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The University of Southampton
EnglishPart of Humanities

What our students think

Photo of Kirsty Bolton

Southampton has an excellent reputation for medieval studies and I developed my PhD proposal with Professor Catherine Clarke, who I was excited to work with.

Kirsty Bolton - PhD English
Photo of Thomas Brown

I’ve always loved writing, but it’s at Southampton that I discovered how much I love learning about writing, developing as each of us must develop if we’re to succeed in our chosen field.

Thomas Brown - BA English 2010, MA Creative Writing 2013, PhD Creative Writing 2018
Photo of Victoria Cann

I had heard about the MA in 18th Century Studies and about the ties the university has with Chawton Library, which offered excellent research resources and an exciting opportunity to find a more tangible link with this period

Victoria Cann - MA Eighteenth Century Studies
Photo of Divya Dayanandan

I chose to study at Southampton University because I was captivated by the flexibility of module choices available to undergraduates. As a result of this, I knew that I would be able to reach my potential because I could choose modules that I would enjoy.

Divya Dayanandan - BA English
Photo of Annabel Dilks

The system of choosing modules by preference has allowed me to avoid studying subjects I don’t enjoy and specialise in areas I am really interested in or that I have not studied before

Annabel Dilks - BA English
Photo of Ella Dove

The staff are extremely approachable, always willing to give up their time and organise extra one-to-one sessions with us if we need help. I think Southampton is unique in terms of student-staff rapport, I have not encountered another university with such a level of friendliness and support.

Ella Dove - BA English and French
Photo of Islam El Naggar

I will resume teaching in my university in Egypt with new, fresh intellectual mind up-to-date with the current academic debates and methodologies of thinking.

Islam El Naggar - PhD English
Photo of Lauren Fraser

I recently completed a six week internship at Gulf News in Dubai which I enjoyed thoroughly. I conducted interviews, attended press releases and wrote a load of articles which were published in the paper. This was great experience for me and a fabulous opportunity. Getting my name in print exceeded any expectation I had for the internship, and my University of Southampton place certainly helped secure the internship!

Lauren Fraser - BA English
Photo of Denise Greenfield

As a postgraduate student, I enjoy having a bit more flexibility in how I study, and I especially enjoy the independence I’m given to explore different avenues in my research.

Denise Greenfield - PhD English
Photo of Holly Hammond

I was initially attracted to Southampton because of its reputation as being a research intensive university in the Russell Group. Visiting at an Open Day only confirmed that Southampton was the right place for me!

Holly Hammond - BA English
Photo of Emma Hare

I learnt so much - but a particular highlight (and one that has served me well in my career!) was learning to craft an essay – definitely a transferable skill to the working environment.

Emma Hare - BA English
Photo of Emma Hills

I looked at reviews of courses and at the Universities place in league tables and it’s standing as a Russell Group University and that made me want to come here too.

Emma Hills - BA English
Photo of Kostas Kaltsas

I’d lived in Southampton before, and like the city. The department’s reputation played a part too, and the university’s standing as a Russell Group University, but the main reason was my supervisor – I really wanted to work with her.

Kostas Kaltsas - English/Creative Writing PhD
Photo of Robert McWhirter

I’m never tied down to doing something that doesn’t interest me and there’s a real focus of coming up with your own argument on a topic. If a topic fascinates you, you can go away, focus on a part of it, research it further and then start coming up with your own ideas. I love having this kind of freedom

Robert McWhirter - BA English
Photo of Catherine Mitchell

Carving out my own ‘identity’ within my studies - working out what really fired me up and then using that to shape my course was very formative, and definitely enabled by some brilliantly supportive staff.

Catherine Mitchell - BA English
Photo of Mohammad Muazzam Sharif

My main interest was to study Shakespearean drama but from a modern lens and this is what Southampton offered me here. The wide range of expertise from Medieval to present day and the diverse body of research active staff were the main reasons to join the University of Southampton.

Mohammad Muazzam Sharif - English PhD
Photo of Siobhan O'Reilly

I love the campus buzz. Even if my lecture is off in a corner I try and go via the main concourse by the Students Union because there’s always something weird and wonderful going on there.

Siobhan O'Reilly - BA English
Photo of Natasha Onwuemezi

I chose Southampton because the English course is one of the best in the country – as are the lecturers. I also absolutely loved the campus.

Natasha Onwuemezi - BA English
Photo of Gabriela Paclikova

Studying at Southampton is enjoyable. As a student, you feel you belong to a community made up of nice people. Lecturers are real professionals. They are usually supportive and caring.

Gabriela Paclikova - English Postgraduate
Photo of Oliver Polhill

I completed my undergraduate degree here so had a good rapport with the staff and knew that the quality of teaching was good.

Oliver Polhill - English Literature Masters
Photo of Shikha Sharma

I am most interested in the eighteenth century; therefore, I was looking for an MA programme that focused on literature from that era. Southampton offers an astounding Eighteenth-Century Studies MA that has opened my eyes to not only eighteenth-century literature but visual and material culture too.

Shikha Sharma - Eighteenth-Century Studies (MA)
Photo of Beth Stephens

Through the University's Careers and Employability Service, I recently managed to secure an internship at a literary agency.

Beth Stephens - BA English
Photo of Rachel Stockey

No one can tell you which university is right for you, but if you want a course with flexibility and variety, if you want to be located on a beautiful campus with an active students' union and you want to feel part of a really inclusive and exciting community then look no further than Southampton

Rachel Stockey - BA English
Photo of Lisa Thompson

The course looked amazing, and there are loads of great options to choose from in your second and third year so you can do things you really enjoy. It's interesting, challenging and lots of fun, and I've really enjoyed it!

Lisa Thompson - BA Film and English
Photo of David Tully

I love my degree programme! The thing I like most about it is the range of different texts which I get to read – no two modules so far have been the same and it’s not always material that I would have read for myself which makes it very interesting.

David Tully - BA English and French
Photo of Josephine Walker

Having already studied at Southampton, I liked the style of teaching, and the staff in the English department. With the larger challenge of the MA, I felt confident that the university would help and support me, and so knew I wanted to come back after my BA.

Josephine Walker - English BA and MA English Literary Studies
Photo of Tig Wallace

I hugely enjoyed my MA. Having a year to develop my writing skills at Southampton definitely helped me get where I am today; it was a great stepping stone into the wider world.

Tig Wallace - BA English, MA Creative Writing
Photo of Fiona Walsh

The people on the course, students, lecturers and PhD students, were all fantastic and I continue to regularly meet with friends I made on my English BA course. The expertise in the department was very diverse and the module Holocaust Literature was an amazingly insightful and a fascinating module.

Fiona Walsh - BA English
Photo of Stephen Watkins

Southampton is a marvellous place to study its research environment is extremely strong and the lecturers in the department are the nicest bunch of people you could wish to meet.

Stephen Watkins - PhD in English Literature
Photo of Nicole Whitwham

I went to an open day at the university and was even more persuaded to attend here. The breadth and diversity of the modules offered is more difficult to come by in other universities and it really allows students to tailor their undergraduate experience to suit individual interests.

Nicole Whitwham - BA English with a minor in Education
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