Overview

The BA in English is a three-year full-time programme leading to the BA Degree (English). The degree is taught by the Department of English.

To be eligible for the award of the BA (Hons) English degree students are required to have achieved 180 credits by obtaining 60 credits in each of the three years of the degree.

First Year - Arts (English)

Students take English together with two other subjects from the First Arts programme. To avoid timetable clashes no more than one subject may be chosen from any separate group below:

• 1. Computer Science, History, Portuguese
• 2. (a) History of Art ¹ 
• 2. (b)Applied Mathematics, European Studies, Folklore, Greek and Roman Civilisation, Gaeilge/Irish¹ 
• 3. Archaeology, Chinese Studies, German, Latin, Mathematics, Mathematical Studies, Politics
• 4. French, Sociology, Studies in Music
• 6. (a) Geography, Italian ²
• 6. (b) Celtic Civilisation, Philosophy, Spanish ²

¹

Groups 2 (a) and 2 (b): Students can combine group 2 (a) History of Art with any subject from Group 2 (b) in First Year only. Students can only study one subject from Group 2 (a) and 2 (b) in Second and Third Year.

²

Groups 6 (a) and 6 (b): From second year:

• students may combine Italian with Spanish.
• students may not combine Italian with Celtic Civilisation or Philosophy.
• students may not combine Geography with Celtic Civilisation, Philosophy or Spanish in second year.
• BA English (CK109) is a single subject degree: Arts subjects are dropped after First Year.

See here for Points to Note regarding the above subject choices.

Programme Requirements for Arts subjects begin here.

Second Year - Arts (English)

No student may register for Second Arts (English) until he/she has passed the First University Examination in Arts (English). The selection of any module is conditional on the Professor or Lecturer concerned and the College being satisfied that a student is capable of profiting by attendance thereat. Students may not select modules which involve a timetable clash.

In Second Arts students take a Single Subject Degree consisting of modules to the value of 60 credits in English.

BA (Hons) (English) (International) Pathway 

The BA (Hons) (English) (International) Pathway is a four-year programme which enables students to study abroad for a year in an approved University outside Ireland. Student who wish to take the four-year option with a year abroad must register for the BA (English) (International) Pathway at the beginning of Second Year.

Third Year - Arts (English)

No student may register for Third Arts (English) until he/she has passed the Second University Examination in Arts (English). The selection of any module is conditional on the Professor or Lecturer concerned and the College being satisfied that a student is capable of profiting by attendance thereat. Students may not select modules which involve a timetable clash.

In Third Arts students take a Single Subject Degree consisting of modules to the value of 60 credits in English.

Programme Requirements

For information about modules, module choice, options and credit weightings, please go to Programme Requirements. 

Programme Requirements

Module List

Code	Title	Credits
Year 1
Students take 60 credits as follows:
Core Modules
EN1010	Critical Reading and Writing	5
EN1011	Literature in Time	5
EN1012	Literature in Question	5
EN1101	Contexts: The Production and Reception of Literature and Film	5
EN1103	Problems in Literature	10
Plus two other First Arts subjects (15 credits each):		30
Group 1
Computer Science
History
Portuguese
Group 2 (a) 1
History of Art
Group 2 (b) 1
Applied Mathematics
European Studies
Folklore
Greek and Roman Civilisation
Gaeilge/Irish
Group 3
Archaeology
Chinese Studies
German
Latin
Mathematics
Mathematical Studies
Politics
Group 4
French
Sociology
Studies in Music
Group 6 (a) 2
Geography
Italian
Group 6 (b) 2
Celtic Civilisation
Philosophy
Spanish
Year 2
Students take 60 credits following Pathway 1 or Pathway 2: 3		60
Core Modules
Pathway 1
EN2103	Special Topics in Literature and Culture (10)
EN2012	Old English Language (5)
EN2003	Critical Skills Seminar (10)
Plus 20 credits from Semester 1 and 15 credits from Semester 2 below
Pathway 2
EN2103	Special Topics in Literature and Culture (10)
EN2012	Old English Language (5)
EN2101	Creative Writing 1 (10)
EN2003	Critical Skills Seminar (10)
Plus 10 credits from Semester 1 and 15 credits from Semester 2 below
Semester 1
EN2011	Chaucer: The Canterbury Tales and Related Texts (5)
EN2046	American Literature to 1900 (5)
EN2077	Modern Drama (5)
EN2079	Adaptation, Literature, and Culture (5)
Semester 2
EN2043	Romance and Realism (5)
EN2071	Women and Literature (5)
EN2078	Colony and Nation: Irish Literature before 1900	5
EN2080	Introduction to Renaissance Literature (5)
Year 3
Students take 60 credits choosing either Pathway 1, 2, 3 or 4		60
Core Modules
Pathway 1
EN3110	Dissertation (20)
EN3003	Special Studies Seminar	10
Plus three 5-credit lecture modules from Semester 1 plus three 5-credit lecture modules from Semester 2 4
Pathway 2
EN3003	Special Studies Seminar (10)
EN3109	Creative Writing 2: Fiction Workshop (10)
EN3110	Dissertation (20)
Plus two 5-credit lecture modules from Semester 1 plus two 5-credit lecture modules from Semester 2 4
Pathway 3
EN3110	Dissertation	20
EN3112	Creative Writing 2 Poetry Workshop	10
EN3109	Creative Writing 2: Fiction Workshop	10
Plus two 5-credit lecture modules from Semester 1 plus two 5-credit lecture modules from Semester 2 4
Pathway 4
EN3003	Special Studies Seminar (10)
EN3110	Dissertation (20)
EN3112	Creative Writing 2 Poetry Workshop (10)
Plus two 5-credit lecture modules from Semester 1 plus two 5-credit lecture modules from Semester 2
Semester 1
EN3048	Modern and Contemporary American Literature (5)
EN3073	Victorian Literature (5)
EN3075	Contemporary Irish Writing (5)
EN3077	The Irish Literary Revival & Irish Modernism (5)
Semester 2
EN3015	Of Monsters and Men: Old & Early English Literature (5)
EN3065	Romance: Medieval to Renaissance (5)
EN3072	Romantic Literature (5)
EN3079	Contemporary Culture (5)
Total Credits		235

¹

Groups 2 (a) and 2 (b): Students can combine group 2 (a) History of Art with any subject from Group 2 (b) in First Year only. Students can only study one subject from Group 2 (a) and 2 (b) in Second and Third Year.

²

Groups 5 (a) and 5 (b): From second year:

• students may combine Italian with Spanish.
• students may not combine Italian with Celtic Civilisation or Philosophy.
• students may not combine Geography with Celtic Civilisation, Philosophy or Spanish in second year.
• BA English (CK109) is a single subject degree: Arts subjects are dropped after First Year.

³

• As well as EN2012 Old English Language, students must include in their selection at least one lecture or seminar module from the range of Old English, Middle English and Renaissance modules. (These will be designated with the letters OMR on departmental course lists).
• Students cannot take EN2101 Creative Writing 1 in both semesters.
• Students may substitute one 5-credit EN module from Semester 1 (other than EN2012 Old English Language) with DH2006 Curation and Storytelling in the Digital Age OR LL2003 Aspects of the Classical Tradition.
• Students cannot take modules that are cross-scheduled.

⁴

• Students may substitute one 5-credit module with LL3002 Travel Writing.
• Students cannot take modules that are cross-scheduled.

Examinations

Full details and regulations governing Examinations for each programme will be contained in the Marks and Standards Book and for each module in the Book of Modules.

Programme Learning Outcomes

Programme Learning Outcomes for BA (Hons) (English) (NFQ Level 8, Major Award)

On successful completion of this programme, students should be able to:

• Grasp the scope and range of English as a subject which encompasses topics from Old English to Digital Humanities; which traverses diverse cultural traditions (including Irish, American and African); and which offers ways of addressing such fields as Film, Drama and Theatre Studies;
  
• Articulate knowledge and understanding of texts, concepts and theories relating to the subject of English;
  
• Demonstrate a knowledge of some of the theories which underpin the criticism of literature, film, drama and theatre studies;
  
• Describe the ways in which texts acquire meaning from the material, cultural and political contexts in which they are produced;
  
• Apply their knowledge of texts and theories through the central practice of close reading;
  
• Form independent and sound judgments about texts;
  
• Gather, sift and organise material independently, and evaluate its significance;
  
• Express an awareness of the complexity, uncertainty, ambiguity and limits of knowledge;
  
• Write effective and accurate scholarly prose.