2026/27 Undergraduate Programme Catalogue

BA English and Philosophy

Programme overview

Programme code: BA-ENGL&PHIL
UCAS code: QV35
Duration: 3 Years
Method of Attendance: Full Time
Programme manager: Josh Habgood-Coote
Contact address: J.Habgood-Coote@leeds.ac.uk
Total credits: 360
School/Unit responsible for the parenting of students and programme: Philosophy, Religion and History of Science
Examination board through which the programme will be considered
Relevant QAA Subject Benchmark Groups: Philosophy and English

Entry requirements

Entry Requirements are available on the Course Search entry

Programme specification

Your course
The programme provides for breadth and depth. At level 1, students will be exposed to core topics in each discipline through both compulsory and optional modules. This will allow them to begin to identify areas of personal interest which they may wish to pursue at higher levels. At higher levels, the programme is designed to provide the opportunity to acquire knowledge of and competence in a range of core topics and generic skills in each discipline, building on L1 exposure, or progressively specialising in a disciplinary sub-field (such as normative philosophy, theoretical philosophy, fiction, poetry, historical literary periods). They may undertake a final year project in either of the disciplines. This enables students to build a personalised portfolio of knowledge and competencies in each discipline, which can be adjusted according to an individual student’s intellectual ambitions, needs, and interests.

The programme showcases the distinctive areas of research strength in Philosophy and English at Leeds. Modules at higher levels will offer the opportunity to engage with current research of academics in each of the Schools, especially at level 3.

At level 2, students have the option to study modules that are specifically focused on developing transferable skills for future employment.

At each level, students may study Discovery modules to expand their knowledge and/or skills beyond their programme of study, which provides a further opportunity to shape their study to their ambitions, interests and needs.
The programme has an international variant, which includes a study abroad year at Level 3, and an industrial variant, which includes a work placement year at Level 3.

Your future
Students will gain a suite of transferrable skills valued by employers, such as good organisational skills (gained through developing a personal path through their programme, engagement with study-related activities, and meeting assessment deadlines), independent research skills, the ability to analyse and interpret texts or information, the ability to analyse complex information from multiple sources, ability to construct arguments and to effectively communicate their views, and awareness of how cultural or historical context influences scholarship in the disciplines and issues in contemporary society.

Our world
At each level, students will have the opportunity to engage with material that demonstrates how each of the disciplines is relevant to contemporary issues and concerns (e.g., through race, gender, and culture, or debates about oppression, equality, justice and international obligations). In doing so, they acquire a developed and informed understanding of contemporary issues, their own stance on those issues, and so gain an understanding of their place in the world. Both literature and philosophy have an important role in explicating diverse ways of understanding the world, the experience of different peoples (in place and time), how our world is shaped and can be changed for the better.

Year 1

[Learning Outcomes, Transferable (Key) Skills, Assessment]
View Timetable

Compulsory Modules

Candidates will be required to study the following compulsory modules:

Code	Title	Credits	Semester
ENGL1065	Reading Between the Lines	20	Semester 1 (Sep to Jan)
ENGL1855	Race, Writing and Decolonization	20	Semester 2 (Jan to Jun)
PHIL1260	How To Do Philosophy	20	Semester 1 (Sep to Jan)

Optional Modules

Candidates will be required to study 40 credits from the following optional Philosophy modules:

Code	Title	Credits	Semester
PHIL1080	The Good, The Bad, The Right, The Wrong	20	Semester 2 (Jan to Jun)
PHIL1090	Knowledge, Self and Reality	20	Semester 2 (Jan to Jun)
PHIL1121	Introduction to the History of Western Philosophy	20	Semester 1 (Sep to Jan)

Candidates may study 0-20 credits from the following optional English modules:

Code	Title	Credits	Semester
ENGL1070	Drama: Text and Performance	20	Semester 2 (Jan to Jun)
ENGL1221	Modern Fictions in English: Conflict, Liminality, Translation	20	Semester 1 (Sep to Jan)
ENGL1261	Poetry: Reading and Interpretation	20	Semester 1 (Sep to Jan)

Candidates may study 0-20 credits from the following optional Philosophy modules:

Code	Title	Credits	Semester
PHIL1005	The Mind	10	Semester 2 (Jan to Jun)
PHIL1007	Introduction to the Philosophy of Religion	10	Semester 1 (Sep to Jan)
PHIL1015	Thinking About Race	10	Semester 2 (Jan to Jun)
PHIL1022	Philosophy Meets the World	10	Semester 1 (Sep to Jan)

Please note that optional modules run subject to enrolments. An optional module may not run if only a low number of students choose it.

Discovery Modules

Candidates may study up to 20 credits of discovery modules.

Year 2

[Learning Outcomes, Transferable (Key) Skills, Assessment]
View Timetable

Candidates must study 120 credits which may include up to 20 credits of Discovery modules.

Candidates must pass at least 100 credits, including any PFP modules and a minimum of 40 credits in English (ENGL) and 40 credits in Philosophy (PHIL), to progress to the next year of the programme. Students must take at least 20 credits of English modules per semester, ensuring that they take no more than 40 credits of English modules per semester.

Compulsory Modules

Candidates will be required to study the following compulsory modules:

Code	Title	Credits	Semester	Pass for Progression
PHIL2011	Philosophical Method (JH Programmes)	20	Semester 1 (Sep to Jan)

Optional Modules

Candidates will be required to study at least one of the following core Literature modules. They may also select both options, if preferred:

(Min 20/Max 40)

Code	Title	Credits	Semester	Pass for Progression
ENGL2030	Writing Environments: Literature, Nature, Culture	20	Semester 1 (Sep to Jan)
ENGL2045	Body Language: Literature and Embodiment	20	Semester 2 (Jan to Jun)

Candidates will be required to study 40 credits from the following optional Philosophy modules:

(Min 40/Max 40)

Code	Title	Credits	Semester
PHIL2525	Past Thinkers: History of Modern Philosophy	20	Semester 1 (Sep to Jan)
PHIL2615	How Do You Know? Topics in Epistemology	20	Semester 1 (Sep to Jan)
PHIL2631	God, Thought and the World: Topics in Philosophy of Religion	20	Semester 2 (Jan to Jun)
PHIL2906	Do the Right Thing: Topics in Moral Philosophy	20	Semester 1 (Sep to Jan)
PHIL2915	How to Live Together: Topics in Political Philosophy	20	Semester 2 (Jan to Jun)
PHIL2925	Reality Check: Topics in Metaphysics	20	Semester 2 (Jan to Jun)

Candidates who take both ENGL2030 and ENGL2045 may study a further 20 credits of English optional modules from any of the baskets of optional English modules.

Candidates who take only ENGL2030 MUST study one module from either Basket 4 or 5. They may study up to an additional 20 credits from any of the baskets.

Candidates who take only ENGL2045 MUST study one module from either Basket 1 or 2. They may study up to an additional 20 credits from any of the baskets.

Candidates may not take more than one module (20 credits) from any single basket.

Basket 1:
(Min 0/Max 20)

Code	Title	Credits	Semester	Pass for Progression
ENGL2029	Renaissance Literature	20	Semester 1 (Sep to Jan)
ENGL2144	Life, Love and Death from Chaucer to Marlowe	20	Semester 1 (Sep to Jan)

Basket 2:
(Min 0/Max 20)

Code	Title	Credits	Semester	Pass for Progression
ENGL2065	Postcolonial Literature	20	Semester 1 (Sep to Jan)
ENGL2090	Modern Literature	20	Semester 1 (Sep to Jan)

Basket 3:
(Min 0/Max 20)

Code	Title	Credits	Semester	Pass for Progression
ENGL2095	Other Voices: Rethinking Nineteenth-Century Literature	20	Semester 2 (Jan to Jun)
ENGL2096	The World Before Us: Literature 1660–1830	20	Semester 2 (Jan to Jun)

Basket 4:
(Min 0/Max 20)

Code	Title	Credits	Semester	Pass for Progression
ENGL2055	American Words, American Worlds	20	Semester 2 (Jan to Jun)
ENGL2080	Contemporary Literature	20	Semester 2 (Jan to Jun)

Basket 5:
(Min 0/Max 20)

Code	Title	Credits	Semester
ENGL2034	Cursing and Courtesy: (im)politeness in English	20	Semester 1 (Sep to Jan)
ENGL2039	Keywords: the words we use and the ways we use them	20	Semester 2 (Jan to Jun)
ENGL2044	Prose Fiction Stylistics and the Mind	20	Not running in 202627
ENGL2047	Trial Discourse: The Proceedings of the Old Bailey 1674-1913	20	Semester 2 (Jan to Jun)
ENGL2049	Language of the Media	20	Semester 1 (Sep to Jan)

Basket 6:
(Min 0/Max 20)

Code	Title	Credits	Semester
ENGL2033	Crime Fiction Stylistics: Crossing Languages, Culture, Media	20	Semester 2 (Jan to Jun)
ENGL2038	Global English: Colonialism, Postcolonialism, and Decolonisation	20	Not running in 202627
ENGL2043	The Politics of Language	20	Not running in 202627
ENGL2143	Writing in the Age of Digital Media and AI	20	Semester 2 (Jan to Jun)
ENGL2181	Digital Discourse: language, social media, AI	20	Semester 2 (Jan to Jun)

Please note that these are optional modules and run subject to enrolments. If a low number of students choose a module, then the module may not run and you may be asked to choose another module.

Discovery Modules

Candidates may study up to 20 credits of discovery modules or one module from the following optional modules:

Code	Title	Credits	Semester	Pass for Progression
CSER2206	Developing Your Professional Identity: Preparing for a Career in Within The Arts, Heritage and Creative Industries	20	Semester 2 (Jan to Jun)
FOAH2020	Towards the Future: Skills in Context	20	Semesters 1 & 2 (Sep to Jun)

Please note that these are optional modules and run subject to enrolments. If a low number of students choose a module, then the module may not run and you may be asked to choose another module.

Year 3

[Learning Outcomes, Transferable (Key) Skills, Assessment]
View Timetable

Optional Modules

Candidates will be required to study ONE of the following compulsory modules:

Code	Title	Credits	Semester	Pass for Progression
ENGL3005	Textual Editing Project	40	Semesters 1 & 2 (Sep to Jun)	PFP
ENGL3041	Final Year Project	40	Semesters 1 & 2 (Sep to Jun)	PFP
PRHS3000	Independent Research Project in Philosophy, Religion or History of Science	40	Semesters 1 & 2 (Sep to Jun)	PFP
PRHS3001	Integrated Research Project in Philosophy, Religion or History of Science	40	Semesters 1 & 2 (Sep to Jun)	PFP
PRHS3700	External Placement: Beyond the University	40	Semesters 1 & 2 (Sep to Jun)	PFP

If taking ENGL3041 or ENGL3005, candidates must study at least 40 credits of Philosophy optional modules. They may select from any of the baskets A, B or C.

If taking PRHS3000 or PRHS3001, candidates may study up 40 credits of Philosophy optional modules. They may select from any of the baskets A, B or C.

If taking PRHS3700, candidates must study at least 20 credits of Philosophy optional modules. They may select from any of the baskets A, B or C.

Basket A: Generalist Philosophy:
(Min 0/Max 60)

Code	Title	Credits	Semester
PHIL3011	Philosophy of Language	20	Semester 2 (Jan to Jun)
PHIL3014	Truth	20	Not running in 202627
PHIL3015	Non-Western Philosophy	20	Semester 2 (Jan to Jun)
PHIL3125	Continental Philosophy	20	Not running in 202627
PHIL3322	Aesthetics and the Philosophy of Art	20	Semester 1 (Sep to Jan)
PHIL3700	Feminist Philosophy	20	Semester 1 (Sep to Jan)
PHIL3723	War, Terror and Justice	20	Semester 1 (Sep to Jan)

Basket B: Specialist Philosophy:
(Min 0/Max 40)

Code	Title	Credits	Semester	Pass for Progression
PHIL3012	Ancient Philosophy	20	Not running in 202627
PHIL3112	Kant	20	Semester 2 (Jan to Jun)

Basket C: Applied Philosophy:
(Min 0/Max 60)

Code	Title	Credits	Semester
HPSC3113	History and Philosophy of Artificial Intelligence	20	Semester 1 (Sep to Jan)
PHIL3013	Bioethics	20	Semester 2 (Jan to Jun)
PHIL3016	Philosophy of Work and Play	20	Not running in 202627
PHIL3310	Philosophy of Sex and Relationships	20	Semester 2 (Jan to Jun)
PHIL3855	Philosophical Issues in Technology	20	Semester 2 (Jan to Jun)

If taking one of PRHS3000, PRHS3001, or PRHS3700, candidates must study at least 40 credits of English optional modules. They may select from either basket D or E

If taking one of ENGL3041 or ENGL3005, candidates may study 20-40 credits of English optional modules. They may select from either basket D or E

Basket D: English:
(Min 0/Max 80)

Code	Title	Credits	Semester
ENGL3031	Sex and Suffering in the Eighteenth-Century Novel	20	Semester 1 (Sep to Jan)
ENGL3033	Writing and Gender in Seventeenth-Century England	20	Semester 1 (Sep to Jan)
ENGL3034	Romantic Lyric Poetry	20	Semester 1 (Sep to Jan)
ENGL3037	Speech Acts: Contemporary Approaches to Text and Performance	20	Semester 1 (Sep to Jan)
ENGL3046	Parts, Periodicals, Newspapers: Literature and the Nineteenth-Century Press	20	Semester 1 (Sep to Jan)
ENGL3073	Turks, Moors and Jews: Race and Identity in Early Modern Drama	20	Semester 1 (Sep to Jan)
ENGL3114	Forming Victorian Fiction	20	Semester 1 (Sep to Jan)
ENGL3321	Angry Young Men and Women: Literature of the Mid-Twentieth Century	20	Semester 1 (Sep to Jan)
ENGL3386	Telling Lives: Reading and Writing Family Memoir	20	Not running in 202627
ENGL3406	Home Bodies: Companion Animals in Contemporary Literature	20	Not running in 202627
ENGL3479	Forensic Approaches to Language	20	Semester 1 (Sep to Jan)
ENGL3482	Language Policy, Planning, and Politics	20	Semester 1 (Sep to Jan)
ENGL3491	Language of the Media	20	Semester 1 (Sep to Jan)
ENGL3579	Law and Literature: Transgression, Justice, and Interpretation	20	Semester 1 (Sep to Jan)
ENGL3680	Postcolonial London	20	Semester 1 (Sep to Jan)
FOAH3001	Global African Writing	20	Semester 1 (Sep to Jan)

Basket E: English:
(Min 0/Max 80)

Code	Title	Credits	Semester
ENGL3008	Writing Modern Sexualities	20	Semester 2 (Jan to Jun)
ENGL3027	Shakespeare	20	Semester 2 (Jan to Jun)
ENGL3061	Heart Disease in Contemporary Literature	20	Semester 2 (Jan to Jun)
ENGL3062	Charles Dickens Then & Now	20	Semester 2 (Jan to Jun)
ENGL3065	Page, Publication and Audience	20	Semester 2 (Jan to Jun)
ENGL3068	African American Narrative	20	Semester 2 (Jan to Jun)
ENGL3072	Narratives of Witchcraft and Magic	20	Semester 2 (Jan to Jun)
ENGL3164	Imagining Posthuman Futures	20	Semester 2 (Jan to Jun)
ENGL3181	Digital Discourse: language, social media, AI	20	Semester 2 (Jan to Jun)
ENGL3391	September 11 in Fact and Fiction	20	Semester 2 (Jan to Jun)
ENGL3394	Bowie, Reading, Writing	20	Semester 2 (Jan to Jun)
ENGL3396	Fictions of the End: Apocalypse and After	20	Semester 2 (Jan to Jun)
ENGL3462	Slavery and Antislavery in the Atlantic Imagination	20	Semester 2 (Jan to Jun)
ENGL3475	Children, Talk and Learning	20	Semester 2 (Jan to Jun)
ENGL3476	Crime Fiction Stylistics: Crossing Languages, Culture, Media	20	Semester 2 (Jan to Jun)
ENGL3481	Keywords: the words we use and the ways we use them	20	Semester 2 (Jan to Jun)
ENGL3485	Trial Discourse: The Proceedings of the Old Bailey 1674-1913	20	Semester 2 (Jan to Jun)
ENGL3489	Dialect Hunting	20	Semester 2 (Jan to Jun)
FOAH3230	Transnational Feminism and Creative Practice	20	Semester 2 (Jan to Jun)

Please note that these are optional modules and run subject to enrolments. If a low number of students choose a module, then the module may not run and you may be asked to choose another module.

Discovery Modules

Candidates may study 20 credits of discovery modules

Last updated: 11/05/2026 16:51:59

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