English Literature and Politics BA (Hons)

**Please note that Combined Honours degrees at Liverpool Hope University are split 50/50. This means both subjects will be studied equally.**<br/><br/>**English Literature**<br/><br/>Study with us and you will encounter a wide variety of texts from medieval right through to contemporary literature. As much as possible we try to make the experience of literature come alive by not only studying texts in classrooms, but also going on various local and national field trips.<br/><br/>During your degree, you will gain a sound grasp of the contexts and approaches within which English literature can be studied, as well as gaining a sense of the development across periods of English literature. You also develop a critical appreciation of the ways in which knowledge of other disciplines and their relationships to English literature can contribute to a deeper understanding of literary texts. The academic staff teaching the degree have research expertise in a broad range of fields. We pride ourselves on offering a challenging and stimulating degree, and our commitment to small group teaching allows us to help each individual student to develop sophisticated analytical and communication skills through working both independently and in groups.<br/><br/>**Politics**<br/><br/>Politics affects all of us. It is central to human life and human affairs. It is fundamental to how we organise and govern ourselves and to how we resolve conflicts. The decisions we make as political communities, who makes them and how, have consequences for how we live, from questions of war and peace, the distribution of wealth, our rights, freedoms, responsibilities, our access to education, transport and health care.<br/><br/>In this rapidly changing world, new challenges are constantly arising – from climate change to new technologies, from identity politics to Brexit and the Covid-19 pandemic – and the study of politics needs to respond. At Liverpool Hope, therefore, we seek to engage with politics and political issues in the real world as they evolve and change over time. In doing so, we actively encourage debate and discussion amongst our students, encouraging a stronger awareness and appreciation of different points of view. <br/><br/>On this programme of study, you will explore key ideas, institutions and politics in an international, national and local context. You will be taught by staff who are experts in their field, who will teach you to engage with political research and develop the capacity to be an independent, critically-minded scholar. The course also aims to equip you with transferable skills to take into the world of work.