Your fee status determines tuition fees, and what financial support and scholarships may be available. If you receive an offer, your fee status will be clearly stated alongside the tuition fee information.
If you believe that your fee status has been classified incorrectly, you can complete a fee status assessment questionnaire. Please follow the instructions in your offer information and provide the documents needed to reassess your status.
You will repay your loan or loans gradually once you are working and earning above a certain amount. For students starting their course after 1 August 2023 (on Student Finance England’s Plan 5), you will repay when your income is over £25,000 a year.
Repayments will be taken directly from your salary if you are an employee. If your income falls below the earnings threshold or you stop working, your repayments will stop until your income goes back up above this figure.
Access thousands of part-time opportunities through our agency Unitemps (such as office work, retail jobs or helping at events)
Choose to apply for a job as one of our Student Ambassadors to share your own experience at events like Open Days
There are many different funding routes available, including a number of bursaries and scholarships for full-time undergraduates. If you struggle to meet your essential living costs, our Student Funding team will be on hand to offer advice and support.
Provides additional financial support for qualifying Home students from lower income families of up to £2,500 for eligible students
This bursary is paid directly into your bank account in three equal termly instalments to help with the costs of studying
There is no application for this bursary as your details will be provided directly from the student support awarding bodies (Student Finance England, Student Finance Northern Ireland, and Student Awards Agency Scotland)
A number of scholarship opportunities are open to full-time undergraduate students. These include sporting and musical bursaries, and scholarships offered by commercial organisations.
If you experience financial difficulties during your studies, you may be eligible for Hardship Funding from the University, in the form of an Emergency Loan and/or a non-repayable award
There are no Departmental scholarships available for our Undergraduate courses, however there are other scholarships which you may be eligible for. Please see our scholarships web pages for more information.
Tuition fee
If you are an overseas student enrolling in 2026-27, your annual tuition fees will be as follows:
Band 1 – £27,870 per year (classroom-based courses, including Humanities and most Social Science courses)
Band 2 – £35,530 per year (laboratory-based courses, plus Mathematics, Statistics, Theatre and Performance Studies, Economics, and courses provided by Warwick Business School, with exceptions)
Overseas Tuition fees for 2027-28 academic year have not been set. In future years, fees for continuing students may be subject to an increase in fees in line with an inflationary uplift. Please check our website for updates about 2027-28 fee rates before you apply.
If you are an EU student and eligible for student finance, you may be able to get a Tuition Fee Loan to cover your fees, please visit our Student Funding webpage for guidance for students ordinarily resident outside of England.
We carry out an initial fee status assessment based on the information you provide in your application. Students will be classified as Home or Overseas fee status. Your fee status determines tuition fees, and what financial support and scholarships may be available. If you receive an offer, your fee status will be clearly stated alongside the tuition fee information.
If you believe that your fee status has been classified incorrectly, you can complete a fee status assessment questionnaire. Please follow the instructions in your offer information and provide the documents needed to reassess your status.
Eligibility for student finance will depend on certain criteria, such as your nationality, residency status, course, and previous level of study. The information below is based on the package of financial support available to students starting their course in 2026.
Eligible European Union (EU) Undergraduates can apply for a loan to help with the cost of Tuition Fees. Eligible EU students who meet additional residency criteria may also be eligible for a loan to assist with living costs.For more information please see Student Finance for Undergraduates - EU StudentsLink opens in a new window.
Access thousands of part-time opportunities through our agency Unitemps (such as office work, retail jobs or helping at events)
Choose to apply for a job as one of our Student Ambassadors to share your own experience at events like Open Days
If you are an international student, you may be eligible for financial help from your own government, from the British Council or from other funding agencies. You can usually request information on scholarships from the Ministry of Education in your home country, or from the local British Council office.
A number of scholarship opportunities are open to full-time undergraduate students. These include sporting and musical bursaries, and scholarships offered by commercial organisations.
If you experience financial difficulties during your studies, you may be eligible for Hardship Funding from the University, in the form of an Emergency Loan and/or a non-repayable award.
As well as tuition fees and living expenses, some courses may require you to cover the cost of field trips or costs associated with travel abroad.
For departmental specific costs, please see the Modules tab on the course web page for the list of core and optional core modules with hyperlinks to our Module Catalogue.
Associated costs can be found on the Study tab for each module listed in the Module Catalogue (please note most of the module content applies to 2025/26 year of study). Information about module specific costs should be considered in conjunction with the more general costs below:
Core text books
Printer credits
Dissertation binding
Robe hire for your degree ceremony
Are there any course specific costs?
Please check with the department.
Teaching and learning
At Warwick you will experience a varied combination of seminars, tutorials, lectures, and workshops. Some of your modules might include field trips. In your first year you lay the foundations for your future studies, and you will study modules that give you a strong grounding in the different approaches and skills central to the study of English and History.
Targeted teaching with class sizes of 10-16 students (on average).
Guided learning of typically eight contact hours per week, plus extra-curricular workshops and reading groups. Seminars are usually 1, 1.5 or 2 hours each; lectures are an hour.
Assessment will usually take the form of both coursework and examination, but some of your modules might have creative options as well. Coursework can include essays, reports, oral presentations, video-essays, blogs, vlogs, and mini-projects. In your final year you will complete an English and History Dissertation based on your own research.
As a student on our English degrees, you will have the opportunity to spend your third year at one of our partner institutions overseas. You will then return to Warwick to complete the fourth and final year of your degree. You will be able to apply to transfer to the four-year course when you are in your second year at Warwick, subject to the availability of places from the University’s International Office.
English and History students also have the opportunity to apply to join History students for a term in Venice during their final year, exploring the city’s rich historical and cultural heritage. You will be based at our teaching centre, the Palazzo Giustinian Lolin overlooking the Grand Canal. The Study Abroad Team offers support for these activities, and the Department of History’s Venice Programme Coordinator will be able to provide additional information, support and advice to Venice Term students.
You will then return to Warwick to complete the fourth and final year of your degree. You will be able to apply to transfer to the four-year course when you are in your second year at Warwick, subject to the availability of places from the University's International Office.
Careers
Graduates pursued roles such as:
Journalists
Newspaper and periodical editors
Publishers
Creative directors
Arts officers, producers and directors
Authors, writers and translators
Musicians and composers
Teachers
Advertising accounts managers
Business sales executives
Solicitors and legal associate professionals
Management consultants and business analysts
Marketing associate professionals
Academics and researchers
In addition to a dedicated professionally qualified Senior Careers Consultant to support students studying English Literature, students also take an Academic Enrichment Programme in their first year focused on career skills, academic writing, and how to prepare for a future career while studying. Our Careers consultant also offers impartial advice and guidance, together with workshops and events throughout the year. Previous examples of workshops and events include:
Careers following your English and Comparative Literary Studies Degree
Our Student Opportunity (Careers) department offer a wide range of workshops, from developing confidence and interview techniques to learning how to articulate what you have to offer in order to impress potential employers. Online resources are also available, including training in drafting CVs and covering letters, practice aptitude and psychometric tests, practice online interviews, and other resources to help you research job opportunities. The myAdvantage databaseLink opens in a new window also advertises job, placement and internship vacancies that are from employers who are targeting Warwick students for their recruitment.
You can find and apply for a work placement in the UK or abroad, and the English and Comparative Literary Studies careers consultant is also able to provide support.
Studying (or even working) in another country can add to your skill set and broaden your outlook – both within study and beyond. All students have the opportunity to apply for a year abroad during their second year, which transforms your degree into a four-year course. You’ll need to discuss this with your tutors of course, but we encourage you to consider exploring this option.
Life at Warwick
This is where your journey begins. Our campus is the heart of it all. It’s more than just a campus - it's the places you visit, the people you meet, the fun that you have; the experiences you have here will be transformative.
Within a close-knit community of staff and students from all over the world, discover a campus alive with possibilities.
Our campus is where all the elements of your student experience come together in one place. You won't be short of ways to spend your time on campus - whether it's visiting Warwick Arts Centre, using our incredible sports facilities, socialising in our bars, nightclub and cafés, or enjoying an open-air event. Or if you need some peace and quiet, you can explore lakes, woodland and green spaces just a few minutes’ walk from central campus
Follow our students around campus on our social channels to see their experiences first-hand.
Teaching facilities
Our campus is designed to cater for all of your learning needs. You will benefit from a variety of flexible, well-equipped study spaces and teaching facilities across the University.
Oculus, our outstanding learning hub, houses state-of-the-art lecture theatres and innovative social learning and network areas
Different study spaces offering you flexible individual and group study spaces, computers, printing and scanning facilities, multimedia resources and more
Supporting you
Our continuous support network is here to help you adjust to student life and to ensure you can easily access advice on many different issues. These may include managing your finances and workload, and settling into shared accommodation. We also have specialist disability and mental health support teams.
Whether you live in a campus residence or in partnership accommodation off campus, you’ll be part of a community to get the most from your experience at Warwick.
Societies and sports play a huge part in community life at Warwick. With over 300 to choose from, getting involved is one of the easiest ways to make friends and share in experiences. Whether you’re into films, martial arts, astronomy, gaming or musical theatre, you can instantly connect with people with similar interests.
Your university experience is defined by far more than your course or the career path you follow. At Warwick, it’s where you discover who you could become.
74th
Warwick is ranked 74th in the world and top 10 in all major UK league tables
Our alumni community still call Warwick home. From a few hundred in 1965 to more than 310,000 alumni, and it's ever-growing.
As Warwick graduates, our students have access to employability support for two years after graduation, including access to careers appointments, job vacancies and professional networks.
We’re fond of freedom at Warwick. Freedom to learn, through an enormous array of modules to suit your interests, and through a range of innovative assessment techniques. You’re also free to explore the award-winning Warwick Arts Centre on campus, travel further afield and visit the home of Shakespeare in Stratford, or immerse yourself in the cultural scene in Leamington Spa and Birmingham.
We were ranked in the top 10 for research environment in the latest Research Excellence Framework 2021, which means you’ll feel well connected and ahead of the game.
The department recently moved into our Faculty of Arts Building.
As an Arts student at Warwick you’ll find your home amongst excellent teaching, learning and social spaces, including specialist facilities, all designed to support collaborative working and to enable your creativity and innovation to flourish.
The sustainably built, eight-storey building is located next to the refurbished Warwick Arts CentreLink opens in a new window in the heart of the University’s creative and cultural arts quarter.
This information is applicable for 2027 entry. Given the interval between the publication of courses and enrolment, some of the information may change. It is important to check our website before you apply. Please read our web page 'Important information to consider before making an application' in advance of applying to Warwick.
Next steps
Experience campus at an Open Day. Can't visit? Receive regular email updates or ask current students and staff questions about life at Warwick.
