Course Summary
Course Category: Northern Ireland (HET) - Apply through UCAS
Built around a core of significant authors writing in English from Elizabethan times to the end of the Twentieth Century, from Shakespeare to Seamus Heaney, we provide the opportunity for you to follow your own interests through a wide range of optional modules. Two thirds of the course is made up these: you can, for example, take strands on creative and professional writing, women's writing and gender studies, and American literature; or select from modules on contemporary writing, modern drama, love poetry, film adaptation, or Beat culture, to name just a few.
In your final year, you will be guided by a member of the teaching team and write a dissertation on a topic of your own choice.
For those interested in a career in teaching, the modules on Education will give you a taste of theory and practice employed in primary and secondary schools as well as colleges. You can also take courses on creative and professional writing to develop your skills as a communicator and raise your game for the jobs market.
College Link
Career Sectors
This course prepares you for working in the Career Sectors below. Follow the links to get a fuller understanding of the sectors you are preparing for.
Language Options
Entry Requirements
UCAS Tariff Points: 96
or
UCAS Grades: 8 Merits
Leaving Cert entry requirements:
English O4/H6 or above.
Leaving Cert Grades and UCAS Points
The following table may help you calculating your Leaving cert grades into UCAS points:
If you believe the data above to be incorrect, please let us know at [email protected] - thank you.
QQI / FET Links
Points Calculator for QQI Awards:
Details of the QQI scoring system and a points calculator can be found HERE
The Student
Career Interests
This course is typically suited for people with the following Career Interests. If these interests do not describe you, this course may prepare you for work you may not find satisfying.
Linguistic
The Linguistic's interests are usually focused on ideas and information exchange. They tend to like reading a lot, and enjoy discussion about what has been said. Some will want to write about their own ideas and may follow a path towards journalism, story writing or editing. Others will develop skills in other languages, perhaps finding work as a translator or interpreter. Most Linguistic types will enjoy the opportunity to teach or instruct people in a topic they are interested in.
Social
The Social person's interests focus on interacting with the people in their environment. In all cases, the Social person enjoys the personal contact with other people in preference to the impersonal dealings with things, data and ideas found in other groups.
Many will seek out positions where there is direct contact with the public in some advisory role, whether a receptionist or a counsellor. Social people are motivated by an interest in different types of people and like diversity in their work environments. Many are drawn towards careers in the caring professions and social welfare area, whilst others prefer teaching and other 'informing' roles.
Career Progression
Students completing the BA Hons English course are equipped with the kind of intellectual and communicative skills that employers of all kinds require. Common career destinations include publishing, journalism and the media, business, the creative arts, arts administration, and civil service. Successful students can go on to undertake postgraduate work in all areas of English literary studies.
