English Literature - A Level (AQA)

The texts offered for study range from the 16th century to the present day, covering a wide area of subjects. Texts covered may include:

• Texts on Paris, France
• Novels, such as Frankenstein, Dracula, The Handmaid's Tale or The Lovely Bones
• Poets, such as John Donne, Robert Browning, Seamus Heaney and Carol Ann Duffy
• Drama, such as Othello, All My Sons, A Streetcar Named Desire or The Herd
• Creative writing, such as The Great Gatsby, The Kite Runner, Into The Wild or The Suspicions of Mr. Whicher

You will need:

• Three GCSEs at grade 5 or above, including English Language, plus two further GCSEs at grade 4 or above, including Maths
• If your English Language GCSE is at grade 5, one of your three GCSEs at grade 5 or above must be a literary subject (e.g. History, Business Studies, Sociology, Geography)
• A reference from your previous school/college

All applicants must have an interview to confirm that A Levels are suitable for them.

Please be aware that as this subject includes coursework, as well as a public exam set by the exam board, you will only be permitted to have a choice of one other subject which includes coursework. Your third subject choice must be an exam-only assessed subject. For example, you would not be permitted to take English Literature, Film Studies and Media as these all include coursework.

During the 1st year there will be 5 formal internal assessments which you will need to pass in order to progress into the 2nd year. At the end of the 2nd year there are three public examinations.

School Leavers

If you will be aged 16, 17 or 18 on 31 August in the year you begin your course, and have been resident in the UK/EU/EEA for the past 3 years, it will be free. Some courses will have other costs associated, such as for materials and trips. Many of our students are eligible for financial support when studying at college – please click here for more information.

A Levels are widely regarded as the standard entry qualification for top universities in the UK, and the rest of the world. Many of our students go onto study for a degree at the university of their choice, with some choosing to progress into apprenticeships or other employment.