Critical Thinking Skills
Undergraduate
BA (Hons)
English Multidiscipline with Foundation Year
Salford School of Arts, Media and Creative Technology
Attendance
Full-time
Course
Four year
Next enrolment
September 2023
In a nutshell
The exploration of any English subject area—Literature, Language, Drama, Creative Writing, and Film—will offer the means for a student to develop interesting and fulfilling careers in the twenty-first century. As a result of rapid technological change in all fields of cultural life, and particularly in the proliferation of online content, the ability to think critically, communicate clearly, and research thoroughly provide essential skills in both our day-to-day lives and in our workplaces.
For that reason, this shared Foundation Year, which brings together students from English, Drama, Creative Writing, and Film, focuses on an introduction to the critical skills that you will need to engage with culture and society in the twenty-first century. The programme will provide a collaborative environment which facilitates the exploration of ideas, the interrogation of texts, and the development of a range of theoretical approaches. These practical skills will provide a firm foundation for your future study: they will help to ensure that you can progress through your chosen course with confidence.
Find out more by signing up to our upcoming Open Day. If you have any general questions, please contact Course Enquiries.
You will:
- Learn to read and think critically in order to meet the variable problem-solving challenges set by academic study
- Develop skills in recognising and choosing the study tools and skills necessary to complete set tasks
- Prepare to study on one of our BA (Hons) degree programmes
This is for you if...
1.
You are passionate about the study of English
2.
You read widely and have a desire to deepen your skills in critical analysis
3.
You are creative, enthusiastic, and highly motivated
All about the course
Designed to prepare students for entry to an undergraduate programme in English, this Foundation Year will introduce you to a range of study tools and critical skills which provide the best foundation upon which to explore or create a variety of literary and cultural texts.
You will be taught within a group of students who have a shared interest in the English subject area and who will progress onto programmes in Literature, Language, Drama, Creative Writing, and Film.
Together, you will complete a series of modules which provide a range of learning experiences that help you to develop the knowledge and understanding of how to engage successfully with study at an undergraduate level.
Following the Foundation Year, you will study the three years of BA (Hons) English Multidiscipline.
The modules which you will study on the three-year degree course will vary depending on which subject combinations you choose. The idea behind BA (Hons) English Multidiscipline is that you shape the degree based on your interests.
Whether your passions lie in Literature, Language, Drama, Creative Writing or a mix of these, you will be able to study what interests you most through a range of core and optional routes.
You can read more about the modules on each routes on these pages:
English Literature and Creative Writing
English Language and Creative Writing
English Language and English Literature
Drama and Creative Writing
English Language and Drama
English Literature and Drama
Foundation year
This module will help students to develop a broad range of critical thinking skills which are necessary to engage successfully with the complex intellectual tasks typically encountered in a university undergraduate programme.
Introduction to Literary Theory
This module is designed to introduce a student to a range of literary theories which they will encounter as they explore the historical and critical contexts of literary history; it will provide a student with a range of theoretical tools which can be implemented for the analysis and interpretation of literary texts and will acquaint them with the types of theoretical debates which they will encounter during an undergraduate degree in English studies.
Language and Communication
This module will introduce students to the academic study of language and its relationship to communication across various media. Learners will be encouraged to take an interest in texts of all types and to develop a curiosity as to language use in various contexts. A particular focus of the module will be a detailed examination of language use in speech and writing and how audience and context play central roles in the creation, comprehension and dissemination of different text types. Students will also be introduced to the concept of linguistic prescriptivism by considering the diversity of speakers' attitudes towards variety in language use; they will be enabled to place linguistic prescriptivism within its wider sociocultural context, not least its synergies with the issues of social class, discrimination and cultural diversity.
Reading Management Skills
This module will help students to develop the reading skills necessary to undertake successfully the sophisticated reading demands of a university undergraduate programme.
Study and Group Work Skills
This module is designed to equip a student with an appropriate set of study skills and study habits to ensure that they will be able to transition successfully to their chosen route of academic study for a university undergraduate programme.
Please note that it may not be possible to deliver the full list of options every year as this will depend on factors such as how many students choose a particular option. Exact modules may also vary in order to keep content current. When accepting your offer of a place to study on this programme, you should be aware that not all optional modules will be running each year. Your tutor will be able to advise you as to the available options on or before the start of the programme. Whilst the University tries to ensure that you are able to undertake your preferred options, it cannot guarantee this.
Be a part of a creative, supportive community
All our English courses are delivered by the Salford School of Arts, Media, and Creative Technology. Our focus is to ensure that you have the skills you need to pursue your dreams, and we encourage our students, past and present, to collaborate with each other and achieve great things.
Each year - through the Create Awards – our School rewards the incredible achievements and successes of our final year and postgraduate students.
Whatever you choose to study with us, you’ll be mentored and supported by experts. And once you graduate, it won’t end there. You’ll join a thriving alumni network across Greater Manchester and beyond, meaning you’ll be supported professionally and personally whenever you need it.
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What about after uni?
EMPLOYMENT
Through the multidisciplinary approach of this degree, your selected route—which combines two discipline areas from Creative Writing, Drama, English Literature, and English Language—will equip you with a range of transferrable skills that can be applied in any professional workplace. Many of our graduates go on to become teachers, researchers and academics, or to work in the civil service, media, advertising, or any role in which communication is key. Creative Writing is the natural choice for budding authors and poets; Drama open-ups a wide range of exciting career opportunities as a practitioner in the theatre and film industries; English Literature may appeal to you if you are looking for a career in publishing; English Language could lead you to careers in speech and language therapy, lexicography, and teaching English as a second or other language.
Furthermore, while studying BA (Hons) English Multidiscipline, you will have the opportunity to gain hands-on experience through our placement module in an industry relevant to your career development while you are studying—and we will support you with additional opportunities for support in CV development and application writing.
Previous students who have studied English at Salford have established successful careers in areas as diverse as teaching, researching for television and radio, local government, theatre-making, business management, HR, finance, journalism, and marketing.
Whatever subdisciplines you choose to study, BA (Hons) English Multidiscipline will equip you with a range of highly versatile skills, making possible the pursuit of an exciting career: so, the question is, where do you want your journey to take you?
FURTHER STUDY
Graduates showing strong academic and research skills can pursue a further postgraduate path through our Postgraduate programmes on a full-time or part-time basis subject to a satisfactory proposal.
Career Links
This course includes regular masterclasses with practioners and professionals in the creative industries, including published authors.
Recent contributions include editors from Harper Fiction, Hachette Children’s publishers, Curtis Brown Literary Agency, Bloomsbury, Comma Press, and the BBC.
Past visits and masterclasses have been delivered by practitioners including Jackie Kay, Andrew Michael Hurley, Kit De Waal, Emma Flint, Megan Bradbury, Paul Magrs, and Alan Gibbons.
This course also responds to the needs of industry in developing subject expertise and transferable skills appropriate to a wide range of careers. The English Subject Group has close associations with industry and professional bodies such as:
- BBC TV and Radio
- Granada TV
- The International Anthony Burgess Foundation
- The Working Class Movement Library
- The Imperial War Museum North
- Red Telephone Press
- Legend Press
- Knives Forks and Spoons Press
- Erbacce Press
- If not P then Q Press
- Carcanet Press
- The Royal Exchange Theatre, Manchester
- HOME Manchester
- Octagon Theatre, Bolton
- Old Vic Theatre New Voices Company
- British Isles North West section of Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators
- Oxford University Press
- The British Library
- The National Library of Scotland
- Dictionaries of the Scots Language
- The Society of Antiquaries
- The Salford Institute of Dementia
- The Stoke Association
Associations such as those ones listed above provide you with a number of benefits such as theatre visits, networking opportunities, guest speakers, masterclasses, workshops, and work experience opportunities.
What you need to know
APPLICANT PROFILE
There is no one ‘type’ of applicant for a programme as broad, diverse, and innovative as BA (Hons) English Multidiscipline with Foundation Year, but have a look at the following questions to see if this might be the degree for you.
Do you have an analytical mind? Would you like to explore the building blocks of English? Are you an avid reader? Does the use and construction of English intrigue you? Do you want to understand more about how language works and how best to use it?
Do you love getting lost in a good book? Are you looking for the opportunity to share your literary ideas with likeminded people?
Do you dream of seeing your words in print? Do you love the way words create vivid images and stories that stick with readers for a lifetime?
Are you passionate about theatre and performance? Are you as passionate about performance as you are poetry and prose? Do you want to learn how to write compelling scripts, as well as act them out on stage?
The BA (Hons) English Multidiscipline with Foundation Year welcomes applications from anyone wanting to engage with the exciting opportunities offered by our flexible and innovative degree. If you answered ‘yes’ to some of those questions above, then we will warmly welcome you to our close-knit academic community where you will be given the space to explore ideas and creative opportunities that will enrich your life.
Standard entry requirements
English Language requirements
International applicants will be required to show a proficiency in English. An IELTS score of 6.0, with no element below 5.5, is proof of this.
GCSE
English Language at grade C/level 4 or above (or equivalent) is required. Maths at grade C/4 or above (or equivalent) is preferred but not essential.
You must fulfil our GCSE entry requirements as well as one of the requirements listed below.
A level
64 points
T Levels
Pass: D or E in core subject
UCAS tariff points
64 points
BTEC Diploma
MM
BTEC Extended Diploma
MPP
Access to HE
Pass Level 3 Acess to HE Diploma with 64 points
Scottish Highers
64 points
Irish Leaving Certificate
64 points
International Baccalaureate
24 points
European Baccalaureate
Pass Diploma with 60% overall
Alternative entry requirements
Salford Alternative Entry Scheme (SAES)
We welcome applications from students who may not meet the stated entry criteria but who can demonstrate their ability to pursue the course successfully. Once we have received your application we will assess it and recommend it for SAES if you are an eligible candidate.
There are two different routes through the Salford Alternative Entry Scheme and applicants will be directed to the one appropriate for their course. Assessment will either be through a review of prior learning or through a formal test.
How much?
| Type of study | Year | Fees |
|---|---|---|
| Full-time home | 2024/25 | £8,250.00 for Foundation Year and £9,250.00 for subsequent years. |
Additional costs
You should also consider further costs which may include books, stationery, printing, binding and general subsistence on trips and visits.