English at Royal Holloway, University of London

Are you getting ready to join the BA English and American Literature degree at Royal Holloway this coming September, or thinking about applying in the future? You may be wondering what you’ll read — and what questions you’ll explore — during your degree. 📚🇺🇸

As part of the BA English and American Lit degree, the compulsory first-year syllabus introduces you to a wide range of texts, genres, periods, and perspectives, building the foundations for studying literature from both sides of the Atlantic. You’ll develop confidence as a reader, writer, and critical thinker while discovering new ways of understanding how literature responds to the world around us.

In your second year, the compulsory module The American Century asks you to think more closely about the literature and culture of the United States. How have writers responded to America’s changing place in the world? Whose experiences have shaped ideas of American identity — and whose voices have been excluded? What can literature reveal about race, power, gender, migration, inequality, and the promises and contradictions of the American Dream?

Studying American literature helps us understand not only the United States, but also its global cultural and political influence. At a time when questions of identity, belonging, history, and power remain urgently relevant, these texts give us the tools to examine familiar narratives, encounter different perspectives, and think critically about the stories nations tell about themselves.

This is only the beginning of the journey: developing new interests, challenging assumptions, and gaining the skills to interpret thoughtfully and communicate clearly.

[Reading lists are always subject to change, so this post offers a strong indication of what you may study rather than an exhaustive list]

Do you have a place to study out BA English and Creative Writing degree at Royal Holloway, or are you still deciding whether we’re for you? Either way, you’re probably wondering what you’ll be reading — and writing — during your first year. 📚✍️

Our first-year syllabus is designed to help you explore literature from both a critical and a creative perspective. You’ll encounter a wide range of texts, genres, periods and ideas, while beginning to experiment with different forms, develop your own voice and discover how reading can shape your practice as a writer.

This is the start of a creative and intellectual journey: building confidence as a reader, writer and editor; sharing and developing work through workshops; discovering new influences and passions; and learning how to communicate with clarity, imagination and purpose.

Swipe through for a glimpse of what you could study during your first year at Royal Holloway. ➡️

[Reading lists and course content are always subject to change, so this is a good indication of what you may study rather than an exhaustive list]

Have a place to study the BA English at Royal Holloway, or still deciding if we’re for you? Either way, we’re sure you’ll be wondering what you’ll get to read during the first year of the English degree at Royal Holloway. 📚

Our first-year syllabus is varied, exciting and designed to open up new ways of thinking about literature. It offers a wide introduction to texts, genres, periods, and ideas you’ll encounter throughout your degree — but it’s really only the beginning.

This is the start of a journey: building confidence as a reader and writer, discovering new passions, and developing the skills to communicate clearly, interpret thoughtfully, and understand perspectives beyond your own.

In a world where communication, understanding, interpretation, and empathy can feel in short supply, studying literature matters more than ever.

[reading lists are always subject to change, so this is really good indication of what you’ll get to study, not an exhaustive list]

LiteratureMatters

English matters - Now more than ever.

“London firms warn of widening AI skills gaps” - BBC News (21/07/26): https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c4g3zn4le1jo

Studying English is not simply about reading books or analysing quotations. It is about learning how language shapes ideas, identities, and the world around us.

English teaches us to question what we read, recognise different perspectives, test arguments, and communicate complex ideas with clarity and purpose. It develops the critical thinking needed to navigate misinformation, the empathy needed to understand experiences beyond our own, and the confidence to participate thoughtfully in public life.

At a time when technology can generate words in seconds, the distinctly human ability to interpret, evaluate, imagine and connect matters more than ever.

English does not just prepare students for a career. It prepares them to think independently, communicate meaningfully, and engage critically with an increasingly complex world.

That is why English matters.

CommunicationSkills HigherEducation UniversityEnglish TheHumanities

After reading countless books, writing numerous essays, and meeting myriad deadlines, graduation day is nearly here for our finalists! 🎓📚

Enjoy the day, celebrate your successes and all the people who’ve supported you along the way!

Congratulations to our graduating Class of 2026!

We’re excited to announce that Dr Will Montgomery has been awarded a 24-month Leverhulme Research Fellowship to conduct research on “The Drive to Abstraction: Poetry and the Visual Arts, 1945 to the Present Day.” The project, which runs from September 2026, deals with the relationship between visual abstraction and the writing of various postwar poets with an involvement in the visual arts. Poets discussed include John Ashbery, Ben Lerner, Susan Howe and Marjorie Welish (pictured).

Recently we came together to celebrate the teaching and research of Prof. Judith Hawley, now Professor Emerita of 17th and 18th Century Literature and Culture, who retired from the Dept. of English last year after more than 30 years of dedicated teaching and research at Royal Holloway. Judith leaves a profound legacy behind her and though she’ll be missed hugely, celebrating her contribution to the department was a fantastic reminder that C18th studies lives strong. Please join us in celebrating Judith’s career and wishing her a happy retirement!