English and Literary Studies

Program Overview

The English and Literary Studies program at UWA offers a diverse curriculum that explores literature from various perspectives, including creative writing, performance studies, and the globalized literary world. Students develop analytical thinking, creativity, and communication skills, preparing them for careers in teaching, management, journalism, and other fields. The program boasts a history of award-winning authors and provides opportunities for work placements with renowned literary publications.

Program Outline

Degree Overview:

English and Literary Studies is a diverse and vibrant major that gives students the opportunity to tailor their learning according to their interests and career pathway, from creative writing and performance studies, to the rich history of the western literary tradition. The major also offers units that look at the exciting ways in which literature works in the newly globalised world. Other important elements of the major are creative writing, where students produce their own creative work; screen and performance studies, which examine texts in media not confined to the written page; and the study of everyday life (gender, race, class) as it is mediated textually and imaginatively.

Outline:

• Level 1:
• ENGL1000 Global Literatures (6 points)
• ENGL1002 Literary Classics (6 points)
• ENGL1401 Narrative in the Digital Age (6 points)
• ENGL1501 Reading Creatively/Writing Creatively (6 points)
• ENGL1902 Reading Bodies (6 points)
• Level 2:
• ENGL2200 Jane Austen and her Legacy (6 points)
• ENGL2208 Literary Rebels (6 points)
• ENGL2210 Cinema Classics (6 points)
• ENGL2220 In Other Worlds: Speculative Fiction, Fantasy, and Sci Fi (6 points)
• ENGL2401 Netflicks: Cinema and Long-form Television (6 points)
• ENGL2501 Creative Writing: Theory and Practice (6 points)
• Level 3:
• ENGL3001 Poetry and Poetics (6 points)
• ENGL3200 Writing/Environment (6 points)
• ENGL3300 Australian Literature and Cinema (6 points)
• ENGL3602 Shakespeare: Page, Stage, Screen (6 points)
• ENGL3604 Victorian Dreams and the Technological World (6 points)
• ENGL3801 Advanced Literary Theory (6 points)

Careers:

English and Literary Studies graduates are highly successful in obtaining careers from teaching to management, journalism to advertising and the public service, and in all aspects of cultural life. Many proceed from studies in English to specialised training in professions such as law, medicine, psychology, librarianship, education, publishing, journalism, industrial relations or theatre and media work.

Other:

• English and Literary Studies develops the valuable skills employers look for, such as analytical thinking, creativity, problem solving and the advanced ability to communicate.
• Challenge yourself and open your mind to new ideas.
• English and Literary Studies at UWA has a proud history of developing world-class, award-winning authors.
• Students have the opportunity for work placements with the internationally renowned journal, Westerly, which has been edited in the department since 1956 and is one the oldest literary publications in Australia.