As a global city, London is the destination for people from around the world. Some come for work in finance, while others seek experience in commerce or law. Our capital city is also a hub of learning, both for international students and those from across the UK. To satisfy that demand, many London schools add learning programmes to their course lists, including English Literature courses.
| 🏫School name | 🔢Number of degree plans | 👨🎓Admissions requirements |
|---|---|---|
| UCL - University College London | 6 | A-Level: AAA, plus English Literature (or combined Literature and Language) required. GCSEs: English Language at grade B or 6 and Mathematics at grade C or 4. IB: 36, with 18 points in three higher level subjects including English A1 Literature/Language and Literature at grade 6. |
| KCL - King's College London | 7 | A-Levels range: AAA - AAB Contextual offers range: ABB - ABC A in English Literature, or English Language and Literature. IB: 35 points or 17 points from three Higher Levels. |
| Queen Mary University of London | 1, plus an option for study abroad | A-Levels: ABB, with English Literature, English Language and Literature or English Language. IB; 32 overall points; 6,5,5 from three Higher Level subjects, one of which must be Higher Level English A. |
| St Mary's University, Twickenham | 1, plus an option for study abroad | 112 UCAS points, plus English or English Literature A-Level. IB: contact the school for country-specific entry requirements. |
| University of Westminster | 3 full-time 3 part-time | A-Level: BCC with GCSE English Language grade 4/C |
| University of West London | 3 | A-Level: BCC to BBC with GCSE English and Maths grade 9 - 4 / A* - C |
| University of Roehampton | 3 | Entry tariff ranges from 104 to 128 UCAS points. |
| London Metropolitan University | 1, with an optional foundation year Part-time and full-time available | A-Levels: BCC, plus GCSE English at grade C/4 or above |
| University of Greenwich | 1, with an optional foundation year Part-time and full-time available | UCAS tariff points: 112; equivalent BTEC, IB or T-Levels accepted. |
| Birkbeck University of London | 1, with an optional foundation year Part-time and full-time available | UCAS tariff points: 112; equivalent IB and BTEC accepted. |
UCL - University College London
The godless college in Gower Street
Editorials describing London University
Until recently, our country was fundamentally religious: every institution, from government to education, had to have the Church's seal of approval. University College London helped break that stranglehold.
In 1825, it opened its doors as England's first fully secular school, calling itself London University, even though it had no power to award university degrees.
UCL was the first school in London, and in England, to admit students regardless of their religion.
It was also among the first in the country to embrace coed education.
UCL's renegade spirit is alive and well still today. The Faculty of Arts and Humanities keeps things simple, listing only English studies as a blanket course that covers literature from the 7th century to today. This three-year, full-time course includes literary theory studies, as well as Old English writings and American literature. You may enhance your learning with foreign language studies.
| 📗Course name | 🔎What it covers | ⌛Course duration | 👨🎓Admissions requirements |
|---|---|---|---|
| BA English | Texts from Renaissance to the present. Literary theory Understand cultural and intellectual sources of literature. | 3 years | A-Level: AAA, plus English Literature (or combined Literature and Language) required. GCSEs: English Language at grade B or 6 and Mathematics at grade C or 4. IB: 36, with 18 points in three higher level subjects including English A1 Literature/Language and Literature at grade 6. |
| Latin and English | Focus is on on the linguistic, literary, historical and cultural study of Latin and English, and the connections between them. | 3 years | A-Levels: AAB, plus English Literature/Language and Literature and Latin at grade A required. GCSEs: English Language at grade B or 6 and Mathematics at grade C or 4. IB: 36, with 17 points in three higher level subjects including English Literature/Language and Literature and Latin at grade 6. |
| Dutch and English | Study Dutch culture and language, alongside English literature. Course includes 1 year study abroad. | 4 years | A-Levels: AAA; English Literature/English Language and Literature grade A required, foreign language preferred. GCSEs: English Language at grade B or 6 and Mathematics at grade C or 4. IB: 38, plus 18 points in three higher level subjects, with no higher level score below 5, to include English/English Literature required at grade 6. |
| French and English | Enhance French language skills while exploring English literature, and discovering connections between the two languages. Course includes one year of study abroad. | 4 years | A-Levels: AAA, plus English Literature/English Language and Literature and French grade A required. GCSEs: English Language at grade B or 6 and Mathematics at grade C or 4. IB: 18 points in three higher level subjects, with no higher level score below 5, to include English Language and Literature/English Literature and French required at grade 6. |
| German and English | Enhance German language skills while exploring English literature, and discovering connections between the two languages. Course includes one year of study abroad. | 4 years | A-Levels: AAA; English Literature/English Language and Literature grade A required, foreign language preferred. GCSEs: English Language at grade B or 6 and Mathematics at grade C or 4. IB: 18 points in three higher level subjects, with no higher level score below 5, to include English Language and Literature/English Literature required at grade 6. |
| Scandinavian Studies and English | Study your choice of Scandinavian languages alongside English literature. Course includes one year of study abroad. | 4 years | A-Levels: AAA; English Literature/English Language and Literature grade A required, foreign language preferred. GCSEs: English Language at grade B or 6 and Mathematics at grade C or 4. IB: 18 points in three higher level subjects including English A1 Literature/Language and Literature at grade 6, with no higher level score below 5. Foreign language preferred. |
UCL Fast Facts
KCL - King's College London
King's College came about thanks to a controversy over theology. It received its royal charter in 1829, and began welcoming 'overflow' students from Oxford and Cambridge. Over time, King's merged with other schools to become the sprawling educational enterprise it is today.
KCL English Department
Situated on the Strand Campus, English study facilities lie near many cultural institutions. As you might guess, the school has ties with each of them. As an English Literature student, you'll be particularly interested in this school's collaboration with the British Library.
King's College Arts and Humanities faculty ranked #20 in the world in 2024.
King's College offers seven English Literature courses, ranging from Comparative Literature to English with Film Studies. These three-year, full-time courses present a broad view of literature across time and from around the world. You'll develop analytical and critical skills as you read and compare texts.
KCL English Admissions Criteria
Depending on your programme, required A-Levels range from AAA to AAB. In all cases, English and/or English Literature is a prerequisite. Contextual offers start as low as ABC, stretching to AAB.
International students must present at least an International Baccalaureate (IB) of 35, with additional requirements for points from different levels. In all cases, you must present proof of English language ability.
KCL fast facts
Queen Mary University of London
Medicine is Queen Mary's claim to fame, as its founding college was St Bartholomew's and the London Hospital Medical College. Today, this university's portfolio has expanded, thanks to mergers with other schools. Science and engineering were the first to be absorbed, with the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences added last.
In 2019, QS ranked Queen Mary's School of English Literature and Language 32nd in the world.
Queen Mary University offers a dozen literature related study programmes, with a fair number of them being double degrees. However, only one course title mentions literature: English literature and linguistics.
Three-year course, with an optional year abroad
Typical A-Level offer: ABB, with required A-Level English Literature, English Language and Literature or English Language.
IB entry requirements: 32 overall points; 6,5,5 from three Higher Level subjects, one of which must be Higher Level English A.
By no means will you find the variety of learning options here as searching Durham University literature programmes would yield. But then, as noted above, this school's main claim to fame is medicine and science. Still, Queen Mary's Humanities faculty is outstanding, and this English Literature course is well worth consideration.
Queen Mary Fast Facts
St Mary's University, Twickenham
St Mary's is a relatively small school in southwest London. It first opened its doors in 1850, to train Catholic schoolmasters. It grew under the stewardship of UCL, a partnership that ended in 1976. This public university gained its status in 2014, and has continued developing its campus facilities and curriculum.
Unlike the schools described so far, St Mary's does not offer an array of dual degree programmes with Literature studies. Instead, students select from a list of optional courses, ranging from History to Creative Writing. Year 1 serves as a foundation year, preparing you for the intensive Year 2 literature studies.
University of Westminster
Like all the universities covered so far, this school has its foundational roots in religion. However, as London's first polytechnic university, spiritual guidance hardly played a role in its management or growth. The school received its royal charter in 1839, renaming itself during the 1992 Further and Higher Educational Act reorganisation.
English Literature BA Hons: 3 years; A-Levels: BCC, with GCSE English Language 4/C
Literature with History BA Hons: 3 years; A-Levels: BCC with GCSE English Language 4/C
Literature and Language: A-Levels: BCC with GCSE English Language 4/C
Westminster University Fast Facts
- English Department is on the Regent Campus, in downtown London (pictured above).
- The school has a campus in Uzbekistan.
- Of the school's alumni, one is a Nobel laureate, many have gone into politics, several are award-winning actors, and a few are Olympic athletes.
University of West London
This university first welcomed students in 1860, when it was called the Lady Byron School. It's gone through many name changes since then, and its portfolio has grown.
Today, students may earn degrees in nursing, computing, engineering and, of course, English. Here, you have three courses to choose from.
English, Media and Comms studies
- A-Level: BBC or higher
- GCSE English and Maths grade 9 - 4 / A* - C
English and Film (BA Hons)
- A-Levels: BCC or higher
- GCSE English and Maths grade 9 - 4 / A* - C
English and Creative Writing
- A-Level: BCC or higher
- GCSE English and Maths grade 9 - 4 / A* - C
Some might not count UWL among the top English Literature universities because of its apparent scattershot approach to building a curriculum. We contend it's that very system, outside of standard learning plans, that makes these programmes so enticing.
University of Roehampton
Top modern university in London in History in 2025
Top University Guide
Roehampton literature courses aren't those one thinks of as in the same league as, say, the redbrick universities and other elite institutions. That's rather a shame because, of the universities we've covered so far, only Roehampton features a Research Centre for Literature and Inclusion. Its research helps steer the school's English Literature curriculum across its three programmes:
English Literature
- Entry tariff: 104–120 UCAS points
- three-year programme
- foundation year available
English and Journalism
- Entry tariff: 112–128 UCAS points
- three-year programme
- foundation year available
History and English
- Entry tariff: 112–128 UCAS points
- three-year programme
- foundation year available
Roehampton operates as a collegiate system, like Oxford and Cambridge do. However, their English Literature programmes could not be more different. Oxbridge offerings are steeped in tradition and carry the weight of centuries of learning. By contrast, Roehampton's courses are vibrant, progressive, and enticing.
London Metropolitan University
In its current form, London Metropolitan - London Met is the youngest uni on our list. It came to be through a merger between London Guildhall and North London universities. Neither of them was famous for its English study programmes.
Granted, that's far fewer programmes than you'll find at the University of Manchester, but it's worth consideration, nevertheless.
Still, among all its other learning initiatives, one outstanding English offering exists.
Creative Writing and English Literature
This BA Honours course runs for three years (four years part-time). You may add a foundation year to get the most out of your studies. You'll discover literary theory while cultivating your own creative voice and expression in writing. Poets and novelists direct your learning through lectures, seminars and workshops.
A-Levels: BBC, plus GCSE English at grade C/4 or above.
Two More Noteworthy Programmes
Before turning our attention to English Literature programmes in Scotland, we preview two more courses in London.
University of Greenwich
- English Literature BA Hons
- 3 years full-time; 6 years part-time
- classes on the historic Greenwich campus
- Entry requirements: 112 UCAS points equivalent BTEC, IB or T-Levels accepted.
Birkbeck University
- a University of London member institution
- 3 years full-time, part-time and foundation year available
- UCAS tariff points: 112 points; equivalent IB and BTEC accepted.
Both of these schools boast a long list of illustrious alumni. Birkbeck touts Bear Grylls, Kemi Badenoch and T.S. Eliot, the Nobel Prize-winning author as top students. Greenwich also counts Nobel Prize winners (Arbiy Ahmed and Charles Kao), writers (Mallory Blackman, Siobhan Dowd), politicians and entertainers.
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