English

English Language and Literature at Balliol College

Balliol was one of the first colleges to appoint a Fellow in English when the Honours School was established, and the subject has flourished here ever since. Students at Balliol cover the full range of the course, from Old English to the present day: we encourage you throughout to explore the subject as widely as possible, and to develop in depth your own academic interests in the final-year Special Papers. English graduates go on to pursue a variety of careers, including academia, journalism, teaching, media, law, and finance. Some become writers. There are College prizes for essays, for poetry, and for satirical writing; classes make use of the manuscripts and books held in the College’s Historic Collections Centre; and an occasional reading party or theatre trip may be organised by tutors.

Number of places at Balliol: 9.

Tutors

Helen Appleton (photo: Rob Judges)
Dr Helen Appleton
Career Development Fellow in Old and Early Medieval English
Seamus Perry
Professor Seamus Perry
Professor of English Literature, Massey Fellow, Tutor in English, Fellow Librarian and Fellow for Charity Matters
Adam Smyth
Professor Adam Smyth
Professor of English Literature and the History of the Book, Clarendon University Lecturer, A.C. Bradley-J.C. Maxwell Fellow and Tutor in English Literature, and Tutor for Graduate Admissions
Olivia Smith
Dr Olivia Smith
Lecturer in English

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About the course

Please see the Faculty of English website and the University’s course pages.

Course requirements and selection criteria

Please see:

How to apply to read English Language and Literature at Balliol College