English Literature
How do you approach English Literature? What makes something a poem? What are the key themes in William Shakespeare and Virginia Woolf's works?
If questions like these interest you, you may be suited to our English Literature summer school course.
Students on our English Literature course develop the skills and critical lens to effectively analyse famous works by Alfred Tennyson, William Shakespeare, EM Forster and more.
Our English Literature course
What will you be studying?
- This course introduces students to key theories used for a university study of English Literature.
- The start of the first week is spent developing an understanding of critical theory, and the different ways that we can analyse literature.
- This new knowledge is applied to poetry, incorporating poems by Alfred Tennyson, Dylan Thomas, and William Shakespeare.
- Students move on to applying this critical lens to the prose writing of Virginia Woolf, Thomas Hardy, EM Forster, and Tom Stoppard.
What will you leave with?
- Two worksheets with marked feedback
- Personalised report from summer school Tutor
- An understanding of the basics of key theories used in the study of English Literature
- In-depth understanding of careers open to you with an English degree
- An understanding of studying English at undergraduate level
What's included?
- 15 hours of tuition
- 18 hours supervised independent study
- 2 one-to-one tutorials with a tutor, 2 marked essays
- Debating workshop in the Oxford Union
- A full academic report from your tutor
- 10 hours of career talks
- Optional university preparation sessions
Who teaches our English Literature course?
All of our summer school tutors are trained graduates from Oxford or Cambridge University
Piers (MPhil, Cantab)
Piers completed a Masters in English Literature at the University of Cambridge and then moved directly on to a Cambridge Ph.D.
His research focuses on how romantic classical music appears in the literature of the early twentieth century. In particular, he focuses on E. M. Forster's writings on music.
Piers has taught with us on the 2018 and 2019 Oxbridge International Summer School and has extensive teaching experience from supervising undergraduate students at the University of Cambridge throughout the course of his PhD.
What our students say
We are proud of the experience our students have with us every summer, and how much they value the opportunity to experience student life in Oxford.
Ashley
2015 student
"I had an amazing time at Oxbridge! The course itself was very fun and informative, and I've learned a lot more than school could ever teach me. The tutors were very nice and the classes improved my thinking skills."
Yvone, mother of Liz
2017 parent
"The money we spent sending Liz to summer school was a terrific investment and we were delighted with the outcome, thanks to the quality and integrity of the individuals who looked after her and inspired her enormously"
Melanie
2018 student
"These two weeks I spent at Oxbridge were some of the best I have had. I met so many wonderful people that I was able to spend many valuable moments with. The academics were very good and I feel it has prepared me for my upcoming school year. "
Apply now for English Literature
Applications are now open to join our 2020 summer school.
You can apply for a 2 week course in English Literature, or a 4 week course in English Literature and one other subject.