Undergraduate English Programme information 2021-22

 BA Joint Honours Programme information for 2021-22

English Joint Major Stage 1: PDF

English Joint Major Stage 2: PDF

English Joint Major Stage 3: PDF 

BA Humanities Programme Pathway ENGLISH WITH CREATIVE WRITING 2021-22 

English with Creative Writing Stage 1: PDF

English with Creative Writing Stage 2: PDF

English with Creative Writing Stage 3: PDF

English with Creative Writing Stage 4: PDF

BA Humanities Programme Pathway ENGLISH LITERATURE 2021-22

English Literature Stage 1: PDF

English Literature Stage 2: PDF

English Literature Stage 3: PDF

English Literature Stage 4: PDF

Click here for module descriptors and indicative content

Stage 1

Stage 2

Stage 3

Two Subject Degree (ENJ1): Stage 1 

First Year Modules for Students of Stage 1 2021-2022

For an overview of your Programme, with links to individual module descriptors, see the UCD Course Search web page at http://www.ucd.ie/students/course_search.htm ; click on ‘Arts and Humanities’ then ‘DN530 BA Humanities English with Creative Writing.’

• Students are pre-registered to 7 core modules (35 credits) and should select two option modules. Students should then choose 1 additional Arts & Humanities subject (10 credits) and 1 elective module (5 credits). It is recommended that students spread their credit workload evenly between Autumn and Spring.
• You will need 60 credits altogether at Stage One. You have a better chance of success if you balance your workload so that you take six modules in each semester (rather than taking five in one semester and seven in the other).

Core Modules 

Autumn Trimester:

• CRWT10010 Creative Writing 1
• ENG10120 How to Read Poetry
• ENG10130 Contemporary Irish Writing
• ENG10230 Reading World Literature

Spring Trimester:

• CRWT10020 Creative Writing 2
• ENG10030 Literary Genre: The Art of Criticism and the Craft of Writing
• ENG10220 Literature and Crisis

Option Modules 

Please select a minimum of 2 of the following option modules:

• ENG10170 Contemporary Dystopian Fiction [Autumn]
• ENG10020 Children's Literature [Autumn or Spring]
• ENG10180 Comics and Fantasy [Autumn or Spring]
• ENG10080 Writing the Body [Spring]
• ENG10250 Horror Literature [Spring]

Stage 2 Programme - 2021-2022

Students are registered to 4 x core modules. Students should choose minimum 2 x option modules in the Autumn trimester and minimum 2 x option modules in the Spring trimester plus 2 x 5 credit electives.

Core Modules 

Autumn Trimester:

• CRWT20020 Intermediate Creative Writing 1
• ENG20400 Critical Theory

Spring Trimester:

• CRWT20060 Intermediate Creative Writing 2
• HUM20050 Primary Source Research B

Option Modules 

Choose 2x option modules: 

Autumn Trimester:

• CRWT20050 Writing Fiction
• ENG20430 Modern American Literature
• ENG20440 Irish Literature: Reading the Story of Ireland
• CRWT20040 Writing Poetry [Autumn or Spring] separate

Spring Trimester:

• CRWT20030 Teen & Young Adult Literature
• CRWT20040 Writing Poetry [Autumn or Spring] separate
• ENG20250 Twentieth-Century Drama ENG20410 Reading Medieval Literature
• ENG20460 Victorian to Modern Literature ENG20490 Romanticism

Stage 3 Programme - 2021-2022

Stage 3 credits: 50 option/10 elective, a total of 60 credits for the year. If students are not going abroad or taking an internship, they must take at least 10 credits in Creative Writing in each trimester, (that is 10 credits in the Autumn trimester and 10 credits in the Spring trimester). Students should choose 3 x 10 credit option modules. Students should choose 2 x 5 credit elective modules.

Any students on a trimester exchange or internship in Stage 3 should choose a balance of modules across the subjects in their pathway for one trimester.

Creative Writing Modules 

• Choose 1 Creative Writing module per trimester.

Autumn Trimester:

• CRWT30080 Advanced Fiction Workshop I
• CRWT30120 Advanced Literary Workshop I
• CRWT30230 Experimental Poetry

Spring Trimester:

• CRWT30100 Advanced Poetry Workshop
• CRWT30110 Advanced Fiction Workshop II
• CRWT30130 Advanced Literary Workshop II

Option Modules 

Autumn Trimester:

• ENG31280 Poetry in Performance
• ENG31930 Irish Fiction After 2010
• ENG31950 Architecture and Narrative
• ENG31960 Apocalypse Then: Old Eng. Lit.
• ENG31980Jane Austen and her Peers
• ENG31990 Reading Gender & Sexuality
• ENG32020 Detecting Fictions
• ENG32070 Medieval Celluloid
• ENG32080 Social Networks in Fiction
• ENG32090 Masculinities and Manhood
• ENG32100 Fin-de-Siecle
• ENG32230 Reading Beckett
• ENG32340 The Modern Short Story
• ENG32490 Seventeenth-Century Women
• ENG32580 Theatres of War
• ENG32560 Writing Black
• ENG32600 Creative Non-Fiction
• ENG32640 Girlhood in 21st C YA American Fiction
• ENG32650 Global Short Stories
• ENG32580 Theatres of War
• ENG32670 Dark Romanticism
• ENG32690 Writing Habits

Spring Trimester:

• ENG31280 Poetry in Performance
• ENG31900 Yeats and the Arts
• ENG31930 Irish Fiction after 2010
• ENG31940 Global Science Fiction
• ENG31980 Jane Austen and her Peers
• ENG32000 Contemp. Irish Women's Poetry
• ENG32020 Detecting Fictions
• ENG32110 Literature and Science
• ENG32130 Irish Gothic
• ENG32220 Popular Fiction in Britain
• ENG32240 Chaucer in Context
• ENG32250 Irish Women's Writing
• ENG32270 Post-War US Fiction
• ENG32290 Reading Ulysses
• ENG32310 Global Eco-Literature
• ENG32380 Sexuality and the State
• ENG32390 A Book of Kings
• ENG32500 Fiction and Financial Crises
• ENG32510 Writing Dublin
• ENG32560 Writing Black
• ENG32590 Memory and Testimony
• ENG32670 Dark Romanticism
• ENG32680 Global Renaissance
• ENG32700 Dublin Gothic
• ENG32720 Feminist Literary Theory
• ENG32730 Contemporary Literatures of Migration

Stage 4 Programme - 2021-2022

Stage 4 Credits: 50 Option/10 Elective = a total of 60 credits for the year.

Please read the following information carefully re Stage 4 programme options.

There are 3 paths that one can take in their final year. Two of these paths include a dissertation, while the third does not. Choose ONE of these three options:

1. Creative Writing Dissertation: Students may register to CRWT30220 Creative Writing Dissertation (20 Credits), to be taught over two trimesters. Students must have a GPA of 3.0 or higher and permission from the pathway coordinator.
2. Critical Dissertation: Students may register to ENG30970 Dissertation Research Methods (5 credits, Autumn) and ENG32460 Dissertation (15 Credits, Spring). Students must have a GPA of 3.0 or higher and permission of the pathway coordinator.
3. No Dissertation: Students may register to 50 credits split between English and Creative Writing.

Students cannot do both the Creative Writing Dissertation and the Critical Dissertation.

All Students must take a 10-credit Creative Writing module in the Autumn.

• CRWT30160 Special Topics 1
• CRWT30230 Experimental Poetry

Students who are taking either the Creative Dissertation or the Critical Dissertation should choose 20 credits English options from list below. Students who are NOT taking the Creative Dissertation or the Critical Dissertation should choose 40 credits (4 x 10 credit option modules) from the options list below:

Autumn Trimester:

• ENG31280 Poetry in Performance
• ENG31930 Irish Fiction After 2010
• ENG31950 Architecture and Narrative
• ENG31960 Apocalypse Then: Old Eng. Lit.
• ENG31980Jane Austen and her Peers
• ENG31990 Reading Gender & Sexuality
• ENG32020 Detecting Fictions
• ENG32070 Medieval Celluloid
• ENG32080 Social Networks in Fiction
• ENG32090 Masculinities and Manhood
• ENG32100 Fin-de-Siecle
• ENG32230 Reading Beckett
• ENG32340 The Modern Short Story
• ENG32490 Seventeenth-Century Women
• ENG32580 Theatres of War
• ENG32560 Writing Black
• ENG32600 Creative Non-Fiction
• ENG32640 Girlhood in 21st C YA American Fiction
• ENG32650 Global Short Stories
• ENG32580 Theatres of War
• ENG32670 Dark Romanticism
• ENG32690 Writing Habits

Spring Trimester:

• ENG31280 Poetry in Performance
• ENG31900 Yeats and the Arts
• ENG31930 Irish Fiction after 2010
• ENG31940 Global Science Fiction
• ENG31980 Jane Austen and her Peers
• ENG32000 Contemp. Irish Women's Poetry
• ENG32020 Detecting Fictions
• ENG32110 Literature and Science
• ENG32130 Irish Gothic
• ENG32220 Popular Fiction in Britain
• ENG32240 Chaucer in Context
• ENG32250 Irish Women's Writing
• ENG32270 Post-War US Fiction
• ENG32290 Reading Ulysses
• ENG32310 Global Eco-Literature
• ENG32380 Sexuality and the State
• ENG32390 A Book of Kings
• ENG32500 Fiction and Financial Crises
• ENG32510 Writing Dublin
• ENG32560 Writing Black
• ENG32590 Memory and Testimony
• ENG32670 Dark Romanticism
• ENG32680 Global Renaissance
• ENG32700 Dublin Gothic
• ENG32720 Feminist Literary Theory
• ENG32730 Contemporary Literatures of Migration

For an overview of your Programme, with links to individual module descriptors, see the UCD Course Search web page at http://www.ucd.ie/students/course_search.htm ; click on ‘Arts and Humanities’ then ‘DN530 BA Humanities English with Creative Writing.’

The structure of the undergraduate English programme made it easy for me to explore my interests, and create a path that worked for me. First year provided me with a broad spectrum of English Literature, setting me up with critical thinking skills that would be crucial not only in English, but also useful in my other subject. As I progressed through second and third year, I could hone in on the topics I was most interested in, tailoring the course to be focused around these areas. With such an individualised course, I was never stuck studying a topic that bored me.

---Anna Graham, Joint Honours English Student, Class of 2016

I originally chose to study English because I liked to read. Studying English at UCD, however, has introduced me to a fascinating world of critical and cultural theory I now look forward to continuing my learning in. Getting to study English as a single subject major, in particular, allowed me the opportunity to gain a far stronger footing and deeper understanding of my chosen research area, and forge influential, formative relationships with many members of the school’s staff. Through the school, I also got the chance to study abroad for a year in Barcelona. This time — exploring a new culture and meeting new people from around the world — has been, without a doubt, the greatest experience of my life. My time at UCD — the diverse learning material, passionate and supportive staff, and close bond with my classmates — is something that I will carry with me for years to come.

---Seán Hayes, Single Honours English Student, Class of 2017

Going back to education after nearly three decades seemed daunting. It turned out to be one of the most challenging and rewarding experiences of my life. The reason I came to UCD was to deepen my knowledge of English literature. I was not expecting to discover a passion for the plays of Shakespeare and Beckett; the novels of Dickens and Woolf; or the poetry of Marvell and Heaney. In my third year, I found myself immersed in Elizabethan Ireland as I completed a dissertation on Edmund Spenser. It hasn’t all been easy but every step of the way I have received guidance and encouragement from the teaching staff and fellow students. For me, UCD is where new discoveries have become lifelong passions.

---Pearse McCaughey, Single Honours English Student, Class of 2017

I started my undergrad in English literature without really knowing what to expect. Having a great love for reading, writing and storytelling, I initially saw my BA as means of encountering a diverse range of literature, not necessarily looking ahead to what I’d do once my degree was complete. Fortunately, not only did I acquire a valuable set of skills over the course of my studies, emerging as an effective communicator and critical thinker, but also discovered a passion for Medieval and Early Medieval literature. Now, coming towards the end of an MA in medieval literature and culture, I am considering pursuing a PhD in the near future, with an eye towards a career in academia. A useful skill set, an array of new interests and a close circle of friends have made my BA in English literature a truly memorable and worthwhile experience, one that I would unreservedly recommend.

---Karl Milne, Single Honours English Student, Class of 2016

We are now offering attractive new General Elective-only modules designed specifically for students from other programmes who are interested in taking English modules as part of their General Elective credit.  

There are also General Elective places in most of our Level One and Level Two English modules.

What do graduates of the School go on to do?

Our graduates go on to an enormous range of careers, from creative writing to filmmaking, by way of journalism, publishing, teaching and consulting. Our graduates are distinguished by their ability to adapt to a flexible and global labour market. The BA programme supports them in developing valuable employment skills including research, teamwork, problem-solving and communication skills, among others. Graduates of Arts programmes are in increasing demand in technology companies for their writing skills, lateral thinking and flexibility. Some of the many areas in which our graduates have flourished include education, media, performing arts, government, business, heritage and arts management, law and technology. UCD is particularly well known for its wealth of creative graduates, our writers, poets and dramatists, who cut their teeth during their undergraduate years. Many of our graduates also go on to postgraduate research, growing into the scholars and thinkers who shape the culture of the next generations.

Career Development @ UCD

While our students go on to pursue a wide range of avenues, they are supported by the School’s new Career Mentoring Scheme, in which final year students are matched with a graduate of the School who is now professional in a particular area, including journalism, arts administration, teaching, writing, business. The mentor provides guidance and advice on developing your career - this may include looking at your CV, suggesting directions to follow, and giving general advice on your postgraduate path. See more at the UCD Career Development Centre

English Studies Undergraduate Office

Pauline Slattery pauline.slattery@ucd.ie

Karen Jackman karen.jackman@ucd.ie

English and Creative Writing Graduate Studies

Email: graduateedf@ucd.ie

Head of School

Professor John Brannigan, john.brannigan@ucd.ie

School Head of Teaching and Learning

Associate Professor Rebecca Stephenson, rebecca.stephenson@ucd.ie

Assessment Support Officer

Dr Scott Hamilton scott.hamilton@ucd.ie

Examinations Officer

Dr Michelle O'Connell, michelle.oconnell@ucd.ie

Stage One Head

Associate Professor P.J. Mathews, patrick.mathews@ucd.ie

Stage Two Head

Dr Maria Stuart, maria.stuart@ucd.ie

Stage Three Head

Professor Adam Kelly, adam.kelly@ucd.ie

Student Advisers for the BA

James Ronan, james.ronan@ucd.ie

Dr Letizia Vettor, letizia.vettor@ucd.ie