English Literature and Scottish Literature at Edinburgh
Find out what you'll study and where, and explore opportunities to get creative and make friends.
What you will study
We offer multiple degree programmes in English Literature and Scottish Literature.
You can take a single honours programme in either English Literature or Scottish Literature, combine both in a joint honours programme, or take either with one of a wide range of other subjects, including English Language and a number of European languages.
Degree Finder gives you a year-by-year overview of what you will study on each of our programmes.
Browse our literature programmes on Degree Finder
Degree structure
You’ll complete a four-year Master of Arts (MA) honours degree.
Each year, you will study courses that give you a total of 120 credits.
Your first two years will be your pre-honours years. They will give you a good grounding in your subject(s). For example, they will introduce you to the essential skills needed for the critical close reading of the core literary genres of poetry, drama and prose.
On most programmes, you will build up your pre-honours credits by taking a mix of compulsory and optional courses. This is likely to involve choosing courses from other subject areas. Typically, single honours students choose more optional courses than joint honours students.
Your final two years will be your honours years. This is when you will specialise in the aspects of your subject(s) that interest you most.
Discover a world of languages
One of the benefits of taking a four-year degree is the chance to study different subjects in your first two years. Most of our degree programmes have this flexibility.
There are lots of benefits to learning a language, from making the most of time abroad to enhancing your social life in Edinburgh and increasing your employability.
We have a very wide range of languages to choose from, either as:
- part of your programme
- a short evening course with the Centre for Open Learning
- part of a social, student-led activity
The majority are suitable for complete beginners - no previous experience required!
Discover a world of languages on our dedicated website
Degree Programme Tables
The detailed content of degree programmes for students starting in September 2024 is now available in our Degree Programme Tables (DPTs).
The Degree Programme Table will give you a more in-depth insight into the compulsory courses and optional courses on your degree programme. Find out about a particular course, including:
- the syllabus
- methods of assessment
- modes of feedback
- learning outcomes
To get started with a DPT, choose your programme from the alphabetical list of undergraduate programmes in literatures, languages and cultures.
Find DPTs for the 2024/25 academic year
Where you will study
When you are on campus, you can expect to spend most of your time in the University of Edinburgh's Central Area - in class, in the library, or in one of the University’s many social and support spaces.
The Central Area is located on the edge of Edinburgh's historic Old Town, surrounded by lots of green space.
The University holds many literary treasures in its extensive collections. These include a truly exceptional collection of early Shakespeare quartos and other early modern printed plays, and the Corson Collection of works by and about Sir Walter Scott.
Modern literature and poetry are particularly well represented, with the W.H. Auden collection and the libraries of Lewis Grassic Gibbon, Hugh MacDiarmid and Norman MacCaig.
Explore with a Virtual Visit
Take a look around our School, and the wider University, with our Virtual Visit.
Look inside 50 George Square (where English Literature and Scottish Literature are based), check out the campus libraries and points of interest, and get a feel for what it's like to study and live in Edinburgh.
Virtual Visit - English Literature and Scottish Literature
In the city
A UNESCO World City of Literature, Edinburgh is a remarkable place to study, write, publish, discuss and perform prose, poetry and drama.
In addition to a fantastic range of publishing houses, bookshops, theatres, and cinemas, you will study near the:
- National Library of Scotland
- National Museum of Scotland
- Edinburgh Central Library
- Scottish Poetry Library
- Scottish Storytelling Centre
- Writers’ Museum
We have strong links with the Edinburgh International Book Festival, which annually welcomes around 1,000 authors to our literary city.
The four-year experience
Our degree programmes are designed to include four years of study to give you a broader and more flexible education.
This means, in most cases, you'll have the chance to try a range of subjects before specialising. Even if you know exactly what you want to do, you can study additional subjects and add depth to your education. We believe this will give you the best chance of success in your future career.
Applied for a joint honours degree?
Don’t forget to look at the information for each of your subjects. Navigate to the information for all subject areas at the link below. Choose the School your subject belongs to and explore your other subject. Not sure which School your other subject belongs to? There is also a handy list of which School owns which subject below.
Go Abroad
Living and studying abroad can broaden your horizons, transform your academic perspective, and help you to get the very most from your time as an undergraduate.
If you're studying a joint degree with a European language, you will spend time abroad. Where possible, our joint degree with Persian also involves a period of study abroad. In all cases, this will be in the 2026 to 2027 academic year, your third year as an Edinburgh student. It will be your chance to turn classroom learning into living engagement with other cultures, developing lots of skills that you will use after university and that employers love to see.
If you are not studying a joint degree with a language, study abroad is entirely optional. But if you do choose to go abroad for a full year, it will be the 2026 to 2027 academic year, your third year as an Edinburgh student. There are also opportunities to go abroad for a much shorter time, including on work placement or for summer school.
Get creative and make friends with literature
Across the University, there are lots of opportunities to get involved in:
- reading and writers' groups
- poetry slams
- creative writing and publishing
- student theatre
We also have a fantastic Writer in Residence who organises talks and workshops by visiting writers and runs our annual writing prizes. Their drop-in sessions give you the chance to:
- share your work
- get feedback
- meet other student writers
- get inspiration and prompts for new work
Our Peer Support Group, LitPALS, is also a great way to make friends, as well as to get help with your learning. Supported by Edinburgh University Students’ Association, it is one of the University's largest Peer Support groups.