The story of humanity’s creative history
Year of entry: 2025/26
QV33
Y50
3 years full-time
AAB (full entry requirements)
September 2025 (semester dates)
Complete University Guide 2025
Guardian University Guide 2024
By combining English and History of Art, you’ll get to explore how textual and visual material interact with one another.
Studying the two subjects together asks how creativity responds to and works to shape the world. You’ll learn how to master art-historical and literary criticism, and discover the connections and differences between artistic media. In doing so, you’ll gain an exciting and fresh perspective on the history of human expression, graduating with skills highly prized by employers across a wide range of industries.
The city of York has a long tradition of cultural heritage and literary excellence which you can engage with. We partner with the York Festival of Ideas and the biennial York International Shakespeare Festival, and out hugely successful Writers at York series brings in a stellar cast of world-famous contemporary writers. Our Writer-in-Residence offers creative writing workshops and events throughout the year.
The Department of History of Art has a close relationship with York Art Gallery, York Minster, the Centre of Ceramic Arts, and the Yorkshire Country House Partnership, as well as the Yorkshire Sculpture Park, Hepworth Wakefield, and Henry Moore Institute for the Study of Sculpture.
You'll cover a broad range of literary and art-historical topics that range from the classical period to the 21st century. Our international outlook takes account of the European and global contexts of art and literature.
As you progress in Years 2 and 3, you'll choose your own blend of modules taught by experts in the field and introducing you to the newest and most exciting research and ideas. In the final year of your degree, you’ll bring your two subjects into dialogue in a bridge dissertation.
There are opportunities for you to spend time abroad during your course:
There are opportunities to spend time in industry as part of this course.
In the first year of your degree, we’ll introduce you to the undergraduate study of English and History of Art. Our modules will give you the skills you need to start undertaking literary and art-historical research, and advice on how to combine the two disciplines.
We’ll introduce you to an exciting range of texts and critical approaches in your first year to lay the foundation for your degree. You’ll develop your knowledge of literary history by studying works from the medieval, Renaissance, early modern, eighteenth-century, Romantic, Victorian, and modern periods on our Approaches to Literature modules. Reading Now will introduce you to the necessary skills for the study of literature at university level.
Your History of Art core modules will introduce you to the making and experience of different kinds of artworks, how visual ideas transform between cultures and periods, and how to interpret art-historical objects in-depth.
Core modules
In addition to the above you will also need to complete our online Academic Integrity module.
This module covers some of the essential skills and knowledge which will help you to study independently and produce work of a high academic standard which is vital for success at York.
This module will:
In the second year of your degree, you’ll choose from a range of intermediate modules across the English and History of Art departments.
Our Intermediate Option Modules allow you to deepen your understanding of the relationship between literary works and the cultural, historical, and political contexts in which they were produced.
Our World Literature Modules invite you to engage with questions of language, translation, and cultural difference in ways that equip you with important skills in linguistic analysis and description. Recent offerings have included the following:
In History of Art, you'll choose from a range of Intermediate seminar modules, which range from the late antique to the contemporary. Some of these are focused on specific periods; some consider specific places; some examine specific media; while others are thematic; or consider specific institutions. Topics may include:
You may be able to replace one option module with an elective module, studying a complementary subject, a language or an interdisciplinary topic.
In the third year of your degree, you will undertake a bridge dissertation, one of the distinctive features of the English/History of Art degree at York. The dissertation invites students to undertake a research project that brings the study of English and History of Art together. This year-long advanced module offers you the chance to use all the research and writing skills you will have developed at York.
You will study four option modules. Examples can be found below. Some option module combinations may not be possible. The options available to you will be confirmed after you begin your course.
You'll choose from a variety of options in History of Art, allowing you to understand a period, place, or problem in unprecedented detail. Topics may include:
In English, you will choose from the department’s Advanced Option Modules. These reflect the wide-ranging and cutting-edge research expertise of the Department, and our options cover literature from the classical period to the twenty-first century, as well as film and creative writing. Students can typically choose from around 30 options. Recent offerings have included:
You may be able to replace one option module with an elective module, studying a complementary subject, a language or an interdisciplinary topic.
Our modules may change to reflect the latest academic thinking and expertise of our staff, and in line with Department/School academic planning.
Every course at York has been designed to provide clear and ambitious learning outcomes. These learning outcomes give you an understanding of what you will be able to do at the end of the course. We develop each course by designing modules that grow your abilities towards the learning outcomes and help you to explain what you can offer to employers. Find out more about our approach to teaching and learning.
| UK (home) | International and EU |
|---|---|
| £9,250 | £25,800 |
Fees for students starting in the 2025/26 academic year.
The level of fee that you will be asked to pay depends on whether you're classed as a UK (home) or international student. Check your fee status.
For more information about tuition fees, any reduced fees for study abroad and work placement years, scholarships, tuition fee loans, maintenance loans and living costs see undergraduate fees and funding.
You'll need copies of the texts set for each module. Where possible, the Department works to arrange digital copies via the University Library. Where this is not practical, you'll be instructed in advance of the start of each term about the texts and editions you'll need to purchase (whether new or second-hand).
We'll confirm more funding opportunities for students joining us in 2025/26 throughout the year.
You can use our living costs guide to help plan your budget. It covers additional costs that are not included in your tuition fee such as expenses for accommodation and study materials.
Our teaching, learning and student experience is outstanding, recognised by a Gold rating from the Office for Students in the 2023 national assessment (Teaching Excellence Framework).
You’ll study and learn with academics and curators who are active researchers, experts in their field and have a passion for their subjects. Our approach to teaching will provide you with the knowledge, opportunities, and support you need to grow and succeed in a global workplace. Find out more about our approach to teaching and learning.
English at York is renowned for its flexible and innovative approach. You’ll work closely with tutors in small-group seminars, supported by lectures, workshops, and opportunities to consult staff on a one-to-one basis in their weekly office hours.
In History of Art, teaching occurs in a variety of ways, including lectures to the entire cohort and workshops, where group work is often prioritised, especially at the start of your degree when you are still finding your feet. The department is, however, most committed to small-group teaching. From the first year onwards, you will regularly be in seminars with no more than fifteen other students. This creates a lively, guided, democratic environment for discussion, which, we believe, represents the best way to learn.
In addition, the Department of History of Art is committed to seeing and understanding works of art and architecture in all their detail and complexity. As a result, wherever possible, we take you to see the works themselves in the flesh, often making use of our international connections and partnerships with Tate, the V&A, and the National Gallery, as well as a host of local museums and galleries, to give you privileged access.
You can typically expect eight hours of contact time per week — and sometimes more. There are also numerous opportunities for informal contact.
Our dedicated research informs all our teaching activities. Our friendly, approachable, and accessible staff are world-leading experts in their fields. They are each available to meet individually with you during two weekly open office hours. We organise many guest lectures and readings by well-known artists, curators, and writers.
In your first year, you can expect:
| Lectures | 3-4 hours per week |
|---|---|
| Seminars | 2 hours per week |
| Workshops | 2-4 hours per week |
| Film Screening | 0-3 hours per week |
These figures are representative of a typical week. Your contact hours will vary throughout the year due to your module choices, non-compulsory classes, exam periods and changes to scheduled activities.
Outside your timetabled hours, you'll study independently. This may include preparation for classes, follow-up work, gallery and other site visits, wider reading, practise completion of assessment tasks, or revision
In the UK, full-time students are expected to spend 1,200 hours a year learning. That's about 40 hours of classes and independent study each week during semesters. Everyone learns at a different rate, so the number of hours you spend on independent study will be different to other students on your course.
Thin Ice Press is the Department of English and Related Literature’s in-house printing studio, whose iron presses chart the evolution of print from 1838-1926. They offer opportunities to experience the relationship between writing and printing practices through publication, practice-led research, teaching, and public workshops.
You will be based in the Department of English and Related Literature and the Department of History of Art on Campus West.
Your contact hours will be divided between Derwent College, Vanbrugh College, the Spring Lane Teaching Building, and other nearby locations on Campus West. In addition, you may be taught at the historic King’s Manor campus in the centre of town, and in a range of museums and galleries across the region, the country, and continental Europe.
York is the perfect place to inspire your studies, with a rich and turbulent history stretching back to the Romans. Today the city boasts beautiful historic architecture, as well as museums, galleries, and archives.
Our beautiful green campus offers a student-friendly setting in which to live and study, within easy reach of the action in the city centre. It's easy to get around - everything is within walking or pedalling distance, or you can use the fast and frequent bus service. Take a campus tour.
The Department of English and Related Literature employs a variety of assessment methods, including group projects and open exams, but with a strong emphasis on essay writing. Your main mode of assessment will be essays, which will range from short exploratory exercises to more detailed discussions on a topic of your choice. We offer high levels of feedback and ample opportunities for you to meet with staff to discuss your written work.
Assessment in History of Art takes a variety of forms, from assessed seminar participation, involving presentations as well as group work and discussion, through essays of increasing length and ambition, to open and closed exams. We offer a range of forms of assessment mindful that different students have different strengths, and to enable you to demonstrate your flexibility to your future employers.
In your third year, you will bring your two subjects into dialogue in a 7,000-8,000 word bridge dissertation on a topic of your choosing.
Studying English and History of Art at York will provide you with numerous career possibilities. You’ll learn presentation, language, and critical thinking skills during your combined degree, and gain expertise in complex analysis and research. These skills suit a wide range of careers related to the creative industries, from arts administration to conservation and curation.
Studying here allows you to make your engagement with History of Art as personal as you’d like, with incredible opportunities to travel and develop outside your course.Senah, History of Art.
| Typical offer | |
|---|---|
| A levels | AAB including an A in English Literature (English Language and Literature is also acceptable) |
| Access to Higher Education Diploma | 36 credits at Distinction, including at least 9 credits in Literature-related units, and 9 credits at Merit or higher |
| BTEC National Extended Diploma | DDD with an additional A Level or equivalent qualification in English Literature at grade A |
| Cambridge Pre-U | D3, D3, M2 including D3 in English Literature |
| European Baccalaureate | 80% overall, with 85% in English Literature. |
| International Baccalaureate | 35 points including 6 in English Literature at Higher Level (Higher Level English Language and Literature is also acceptable) |
| T levels | We are currently not accepting T Levels for this course unless an additional A Level (or equivalent qualification) in English Literature has been taken. |
| Scottish Highers / Advanced Highers | Advanced Highers - B in English Literature plus Scottish Highers - BBBB We may also be able to consider three Advanced Highers or a combination of Highers and Advanced Highers, where an applicant does not meet the grade requirement through Highers alone. Please contact us to discuss your qualifications. |
| Other international qualifications | Equivalent qualifications from your country |
Meeting the following additional criteria may qualify you for an alternative offer.
| Criteria | Adjustment |
|---|---|
| Widening participation | If you successfully complete one of the following programmes, you may be eligible for an alternative offer up to two A level grades (or equivalent) below our typical offer: Black Access Programme, Next Step York, Realising Opportunities. More about widening participation. |
| Contextual offers | If you have experience of local authority care or live in an area with low progression to university, you may be eligible for an alternative offer up to two A level grades (or equivalent) below our typical offer. More about contextual offers. |
| EPQ | If you achieve A or higher at EPQ, you may be eligible for an alternative offer up to one A level grade (or equivalent) below our typical offer. |
| MOOCs | If you successfully complete our online course Modern Sculpture: An Introduction to History of Art do let us know, as you may be eligible for an alternative offer up to one A level grade (or equivalent) below our typical offer. More about MOOCs. |
If English isn't your first language you may need to provide evidence of your English language ability. We accept the following qualifications:
| Minimum requirement | |
|---|---|
| IELTS (Academic) | 6.5, with a minimum of 6.0 in each component |
| Cambridge CEFR | 176, with a minimum of 169 in each component |
| Oxford ELLT | 7, with a minimum of 6 in each component |
| Oxford Test of English Advanced | 136, with a minimum of 126 in each component |
| Duolingo | Integrated subscores: 120 overall, with a minimum of 105 in each component |
| GCSE/IGCSE/O level English Language (as a first or second language) | Grade C / Grade 4 |
| LanguageCert SELT | B2 with a minimum score of 33/50 in each component |
| LanguageCert Academic | B2 Communicator with a minimum score of 33/50 in each component |
| Kaplan Test of English Language | 478 Main Flight score with 444 in each component |
| Skills for English | B2: Merit overall, with Pass with Merit in each component |
| PTE Academic | 61, with a minimum of 55 in each component |
| TOEFL | 87 overall, with a minimum of 21 in each component |
| Trinity ISE III | Merit in all components |
| Other English language qualifications | We also accept other English Language qualifications, including various school-leaving certificates. |
For more information see our undergraduate English language requirements.
You may be eligible for one of our pre-sessional English language courses. These courses will provide you with the level of English needed to meet the conditions of your offer.
The length of course you need to take depends on your current English language test scores and how much you need to improve to reach our English language requirements.
After you've accepted your offer to study at York, we'll confirm which pre-sessional course you should apply to via You@York.
Get in touch if you have any questions
Department of English and Related Literature, Department of History of Art
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