A-Level English Literature
Course Title: English Literature A Level
Department: English
Overview:
Studying English Literature develops more sophisticated communication skills. It not only helps students to develop a wider vocabulary, but also promotes the crafting of language. This enables students to explore how language can be used to develop and to structure meaning in a range of different texts.
The study of English Literature at A-level sharpens analytical skills, promoting an understanding of the world and how it is connected. Students look closely at the relationships between history and literature, examining complex ideas and patterns that underpin language and literature, and providing skills in interpreting information within a wider context. The OCR A-level English Literature course gives students an opportunity to explore literature from Shakespeare to the 21st century.
Well-respected as an A-level at university, A-level English Literature is seen as a stepping stone to careers such as law, journalism, marketing and business. It is also valued in other fields, such as science and engineering, providing evidence of fluency in English and communication, together with research and analytical skills.
Studying A-level English Literature is a challenging learning experience requiring extensive reading and writing, as well as a willingness to research and analyse new concepts and different ways of looking at the world.
Duration of qualification: 2 years
Course Entry Requirements: GCSE Maths, GCSE English Grade 6
Timetable hours: 6 hours per week
Assessment method: Drama & Poetry pre-1900 2 hours 30 minutes (40%), Comparative and Contextual Study 2 hours 30 minutes (40%), Close Reading or Recreative Writing with Commentary and Comparative Essay coursework (20%).
Qualification: 1 A level
Exam Board: OCR Specification: https://www.ocr.org.uk/Images/171200-specification-accredited-a-level-gce-english-literature-h472.pdf
Modules:
Year 1
- Paper 1 – Shakespeare, Measure for Measure
- Paper 1 – Milton, Paradise Lost Books 9 and 10
- Paper 1 – Webster, Duchess of Malfi
- Coursework – Wilson, Fences, for close reading task
- Coursework – Morrison, Sula, and Rankine, Citizen: An American Lyric
Year 2
- Paper 2 – Dystopian unseen literature for close reading and contextual analysis
- Paper 2 – Comparative essay on Orwell, 1984, and Atwood, Handmaid’s Tale
Courses Available: A Level
Career Pathways: University
Transferable Skills: writing and communication, analysis, critical and contextual thinking, planning and research skills
Enquiries:
Director of Humanities
Ruth Vandenhautte
Tel: 020 7738 6115