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English

English at Corpus Fact File

Typical offer: A*AA in A Levels (or equivalent)

Required subjects: English Literature

Typical number of English undergraduates admitted per year: 5-8

Submitted written work requirements: see our Written Work webpage

Admissions assessment: College-registered assessment

English at Cambridge

The English course at Cambridge offers students the time and space to read widely across the whole range of British and English-language literatures from the medieval period to the present. It promises a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to absorb yourself in books – in writing of all kinds – and to devote three years to contemplating the issues with which the written word confronts us.

Three emphases are integral to this approach. We urge our students constantly to look closely at the words on the page, to analyse in detail the implications of individual turns of phrase, the effect of a poet’s choice of a certain metre or a particular verse form, the impact of a dramatist’s adoption of one word rather than another. But equally, you would also be pressed to consider the contexts of literature, to view works within their historical and broader intellectual, political, religious, philosophical or social settings. And thirdly, there will always be an emphasis on wider reading and exploration. 

One last note about the English degree at Cambridge – specifically, about what it’s not. It doesn’t contain formal creative writing or elements of theatre studies. All of these things are encouraged as extracurricular activities: you can, for example, submit creative writing as part of an examination, if you choose; and of course drama thrives in Corpus, the college of Marlowe, with many English students relating their literary studies of the theatre to their own practical experiences on stage. But these aren’t the main concerns of the study of English, at least as it’s taught in Cambridge. Here, the primary emphasis will be on the close, contextual criticism of a wealth of different works.

For more information about the English course at Cambridge, visit the University website.

Why study English at Corpus?

At Corpus we aim to foster a vibrant and committed culture amongst our English undergraduates, and also to value good humour, friendliness and diversity. Particular effort is made to manage the balance between ‘classroom’ contact time and unstructured time extremely carefully, so as to ensure that students always have plenty of time to pursue their own reading. About half of all teaching is provided in-house, and for other topics students are sent out to specialists elsewhere in the University.

Corpus has two societies that would be of particular interest to English students. The Pelican Poets Society meets every term and is open to all who are curious to learn about or extend their understanding of poetry and poets. Undergraduates, postgraduates, fellows, and alumni have all led sessions on a topic of their choice, ranging from 'The representation of the House in poetry' to 'Resistance as a constant in Ukranian poetry'. In addition, the Fletcher Players is the resident drama society at the Corpus Playroom, a venue in the heart of Cambridge dedicated to student productions and committed to promoting student writing, and welcomes all undergraduates irrespective of their previous involvement in productions.  

What do we look for in applicants?

A good way to find out whether you’re the kind of person who would thrive at Corpus is to sit down for a few days, perhaps during the school holidays, and just read (for much of the day) – two or three novels from different centuries; a poetry anthology; some famous plays by Shakespeare that you haven’t studied before. If you find that you enjoy this, even though it may be a difficult exercise, and if you have the motivation, self-discipline and (above all) enthusiasm to pursue it, the chances are that you’ll be the kind of person who would enjoy reading for an English degree. Tenacity, passion and enthusiasm are certainly some of the qualities that we look for in our admissions interviews. Whilst assessing applicants we are just as interested in measuring future potential as past and recent achievements.

Super-curricular resources
  • The most important thing a prospective applicant can do to help them to prepare for an English degree is read. Read the things you are interested in, read lots, and talk about your reading with your teachers, family and peers.
  • Essay competitions are a good way to practise writing about literature.
  • Look at the English Faculty virtual classroom for a good introduction to Practical Criticism.
  • HE+ have some good resources for prospective applicants who want to explore literature outside the school curriculum.