By Katie
When selecting my degree, English was always a no brainer. As an avid reader and a certified nerd, I was more than ready to get lost in literature! However, KCL does literature a little bit differently. Here are the TOP 5 things that got me excited about studying English at King’s!
1. The Choices
The thing that drew me to King’s was the huge amount of exciting literature we could study. But the level of choice you get is far beyond what I expected! Students select all their 2nd and 3rd year modules, and the range is more than impressive. From ‘Post-Colonial Pirates’ to ‘Language on The Edge’ to ‘Afrofuturism’, you are able to tailor your academic journey to your interests.
2. Getting Creative
Unlike other universities, King’s English Department offers multiple modules in creative writing. Across 3 years, students have plenty of opportunities to flex their writing muscles and produce poetry, short-stories, creative essays or even scripts as part of their degree. These are not only super fun to do as a creative person but have helped me to expand my portfolio of writing. You could even submit these works to societies like the King’s Poetry Society or King’s Players Society to share your creativity with your peers!
3. Opportunities and Workshops
Though remote learning has been, at times, really tough, the English department knows how to make it worthwhile. Multiple times a term, we are invited to attend free workshops and events with industry professionals (such as writers, academics, theatre-makers) where we can expand our knowledge and engage with the vibrant world of literature outside of our degree. These are great ways to feel connected to the works you study, while also picking up some fab career tips along the way.
4. Finding Your Interests
This is a big one for me. I entered my degree believing that all I wanted to study was theatre. Any time period, any style, just make sure it’s dramatic! But (thanks to the points above) the amount of choice given to me in my studies has encouraged me to really branch out! Now, I’ve been able to study ground-breaking work on gender and sexuality, writings from Chile, Ghana, medieval Scandinavia, and much more. From this, I’ve discovered my interest in modern Irish literature, and I’m so excited to see where this takes me!
5. Classmates
A strange one for sure, but for me one of the biggest surprises is how good the vibes can be in class. Daunted and quiet at first, as the days have gone by (and with a little push from lecturers) my classes are now full of vibrant conversations that have made me really think deeper about the things we study. Not only are you encouraged to think outside of the box, but to also talk through your ideas in a safe, inclusive forum. This has done wonders for my confidence, and is (for me) one of the best things about English at King’s!
While this is just my personal experience, I hope these TOP 5 help you to see how deceptively exciting an English degree can be, and how much King’s has to offer!
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