English is one of the most widely spoken languages in the World, with approximately 375 million people speaking it as their first language. After Mandarin Chinese and Spanish, it is the third-most-common native language in the world.

Anyone who enrolls on an English degree course will quickly realise that it’s a vast subject area that branches into many sub-sets. Each of which will individually allow students to analyse poetry, watch films, study plays or immerse themselves in modern fiction. Students can choose to specialise in a particular area of literary study, however the core modules will always focus on making sure that that they gain a clear understanding of the cultural, historical and regional evolution of the English language. The course material is constantly changing, and will always reflect the changes in the field of study. However students will always engage with a range of works of literature including Shakespeare’s plays, Victorian novels, poetry, short stories, books for children and contemporary works from a range of cultural perspectives.

The degree is highly valued and sought after by employers, and can lead to a career in areas such; as the civil service, teaching and research, advertising and marketing, journalism, radio and television.

Online English degree overview

The nature of the course means that all of your study time is spent in front of a computer screen rather than in the classroom. Coursework covers both the theory and the practical applications of linguistics. Students will study modules on poetry, fiction, drama, with material being refreshed every year. Although the focus is mainly on English, lessons also tend to draw on examples from other languages.

Typical modules and subjects taught on a distance learning English degree course

  • American Literature
  • African-American writing
  • Children’s Literature
  • Communication Techniques
  • Creating and Understanding Meaning
  • Creative Writing
  • Contemporary Drama
  • Creative Writing and Critical Practice
  • Drama
  • English Literature
  • Early Twentieth-Century Literature
  • Language and the Media
  • language variation
  • Literary Theory
  • Linguistics
  • Literature of the Later Middle Ages
  • Modern Languages
  • Modernism in Poetry and Fiction
  • Playwriting
  • Reading Literature
  • Renaissance Drama
  • Shakespeare and Early Modern Dramatists
  • Shakespeare
  • Storytelling
  • Television Drama
  • Victorian Literature
  • Words and Music
  • Women’s Writing and Feminist Theory

Students will learn how to

  • Use language effectively in a number of spoken and written styles.
  • Present your ideas clearly and logically.
  • Read and analyse literature.
  • Explain material logically, orally or on paper.
  • Work independently and as a member of a group.
  • Display knowledge of any subject in question.
  • Manage your own time.
  • understand the nature of language
  • Work to deadlines set by yourself and others.
  • Discuss ideas with confidence and precision.
  • Develop their own investigations.

Students will learn about the

  • Emergence and growth of language, as well as how it has changed and developed.
  • Grammatical structure of English
  • Relationship between the practices of writing in all major genres – prose, poetry and drama.
  • Deeper critical understanding of the role of literature in society.

Teaching methods
Online classes are interactive, discussion-based and taught through a virtual campus, where they can take classes remotely with fellow students, and also have instant access to teaching materials and the very latest ideas and discoveries in a subject area. As with all distance learning programs the key to success is largely down to how much time an individual puts into studying, reading and researching.

Coursework tends to be assessed through a variety of traditional and innovative forms of assessment, which can include online postings and end-of-semester examinations.

About this page
This is a resource page that will give you basic information about what you can expect to learn on an accredited online English degree course. It will also give you links to established US and UK universities that run these courses, this is because at present it is the United States of America and the United Kingdom where most English language Internet courses are run from. Through the links on this page you will find out about the:
Course cost (tuition)
Course length
Modules
Admission requirements
Enrolment dates
Financial aid available to students

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