English Literature
Entry Requirements
Grade 6 in GCSE English Language & English Literature.
About This Course
A Level English is suitable for students who:
- Are passionate about reading and writing
- Want to develop their understanding of literature from all over the world
- Are interested in developing their critical, analytical faculties
- Are interested in human rights, justice and politics and how authors explore and affect our understandings of these ideas
- Possess empathy, curiosity and enthusiasm!
The qualification builds on the knowledge, understanding and skills that were developed in GCSE Literature and Language.
Course Content & Assessment
Year 1: Students study an anthology of contemporary poetry; Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein; Margaret Atwood’s The Handmaid’s Tale and Tennessee Williams’ A Streetcar Named Desire, as well as the historical and social contexts and influences of these texts.
Year 2: Students study Shakespeare’s Othello and the poetry of the metaphysical poets (such as Andrew Marvell and John Donne). Students will also write their coursework – a 2500–3000- word essay comparing Alice Walker’s The Color Purple to a second text of their choice, which is a fantastic opportunity to further explore literature in line with their own particular interests.
The exam board is Edexcel (9ET0) and the assessment is 80% Exam and 20% Coursework.
What could this course lead to?
A Level English Literature is a highly valued qualification and prepares students for university and entry into a diversity of professions. Some of the possible career opportunities are: teaching, journalism, academia, publishing, broadcasting, advertising or the law.
