Imaginative, persuasive expression in the study of English Literature or Language is a complementary pairing with different philosophical perspectives as students discover how literary culture has shaped society, and how society has shaped literary culture.

Students will choose either a Literature or Language pathway to study alongside Philosophy. At Birmingham, students will have access to world-class talent in philosophical fields as diverse as metaphysics and epistemology, philosophy of language and mind, ethics and ethical theory.

In undergraduate Philosophy studies, students will explore the great minds of history and the present day, both learning what they thought and engaging with them critically.  If students choose the Language pathway, they will gain a thorough appreciation of the technical aspects of the English language and its social and political context.  If students take the Literature pathway, they will be given a strong foundation in all major periods and genres and will be able to specialise in areas ranging from medieval poetry to twenty-first century digital literary culture. Students will also have the opportunity to take a specialist second-year undergraduate Shakespeare module and the possibility of participating in a residential trip in Stratford-upon-Avon.