Deepen your knowledge of English literature through study of poetry, drama and prose, learning how to analyse literary form and style from Shakespeare to contemporary novels. Through a combination of live teaching and pre-recorded lectures, we’ll introduce you to techniques of close reading and contextual analysis. Through wide reading and intensive study of individual texts you will deepen your understanding of literary history and enhance your critical reading skills.
Course Dates
Course details
Tutors
Key Features
Course highlights
During this part-time online certificate course, you will:
- enhance your aptitude for and enjoyment of literary study
- acquire key study and writing skills
- read a wide variety of poetry, prose and drama from different periods
- develop skills in critical analysis and knowledge of the history of literature
Through reading a wide range of literature, you will learn about writers and their works in relation to their period and to other writers. This course will involve plenty of lively discussion and teaching exercises designed to introduce critical vocabulary.
As part of our learning community, you will:
- explore approaches to understanding poetry, drama and fiction, using both close reading and contextualisation as methods of interpretation
- consider how the relation between literary form, context and meaning shapes our understanding and evaluation of texts from different periods
- explore approaches to understanding poetry and fiction, employing both close reading and contextualisation as methods of interpretation
- pursue an introduction to American literature for a taste of some of its most beloved and exciting novels, plays, poems, as well as memoirs and essays, from the nineteenth century to the present
- encounter Shakespeare’s drama seen in the context of his own time, and that of ours in the 21st century. We will explore a range of Shakespeare’s works covering history, comedy, tragedy and romance, and examine the major themes that emerge from these genres.
Course Breakdown
This course will run from 22 October 2025 to 10 June 2026.
After an introduction and welcome session, each term’s teaching will take place in 4 live teaching sessions on Saturdays from 1pm to 3pm and 4pm to 6pm, and 2 open sessions on Wednesday evenings, between 7pm and 8pm, plus pre-recorded lectures (all times GMT/BST). Please refer to the individual dates for each term in the 2025-26 Course Guide.
Michaelmas term: Close reading and Context
(Introduction and 6 live teaching/open sessions plus pre-recorded lectures. Live teaching sessions will be on Saturdays between 13.00-15.00 and 16.00-18.00 pm GMT on 25 October, 08 November, 22 November and 06 December 2025. Open sessions will be on Wednesdays between 7.00pm and 8.00pm on 22 October (Introduction), 12 November and 10 December 2025)
- Introduction and Welcome: Wednesday 22 October 2025, 7pm to 8pm
- Course (unit 1) start date: Saturday 25 October 2025
- Unit 1 end date: Wednesday 7 January 2026
Lent term: American Literature: Movements and Motif
(6 live teaching/open sessions plus pre-recorded lectures. Live teaching sessions will be on Saturdays between 13.00-15.00 and 16.00-18.00 pm GMT on 10 January, 24 January, 07 February and 21 February 2026. Open sessions will be on Wednesdays between 7.00pm and 8.00pm on 28 January and 25 February 2026)
- Unit 2 start date: Saturday 10 January 2026
- Unit 2 end date: Wednesday 25 March 2026
Easter term: Shakespeare in his Time and Ours
(6 live teaching/open sessions plus pre-recorded lectures. Live teaching sessions will be on Saturdays between 13.00-15.00 and 16.00-18.00 pm either GMT or BST on 28 March (GMT), 11 April, 25 April and 09 May 2026 (BST). Open sessions will be on Wednesdays between 7.00pm and 8.00pm on 15 April and 13 May 2026). Please note BST (British Summer Time) starts Sunday 29th March 2026.
- Unit 3 start date: Saturday 28 March 2026
- Unit 3 end date: Wednesday 10 June 2026
After the course
You may wish to take our other Certificate in English Literature: Approaches to Literary Study. Students who have successfully completed both Certificate courses can apply to be awarded the Certificate of Higher Education in English Literature, worth 120 credits at level 4. You may also be interested in progressing to our Diploma in English Literature: Literature Past and Present.
Entry requirements
There are no formal academic entry requirements for this course, which is open to all students with an interest in the subject area.
English language requirements
If you are applying to study an Undergraduate Certificate, Diploma or Advanced Diploma and your first language is not English, you will need to meet the requirements of one of the language proficiency tests below:
IELTS (Academic), IELTS for UKVI Academic, IELTS One Skill Retake
Overall score of 7.0, with not less than 7.0 in Speaking, Listening and Writing, and 6.5 in Reading.
TOELF iBT or TOEFL Home Edition
https://www.ets.org/toefl.html
Overall score of 100, with no element below 25.
Cambridge English C2 Proficiency
https://www.cambridgeenglish.org/exams-and-tests/proficiency/
Overall score of 200, with no element lower than 185.
IT requirements
The course content will be delivered, and the learning outcomes met, through video-based teaching platforms and a dedicated course Virtual Learning Environment (VLE).
You will therefore need to have access to:
- the internet via a computer, laptop, tablet or other smart device
- speakers or headphones in order to hear any pre-recorded material
- a webcam and microphone for any interactive sessions which may be available
Identity Check
As part of your application you are required to provide a copy of your ID. At the beginning of the course, you will be required to attend a live zoom session, so that we can verify your identity. Please note we will not be able to issue the award if an identity check has not been completed.
As part of our open and inclusive learning environment, you can enjoy the world-class resources and expertise of the University of Cambridge wherever you are on your academic journey.
Our video-based teaching platforms offer a flexible way to access lectures, while our Virtual Learning Environment makes it easy to study and learn online and interact with your tutor and fellow students.
Our teaching methods include lectures, in-class presentations by tutors, and interactive and experiential learning activities. We will also give you reading and assignments to complete outside of classroom sessions.
You will be asked to submit an assignment during and at the end of unit 1 and 2 and at the end of unit 3 to demonstrate your learning. There are more details about how this course is assessed in the course guide we will send you once you have enrolled. Please see the course guide for assignment deadlines.
Qualifications
This course is equivalent to half of the first year of a full-time undergraduate degree. It offers 60 CATS credits, which are recognised by higher education institutions and employers.
The award of academic credit is a means of quantifying and recognising learning and within the UK, one credit notionally represents 10 hours of learning. This course attracts 60 credits, so students should expect to need to study for approximately 600 hours in total to complete all units successfully. However, it is recognised that students study at different paces and use a variety of approaches, so this is a recommendation, rather than a hard-and-fast calculation.
SEEC Credit Level Descriptors for Higher Education (2021) here.
The fee for this course is £3,300. You can either pay:
- in full when you enrol,
or - in 3 equal instalments: the first when you enrol, the second by 1 January, and the third and final instalment by 1 April. The exact dates will be confirmed in your booking details.
Important: your place on the course is not secured until we receive your first payment along with any required documents, such as proof of English language proficiency.
If you are offered a place, you will receive instructions as to how to register and pay.
Help with fees
We have many sources of financial support that you can explore.
Refunds
This course will require a minimum number of students to run. In the rare event that the course is cancelled by us, due to minimum numbers not being met, or for any other reason, you will receive a full refund of any fees paid.
Disability Support
The University’s Accessibility & Disability Resource Centre Non-Matriculated Service (ADRC NMS) provides advice, guidance, and resources to University of Cambridge Professional and Continuing Education (PACE) award-bearing undergraduate and postgraduate students who have a diagnosed disability or medical condition, including mental health conditions. The support provided can include:
- appointments with a Senior disability adviser or Neurodiversity disability adviser
- reviewing/assessing medical or diagnostic evidence
- production of a Student Support Document (SSD)
- signposting to sources of disability-related funds (Disabled Students’ Allowances [DSA], as well as other internal funds for home and international students)
- coordination of human support, such as specialist mentoring or specialist study skills
- neurodiversity screening service (Autism, Specific Learning Difficulties, ADHD)
- signposting to disability library services
- signposting to assistive technology and software support
If you would like to access support then please indicate this on your course application form and then complete the ADRC NMS online Student Information Form so they can work with you to fully support your studies. Please upload medical evidence (written in English) when prompted to within the Student Information Form. The following links to guidance on medical evidence or diagnostic evidence will help to answer any questions you may have.
If you have any questions concerning disability support then please contact the ADRC NMS team via [email protected] or view their website.
Wellbeing Support
It is important that all our learners feel safe in their learning environment and student wellbeing is our key priority. We have a dedicated Student Support team who can offer a variety of support mechanisms to those who are experiencing challenges maintaining positive mental wellbeing. The PACE Student Support Team are here to support you throughout the duration of your studies with us and can:
- meet with you via teams/zoom (camera can be off) to discuss any concerns surrounding your wellbeing, mental health, academic pressures, or welfare
- advise you on options and signpost you to appropriate sources of guidance which range from self-guided resources to wellbeing conversations
- direct you to specialist support and help concerning welfare, wellbeing, safeguarding and prevent
- in specific circumstances (where there is a clear need unmet elsewhere) provide access to counselling
- provide access to study skills resources
If you have any questions concerning learning support, then please contact us.
